My Name is Kim Sam Soon (내 이름은 김삼순)

DETAILS

Title: 내 이름은 김삼순 / Nae I-reum-eun Kim Sam-soon

Also known as: My Lovely Sam Soon

Genre: Romance/Comedy

Episodes: 16

Broadcast network: MBC

Broadcast period: 2005-Jun-01 to 2005-Jul-21

Official Website: www.imbc.com/broad/tv/drama/samsoon/index.html

 

MAIN CAST

(Names used in the Philippines are in parentheses)

Kim Sun Ah as Kim Sam Soon

Hyun Bin as Hyun Ji Heon (Cyrus Hyun)

Jung Ryeo Won as Yoo Hee Jin (Hannah Yoo)

Daniel Henney as Dr. Henry Kim

 

The perfect cast..

SYNOPSIS

Kim Sam Soon is a 29 years old, fat, pastry chef, who has just lost her job and her boyfriend on Christmas Eve. She has all the insecurities of a woman grazing 30. With yet another failed relationship, SS scrambles desperately to rebuild her career and her love life.

SS manages to find a job at “Bon Appetite” restaurant when she gets acquainted with the owner of the restaurant, Hyun Jin Heon (JH). JH is young, handsome but aloof and cold.

 JH is the only son of a hotel chain owner. Although born with a silver spoon, fate had dealt JH with a hard hand. Three years ago, a fatal car accident, where JH was the driver, resulted in the death of his elder brother and sister-in-law; and at the very same time his girlfriend of 5 years left him for her studies in the US. JH had to endure both physical and mental pain to overcome his problems and rebuild his life. The death defying experience left JH scarred as he stops believing in love and happiness.

 Come, I’ll show you something!

Due to a moment of convenience, both SS and JH ended up signing a dating contract, where SS will receive KRW 50 million (which she needed to redeem her family house) and in turn she will pretend to be JH’s girlfriend to fend off his mother’s endless efforts to get him match made and married.

When JH’s ex-girlfriend returns to seek reconciliation; SS realizes that she has fallen for JH, and their contractual relationship gets complicated…

 

MY REVIEWS

MNKSS is definitely one of my favorite kdrama of all time!  There was never a dull moment in this drama; I really enjoyed every bit of it. The casting was excellent, and the script was witty and well-written. Though it is compared to Full House (like the secret contractual relationship), it is very much different in every aspect. It was a feel-good series, as there were no downright evil characters, and no one died at the end. The ending is not fairy tale-like, as it left the characters still struggling for their love and careers. I watched it religiously in the local TV channel, GMA Network (2006), dubbed in Filipino, and I found myself watching the DVD over and over again! Now, that’s a sign of addiction ha ha ha!

On the actors and characters:

Kim Sun Ah definitely portrayed Sam Soon (SS) so well, that it catapulted her to stardom.  Sam Soon does not have the typical kdrama heroine characteristics. Instead, she has all the flaws and insecurities that an ordinary woman in her 30’s have. She’s fat, jobless and about to reach the expiration of her “shelf-life” as a woman. She is loud, vulgar, foul-mouthed and frank. Above all, she has a truly undesirable name. Yet, all these characteristics made her one of the most loved and unforgettable characters in the hallyu world! I just love Sun Ah here. She was so natural in her acting, that it seemed effortless for her to be Sam Soon. I also like her “sang-ul” (bare-faced) look in this drama.

Bin-Ah love team..

Hyun Bin swept me away with his be dimpled and boyish smile! As a watched the drama further, he became more and more good looking. He perfectly portrayed the role of Hyun Ji Heon (JH), the young, rich, cold and arrogant owner of the French restaurant “Bon Appetite”. The fake contract between JH and SS drew them closer together, which made him subconsciously fell for her. Though at first, he and Sun Ah seemed to be an unlikely couple, they definitely established the perfect chemistry. By the way, I might refer to JH as Sam Shik, that’s what Sam Soon call him. Apparently Sam Shik is also an ugly name

 

They look good together too!

Jung Ryeo Won portrayed Yoo Hee Jin (HJ), the ex-gf of JH, who apparently left him during the time when he needed her most. After three years, she came back, and out to gain JH’s heart. Her appearance added to the complications of JH and SS’s relationship, as the two started to feel an attraction to each other. You will not really hate JRW here; there were times that I even sympathized to her character. She’s young and pretty and even resembles a Filipino actress, Heart Evangelista.

