Soul Special (쏘울 스페셜)

For all intents and purposes, this is a review of the series (either over the internet or on TV) I've seen, for the past years for people who are only just beginning to discover Asianovels (or just wanted to see them again) ^^, enjoy :)

Soul Special (쏘울 스페셜 - ssoul seupesyeol)

I discovered this series two years later after its release (aigoo!). Released sometime around October 2009, the series stars Han Hyo Joo, Kim Dong Wook, Lee Chae Young and balladeer K.Will. Incidentally, this was also the latter’s acting debut (yay! ^^)


Cast of characters

The story is fairly simple and short but, for fans like me who are used to seeing long-spinning dramas on TV, the internet drama (yes, it was released over the internet) had a lot of spaces for grey areas. With each episode lasting just above five minutes (that’s net of the buffering time you get when loading the video on-line), the entire 12-part Soul Special internet drama lasted only for an hour when watched end-to-end (without pause and buffer). Talk about short, huh? ^-^

Warning: For a “drama” series, this was fairly light. Watch it so you’ll have an idea.

The story basically spins around Jin Mi Ah (played by Hyo Joo), a singer-songwriter who returned to Korea after staying abroad and how she met the flustered, frustrated doctor/surgeon (who was by the way, lying drunk on the parking lot) played by Kim Dong Wook at the airport parking lot. With Jin Mi Ah’s free spirit (and kindness…I think ^-^), she took the sleeping drunk doctor to her hotel room and returned to her own apartment but not before she asked the half-awake doctor “do you want to marry me?” (if you’re wondering, that’s just an expression of hers. I don’t think she really meant it.)

Here's the first episode. Links are listed below. :)

I didn’t see much of K.Will on the series for some unknown reason, or perhaps, unknown to me. He was basically out for half the series. Also, the Kia Soul (I hope I got the model right) was a prominent display all throughout the series. Talk about ad placement ^-^

Viewers now get to see how Chae Young discovered K.Will’s feelings for her (sorry, I didn’t catch their characters’ names on the series); how Dong Wook (sorry, I didn’t catch his character’s name as well…if you know, kindly send me a message ^^,) proposed marriage to Jin Mi Ah while they were on a beach, asking her to come live with him in Ethiopia bearing in mind that Jin Mi Ah loves to travel, only to get rejected by Jin Mi Ah, saying she doesn’t want to leave her home country anymore; how Chae Young confronted K.Will outside the bar, how she asked if he would marry her, how he only smiled back, and how hilariously cute the whole scene was. And what happens after that? You’ll have to watch it to find out. One clue though, Dong Wook re-appears and renewed his proposal. (For those who’ve seen the series, let’s not spoil the fun for others ^-^)

Here's episode 10 where I found Dong Wook's character's proposal sincere and heartfelt

and a link for episode 11 :)  => http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Nk9PapRGBM&feature=related
(sorry, i can't find the video to post here so i copied the link instead)

The ending of the series left me hanging, though. Like I wanted even just another 5-minute-per-episode-5-episode continuation series just to explain what happened during those “missing” time lines and what happened to Hyo Joo and Dong Wook’s characters in the series after his second proposal.

Anyway, you be the judge. Open-ended stories give fans a wide expanse of space where their imagination can roam free. ^-^

p.s

During the series, we hear a couple of familiar voices singing. Bobby Kim sang the opening song (I think) called “My Girl” which is an up-beat song but I don’t think it’s included in the OST of the series, though.

Relatively, K.Will sang the theme “Couldn’t Saythat I Love You” (which also became the title of the 11^th episode). The series had a mini album released on September 2009 consisting of six tracks (yes, that’s what I said: “mini” album)


Track listing for the Soul Special Mini Album as follows:

1.       사랑한단 말을 못해서 (Couldn’t Say I Love You)

2.       Soul Special (this gives me a sort of bossa nova effect, don’t you think?)

3.       햇살이 밝아서

4.       Style (feat. 허인창)

5.       사랑한단 말을 못해서 (Instrumental)

6.       햇살이 밝아서 (Instrumental)

Now, let me not forget that I don't own any of the videos above and that I was only able to post it here because I have already seen it from another source. Credits for the videos (and video link) goes to alrob28 (youtube.com) ^^,


Also, the link on the Soul Special Mini Album (it's highlighted violet) is from a 4shared.com user "urnobody199"


Also, I've put links (highlighted in violet or magenta) on the songs just in case you wanted to hear them. Special thanks to carmeyl(2) and super junior (both 4shared.com users) for the links on My Girl and Couldn't Say I Love You


To the generous souls ^ I've credited above, sorry if i didn't ask permission first in using your uploads. Just the same, I want to thank you.




p.s.
for comments, suggestions or any corrections, kindly leave a message and i'll get back at it a.s.a.p. ^-^
p.s.2
names of the characters also have links. hope the owners don't mind the link ^^,

Because I Couldn't Tell You I Love You by K.Will (Han/Rom/Eng)

For all intents and purposes, I've posted the following for the benefit of Korean singers' fans across the globe just like me :)

The following lyrics is from the internet drama Soul Special (starring Han Hyo-Joo, Kim Dong-wook, Lee Chae-young and K.Will)

I believe it's K.Will's first try in acting so the drama was a big deal for his fans. Anyways, to his fans and the fans of the darma, enjoy :)

Acknowledgments and disclaimers are listed below.

