Korea Mania

Lee Joon-ki
as Seo Jeong-woo





Gong-chan is in mission to find his long lost cousin, who he hasn't met, to fulfill his promise to his sick grandfather. During his business trip in Jeju Island, he met Yoo-rin by accident and was temporarily hired to be an interpreter for his international business deals. Since Yoo-rin is on the run because of his father's wrongdoings, she stayed at Gong-chan's vacation house without his consent. She even used the resources to pay for her father's plane ticket to get out of Seoul. When found out, she was forgiven in the condition that she would pretend to be his cousin for the meantime. Surprisingly, his grandfather's health got better when Yoo-rin came into their lives.

But who would have thought that living together and sharing a lie could draw two strangers closer? As they carry on pretending, Yoo-rin started to fall for Gong-chan but has to ignore it because of their situation. When Sae-hyun, Gong-chan's girlfriend, came back to Korea, Yoo-rin realized her stance in Gong-chan's heart.

Although bestfriends, Jeong-woo's personality is very much different with that of Gong-chan's. He always gets into trouble especially when it comes to girls and work. But when he met Yoo-rin, his perspective changed. Thinking that she is Gong-chan's cousin, he showed extra care and concern. But eventhough his feelings are sincere, Yoo-rin can't seem to return his love. His chance got slimmer when he learned that she is not the cousin they were looking for and that she has secretly fallen for Gong-chan. Despite the lies, he never left Yoo-rin.

Seeing Jeong-woo and Yoo-rin together has made Gong-chan appreciate Yoo-rin's worth. He left Sae-hyun for her new love. Devastated of what happened, Sae-hyun confessed to Gong-chan's grandfather what she knows about Yoo-rin's identity . Although he loves Yoo-rin so much, he still decided to send her away without his grandson's approval and made to promise not to return.

Gong-chan's years of waiting came to an end when fate has brought them back together. Determined to win her over, he disobeyed his grandfather. Because Yoo-rin doesn't want to make things worst, she made up more lies to push away Gong-chan. But nobody believed her but instead, they were moved by her actions. With this, Gong-chan and Yoo-rin were finally given the blessings to be together. And to top it all, they found the real cousin.


This series is so hilarious. I didn't even realize that I was smiling all throughout because I was so preoccupied with Lee Dong-wook's good looks and Lee Da Hae's talent. Actually, it reminds me of Full House. The more they fight, the more they look good on-screen.

There are definitely a lot of funny moments. What I like the most is the story telling by Yoo-rin's friends on how Korean movies work. Come to think of it. Everything they said really happens in almost every Korean movies or series. And with Yoo-rin and Gong-chan's dramatization, it made it even funnier.

I can't seem to stop laughing during their dream sequences. There were two which really made me cry from laughing too hard - the hospital scene when Yoo-rin is running away from the bad guys and the impersonation of some well-known spies.

There maybe some drama, but still, they managed to put in some cute scenes to make it balance. It's like a rollercoaster of emotions which I really appreciate. It won't make you feel down all throughout.

Da-hae could definitely pass as Kim Sun-ah's successor. I won't be surprised if she could even top Sun-ah's performance in due time. She may be young and has a lot more to learn, but she definitely has talent as a comedienne. She's got good facial expression and the delivery looks so natural. Watch out for the Mini Kim Samsoon! As for the rest of the gang, they all gave a nice performances especially Dong-wook. It wasn't that easy portraying drama and humor in one character. Joon-ki did okay as the third wheel but sometimes, it looks weird seeing him do fight scenes and yet, he looks like a girl… a good looking Korean girl, that is. With Sae-hyun, she wasn't that bad as a beginner.

Just when you thought you are done with the good stuff, think again. On it's last part, they managed to bring in a surprising ending. Curious? You got to see it for yourself!

Out of the topic: I'm so proud to hear them mention my beloved country, the Philippines, more than once.


