Lovers (Korean: 연인; RR: Yeon-in) is a South Korean television series starring Kim Jung-eun and Lee Seo-jin who play a plastic surgeon and a gangster who enter into an unlikely romance.[1][2][3] The series is based on the Lee Man-hee stage play Turn Around and Leave, the same work that inspired the 1998 blockbuster film A Promise starring Jeon Do-yeon and Park Shin-yang.[4] It aired on SBS from November 8, 2006 to January 11, 2007 on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:55 for 20 episodes.
| Lovers | |
|---|---|
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| Created by | Kim Eun-sook Shin Woo-chul |
| Based on | Turn Around and Leave by Lee Man-hee |
| Written by | Kim Eun-sook |
| Directed by | Shin Woo-chul |
| Starring | Kim Jung-eun Lee Seo-jin |
| Music by | Park Se-jun |
| Country of origin | South Korea |
| No. of episodes | 20 |
| Production | |
| Producer | Gu Bon-geun |
| Production locations | South Korea Hainan Island, China |
| Original release | |
| Network | SBS TV |
| Release | November 8, 2006 – January 11, 2007 |
It is the third and final installment of the "Lovers" trilogy by writer Kim Eun-sook and director Shin Woo-chul. Unlike previous installments Lovers in Paris (which Kim also starred in) and Lovers in Prague which were partly shot in Europe, Lovers filmed on location in China's Hainan Island.
Synopsis
editYoon Mi-ju (Kim Jung-eun) is the daughter of a reverend, who has adopted many children and set up an orphanage, and works as a plastic surgeon in a hospital, although her dream is to open a clinic of her own. Ha Kang-jae (Lee Seo-jin) is an orphan raised by Kang Choong-shik, a gangland boss, and his trusty right hand. The two meet when Mi-ju mistakes Kang-jae for her adoptive sister's former boyfriend, who dumped her after discovering she was pregnant; as Mi-ju learns a little later, Kang-jae is actually in a relationship with Park Yu-jin (Kim Gyu-ri), Mi-ju's neighbor. Kang-jae is also the potential buyer for the land that houses Reverend Yoon's orphanage, and that Mi-ju wants to sell, not knowing that the land and the house are at risk for seizure because of his father. When Kang-jae is wounded by some Chinese gangsters, Mi-ju treats him and he begins to fall for her; meanwhile, Kang Se-yeon (Jung Chan), son of the boss Kang-jae works for, falls in love with Mi-ju, who his mother wants as a daughter in law because she considers her a good catch.
Cast
edit- Lee Seo-jin as Ha Kang-jae
- 34 years old, orphan, gangster, right hand of gang boss Kang Choong-shik who raised him
- Kim Jung-eun as Yoon Mi-ju
- 31 years old, reverend's daughter, plastic surgeon, supports her father and his orphanage
- Jung Chan as Kang Se-yeon
- 33 years old, Kang Choong-shik's son, MBA educated, who returns to Korea after years spent abroad
- Kim Gyu-ri as Park Yu-jin
- 28 years old, owner of bakery, Kang-jae's girlfirend, Seo-yeon's first love
- Kim Nam-gil as Tae-san, Kang-jae's subordinate
- Yeon Mi-joo as Choi Yoon, Se-yeon's assistant
- Lee Ki-young as Uhm Sang-taek, Kang-jae's right hand
- Park In-hwan as Reverend Yoon Mok-sa, Mi-ju's father
- Choi Ha-na as Hong Soon-jung, nurse in plastic surgery clinic, later living with Mi-ju
- Yoo Jung-hyun as Seol Won-chul, plastic surgery clinic president
- Choi Il-hwa as Kang Choong-shik, gang boss turned Chairman & CEO Baek Eun Construction
- Yang Geum-seok as Jung Yang-geum, Se-yeon's mother, Kang Choong-shik's wife
- Kim Roi-ha as Nam Chang-bae, gangster, nightclub president
- Jang Hang-sun as Baek Jong-dae, Baek Eun Construction Director
- Lee Se-chang as Lee Jin-soo, garage owner, tire dealer
- Moon Jeong-hee as Sang-taek's wife
- Yoo Dong-hyuk as young Se-yeon
- Kim Ki-bang as Dae-suk, a gangster working under Ha Kang-jae
- Kim Dong-gyun as Kim Dong-hoon, an employee of the construction company
Ratings
editIn the table below, the blue numbers represent the lowest ratings and the red numbers represent the highest ratings.
| Date | Episode | Nationwide | Seoul |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-11-08 | 1 | 11.3% | 12.1% |
| 2006-11-09 | 2 | 12.2% | 12.8% |
| 2006-11-15 | 3 | 14.3% | 14.8% |
| 2006-11-16 | 4 | 15.6% | 15.9% |
| 2006-11-22 | 5 | 14.7% | 15.5% |
| 2006-11-23 | 6 | 15.6% | 15.6% |
| 2006-11-29 | 7 | 16.1% | 16.4% |
| 2006-11-30 | 8 | 16.0% | 16.2% |
| 2006-12-06 | 9 | 16.2% | 16.7% |
| 2006-12-07 | 10 | 15.8% | 15.9% |
| 2006-12-13 | 11 | 16.3% | 16.3% |
| 2006-12-14 | 12 | 19.5% | 20.3% |
| 2006-12-20 | 13 | 17.0% | 17.4% |
| 2006-12-21 | 14 | 18.0% | 19.0% |
| 2006-12-27 | 15 | 18.3% | 19.4% |
| 2006-12-28 | 16 | 16.6% | 17.5% |
| 2007-01-03 | 17 | 21.0% | 22.2% |
| 2007-01-04 | 18 | 23.2% | 23.9% |
| 2007-01-10 | 19 | 20.8% | 21.8% |
| 2007-01-11 | 20 | 25.3% | 26.8% |
| Average | 17.2% | 17.8% | |
Source: TNS Media Korea
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Cho, Chung-un (11 December 2006). "HERALD INTERVIEW: Actor Lee Seo-jin seeks versatility". The Korea Herald via Hancinema. Archived from the original on 2013-11-27. Retrieved 2013-04-27.
- ^ "Kim Jeong-eun admits romance". The Korea Herald via Hancinema. 16 April 2007. Archived from the original on 2023-08-20. Retrieved 2013-04-27.
- ^ Garcia, Cathy Rose A. (17 April 2007). "Celebrity Romance Heats Up". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on 2013-11-12. Retrieved 2013-04-27.
- ^ "Lovers (DVD) (SBS TV Drama) (English Subtitled) (Korea Version)". YesAsia. Archived from the original on 2013-12-20. Retrieved 2013-04-27.
- ^ "연인 - 등장인물 - 주요 인물 (Lovers - Characters - Main)". SBS (in Korean). Archived from the original on 2022-08-02. Retrieved 2019-12-12.
- ^ "연인 - 등장인물 - 그외 인물 (Lovers - Characters - Others)". SBS (in Korean). Archived from the original on 2022-08-02. Retrieved 2019-12-12.
External links
edit- Official website (in Korean)
- Lovers at HanCinema