[Discussion] Miss Korea

Synopsis:
The IMF financial crisis hit many companies hard in 1997. ViVi Cosmetics, as a result of this and other owed debts, is on the brink of bankruptcy. Its president, Kim Hyung Joon faces not only closure of his company and the unemployment line, but also the moneylenders he cannot pay off. Yet, ViVi has a new product that Hyung Joon and his colleagues believe could be a hit, if only they could pay for the advertising. While on a train, Hyung Joon gets an idea while seeing a potential Miss Korea candidate--what if he could sponsor a pretty girl to become Miss Korea and save his company? His answer for a candidate is Oh Ji Young, the girl that Hyung Joon attests was "the prettiest girl during his school years," but who now works as an elevator girl at a local department store.

Cast:
Lee Sung-Kyun as Kim Hyung Joon
Lee Yeon Hee as Oh Ji Young
Lee Sung-Min as Jung Seon Saeng (a.k.a. Teacher Jung)
Lee Mi-Sook as Ma Ae Ri
Song Seon-Mi as Ko Hwa-Jung
Lee Ki Woo as Lee Yoon
Ko Sung-Hee as Kim Jae-Hee
Oh Jung-Se as Kim Heung-Sam
Choi Jae-Hwan as Kim Kang-Woo
Hong Ji-Min as Yang Choon-Ja
Jo Sang-Ki as Kim Kang-Sik

Trailer:


Miss Korea may possibly be the sleeper hit of the season. Please feel free to share your thoughts about the drama here in this forum. :)

i watched the 1st 20 minutes or so and found it annoying, does it continuein the same vien?

I didn't have high expectations for this one - actually, I wasn't even going to watch it. But it is good. Indeed, it's not just a mindless, shallow romcom where the female lead wants to be the Miss Korea for the sake of prettiness. Far from it.

I can't quite put my finger on it yet but so far... There kinda seems to be some undertones of dealing with gender roles and women's place in society. There's something about Ji Young and the way she's gone on about her life by just being pretty and now trying to take the "last chance" with Miss Korea to be something more. It's nice. Refreshing even if dark.

Yes, a thread for MK finally! haha, With episode 8, I have to say, that this needs more buzzzzz, it's such an under appreciated drama. I love the leads' chemistry, I feel all the supporting casts, the music (background and even OST) is very catchy and beautiful and most of all, the story is not one-dimensional; there's more to a girl trying to win the crown and it's depth is greatly affected by the characters. Episode 4 already made me teary-eyed while episode on 8, I almost cried because it was so heartbreaking. Gah, I feel the OJY team's pain. Lee Yon Hee is soo good on her role.

cityhunter83 wrote: i mean the yelling and flailing around that supposed to be funny but really isnt, or at least i dont find it funny.

There is still some of that, but I think that even with that (which I argue is mostly Jung Seon Saeng's desire to try and act thuggish), the drama has transformed from that.

I'm really loving the Jung Seong Sang and Ko Hwa Jung friendship/relationship/craziness. I really think that the show is coloring Teacher Jung so well; he seems real--that conflicted person who both wants to act human and be human (via his reactions to situations) but who has to act inhumane and be inhumane (via his actions). In the same way, Ko Hwa Jung wants to act human and be human (via her occasional concern) but acts cruel (via her actions and her words). That's a really great set-up for growth; although it is set-up, it doesn't feel inorganic to me. I can't wait to see the growth of these two characters.

It might not intense but a reminder of what you need a real heart warming story that made you feel your looking in the reality life of my neighbor or tid bits & pieces of mine too.. I really like this drama.

yankumicho wrote: I'm really loving the Jung Seong Sang and Ko Hwa Jung friendship/relationship/craziness. I really think that the show is coloring Teacher Jung so well; he seems real--that conflicted person who both wants to act human and be human (via his reactions to situations) but who has to act inhumane and be inhumane (via his actions). In the same way, Ko Hwa Jung wants to act human and be human (via her occasional concern) but acts cruel (via her actions and her words). That's a really great set-up for growth; although it is set-up, it doesn't feel inorganic to me. I can't wait to see the growth of these two characters.

i love them too