Sometimes All a Fine Instrument Needs is a Heartstring!

     Old-school versus New in this fast-paced musical romantic comedy. The two main characters, Lee Shin (Jung Yong Hwa) and Lee Kyu Won (Park Shin Hye), unwittingly have a meet cute while traveling on a bus in Jeju Island.

Meet Cute

     Lee Shin is a popular lead vocal/guitarist for a college band called the Stupid. (which fits since he is actually the leader of the popular rock band called CNBlue). 

     Lee Shin is arrogant and tired of "little girls" confessing to him their unending love.(...rolling eyes...)

Stupid

     Lee Kyu Won is training in traditional Korean Folk Music. Her Grandfather, Lee Dong-Jin (Shin Goo), is a world renowned Korean Folk Music Legend. He is most uncompromising in her studies and she is frustrated by him in many ways...but she still loves and respects him.

     Lee Kyu Won is well liked by most of the other students and is in the midst of raising funds, with her band WindFlower, to help pay for a professor's hospital bills.

WindFlower

     Lee Kyu Won is convinced, by the rest of her band, that if Stupid is added to the fundraising event they can sell tickets faster and raise more money to pay for the professor's bills. 

     Against her better judgment Lee Kyu Won asks Lee Shin to perform at her fundraising event. 

     The night of the event is upon both bands but Lee Shin is nowhere to be found. He is missing and no one is able to get a hold of him or get an explanation as to where he is. (oh no!)

     Lee Kyu Won and the expecting audience is angry and disappointed. Because Lee Shin never showed up for his performance Lee Kyu Won has to take responsibility and perform with his band mates.

Lee Kyu Won sings with Stupid

     Even though Lee Kyu Won's performance was unexpectedly good (that it even impressed a new professor greatly) she still had to apologize to the ticket holders for the inconvenience and lack of professionalism on the part of the Stupid's leader, Lee Shin.

     The next day Lee Shin is trying to give Lee Kyu Won the refunded money (maybe he's not such a bad guy?) so that she can pay the professors bills. 

     Lee Shin does feel bad that he wasn't able to make the performance and is trying to make amends somewhat. Lee Kyu Won is having none of it! (you go girl!) She is angry and hurt. 

     Unbeknownst to Lee Shin when Lee Kyu Won tried to go to the hospital last night to turn in the money she found out that her professor had passed. 

     Lee Kyu Won had no more need for Lee Shin's refunded money or room in her heart for any forgiveness. If she hadn't been cleaning up the mess he created by not showing up maybe she would have made it to the hospital in time to say goodbye. 

The Rivalry is Born

     Lee Kyu Won and Lee Shin are very well matched characters and it is great fun to see them bicker and get under each other's skins. They experience a lot together and have many growing pains. 

     Writer Lee Myung-Sook in collaboration with Directors Pyo Min-Soo and Lee Min-Cheol created a story that was funny, creative, and captivating. If Heartstrings is the result of these three great artists working in concert then I look forward to many more stories.