My Lovely Sam Soon available on DVD is perhaps one of the best Korean dramas I've seen. Live, Laugh and Love like you've never been hurt before.
My Lovely Sam Soon is about a slightly overweight pastry chef who gets unceremoniously dumped by her boyfriend on Christmas Eve. Having turned 30, with no college degree, no boyfriend and no job, her prospects don't look very bright. However, for Kim Sam Soon (played brilliantly by Kim Sun-Ah) outspoken and foul-mouthed, she refuses to bend to society's expectations. Things take an unexpected turn when she agrees to a contract relationship with her new boss, restaurant owner, Hyun Jin Heon (Hyun Bin) to both help her family out of their money troubles and him out of his mother issues.
The central theme of the series revolves around the saying: Love like you've never been hurt before. Like Sam Soon, Jin Heon was also unceremoniously abandoned 3 years ago by Hee Jin (Jung Ryu Won) who ran off to the States. She arrives back to Korea hoping to rekindle the romance only to find Sam Soon in the picture. As much as these characters are wanting to take the high road, they can't help but be a slave to their emotions resulting in childish often hurtful behaviour in their quest to be with or punish the one they love.
Known as Korea's Queen of Comedy, lead actress Kim Sun Ah was dubbed Korea's Renee Zellweger when she packed on 15lbs for the role. Frumping her sexy exterior for Sam Soon, Sun Ah became Korea's unexpected sweetheart drawing over 40% audience rating and hitting over 50% for its finale. The series soars thanks to her hilarious slapstick yet often heartwarming and moving performance.
Winning a multitude of awards including, Best Screenplay, Best Cast and Best Drama at the Paeksang Awards, Top Excellence Award Male and Female, plus Greatest Award for Kim Sun Ah at the 2005 MBC Awards and Award for Best Mini Series at the Seoul Drama Awards, its no wonder why I found the series insightful, entertaining and endearing. Everyone brightly shines in the series that even the somewhat clunky English dialogue scenes between Hee Jin and Henry (played by Michigan born Daniel Henney) are forgiveable thanks to their acting talents.
While YA Entertainment releases the 6 Disc DVD set with a mouse pad and the first 2 episodes of the period drama Dae Jang Geum, it's YouTube that has the hilarious extra bits (NGs and Bloopers) that are sure to entertain after you watch the fantastic series.
And just for the hell of it, here's a link to a prank they pulled on Sun Ah and singing Superstar Bi (Rain) that had me laughing off my chair. (yes- it has English subtitles)
