[Friday Flashback] My Name is Kim Sam-soon
by DaebakGrits
Released: 2005
Genre: Romance, Comedy, Drama
Synopsis: Kim Sam-soon (Kim Sun-ah) is a talented pastry chef whose professional and dating lives have taken a turn for the worse. When she meets restaurant owner Hyun Jin-heon (a very baby-faced Hyun Bin), she’s at her lowest, but he just so happens to be looking for a new pâtissier. This noona contract romance is one for the ages, but will these two actually stop bickering long enough to fall in love?
Why You Should (Or Shouldn’t) Watch My Name is Kim Sam-soon:
For this Friday Flashback I’m taking us all the way back to 2005, which doesn’t seem like that long ago, but after five minutes of My Name is Kim Sam-soon you won’t question the fact that this K-drama first aired seven-freaking-teen years ago. I can’t be the only one whose mind is blown by this revelation, right? (Or is it just me who has lost all sense of time after the year 2000 and somehow still thinks the 1980s were merely twenty years ago?)
But back to the matter at hand: My Name is Kim Sam-soon, one of South Korea’s most beloved dramas. When it aired, this drama smashed the ratings, and the audience fell in love with the story’s titular character Kim Sam-soon, an adorable mess who broke the Candy and Cinderella molds with her sometimes often crass and disrespectful behavior. She had zero fu — uh ducks — to give in a society that wanted her to speak, live, and look a certain way, and the drama pulls no punches and emphasizes the fact that Sam-soon is (supposedly) overweight and fast becoming an unmarried spinster at the ripe ol’ age of thirty. *Eyeroll*
To add further insult to injury, this drama opens with Sam-soon following her boyfriend Min Hyun-woo (Lee Kyu-han) to a hotel, where she catches him having an affair with another woman — on Christmas Eve, no less. And just like any drama with an ex-boyfriend that we’re supposed to hate for the duration of the story, Hyun-woo proceeds to paint himself an even bigger villain by gaslighting Sam-soon into thinking his off-the-books canoodling was somehow her fault. (Back in 2005, when a drama wanted you to hate a character, they made ‘em comically scummy.)
It is during this very public breakup that Sam-soon first meets our hero Hyun Jin-heon, whose porcupine hairstyle is a metaphor for his personality: prickly on top but a softie underneath all the hair gel. He’s a 27-year-old chaebol restaurateur, and when he meets our lovely Sam-soon for the second time, he just so happens to be on the hunt for a pâtissier — and a fake girlfriend to get his matchmaking mother off his back. Luckily, Sam-soon is a talented pastry chef in need of a job and a fast loan, so it’s contract relationship time!
But, of course, just when these two bickering business partners start to find a harmonious balance: enter their exes. See, one of the few things that Sam-soon and Jin-heon have in common is a couple of exes who did them dirty and won’t leave them alone — like your local cable television provider who won’t stop calling even though you’ve told them repeatedly that you stream all your Korean dramas online.
Sam-soon is made of sterner stuff and does well to rebuff her two-timing ex, who’s now engaged to someone else, but her wounds are still fresh and she’s struggling to rebuild her self esteem. Jin-heon, on the other hand, is quick to forgive Yoo Hee-jin (Jung Ryeo-won).
Sure, Hee-jin’s reasons for ditching Jin-heon are slightly more understandable and forgivable than Hyun-woo’s, but there’s something super annoying about a character that ends a relationship by disappearing off the face of the earth and then shows up years later thinking she can just pick up right where she left off. Like, excuse me, but who gave you such a sense of entitlement?! Even more irritating is the fact that Hee-jin also has the eternally patient Dr. Henry Kim (Daniel Henney) following after her, looking even more delectable than one of Sam-soon’s confections.
And so, a good bit of this rom-com is about our hero learning to let go of the past and becoming a better man under Sam-soon’s influence, which kind of suggests that the moral of the story is that it just takes the right woman to polish a turd into a diamond. I’m definitely a sucker for a rough-around-the-edges hero becoming a massive softie when he falls in love, but given how much Sam-soon suffers while Jin-heon teeter-totters between her and Hee-jin, I’m kinda of the opinion that Jin-heon is a turd that should have been flushed.
So does My Name is Kim Sam-soon stand the test of time? Ehhhhh… I’m going to say maybe — and depending on what aspect of the drama you choose to focus on. My Name is Sam-soon is kind of like a mother dough from which all modern K-drama rom-coms have been baked, so it’s hard not to love this story for its tropes, unpolished and relatable heroine, and outlandish situations that went on to inspire future drama writers.
But there are also many parts of this drama that have not aged as well as Hyun Bin — and I’m not just talking about the cinematography and oversaturated yellow lighting. No, there’s a lot of (intended) comedy and romance derived from characters’ abusive and controlling behaviors, and the frequent comments about our leading lady’s weight are ridiculous.
This drama is a reflection of its time, and if you’re someone who can ride the nostalgia wave, I say give My Name is Kim Sam-soon a (re)watch. Otherwise, you may want to get your Hyun Bin fix by binging the more recent Crash Landing on You.
