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Spring Waltz

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Spring Waltz
Promotional poster
GenreRomance
Written byKim Ji-Eun
Hwang Daun
Ha Mi-Seon
Directed byYoon Seok-Ho
StarringSeo Do-young
Han Hyo-joo
Daniel Henney
Lee So-yeon
Country of originSouth Korea
Original languagesKorean
German
English
No. of episodes20
Production
Executive producersPark In-Taek
Park In-Taek
ProducerLee Jae Sang
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running timeMondays and Tuesdays at 9:55 p.m.
Original release
NetworkKBS 2TV
ReleaseMarch 6 –
May 16, 2006
Spring Waltz
Hangul
봄의 왈츠
Revised RomanizationBom-ui Wal-cheu
McCune–ReischauerPom-ŭi Wal-ch'ŭ

Spring Waltz is the fourth and final installment of Yoon Seok-Ho's seasonal drama series, Endless Love directed by Yoon Seok-Ho, following the preceding Autumn in My Heart, Winter Sonata and Summer Scent.

Series Development

Spring Waltz, a 20-episode Korean television miniseries, was the final feature of the season-themed drama series directed by Yoon Seok-Ho. Although the story shares the similar format of genuine love and childhood memories, Yoon adds several fresh twists and turns into Spring Waltz. In this miniseries, the drama's message is conveyed more actively through the season spring. Love is compared to the way spring blossoms into lives, bringing a sense of hope. Love is also depicted as gently embracing the protagonists' lonely hearts, which are chillingly numb in the midst of a long and harsh "winter". Another noticeable change is that this series is the only feature out of four season series to include overseas locations, namely in Austria, where the shootings have taken place around well-known tourist spots such as Hallstatt and Salzburg. Moreover, most of its production money has come from external sources and investments made by domestic and foreign interests. With news that the drama was sold to nine countries including Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the series garnered widespread attention from the media industry even before the series aired in March 2006.

One of the most striking differences that this series has taken in comparison with former series is the cast. All four main characters are relatively, or almost completely, new faces who take the leading role for the first time. The casting of two main characters playing lovers – Seo Do-young for Jae-Ha (a model-turned actor who has appeared minorly in few TV shows) and Han Hyo Joo for Eun-Young (who appeared in teenage sitcom series New Nonstop5), has brought a controversial yet refreshing breeze into the drama’s production. Daniel Henney for Phillip, (also a model-turned actor) who probably is the most known actor out of four, has an established acting career, mostly through My Lovely Sam Soon. Lee So-yeon for Lee-Na, on the other hand, is a traditionally educated actress who has appeared in many TV shows and movies including the film Untold Scandal (2003). In interviews, Yoon has told the press that he deliberately chose to work with new faces rather than the already-established actors, who tend to have chiseled images that do not have enough flexibility. Working with new faces, Yoon says, is “like working on a new painting on a new white canvas.”[citation needed]

Renowned for his captivating ability to bring picturesque sceneries and memorable music onto the screen, Yoon takes maximum advantage of the spectacular view of Hallstatt lake to convey Jae-Ha’s sorrow and his yearning for his lost identity and lost love.

One of his main motifs for this series is the "island", - Chungsando - a place that is seemingly isolated from the rest of the world. The director Yoon and his production crew reportedly hunted for the perfect island settings for months. They eventually decided on few islands located in southern Cholla province. Chungsando appears as the site where the young Soo-Ho and Eun-Young meet and reunite again as adults, whereas heart-shaped Hanuneom beach in Bigeumdo is the place where the children to share the innocent feeling of affection and love towards each other.

An island as a place, Mr. Yoon says, tends to be a fantasy in everyone's mind. It brings out a sense of nostalgia which is quite distant from the reality of everyday life. Childhood love also is a fantasy in many a memory. Spring Waltz explores such fantasy of our first love – how the pure and genuine love for someone can face the reality of living with mental bruises and an identity-crisis, and eventually heal the painful process of forgiveness and reconciliation, just like the way spring brings us a hope.

Synopsis

The story begins, in Austria, at midnight. Park Eun-Young is making a wish among a crowd celebrating the New Year.

