Do You by any chance like folk tales or folk legends? Then this drama is like a gift to you. Imagine a normal day when a century-old mermaid happens to come just like magic. This drama makes us experience a world where folk legends and contemporary times blend love, romance, magic and reincarnation skillfully. In this article, Legend of the Blue Sea full review, we are giving a review of the drama Legend of the Blue Sea.
In the year 2016, some dramas became a hotshot as everyone talked highly about those dramas. Legend of the Blue Sea is one of those dramas that were highly talked about that year and still fans cherish the unforgettable love story between a mermaid and a human being.
Plot Summary and Key Storylines
Joon Jae, played by Lee Min Ho, is a swindler. He is very handsome and intelligent but he uses all his intelligence in doing illegal things. He has two partners in crime Jo Nam Doo and Tae Oh. This time they swindled a wealthy family impersonated as lawyers. After achieving their target they fly outside of Korea to let everything be normal. In abroad they stay in an oceanside resort where Joon Jae meets a mysterious girl, later he names that girl Shim Chung.
The story goes to the past, when a mermaid was captured by a fisherman who sold it to an innkeeper. The innkeeper invited the newly appointed governor Dam Ryung to show him the beautiful mermaid. On that night the governor rescues that mermaid and releases it into the ocean, before the mermaid leaves they hold each other’s hand and here their destiny gets connected.
They get incarnations through that connection, they magically meet again in the present time. In this life Governor Dam Ryung is the swindler Joon Jae and that mermaid is present times Shim Chung.
Characters that Bring the Story to Life
Here I will give a brief introduction of the characters of the drama Legend of the Blue Sea below. There are so many important characters but we will talk about the most important characters here.
Shim Chung (Jun Ji-Hyun): The Heart of the Fairytale
The character Shim Chung is played by the beautiful and talented actress Jun Ji Hyun. Shim Chung is a mermaid who magically crossed the sea and met her destiny. She doesn’t know how cruel the earth is. She is the embodiment of innocence and love. When she comes to know about Joon Jae’s illegal work, her heart breaks because she trusts him a lot as a kind person. As she was new in the land she faced so many obstacles to adapt to the life of land. Her character grew up with the change of the atmosphere, within her kindness and simplicity she learned love, sacrifice and humanity.
Heo Joon-Jae (Lee Min-Ho): The Charming Conman with a Heart
Heo Joon Jae is a handsome young man played by Lee Min Ho, who is intelligent but involved in conning people to gain their wealth. But he changed his personality when he fell in love with Shim Chung. Being a lover boy he turned himself from being self-centered to self-sacrificing man, from being careless to a caring lover. As he is the hero of our fairy tale he changes from a negative character to one of the most celebrated heroes of all time. Joon Jae is the direct reincarnation of the ancient governor Dam Ryung. Who later remembers his connection with the mermaid.
Jo Nam-Doo (Lee Hee-Joon): The Complex Friend
The character of Jo Nam Doo is played by Lee Hee Joon. As the three friends are con artists it is normal to be greedy. Among the friends, he is the slyest but the best part of this character is he is loyal to his friends. When he gets to know that Shim Chung is actually a mermaid he wants to use her for monetary purposes but when he comes to know his friend’s relationship with the mermaid he sacrifices his greed and helps them to be together. His role also gives some comic relief to the audience.
Tae Oh (Shin Won-Ho): The Quiet but Essential Companion
Shin Won Ho played the role of Tae Oh, who is one of the members of the trio. He is a tech-savvy kid who helps Joon Jae and Jo Nam Joo in their work technically. He is quiet and shy as well, his role gives emphasis to the bond of a family. He is the youngest member and is treated as the youngest brother by both Joon Jae and Nam Joo. Though he is silent he observes everything around him well.
Chi-Hyun (Lee Ji-Hoon): The Complicated Antagonist
Lee Ji Hoon as Chi Hyun plays the role of the antagonist here. He is connected with Joon Jae from his past life. He himself is a tragic character rather than a villain. He is torn between loyalty to his family and resentment toward Joon-Jae. His presence adds a darker dimension to the fairytale.
