7. Rooftop Prince

Broadcast: Mar-May 2012
Episodes: 20, Fantasy/Comedy/Romance
Cast 
Micky Yoochun (Park Yoochun) as Lee Gak / Yong Tae Yong
Han Ji Min as Park Ha / Bu Yong
Lee Tae Sung as Yong Tae Moo
Jung Yoo Mi as Hong Se Na / Hwa Yong
Lee Min Ho as Song Man Bo (Lee Gak's retainer - Crown Prince's tutor)
Choi Woo Shik as Do Chi San (Lee Gak's retainer - palace eunuch)
Jung Suk Won as Woo Yong Sul (Lee Gak's retainer - Crown Prince's personal bodyguard) 

Another time travel drama. This was the first drama I've ever seen with Park Yoochun, and after seeing it, I fell in love with him. He is a talented and brilliant actor. Surprisingly, he's only acted in a few dramas. He is entertaining, funny, and very cute in this drama. I love the two tonalities that he speaks with! You'll know what I mean when you watch this drama.

Lee Gak, a crowned prince of the Joseon era travels 300 years to the present day Seoul to search for answers to why his wife died. He and his entourage of three (an intellect, an eunuch, and personal body guard). They land on the rooftop of Park Ha's unit, and hence the drama title.

Park Ha is suspicious of them but being nice and a good samritan that she is, she takes them as house guests/guardian and in return they will have to help her run errands and do chores for her businesses. She first tries selling fruit but that didn't work out, and then later she tries running  furniture removal service.

Because the four is unfamiliar with new modern day technology, food, and every day etiquette, they get into funny mishaps. They soon adapt to modern day life and Lee Gak continues to look for answers to why they had travelled all this way to the 21st Century. He meets dopplegangers and spots Hong Se Na who is the identical twin of his dead wife, whom he believed could be a reincarnation. He chases her and tries to solve the murder mystery of what really happened 300 years ago in the palace.

To get close to her, he accidentally and later intentionally take on the role of his own doppleganger, Yong Tae Yong who was pushed off a ship in the USA by his cousin Yong Tae Mu who wanted to swallow his inheritance. Tae Yong was found and comatised in New York but makes a return near the end of the drama.

The drama revolves around Lee Gak and his entourage in solving the mystery, and to time travel back to their time. However, nearer the end, you could tell they were comfortable in modern Seoul and didn't want to go back except that they have family back home. 

During all the midst of trying to solve the murder mystery and finding out that Hong Se Na wasn't really the woman he wanted to be with, and later realised the crowd princess wasn't exactly who he thought she was, Lee Gak begin to fall gradually in love with Park Ha. They did get to spend some very loving and tender moments together before he and his entourage unwillingly was sent back to the Joseon Era.

I was saddened by the fact that two people who loved each other couldn't be together. These kind of themes always shatter me and stirs my emotions. I mean how can one person from 300 years ago be with someone of today's time? (Queen Inhyun's man over comes this. This will be another review :)) 

One lovely scene was that when Lee Gak travelled back, he left a message at the palace gardens under a rock near one of the palace buildings where today's tourists visits. They had toured there previously and Lee Gak had showed Park Ha his secret spot where he hid stuff as a kid. It was a love letter and I have to confess that I cried because he said in the letter, he loved her and missed her very much, and it was heart breaking that they couldn't be together. 

It's a happy ending. The last scene we see is that Yong Tae Yong meets up with Park Ha, and I assume the two will fall in love madly and live happily ever after. Yong Tae Yong no doubt is Lee Gak's reincarnation or bloodline.

This drama was very funny and entertaining. Yoochun's entourage provided a lot of laughs. Keep a close eye on Lee Min-ho (not the Lee Min Ho from BFF), who I'm sure will later take on lead roles in future dramas. He's a good actor and very cute. I saw him in Sungkyunkwan Scandal, and I swear he's had his nose done.

Yoochun is so funny with his royalty airs, and his preference for sweet things. Even the way he taps and drinks his yakult with an air of royalty is hilarious. Love his two tonalities as Lee Gak, the prince and Yong Tae Yong, the humble heir. He's got a very nice voice, I think I can listen to him talk all day :)

The chemistry between Yoochun and Ha Jin Min wasn't very strong but adequate I guess to provide a good watch.

Omurice was the first thing Park Ha made for the four, and it becomes famous when they travel back to Joseon period. They start making and selling it on the streets.

OST: After A Long Time – Baek Ji Young (female version), After A Long Time – Jo Eun (male version), A Happy Ending – Jay Park, Hurt – Ali. I was disappointed Yoochun didn't sing any of the songs for this drama.

I loved this drama. I highly recommend it.

Rating: 4.5/5 ♥