Reasons Why “Romance is a Bonus Book” is a Big Bonus for Everyone
As for me, it’s not just a bonus. i’s a gift.
With a light yet heartwarming plot, ‘Romance is a Bonus Book’ is not a typical romantic drama. The scriptwriter wrote it without following the romantic k-drama trend. ‘Romance is a Bonus Book’ would be a perfect match to any book lovers. However, although the drama is pretty much talking about books, it is still worth to watch for everyone.
To me, ‘Romance is a Bonus Book’ is not just a big bonus for my weekend. It’s a beautiful gift wrapped with a simple-yet pretty pastel colored ribbon. Here I am telling you the highlight of the drama. Let’s unwrap the present, shall we?
1. It’s telling you how to publish a book from scratch
The drama puts the book publishing as the center of the story. Taking place in a publishing company, it allows you to see the process of how the book can be delivered to your hand-from the very first stage of how the book editor gets a potential manuscript to how the book will be ended in a paper recycling factory.
I can’t hide the hard feeling that occurred when I watched episode four, where Cha Eun Ho, an editor in chief, brought Kang Dan-I and the other two to the paper recycling factory. Cha Eun Ho said, “We can’t keep storing books that don’t sell, it costs money. This book was returned from a bookstore. People damaged it while reading it. More than half of the books that returned from bookstores are damaged, and the publishers have to deal with the losses,”
And then the scene portrays the behavior of readers that cause the book a damage-with or without their intention. After watched this scene, I suddenly had a feeling of guilt, and I make a promise to never put any harm on the book that I’ll read in a book store or any public space that provides me a free book.
“There is no book that comes into the world on its own. A book contains the names and hearts of many people who work hard behind the scenes. These books aren’t gone for good. After being torn into pieces, they become a paper again. Then through our hands, they’ll be born again as new books.” said Cha Eun Ho once again in his monologue.
Through the drama, I can see a new perspective. There are so many people behind the scene who put their utmost effort just to produce one book and also would be in a terrible regret if they found any little mistake in the book. After I finished watching this drama, I put a high respect to them who work in a book publishing company, and I wanna thank them for the blood, sweat, and tears they’ve put. Not only because they help bring the author’s dream into reality but also inspiring people with a good read.
2. Not that kind of cheesy romance, yet it still makes you smile like a fool
First-first, I have to admit that I’d love to take romance as one of my favorite genres. I enjoy it a lot actually. But, I also found that I can’t endure those cheesy and overpowering romantic scenes, where the actor fell in love right after he/she met someone. Duh… falling in love is not as easy as flipping your hand, dude.
Therefore, if you’re into a romantic drama with the lead male who diligently gives his lead female beautiful words, or acts like a prince charming riding the white horse, then I won’t recommend this drama to you. Rather than that, Romance is a Bonus Book offers you something else: heartwarming and light story you can always enjoy in a tiring day.
And I am so glad about the fact that this drama granted my wish. It was when Cha Eun Ho confessed his feeling towards Kang Dan-I.
He said, “I don’t know when I started to like you. From spring to summer. From summer to fall. And from fall to winter. Do you know when the season changes? Do you exactly know when the winter ends and the spring begins? I don’t exactly know when my feelings for you started to grow.
I can resonate to this scene personally. Love needs time to grow. You have to make sure that the feeling you have is not a temporary feeling or whatsoever. And you have to assess it once more, to make sure it is worth your effort or not.
Also, since the plot is using a book as the center, the writer often attached something that relates to the book in the dialogue. And it seems to be successful since the drama got recognition from the viewers.
One of the best dialogues, in my opinion, appeared in episode 11. There’s one scene in this episode where Ji Seo Jun-a young book designer who had a crush on Kang Dan-I, was trying to calm Kang Dan-I, who apparently was in a dilemma because of Cha Eun Ho’s love confession towards her.
“It’s not your fault, so please don’t feel guilty. Let’s fold the corner of our page for now. There are times when we want to take a break from reading a book. So we leave it marked by folding the page’s corner to read it later on. Let’s do that too. We’ll leave this page marked and open it again whenever you want to.”
3. Hard working Kang Dan-I
It’s hard to hold my tears whenever I saw Kang Dan-I struggled to look for a job. No matter she had tried her best to get one, she always ended up with failure.
Kang Dan-I was a former copywriter from the top tier advertising company. She had to left the job because of the marriage and has a daughter to take care of. Unfortunately, the wedding didn’t go well. The husband has cheated on her and left her behind with the daughter. To support their living, Kang Dan-I has to find a job. She has done dozens of interview session to fill a vacancy as a copywriter, yet she found it hard to get one since a long break she took to be a fulltime housewife.
Facing the difficulties, Kang Dan-I felt like the world has turned her down.
I feel like I can relate to her story. Looking for a job is not a simple task. Lucky if you get it for an instant. As for me, landing in a permanent job is something that I’m still struggling with.
