Oh no! I stopped watching Miss Korea. But now there is a podcast...
*runs to marathon last 6 episodes*

Wow! An enexpected pleasure :) Thank you!

I am not able to listen yet, but a thousand thanks for putting this up. I love this show to pieces and have been feeling a bit alone and left out in liking it.

Love Miss Korea! It really deserved more attention than it got. One of the best dramas I've watched in quite a while.

Loved the main OTP (and Madam Ma and Madam Jang together :D), but Teacher Jung (Lee Sung Min is freaking amazing) and Dr. Ko are my favorites. I nearly cried when they both got their happy ending together. I really didn't expect it to happen.

Thanks for the podcast. Off to listen.

You couldn't have said it better...like you took the words out of my mouth! ;P

Thank you for the podcast, Javabeans...can't wait to listen to it once I get home...

Thank you for posting a podcast for us Miss Korea fans! :) Just out of interest, what did you think of Lee Yeon Hee's performance?

I loved this drama.

I am sure I will smile every time I hear Waikiki or Hawaii.

How do I express with words how much I loved this drama? No words can express the sheer gratitude and enjoyment I got from watching it. I loved the otp there were so many reasons why I was afraid of lyh and lsk being paired up (namely the age gap and lack of experience and acting finesse on lyh's part) but WOW did she shock me with how good she was in this! Her character was so admirable and the coupling was ADORABLE. Literally can't even count how much I squealed during their moments/flashbacks. I know people may have been distracted by ywcfas (totally understandable) but I cannot emphasize enough on how much you're missing out on by not watching MK. There were faults but to say that they deterred me from tuning in every week would be a lie.

I think I'm one of the few people who totally hated Pasta but worship this Drama. This is easily the best K Drama I've seen, very nearly flawless. The total absence of anything remotely makjang and the real credibility of the way the characters behaved and reacted made this outstanding.

I don't get the fixation on how "ugly" the aesthetics were, since for me the colour palate was tonally appropriate for the drama. The story was low-key and not bright, so flatter colours and lighting made perfect sense to me.

Like several others here, I very much like the "Teacher/Doctor" OTP and loved their happy ending.

What is the name of the song at the beginning?

thx a lot for this, JB! i haven't finished watching it, but love love it so far, v.much an adorable drama to my liking. i've been always an LSK's fans, but his character and the way he potrayed it here in this drama has made me think he deserves my fondness of him ^^

love the story and the characters, and excited that some beanies feel the same way too so it has 'forced' JB to post this special space for the fans, haha..

cheers!

thank you. i finished Miss Korea today and was a little sad to see them go, each & everyone of them so dear to me. i still a bit miffed with Yoon tho...

i would love it if you guys did a podcast for ''I need romance 3'' cuz that drama is awesome.

but a nice idea, these podcasts.
keep up the good work. love this site. it was fun to hear the creators of it.

I'm just now starting ep 20, and this was definitely one of my favorite K-dramas. It's different than most others that I have watched. Not as bright and bubbly as regular rom-coms, and definitely not makjang either. My favorite is probably Director Ma Hye Ri or Teacher Jang. Great moments between most of our characters.

This drama could have been better with 16 episodes. I stuck it out only because of Lee Seon-kyun but felt he didn't match the Miss Korea contestant age-wise. I almost quit after 6 episodes but kept it up because of LSK. It got stronger as it went on and really could have used more Dr & Thug scenes. Those were great. I loved their character arcs the most.

Loved this show, but was underwhelmed by the ending. Not extremely disappointed (like Prime Minister and I) and not hating it (like Fashion King).

But still...couldn't we at least have gotten a kiss from the OTP? They're all for stating their commitment to family, but it's like the relationship itself ran out of steam.

It's a minor quibble, I know. But drama plotting is all about engaging the viewer, and I just think the ending needed a little more "oomph."

This drama totally owned my heart and soul. And cured my k-drama drought. And it helped me as it came at the perfect time in my life. I have been looking for a job for months and it was very disheartening getting rejected left, right and center. So there I was, depressed and watching the show, seeing Vivi finally succeed inspite of all their struggles. They never gave up and didn't let their bankruptcy define them. Then it hit me that I have been letting my rejections define me and get me down but I won't let it anymore. So I'm actually going to look for plan b and go from there.

Anyway, I really enjoyed the show. I love how spunky Jiyoung was. I loved how she knew who she wanted to be with and shut down the other guy at the beginning. I loved how she never stopped holding Hyung Joon's hand even when he wanted to be a noble idiot. I loved how Hyung Joon looked at Jiyoung and you could clearly see he loved her. I loved Dr. Ko and and Teacher Jung and how they compliment each other even though she has a PhD and he dropped out of middle school. She can't cook but he can. I loved Madam Ma and how she is so devoted to her girls and always looks out for them. I loved Grandpa, mom, uncle dad and brother. They were hilarious and even though we left them as they were still struggling financially, I'm fully convinced that they were able to survive it.

