Korea Mania

Kim Jeong-eun
as Kang Tae-young




Park Shin-yang
as Han Ki-joo




Lee Dong-geon
as Yoon Soo-hyuk



Tae-young went to Paris to study filmmaking and works parttime as a housekeeper in a rich man's house. She never gets to see him but she always leaves messages before she goes home. While looking out for her friend's stuff, Ki-joo accidentally ran over it. Tae-young demanded payments for the damages. They went by to his house to get money and to her surprise, it turned out that Ki-joo is the owner of the house she is working at.

Soo-hyuk, Ki-joo's nephew, fell in love with Tae-young from the first time he met her at the park. He gets to see her more often since she works for his uncle.

Ki-joo didn't like the way Tae-young meddles with his business. She got fired and went back home to Korea. She got more disappointed when she found out that her uncle sold their house and her father's camera. As much as she wanted to get it back, she doesn't have enough money. Ki-joo, who just got back from Paris, came to the rescue and secretly bought it back for Tae-young.

Due to a secret involving his dad, Ki-joo needs to wed Yooh-ah against his will. He asked Tae-young to pretend that they are dating. Even so, his dad and Yoon-ah's are determined to push through with the wedding.

Soo-hyuk got heartbroken when he figured out that Ki-joo is dating Tae-young. He was so upset at his uncle. He thought that he always gets all the attention including his mom's and Tae-young's. He wanted to have what Ki-joo has.

Soo-hyuk changed his image and started to act like his uncle. He asked for a job at their family business to design cars. Envious of Ki-joo's success, he leaked their project to the rival company which caused stockholders and investors to pull out from their account. Ki-joo and the company is now facing a financial dilemma.

The gap between Ki-joo and Soo-hyuk became worst when Soo-hyuk found out that they are brothers. His mother got pregnant when she was young. Trying to live up to their family's reputation, his grandfather claimed Ki-joo to be his son. This is the reason why Ki-joo is forced to marry Yoon-ah. The family is worried that the scandal would be out in the open. Even though Ki-joo has no idea about this, Soo-hyuk is devastated to think that they favored Ki-joo to have a much better life out of lies.

Yoon-ah tries to break up Tae-young and Ki-joo. She told Tae-young to back off or she'll expose the family secret. Tae-young can't seem to bear see Ki-joo face more conflicts so she broke up with him. She loves Ki-joo so much that's why she sacrificed her own happiness.

Wanting to straighten up things between him and his uncle, Soo-hyuk told Ki-joo the truth about his involvement in the design leakage and their relationship as brothers. Ki-joo was overwhelmed but he was able to hang on. He fixed their business problems and settled things out with his mom whom he thought was her sister. After some adjustments, everything turned out okay in favor of Ki-joo.

Soo-hyuk felt guilty and upset. While driving recklessly, he had a car accident. He was in a coma for several days and when he woke up, he pretended to have amnesia. He made them believe that he doesn't remember everything that happened with regards to Ki-joo and Tae-young. They bought his act and was able to pull it off without them suspecting. After recovering, he went away far from Tae-young so he could forget about his feelings.

Ki-joo and Tae-young got back together. They are not afraid to be in a relationship anymore after all that have happened. But Tae-young decided to go back to Paris to continue what she already started. They are hoping that destiny would bring them back together sometime.

After several years, Ki-joo went to Paris to look for Tae-young. Fate really is on their side. He found her, ironically, at the same place where he first met her formally.


I expected so much from this series. I heard a lot of good things on why people went overboard with this drama. It even earned second spot for the mostly viewed in 2004. But for me, it just started as a simple representation of a sassy high spirited woman in love with a rich and famous businessman. Nothing too fancy about it. But as the story unfolds, it became more interesting. Now I know why people got hooked. It's a good thing the first episodes are not that boring or else, viewers could have missed one good drama.

What's so great about this is how the love story was established. The strategy is to make people hook in the love angle. The way the main characters were able to overcome the predicaments that comes along with their decisions is the fomula for the success of the show.