An 'Irresistible Trickster' To Meet Viewers In 'My Girl' KOREAN HERALD [ 12.12.2005 ]

Another "sassy" girl is to meet TV audiences every Wednesday and Thursday nights beginning this week, as director Jeon Ki-sang unfolds his jovial imagination in a new SBS drama "My Girl". As a "professional" trickster, this new heroine is promised to be cheekier and sassier than the last. Through the KBS drama "Sassy Girl, Chun-hyang", which ended with overwhelming success in March, director Jeon has already proven his talent in producing romantic comedies with a "different" type of heroine. Director Jeon's motto is to produce a drama that he himself can "laugh his head off" while watching. "It's not like I have an exceptional philosophy about drama-making. I just want people to have a good laugh, and realize in between the laughs that life is actually quite joyful", Jun told reporters in a news conference last week. In the previous drama, Jun recreated the loyal woman Seong Chun-hyang from a well-known Korean classic "Chung-hyang jeon (Chun-hyang's story), into a headstrong sassy girl, receiving an enthusiastic response from females in their teens and early 20s. This time, the heroine Ju Yoo-rin, played by actress Lee Da-hae, is a cheeky con-artist who learns from her troublesome father that ripping people off is the easiest way to make a living. But meaning no harm by her "little" lies, Yoo-rin is an irresistible character who never loses the sense of humor and optimism despite the bitterness of life. "It seems that all female characters are standardized in TV dramas, and thus, I try to create a new character that viewers have never come across before", said Jun.

'ERIC'S GIRL' PARK SI-YEON MAKES A LEAP TO ACTING KOREAN HERALD [12.13.2005]

As the sweetheart of heartthrob actor Moon Jung-hyuk - better known as pop group Shinhwa's handsome rapper Eric Moon - actress Park Si-yeon is widely dubbed "Eric's girl". But the 26-year-old actress now vows to be recognized on her own merits, taking her first leap into acting. Immediately after Eric's love story was disclosed to the public earlier this year, Park has been at the center of attention. Her glamor and beauty had people taking more interest, but Park said that such fame had caused her great discomfort. "Behind the full make-up and costume, I am actually a very shy person. I don't enjoy being at the center of attention, especially if it's attention earned from being someone's girlfriend", said Park at last week's news conference for the SBS new drama "My Girl". Through this new drama, which will be aired beginning tomorrow, Park will make her first appearance in a TV drama here and be given the chance to prove her acting skills to viewers. "Love and career are two separate things. I feel bad about the fact that people do not see me as an actress but only as the girlfriend of a popular celebrity", she said. "But I have realized that getting all worked up over the current situation won't solve any problems and thus, have been focusing only on developing my acting skills". With hidden dreams toward acting, Park chose to major in journalism at Long Island University in 1998, thinking that it would help her in learning the TV world better. Striving to an start acting career, Park took auditions for Chinese TV series while attending college, and appeared in three Chinese dramas through small roles. Park was later given the chance to begin an acting career in Korea, winning in the "Miss Korea" beauty pageant contest in 2000. Since then, the actress has been slowly preparing herself for the right moment to take up acting, appearing on several TV commercials and music videos



JEONG-WOO: Just some guy. The guy that she abandoned for her tennis career. She doesn't seem to realize that it's 100 times more difficult and 1,000 times more important to win his heart than to win that trophy.

[ GONG-CHAN TO SAE-HYUN ]
To you, the last 2 years, may be time that you worked very hard to come back. But to me, it's time taken to let you go. Just like you, I've been working very hard. Just like that, it took a hard 2 years to forget you.

SAE-HYUN: It's been so long since I seen your anger. I wish to shimmer your anger but I know I can't. I'm leaving soon. I won't be back. I don't wish to see you getting tired. I want to undo the hurt, so I chose to leave.
GONG-CHAN: Okay. Let's end it.
SAE-HYUN: You love me too much till you can't forgive me.

[ YOO-RIN TO GONG-CHAN ]
You can't breathe and your heart is not with you is it? I lied before so I know. Being stuck in one self's lie. I can give you an amputation. I'll poked it hard. So be prepared. (honked the horn. Gong-chan went to talk to Sae-hyun) (to herself) Is my heart being poke too? My heart must have been undigested. Can't feel bad when good things are happening to others, Ju Yoo Rin. I should get out of their way now. But why do I feel so gloomy?

GONG-CHAN: I've never disliked you. There may have been times when you were annoying but I've never disliked you.
YOO-RIN: That's only because you've become masked by my lies. They're addictive, you know.
GONG-CHAN: Well, even if they're addictive, I'm going to have to quit.

SAE-HYUN: Should I quit tennis and just spend time with you?
GONG-CHAN: Kim Sae-hyun's most brightest moments were on the court. Don't say things like that.
SAE-HYUN: Still, you know that my happiest moment is when I'm with you, right?

