My Lovely Sam Soon: The K-Drama Every True Hyun Bin Fan Needs to See

K-Drama

Jun 1

“Sam-soon is a brash yet talented pastry chef constantly teased about her old-fashioned name. Although she remains insecure about her weight, Sam-soon is determined to make the best of her life as a single woman in her thirties.”

— Viki

My Lovely Sam Soon (Viki)

This is the K-drama that put Hyun Bin (현빈) on the map. After discovering him in Crash Landing On You, I enjoyed seeing this younger Hyun Bin. Was it just the role or do I detect a bit of youthful swagger? Don’t let the fact My Lovely Sam Soon is 20-years old keep you from checking this K-drama out but keep in mind the way some things were portrayed in 2005 would probably be done differently today.

One of the main storylines revolves around Kim Sam-Soon’s size and I knew the actress Kim Sun-A purposely gained weight for the role but I was surprised to find what I consider an average-sized woman being thought of as overweight. Not enough has changed in 20 years when it comes to the unrealistic and double standards put on women and their appearance.

One thing I like about K-dramas is the fact many of the romantic storylines feature characters who are in their 30s—many even mid to late 30s. Kim Sun-A is perfect to go up against Hyun Bin. Kim Sam-Soon isn’t afraid to challenge Hyun Jin-Hun, whose also not a pushover. I want to know how many takes it took for them to film that bathroom toilet paper scene because I could not stop bursting out in laughter. On the flip side, I wonder what Hyun Bin does to prepare for emotional crying scenes because he comes across as genuinely authentic.

When Daniel Henney’s character (who is from America) says his mom was adopted from Korea my jaw dropped. I always thought there was too much shame associated with this part of Korean history so I was shocked to see it highlighted in the top-rated drama the year it aired. As a Korean adoptee it made me feel a bit more legit.

I relate to the storyline of not liking your name and wanting to change it. I was thrilled to have the chance to start going by KAT (my initials) because I never liked my first name (shared by two co-workers) and I’ve gone by Kat longer than my second given name.

My Lovely Kim Sam Soon is a perfect blend of humor, drama, and romance. Don’t be surprised if you suddenly get a hankering for pastries while watching.