I liked all the characters apart from Kang-sik, who I wish I could throw down a creek.

Thank you for devoting a Podcast #20 solely to Miss Korea.

Miss Korea is an underrated and emotionally fulfilling hidden gem. It definitely has secured a spot on my list of the top Kdramas of 2014.

The music selected and used throughout this drama was really befitting and in keeping with the scenes, characters, and dialogue.

Miss Korea reminds me of the “Little Engine That Could.” The well-loved classic tale of the determined little engine that, despite its size, triumphantly pulls a train to the other side of a mountain. The Little Blue Engine wasn't afraid to try. It had the will to continue which was inspiring and entertaining.

The value of optimism and hard work was one of the main themes of the children’s book. “I think I can. I think I can. I think I can. I know I can.” Refusing to give up and let go of the mindset "I thought I could, I thought I could." These two quotes are perfect as mottos for Oh Ji-Young and the ViVi Cosmetics group. It's important when doing something challenging to think that one can - the Can-Do Factor or self-efficacy attitude.

Overcoming seemingly impossible hurdles:
(1) Surviving and succeeding during the IMF crisis.
(2) Job/Skills becoming obselete and facing unemployment.
(3) Winning Miss Korea.
(4) Hardships and Successes encountered in entrepreneurship/business ventures.

The characters (Kim Hyung-Joon, Oh Ji-Young, Ko Hwa-Jung, Kim Heung-Sam, Kim Kang-Woo, and Teacher Jung)
constantly faced real-life situations. Whether it was their business ViVi Cosmetics always on the verge of bankruptcy; Oh Ji-Young and the group challenged by industry competitors and the pageant; borrowing money from loan sharks and selling personal possessions; and others belaboring the point that they were underdogs and needed to stop (e.g. desperate and not good at making/earning profits and competing in the Miss Korea pagent).

Know when to ask for help...Yang Choon-Ja imparted this heartfelt advice to the contestant she sponsored and had to learn for herself.

You could always trust and count on Ma Ae-Ri to come up with an answer when you encountering a problem.

Dad, Brother, Uncle, and Grandpa balanced each other out as characters and added to the lightheartedness of the drama.

Kudos to the writer Seo Sook-Hyang for avoiding the expected (having the drama end with Oh Ji-Young winning the Miss Korea title) and instead focusing on life beyond the 1997 Miss Korea title and what happened to the group and ViVi's products.

Countless kdramas have ended with questions of WHY and stirring up feelings of rage. I really thought the finale episode was well done and a fitting conclusion.

I end with...

Every Single Day – New World (Miss Korea OST)

Hey, wait tonight Look at the light
After following my fantasy, when I arrived, nothing was there
In this place that changes too fast, only ruins remain
Bruised deeply are your scarred eyes
Your heart is turned away and shut, quietly hiding behind your sighs
Wait tonight (Wait tonight) Wait tonight (Wait tonight)
Look at the light (Look at the light) Look at the light

I am reposting the following comments:

Friday, January 17th, 2014 Open Thread #326 (25.3)

Although some of the beanies have remarked that Miss Korea has a dark side, I appreciate some of the topics/subject matter that it has touched upon.

We get a glimpse of why they Kim Hyung-Joon {Lee Sun-Kyun } and Oh Ji-Young {Lee Yeon-Hee} broke up with each other in Episode 10. I was impressed. Why, because it was different from the normal kdrama trope!

SPOILER***

In college Hyung-Joon was focused on continuing his education in order to live and succeed as an adult in the real world/life. Ji-Young was still in high school and could only think about partying and having fun. Hyung-Joon wanted Ji-Young to study and have options in life – his thought process was long-term. He was mindful of the fact that beauty/attention could be fleeting and that life can be hard without something to fall back on.

LOOOOVE MISS KOREA to the heart, to the bits and everything in between. Gonna catch later after watch the final!!

THANKSS

Being a huge fan of your blog, I was a little disappointed that you guys chose not to recap this drama.

But having heard your reason now that this is a drama more suited to watching than recapping, I get what you mean. It would be very difficult to discuss it on an episode-by-episode basis. The whole plot arch is so consistent with rarely any bombastic or makjang-ness that it could be a headache to critique it.

I'm still very glad that you guys devoted a special podcast for this drama. Thanks, I loved hearing your thoughts on this wonderful drama.

I can't listen to the podcast right now. Can some generous soul tell me what did JB and GF talk about LMH.