The scene changes to a young Song Lee-Na watching her childhood friend Yoon Jae-Ha playing in what seems to be a piano competition. Switching back to present day, Song Lee-Na smiles remembering her wonderful memories and promises made. She begins a conversation with the passenger next to her, Park Eun-Young. She explains that she is on her way to Austria to meet her childhood love, Jae-Ha, after a 15 year separation. Lee-Na continues to explain that her first love has become an accomplished pianist as Eun-Young explains her excitement about her first trip outside of Korea.

Once in Austria Eun-Young bumps into Phillip (Jae-ha’s manager and best friend), who mistakes her as Lee-Na whom he planned to pick up at the airport. After the situation clears itself, Eun-Young, Lee-Na, and Phillip go their separate ways. Phillip takes Lee-Na to see Jae-Ha. Once at their destination, Jae-Ha doesn't recognize Lee-Na and mistakes her for a reporter. Lee-Na, upset over Jae-Ha's cold reception, begins to talk back at him. Jae-Ha later hears her name said by Phillip, which he repeats and seems to spark his memory.

While taking Jae-Ha and Lee-Na out, Phillip sees Eun-Young and decides to break company. Phillip introduces himself to Eun-Young and offers to help her get around Austria. After learning that she will be in Salzburg the next day, he offers her two concert tickets.

Later that night, Jae-Ha is seen looking through photos of himself and Lee-Na as children. Putting the photos away, he later pulls out a handmade rainbow shell.

The next day, Eun-Young meets Jae-Ha on the train ride to Salzberg. Jae-Ha displays a cold demeanor towards Eun-Young, the two are immediately attracted to each other – especially Jae-Ha, because of the way she reminds him of his long-lost childhood love, Seo Eun-Young. Eun-Young offers one of the concert tickets to Jae-Ha and introduces herself as Alice. He states that his name is Chris (Chris Y. is his stage name). They become separated once in Salzburg. Eun-Young arrives for the concert and meets Phillip, but is eager to see Chris again.

As the concert begins, Eun-Young recognizes Chris Y. as the Chris on the train. As the concert concludes, Eun-Young begins to leave the hall, but a melody Clementine stops her in her tracks as she begins to recall her childhood past.

(15 years ago) Lee Soo-Ho and Lee Jeong-Tae (Soo-Ho's father) arrive at his father's hometown, a beautiful island outside of Seoul. They meet Seo Eun-Young and her mother. Jeong-Tae leaves Soo-Ho with the mother and daughter promising to return. Soo-Ho, full of hurt and anger treats Eun-Young badly. Soo-Ho tries numerous times to escape the island. At one point Eun-Young gets caught in his plan and is taken to the hospital. Soo-Ho learns that Eun-Young is sick and is in need of a special surgery.

Soo-Ho and Eun-Young become closer; Eun-Young presents a rainbow shell she made as a gift. Jeong-Tae returns to the island and promises Soo-Ho that he will finally settle down on the island with him. Soo-Ho continues to fear that his father will leave again but hopeful of his father's promise. Later, Soo-Ho informs his father of Eun-Young's sickness and that her mother must be saving for it. Hearing about money, Jeong-Tae breaks into the family's room.

Eun-Young's mother sees Jeong-Tae running towards the ferry. Upon returning to her home, she learns that the money she was saving for Eun-Young's surgery was stolen. In disbelief and despair, she asks Soo-Ho where his father went. Eun-Young's mother leaves the island for Seoul in hopes of tracking down Jeong-Tae. While searching, she is hit by a car and is instantly killed.

Soo-Ho hurt, angry, and full of guilt tries to leave the island again by stealing a boat. Eun-Young tries to stop him but ends up going with him. The next morning, the children are swept to a neighboring island where an elderly couple take them in. Soo-Ho tries to leave again without Eun-Young but to no avail. The two make it to Seoul and begin their search for both parents.

While searching, Eun-Young becomes ill and Soo-Ho rushes her to the hospital. At the hospital, Soo-Ho mets a woman, Hyeon Ji-Sook, who mistakens him for her son. Desperate for money, he tries to steal a woman's purse. He is stopped from going to jail by Hyeon Ji-Sook's husband, Yoon Myeong-Hoon.