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Tags: Daniel Henney, Friday Flashback, Hyun Bin, Jung Ryeo-won, Kim Sun-ah, Lee Kyu-han, My Name Is Kim Sam-soon
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1 Ally
August 12, 2022 at 9:14 AM
@bbstl, this is YOUR TIME TO SHINE! 😝
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bbstl 🧹
August 13, 2022 at 7:52 AM
Oh, heavens. So much to say and don’t know if I can even organize the thoughts ❤️😂😢🥰😭❤️ about my favorite Kdrama ever.
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2 RK123
August 12, 2022 at 9:52 AM
Yay! MNIKSS!
Just here to say that I love the heck out of this drama and will defend it to the ends of the earth. Or something like that, lol.
“And so, a good bit of this rom-com is about our hero learning to let go of the past and becoming a better man under Sam-soon’s influence”
To be fair, I think the better part of this drama is that everyone learns to love themselves and live in the moment, and even 17 years later, that’s a message that really resonates, IMO.
Also, most recent dramas aren’t brave enough to do many of the things MNIKSS did so well so long ago.
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3 vlkBadWolf
August 12, 2022 at 9:52 AM
I can't help myself but like this drama. Is it nostalgia or is it a true gem? I do not know but I keep rewatching.
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PYC
August 14, 2022 at 5:35 AM
It’s a true gem if you keep rewatching it, like me!!
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4 Blue (@mayhemf)
August 12, 2022 at 9:58 AM
OMG! Hyun Bin!!! wow, feels like I saw this in my previous birth! It was a drama I enjoyed watching back then. I will leave that memory in tact.
Even with that hair he somehow appeared attractive to me.. he he..
Glad he aged like a good wine!
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5 Kurama
August 12, 2022 at 10:20 AM
I remember that I liked this drama. But I don't remember very well the drama itself 😅
I liked the FL was different from the typical Candy we got at this time. I think she was the best part.
From Hyun Bin, I just remember his awful shirts, very flashy. He looked so much better in Snow Queen 😍
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bbstl 🧹
August 13, 2022 at 7:54 AM
Wow, Snow Queen … what an underrated drama. And 😭😭😭
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Kurama
August 14, 2022 at 2:35 AM
Snow Queen was kinda sad and a little bit creepy with the story of Andersen. But Hyun Bin looked so good in this drama.
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Kurama
August 14, 2022 at 2:36 AM
Oh, I remember that the stairs scene became iconic and everybody will go there to take picture.
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6 Unaspirated
August 12, 2022 at 10:21 AM
I love Friday Flashbacks so much! Please keep doing these!
I love them for many reasons, but a big part of it is that I'm still new to dramaland (how long can I keep saying this? At what point am I not new anymore? Anyway it's been less than a year.) and these help me put things into the long and glorious (and hilariously hairstyled) context of kdrama history. It's kind of like when you watch Casablanca for the first time and you realize that every movie ever has been quoting it and referencing it and now it all makes sense. I hear people mention this drama sometimes and I'm so happy to know more about it now!
(Also yes, I understand I just compared MNIKSS and other old-school dramas to Casablanca. I'm comfortable with it.)
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Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
August 12, 2022 at 10:29 AM
I love this:
(Also yes, I understand I just compared MNIKSS and other old-school dramas to Casablanca. I'm comfortable with it.)
Thanks for that laugh out loud moment it was the ‘I’m comfortable with it’ that was just perfect i know exactly what you mean. ☺️
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DaebakGrits
August 12, 2022 at 10:48 AM
I'm glad you like this feature! I plan to keep it up, but it may be a little inconsistent. Many of these older series require a rewatch, and I sometimes struggle to find the time to keep up with the currently airing dramas. lol
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Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
August 12, 2022 at 1:06 PM
💪 Hwaiting we appreciate your efforts as it takes a lot of time and energy but always always always remember life is short so only do what you can so it remains fun.
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bbstl 🧹
August 13, 2022 at 7:56 AM
Whoa! It is like that, like Casablanca and as @daebakgrits says, the mother dough of Kdrama.
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7 bunnylita
August 12, 2022 at 10:24 AM
One of the first kdramas I watched (I can't remember if it was this one or Coffee Prince I saw first). I have a lot of love for it but I tried to rewatch it and couldn't do it. As much as I liked it at the time, I'm kind of glad romcoms like this with downright mean male leads are going the way of the dodo.
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books7time
August 12, 2022 at 2:10 PM
100% agreed with you that it is a relief this kind of ML is going extinct. I can stomach him in this drama because the drama was written in its time, but no way no how could I watch this type today.
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8 DancingEmma
August 12, 2022 at 10:24 AM
@daebakgrits: “ I can’t be the only one whose mind is blown by this revelation, right? (Or is it just me who has lost all sense of time after the year 2000 and somehow still thinks the 1980s were merely twenty years ago?)”. You are not the only one. Me too. Despite my basic understanding of the passage of time, I’m still bamboozled by how I have gotten to the age that I am. All of it is sorcery.
