Lee So-yeon turns “little mom” in My Love By My Side
by javabeans
Lee So-yeon transforms into a nice character (for once!) for her new drama, after playing a few notable villains: She was the calculating Jang hee-bin out to undermine Han Hyo-joo in Dong Yi, and the vengeful daughter out to destroy her husband Bae Soo-bin’s family in Angel’s Temptation. Now she’s the lead in the upcoming weekend drama Nice To Meet You — or, as it has just been renamed, My Love By My Side (not to be confused with the Kim Myung-min/Ha Ji-won melodrama film of the same name).
In the SBS drama, Lee So-yeon plays a young single mother (often called “little mom”) who becomes pregnant as a teenager by boyfriend Ohn Joo-wan, who then ditches her to raise the baby alone. And talk about a transformation; I get that she’s playing nicer than her usual femme fatale-y types, but she’s almost unrecognizable from the usual polished, chic image that we’re all used to.
The drama is described as “cheerful young mom Do Mi-sol’s project to make the world a warmer place.” Aw, that’s cute. The series is directed by PD Han Jung-hwan, who worked on the comedic Please Come Back, Soon-ae, and written by Kim Sa-kyung of the tearjerker Loving You A Thousand Times. Sounds like My Love By My Side is a heartwarmer, so hopefully we get lots more of the former style, less of the latter.
Ohn Joo-wan (Chosun Police, My Mighty Princess), wearing the hat below, is newly discharged from military service, and is making this his comeback project. He plays the lead role of a guy who falls in “an immature love” with Mi-sol in his high school days, but is too young and weak at that age. Hence, the running away.
Lee Jae-yoon (in denim jacket) plays a clean-cut eom-chin-ah, aka the nice guy every mom loves. He’s got a positive outlook and normal family background, but romantically, his pickiness has prevented him from being attracted to very many women. Enter the bumbling Mi-sol, who steals his heart and revs up the main love triangle.
I actually like the old title better, which makes me think of the two exes meeting up as adults and being so different that they’re like strangers. Which, hopefully, is a turn for the better for our immature hero. I don’t get the spate of generic-sounding titles that are so popular in K-dramaland right now, but I do wish producers would kick it up a notch and get creative, or cute, or even weird and bizarre. Just no more of the plain, un-descriptive Best Loves and Romance Towns and Smiles and Smile, Moms and Smile, Donghaes, yeah?
My Love By My Side premieres on May 7, and takes up the slot currently occupied by Smile, Mom.
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Tags: Lee Jae-yoon, Lee So-yeon, Ohn Joo-wan
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1 belleza
April 22, 2011 at 3:06 PM
"The drama is described as “cheerful young mom Do Mi-sol’s project to make the world a warmer place.”"
. . . . by blowing it all up with a cigarette lighter, while running in high heels!!! Ah, I do love Temptation of an Angel so.
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Maho
April 22, 2011 at 10:45 PM
Oh how I loved that crazy mess!!!!
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2 danni
April 22, 2011 at 3:34 PM
This sounds cute. I'm not familiar with the actors and since it's a weekend drama that definitely means it will be long, especially if it's well received, but I want to check it out. If only I had time.
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3 drama fever
April 22, 2011 at 4:02 PM
OMO. Lee Jae-yoon looks HOT. My eye candy. I am looking forward to see him again.
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4 Biscuit
April 22, 2011 at 4:03 PM
Wait? A real heart-warming story WITHOUT chaebols? Sorry if that's all I can think of now, since it seems too hard to believe.
The fact that there's normal people who go through common problems makes this less Cinderella-ish and more of a family drama that's easy to connect to. I'm definately going to watch this!
BTW - those male pants don't seem to be made for jumping....
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5 Aliska
April 22, 2011 at 4:24 PM
waaa....yes it's unusual to see her play a nice character in a drama...for once :)
She played a sweet girl in a movie...and I was so amazed :)
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6 prelude
April 22, 2011 at 4:27 PM
Sounds like Gilmore Girls
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7 mrskimchee
April 22, 2011 at 4:48 PM
yay! another drama to add on my watch list..
but..what's wrong with everyone jumping on the air??
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8 Sky robot
April 22, 2011 at 4:49 PM
I feel like I am going to dislike this drama because the nice guy Lee Jae-yoon won't get the girl.
Also the fact that Lee So-yeon is going to let Ohn Joo-wan back into her life after he abandoned her and the baby and caused her misery makes me sort of upset even before the drama is airing.
This drama is already a no-no on my list.
Besides we already have two wonderful weekend dramas that is already airing, "Can you hear my heart" and "Sparkling/ Twinkle Twinkle"
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9 Laeah
April 22, 2011 at 5:01 PM
Once again, Koreans assume that the mom has no self respect and would willingly fall in love with the baby's father again. Like it doesn't matter whatever a guy does as long as the mother is pure and hardworking. Can't we please have something realistic and not fake and contrived? As a single mom, this plot line really offends me. Most single moms end up being with men that are ready and willing to be real men.
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Biscuit
April 22, 2011 at 5:36 PM
To be quite honest, not all single mothers always end up like that, as much as we would wish. The world is full of mixed things, where woman end up with men that don't deserve them and where men end up with woman where you'd think they should've chosen better.
What is realistic is not exactly idealistic.
That aside, a mother/father ending up with an ex that ran away does occur (stating from a person who has observed this happen to other close people).