Key Themes and Symbolism
The main theme of this drama is eternal love, as this drama explores the idea of love that crosses the boundaries of time. In the ancient time, two people met and were destined to be with each other but they somehow lost each other and after more than four hundred years they met again and fell in love with each other as they were meant to.
The reincarnation of these lovers symbolizes the inevitability of true love. Both of them are two different species of the earth, one is a human being and the other is a mermaid who lives underwater. Despite their physical boundaries, their souls are fated together.
Again, in this drama we see Joon Jae who is a swindler changes his mind and tries to become a better person for Shim Chung which symbolizes love has the power to change even the worst person into a kind persona. It is the power of true love that transforms a hardened conman into a caring lover.
The makers use the sea as a metaphor, the sea stands as the representation of not only Shim Chung’s origin but also the hidden aspects of Joon Jae’s life and past trauma.
We can find other symbols in this drama like dreams as a glimpse into the past, the symbolism of innocence and many more.
Soothing OSTs of the Drama
OSTs always work as a pull factor of any drama. The fans feel connected with a story if they hear the melody in the background of any scene. OSTs make a powerful connection between the fans and a particular character that we cry and laugh with them. Here I am going to give you a list of the OSTs of this kind of powerful and soothing OSTs of the drama Legend of the Blue Sea and mark one best, one most popular, one fan favorite and one masterpiece.
OST list:
There is a total of 15 official tracks that made the drama even more loved by the fans of Legend to the Blue Sea, those are:
- Love Story – Lyn
- Lean on You – Jung Yup
- WindFlower – Lee Sun Hee
- You Are My World – Yoon Mi Rae
- Shy Boy – Ha Hyun Woo
- Somewhere, Someday – Sung Si Kyung
- Fool – Ken (VIXX)
- Day By Day – Park Yoon Ha
- Why Am I Like This – Coffee Boy
- Love Road – Min Chae
- If Only – SeJeong
- Hidden Story (instrumental)
- The Last Time – Lee Hi
- Misty Moment (instrumental)
- Legend of The Blue Sea (instrumental)
As I told you I am going to give you the best one, the most popular one, one which is fans favorite and the ultimate masterpiece, follow me.
Best One:
All the tracks are too good in itself but the best one is Love Story by Lyn as this drama bears the main theme of drama which is true love. The powerful vocal and heartwarming lyrics resonate with the deep love of the lovers who belong to the different worlds. Throughout the drama, this song is often played which makes it a memorable one.
Most Popular:
You Are My World by Yoon Mi Rae became the most popular among all the soundtracks of Legend of the Blue Sea because it attracted the minds and hearts of the fans with heart-wrenching melodies. Yoon Mi Rae’s voice also worked like magic that made the audience visualize the love of the lovers.
Fan Favorite:
Fans love Somewhere, Someday by Sung Si Kyung because it skillfully matches the vibes of the dreamy and fairytale-like love story of Joon Jae and Shim Chung. Fans often mention this song as their favorite one. The skillful and soothing voice of Sung Si Kyung gives a nostalgic vibe and takes the fans to the world of the unusual lovers of this drama.
The Masterpiece:
The ultimate masterpiece OST of this drama is Wind Flower by Lee Sun Hee. This song showcases the haunting beauty of the love and sacrifices of the lover, and the voice of Lee Sun Hee gives it an ultimate push. This song is definitely the best fit for the mystical element of the story. The mythical story of a mermaid who falls in love with a normal human being becomes trustworthy with this music.
To sum up, if I talk about drama then it is definitely worth watching. The cast portrayed the characters so well and made it easy to understand the past and present connections of the leads. The friendship of the trio, the love between the lovers, and the innocence of the mermaid make this drama one of the best of all time to the fans. The powerful casting of Lee Min Ho and Jun Ji Hyun was for sure the best decision of the makers. If you are a beginner or you love watching romcoms and especially if you love fantasy stories then without any further waste of time start watching it because this drama is made for you.