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DaebakGrits
August 12, 2022 at 10:56 AM
Glad I'm not the only one!
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ladynightshade wants her own ryu sunjae
August 12, 2022 at 12:28 PM
@dncingemma: I still maintain time is fake and a conspiracy created by some shady higher-up. No way the 1980s weren’t 20-something years ago - and I say this as someone born in the 21st century.
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DancingEmma
August 12, 2022 at 1:36 PM
@ladynightshade: You are young and so adorable!
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ladynightshade wants her own ryu sunjae
August 13, 2022 at 1:13 AM
@dncingemma: I am certainly younger compared to most folks on this site, but I don’t know about adorable! You’re giving me far too much credit here.
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DancingEmma
August 13, 2022 at 1:25 AM
@ladynightshade: I’m sticking to my characterisation of you!😊
bbstl 🧹
August 13, 2022 at 8:02 AM
You know, you don’t really think about Beanies being all different ages and I always think everyone is sort of amorphously “adult” here, making many older while also making me younger in my own mind. I got hilariously woken up one day when a Beanie on OT talked about her excitement because her mom was taking her to get her braces off that day 🥰
DancingEmma
August 13, 2022 at 8:12 AM
@bbstl: Haha. The tyranny of age is suspended while on DB!
💜🍍☠ Sicarius The Queen of Melonia ☠🍍💜
August 12, 2022 at 5:52 PM
Noooooo don't tell me you're born in the 21st century noooooo
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ladynightshade wants her own ryu sunjae
August 13, 2022 at 1:12 AM
Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but yeah I am. Born just at the very beginning.
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💜🍍☠ Sicarius The Queen of Melonia ☠🍍💜
August 13, 2022 at 1:41 AM
I'll get over it, but seeing as how I still think it's 2007, anyone born in this millennium is therefore OBVIOUSLY only 5 years old to me at first, until my brain re calibrates. 😂😂😂
ladynightshade wants her own ryu sunjae
August 13, 2022 at 12:21 PM
As far as my brain’s concerned, 2007 happened like 3 years ago so I’m right there with you on the recalibration. 2022 still sounds like a false date to me.
beffels
August 12, 2022 at 2:11 PM
There is nothing to make me feel old like the radio saying “it’s time for a blast from the past!” And then playing a song that came out after I finished university, which was surely only a few years ago wasn’t it? 😬😅
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parkchuna 🍉
August 13, 2022 at 4:59 PM
Oh my god a similar thing happened to me! Listening to spotify w my nephews and i asked if they liked old songs (thinking of the 80s) and they mentioned some 2000s era songs. I was shook..whaddaya mean the 2000s are old??
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beffels
August 13, 2022 at 6:17 PM
😭😭 all the songs that were cool in the clubs when I was a youth are now playing on the classic hits stations 😂 but but but Kelly Clarkson only just won American Idol….twenty years ago 😱👵
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9 DancingEmma
August 12, 2022 at 10:32 AM
That unfortunate hairdo on Hyun Bin. Who thought that looked good? And, why? And, I laughed at “ I’m kinda of the opinion that Jin-heon is a turd that should have been flushed”. Atta girl!😂
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10 Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
August 12, 2022 at 10:38 AM
I am loving this new approach of bringing back blasts from the past features. I have been over a lot of the site and seen some real gems and wished I had known about K dramas and Dramabeans back in the day when I could have joined in the banter.
I have tried to watch some dramas from back in the day and with deep breathing I can get through some of the ridiculousness in order to get to the best bits but there are other dramas that didn't age well. So having this type of intro to the drama means it’s much easier to make an informed decision of whether to risk it or let it go knowing it was a product of it’s time.
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11 beffels
August 12, 2022 at 10:55 AM
I watched this last year for the first time and I liked it a lot. There are definitely some elements that have dated (like the fashion, and the stylish hair 🤔) but the basic story is solid. One of the things I found interesting was it was much more open about the leads going to bed together than more modern kdramas often are (not skin scenes, but also not pretending everyone is completely chaste and horrified by a kiss before marriage).
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ar_arguably romantic
August 14, 2022 at 2:07 PM
And we had Samsoon make Jinheon go out and buy condoms before they could resume their sexytimes.
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12 OldLawyer
August 12, 2022 at 11:24 AM
With all of its flaws this is still a great romcom with a great message about accepting oneself so that one can accept someone else. We all come with flaws and Sam Soon is such a wonderful but flawed human being. Maybe that is why we all love her- because she is as imperfect as the rest of us.
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13 wapz
August 12, 2022 at 11:48 AM
Samsoon is an evergreen FL. Jin heon is an evergreen tu.. uh sorry jerk.
I enjoyed the show a lot when i watched it probably 10 years after its release. I don't remember the details but even at that time, it did not look as dated provided the subjects it tackled with were not as common in dramaland as they are these days. But tbh I really kept watching for Sam Soon, Daniel Henny and their interactions.
