A beautiful fallen star, desperate to make a comeback, begins working for a handsome attorney with an amazing track record in the new Kdrama Touch Your Heart, based on the 2016 web novel of the same name.
A few years ago, top actress Oh Yoon-Seo was caught up in a huge drug scandal with the former CEO of Imperial Entertainment, a third generation chaebol. Although she was found innocent, the news was enough to ruin the poor woman’s career. She’s tired of laying low and, after being cleared of all charges, wants to make a comeback through a drama penned by a top writer. However, since she’s never been known for her great acting, the writer and director of Love is a Painful Law reluctantly agree to cast her as the female lead if she spends three months working at a law firm, getting practical experience for the role. So the CEO of her entertainment company makes arrangements with his cousin, the CEO of Always Law Firm, to have Yoon-Seo work there, placed in the position of secretary to Attorney Kwon Jung-Rok, the firm’s leading lawyer. Although he isn’t thrilled with the new situation, Jung-Rok begins to appreciate Yoo-Seo’s willingness to help and recognizes her kind heart and sympathetic nature. Once this secretary and lawyer become comfortable with each other at work, sparks begin to fly and the two find themselves in an office romance they have to hide from the whole world.
Kwon Jung-Rok became a lawyer because he wanted to “be a person who stood by someone’s side rather than a person who punishes them.” He has been described as kind of particular, a prickly man with a dry sense of humor. That aside, he is Always Law Firm’s ace, their top lawyer. Because work is so important to him it has always come first, which means he’s never even allowed himself to date. He is 100% professional, detesting people that are late to work and those who can’t complete their assigned work within working hours. Oh Jin-Sim lovingly and respectfully refers to him as Mr. Lawyer and claims he resembles a hedgehog – seeming prickly and spiky on the outside but “when you get to know it, it’s cute!” As for his looks, the man is drop-dead gorgeous. Jin-Sim exclaims, “Why are your proportions so uselessly perfect like this? And your face is needlessly handsome. Because you’re not even a celebrity, your height is a waste.”
Actress Oh Yoon-Seo made her entertainment debut 15 years ago through a Ghada chocolate commercial and is now known all over South Korea as “my goddess, your goddess, and the universe’s goddess.” Sadly, she got swept up in a “rubbish scandal” and her image plummeted. Although the misunderstanding was cleared up, her life has remained in shambles for the past two years. She made it through the first semester of the first year of law school and Mr. Lawyer is under the impression it is because of her short time at law school that she is now his secretary, obtaining the opportunity through connections. She is absolutely darling complete with a sympathetic, kind heart. Kwon Jung-Rok admires her grit and believes she is a tough person to have gone through so much and not let life’s trials keep her down.
The reason I had this show in my queue was because of Lee Dong-Wook (Attorney Kwon Jung-Rok) and Yoo In-Na (Oh Jin-Sim / Oh Yoon-Seo). He’s been on my favorite actors list for a very long time and I’m happy to say I put Yoo In-Na on my favorite actresses list just today because of her excellent portrayal of darling Oh Yoon-Seo. I’m not sure why she wasn’t on there sooner because I’ve loved her in everything I’ve seen her in. Touch Your Heart is not the first time Lee Dong-Wook and Yoo In-Na have played a couple. The first was in Goblin and you can find some personal information about both of them by going to that review. Their chemistry has to be good in real life because it’s electrifying in both Goblin and Touch Your Heart. It would be wonderful, and not surprising, if they were having a romantic relationship in real life.
Since this love story takes place among a law office and its attorneys, we get to be in on a few of Jung-Rok‘s cases, one of which boomerangs back, in a whole different way, closer to the end of the show. But Touch Your Heart is a love story – 100% love story – and the writer never lets us forget that. The criminal cases are secondary, only there to enhance the romance, but very interesting none the less. One thing I learned, that was almost unbelievable, is that gambling is against the law and a South Korean citizen can be criminally prosecuted for even gambling in another country! Now, I don’t mean to “boo hiss” South Korea’s laws but I find that one a bit excessive.
There is a darling scene that gives us a look at Yoon-Seo’s cute personality – on her first day at the law firm she sits at her desk and hums chopsticks as she pretends to play it on the computer keyboard. So clever. I can’t remember the last time I liked a female leading lady as much as I liked Yoon-Seo.
When Yoon-Seo first begins reading the script for Love is a Painful Law she daydreams about what it would be like to play the leading lady. Anyone who has seen Descendants of the Sun will instantly recognize the copycat scenes where the wind from the helicopter blows the scarf off the woman’s head and the leading lady is kidnapped and held captive. They even use the song Always, from that drama’s soundtrack, in the background. The scenes are excellent parodies of a highly rated and beloved Kdrama. However, it’s those two scenes that encompass Touch Your Heart‘s only two “oops.” Watch as Yoon-Seo leaves her suitcase by a group of people and runs ahead to pick up her scarf, yet the suitcase is right by her side when the leading man hands her the scarf. The second “oops” is when the leading man cuts her free from the rope holding her when she’s kidnapped. He cuts above the knot so her hands are still tied but there’s no rope around them when she grabs the guy to get him out of the way of the bullet that was just shot. Two big, noticeable “oops.”
I give Touch Your Heart’s soundtrack a solid B- with the best of the bunch being Make it Count, perfectly sung by Chen from EXO. Wow, what a song! Imagine a smoky, dimly lit bar from the 1950s. That song would fit perfectly in that situation. Second place goes to J Rabbit who not only sings, but also wrote the lyrics to the “cute” sounding Oh? Truly! – “Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do? Woo hoo.” Seoryeong and Lena (from GWSN) perform the toe-tappin’, finger-snappin’ Be Your Star, which gets third place.
When I think about the show’s scenery/backdrops there are a few that come to mind. One is a team outing in the woods (with Jung-Rok doing his best to curb his jealousy), another is a date at an amusement park (fun for Yoon-Seo but quite a challenge for Jung-Rok), and then the Always Law Firm (imagine Kwon Jung-Rok’s secretary’s office all decked out in the color pink) and Oh Yoon-Seo’s apartment (also pink and filled with stuffed animals).
For what it’s worth, here’s my advice – put this drama on your watch list. Better yet, make it the next one you turn on. This entertaining love story’s endearing characters are sure to Touch Your Heart.
Score: 9.5
The Good:
Lee Dong-Wook and Yoo In-Na’s second paring
And their amazing chemistry
The darling character Oh Yoon-Seo
100% love story
Just the right amount of legal cases
Fun Descendants of the Sun parody
The Bad:
Two “oops” during a daydream
Heart and Seoul 