In the end, Kang Dan-I got one that perfectly matches her skill and her wish. Although she had to give up her diploma certificate to get one position in the company, she always trying hard to get recognition for her marketing skills. From the position of book publishing support officer to marketing officer, slowly but sure, Kang Dan-I has climbed the ladder.
To me, Kang Dan-I is like a self-reminder to not give up easily on whatever you’re doing right now and to keep in faith that you’ll gonna make it someday and somehow. She tried her best but ended up with a dead end. However, if you never surrender and put the best effort altogether, the universe surely will open the door.
4. Seeing through the perspective of writers
We can see that writers often struggling from within. I’m not a professional writer and I have no experience in book publishing-unless if we can say that writing the thesis is as same as writing the book. However, I can oddly resonate to this issue. When I’m trying to write the second or third chapter, I feel like the story I wrote is not good enough and it’s not decent to be published. There are times, once or twice when I feel like I have to please the readers and meet their expectation.
‘Romance is a Bonus Book’ captured this issue in a beautiful way. It was when Park Jeongsik- a rookie writer whose work will be published by Gyeoroo Publishing-suddenly terminated his contract with Gyeoroo Publishing. When his editor visited him, the writer said that he thinks his book is a complete failure and he has his doubt to publish it. To answer his issue, the editor consoled him, “Every writer struggles with his writing every day. What will happen to the stories if they don’t come out into the world? To a writer, his writing is like his baby,” moving into the next scene. His editor who is also a writer confronts him with a brutally honest yet it sounds so encouraging at the same time. “Mr. Park, to be honest, your book won’t do well in sales. People these days don’t read books much. Unless it’s a best seller, you sell less than 3.000 copies. What I mean is that only 3.000 people will laugh at your book and will say it’s crap. However, we’ve enamored by your writing, so we’ll do our best to sell it. Your writing is great.”
The writer might have an editor to lean on whenever he/she feels tired and needs encouragement. But at the end, when the sale is not good or when the readers are not satisfied and give the book with a low rating, the writer is the one who’s gonna swallow them all and feel like a total failure.
There was also the scene when Kang Byeong Jun-an infamous writer who suddenly disappeared with no official statement and left no traces. He had been hiding from the world who knows his record as a best seller writer because he didn’t want people to know that he’s sick. He wanted people to remember him as a writer who left a good legacy through his books, Although at the end of his life, he actually allowed Cha Eun Ho to reveal the honest behind his disappearance. In the last page of his books, there’s a brief memoir of him where he confessed, “From now on, I won’t be able to use my muscles, and will lose my memory. I will be left with nothing and slowly wither away. But that is also a part of my life that I can’t disregard. I’ve now realized that it’s something I need to accept,
“A book may not be able to change the world, but I’m sure it can still leave something warm inside someone’s heart. Just like how you hid between the sentences in a book when you were lost. Just like how I met a book named Cha Eun Ho who was offered a warm consolation in the last moments of my life. A single book may not be able to change the world or change a person’s life. But a good book is bound to be read by everyone. And then. a little by little, it will warm people’s hearts.”
I think it been every writer’s dream to be not forgotten. Not because they want to be remembered as a best seller writer or the one who writes the best stories. But the writers have a high hope that their books will leave a good impression to the readers and inspire people to do good in their lives.
Whenever I read a good book or stories, my heart is full from the warmth of words that laid in every page. I have the same feeling when I am done watching the last episode of ‘Romance is a Bonus Book’. Therefore, I write this as a letter to you. I hope that the drama will not only give you a fun experience while watching it but also can give you consolation and a new perspective.
5. Last but not least, who can resist Lee Jong Suk’s smile?
Okay, this actually came from a fangirl side of me. Lee Jong Suk has all the criteria to be a dream boyfriend. He has an astounding visual, kind-hearted, and low profile. Well. I don’t personally know him, but from those interviews and variety shows he joined in, we can see him as one.
Actually, I never watch his previous works, including drama series and movies. I watched them one or two episodes, but I never watch them till the end. I have always been a casual fan of his works. From almost all of Lee Jong Suk’s works, I knew that he’s a huge fan of mystery and fantasy-thriller drama, with the plot of him having a tragic past as a part of the plot. And this kind of genre is actually the ultimate favorite of mine. However, his previous works oddly can’t reach my attention.
Romance is a Bonus Book is his first romance drama, It’s his very first time took the role in a drama that has a light plot. It became much more interesting since Lee Na Young (Kang Dan-I) is his favorite actor. Thus, I gave it a go and actually captivated by both of the story and their lovely chemistry.
Let’s back to the main topic, shall we? Lee Jong Suk’s smile had fulfilled every corner of the room. From the very first episode to the end of the drama, Lee Jong Suk showed us his big grin here and there. And it’s very compelling to see. I’m sure that his fans have the same feeling as mine. It’s kinda rare to see Lee Jong Suk’s ‘happy smile’ in the whole episode since his works were basically used mystery and thriller as the main genre. I’m also very happy that he tried to get out from his comfort zone and chose to take the role of Cha Eun Ho who often smile and a little bit narcissistic. From this drama, I can see the bubbly side of him, which is a very fresh image of him.
