''Beautiful Days'' () is a 2001
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
n television drama series starring
Lee Byung-hun
Lee Byung-hun (; born July 12, 1970) is a South Korean actor. He has received critical acclaim for his work in a wide range of genres, most notably ''Joint Security Area'' (2000); ''A Bittersweet Life'' (2005); ''The Good, the Bad, the Weird'' ...
,
Choi Ji-woo
Choi Ji-woo (born Choi Mi-hyang on June 11, 1975) is a South Korean actress. Considered one of South Korea's most beautiful women, she has received critical acclaim for her work in a wide range of melodramas, most notably '' Beautiful Days'' (2 ...
,
Ryu Si-won
Ryu Si-won (; born 6 October 1972) is a South Korean actor and singer. After he made his debut in the KBS drama ''Feeling'' in 1994, Ryu pursued a singing career. He was convicted of stalking his wife (now ex wife) in 2013.
Early life
Ryu was ...
and
Lee Jung-hyun
Lee Jung-hyun (born February 7, 1980), also known by her occasional stage name Ava, is a South Korean pop singer and actress. She was first recognized for her acting abilities with award-winning role in her first film and has been solidified as ...
. The drama is the first entry in director
Lee Jang-soo's ''Heaven Trilogy'' which includes ''
Stairways to Heaven'' in 2003 and ''
Tree of Heaven
''Ailanthus altissima'' , commonly known as tree of heaven, ailanthus, varnish tree, or in Chinese as ''chouchun'' (), is a deciduous tree in the family Simaroubaceae. It is native to northeast and central China, and Taiwan. Unlike other membe ...
'' in 2006. It aired on
SBS from March 14 to May 31, 2001 on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:55 for 24 episodes.
Synopsis
Similar to its
drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...
contemporaries, ''Beautiful Days'' involves conflicts in family relationships, as well as a love triangle.
Lee Min-chul (
Lee Byung-hun
Lee Byung-hun (; born July 12, 1970) is a South Korean actor. He has received critical acclaim for his work in a wide range of genres, most notably ''Joint Security Area'' (2000); ''A Bittersweet Life'' (2005); ''The Good, the Bad, the Weird'' ...
) returns from studying in the US, to take an active role in his father's prospering music business, Victory Records. It turns out that his father (
Lee Jung-gil
Lee Jung-gil (born October 1, 1944) is a South Korean actor. After making his acting debut in 1967 in the stage play ''Sakhalinsk's The Sky and the Earth'', Lee has had a prolific career in Korean television and film.
Filmography
Television ser ...
) was involved in unethical practices in the past, as well as the murder of the father of Min-chul's stepbrother, Sun-jae (
Ryu Si-won
Ryu Si-won (; born 6 October 1972) is a South Korean actor and singer. After he made his debut in the KBS drama ''Feeling'' in 1994, Ryu pursued a singing career. He was convicted of stalking his wife (now ex wife) in 2013.
Early life
Ryu was ...
).
Into the scene comes two girls from the orphanage, Yeon-soo (
Choi Ji-woo
Choi Ji-woo (born Choi Mi-hyang on June 11, 1975) is a South Korean actress. Considered one of South Korea's most beautiful women, she has received critical acclaim for her work in a wide range of melodramas, most notably '' Beautiful Days'' (2 ...
) and Se-na (
Lee Jung-hyun
Lee Jung-hyun (born February 7, 1980), also known by her occasional stage name Ava, is a South Korean pop singer and actress. She was first recognized for her acting abilities with award-winning role in her first film and has been solidified as ...
), who share a sisterly bond. Se-na gets inspired to become a pop star after a visit by the Victory Records boss on a charity event.
Years pass, and both girls arrive in Seoul to start their adult lives. However, they get separated. Yeon-soo finds a job working at Victory Records in hopes of one day meeting Se-na again and becomes involved in the lives of the stepbrothers, Min-chul and Sun-jae. Yeon-soo and Min-chul make a deal that they will help each other's siblings. Yeon-soo moves into Min-chul's family home as a tutor for his younger sister Min-ji (
Shin Min-a
Shin Min-a (; born 5 April 1984) is a South Korean model and actress best known for starring in television dramas ''A Love to Kill'' (2005), ''My Girlfriend Is a Nine-Tailed Fox'' (2010), ''Arang and the Magistrate'' (2012), ''Oh My Venus'' ...
), and Min-chul will help Se-na achieve her dream of becoming a singer. A complex drama unfolds, Min-chul and Sun-jae both fall for Yeon-soo. Yeon-soo chooses Min-chul, but their love is threatened by a terminal illness.
Cast
Main
*
Lee Byung-hun
Lee Byung-hun (; born July 12, 1970) is a South Korean actor. He has received critical acclaim for his work in a wide range of genres, most notably ''Joint Security Area'' (2000); ''A Bittersweet Life'' (2005); ''The Good, the Bad, the Weird'' ...
as Lee Min-chul
**
Baek Sung-hyun
Baek Sung-hyun (; born January 30, 1989) is a South Korean actor.
