Scripts and scenes from Wish Upon a Star

by javabeans

With no episodes of Wish Upon a Star airing this week (and such heated response at the unfortunate postponement), I tried to think of a way to get my fix despite the lack of new material. I tried to look for any interviews of the lead actors, but unfortunately, there are very few — the last I could find for Choi Jung-won and Kim Ji-hoon, for instance, were back in 2008. Shin Dong-wook has likewise kept a low profile, and Lee Kyun was in the army in addition to mostly having smaller roles (i.e., Hello Franceska).

I did manage to get my hands on the scripts for Episodes 1-12, however, and have uploaded them for your perusal: [ DOWNLOAD SCRIPTS FOR EPISODES 1-12 ]

In addition, I’ve excerpted a few of my favorite scenes below.

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Wish Upon a Star OST – “아마도” (Probably) by Jaycade [ Download ]

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I’ve never thought the acting was particularly spectacular in Wish Upon a Star, which I thought of as a mix of cute stars (and kids), amusing situations, and competent acting (from the main cast, at least; no need to waste breath discussing the dull Jung family). However, after reading through the scripts, I’m revising my opinion, because the cast deserves A LOT more credit for bringing their personal charm to the roles.

I say this because the scripts are quite spare. They don’t give a lot of direction, and contain almost no insight into inner motivations. They’re much less detailed than, say, the scripts of Coffee Prince, Que Sera Sera, or even Boys Before Flowers. And this means that the drama owes a lot more to the actors for its little funny beats, the wry expressions, the comic timing, and even the reaction shots.

Take, for instance, the following scene when Kang-ha first finds Pa-rang sleeping in his bed. It’s one of my favorite Kang-ha/Pa-rang interactions, and onscreen it’s hilarious:

EPISODE 7

Scene 5. Kang-ha’s room. (Morning)

Kang-ha opens his eyes, stretches, starts to rise. But there’s something at his feet, startling him as he gets up and approaches the foot of the bed.
Pa-rang is curled up in the blankets, asleep.

Kang-ha: (Incredulous, poking Pa-rang) “Hey. Hey?’
Pa-rang: (Squinting, opening his eyes)
Kang-ha: “Why are you sleeping here?”
Pa-rang: “I have a sleepwalking condition. Ajusshi, please understand.” (Burrows in the blankets)

Kang-ha stares blankly.

Isn’t it funny how something that is so simple on the page could be so appealing when put onscreen?

Following is another example. I think it’s actually funny on the page, but Kim Ji-hoon’s timing with his alternating smile-frown-smirk-grimace is what made this a laugh-out-loud moment in the episode:

This is the scene when Ju-hwang berates his brother for sleepwalking into Kang-ha’s bedroom.

Scene 54. Second floor. (Morning)

Kang-ha exits the room.

Ju-hwang (off-screen): “Hey you, why do you keep coming up here to sleep?”
Pa-rang (o.s.): “I don’t know either.”
Ju-hwang (o.s.): “It’s because you’re too comfortable. And it’s not just anyone’s room, it’s that ajusshi’s! Don’t you know you can’t do that? Don’t you know the saying that you’d better be careful where you lie down?”
Pa-rang (o.s.): “What does that mean?”
Ju-hwang (o.s.): “It means you’d better pay attention to a person’s character!”
Kang-ha: (What’s that kid saying? His feelings sour.)
Pa-rang (o.s.): “I think that ajusshi has a good character.”
Kang-ha: (That doesn’t feel so bad.)
Ju-hwang (o.s.): “That’s why you have no taste in people!”
Kang-ha: (His feelings sour again.)

EPISODE 10

Scene 60. Kang-ha’s room. (Night)

Kang-ha enters.

Kang-ha: “Night and day, she picks a fight.”

He starts to change his clothes. Pa-rang opens the door slightly.

Pa-rang: “Ajusshi?”
Kang-ha: “What is it?”
Pa-rang: “I’m not sleepwalking right now, but can I come in?”
Kang-ha: “Do what you want. Have you asked before coming in anyway?”
Pa-rang: (Approaching immediately) “Ajusshi?”
Kang-ha: “What is it?”
Pa-rang: “I’m not on your side because you bought us jajangmyun.”
Kang-ha: “Huh?”
Pa-rang: “It’s just, well, it’s just because I really like you. So you absolutely can’t be pushed aside by Tae-kyu hyung.” (Suddenly clenching his fist) “Fighting.” (Starting to run out, he turns back sharply) “Good night. Dream of my sister.” (He exits)

Scene 73. Jazz bar. (Night)

Kang-ha and Jun-ha drink. Stage is empty.
Kang-ha drinks indifferently. Sees Pal-gang walking down the staircase. Stiffens.
Just as Pal-gang descends the stairs, the lights turn off. Everyone stirs. They wonder, is it a blackout?
Pal-gang, startled, uses the wall to guide her as she descends.
Lights flick on onstage.
Pal-gang wonders what’s going on.
Tae-kyu wears a tuxedo (or event clothing). His two friends grab Pal-gang’s hands.

Pal-gang: “Wha– what are you doing?”

