First Look: She Was Pretty Episode 1 Thoughts

“Reality is when suddenly one day, without any warning, it escapes our expectation.That’s why in life, you can’t let your guard down. Expectations don’t work.”

Look who finally got back to writing! This gal! Hopefully some of you are still reading this little ol’ blog of mine *crickets chirp*…………

Anyways, She Was Pretty finally aired and let me tell you, the first episode was fantastic! If my current feelings for the show are any indication, I think I’m going to fall very hard for this show. I’m so excited and giddy…if you couldn’t already tell. It’s almost ridiculous, considering that only one episode has aired, but like falling in love at first sight, there’s no rhyme or reason to the human heart is there? So show, I beg of you, please don’t make me eat my words!

Sometimes Life just throws a plastic bag in your face. That birch.

This story of a swan who transforms into an ugly duckling is all at once cute, sweet, charming, heart-tugging, HILARIOUS, and more importantly, really managed to speak to me on an emotional level. Personally, that’s quite rare since I feel like the current drama landscape seems to be trying its hand at everything to snatch up ratings while forgetting the basic tenants of what makes a good drama: a soul. A show may have all the shiny parts, but if it doesn’t engage me on a deeper level than its superficial shell, I just can’t get into the show no matter how hard I try (and that’s why it’s been so quiet up in these parts lately)…It also doesn’t hurt that She Was Pretty seems to have some really good writing and good acting from the outset.

Now a little bit on the the protagonists. I absolutely adore Hye Jin’s (Hwang Jung Eum) spunk and her sunny disposition. She experiences the cruelty of a world that places so much value on a person’s looks rather than their character but she doesn’t let these realities consume her or bring her down for long. She’s constantly charging forward, fighting for every opportunity in which she can prove herself and that makes her a heroine worth rooting for.

Although, I have to admit that I was really sad when she pulled the inevitable switcheroo and had her good friend Ha Ri (Go Jun Hee) meet her childhood friend and first love, Sung Joon (Park Seo Joon). Yes, he may have outgrown his rounder past to become quite the dashing young man, but I wanted her to meet him as herself. Scruffy hair, white socks with black loafers…just everything that makes her who she is. Of course that’s not to say I don’t understand where she was coming from. I do, and it truly broke my heart. Who wouldn’t have some insecurities after being treated as nearly invisible and picked on in practically every interaction by everyone because of their appearance? (Love how this evokes the Renoir “Dance in the Country” painting!)

However, beauty is more than skin deep, and seeing that she’s as sweet now as she was those many years ago when she befriended one particular outcast, I’m sure said ex-outcast will see the beauty that is her.(Obviously.) And if his simple, yet swoon-worthy gesture on the elevator*** was any indication, we’re in for quite the hero! ***I can’t be the only one who squeeeee-d at the elevator scene and the reveal right?

On the topic of friends, can I just say I freaking love Hye Jin and Ha Ri’s friendship?! They are so adorable together and it’s so refreshing to see two women on screen who love and support each other wholeheartedly without any hint of malice. (Y’know, dramaverse, women can actually be friends right? Seriously. It’s a thing.) Here’s praying that the writer doesn’t reduce their many years of friendship to a petty rivalry over a man–even if said man is the deliciously handsome Park Seo Joon!

We didn’t see very much of Sung Joon in this episode but let me be superficial for a moment (well again…) and gush over how gorgeous Park Seo Joon is! Gah! That smile ❤

But seriously though. ~Why do birds suddenly appear, every time you are near?~

I came for Park Seo Joon, but I’m now staying for the show. Let’s hope I didn’t jinx it with all of this early praise!