The Package

I didn't have very high expectations for The Package - I knew fully well that it had been pre-produced almost entirely in France, but few details about the drama were revealed before it aired, and I didn't have a lot of interest in the cast. Boy, am I glad I watched it though.

A group of people take a package tour to France for their own various reason - their tour guide, Yoon So-so, is charged with making sure the tour goes without a hitch. This is unlikely to happen, considering that a member of her group, sweet San Ma-ru, is a walking disaster. 

That's the jist of the plot - it doesn't sound like there;s a lot there, does it? For once, I can say with complete honesty and certainty that it isn't a problem. The writing is completely solid all the way though, with even pacing and a satisfying conclusion. The simplicity of this show is actually what allows the potential of the premise to shine though.

  The Package is an almost entirely character-driven show. It introduces people, different in age and background and lifestyle, who over the course of their holiday learn more about themselves and each other, eventually establishing friendships.

   I know a lot of people dropped the show because they couldn't stand a few of the characters, but frankly there isn't a single one that I hadn't come to like by the end of the drama. The writer clearly knew what she was doing, and crafted her characters to feel like living breathing people. The development of each one of them is profound and noticeable, and a pleasure to watch. 

  The writing is best when it comes to them. In fact, even some clever plot twists were slipped into the story through them (or rather some little revelations that no-one saw coming), which I loved. 

  I can't say I noticed any faults with the acting - which isn't surprising, really, with some really great veterans in the cast. I was a little worried about whether Jung Yong-hwa may or may not be the weak link here (I like him, but he was very wooden in Heartstrings). Luckily, I think a plucky and easygoing character meshes well with him. Lee Yeon-hee definitely wasn't as stunning here as she was in Miss Korea (and may never be), but was was good too.

  One of the biggest draws to this drama is obviously the fact that it's primarily set in France. The production team knows this, and the direction focuses around making the beautiful places the characters go to look all the more majestic with big sweeping shots. It would be easy for this to be misconstrued as them simply showing off (Goblin was guilty of doing this with their mountain location shoot, and boy was it obvious), but to me it felt more like the staff here truly wanted to give some insight into French culture.

  It was really the best way to make use of the pre-produced format, and I think this is one of the best pre-produced dramas I've watched. Everything just felt refined and polished. I fully recommend giving The Package a watch, because it's better than something you can just use to pass the time. It's an experience.