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parkchuna 🍉
August 13, 2022 at 5:03 PM
I thought Daniel’s part was hilarious, him talking in English n everyone else in Korean like it’s totally normal. Good thing he’s so handsome. Then they did the same thing for the uncle in Doom at Your Service 😅
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bbstl 🧹
August 13, 2022 at 8:23 PM
I’ve mentioned this more than once already ☺️ but when Henry is trying to stall her from interrupting Sam Shik and Hee Jin’s reunion is sooooo freaking funny to me, esp when he finally gets what she does: oh! Baker! And Sam Soon nods her head off, yes! Bakerrrrrrrrr. As a Midwesterner that hard “R” is such a crack up.
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14 Viki
August 12, 2022 at 12:02 PM
Mannn, I watched this drama so many years ago that I don't even remember what it's about but I remember LOVING this.
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15 ladynightshade wants her own ryu sunjae
August 12, 2022 at 12:26 PM
No matter how much of an eternal asshole Jin-heon is (so glad we’re at a point when this is the common opinion - this wouldn’t have been universal even five years ago), I think we can all agree that Sam-soon remains an incredible heroine. I feel like she’s revolutionary even by certain female lead standards of now. More than any dude she meets, the journey of self-love and finding happiness as yourself that she goes through is what I’ll always take away from My Name is Kim Sam-soon. For this reason and, once again, Kim Sun-ah’s wonderfully realized heroine, I consider its status as a classic earned.
Loving this new feature, @daebakgrits. Your drama choices for each flashback so far have been great for retrospection and discussion. Can’t wait to see what you have in store for us next!
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Kafiyah Bello
August 12, 2022 at 12:47 PM
This is fair, she was awesome, but dear God was he bloody freaking awful. I could not root for them because she deserved better.
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ladynightshade wants her own ryu sunjae
August 13, 2022 at 1:08 AM
Oh yeah, the romance does not stand the test of time AT ALL (as if it would’ve been tolerable to me even back in 2005 - lmao nope). My personal post-show happily-ever-after for Sam-soon is her dumping that asshole and finding a handsome guy who actually treats her with the love and respect she deserves. Such a trailblazing, iconic heroine saddled with this pathetic, loser of a man.
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Kafiyah Bello
August 13, 2022 at 6:11 AM
Yes, this!!!
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DaebakGrits
August 12, 2022 at 1:56 PM
Agree 100%. Sam-soon is largely why this drama stands the test of time, and I found her character so much more relatable now that I'm around her character's age (give a few years). Too bad Jin-heon didn't live up to my memory. Oh well. At least Hyun Bin is a gem!
Glad you're enjoying the Friday Flashbacks!
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Mynameisnotkimsamsoon
August 12, 2022 at 2:13 PM
"I feel like she’s revolutionary even by certain female lead standards of now"
exactly!
I was so surprised when I rewatched it to find her so relatable and inspiring. I didn't remember her growing so much and becoming such a powerful woman by the end of the drama. It's the one drama where I can imagine them 10 years after the ending, and it doesn't matter if he's still in the picture or not, she stands perfectly well on her own
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16 amfalulawatching
August 12, 2022 at 12:35 PM
I judge a drama by just how much I need to hit the pause button or if I get to the 12th episode and can't remember to finish it. This drama like many of the older dramas I've watched (relatively recently) kept me completely engaged. I didn't hit pause and I couldn't wait to finish it. I think some of the use of those tropes that we have come to make fun of or try to avoid in newer dramas are actually what makes many dramas really entertaining. 17 years is actually not very old in terms of filmed entertainment. I love watching movies and television shows many decades old. I do notice the the quality of the filming from the past, but I would miss many great stories if I needed everything to look as if it was filmed today. This drama made me smile. It has one of the funniest scenes I've seen in a K-drama. So, for me at least, this drama stands the test of time.
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bbstl 🧹
August 13, 2022 at 8:08 AM
Which scene was it?
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amfalulawatching
August 15, 2022 at 7:33 PM
I so not used to commenting, so sorry for my late reply. I have to go and find the exact scene, but it was when Kim Sam-soon met the character played by Daniel Henney and their interactions trying to communicate with each other. I just found it so funny in a good-natured kind of way.
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bbstl 🧹
August 15, 2022 at 8:59 PM
Thanks for answering! I think most people think the karaoke scene is the funniest but I agree with you. I’ve been on both sides of that conversation and they just slayed me, showing the effort you have to put in to communicate across languages. Bakerrrrrr! 👩🏻🍳
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amfalulawatching
August 16, 2022 at 8:15 PM
Can't go wrong with either scene!!! I never argue with a drama that can make me laugh!
17 Kafiyah Bello
August 12, 2022 at 12:45 PM
To say I hated this drama, lol. I hate watched it by the end. Hyun Bin's character was THE WORST. To be shallow, he wasn't nearly as hot then as he is now. Kim Sun Ah's character was far and away too good for him, he wasn't fit to lick her toes. I still remember that he was gone for a year, but only wrote letters, because apparently he couldn't use the phones in the United States to call her. I have no words. Just awful awful drama. Lol, that is my rant. I am glad others enjoyed it though.