Yoon Myeong-Hoon asks Soo-Ho if he would consider pretending to be his son, Jae-Ha, until his wife recovers. Soo-Ho learns that the couples son, Yoon Jae-Ha, was previously killed in a rafting accident. Soo-Ho refuses but reconsiders when he learns that Yoon Myeong-Hoon has the money to save Eun-Young's life.

Eun-Young awakes to find Soo-Ho at her hospital bedside. Fearing that Soo-Ho will leave, she asks that he promise to stay by her. Soo-Ho promises but is unable to keep it. The day of the surgery he leaves with the couple. Remembering his promise to Eun-Young he runs back to the hospital but finds her room empty. Lee Soo-Ho leaves South Korea as Yoon Jae-Ha.

Jae-Ha is later told that Eun-Young died during her surgery. After the surgery, Seo Eun-Young recovers and is adopted by her aunt, Jo Yang-Soon, changing her name to Park Eun-Young.

(Present day) After the concert, Phillip convinces Eun-Young to company him to the concert's after party. At the party, Jae-Ha meets Alice (Eun-Young) again, but learns that Phillip is romantically interested in her. Aware of Phillip's past with women, Jae-Ha believes that Alice (Eun-Young) was toying with on the train. The next day, Eun-Young leaves for the Crystal Palace. She doesn't see Phillip but leaves a "Thank You" note and gift, an ornamented seashell. While Phillip and Lee-Na observe the detail of the shell; Phillip mentions Eun-Young's name causing Jae-Ha to run after her.

Jae-Ha arrives at the Crystal Palace but misses Eun-Young. Later Jae-Ha agrees to produce an album for Lee-Na's music company in Korea and returns after 15 years.

Both Jae-Ha and Phillip are looking for Eun-Young. Jae-Ha is the first to spot Eun-Young and traces her to a kimbap restaurant. While in Jo Yang-Soon's kimbap restaurant, he comes to the conclusion that this Eun-Young is not Seo Eun-Young because she refers to the owner and a worker as her mother and brother. Jae-Ha leaves the restaurant angry and disappointed. Eun-Young notices that the customer left his scarf and didn't pay for his meal. She goes after him and notices that it is Yoon Jae-Ha.

Soon after, Phillip locates Eun-Young. Eun-Young is surprised and then recalls having seen Jae-Ha. A few days later, Eun-Young is reunited with Phillip, Jae-Ha, and Lee-Na while making a lunch delivery.

Phillip, interested in Eun-Young, begins to follow her in hopes of starting a relationship. Eun-Young struggles with providing for her family and tries to find a steady job. Phillip, seeing Eun-Young hardships arranges a job for her with Lee-Na's music company as a chauffeur for Jae-Ha.

As time passes Eun-Young and Jae-Ha become closer and begin to develop feelings for each other. Lee-Na begins to sense something between the two but tries to ignore her suspicions. Phillip, unaware of Eun-Young and Jae-Ha's feelings, confesses to Jae-Ha that he is falling in love with Eun-Young. Listening to his best friend's excitement Jae-Ha is conflicted and begins to push Eun-Young away. Eun-Young hurt by Jae-Ha's behavior confronts him. Unable to contain his feelings and seeing Eun-Young hurting, Jae-Ha kisses her unaware that Philip sees them from away.

Having confessed their love to each other, Eun-Young and Jae-Ha continue their relationship in secret.

One day, Eun-Young goes to the island where she and Soo-Ho grew up together. Soo-Ho supposed she is Seo Eun-Young. But Mr. and Mrs. Yoon have told him that Seo Eun-Young was dead. Soo-Ho tries to find the fact himself. When he meest Eun-Young again in the island, he finally realizes that this Park Eun-Young is Seo Eun-Young.

Soo-Ho is also confused whether he must become Soo-Ho or Jae-Ha. When he talks this problem to the graveyard of Eun-Young's mother, Lee-Na hears it and she realizes that the man in front of her is not her childhood sweetheart Jae-Ha but Soo-Ho.