And no I'm not a crazed fan just have a little soft spot for him coz all my initial dramas had him in it :-)

There are seriously no words to express the love I have for Miss Korea. It was perfect from start to finish - the strong acting by the cast, the writing, the directing and the beautiful soundtrack. It seriously had me so invested in the story and it took my heart and wrenched it (in a good way). I loved how all the characters were just so real. You could really relate to them and feel their struggle, something that is greatly attributed to the cast. Lee Yeon Hee really showed what she was capable of and I'm so glad she's getting recognition for it. Also, how perfect was the ending? Nothing was glossed over and everything was tied up so beautifully. Overall, for anyone hesitating to watch this, please please give it a chance! It is definitely one of my favourite dramas of all time. It's a real shame that this drama was overlooked by YFAS and received poor ratings though :(

Thanks... I love Miss Korea. It was easily one of the best, if not the best, drama in terms of quality amongst current and recently concluded dramas.

This show reminds me again why I love LSK. His acting is so well suited to this kind of story, understated and nuanced, showing vulnerability and strength at the same time. And he seems to be able to have outstanding chemistry with whoever he is paired with.

Thank you Girlfriday and javabeans for making a podcast about Miss Korea!

I really enjoyed this drama because it was slightly more realistic and it focused more on the characters. I wish they could have done something with Yoon - I think his redemption from Bad guy to good guy was a little sloppy. In the beginning I admired his professionalism and from his point of view, investing in the Vivi team wouldn't be beneficial. Somehow his business instinct got mixed up with his crush on Ji-young, a little disappointing.

The rest of the characters were great, and I enjoyed seeing the relationship between President Ma and Choon-ja. I'm glad we got to know the true reason behind the rift between them and that they are now reunited. I have to say I liked this drama more than Pasta, there were higher stakes and everything seemed more polished.
Most of all, the soundtrack, writing, direction everything about this drama was perfect and I'm glad I watched it.

I loved this drama! This was so well done on so many levels!
Kudos to the writer and the director! ...and the cast was perfect!

I highly recommend this if you haven't seen it!

The dialogs between the characters are meaningful and how they respond to challenges - really well done!

Can someone talk about this dramas OST? It is probably the best drama OST ever!!

I actually dropped the last 4 episodes of YWCFS for Miss Korea. Despite the seemingly bland setup, the ease with which Miss Korea unfolds multifaceted and balanced characters (lead or not) to control the tension of the plot is surprising and impressive; in k-drama land, a place where only the hero is allowed the luxury of character complexity while everyone else clings to 1D personality for simplicity and sensationalism, Miss Korea is truly a rarity.

And aside from the usual harvest of entertainment value as a viewer, I found myself led through strenuous exercises of empathy and forgiveness taught by Ji-Young, Hyung-Joon, President Ma and others. More than once, I discover that my own boundaries of generosity, previously thought to be adequately sized but shaved down by experience, is laughably small compared to the kind spirits of aforementioned characters, who remind me what it means to endure, wait, fight, and most of all, forgive.

Inspiring to say the least, the show renewed my sense of wellbeing and gifted me with outstanding OSTs. :D Bravo Miss Korea!

I still like Pasta better than Miss Korea. Pasta's heroine was more believable and easier to sympathize with. Also, I found that the day-to-day obstacles found in Pasta were more interesting because they were metaphors for larger issues, e.g. pickles vs no pickles = domestic values vs foreign values.

Anyway, Miss Korea was all right... The only redeeming factors of the drama were the relationships between Dr. Ko and Thug Teacher and Madame and Miss Cherry Salon lady.

I didn't feel the chemistry between the OTP until episode 17. I think Miss Korea would have been better with Joon. Will Pillar ever get the girl?!

I love Lee Seon-kyun, but he was just bleh in Miss Korea. I'd rather rewatch him in Coffee Prince with his relatively minor role than rewatch him in Miss Korea.

I'm a big fan of Miss Korea. I love how the finale ties everything neatly together, and the leads end up living happily ever after! It's such a unique K-drama, where tears, smiles, and love all exist harmoniously, and it draws you into the plot. I felt the character's pain as they went through their trials and tribulations, and their joy when things picked up, even if it was just for a second. Lots of love and lots of heart <3

geez now I want to watch it too, I was trying so hard

Miss Korea was the drama I continued to watch from the first till the last episode in that Wed/Thur timeslot.

We see ordinary people struggle through the difficulties of the `IMF time', bouncing back when they face setbacks in day to day living. Awesome chemistry between Ji Young and Hyun Joon and Dr Go and Teacher Jang. Well-paced with lovely/appropriate osts and humour in all the right places!