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RK123
August 12, 2022 at 5:11 PM
Two months. He was gone for two months.
Still a huge jerk move to not call, but I bought his explanation that he didn’t have enough resolve to fight Sam Soon’s anger over the phone. He has at least that much self-awareness by the end.
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Midnight
August 12, 2022 at 8:50 PM
That is actually a VERY good reason for me! Very relatable
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Kafiyah Bello
August 12, 2022 at 9:57 PM
Was it two months? yes yes I remember. Thanks for the clarification.
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18 books7time
August 12, 2022 at 2:07 PM
Thank you @daebakgrits. Your flashback review is appreciated. You caught the gist of the series well although I would debate some of your points.
I for one think that if we, the viewer, can take off our 2020's glasses and realize 2005 dramaland like a foreign land, there is still much to enjoy and appreciate about MNKSS. I will never tire of KSS's coming of age story and for her alone this drama is worth a (re)watch.
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19 Mynameisnotkimsamsoon
August 12, 2022 at 2:07 PM
Yesss MNIKSS. I remember discovering this drama pretty late and falling head over heels for it.
I rewatched it recently and the cringe factor was high, especially the extremely abusive behavior of many characters (ML, SML, grandmother...) and the clothes (omg fashion back then -_-)
However, I loved it all over again because of FL characterization. She is so strong and stands up for herself so boldly. She is a rarity in a sea of super perfect and conventionally beautiful / polite / demure FL.
*** SPOILER *** I had even forgotten that she lets him go to the US with his ex to get closure !! I loved how she chose to trust him (though he was less than deserving, we all agree on that). Even now, most dramas go to the jealousy trope so easily and continue to make it seem like trust and communication don't exist. She was both he most immature and mature character of kdrama kkk.
Even with all the ridiculousness about her weight, she doesn't get thinner to become loveable, and though she ultimately tries to lose weight for herself and on her timeline, she fails because it doesn't really matter. It's the only drama I can name that has a FL not looking extremely thin. Even Weightlifting fairy KBJ is about athletes and LSK is barely above catwalk model thin...
Also: Daniel Henney. I mean...
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Midnight
August 12, 2022 at 8:54 PM
Actually, apart from her character, another thing about this drama that was revolutionary was that Kim Sun Ah intentionally put on 7 pounds for the role. It is not much, but in the k-entertainment industry that was a bold move in and of itself.
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RK123
August 12, 2022 at 10:20 PM
I feel like Kim Sun-ah was a bit typecast as the feisty fat girl after that and she pushed back hard against that too. I’m glad she did too, because I think she’s one of the best actresses in k-ent today and deserves a lot of credit for being willing to take risks with her parts.
Still, I feel for her. MNIKSS was such a big hit that she should have become a massive superstar (the way Hyun Bin did), but didn’t because of the whole “fat” thing.
When she won an award for City Hall, she said something like “thanks for recognizing my acting skills and not just my ability to put on weight.”
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bbstl 🧹
August 13, 2022 at 8:27 PM
Also, IRL Kim Sun Ah went to college in Indiana as a piano major, so … the lack of piano skills (and lack of English) was heavy duty acting for her.
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ar_arguably romantic
August 14, 2022 at 2:15 PM
It was 7kg, which translates to about 15 pounds. She was already in her 30s, which also meant that it would have been harder to lose than weight, as compared to your 20s. In an industry that are more about youth and thinness than the regular population, it was definitely really brave.
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20 books7time
August 12, 2022 at 2:20 PM
But here's the question I always have when I watch MNIKSS. Don't hate me everyone. *deep breath* What is the attraction to Daniel Hanney? I mean, his character is sweet I usually love a sweet guy, but he did nothing for me. Sorry. I go through the show not thinking either guy is right for KSS, but going with her choice because SHE chooses her guy.
On another note, I think the fact that no one has dared to remake this drama--as far as I know, this goes for other countries too--shows the place it has in the Korean zeitgeist.
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LT is Irresistibly Indifferent and reminded of the slow march of death
August 12, 2022 at 4:42 PM
I think this is more like an in-joke that has sprung up amongst viewers of the drama. Because of it, when I watched Sam Soon I was expecting more interaction between the two characters to justify it. But they have, from memory, one short scene together.
Honestly, I think it sprang up because every other male is so awful and Sam Soon is so awesome and so they've created a fantasy version where Henry was a viable romantic option for her if she'd just eaten more sexy cookies.
Or maybe that's just me 😂
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books7time
August 12, 2022 at 5:23 PM
Ah, that makes more sense.
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bbstl 🧹
August 13, 2022 at 8:18 PM
I adore HB but the right pick for her was probably the blind date guy that she met again at the bus stop. He sure seemed to think she was the cat’s pajamas from the jump.
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PYC
August 14, 2022 at 6:02 AM
Agreed - I wish she would marry that blind date guy. He just adored her.