As Soo-Ho, Eun-Young, Lee-Na, and Phillip return to Seoul, Soo-Ho meets his real father, who left him when he was young. Soo-Ho's father is a drunkard. Soo-Ho is bitter toward him but he admits that he is Soo-Ho. His words are heard by Eun-Young and Phillip. So stunned, Eun-Young realizes Jae-Ha is Soo-Ho, her childhood love.

Eun-Young is angry because she thinks young Soo-Ho left her in the hospital on purpose. In reality, young Soo-Ho left to be adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Yoon who paid Eun-Young's hospital bill, but Eun-Young does not know this fact.

When she finally knows the truth, she wants to meet Soo-Ho. However, Soo-Ho is missing. But Eun-Young knows where the place he has gone. The island! So she goes to the island and meet Soo-Ho there. There is a happy reunion.

Soo-Ho cannot live easy life anymore as media discovers his real identity. Soo-Ho must choose whether he wants to be Soo-Ho or be Yoon Jae-Ha. In the press conference, Soo-Ho's real father comes to save Soo-Ho's career. He lies that Soo-Ho is not Soo-Ho but Jae-Ha. Finally Soo-Ho declares he is Jae-Ha.

His drunkard father is killed by a traffic accident causing Soo-Ho to become depressed. Soo-Ho makes a concert in Korea but he accidentally hurts his own hand by searching for his shell given by young Eun-Young in the dustbin. There is a broken glass that pierces into his hand. But he insists to play the piano.

Soo-Ho's hand's nerves becomes limped and his piano career is ended. He returns to Austria. He does not let Eun-Young know about his injury.

Nonetheless, Lee-Na comes back to Korea and asks Eun-Young to marry Soo-Ho. Lee-Na also tells Eun-Young that Soo-Ho cannot be a professional pianist anymore due to his paralyzed hand nerve. He has lost his sense of touch.

Thus, Eun-Young flies to Austria and meets Soo-Ho coincidentally on a bridge. Then they are married. Soo-Ho, who does not build a house, buys a house on the island where he and Eun-young grow together. It is the same house they lived for Soo-Ho's recording.

In the end of the movie, it is shown that Soo-Ho plays a small piano in a local school. Finally, he and Eun-Young dance in their house balcony at sunset and kiss.

Cast

Jae-Ha is a talented classical pianist of the next generation who has been closely watched with deep interests and concerns by Koreans since he won a prize in a famous concert. Even though he was brought up in a rich and enviable family under his father who is a foreign diplomat, Jae-Ha is a lonely person having only one friend because of his eccentric and particular personality. He is a well-mannered and dutiful son to his parents and never harms others, but his piano melody always sounds sad. He is hidden in a veil showing his true feelings only to his best friend and manager, Phillip. He is a sad person keeping the secrets of the past that nobody knows although he has a charismatic personality and wonderful environment. At first, Jae-Ha is interested in Eun-Young in Austria because she is similar to his childhood sweetheart. As he sees her with playboy Phillip, he thinks Eun-Young is not a decent girl. But he gradually falls in love with her.

  • Han Hyo-joo 한효주 as Seo/Park Eun-Young 서/박은영

Eun-Young is a cheerful person who works at her adoptive mother’s kimbap (Korean rolled rice) restaurant in the daytime and sells homemade accessories and clothes at her street stand at night. Even though she could not finish her studies, she is a talented person who is good with her hands and is to be able to win the grand prize in a handicraft contest open to the public. She never loses her smile nor her dashing spirit although she lives in poverty. She has an opportunity to visit Austria from her prize winning in the handicraft contest and meets Phillip and Jae-Ha by fate. Eun-Young, who does not know of this ironic fate, deeply misses Soo-Ho from her childhood.

He is the only friend as well as the global manager of Yoon Jae-Ha. He was born to an Austrian father and Korean mother and was expected to become a promising musician during his childhood. He plays the piano, the cello, the guitar, etc. Even though there are no musical instruments that he cannot play, he gave up playing music instruments. Instead, he decides to pursue his dream of a musician by becoming the manager of Jae-Ha who Phillip acknowledges as being a true musical genius. He is a super playboy that Jae-Ha accuses Eun-Young as a bad girl since she dances with Phillip in an Austria ball.