But in fairness, its not too dragging. In every episode, there's something new, a lot of revelations. But most of the times, I kinda know where the story is going. I'm kind of spoiling it for myself. Almost all of my speculations are true.

Actually, there is one side of the story that I liked better compared to the other series I've already watched. It was the decision of Tae-young to go back to Paris and be apart from Ki-joo that made the ending very powerful. Stories doesn't have to have a smooth happy ending. Reality is still a key in leaving a great statment. But when they showed the "real" ending, everything got so complicated. A lot of people were disappointed to see alternate endings at the same time. It seems weird and even though there are a lot to choose from, none made an impact.



“Lovers in Paris” Hits Highest Viewing Rate of 51.5 Percent
Donga.com 08.09.2004

The Seoul Broadcasting System’s (SBS) popular TV drama “Lovers in Paris,” which airs at 9:45 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, hit a record high on August 8, leaving two more episodes before concluding on August 15.

On August 8, the TV drama broke an existing viewing record with 51.5 percent, according to TNS media Korea, a research company. “Lovers in Paris,” which had a 50 percent viewing rate on July 25, lost a big portion of their viewers on July 31 and August 1, respectively, showing subsequent viewing rates of 37.6 percent and 39.2 percent. However, it rebounded back to its previous level last Sunday.

The enormous popularity of “Lovers in Paris” continued with other entertaining programs on August 8. The SBS’s variety show program, “I Love Sunday,” featuring all the stars of the drama, hit the highest viewing rate with 18.1 percent on August 8 since its first airing on March 28. The program usually has around an eight percent viewing rate, but its rate increased by 10 percent on that day.



[ TAE-YOUNG'S IDEAL DATE ]
Girls often dream about this. Where she feels like a withered flower surrounded by all these fabulous people. And out of nowhere, this prince on a white horse calls my name, holds my shoulder and gently touches her hair and walk her home. But that is too perfect.

[ SOO-HYUK TO TAE-YOUNG ]
Don't you see me? Don't you? Did you think about how I would feel? The girl I love cries before me. And I can't do anything for her. How would I have felt asking another man to help you? Don't you understand? You are in here. I don't know who is in your heart. But you are in here. I don't know who you are thinking about but I only think of you. You should know that because I plan of staying this way. There's one more thing. I really like you and I hope you like me. Be careful.

[ SOO-HYUK TO TAE-YOUNG ]
There's a saying that there's no reason for love. It's a lie. How could someone love without a reason? I can tell you at least 100 reasons why I like you. Your voice, your fingers. Your scent, your shadow. I even like your amnesia. I like everything about you. That's my reason.

TAE-YOUNG: Why didn't you get engaged?
KI-JOO: I was afraid but I couldn't run away. I couldn't think of better way so I chose to be a coward. After I ran out, I thought to myself where should I go. Then one person came to my mind.

[ TAE-YOUNG ON KI-JOO ]
Yes. He's man who has everything but also nothing. He would never have saved coins in a piggy bank. Never eaten rice cakes nor hotdogs off the streets. Probably, never cried out loud in from of someone. Done many things but has no great memories. Never thought about any other life besides being the president of GD. He may not even know what his shadow looks like because he never walks looking down.

TAE-YOUNG: I came to return this (money). Actually I was worried. You left without eating breakfast. I used this as an excuse to come here. But you seem to be fine. I shouldn't have worried. Keep on working. I will leave.
KI-JOO: I left it intentionally to use that as an excuse to see you again.

[ TAE-YOUNG TO SOO-HYUK ]
I'm sorry for making you lose your smile. You weren't like this before. You were always smiling but you're not anymore. I think I made you this way. I'm sorry.

[ TAE-YOUNG'S THEORY ]
Do you know hope torture? The best thing one can do for someone who loves her of course loves him. Loving each other. But if she doesn't love him, she shouldn't leave any hope for him. Because even the smallest hope can be tremendous torture to him. That's shy it's called hope torture.