Tae-kyu’s friends take Pal-gang to the stage.

Pal-gang: “I– I can’t sing.”

Kang-ha’s expression seems to ask, What’s going on?
Jun-ha looks indifferent, but watches Kang-ha’s face closely.

Pal-gang: “I really can’t sing.”

Suddenly, Tae-kyu appears onstage playing guitar.
Pal-gang watches blankly.

Kang-ha: “What’s that kid doing?”
Jun-ha: “We’ll find out, I guess.”

Tae-kyu plays a gentle ballad. Kim Jang-hoon’s “My Profile”: “Call me your man, and when I first met you…”

Pal-gang: “……”

Tae-kyu sings.
Meanwhile, Jae-young walks down the stairs.
Jae-young sees the stage and wonders what’s going on.
Tae-kyu finishes the song, puts the guitar away. Gets on his knee in front of Pal-gang. He takes out the ring case he’d prepared.

Pal-gang: “You…”

Not even aware of what he’s doing, Kang-ha stands.
Jun-ha doesn’t miss his expression.

Tae-kyu: “Jin Pal-gang. I’m foolish and I’m not confident that I’ll succeed, and I say stupid things every day. But I can say this with certainty. That in this moment, I’m not talking nonsense. And I’ll swear this — that because of you, I’ll become a better person. Because of you, I’ll improve. Because of you, I’ll grow stronger. So marry me.”

Pal-gang: “……”

Kang-ha watches with a hardened expression, turning his head.
Jun-ha watches Kang-ha. So does Jae-young.
Pal-gang becomes blank.
People start to shout, Accept! Accept!
Pal-gang doesn’t know what to do.
End episode.

EPISODE 12

Scene 35. Front yard. (Night)

Kang-ha sits lost in thoughts at the staircase.
Pal-gang emerges from the house carrying a trash bag.

Pal-gang: (Seeing Kang-ha) “Why are you sitting here?”
Kang-ha: “……”
Pal-gang: “Please go back inside, it’s cold.” (Starting to descend the stairs)
Kang-ha: (Grabs her arm)
Pal-gang: (Shuts her eyes)
Kang-ha: “I’m sorry.”
Pal-gang: “……” (Opening her eyes)
Kang-ha: “Last night… for making a mistake. And acting like I forgot.”
Pal-gang: “Why is that a big deal?”
Kang-ha: (Looking at her)
Pal-gang: “I know that last night, to you I was no different from
            a room salon girl sitting next to you.
            So don’t worry about it.”
            (Starting to walk down the steps)
Kang-ha: (Rising) “I may be a jerk but I’m not that bad!”
Pal-gang: (Watching him) “You’re making a mistake, Mr. Lawyer.”
Kang-ha: “……”
Pal-gang: “You should have just pretended you didn’t remember.”
            (Starting to walk on)
Kang-ha: “It bothers me.”
Pal-gang: (Stopping)
Kang-ha: “It just… bothers me. It gets on my nerves. Because of you.”
Pal-gang: “I’m sure it does. It’s natural that a strange housekeeper like
            me would get on our nerves.
            For just one more month…
            No, now there’s less than a month left.
            So even if it gets on your nerves, please put up with it till then.”
            (Walking on)
Kang-ha: “……”

Scene 36. In front of Kang-ha’s house. (Night)

Pal-gang comes out holding the trash bag, and leans against the wall.

Scene 37. Kang-ha’s room. (Night)

Kang-ha enters, leaning against the door, and shuts his eyes.

Are you noticing a pattern to which scenes I’m liking? To be fair, it’s not like Kang-ha/Pa-rang moments are the only interesting scenes, but they are the ones that made me most curious to see what the character was thinking. I’ve never thought Kim Ji-hoon was an especially strong actor, but in light of how little direction he is given in these scripts, I’m more impressed with the choices he’s made in balancing out Kang-ha’s outer gruffness with his vulnerability.

Choi Jung-won has also done well balancing out Pal-gang’s inner fears and turmoil with her outer pluckiness, and the above scene is an example where she brings a lot more to the character than what’s given to her.

Scene 43: Kang-ha’s room. (Night)

Kang-ha sits on his bed, lost in thought, when the door opens. Pa-rang enters, half-asleep.

Kang-ha: (Pulling aside the blankets as Pa-rang calmly lays down on the bed, patting Pa-rang’s hair) “What kind of people were your mother and father?”

Pa-rang sleeps, unaware of the world.

Kang-ha: “If I was the child of parents like yours…
            …I wouldn’t have turned out like this, would I?”
Pa-rang: “…….”
Kang-ha: (Lying by Pa-rang’s side)
            “See, I…
            If I ever showed my feelings… I was always punished.
            So at some point… I stopped showing them.”

He closes his eyes.

Fade out.

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• Wish Upon a Star: Episode 10
• Wish Upon a Star: Episode 9
• Wish Upon a Star: Episode 8
• Wish Upon a Star: Episode 7
• Wish Upon a Star: Episode 6
• Wish Upon a Star: Episode 5
• Wish Upon a Star: Episodes 3-4
• Wish Upon a Star: Episodes 1-2
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