I often think of the 2000’s as the thriving era of ‘chick flicks’, where you have your generic male and female leads meet accidentally, after which ensues a story that upholds the true, classic rom-com spirit: jokes and swoon-worthy moments sprinkled just in the right amount with an emotional love confession towards the end that wraps up the movie neatly, leaving many in the audience yearning for such romance in their own lives.

Along these lines, ‘My Name is Kim Sam-soon’, also known as ‘My Lovely Sam-soon’, (which is a drama and not a movie) might not seem any different. Until you realize that the plot revolves around a 30-something, slightly chubby woman with a failed first relationship and an unemployment crisis…not so classic rom-com anymore!

The drama, titled ‘내 이름은 김삼순’ in Korean,  is an abridged adaptation of the Internet novel of the same name by Ji Soo-hyun, which is, considered to be somewhat similar to ‘Bridget Jones’ Diary’ (2001). Although, in my view, despite the similar themes, ‘My Name is Kim Sam-soon’ does feel like a completely different story.

Kim Sam-soon, portrayed by Kim Sun-Ah, is a slightly clumsy, fidgeting woman. She might seem like a pushover at times, but she is not spineless. Kim Sam-soon is well-aware of her rights and exercises her independence quite unapologetically. However, she navigates through a heartbreak (and joblessness) that keeps her a little vulnerable. And yet, she is a figure who can extend love in a way that is both kind and firm.

Enter, the dashing, uber-rich, and a too-complicated-to-deal-with Hyun Jin-heon, played by Hyun Bin, who sweeps into Kim Sam-soon’s life. Jin-heon may seem toxic, manipulative, and a shrewd businessman, but within him resides a man who learnt to bury his past hurt and vulnerabilities behind the façade of a brat. Another interesting layer to this couple is the fact that Sam-soon is older to Jin-heon by 3 years.

This k-drama feels like a breath of fresh air to me, considering that women are often required to be perfection personified; slim body, perfectly maintained relations, and a perfect job. This is a phenomenon not limited to South Korea. Women all over the world often face humongous pressure to have it all figured out, to have your life planned out and be successful in turning that plan into a reality. So many cultures around the world pressurize women into a ‘make the most of your youth’ mindset as though women retain no real value beyond a certain age. This is said best by Emma Watson in an interview:

What I appreciate about ‘My Name is Kim Sam-soon’ is that it pushes the viewer to reflect upon themes of society and women’s place in it. During the initial few episodes, I could relate to the character of Kim Sam-soon, who has her life in a mess, but still holds on to her personality and values. She does not come off as a fictional character, because we have all been there once or twice (or maybe more times). This relatability with Kim Sam-soon’s character and the realism of her situation is, in my opinion, what keeps the viewer hooked until the end.

Of course, as every lead pair would have it, Sam-soon and Jin-heon’s union is not without challenges. We see an interesting plot development

with the introduction of Jung Ryo-won’s character, Yoo Hee-jin. Hee-jin’s arrival in the story brings up much confusion for not only Sam-soon and Jin-heon, but for the viewer as well. Personally, I found myself questioning if Sam-soon was right in putting up a defence against Hee-jin, or whether Sam-soon was breaching the unwritten rules of ethics and kindness. But then she reminds us that maybe being kind and understanding should not be at the cost of foregoing our own well-being.

Every character in ‘My Name is Kim Sam-soon’ adds value to the show, and I don’t think I have come across any character that felt redundant. Special mention to Daniel Henney who debuted in the South Korean entertainment scene with his role as Dr. Henry Kim. His character is communicative, understanding, and patient, and comes across as a stark contrast to Jin-heon’s manipulative character. If I could visualize this on a spectrum, you’d have Dr. Henry Kim with all his green flags, and Jin-heon would be at the far-most opposite direction with all his red-flags, and this is something I would like to elaborate on.

For many, seeing a character like Jin-heon as the lead can be off-putting. Most of us who have watched a few K-dramas know how male leads tend to manhandle women (I mean the forceful hand grabs and the likes). Jin-heon goes a step forward and ruins quite a few things for Sam-soon, like her date with a guy who likes her for who she is (Jin-heon doesn’t want Sam-soon to see other men). I don’t know if the writers of the drama wanted Jin-heon’s misdoings to look like romance. But to continue watching the show, in order to not let my disapproval at Jin-heon take over, I had to rationalize his behaviours as reflective of his insecurities; Jin-heon felt close enough to Sam-soon to do the brat things he did, especially because his relationship with his own mother (played by Na Moon-hee) was not secure since she would manhandle him every chance she got. I know, this still doesn’t allow Jin-heon to treat another person the way he’s being treated, but that was the only rationale I could come up with to justify his behaviour.

So, when I compare Jin-heon with Dr. Henry, I couldn’t help but wish Sam-soon paired up with Henry instead, because he’s so unlike Jin-heon. I am glad Daniel Henney made Dr. Henry such a memorable character. He even won the ‘Best New Actor’ Award for his role at the MBC Drama Awards in 2005.

In fact, the k-drama raked up several awards following its release. It won the prestigious MAMA Award for ‘Best OST’ for its song ‘She Is’ by Clazziquai. At the MBC Drama Awards, the drama was nominated for 11 awards overall and won 8, including the Daesang (Grand Prize). Kim Sun-Ah was nominated for 7 awards across different award shows and won a whopping five of them (including the ‘Best Couple Award’ along with Hyun Bin). Moreover, the drama was aired in seven different countries, remade in two, and adapted as a stage play at Sangmyung Art Hall in Seoul. The series was a hit, both at home and across the world, helping it secure the ‘Best Miniseries’ Award at the 1^st Seoul International Drama Awards and the Daesang for TV at the Baeksang Arts Awards.

‘My Name is Kim Sam-soon’ is a must-watch for any k-drama lover, not only because it explores the theme of a woman in her 30s reclaiming her love life, but also because this series is among the earliest Noona Romance dramas, setting a precedent for other Noona Romance dramas that are to be released in the following years. It is also a part of early Hallyu, or the Korean Wave, making you feel as though you are experiencing a slice of history.

Be sure to check out ‘My Name is Kim Sam-soon’ / ‘My Lovely Sam-soon’ available on the following streaming sites:

• Amazon Prime
• Viki
• IFlix
• Apple TV
• Kocowa

Note: Access to some of these sites might be restricted in some locations.

You can also watch at the Internet Archive if the above sites do not work for you.

TRIVIA

• Kim Sun-Ah gained 8 Kgs for her role as Kim Sam-soon. During the filming of the last episode in Chongnam-dong, Seoul, Kim Sun-Ah was on the verge of fainting due to tight shooting schedules that allowed her sleep of only an hour a day for about three weeks. In an interview, Kim Sun-Ah credited the show’s success to the audience identifying themselves with Kim Sam-soon.
• Daniel Henney, who had previous experience as a Theatre artist, faced the camera for the very first time on the sets of My Name is Kim Sam-soon. To calm his nerves, he had to drink some beer. He did not know any Korean but still landed the role after assuring network executives that he is “not going to disappoint”. He recalls that when the show went on-air, after just about one minute of his on-screen time, he quickly gained fans with many attempting to call his manager.