Because I Couldn't Tell You That I Love You

(K.Will)

잘가라며 돌아서는 짧은 인사가

jalgalamyeo dol-aseoneun jjalb-eun insaga

the short goodbye as you turned away

내맘깊이 혼자 남아서

naemamgip-i honja nam-aseo

has remained deep inside my heart

가슴속에 섞여 무뎌짐이 되는 일

gaseumsog-e seokk-yeo mudyeojim-i doeneun il

mixed inside my heart, being a buried burden

차마 더 견딜 수 없나봐..

chama deo gyeondil su eobsnabwa..

I guess I couldn’t endure it any longer

잡을 수도 없던 나의 하루 하루가

jab-eul sudo eobsdeon naui halu haluga

my day to day that seemed to pass so quickly

오늘은 왜 이리 더딘지

oneul-eun wae ili deodinji

why did it suddenly become so slow

울던니모습이따뜻한목소리가

uldeon nimoseubi ttatteutan moksoriga

your warm voice, your crying face

멍하니 또 다시 찾아와..

meonghani tto dasi chaj-awa..

idly come again..

턱끝까지 차오르는 눈물이 흐르고

teogkkeutkkaji chaoleuneun nunmul-i heuleugo

the overwhelming tears finally began to flow

내가슴끝이하 얗게머리를채워도

naegaseum kkeuchi hayake meorireul chaewodo

though I try to clear my heart and try to clear my head

참아내고비워내도더괜찮은듯이

chamanaego biwonaedo deo gwaenchanheun deusi

though I bear it and erase it, again living as if I were fine

살아도 어쩔 수 없나봐..

sal-ado eojjeol su eobsnabwa..

I guess I can’t do anything

사랑한단 말을 못해서

salanghandan mal-eul moshaeseo

because I couldn’t tell you I love you

사랑이란 말을 못해서

salang-ilan mal-eul moshaeseo

because I couldn’t tell you this was love

가슴끝에 삼킨 그말 아직 못해서..

gaseumkkeut-e samkin geumal ajig moshaeseo..

because I couldn’t say the words deep in my heart

아무것도 할 수 없잖아

amugeosdo hal su eobsjanh-a

I can’t do anything

아무것도 볼 수 없잖아

amugeosdo bol su eobsjanh-a

I can’t see anything

움직일 수 없어

umjig-il su eobs-eo

I can’t move

종일 미친듯이 너만 외쳤어..

jong-il michindeus-i neoman oechyeoss-eo..

I just shout your name endlessly all day..

숨조차 쉴 수 없는데

sumjocha swil su eobsneunde

I couldn’t even breath

이렇게 끝나버리면

ileohge kkeutnabeolimyeon

if it just ends like this

너없이 살 수 없는 바보같은 나라서

neoeobs-i sal su eobsneun babogat-eun nalaseo

because I’m a fool who couldn’t live without you

사랑해 널 기다리잖아..

salanghae neol gidalijanh-a..

I love you, I’m waiting for you

사랑한단 말을 못해서

salanghandan mal-eul moshaeseo

because I couldn’t tell you I love you

사랑이란 말을 못해서

salang-ilan mal-eul moshaeseo

because I couldn’t tell you this was love

가슴속에 삼킨 그말 끝내 못해서..

gaseumsog-e samkin geumal kkeutnae moshaeseo..

because I couldn’t tell you those swallowed words deep in my heart

아무것도 할 수 없잖아

amugeosdo hal su eobsjanh-a

I can’t do anything

아무것도 볼 수 없잖아

amugeosdo bol su eobsjanh-a

I can’t see anything

움직일 수 없어

umjig-il su eobs-eo

I can’t move

종일 미친듯이 너만 외 쳤어..

jong-il michindeus-i neoman oe chyeoss-eo..

I just shout your name endlessly all day

하루종일 너만 외 쳤어…

halujong-il neoman oe chyeoss-eo …

all day I shout your name

Just like before, I would like to, and I promised I would, recognized the following as my sources for the lyrics above:

Hangul and romanized version courtesy of the following:

yuyaindou.blogspot.com

translate.google.com

English translation courtesy of the following:

darynrose (youtube.com)

alrob28 (youtube.com)**

**mixed the English translations from the two sources

p.s.

if there is any correction in the lyrics and/or it's translation, kindly feel free to comment and i'll make the necessary corrections.

p.s.2

all rights go to their respective owners :)

p.s.3

you may find the romanized version a bit different from what you might hear K.Will singing. don't worry, it's not you, it's Google translate. but they're pretty much the same :)