Lovers in Paris
| Lovers in Paris | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | 파리의 연인 |
| Genre | Drama Romance |
| Format | Television series |
| Written by | Kim Eun Sook Kang Eun Jung |
| Directed by | Shin Woo Chul |
| Starring | Kim Jung-eun Park Shin-yang |
| Country of origin | South Korea |
| Language(s) | Korean |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 20 |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Kim Yang |
| Location(s) | Korea |
| Running time | Saturday & Sunday 21:55 |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | SBS |
| Original run | 12 June 2004 – 15 August 2004 |
| External links | |
| Official website | |
Lovers in Paris (파리의 연인) is a South Korean television drama series broadcast by SBS in the summer of 2004. The show won numerous awards including best television drama at the Baeksang Arts Awards and both Park Shin-yang and Kim Jung-eun were awarded the Grand Prize at the SBS Drama Awards.
It is the first of three romantic dramas set in Europe. The second drama is Lovers in Prague and the third is titled Lovers.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
Kang Tae-young (Kim Jung-eun) is the daughter of a film director and, carrying on her father’s wish, she studies film in Paris. To make ends meet she works as a housekeeper for Han Ki-joo (Park Shin-yang) which she loves because she can watch his movies and drink his wine.
Unhappy with her services, he fires her. However, when he realizes that she is from the same hometown as the wife of a potential business partner, he hires her to act as his fiancee to warm up to his business partner. She agrees in exchange for her job as a housekeeper back. During the two dates that he takes her out, she is smitten by the fairy tale of the event. In turn he finds himself unexpectedly captivated by her. However, the fake girlfriend plan backfires, and both part ways on bad terms in Paris. Through a series of events she also meets Yoon Soo-hyuk (Lee Dong-gun) who is the nephew of Ki-joo.
Recalled by his father, Ki-joo returns to Korea, and Tae-young also returns to attend her father’s death anniversary. Both are reunited coincidentally in Seoul and have their misunderstandings resolved. She prepares to return to Paris but discovers her uncle has squandered away her family house and run away, leaving her with her young cousin and the debts he has incurred.
While trying to sort out her family problems and retrieve her father’s camera that was confiscated by the creditors, she meets Ki-joo again. Through multiple coincidental encounters, he finds himself attracted to her. Soo-hyuk also returns to Korea to track Tae-young down. He stays at her place and tries to win her heart. But he is devastated when he realizes that his uncle is also vying for her affection.
The situation is further complicated with the introduction of Moon Yoon Ah, the daughter of an influential politician whom Ki-joo's father has selected to be Ki-joo's wife. She also happens to be Tae-Young's classmate in high school and is determined to win Ki-joo as her husband.
Ki-joo and Tae-young open their hearts to each other. But a scheming Yoon Ah and an emotionally wounded Soo-hyuk plot to split them up. Meanwhile, a Director at GD Motors tries to bring Ki-joo down and created a scheme with Soo-Hyuk to spill the latest car design to the rival of GD Motors. The new car is announced and GD Motors is petrified by the fact that the latest design was stolen. Later, Ki-joo figures out that Soo-hyuk did this, but forgives him. The fact that Ki-joo forgave him so easily drives Soo-hyuk crazy. After getting into a car accident while blazing through the streets to attempt to erase his guilt, he gets amnesia and loses his recent memories. (He only pretends he has amnesia to let Tae-young be with Ki-joo.) Yoon Ah decides to let go of Ki-joo and throws her engagement ring into Han-River.
Ki-joo and Tae-young can finally get together. Unfortunately because of his families' dislike for her, they decides to be separated temporarily. She goes back to Paris and he stays in Korea. After 2 years, the new car is announced and is a success. Ki-joo, immediately catches a flight to Paris. For some time, they do not know where each other is.
Then one day, just as the series started, Ki-joo throws a coin into a fountain and wishes to see Tae-young again. As he turns he sees her standing there. The next scene shows them sitting by a river. Tae-young breaks the silence and asks, "If we had not met in Paris, do you think we still would have ended up together?" Ki-joo answers, "Most likely we would have."
[edit] Cast
- Park Shin-Yang as Han Ki-joo
- Kim Jung-Eun as Kang Tae-young
- Lee Dong-Gun as Yoon Soo-hyuk
- Oh Joo-Eun as Moon Yoon-ah
- Kim Seo Hyung as Baek Seung-kyung
- Jung Ae-ri as Han Ki-hae
- Kim Sung-won as Han Sung-hoon
- Jo Eun-ji as Lee Yang-mi
- Yoon Young-joon as Kim Seung-joon
[edit] Production
Ki-Joo's "house" in Paris, the site of the first three episodes, was actually filmed in the Penthouse of Oakwood Premier Coex Center, a luxury serviced residence in Seoul. The GD Motors building was also in real life the SBS office building.
[edit] Reception
Lovers in Paris got a 51.8% audience rating. Even though the ratings were inconsistent it managed to beat its timeslot rivals. It has been one of SBS's most successful shows ever.
Aja became a very popular expression after being used in this drama. It was also romanized in the drama Full House where it was used in the phrase "aja aja, fighting".
[edit] Success in Asia
In Japan, it was aired for the first time on January 1, 2005 through Nippon TV satellite (BS NTV) and become a major hit with its peak rating of 26.1%. SBS officially opened a Japanese site for Lovers in Paris on March 4, 2005. It was also aired in Singapore in Year 2007 on Mediacorp TV, Channel U. The series was also aired worldwide on The Filipino Channel, making it the first Korean Drama to air on the said channel. Thus it was dubbed in Tagalog and was a huge success for Filipino viewers abroad.
[edit] Awards
2004 SBS Drama Awards
- Grand Prize (Daesang) - Park Shin-yang and Kim Jung-eun
2005 41st Baeksang Arts Awards
- Best TV Drama
- Best Actress - Kim Jung-eun
2005 Asia TV Awards
- Best Actress - Kim Jung-eun
[edit] Remake
The Philippines produced their own version of this series. This is considered to be the first primetime teleserye of KC Concepcion, playing the role of Vivian, a young woman who has a dream to become a director in Paris. It also showcases her first team-up with the Philippine hearthrob Piolo Pascual who will play Carlo.