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RK123
August 12, 2022 at 5:16 PM
It’s been remade in both Philippines and Thailand. I’ve seen the Thai one, it’s not great, though the Thai food on the show is absolutely gorgeous.
I believe a US remake was planned but later shelved?
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books7time
August 12, 2022 at 5:23 PM
Thank you. I did not know!
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bbstl 🧹
August 13, 2022 at 8:12 AM
Yes, a US remake was shelved.
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OldLawyer
August 12, 2022 at 6:11 PM
Daniel Henney has long been a fascinating phenomenon in recent Koran culture. Over and over again one hears a Korean woman describing her dream man as looking like Daniel Henney. He is actually an American, born and raised in the US, with an Irish American father (hence his almost classically Irish name) and even his mother was adopted from Korea with the result that he grew up without learning any Korean: He had to learn it after he came to Korea. He only spent a few years there before returning to the US and starring in many American shows, most recently as Lan Mandragoran in THE WHEEL OF TIME on Amazon- still as good looking as ever.
For someone who spent as little time there as he did his impact on Korea can only be seen as remarkable.
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bbstl 🧹
August 13, 2022 at 8:12 PM
His Mom was on the first kdrama discussion board I found back in 2006 (pre DB), it was so cute as we were all swooning over her son. I’m so happy he has been so successful.
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Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
August 14, 2022 at 12:13 AM
Wow what a claim to fame for you to have ‘met’ his mum and how great for her to have a son who was able to go to his mother’s home country learn the language and make a name for himself. I imagine as acting is so competitive and it’s about who you know that he had an edge due to looks and being an outsider but it would have been hard to be consistently employed.
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Life
August 18, 2022 at 11:50 AM
Although for me Daniel Henney is in the bee’s knee’s category I love that you said this, because for me there are often actors where I cannot understand the appeal - Hyun Bin being one of them, until Crash Landing, because he nearly always portrays a %*x! - my daughter likes to remind me not to “yuk on somebody else’s Yum”. Ha!
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21 Dramamama
August 12, 2022 at 2:42 PM
This was my first Kdrama! Can't live with them. 😄
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22 Northern Menace
August 12, 2022 at 3:49 PM
This was the first k-drama I ever watched. I was visiting Hong Kong from Canada around 2005-07. This drama was on the TV in the hotel every afternoon, but without English subtitles so I couldn't understand what was going on. I found the dvd set of the series for sale in an HMV record store and watched it when I went home. It was so good it piqued my interest in seeing more.
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23 Olivedreams
August 12, 2022 at 3:56 PM
There is a refreshing and honest quality to older dramas like My Lovely Sam Soon and Coffee Prince that is frankly missing from some of the more modern ‘sanitized’ dramas.
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24 LT is Irresistibly Indifferent and reminded of the slow march of death
August 12, 2022 at 4:10 PM
I'm in two minds about Kim Sam Soon. One of those minds is that the whole thing is really well written and I love love love Sam Soon herself. She's a fantastic female lead and I wish we had more of her in drama land.
The second mind loathes the male lead with the fire of a thousand suns. He is chronically selfish, as well as physically and emotionally abusive. While I understood perfectly Sam Soon's position on the situation based on her character and societal influences at the time, I desperately wanted her to run off with Henry and eat Madeleines rather than endure marriage with this... ducking ass.... hat.
Sam Soon is one of those dramas where I understand why people love it so much but I can't share that love. Watching it was frustrating and the only thing that got me through was the wonderful Sam Soon herself.
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Midnight
August 12, 2022 at 9:00 PM
2. And he has one of the worst mothers ever.
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LT is Irresistibly Indifferent and reminded of the slow march of death
August 12, 2022 at 9:04 PM
Can you imagine having that mother-in-law in this culture?
Also I still think he cared mostly about having a good pastry chef in his restaurant than he ever cared about her.
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Midnight
August 12, 2022 at 9:25 PM
Yes, he had the "mine" mentality till the very end. It was never you or even us.
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LT is Irresistibly Indifferent and reminded of the slow march of death
August 12, 2022 at 9:30 PM
I just did a quick sweep through my comments for this drama - which I apparently only watched in 2020, although it feels like it's been much longer - and I had several choice words to describe him. But 'cowardly tsundere asshole for whom very interaction is transactional and who is pathologically dishonest, even to himself' was probably my choicest phrase.
Midnight
August 12, 2022 at 9:36 PM
😂👌
RK123
August 12, 2022 at 9:20 PM
In fairness to her, she’s lost a LOT too. A husband, a son, a daughter-in-law, and maybe the future happiness of both her surviving son and her granddaughter.
If she’s a bit overbearing, she comes by it honestly, and I found her desire to protect her son (maybe even from himself) quite relatable.
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25 💜🍍☠ Sicarius The Queen of Melonia ☠🍍💜
August 12, 2022 at 4:52 PM
... I hate this drama lol 😅🤣🤣😂
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LT is Irresistibly Indifferent and reminded of the slow march of death
August 12, 2022 at 4:55 PM
😂😂 I was wondering how long it would be before you popped up and admitted to this.
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💜🍍☠ Sicarius The Queen of Melonia ☠🍍💜
August 12, 2022 at 5:05 PM
Your wish was my command *bows deeply with exaggerated flourish*
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bbstl 🧹
August 13, 2022 at 8:13 PM
So lovely that we can still be friends ❤️❤️❤️
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26 Elinor, Team Glasses team co-captain
August 12, 2022 at 5:11 PM
I love the Friday Flashback feature! But I've already watched Secret Garden, mainly to further my kdrama education, so I've fulfilled my foundational course credit requirement of one show with Hyun Bin as an abusive jerk in crazy fashions. The character KSS herself sounds kick-ass and dramaland needs more like her - I'm so tired of FLs who become weaker and more passive as a series goes on. Maybe it's the writers who need to rewatch this!
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RK123
August 12, 2022 at 5:19 PM
Jin-heon may be a jerk but he’s not the sociopathic misanthrope that Secret Garden’s Kim Joo-won is! I protest, lol.
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Midnight
August 12, 2022 at 9:06 PM
Secret Garden is horrible. I don't love MNIKSS but at least it was a crack drama which I rewatched many times in 2005, and is a rather unique show still watchable by fast forwarding some of the characters' scenes.
Secret Garden made my blood boil so much I wanted to throw something at the TV every five minutes. Even back then I found it insufferable and disgusting.
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Possum
August 14, 2022 at 11:25 PM
That’s interesting, usually people gush about how great Secret Garden is.
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Midnight
August 14, 2022 at 11:35 PM
The actors did a fantastic job when the body swapping happened. That is its only positive point. And Oska. I finished it only for Oska.
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Possum
August 14, 2022 at 11:38 PM
Hmm, now I don’t feel bad for having not seen. 🤔😉
27 wonhwa
August 12, 2022 at 6:52 PM
I found this an odd watch - Kim Sun Ah and Hyun Bin had sizzling chemistry together as actors and I appreciated the show actually acknowledging sex as a thing, but I hated the idea of the characters as a couple. I mean if you're an insecure woman who's been put down by others all your life, why would you opt for an emotionally abusive guy who just up and disappears for months (years? I forget exactly how long) and then shows back up and expects you to jump right back into a relationship with him. Thanks, but no.
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28 blessingwind
August 12, 2022 at 9:10 PM
It has been more than a decade since i have watched this drama. Brings back so many memories where I stayed up all night to finish this drama. The male lead was a jerk at the highest order, but later redeemed himself, but my most favourite part was Sam Soon and her principles. She stood up for herself and she knew her worth. I loved this drama just for the portrayal of the female lead. In a judgmental society full of criticism on looks and age especially on women, she shone among them with her will.
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29 merry
August 12, 2022 at 10:00 PM
2005? I watched this in 2007. So it was late for the party then. But this drama brought me to Dramabeans, as i was scrolling wanting more information. Liked it for Sam-soon. And some hilarity, if i recall. I forgot the website but i knew if i googled MNIKSS (in full), i'd get to dramabeans. So, quite memorable for me.
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30 parkchuna 🍉
August 13, 2022 at 1:04 AM
— like your local cable television provider who won’t stop calling even though you’ve told them repeatedly that you stream all your Korean dramas online - 😂😂
I loved this drama when i first watched it aeons ago! Kim Sam Soon was such a refreshing relatable character though she was a bit brash at times. Back then I devoured my dramas no matter how bad it was but i knew there was something off with the hero. But it took age n countless rewatch for me to finally admit that the hero is indeed, a jerk 🥲 he’s not special in that sense since there’s plenty kdrama heroes like that. Despite that, Sam Soon will always be one of my favourite classics.
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31 BedeliaJane
August 13, 2022 at 4:18 AM
Sam Soon & Sam Shik forever!
I just can never remember Hyun Jin Heon, but I sure will remember Sam Shik!
There's a TvN show, Laborhood on Hire, where Yoo Jae Suk and some rappers cleaned trains... and Simon Dominic was called Sam Shik by an ajumma! Lol
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bbstl 🧹
August 13, 2022 at 8:18 AM
KSS has been my favorite Kdrama since 2006 and yet I have NEVER remembered Sam Shik’s real name 🤷♀️
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BedeliaJane
August 13, 2022 at 11:17 PM
Lol, ikr! I have this impression that Kim Sun Ah also doesn't remember Sam Shik's real name, haha! I thought I had come across interviews where she just referred him as Sam Shik (or am I imagining things?...hee).
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32 pigbit
August 13, 2022 at 9:43 AM
MNIKSS had the first ever hilarious karaoke scene I ever found in a kdrama when the bug first bit me, and it nearly killed me with laughing. I've found a few others since then that may be even funnier, but I will forever remember this one.
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bbstl 🧹
August 13, 2022 at 8:15 PM
At the time, Hyun Bin said that was the scene he was most afraid of and anxious about 😆
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pigbit
August 18, 2022 at 10:14 AM
I didn't know! Somehow it does not surprise me, he seems so serious sometimes 😅
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bbstl 🧹
August 18, 2022 at 2:42 PM
and he was such a green newbie then, it was his first leading role. I think he was, maybe 22? I’m sure he wanted to be taken seriously!
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33 Life
August 13, 2022 at 6:44 PM
“….and depending on what aspect of the drama you choose to focus on.”
Yep I do love Sam soon and rewatch it frequently, then sometimes when I rewatch it I am reminded about the parts I don’t like because I fast forwarded through them the time before 😁
Sam soon as they say is “comfortable”.
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Life
August 13, 2022 at 7:08 PM
Yup it’s Sam soon herself I adore. Her sister is super interesting too, with her very free relationship with the restaurant cook.
Including their mom, l love this family of three women who have had heartbreak in their romantic relationships, are tough, support and love each-other and stand up for themselves.
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bbstl 🧹
August 13, 2022 at 8:16 PM
The music was so fantastic, there are parts that are as comforting as a warm bath to me.
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34 BedeliaJane
August 13, 2022 at 11:21 PM
I wanna share this vid!
https://youtu.be/NF5K8J5cYbE&t=5m20s
(Source: Soompi) During the interview, the reporter revealed to the actress, “Hyun Bin chose Han Ji Min when asked to pick the most beautiful actress he has acted with. Which actor that you have worked with is the most handsome?”
Kim Sun Ah nonchalantly responded, “That’s understandable,” before jokingly adding on, “But I don’t remember who Hyun Bin is. Who [is he]?” causing laughter.
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Midnight
August 14, 2022 at 11:37 PM
😂😂😂👌👌
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35 I ♥️ bad dramas
August 14, 2022 at 1:20 AM
Trivia: Kim Nam-gil has a tiny role as a doctor in this drama.
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36 Denali
August 14, 2022 at 5:28 AM
@daebakgrits Thanks for the walk down memory lane, and yes, time does fly.
What I remember most, aside from the points already shared, is the incursion of two foreign languages as Daniel Henney and Jung Ryeo-Won would only speak English with each other, while Kim Seon-Ah and Kwon Hae-Hyeo, aka the cook would sometimes say a few words in French. Their command of my native language was most impressive.
Would I watch this drama again? Heck, no, not a third time. The toxicity is unbearable.
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Midnight
August 14, 2022 at 5:41 AM
Jung Ryu Won's English is nearly perfect. Have you seen her in What Star Did You Come From? She speaks English there too, very naturally and with no accent.
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Denali
August 14, 2022 at 7:00 AM
I initially was surprised to hear her fluency, because, alas, many k-actors fail to deliver in this area, but later found out that she had spent some of her younger years in Australia. So it makes sense. :)
I'm afraid that this drama has flown under my radar. Jeong Ryeo-Won won me over a decade ago with her real-life persona and values, as well as her acting skills - her silent performance in the movie "Castaway on the Moon" is mind-blowing.
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Midnight
August 14, 2022 at 7:48 AM
She is truly fantastic. I have been a fan ever since MNIKSS.
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37 PYC
August 14, 2022 at 5:33 AM
MNIKSS is my first ever Kdrama and still a top fav in my book, period!
Up to this date, I’m convinced that I’d never fall for Kdrama if it were not MNIKSS. I had this perception they were soapies for housewives. So, when my sister suggested me to try MNIKSS for some laugh, I gave it a go because that’s the distraction I needed at the time when my mum just got the diagnosis of having only a few months left…
And, what a revelation it was! KSS is upbeat, refreshingly unapologetic of who she is, and shielding her vulnerability with Teflon cover. I was so impressed by Kim Sun-ah’s portrayal, thinking other Korean actresses would be as brave as her to put up so much kilos for the role. (Unfortunately, I haven’t seen other similar ‘sacrifices’ by other actresses.)
I think the drama still stands the test of time. I only ‘fast-rewatch’ it recently through the MBC master piece series on YT despite without subtitles. LOVE it!!
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38 ar_arguably romantic
August 14, 2022 at 2:21 PM
I remember the drama using that phrase "dance like no one's watching, sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt" and thinking how it so perfectly encapsulated the drama's theme of just focusing on the current moment, on self-love, instead of worrying what other people think.
Also, it's one of those dramas that reminds me that love is all about timing. I think Jin-heon could have lived a happy life with Hee-jin, but Hee-jin had let go of her timing and he fell in love with someone else.
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39 Ahjummaaa
June 24, 2023 at 11:38 AM
This is where it all started for me... and the world of K-drama has been only getting better and better since then, so when I look back at this classic, it's with fondness and affection instead of nostalgia and mourning for a passed golden age. K-drama is still very much in its golden age, so much so that I've never even had time nor reason to go back to rewatch this drama. But for all the fantastic dramas and actresses that have appeared since then, still no one can beat Kim Sun-A when she meets a humorous script. She's able to do comedy and connect with viewers, which is not an easy feat. The kind of female lead that's hardest to find. This drama is an oldie but a goodie for a reason.
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