SOO-HYUK: I like Tae-young. Much more than you think. I gave up so many things for you all my life. But I don't want to give up Tae-young. I want you to let her go. You have everything- my mother and you company. You never have to ask for anything. You don't know what pain is and what waiting is. You don't know any of that. But I do. You can never be a good man. Your life is too busy. Tae-young will feel lonely. But I only got Tae-young in my life. Please uncle, I love her.
KI-JOO: I'm sorry Soo-hyuk. Like you said, I have a lot. But only outside. If I had to choose just one thing, I'd choose Tae-young. I'd have Tae-young.
SOO-HYUK: Over me?
KI-JOO: Over you.

TAE-YOUNG: What is the happiest moment in your life?
KI-JOO: Right now. The times I had with you are the happiest moments of my life.

[ TAE-YOUNG TO SOO-HYUK ]
I like you as a friend and as the nephew of the person that I love. Without those reasons, I wouldn't feel sorry when I see you. You are not someone that I am supposed to fight. But someone I will always have to see as long as I am with Ki-joo. But don't take it further. Not everything goes as you wanted.

SOO-HYUK: How can someone be cool in front of love? There is no one especially those lost it. Become hopeless and pathetic. That's what I am. I have to cry ten times to smile once. That's what I have to do. I lost everything because I didn't have love. But uncle has everything because he has love. Whether that is from you or my mom. You don't know how it feels. You don't know because you are in love. And uncle of course doesn't either. He doesn't know how it feels to be hurt all alone.
TAE-YOUNG: Don't be. I'll help you. Don't change like that.
SOO-HYUK: Then come back to me. You can't, can you? Then I'll have to make you.

[ KI-JOO TO SOO-HYUK ]
Soo-hyuk, I hurt more after I wounded you. You are like that too, aren't you? If you wound me, it hurts you.

[ TAE-YOUNG'S LETTER ]
You lost me, didn't you? You won't be able to find me. You're alone now because I'm leaving you. Let's break up. It's too hard for me. The chairman, your sister and Yoon-ah, all make it hard. We have hurt Soo-hyuk too much. I have hurt so many people for my own happiness. I was really a fool. I thought that love was something that would feed me, take me to sleep and make me happy. But now I know that there is something that even love can't fix. I don't want to be miserable anymore. I can't leave like that. I am leaving to make myself comfortable. Forgive me. You will be fine soon.

[ KI-JOO AFTER THE BREAK UP ]
My heart is sick, sister. I didn't know that breaking up with a love would be so difficult. It is very hard for me. Tae-young want to break up. Maybe I'm being punished. I'm receiving the pain that I have caused to others once. I don't know what I am supposed to do. I was really firm with my work no matter how hard it was. I was sure that I could do everything well. But I don't know how to cope with this. This is too difficult. I am hurt so much.

[ SOO-HYUK TO TAE-YOUNG ]
Tae-young, I really wanted to tell you something. I wanted to tell to you directly. All I needed was just a moment but you didn't give me the chance. I'm sorry. I'm sorry to have hurt you. I didn't know that I was hurting you because I was hurt myself. I'm sorry. Please be happy. I wanted to say this to you. If I could, I want to forget everything and I wish you could forget the bad memories about me.

[ TAE-YOUNG'S LETTER ]
To Mr. Han who does not have many memories. I recommend this camera to you. I hope you make great memories from now on. And I hope that I am always smiling in your memories. You'll of course be smiling in my memories. I was so excited when I had first left for Paris. But now I am scared because I don't know if I can live happily without you. Will Tae-young be okay without Ki-joo? Did you know that from some time on we were both crying? That's what love is. It begins smiling but ends crying. I have learned that the more love there is the more tears I shed. I don't regret it. You have given me a kind of love that I could have never dreamed of. I'm so happy to have loved someone like you. Now, let's take a picture. This is only one of this in the world and there is only one man in my life. I love you. I love you more than I can ever say.

[ KI-JOO'S THOUGHTS ]
I have learned two things from Tae-young Kang. One is about how to love and the other is about how to part with someone you love. But I am not smart enough to remember both. I only remember the first one. If I get to see you again, I will only learn about how to love not anyone else but how to love Tae-young.