My Name is Kim Sam Soon

THIS year, it’s cool to be ordinary and plain, as the Korean series that dared to defy all conventions and still became Korea’s No. 1 TV drama for 2005 is now in GMA Network!

Beginning February 13, My Name is Kim Sam Soon will soon be winning the hearts of female viewers all over the country as it speaks of women empowerment and proves that being plain is indeed beautiful.

Primetime Asianovela viewing will never be the same again, as My Name is Kim Sam Soon joins the No. 1 Drama of Korea for 2004, the top-rating Jewel in the Palace, in the Network’s leading primetime block.

The series also did phenomenally well in the ratings in Korea, as it was the only series which earned over 50 percent viewership ratings for 2005.

It’s Korean dramedy like no one has ever seen before: The heroine is neither sexy nor sophisticated. She is even considered an old maid and she is rather common-looking — yet female viewers, particularly single women in their 20s and 30s, would definitely identify with and love Kim Sam Soon (played by Kim Sun Ah, who purposefully had to gain weight for the role).

Known as the “Bridget Jones” of Korea (with the wild imagination of Ally McBeal), Kim Sam Soon breaks the typical female stereotype — she is chubby, unglamorous, tactless, vulgar, and can speak her mind.

She hates her name and wants to legally change it to Hanna. In spite of all this, her being honest, wonderful, and endearing makes her attractive.

In fact, this funny series spawned the “Sam Soon Syndrome” in Korea: women began to feel more empowered.

The series served as a reality check that a woman need not be slim and gorgeous to snag the rich, handsome guy next door, for in reality, there really are more ordinary-looking and working class women than the archetypal rich and pretty girls.

This unique romantic comedy begins one Christmas Eve when her boyfriend dumped Kim Sam Soon. She gets so depressed about it that she absent-mindedly goes into the men’s room. This is where she first encounters the rich and handsome Cyrus (Hyun Bin), a restaurant owner, who then insults her.

Later, she goes job-hunting because she lost her job when she left her post to go to her boyfriend on Christmas Eve. That initiates another not-so-pleasant encounter with Cyrus.

She slams a cake on his face because she was still upset from the humiliation she received when he cut a lock of her hair after it got tangled around his jacket button.

It proves to be a good thing as he then hires her as a pastry chef for his restaurant.

Then Cyrus asks her to pose as his girlfriend. She agrees since she desperately needed the money he would lend her for that task.

Yet she soon discovers that she can’t help but fall truly in love with him. And just when it seems Cyrus is starting to care about her, Hanna (Jung Ryeo Won) comes along.

My Name is Kim Sam Soon certainly is not one’s typical Korean series, but it would still certainly make viewers swoon, for the romance is closer to one’s own experiences.

Jolina Magdangal’s latest single, “Maybe It’s You” off her latest album with GMA Records, would provide the perfect background for this lighthearted love story.

As an added treat, viewers would also have the chance to win cash prizes weekly through the texting promo.

To join, just text KSS ON to 4627 for Smart and 2364 for Globe, Sun, and Touch Mobile subscribers. My Name is Kim Sam Soon airs weeknights beginning February 13 on GMA Telebabad.

Source: Sun Star Davao 6 Feb 2006