Korean Drama – By the River

I have always been fascinated by the piano. Ever since I was a little boy, I was in awe whenever I saw someone play piano. I always thought that it would be nice if I could also play. Somehow I just didn’t believe that I could ever learn to play because it all seemed so complex.

I wasted most of my life loving the piano while procrastinating that one day I will take lessons. I suffered a horrific hand injury during my high school years which messed up my mind for years to come. I realized that I could never learn to play piano due to the partial severing of a digit.

The pandemic has left me in isolation for most of the time. I have had a lot of time to take on new hobbies but the piano did not cross my mind. I started this blog among others, and some web projects. I focused on my career at work. Work kept my mind off the doom and gloom of isolation.

To cure the boredom, I finally subscribed to Netflix last year. I am pleased that they show many foreign films. I much prefer watching foreign movies over Hollywood. I love to watch Korean dramas and started watching one particular drama called Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol which is about a pianist as described below.

From Netflix:

A riches-to-rags pianist who loses everything but her smile is guided by twinkling little stars to a small town where she finds hope, home and love.

https://www.netflix.com/ca/title/81276344

Naturally I am enjoying this drama. It is set in beautiful South Korea, which is my second home. Whenever I watch Korean movies and dramas, I long to return to my “home.” I hope to visit in 2022.

One particular Sunday, I received a call from a dear friend in Korea. While catching up with her (we keep in touch 1-2x per week), I told her about the drama. She did not know that I love piano and said that she too loves it. She suggested I listen to some of her favourite pianists.

After the call ended, I found myself listening to piano music for the next several hours before cooking dinner then settling in to watch Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol. I had dubbed that day, my Piano Day.

The following Tuesday, I decided to ask a colleague at work for some suggestions. I knew she was a pianist from back when we worked in the office. She suggested two amazing pianist from Japan. While chatting, she said that I should get myself a piano and learn to play.

After work, I started looking online for electronic keyboards since there is no way I could a) use a grand piano in my condo and b) afford a grand piano. The electronic ones are good because I can practice all night using headphones when it gets too late.

I spent several hours researching online and checking out different retailers. The following evening, I did the same. I finally set my mind on one and placed an order. The delivery arrived the next evening (Friday).

Friday evening after work, I set up my new piano and started playing around. I tested several teaching apps and lost track of the time.

I tested the Simply Piano application and was pleased with how quickly it got me playing a few notes and reading the score. Over the next two weeks, I tested several applications before settling on Yousician Premium+.

In addition to smartphone applications, I also enrolled in an online course via Udemy. I have since purchased several books on piano and music theory.

Since getting into piano, I have found that I feel much happier than I have in years. The isolation felt due to the pandemic is gone while I am playing the piano. Now that things are opening up and we can go out (with limits), I find that I am more interested in staying home playing piano.

I am looking forward to the return of live music to Toronto. I plan to attend piano recitals and performances at various venues throughout the city.

The piano truly has brought happiness to my life.

This post now lives on FanClassical, a site for classical music by yours truly.

Piano Happiness

Saturday night in Itaewon
*© 20*18 Charles Dunlevy

Those who know me well know that I love Korean dramas. These television series are just incredible. Korean dramas tend to employ some fantastic writing. It is the only genre of television which takes me through a wide variety of emotions.

I am not sure what it is but Korean dramas and movies that draws me in emotionally. I find myself relating to some of the characters and genuinely caring about them despite the fact that the stories are completely fictional.

The stories involve several plot twists and turns and you just never know what to expect next. In some cases, you might hate a character in the beginning, but by the end you admire them. The same goes in the reverse… a character you like in the beginning you might find yourself hating by the end.

Right when you think the story is about to end, another twist is thrown in and it continues. I would say these are the best-written television shows in the entire business.

Itawon Class is a drama released on Netflix in 2020 about a young man who gets into business to avenge the death of his father. I guess that is the simplest way that I can explain the plot. I really do not wish to give away the story, so I will not divulge anymore details.

This story takes on a lot of serious topics. It deals with class, love, racism, business, friendship, bullying, sibling rivalry, and hate.

One of the main characters was bullied by his half-brother. He was not really loved as he was considered the “bastard” of the family having been born out of wedlock.

Another character had to deal with hatred for being transgendered. The things this character goes through can bring tears to your eyes and make you realize how cruel people can be.

I have been watching Korean dramas since 2012. All these years I have not seen them deal with subjects such as transgender and racial bigotry. There is a Black character in this series who has to deal with being treated as an outsider despite his back story which I will not spoil.

Love is a central theme in Korean dramas and the lead character is caught between two women who love him dearly. As I watch, I try to get into his shoes and think about how I would approach the situation. Oh the drama!

The cast of characters each have their own backstory and dilemma and it is interesting to learn about each as the series progresses.

I find that I can relate to some of what I saw in this show. For instance, the death of a parent resonates deep with me. There are scenes which brought me to tears thinking about my dear mother who has passed on. The issues with the transgender character resonates with me because I went to school with a girl who was transgender and I saw what she went through. I recently saw a transgender at a local bar who was treated poorly by random people. Racism is something I have dealt with my entire life. I am fortunate to have never experienced racism while I was in Korea, but I am well informed of its existence.

This is a wonderful drama that I highly recommend. The soundtrack is also fantastic to listen to. I really love the music that goes along with Korean dramas. They employ wonderful vocals with piano and classical instruments. It is a far better genre of music than K-pop which to me is manufactured industry junk. Korean ballads are far better than K-pop.

By the way, Itaewon is a district in Seoul known to have a lot of foreigners. I do not spend too much time there when I am in Korea because it reminds me a lot of Toronto. It makes no sense for me to fly 11,000 kilometres from home to be in a similar environment. That being said, I think Itaewon has a much better nightlife than Toronto. It is a great place to go when feeling homesick while in Korea. People work very hard in Korea and really know how to unwind after a long day’s work. That is a topic for another day.

Go ahead and watch Itaewon Class on Netflix today! This show is fantastic. It will bring tears to your eyes… both sorrow and joy. It will inspire you with your own life. It will make you feel anger, sadness, worry, and joy. You get the full round of emotions while watching this wonderful series.

I will leave you with a beautiful song from the series: