This was originally posted on https://debthegemini.blogspot.com

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When I first heard that Nam Joo Hyuk (star of Weight Lifting Fairy and Moon Lovers Scarlet Heart: Ryeo) will be starring in a new series, I was excited. I loved his character in Weight Lifting Fairy where he starred alongside Lee Sung Kyung, so I have high hopes that his new series would also deliver well.

The Bride of Habaek, also known as Bride of the Water God, is a manga (manhwa in South Korea) turned k-drama series about Soah, an ordinary girl whom Habaek “the water god” fell in love with. Before the series, I read the English translated manga but I was not done with it yet because the translated ones are not finished, but I heard that the Korean version was already done.

 

 

The Gist:

From Drama Fever:

Nam Joo Hyuk (Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo, Scarlet Heart: Ryeo) and Shin Se Kyung (Six Flying Dragons) star in a modern retelling of a supernatural romance. When the god of water descends upon Earth and seeks the help of his destined bride, he first has to convince her that he isn’t a delusional maniac.

Habaek (Nam Joo Hyuk) is a water god. Don’t let the legends fool you, though. Gone are the days of gods being old men in robes. Habaek is a chic youth with impeccable fashion and flawless hair. He is also narcissistic and wants his heavenly throne at all costs. Habaek comes to Earth to find a magical stone that will grant him the power he wants. And he expects his destined bride and servant to help him. Just one problem, though: His bride does not believe he even exists.

So Ah (Shin Se Kyung) is a psychiatrist. She has her own practice, but she is also buried in debt. Her family is allegedly cursed to serve the gods forever. However, So Ah is a realist with no time for superstition. So when the doctor meets a man who claims to be the legendary water god and who expects her to serve him as his bride, her diagnosis is that he is simply delusional.

And before Habaek can convince his wife of who he is and what he needs, some of his “friend” join him on Earth.

Hoo Ye (Im Ju Hwan from Uncontrollably Fond) is a demigod. A CEO of a resort, Hoo Ye also happens to fall in love with So Ah and therefore becomes Habaek’s main rival. Moo Ra (f(x) and Heirs’ Krystal Jung) is a water goddess. A beautiful and famous actress, Moo Ra has a one-sided love with Habaek and understandably dislikes his wife. Bi Ryeom (Gong Myung of 5urprise and Drinking Solo) is a wind god who secretly loves Moo Ra and holds a grudge against the man that she loves.

With all these people gunning for them, it is now up to Habaek and So Ah to find the magical stone and restore a balance of power in the heavens. If they can stop bickering first, that is. 

Comparison with the Manga:

Basically, the TV Series was a spin-off from the manga and not the actual the actual storyline. The plot was very different from the source material. In the manga, the setting was in a historical timeline and most of it took place in the water country where Habaek resides. Habaek has two names due to the curse put upon him by his former lover Nakbin. Mura was not a goddess, but a witch of the Chung Yo Mountains. Soah was a sacrificial bride by the people to appease the “anger” of the water god. What they only took from the Manga was the character’s name and the premise, but the rest was different. Maybe because they were only limited to 16 episodes so they couldn’t put all of the plot arcs in it.

Thoughts:

*Disclaimer: The following are purely my honest thoughts on the series. I have high respect for the actors, the directors, the screenwriters and all that was behind the show.

Bride of the Water God had a promising storyline that would lure Kdrama addicts into it. Only if they could deliver it properly. The premise was there. It came from a successful manga with guaranteed readers whom should be waiting for the adaptation. Nam Joo Hyuk was an amazing actor, but it seemed like his version of Habaek was a bit 2-dimensional, in my opinion. And Soah’s facial expression was like that of Bella Swan from the Twilight movies. Shin Se-Kyung was such a pretty actress, and I’ve seen her from past Running Man episodes and her drama When a Man Loves a Woman, and I think she was more than capable of expressing her character better. The drama started on a high note and ended on such a lackluster finale. And all the episodes in between was lacking. The only saving grace of the series was Hooye, the character played by Lim Ju Hwan. He was the sole character that was well developed amongst the other characters.