Daniel Henney is definitely drool-worthy here! He’s Hee Jin’s doctor from the US, who is head-over-heels on her. He is not a villain here, but rather the sincere and nice guy, who’s ready to sacrifice for his love. After MNKSS, his career became better, and made several drama and movies.

On the set:

This drama was mostly shot in the cosmopolitan city of Seoul, and its suburbs. Of course, who will forget the place where most of the action happened? The classy French restaurant “Bon Appetite”. I learned that after the drama, it was renovated and re-opened as a restaurant with different name (Todai). I also remember the hotel lobby where all the disaster blind dates of SS and JH happened. The long stairway where SS climbed while JH was following her (in the beginning part of drama), and where they rode a cable car together. The long stairway was also memorable because it is where SS and JH kissed as the drama ended. How I wish I could also climbed that stairway and ride the cable car with my own Ji Heon!

 

The famous stairway..

On the outfits and accessories:

For this drama, Kim Sun Ah was dressed, as any ordinary women would do: jeans and shirt. No extravagant outfits, just plain and simple, as the character of Sam Soon exude. Hyun Bin character here was a bit playful in terms of outfits. He would be in bright color or printed long sleeves (remember the pink and yellow green ones?), and fitted pants/jeans. It definitely made him look hotter! Jung Ryeo Won was the fashionable one, which experimented by mixing and matching clothing pieces. As for Daniel Henney, I remember him most wearing the classic white shirt and jean/pants. Of course, the most memorable stuff in the drama: Sam Soon Piggy! I hope I could have one

   

I hope to have that piggy!

MY FAVORITE SCENES

WARNING: May contain spoilers!

DRUNK SAM SOON SCENE: After JH ruined SS blind date, they ended up in a food stall, where SS took all her frustrations by drinking soju. When she was about to pay the bill, she realized that her money was not enough. JH insisted on paying but SS resisted, so they went to an ATM machine. Suddenly, the ATM booth closed, trapping them inside. SS started vomiting all over the place. When the technician came, JH was told to clean her mess. Because she was so drunk, JH carried her in his back, while SS is hitting her head. SS woke up the next morning, and realized that she’s in a different place, and wearing different clothing. She freaked out, went to the bathroom and saw the naked JH. She accused JH of taking advantage on her, but he just shrugged her off and told her that her vomit was all over her clothes so he asked the cleaning lady to take them off and clean them. Then suddenly JH mother came, and mistaken SS as his gf. Her mother was furious and angry, that she beat JH hard. This gave JH the idea of proposing a contract to SS, to pretend as his gf so that her mother will stop arranging blind dates for him. As they say, the rest was history!

Why are you following me, you want to die or something!?

TOILET SCENES: In the toilet of “Bon Appetite”: JH realized that the toilet has ran out of tissue paper, on the other side SS was also dumping. He asked for tissue paper, but SS lied and told him that there wasn’t enough tissue paper. SS wants to take revenge, so he told JH that people with different blood type will do different options in his situation. Blood type A will just wait until the janitor comes to clean the toilet; blood type B will used his two fingers to wipe his a**; blood type AB will just used the soiled tissue papers in the traschcan and; blood type O will just go out of the bathroom and will wipe his a** later.  JH was supposed to be blood type B. SS said that since she grew up in the countryside, she has her own way of dealing with the situation: by using her socks. Of course she was just fooling JH. So she went out the toilet and left JH, who still sitting in the toilet bowl. It was a hilarious scene!

The most romantic of the CR scenes: SS went with her ex-bf in the hotel’s bar to finish the issue between them. Her ex-bf, inspite of being engaged, was still pining away for her. JH saw them earlier in the elevator, felt jealous so he went back to the hotel for SS. He confronted SS ex-bf, which led to a minor scene. SS ran to the CR, and for the second time to the male CR again! JH followed her inside, and this time he was not able to control his feelings, so he kissed SS passionately! Sooo romantic (drool, drool)…

MT. HALLA-SAN, JEJU ISLAND: For her 30^th birthday, SS decided to fly to Jeju Island, and climbed Mt. Halla-San. Earlier in the story, JH promised SS that they would climbed it together, but it never happened because Hee Jin came back. Though it was raining hard, she was able to reach the top. She shouted that from now on, she’s no longer Kim Sam Soon, but Kim Hee Jin (she was able to change her name at last), and that she and Sam Shik (how he called JH), were through. Then suddenly, like a dream, JH appeared, and commented that he like her name as Kim Sam Soon. Then the scene shifted with the two sitting, while SS was eating a choco pie brought by JH. He then opened a thermos with seaweed soup (serve during a person’s birthday), and gave it to her. SS was moved.