YOO-RIN: If being sad is dumb, then fine, I'm dumb.
JEONG-WOO: You said you were going to hold back your feelings. Then you're supposed to hold your sadness back, too!
YOO-RIN: I can't hold it! I'm so depressed that I can't hold it! What am I supposed to do even if my arguing isn't working?! Love, you can't lie about love.

[ YOO-RIN TO JEONG-WOO ]
Before Seol Gong-chan asks me to leave, if I were to tell him that I like him, what kind of expression will he have? He may think that I'm lying. Before I leave, should I pretend to be lying and tell him the truth?

[ YOO-RIN TO GONG-CHAN ]
I'm going to talk as if Seol Gong-chan is asleep with dignity, upfront, and shamelessly. Consider this situation very carefully. If you don't want the lie to be found out, the best measure is to truly believe in the lie yourself. So that no one would suspect the lie, I'm going to live believing in the lie. Me, as to prevent others from seeing through, I'm going to treat it as it's real and live like that. But snowy days are my birthdays, you know. At least while it's snowing, not the fake little cousin, but the real Ju Yoo-rin. Can you think of me as the real Ju Yoo-rin? Even though it's temporary, treat me as the real Ju Yoo-rin. Can you do that? You can't open your eyes. You have to steadfastly pretend that you didn't hear any of this so that the lie is not found out. So that what you're really thinking is not revealed. Gong Chan.

[ SAE-HYUN TO YOO-RIN ]
I'll keep your secret. But in return, I want you to suffer forever in your lies. He can't love me, huh? If he can't love me, then it'll be impossible for him to love you.

[ JEONG-WOO TO YOO-RIN, HOLDING THE SNOWGLOBE ]
This is so pathetic. In this place, it looks like it'll snow forever, right? But, that's fake. If the surrounding glass breaks, then this world would break into pieces. Before everything shatters and breaks, before you, Gong-chan and Grandfather break into pieces and are hurt, I would like to protect you. If that's my true feeling, will you believe me?

SAE-HYUN: What is so great about Ju Yoo-rin? Oppa. You're crazy right now. To me you are! You're not in your right mind! That girl who's lying about being your younger cousin, I don't know what other lies she has told you, but you have just become temporarily insane.
GONG-CHAN: Yes. Kim Sae-hyun, I'm crazy. But, I don't ever want to go back to being of sound mind again. I don't think I'll ever be able to. Because as crazy as I may get, I only have eyes for Ju Yoo-rin.

[ SAE-HYUN, IN HER THOUGHTS ]
Oppa, you said you don't love me anymore that's why you're leaving me right? But I'm leaving you because I love you too much. So I feel so tormented now. It's Oppa that makes me fall in love and also push me into deep misery. I hope you know this.

GONG-CHAN: Sae-hyun, don't be like this. I've said this before, without me, you can still shine on. As for the past, don't reminisce. Don't think about it.
SAE-HYUN: Forget it and never think about it? It's such an assertive statement. Then, Oppa can also leave "her" in the past? Don't reminisce, or think about her at all?
GONG-CHAN: Ju Yoo-rin to me is not the past.
SAE-HYUN: But, she can't be part of your future either.

GONG-CHAN: Jeong Woo, I found Yoo-rin. This time, I'm not letting her go. I'm going to convince her to go to Japan with me. It's going to be hard.
JEONG-WOO: Don't give up, you lucky guy. If you do give up, my love that never even had an chance becomes so pathetic. At least if I say I lost to a great love. I don't look too bad. So fight till the end.

[ ON DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS ]
YOO-RIN: Seol Gong-chan knows, that what I said were all lies.
GONG-CHAN: Ju Yoo-rin knows, that I won't believe her lies.
YOO-RIN: I am a good liar in the first place. But falling for Seol Gong-chan, has made me stop lying.
GONG-CHAN: I've never told a lie. But falling for Ju Yoo-rin, has made me lie often.
YOO-RIN: The more I express my feelings truthfully, the harder things will be for Seol Gong-chan.
GONG-CHAN: I went near her as I couldn't lie but this has hurt Ju Yoo-rin even more.
YOO-RIN: Now, I want to use my lie to protect Seol Gong-chan.
GONG-CHAN: I'll treat it as being lied to. I want to leave for the time being and stop giving her anymore pains. My love is not a lie. I've always thought that I've lost to a woman called Ju Yoo Rin. But I actually lost to love.