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Character Spotlight: Venus and Mars

"Little" Introduction:

Welcome! I decided to start a new project for the blog. How long it'll last or how many more installments there'll be, I don't know (your guess is as good as mine). As the title says, the series will be about characters, from both movies and dramas. I'll usually feature side characters that, for the most part, outshine the main characters or are just plain awesome. Occasionally, I might feature a main character that is just too great to pass up but these will try to be posts about side characters that can be overlooked or just don't get that much recognition. If you have any suggestions, please comment away! I love positive input!

Onto the first character spotlight!


A professor who is in love with a cow... quite literally.

Seo Tae-hwa plays Tae-hwa in the 2007 movie Venus and Mars starring Sul Kyung-goo and Kim Tae-hee.

Tae-hwa is a ridiculous character who'll leave you gaping in disbelief, laughing in absurdity, or both. He is a professor of animal science at the same school as Kim Sang-min (Sul Kyung-goo) and shows great affection towards a cow he names Ji-hee.

The first scene of Tae-hwa is of him brushing Ji-hee and telling Sang-min to wash his car some place else. Sang-min jokes if the cow is his girlfriend or something, what's up with the name Ji-hee? Tae-hwa with a dead-serious expression asks,"What's weird about a professor of animal science to love a cow?" This turns into a running gag.


Sang-min rants to Tae-hwa about his problems and advises him to never get married. He looks over to his friend who lovely strokes Ji-hee and stops mid-sentence. Sang-min asks what's up with that look, and Tae-hwa with his signature dead-pan expression asks, "What's weird about a professor of animal science to love a cow?"

What makes Tae-hwa an unforgettable character is that he is so ridiculous and petty on top of being in love with a cow. He really believes and treats Ji-hee like a human girlfriend (and may be even better than he would to a human).


Later in movie, Tae-hwa learns that Ji-hee is pregnant and is devastated. He goes out to eat beef in a fit of rage and stuffs his face while crying leaving Sang-min super uncomfortable and confused.

No worries, though! Near the end of the film, Sang-min sees a milk commercial and who else would be on screen than Tae-hwa and Ji-hee... with Ji-hee's kid! He has not only reconciled with Ji-hee but seems to have even accepted the little one and lovingly feeds the baby milk. Tae-hwa smiles as he gallops in the field with his family... of cows.

It sounds absurd and strange because it is, and Seo Tae-hwa does a hilarious job as the professor in love with a cow. His serious portrayal without a hint of sarcasm is what makes the character memorable and uproariously funny. Tae-hwa truly loves Ji-hee and while we, the audience, see a man and a cow, Tae-hwa only sees Ji-hee. It's truly an unconventional love story.

Tae-hwa, you sir, are truly a man with rose-colored glasses, and I'm sure Ji-hee is one happy female cow.

Comments

  1. Dong Ah from Wild Romance immediately sprung to mind when I saw the description for this post!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for the comment and suggestion! I still have to watch Wild Romance, and I'll definitely have to keep my eyes open for Dong-ah.

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