Sam Shik what are you doing here?

PIANO SCENE: It’s where SS and JH first kiss happened. JH was playing the piano with the song “Ah Reum da Oon Sa Ram” (My Beautiful Lover), while SS was singing along. After singing, SS stood and accidentally tripped over, and JH was able to hold her. Then in a magical moment, the two were drawn to each other and kissed.

The accidental kiss?

SAM SOON’S “SEVEN THINGS TO DO WITH BF”: My favorite episode in the series! SS has this “Seven Things to Do with BF” or her “Top Seven” list, which she wants to do with JH. 

• 7th: Walk hand in hand in the street while shopping.
• 6th: Have a photo of them together in her mobile phone.
• 5th: Ride a train and drink beer together and go to Busan to eat sleeve-fish.
• 4th: JH should tell all the people in the train that he loves her.
• 3rd: See a horror flick together and make out.
• 2nd: Buy couple rings.
• 1st: JH have to meet her mother and sister.

 

Number 6: Have a picture together in the mobile phone!

 

MY FAVORITE LINES

SAM-SOON’S IMAGINATION
There once was a time where in this world I was the main character. It felt as if I was walking on clouds. My heart always pounding. That feeling was good. As if our love filled up to the skies. One man came who gave me that happiness but like that he left. The reason why I’m crying right now isn’t because I lost him. Love – the thing that once was burning now – lost and gone was unbelievable.

JIN-HEON’S PERSPECTIVE ABOUT LOVE
On a day like this, if a guy left the girl, the games over. Next time don’t reason them why. Just hit and run. In life there’s all kinds of men but men are men. The same with women.

MANAGER: So, all the chocolates you’ve made so far, have all of them been good?
SAM-SOON: No, there were good ones and there were bad ones. However, there’s nothing we can do about it. That case is mine and all the chocolate in it I had to eat anyway. When and what I will eat, that makes the difference. But from then to now, it might have been different. When I was a child, I didn’t have any fear and just ate everything I saw. But now, I think a lot and sit, picking which one to eat. If I wanted anything more, it would be for no more bitter rum to be in my chocolates. There won’t be any chocolate with bitter rum in it. Because for 30 years I’ve already eaten it and destroyed it.

JIN-HEON’S SWEET LINES
In this wide and big space, on a star called Earth, you and I met. It has been 100 days since you came to me. Thank you for coming to me.

So sweet!

SAM-SOON’S THEORY ABOUT LOVE
At the end, people will see everything their way. People define it the way they want and act however they want. So you never find out what the other person is like. When a male and female start liking each other, these types of hormones come out. And when they start loving each other, a new set of hormones appear. This set is the most important but it also makes a person go crazy in love. With the next step, the male and female want to go further into their relationship, so they go to either sex or marriage. Then these hormones come out. It also comes out when a mother nurtures a baby. It’s like saying love of a female is the same for everyone. The funnier thing is, this other hormone makes people in love blind. All the hormones I just mentioned usually fade away in two years. I don’t know if the hormones are dried up but I only see your weak points. I have never taken love easily. When I start, I contemplate whether I should start and when it ends, I do the same. Even if the hormones full or empty, I made an effort to do it truthfully.

SAM-SOON’S THOUGHTS
One day, the body asked the heart. When I’m hurt the doctor heals it but if you’re hurt then who will heal you? Then the heart said, I have to heal by myself. Is it because of that whenever someone is hurt, they have their own special way of healing it? Drinking, singing, releasing anger, laughing, crying, going to trips with friends and talking with them, and running in the marathon… or the worst thing, just ignoring that pain. My way of healing is by making cake and cookies in the morning like right now. Even when my father suddenly passed away, even when a passionate relationship came to an end, I come to the kitchen to cook cake and I was healed from the smell of the baked cake. Can there be another treatment as sweet as this one?