She is a capable career woman who started her career from the bottom and became the director of the planning department in a leading classical record and concert planning company by her own ability even though the company is owned by her parents. Lee-Na is a perfect woman with remarkable beauty, wonderful background, and outstanding ability, but there is only one thing that she earnestly desires for. It is Jae-Ha who played the piano with her during her childhood. She has exceptionally liked Jae-Ha ever since her childhood; thus, she gave up playing the piano and left for Canada to find Jae-Ha after he left Korea. She has a reckless personality to do so. However, she could not find Jae-Ha but completed her study in Art Business in Canada. She voluntarily tries to promote Jae-Ha’s debut in Korea after she happened to see an article of Jae-Ha activeness in Austria. Her parents own the hotel where Jae-Ha and Phillip stays when they are in Korea.

Supporting Cast

Production and Telecasting

Telecasting: KBS

  • Executive Producer: Kim Jong-Shik
  • Chief Producer: Moon Bo-Hyeon
  • Producer: Lee Jae-Sang
  • Executive Producer: Park In-Taek
  • Director: Yoon Seok-Ho
  • Scripter, Writer: Kim Ji-Eun, Hwang Daun, Ha Mi-Seon

Episode Ratings

Date Episode Nationwide Seoul Area
2006-03-06 1 10.9 (12th) 10.9 (13th)
2006-03-07 2 11.5 (13th) 10.8 (15th)
2006-03-13 3 12.1 (14th) 13.6 (14th)
2006-03-14 4 14.7 (7th) 14.9 (5th)
2006-03-20 5 15.3 (4th) 16.8 (3rd)
2006-03-21 6 13.4 (3rd) 13.6 (2nd)
2006-03-27 7 15.8 (4th) 16.4 (3rd)
2006-03-28 8 14.6 (6th) 15.3 (5th)
2006-04-03 9 16.2 (5th) 16.8 (2nd)
2006-04-04 10 17.5 (3rd) 17.9 (3rd)
2006-04-10 11 18.9 (2nd) 19.6 (2nd)
2006-04-11 12 18.5 (2nd) 19.1 (2nd)
2006-04-24 13 19.7 (2nd) 20.4 (1st)
2006-04-25 14 20.8 (1st) 23.4 (1st)
2006-05-01 15 22.4 (1st) 25.6 (1st)
2006-05-02 16 20.6 (1st) 22.4 (1st)
2006-05-08 17 21.6 (1st) 22.3 (1st)
2006-05-09 18 22.2 (1st) 23.6 (1st)
2006-05-15 19 23.5 (1st) 24.6 (1st)
2006-05-16 20 25.8 (1st) 27.2 (1st)
Average 17.8% 18.7%

DVD releases

  • DVD rights of Spring Waltz sold to other countries contain an edited Director's Cut of the drama. Many of the scenes removed total close to 3 hours long. It is stated that Director Yoon Seok-Ho was unhappy with the TV ratings received in South Korea, which prompted him to re-edit the drama. As of June 2010, there is no information as to whether the "UNCUT" original broadcast version will ever be authorized for release.

Noticeable edits (North American Version)

  • Numbering of individual episodes are omitted
  • Due to the editing some episodes ended at different times/scenes than the original broadcast.
  • Dramatic endings, which included episode credits and previews, were also removed
  • Storyline involving Hong Mi-Jeong (Eun-Young's best friend), and Park Sang-Woo (Eun-Young's cousin) is completely removed.
  • Episode 11 — During their first outing as a couple, Jae-Ha leaves Eun-Young in front of her mother's restaurant. Before leaving, he kisses her cheek. Her mother observes them through the restaurant window. (SCENE REMOVED)
  • Episode 18 — Phillip & Eun-Young are at the museum. Jae-Ha's mother and Lee-Na appear. All four go out to lunch; Jae-Ha joins them. Eun-Young later leaves after Lee-Na presents her and Jae-Ha's wedding invitation. (SCENE REMOVED)
  • Episode 18 — Eun-Young returns Jae-Ha's jacket along with the rainbow shell. Jae-Ha runs after her asking her not to leave. Eun-Young answers, "...Why won't you allow me to hate you". (SCENE REMOVED)

There was also a DVD released with a Tagalog dubbed version through Star Records in the Philippines.

See also

References

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