Critical Analysis
by Stan Hu
Sandglass is a historical melodrama that is set in the political storm of the 70-80s in Korea. The film highlights three characters – Park Tae-Soo, Kang Woo-Suk, and Yoon Hye-Rin. It establishes initial ground with their relationships in the melodramatic early episodes before revealing large political differences and ideals later on that ultimately divides them. Each of these three characters had their differences from the start; Tae-Soo had the makings of a gangster, his friend Woo-Suk was determined to become a judge or a prosecutor, and Hye-Rin was involved in political activism. Woo-Suk offered Tae-Soo tutoring and pushed him to pursue a college education, but this dream was shattered by an unknown truth to Tae-Soo that rejected him from military college: his father was flagged as a Communist sympathizer. Sandglass is about the story of these three characters and how they attempt they overcome their differences.
While it is debatable that the melodrama interweaved within the historical context of Sandglass may be irrelevant and distracting, it ultimately helps the viewer connect better. Most drama viewers are fairly familiar with melodramatic relationships; those of Sandglass are portrayed heavily in the early episodes as we are still being introduced to all the characters. As the sand keeps falling and time keeps passing, we see the three main characters develop differences and begin to diverge from one another. As Sandglass shifts to a more historically-focused drama, we continue to trace the characters and see the difficulties and differences they must overcome as a result of the historical context.
Sandglass is a historical melodrama that is set in the political storm of the 70-80s in Korea. The film highlights three characters – Park Tae-Soo, Kang Woo-Suk, and Yoon Hye-Rin. It establishes initial ground with their relationships in the melodramatic early episodes before revealing large political differences and ideals later on that ultimately divides them. Each of these three characters had their differences from the start; Tae-Soo had the makings of a gangster, his friend Woo-Suk was determined to become a judge or a prosecutor, and Hye-Rin was involved in political activism. Woo-Suk offered Tae-Soo tutoring and pushed him to pursue a college education, but this dream was shattered by an unknown truth to Tae-Soo that rejected him from military college: his father was flagged as a Communist sympathizer. Sandglass is about the story of these three characters and how they attempt they overcome their differences.
While it is debatable that the melodrama interweaved within the historical context of Sandglass may be irrelevant and distracting, it ultimately helps the viewer connect better. Most drama viewers are fairly familiar with melodramatic relationships; those of Sandglass are portrayed heavily in the early episodes as we are still being introduced to all the characters. As the sand keeps falling and time keeps passing, we see the three main characters develop differences and begin to diverge from one another. As Sandglass shifts to a more historically-focused drama, we continue to trace the characters and see the difficulties and differences they must overcome as a result of the historical context.
Dramafever hails Sandglass as a “masterwork of storytelling that sets the standard today’s dramas still aspire to reach”, which is accurate to some degree. Sandglass’s filmmakers employed many minor details that contributed to the film’s success. Take the storyline progression, for example. Rather than follow a linear lineup of scenes, Sandglass follows a complicated selection of scenes that are arranged in a way such connecting, comparing, and contrasting are easier for the viewer. In the early episodes especially, such scene arrangement greatly strengthens our knowledge of the characters and their views. Tae-Soo’s character development is introduced in a series of flashback dating all the way back to childhood, and we are exposed to his relations with Woo-Suk. This helps to set the ground for the character’s pasts for the rest of the drama. Also, the second episode actually goes back in time once again in order to give us Woo-Suk’s side of the past, which gives insight on the different perspectives from each character. Sandglass not only excels at its approach to storytelling but also in its delivery of it – this is evident in music choice and usage. For instance, in many protest and revolution scenes, the background sound and dialogues were all muted and replaced with moody music. In combination with the slow-motion effect, this generates an empathetic impression and mood rather than what would have been one of turmoil and chaos. This effectively gives us the same perspective of the revolution as the protestors – that the whole situation is rather sad, with lots of people making sacrifices for what they think is right. This all falls into the main theme of Sandglass, which is also encompassed in its title; time is always passing, and with that, stuff happens; righteousness gets punished, politics get dirty, and friendships are battered by political differences; only through perseverance do the characters overcome such barriers. The motif of the hourglass comes up again and again throughout the 24 episodes of Sandglass to perpetually reinforce that theme. Aside from that, Sandglass employs many elements of traditional Korean dramas, specifically with melodramatic elements such as love triangles and confusion in self-identity without having the sort of corny, exaggerated acting that many typical melodramas have; all the acting in Sandglass is fairly realistic which sets it apart from the rest of Korean dramas.
