Long time ago, I watched a Korean and Taiwan drama called Love of Aegean Sea…… it is always in my mind because I always like Alec Su and Chae Rim, both of them portray a beautiful character and bring it out from their “Xin” (Heart)………..
Love on the Aegean Sea begins with a girl named Xiao Tong (Chae Rim) who is going to Greece for vacation. Instead of going with her cousin, Xiao Tong ends up going with a drunken stranger named Li Yao Xiang (Peter Ho). And when they arrive in Greece, they accidentally split up. Yao Xiang then meets a girl named Yi Qian who helps him to get to his hotel. And Xiao Tong accidentally meets a young man named Lu En Qi (Alec Su) and he gives her a present before he left, which is a bracelet called Plato’s Eternity.
Today I want to share with you all my insight on Alec Su as Lu En Qi and the rest of the story of this Love in Aegean Sea……
The Story……..
The very accomplished and multi-talented Lu En Qi, exactly like a prince charming, actually he is the one that is lock up in his ivory tower, every step of his education is carefully planned and mapped out for him, schooled. All the way till there wasn’t any more to go.
Nothing is left for him to choose, including choosing a suitable bride for him. A prince can only marry a princess. He is made to feel a moral obligation to DUTY,
Duty as a son,
Duty to take his place in society.
His position as the rich and powerful
With his impeccable upbringing, his resentment was suppressed. The unspoken resentment simmering deeply in his heart, waiting to release from his heart…….
He learnt to wear a suitable social "mask" or right social occasion. His circle of friends carefully screened. His instincts finely trained and honed. He was taught not to trust or take people at their words but use his own judgment. He was taught how deal with people and to weigh the situation from a broader perspective. In other words, he was groomed for "greater things".
He learnt that everything was "meant for his good". The high hopes and expectancy of his mother cannot be undermined in any way. She devoted her life preparing him for this. He cannot fail to disappoint her. It is his duty to live up to her expectations and has yet to fail her.
Above all, he understood his mother.
A fabulous socialite, his mother is just as accomplished, in society or the boardroom. She sees herself as a "mover of things", daring, scheming and yet manipulative, well in control, Elegant and refined, she groomed him in her own mould.
His father tells how beautiful he was as a child, so bright, intelligent and e was simply perfect……. In due to time, he became "her everything"………."her pride and joy".
En Qi once "gave her a lesson in life” it is with pride and realization that her son has indeed grown up to be the person she envisioned and had so painstakingly groomed.
En Qi learnt to accept his lot in life ~ living in a gilded cage.
He longed for freedom.
He no longer smiles……….
He never smiles………….
He wears a mask all the time……………courteous, always charming, distant, cool……….
The only physical sign of rebellion was…………one button………
He opened one shirt button more than permitted.
The one person who could read him was his beloved Xiao Tong, she could understand him so well……So well he could never lie to her. It was with the greatest effort on his part to play out the role he needed to do to convince her to forget him. Even that was so hard he could not look her in the eye .nor linger too long in her presence without loosing his lines or composure. He could only seek to attack her so vilely to make her cry to totally dishonor her to be an utter cad…
In the beginning
The first meeting taking an instant photo at the Island of Aegean Sea. The photographer gives them the photo. They admired it and Xiao Tong just tells him to "keep it with him". That look on his face surprised secretly pleased then a little hesitant to take it unused to such generosity……In his heart…….he had received more than just a photo…..
He asked only to be with the one he loves………..
You see him smelling her hair
You see them making music together being together
After that fateful day his whole world seems to have collapsed
Very heart wrenching
To see how En Qi is bearing up, standing by the narrow corridors, En Qi….. his body shaking, sobbing uncontrollably, cries silently and not daring to let him to fight for love and freedom…..
Like a bird that was shot down, his wings clipped……he lies mortally wounded……..and bleeding. He drags himself to his bedroom and falls on his knees beside the bed and lies there….
Longing for the comfort of her loving arms……..Longing to hold her……and never ever letting go………. Knowing………….it’s the end….and he will never see her or hold her again… A part of him just died………just like his piano……………….he locked up his heart………….and closed that chapter of his life.
He became a man without a heart……Cold Expression…… Devoid of feelings
Channeling all his energies to only work…….He worked himself into frenzy……Its also entirely plausible, that proceeding with the wedding will see a "perfect bridegroom in En Qi" together with her so-called perfect princess….. Yi Qian…….
