My Name is Kim Sam Soon

This year’s biggest hit TV drama, “My Lovely Samsoon,’’ airing on Wednesdays and Thursdays, came to an end Thursday, surpassing 50 percent of the total viewer ratings. According to TNS Media Korea, the last episode of the MBC drama recorded a 50.5 percent viewer rating on a national basis. It reached 53.4 percent in metropolitan areas.

There have only been five drama series with viewer ratings above 50 percent since 2000.

The drama ended with a happy and yet realistic ending. Sam-soon (Kim Son-a) and Jin-hon (Hyun bin) get back together despite opposition from Jin-hon’s mother.

(more…)

The actress who plays saucy Kim Sam Soon, Korean version of Bridget Jones - Kim Sun-ah, well-known for previous comedic roles, who gained 15 pounds for the part - sees the show as a beacon of hope for mature women who sympathize with their earthy heroine.

“I don’t consider myself or Sam-soon an old maid,” she said in a recent interview with film magazine Cine 21. “It’s society that casts them that way.”

Source: Arizona Daily Star 13th July 2005.

In an instance of what corporate gurus like to call synergy, the MBC hit drama “My Name Is Kim Sam-soon” has given a new lease of life to a children’s book by the late German author Michael Ende. “Momo”, by the bestselling author of “The Neverending Story”, is Sam-soon’s favorite book in the ratings-buster and has given rise both to skyrocketing sales for the three-decades-old fantasy tale and mounting interest in the writer.

Influenced by his father, a surrealist painter, Michael Ende (1929-1995) wrote a variety of novels of a mostly fantastic bend as well as plays and poems. His books were translated into more than 40 languages and shifted 20 million copies throughout the world. “Momo,” the story of a little girl battling the “grey men” in their campaign to steal Time, is recording fresh sales of 300,000 copies since “My Name Is Kim Sam-soon” was aired.

(more…)

Kim Sun Ah (김선아) and Hyun Bin (현빈) will lead the Wednesday-Thursday drama “My Name is Kim Sam Soon (내이름은 김삼순)” scheduled to be aired by MBC in May. Kim Sun Ah plays 29-year-old Kim Sam Soon and Hyun Bin plays 27-year-old Hyun Jin Hun (현진헌) who is a young entrepreneur. The script writer is Kim Do Woo (김도우) whose previous works is “Snowman”. KSA is selected because she matches the cheerful personality of Kim Sam Soon. This is her comeback to TV drama since her last drama “Golden Time” aired in 2001. Her new movie “Stakeout (잠복근무)” will be debuted on 3/17.

Reported on 6th February 2005.

Episode 1:
Seoul - 19.2%
Nationwide - 18.3%

Episode 2:
Seoul - 23.1%
Nationwide - 21.3%

Episode 3:
Seoul - 29.6%
Nationwide - 27.8%

Episode 4:
Seoul - 30.8%
Nationwide - 32.7%

Episode 5:
Seoul - 38.9%
Nationwide - 35.4%

Episode 6:
Seoul - 38.2%
Nationwide - 35.1%

Episode 7:
Seoul - 38.0%
Nationwide - 35.6%

Episode 8:
Seoul - 39.8%
Nationwide - 37.7%

Episode 9:
Seoul - 43.8%
Nationwide - 40.7%

Episode 10:
Seoul - 43.5%
Nationwide - 41.7%

Episode 11:
Seoul - 46.2%
Nationwide - 44.2%

Episode 12:
Seoul - 46.5%
Nationwide - 44.6%

Episode 13:
Seoul - 46.9%
Nationwide - 44.7%

Episode 14:
Seoul - 46.9%
Nationwide - 44.1%

Episode 15:
Seoul - 50.2%
Nationwide - 47.5%

Episode 16 (Last Episode):
Seoul - 53.4%
Nationwide - 50.5%