More Analysis
by Carl Ibanez
Sandglass is one of the most important dramas of the 90’s to come out of Korea till this moment of time. It is due to political subject expressed in the drama, and the secondary element of love story mixed in the show. The political aspect of the story takes the drama into another level compared to many dramas during its time. The political content made it important due to the fact that, the drama was able express the dark history to Korea without, in any form of disrespecting those who lived the revolution of the Gwanju region, and instead received tremendous support from the general population of Korea.
Sandglass is to be considered as the mother of every modern Korea drama that reflects any historical history of Korea. The Sandglass, like many other historical Korean dramas, tells the story of the past by following the traditional set up and chemistry of what a drama will have. These elements aresounds, historical clips and cinematography, which made i it possible for Sandlglass to be top grossing and important show of its time, which makes it a must seen drama to watch.
One of the most important elements incorporated in the show that made it stand out, compared to many Korean drama of its time, were clips of true events clips from theof Gwanju revolution fo the 70s and 80s. Historical clips carried the 10 episodes of the show, with it, it made it possible for many viewers, of every generation, to believe and really connect to the tragic past of Korea. Sandglass was able to retell the history without being heavily criticized by those who lived the event and the government.
Another important elements of the show are the music and the playful cinematography. Music in the show made it possible to queue of what viewers should expressed and also the sound effect made it possible to build up emotions for the viewers. In addition to this is the element of cinematography, unlike many modern Korean dramas, the cinematography of Sandglass takes its viewers to many parts of Korea, not in terms of place but in terms of perspective of every walk of life there can be at the time. Due to this technique, it made it possible for Sandglass to be able to connect to every walk of life in Korea and increase its popularity. Something moern Korean drama lacks.
Due to these elements presented in Sandglass, it made it possible for the drama to be considered as a classic and, in my opinion, a must see drama; For it takes the viewer to a ride of truth and historical momentum that is important not only to those in Korea but also to outsiders. The historical clips brings realism into the retelling of the drama, the music brings the whole story into life, cinematography does take everyone into the world each characters, without these elements the show would have failed. In the end, Sandglass I a must see show, not just because of the major element of story but also because of its technical elements.
Sandglass is one of the most important dramas of the 90’s to come out of Korea till this moment of time. It is due to political subject expressed in the drama, and the secondary element of love story mixed in the show. The political aspect of the story takes the drama into another level compared to many dramas during its time. The political content made it important due to the fact that, the drama was able express the dark history to Korea without, in any form of disrespecting those who lived the revolution of the Gwanju region, and instead received tremendous support from the general population of Korea.
Sandglass is to be considered as the mother of every modern Korea drama that reflects any historical history of Korea. The Sandglass, like many other historical Korean dramas, tells the story of the past by following the traditional set up and chemistry of what a drama will have. These elements aresounds, historical clips and cinematography, which made i it possible for Sandlglass to be top grossing and important show of its time, which makes it a must seen drama to watch.
One of the most important elements incorporated in the show that made it stand out, compared to many Korean drama of its time, were clips of true events clips from theof Gwanju revolution fo the 70s and 80s. Historical clips carried the 10 episodes of the show, with it, it made it possible for many viewers, of every generation, to believe and really connect to the tragic past of Korea. Sandglass was able to retell the history without being heavily criticized by those who lived the event and the government.
Another important elements of the show are the music and the playful cinematography. Music in the show made it possible to queue of what viewers should expressed and also the sound effect made it possible to build up emotions for the viewers. In addition to this is the element of cinematography, unlike many modern Korean dramas, the cinematography of Sandglass takes its viewers to many parts of Korea, not in terms of place but in terms of perspective of every walk of life there can be at the time. Due to this technique, it made it possible for Sandglass to be able to connect to every walk of life in Korea and increase its popularity. Something moern Korean drama lacks.
Due to these elements presented in Sandglass, it made it possible for the drama to be considered as a classic and, in my opinion, a must see drama; For it takes the viewer to a ride of truth and historical momentum that is important not only to those in Korea but also to outsiders. The historical clips brings realism into the retelling of the drama, the music brings the whole story into life, cinematography does take everyone into the world each characters, without these elements the show would have failed. In the end, Sandglass I a must see show, not just because of the major element of story but also because of its technical elements.