Everyone was happy again in their "perfect world"……… especially his mother…. Despite seeing her son is suffering deeply………
You realize just how cold the world became……..when En Qi stopped being happy………………..
BUT FATE was not done with this pair of lovers….They were destined to meet again………
His heart stopped………….when he realized it was her…."It can’t be!" with shock…………He watched her walking toward him………Totally unaware of his presence…..The ghost of the En Qi of 3 years ago awakens…….. His eyes following her every move….His eyes lighting up………..drinking in the sight of her…….
The chains that bound all his feelings all this time….. slackens as he allowed the music to carry him…………brings out all the suppressed feeling of the past 3 years…He marveled at how she handled herself…………She’s beautiful as he had remembered……….and there was a new found poise and confidence………….
Her fluster at the first sight of him…………
Like the beacon………..the twinkling notes of their song……. guided their hearts once again….. With the memories of their love…….
En Qi fought back his tears…He was not free to choose……just like before with his "princess" beside him…..He had to wear a mask………. Plunged into another mire of unhappiness…….He could not feel his freedom…………
He had not been able to forget her all this time………..Hapless……….He watched as if she walked thru his soul……..and out of his life again………
This time, he was determined to not ever see her again because it would have been too cruel to her and him….he would hurt her again………He could not bear that………He’d rather suffer alone …………and in silence than to do that…….
It was heartwarming to see a second chance at happiness………..
To see this "Superman" in that awful green apron making dinner just because could not bear to let her to use her hands to prepare dinner……. To see the same person drawing "hearts" all over the place especially on the palm of his beloved……The one who plays the piano so beautifully once again the one who speaks thru music…….The same corporate giant who takes to the streets sincerely asking for signatures from total strangers to create… “杗 Ten-Thousand blessing” for her. Trying desperately to heal her…….. After his mother’s monstrous attempt on her, leaving her a shell of her former life, robbed of her gifts and spirit……..
You remembered once upon a time, this beautiful smile on his face as he watched her sleep. One morning on the "Isle of Freedom" Santorini only to have it disappear as he realize sadly "it can never be with her"………
They have come…….. So far…………………. Passed life and death…………… Everyone pays a price……….for something……….in the end…….
En Qi’s paid …………… Xiao Tong paid……..and his mother paid ………..for the rest of their lives………….
All because they love the beautiful En Qi…………..
There is also connection is always there between the two rival lovers…… One who loves truly and the one who gives his all for the one he loves……….
The message of Plato’s Eternity is runs thru both of them…………..
When En Qi left his "heart" bracelet for her…….The song Plato’ eternity was sweepingly beautiful………
"In my dreams………I see you…… I discover……..I am in the oceans…….. I reach out to you……. I find myself sinking to the bottom…….. 3000 miles…………….stand between us……… I will……. exchange for being with you……………… lie in deep slumber in the deepest part of the oceans"
The music for the time when En Qi tell her……………Yao Xiang will see the sunrise in the morning. Is the same piece they used when En Qi tells her to let Yao Xiang take care of her in his place. It made it even more touching
Alec Su put in a lot of thoughts and feelings into this character of Lu En Qi as Alec uses his "Xin"(heart) to reach out to you as En Qi……
You have to use your "Xin"(heart) to listen……..
This role so well portrayed, incredibly sensitive and really a fantastic performance.
Alec has to use lots of expression to bring out the character as most of it is unable to verbalize
At times Lu En Qi can come off as a weak but certain times, he portrayed an insufferable attitude. As though there is nothing is as it seems on the surface
Lu En Qi character is very hard to portray because he does not have a lot of lines..
But his character is the most complex character there
This one requires "Nei Xin Si" (acting from within)…..
It requires a lot of body language and eyes that speaks……..
The real reason why I enjoyed it so much was because I am able to read this character.
Alec’s portrayal is complete and has depth. The job of the actor is to let the audience SEE the character…. He did an excellent job.
As someone commented "hey……Alec Su is surprisingly good in this one"
I need to say that this is a good role for an actor and Alec really fleshed this one out properly.
You must "think a little deeper" when you watch this drama it’s not a "no-brainer" romance drama like other Idol dramas!!!!!!
The plot and story flows really naturally and unfolds dramatically though sometimes it meanders
Alec lives and breathes Lu En Qi
So you see…………………… just how meticulous ……..is Alec in this performance……….