Technically, it was foolish of the guy, but I can't blame a teenager (teenagers are not adults, and many are still children... if you're a mother, one would understand) for running away as this isn't a pleasant, but rather scary, experience.
In Korea, they don't have (as much) programs like the USA, for example, that supports teen pregancies. It's like, regardless of your age, your child is your responsibility. There's probably more fear in being pregnant because you actually have to be responsible 100% and not rely on programs. So for a teenager, oh yeah, it's scary. Try telling that to their parents. It's a child having a child, where even girls have ran away leaving a boy stuck with a kid.
If he was an adult, I wouldn't sympathize. But if he does "grow up" and take responsibility, then I wouldn't see why she wouldn't want him to be in her life. So I wouldn't think it's something that Koreans would assume a woman has no self-respect, but more of this drama about two people who made a mistake in their teenage years and one of them learning how to grow up and take responsibility in life together :)
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Laeah
March 5, 2012 at 1:55 AM
I was only one year older than her when I got pregnant.
Somehow I found a way to be responsible for my actions. Why should a man not be held to the same standards as women?
It's sickening and disgusting.
I'm sure if the mom abandoned her kid, you wouldn't be considerate to her.
Yes, it's hard in Korea and it needs to change. The high adoption rate is evidence of that.
It doesn't mean men should be let off the hook for running out on a woman during that time.
Once a man doesn't that, he's not really deserving of the title man. He may change as he is older, but that doesn't mean the woman should take him back. As soon as she takes him back that means she accepts his previous behavior and throws her self respect out the window.
It's one thing to be scared, it's another to abandon two people.
And honestly, only mothers who are too weak to handle it on their own go back. I know some of them. They are not happy. Most of them have gotten divorced.
Most single women stay single or marry someone else. That's a fact. Maybe you think it's better just to go running, chasing a man with your tail between your legs, but a man doesn't deserve a child and all the positives that come with it if he ran away during the hard times.
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Arhazivory
April 23, 2011 at 2:39 AM
I've only watched one single-mom k-drama (yes, I'm still green) and that was Thank You which I just completed last week. So um..yeah, she didn't end up back with the dad. If you want you can try that one.
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10 Sup super supper
April 22, 2011 at 5:53 PM
Ohn Joo-wan
OHN JOO FREAKIN' WAN.
I feel like I have been waiting for this day forever.
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supah
April 22, 2011 at 6:02 PM
Wow, you just outdid me with a better handle.
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tegami
April 22, 2011 at 8:10 PM
WOW.
You beat me to it, lol.
YEEE! OHN JOO-WAN ALL THE WAY BABY!!!
<333333333
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11 ar_arguably romantic
April 22, 2011 at 7:35 PM
I'm a bit surprised that this single mom character has enough time to make enough money to live, raise a kid by herself, and still "make the world a warmer place". These kdrama heroines...! I hope the hero doesn't end up like that Ji Hyun-woo's character in My Precious Child. It was so hard to stomach even though we knew he was traumatized by his mother's abandonment.
I agree with you abt the generic sounding titles. They don't have to be super creative, but the title should at least fit the story or say something abt the story. It's become as bad as romance novel titles. I liked the "nice to meet you" title too.
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12 iris from venus
April 22, 2011 at 8:08 PM
i must say the last pic has is pretty impressive. i certainly couldn't do that
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mellowyel
April 23, 2011 at 7:38 AM
for real - in those pants too! it looks like he has some dance experience, or something
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13 Schmazel
April 22, 2011 at 9:58 PM
I'm glad for LSY. I've only seen her as the villain and am glad she is getting to play nice for once.
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14 Maho
April 22, 2011 at 10:58 PM
Ah seeing Lee So Yeon take on another role and a lead role at that makes me happy. I love her and it will be interesting to see her play a "nice" character especially after playing two villains.
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15 strawberry
April 22, 2011 at 11:44 PM
i'm excited to see her playing a protagonist!
i like her character's name too :D
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16 JeSsBeL
April 23, 2011 at 8:18 AM
I remember Lee So-yeon playing a nice(non evil) character in a long drama called My Life's Golden Age (first k-drama i watched).
She did a great job =)
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Bori
April 23, 2011 at 9:24 AM
I loved her in that drama. :D
But, yeah, it's really been a while since I've last saw her play a "nice" character.
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17 zoe Church
April 24, 2011 at 6:13 AM
waaa….yes it’s unusual to see her play a nice character in a drama…for once
She played a sweet girl in a movie…and I was so amazed
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18 jen
April 25, 2011 at 4:01 AM
isnt there something wrong with the premier date???? cuz Smile, Mom ended yesterday.
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19 avocado
April 25, 2011 at 8:43 AM
i love her...she is a good actress..she can play villain as well as protagonist characters. i love her in Why are you come to my house..she plays as spoil chaebol girl..hehehe..must watched drama (paired with kim ji hoon..awww)
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20 scrabble_babble
April 25, 2011 at 8:30 PM
Aww, "Do Mi-sol." As much as I hate solfeggio, that's adorable-- you almost *have* to sing her name! Also, thank you, kdramaland, for giving the chaebol thing a rest and not turning this into Only You Redux.
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21 chisako
December 5, 2011 at 11:37 AM
when i first heard of it too me it sounded alot like good job,good job! with chea rim! that was a good ending suprisingly XD!
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22 yamin htet htet aung
October 20, 2013 at 9:36 AM
i like this movie
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