A very different Korean drama - Did anyone remember the scene where Hyun Joon's mother wanted her son away from Ji Young and JY told her that he was now her man not his mother's. LOL. You don't find this in any other Kdrama female lead.

I loved this drama! Soo realistic! Loved LSG and LYH, the cast ensemble just great... I'm so glad I watched this as I did Reply 1994... Both down to earth with realistic characters... I can't get yo the podcast, I hope to hear nice things, yeah I know there will be bad too, but I really enjoyed this drama to the point that watching it raw was common... I couldn't wait for the subs, guessing is soo annoying but that's common for dramas I enjoyed.. Thanks ladies, I'm still a fan!

About halfway thru “Miss Korea” and have to say, it’s a better romcom/drama than either INR3 or YFAS – primarily due to its writing, tho one can also make an argument that Lee Yeon-hee gives the most winning performance, as well as the most emotional, out of the 3 leading ladies (and that’s saying a lot due to JJH being one of my favorites).

It's just too bad that MK couldn't break out of the single digits for most of its run whereas YFAS approached the 30% mark.

Aside from the bigger names for the leads, I guess the Korean audience just prefers the more formulaic and somewhat cheesy (romance) that YFAS brought (my goodness, that theme song for YFAS was soooo cheesy).

The situations and plot twists in MK had nice twists and turns and was not nearly as predictable as in YFAS and the characters were much more fleshed out and weren't caricatures (YFAS wasn't as bad in this dept. as dramas such as "Secret Garden" and "Rooftop Prince"), but the too many of the emotional scenes felt like they were paint by nos. and that one knew that one was supposed to feel something as to actually really feeling it.

I kinda had my doubts about the whole premise of "Miss Korea" but the writers actually made all the machinations and backstabbing entertaining - even more so than a storyline about an alien with supernatural powers.

What I didn't have doubt was about Lee Yeon-hee's acting as she was shown bringing something to the table in her brief role in "Gu Family Book."

While I'm only halfway thru MK - I think it's fair to say that any doubts about LYH being able to carry the lead role as an actress should now be laid to rest.

Not only has her charm/personality shown thru, but she has done a better job with the emotional/crying scenes than many other actresses in recent romcoms/dramas (tho, I think she should stick to romcoms than go for pure melo).

Thanks for the podcast unnis!

I adored this drama for the past few months, and am really glad I watched this. (YFAS just came at a time when I had enough with fantasy dramas, but I can't wait to catch up on Chun Song Yi later!) I wasn't up for a pageant show, but it was a good hearty drama that had a good plot and explored a range of interesting problems. It wasn't without its own logic weaknesses either, as you girls have pointed out some of them, and if it had been condensed to fewer episodes and delivered more on its themes, it would have been a strong beast of a show. I also didn't realize it may be a bit repetitive to viewers of Pasta. For me, I loved its characters, adorable pairings, and individual storylines. One of my favorite moments off the top of my head is when Ji Young's heels break during a local pageant, and she grits her teeth, continues smiling (Waikiki!), and dances on because she's faced issues in the past that were far worse.

Really liked that I cared about so many of the relationships in this drama - not just btwn the leads, Ji-young and Hyung-joon, but btwn JY and her family (as I like to refer to them as the "4 dwarves" w/ grandpa being "Grumpy"), HJ and his ViVi cohorts, HJ and Teacher Jung, JY and Madame Ma, Teacher Jung and Hwa Jung, etc.

All these relationships felt REAL, even the seemingly unlikely romance btwn Teacher Jung and Hwa Jung (says something when this romance is better done than the lead romance in most dramas).

And not only did the relationships feel real, so did the travails and individual sufferings of each character.

I esp. liked that the writers did not make Madame Ma the stereotypical evil antagonist and that while mostly a rival to the hero and heroine (tho at times, an ally), she was a woman of her own convictions.

Even the Madame of Cherry Salon, while sometimes played a bit broad by the actress (due to it being more of a comedic relief role) - was not totally devoid of ethics/morality.

The one really repulsive character (Ji-young former supervisor at Dream Dept. Store), aside from maybe the brother/exec from the rival cosmetic firm, was, however, just perfect - a combination of "Squiggy" from "Laverne and Shirley" (Squiggy despite his greasiness and bravado was actually had a sweet heart so it's more in the looks dept.) and Louie De Palma from "Taxi" played by Danny DeVito who has absolutely no scruples and would sell out his ma for $$).

Didn't think the daughter of the politician and main rival to Ji-young was that pretty (didn't have good facial structure and her cheekbones/cheeks had an odd look - much like Yoo In-na), but the original winner of Miss Seoul who had to give up her crown had a pretty face.