When every situation around you seems to be surreal and suddenly you are in the focus!
Cheese in the Trap Kdrama: Synopsis
Cheese in the Trap Korean drama is a 2016 Korean drama, based on a webtoon of the same name. It is of the romance and drama genre Kdrama. It stars Park Hae jin , Kim Go eun, Seo Kang joon, Lee Sung kyung and Nam Joo hyuk.
The plot revolves around Hong Seol ( played by Kim Go eun) who works hard for her college scholarship as she comes from a needy background. She meets her college senior, Yoo Jung (played by Park Hae jin), at an informal party. While everyone gushes over the smart, friendly, and affluent Yoo Jung, Hong Seol is the only one to notice how stealthily he gets away with his sly doing. This gives her the impression that he is pretentious. She tries to avoid him but keeps running into him at college campus.
Things seem to go awry at college and somehow Yoo Jung always seems to have a role in those occurrences. Frustrated, Hong Seol decides to take a break from college. Just then she gets a confirmation that she has won the full scholarship at college. The initial misunderstanding between Yoo Jung and Hong Seol is sorted. Yoo Jung pursues her and even asks her out. Just when Hong Seol begins to believe that he is the “cool guy” at campus, she finds out that he gave up his scholarship for her.
Further, Yoo Jung would have coaxed the college office worker to misplace his answer paper for Hong Seol. Hong Seol is confused and begins to wonder if he is two faced like everyone kept warning her. Things take a twist when Baek In-ho, Yoo Jung’s childhood friend rigidly claims that he lost his chance to pursue a career as a pianist because of Yoo Jung. Yoo Jung being responsible for the accident of his arm.
What happens when Hong Seol uncovers the actual character of Yoo Jung and does they relationship really survive is the plot of this 16 episode Korean drama.
Cheese in the Trap : Review
The Cheese in the Trap Korean drama is set in a college campus and the opening scene has the two main protagonists meet each other by chance. The two protagonists are literally from two different worlds.
Yoo Jung (played by Park Hae jin) is the good looking, sophisticated sought-after college senior. Hong Seol (played by Kim Go eun) is the ordinary looking, orange color haired, docile junior. Yoo Jung does not really bat an eye when he sees her the first time, making Hong Seol feel that she is way out of his league. Hong Seol happens to notice how Yoo Jung slyly drops a drink on a pestering junior, who is interested in him. He then shows his concern over her spoilt dress. The best part is that Yoo Jung notices that Hong Seol caught him. This is the smallest knotty incident in this webtoon adapted Korean drama! What follows is a complete engaging ride of various incidents, big and small that follows Hong Seol in her college life.
The script is fast and every episode, leaves you curious about what happens next. The screenplay evolves well with good surprise factors in it. The scene where Yoo Jung asks Hong Seol to be his girlfriend is one of the cutest romantic scenes, depicted in Kdrama. The way Hong Seol reacts is cherry on the cake!
Park Hae jin is perfect as the college “sombae”. He fits the character too well. He never shows his actual reaction, but notices everything that happens around him. When someone does him wrong, well there are consequences! As a viewer, you too will keep guessing about Yoo Jung’s real character.
Kim Go eun lives the role literally! You will empathise with her character. She lives a tough life, is almost clueless why someone as smart as Yoo Jung asks her out but does her best to move forward. No wonder Kim Go eun is easily one of the top Korean actresses today. There is such a contrast from her previous romantic roles in Goblin Kdrama or Tune in for Love Korean movie.
The chemistry between the two main leads is awesome. Their relationship is a romantic matured relationship. It is interesting how the story develops their characters, and you realise they are both similar in so many ways; only social class being apart. They bicker, argue, and make up. The way Hong Seol supports Yoo Jung makes their love story a very different yet wishful romance.
Then there is the cute and chattering second lead in Baek In-ho (played by Seo Kang joon). The contrast in characterisation of both the main male leads is appealing. Baek In-ho speaks directly what he has in mind, is rash and challenges Yoo Jung openly. Seo Kang-joon and Hong Seol share a cute friendship.
We have Lee Sung-kyung who plays the role of Baek In-ha, sister of Baek In-ho. She is glamorous and loud unlike her role in Weightlighting Fairy Kim Joo Kdrama. There is a bit of LGBT reference in this Korean drama, but they show it in all subtleness.
Nam Joo hyuk plays the role of Hong Seol’s friend. This is one of his early days’ roles in this Korean drama. Even with limited screen space, he is likeable. He sure has, come a long way in his latest Start Up Kdrama. The plot has a lot of stories to tell, with sufficient characters, keeping the audiences engaged till the end.
What did Cheese in the Trap Korean drama miss?
The makers should have added some more scenes of Yoo Jung and Hong Seol together. We love the chemistry, and their love story, few more scenes would have made it a merrier watch. Instead, way too much time is spent on Baek In-ho, in 1-2 episodes towards the end. His characterisation is also a bit selfish towards the end. They could have edited out this part.
Cheese in the Trap webtoon:
The drama was aired when the main Cheese in the trap webtoon was still ongoing. There were lots of scenes between the Kdrama and the original webtoon that did not match, including the ending. Something, that made the fans a bit apprehensive.
Both Park Hae Jin and Seo Kang-joon won awards at the 1st Asia Artist Awards. This was Kim Go-eun’s first role in a TV drama, and she went to win Best New actress award at the prestigious 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards.
Should you watch Cheese in the Trap Korean drama?
The story mainly around college campus life and if you like school drama, then this is for you. Cheese in the Trap Kdrama does not have the usual explicit happy ending. This is a “different” Korean drama unlike other dramas in the same genre of romance drama. The ending is unexpected and kept open.
The three main leads are alluring! Park Hae Jin has acted in a lot of drama, but he will undoubtedly remain our favourite, “sunbae” (meaning senior in Korean)! There are chances you a have second lead syndrome in Seo Kang-joon. Kim go eun rocks, as usual! This Kdrama is not to be missed, as it emerges to be a complete entertainer.
Juskorea rating :4/5
Watch Cheese in the Trap Kdrama on Viki
