fanitha

The other day I tried to google articles about second lead syndrome, but there were only a couple do I thought I tried myself and write one.

I hardly ever get the second lead syndrome so when I do get it its something really interesting to me. Because there has to be a really strong second lead to make me want to give him everything instead of the lead. So far I can only recall 6 dramas were I got the second lead syndrome. Spoilers ahead…

Hana Yori Dango

This one is a really difficult one for me, because HanaDan has to be my favorite drama ever. I’ve watched it several times and it never gets boring. I’m very familiar with Hana Yori Dango because I’ve read the manga, watched the anime and also watched all the Asian versions (Taiwanese, Japanese, Korean and Chinese) but the Japanese version is my favorite of all.

When I read the manga and watched the anime I was totally onboard with Tsukasa and Rui never really caught my attention. But then I watched the drama and there the problem began. I really like Matsujun as Tsukasa and I find him really fitting for the part. He definitely has what it takes to be this cute but spoiled brat that falls in love with Makino. But then we have Oguri Shun, he really nailed it on his part as Hanazawa Rui, it was heartbreaking for me to see him love Tsukushi so much that he protected her from everything and everyone. And also his everlasting love was so touching, it was unconditional and how he decided to keep loving her and protecting her from afar made my heart melt. So really congrats Ogushun you made me tear apart and cheer for Rui, though I have to say I’m pretty satisfied with how the story ended for Tsukushi and Rui (not the part were they made Rui marry her and Tsukasa, it was really weird seeing him in those priest clothes >_< )

Cheese in the trap

This is a delicate drama to talk about I’m aware of it, because of all the controversy around how the lead Jung wasn’t getting enough air time and the maybe the second lead had a sponsor theory. But leaving all that aside and focusing only on the story the drama told; for me it had to be In Ho, he was the one that was always beside Seoul, their interactions were really natural and they had always a good time when they were together. I think that they understood each other really well. On the other hand I had a very serious problem with Jung’s character I couldn’t really tell what he was thinking and all his manipulations and under the table methods were not really understandable for me. So for me In Ho-Seoul pairing was a better fit!

Good bye Mr. Black

Oh this drama was a huge deception for me, I was hoping for a revenge drama with lots o scheming and turning points. And instead I got a so so drama. But well moving to the second lead syndrome. In this one it wasn’t that the second lead was more charming than the lead. The thing was that Black and Swan didn’t have chemistry and I never understood when Black fall in love with Swan therefore I was never motivated to cheer on them. That’s why I thought Swan was better off paired with Woo Jin. So more than a second lead syndrome I think this was more of a discarding process.

Heroine Disqualified

This second lead syndrome comes from the manga. First I read the manga and then I watched the movie. And in this one I can’t understand why Hatori choose Rita instead of Kosuke. Rita was really selfish in every decision he made, he put everyone ahead of Hatori. For me it didn’t made any sense that she will not fall in love with Kosuke after all the effort he put in their relationship and everything he did for her.

The Heirs

This one is a tricky one, because watching Young Do (Woo Bin’s character) was like watching Tsukasa form Hana yori dango. So I really wanted Eun Sang to choose him. Because all the effort he made to change from the bad boy to the good boy. It’s exactly as Tsukasa’s change he was a spoiled rich brat, that didn’t know better, but after meeting her he changes and starts showing a kind side. So you really want him to get the girl because he was so in need of love and warmth.

Personally I’m weak to this kind of characters because they are cold and ruthless not because they want to but because they grow not knowing love nor a kind and warm family. So when they start to change because they finally found someone that makes them want to be better it really turns my heart in to this big marshmallow that wants them to have love once in their life.

Pretty Man aka Bel Ami

Oh Pretty Man, this is a drama that I HAD to drop, and one of the reasons was that my second lead syndrome was so huge that I couldn’t bear it anymore. And the other reason is that the lead was such a jerk that I didn’t want to see him get the girl instead of the second lead.

Watching this drama was like watching two unrelated stories at the same time, I didn’t get it at all, and it was like watching to different dramas in the same universe at the same time. Jang Geun Suk’s character Ma Tae was the perfect jerk, but overall he was more worried in seducing this 10 women than in getting engaged or having contact with the leading lady (Bo Tong). This is why I was so confused, while he was seducing this 10 women we had Bo Tong and the second lead (David) having this cute relationship were he did everything a leading man is supposed to do with the heroine! And the song he wrote and then sang for her, it melted m heart <3 So it was like they were having their own party while Ma Tae was having his. There were any cute moments between the leads nor interactions were one can understand why Ma Tae will fall in love with Bo Tong. Instead he was always treating her like his secretary and errand boy while he was busy with his tasks of these 10 women, that frankly I couldn’t care less about it. So for me they could have leave him doing that while they gave Bo Tong and David a cute happy ending, but unfortunately the second lead stays as the second lead!