JIN-HEON: Why did you cry? You still like Min Hyun-woo?
SAM-SOON: Cause it felt terrible. People change, their hearts change. And the love is changed. To think that the kind of love I fantasized about doesn’t exist that made me feel terrible.

JIN-HEON TO SAM-SOON
I don’t like you looking at other men. I also don’t like you listening to what they say. I don’t know why but I just don’t like it.

 

SOUNDTRACK

The series has two CD soundtracks released. The first one was the “My Lovely Sam Soon OST”, with 14 tracks. This contains most of the memorable songs of the drama, like the opening song “Be My Love” and “She Is” by the Clazziquai Project. The group was relatively unknown to the vast majority of South Koreans, not until their song were used in the drama. Today, the Clazziquai Project is famous, not only in South Korea but also in Asia. Also included are the instrumental tracks “Gravity” (my favorite) and the three versions of “Bonbons Au Chocolat”.

My Lovely Sam Soon OST

Track List CD 1

1. Bonbons Au Chocolat I
2. Be My Love (Clazziquai Project)
3. She Is (Clazziquai Project)
4. WFS
5. Go Byul (Farewell)- Jo Yong Won
6. Ee Byul Mot Han Ee Byul (Farewell Without Farewell)- Ji Sun of Loveholic
7. Bonbons Au Chocolat II
8. Go Byul II (Farewell 2)- Lee Hae Na
9. Bo Nael Soo Uhb Neun Sarang (A Love I Can’t Let Go)- Just
10. Gravity
11. Inside My Heart (Kim Jung Eun)
12. Be My Love (Instrumental)
13. She Is (Instrumental)
14. Bonbons Au Chocolat III

The second CD released was the “My Memories of My Lovely Sam Soon”, also with 14 tracks. Which includes most instrumental tracks, and “Can’t Help Falling In Love”, the song which SS learned, so that he could play it for JH in the piano.

 

My Memories of My Lovely Sam Soon

Track List CD 2

1. Over The Rainbow (Piano)- Erroll Garner
2. Can’t Help Falling In Love (Tuck and Patti)
3. It’s Raining Men (Geri Halliwell)
4. My Funny Valentine (Chet Baker)
5. Ah Reum da Oon Sa Ram (Seo Yoo Suk)
6. Fields of Fortune (Secret Garden)
7. Go Byul (Piano Version)- Jun Jong Hyuk
8. Swi Oon Yae Gi (Oksoo Photo Studio)
9. She Was Too Good To Me (Chet Baker)
10. Let There Be Love (Laura Fygi)
11. Parole, Parole (Dalida & Alain Delon)
12. Inside My Heart (Piano Version)- Choi Tae Wan
13. Ee Byul Mot Han Ee Byul (Instrumental)- W
14. Bo Nael Soo Uhb Neun Sarang (Instrumental)- John+K

Here’s another treat for MNKSS fans. A cartoon version of Sam Soon-Sam Shik love team. I found it in Asian Forum- My Lovely Sam Soon. So nice!

Sam Soon and Sam Shik

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Songs from the OST:

The following tracks are included in the “My Lovely Sam Soon OST”. Sorry I cannot give them all! Just buy the original soundtrack if you want the complete tracks.

BE MY LOVE (Korean Ver.) by the Clazziquai Project. It also has an English version, just click here.

SHE IS by the Clazziquai Project. This song brings back all my Sam Soon and Sam Shik memories!

GRAVITY (Instrumental). Absolutely my favorite instrumental track in the OST.

BONBONS AU CHOCOLAT (Instrumental, Ver. I). This song plays during sad or lonely scenes in the drama.

EE BYUL MOT HAN EE BYUL (Farewell Without Farewell) by Ji Sun of Loveholic. Another nice song.

GO BYUL (Farewell, Ver. 2) by Lee Hae Na. Also a sad, but nice song.

MAYBE IT’S YOU by Jolina Magdangal. This song is not included in the OST, but it was used as the opening theme on its Philippine airing in 2006.

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Wallpapers:

Wallpaper 1

Wallpaper 2

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Credits:

http://www.koreanwiz.org

http://www.spcnet.tv

http://www.mjgraphix.com

AsianFanatics Forum- My Lovely Sam Soon 

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