My Name is Kim Sam Soon

Isn’t it ironic that Philippine primetime television is ruled by drama series from Korea? But, that’s what it is these days.

Korea’s no. 1 TV drama for 2005 is now in GMA Network’s most popular primetime fare. It premiered on Feb. 13 and after close to eight weeks, My Name is Kim Sam Soon has won the hearts of female viewers all over the country as it speaks of women empowerment and proves that being plain doesn’t necessarily mean ugly.

Primetime on GMA-7 is capped by back-to-back Koreanovelas, with My Name is Kim Sam Soon airing after Encantadia and followed by the no. 1 Korean drama in 2004, Jewel in the Palace.

My Name is Kim Sam Soon is a charming romantic comedy. The heroine is neither sexy nor sophisticated; she is an old maid in Korean culture. Kim Sam Soon (played by Kim Sun Ah, who purposefully had to gain weight for the role) is actually referred to as the “Bridget Jones” of Korea (with the wild imagination of Ally McBeal).

Kim Sam Soon breaks the stereotype of a romantic hearoine—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 to Cyrus (Hyun Bin), the guy who owns a French restaurant where Sam Soon works as a pastry chef.

The series spawned the “Sam Soon Syndrome” in Korea where women began to feel more empowered. It served as a reality check. A woman need not be slim and gorgeous to snag the rich, handsome guy next door. In reality, there really are more ordinary-looking women than the romanticized rich and pretty girls.

This unique romantic comedy begins one Christmas Eve when Kim Sam Soon was dumped by her boyfriend. 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.

When Cyrus asks her to pose as his girlfriend. She agrees since she desperately needed the money to change her name. 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 back from Los Angeles.

I have been hooked to My Name is Kim Sam Soon since it premiered on GMA-7. While Jewel in the Palace seems like an epic and therefore interesting, what I found charming in Kim Sam Soon is the naturalistic approach to the story. In the original Korean version, Sam Soon narrates her story and how she fell in and out of love with Cyrus.

Sam Milby wants to be complete

It takes a certain kind of celebrity to effectively endorse products or services in mass media. Consider the names of Aga Muhlach, Dolphy, Sharon Cuneta, Vilma Santos—all are popular and successful to lend some credibility to the goods they push, and translate into increased sales.

Despite the staggering amount of talent fees, advertising agencies of big-budget accounts literally form a beeline to get the nod of such endorsers. One of the most sought-after faces today is Sam Milby, whose entry to showbiz is as sweet and as golden as honey.

In an interview, Sam Milby admitted dreaming in his early teens of making it to the Hollywood. “If you’re in Hollywood, you’re everywhere. It would be very inspiring to know if a Filipino would make it big there, that would give hope,” he said. Despite his fast-climbing career in the local scene, Sam disclosed he still needs to work on his tagalog though. “I’m in this business so I need to learn the language for me to understand everyone and get myself involved in the discussion,” added Sam who did a couple of modeling jobs before he auditioned for ABS-CBN’s Pinoy Big Brother which paved the way for his rise to stardom.

To say that Sam is not only one of the freshest face to hit the screen, but one of the most talented celebrities, too, is not an overstatement.

The Centrum commercial features himself—not Sam Milby “the actor/singer,” but Sam Milby “the person.”

“I’m an everything person, I don’t know, I just want everything. I want to have kids, but not now. I want to be a professional motocross racer. I always wanted to go to Europe…” revealed Sam who believes that being complete means enjoying life to the fullest.

While Sam looks forward to reach his various goals, he feels blessed for all the blessings that he enjoys at present. His presence in the industry is well-felt. He has written two songs “Magmahal Muli” and “Falling In Love.” His success has given him a new perspective, a heightened sense of what his career means—not a mere job but a mission.

“I’m doing something that I like. And it’s a dream come true. Being in this business has been my dream,” he reiterated.

What makes Sam Milby tick as an actor-cum-singer? People think that it is his “clean and wholesome image, on and off the screen.” If a celebrity largely influences the public, it’s because that celebrity is a role model.

“I want to be known as someone who makes people happy. Someone who cares, someone who makes a difference,” he added. Sam believes that each he has a role to play, and whatever it is, “you have to do your best.” He envisions helping kids who are hopeless. “I want to do charity work. I really want to get involved to be a good example to the youth.”

Centrum, the multivitamin that’s complete from A to Zinc, has seen Sam’s drive to see the world and sincerity to reach out to others. The brand, through Sam hopes to inspire the youth, and all the dreamers in us, to keep on aiming high and “be complete.”

“I want to last. I wanna be someone that stays. Twenty five years down the road, I just want to get better and better,” concluded Sam.

Source: Manila Standard Today 12 Apr 2006