Career
Baek Sung-hyun made his acting debut in the 1994 film ''I Wish for What Is Forbidden to Me'' when he was five years old. The child actor practically grew up onscreen, pla ...
as young Lee Min-chul
*
Choi Ji-woo
Choi Ji-woo (born Choi Mi-hyang on June 11, 1975) is a South Korean actress. Considered one of South Korea's most beautiful women, she has received critical acclaim for her work in a wide range of melodramas, most notably '' Beautiful Days'' (2 ...
as Kim Yeon-soo
*
Ryu Si-won
Ryu Si-won (; born 6 October 1972) is a South Korean actor and singer. After he made his debut in the KBS drama ''Feeling'' in 1994, Ryu pursued a singing career. He was convicted of stalking his wife (now ex wife) in 2013.
Early life
Ryu was ...
as Lee Sun-jae - Min-chul's stepbrother
*
Lee Jung-hyun
Lee Jung-hyun (born February 7, 1980), also known by her occasional stage name Ava, is a South Korean pop singer and actress. She was first recognized for her acting abilities with award-winning role in her first film and has been solidified as ...
as Kim Se-na - Yeon-soo's sister
Supporting
*
Shin Min-a
Shin Min-a (; born 5 April 1984) is a South Korean model and actress best known for starring in television dramas ''A Love to Kill'' (2005), ''My Girlfriend Is a Nine-Tailed Fox'' (2010), ''Arang and the Magistrate'' (2012), ''Oh My Venus'' ...
as Lee Min-ji - Min-chul's sister
*
Lee Yoo-jin as Kang Na-rae - Yeon-soo's roommate and co-worker
*
Lee Jung-gil
Lee Jung-gil (born October 1, 1944) is a South Korean actor. After making his acting debut in 1967 in the stage play ''Sakhalinsk's The Sky and the Earth'', Lee has had a prolific career in Korean television and film.
Filmography
Television ser ...
as Lee Sung-chun - Min-chul's father
*
Lee Kyung-jin
Lee Kyung-jin is a South Korean actress. She is known for her roles in dramas such as '' Working Mom Parenting Daddy'', '' Joseon Survival Period'', '' Through the Waves'', ''Amor Fati'' and '' Three Bold Siblings''. She also appeared in movies ...
as Jung Myung-ja - Sun-jae's mother
* Ha Jae-young as Lee Young-jun - Sun-jae's father
* Lee Sang-woo as Oh Jung-hun - composer and Sun-jae's high school upperclassman
* Kim Dong-hyun as Min Kyu-suk - bodyguard/chauffeur
*
Lee Hwi-hyang
Lee Hwi-hyang (born October 1, 1960) is a South Korean actress. She joined the Miss MBC beauty pageant in 1981, and made her acting debut in 1982. Among Lee's notable television drama
In film and television show, television, drama is a c ...
as Yang Mi-mi / Yang Kyung-hee - singer
*
Lee Ae-jung
Lee may refer to:
Name
Given name
* Lee (given name), a given name in English
Surname
* Chinese surnames romanized as Li or Lee:
** Li (surname 李) or Lee (Hanzi ), a common Chinese surname
** Li (surname 利) or Lee (Hanzi ), a Chinese s ...
as Shin Jae-eun
* Kim Chung
*
Kil Yong-woo
Kil Yong-woo (born December 17, 1955) is a South Korean actor.
In 2010, he played one of the main characters in the stage adaptation of the bestselling novel '' Please Look After Mom''.
Filmography
Film
Television series
Web series
Var ...
* Yoon Gi-won
* Oh Seung-eun
* Kim Min-sang
*
Psy
Park Jae-sang (, ; born December 31, 1977), known professionally as Psy (stylized in all caps as PSY) (; ; ), is a South Korean singer, rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Psy is known domestically for his humorous videos and stage perf ...
as himself (cameo, ep. 15)
Production
Filming locations
Many of the scenes were filmed on location in
Seoul
Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 ...
:
* The streets and area around
Sinchon-dong and
Ewha Womans University
Ewha Womans University () is a private women's university in Seoul founded in 1886 by Mary F. Scranton under Emperor Gojong. It was the first university founded in South Korea. Currently, Ewha is one of the world's largest female educational ins ...
.
* Synnara Record (formerly
Tower Records
Tower Records is an international retail franchise and online music store that was formerly based in Sacramento, California, United States. From 1960 until 2006, Tower operated retail stores in the United States, which closed when Tower Records ...
) in
Changcheon-dong
Changcheon-dong is a '' dong'', neighbourhood of Seodaemun-gu in Seoul, South Korea. The sole Mormon Temple in South Korea is located here.
The Synnara Record Shop in Changcheon was used as one of the main filming locations for Seoul Broadcasti ...
, near
Sinchon Station, was used as "Victory Records."
* Café Pascucci in
Apgujeong-dong
Apgujeong-dong (; ) is a ward of Gangnam-gu in Seoul, South Korea. It is considered one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in South Korea. It was reported that housing price of Apgujeong-dong is approximately US$28,300 per one square meter bKorea M ...
was used as the office of "Muse Records" and venue where characters meet and talk.
Ending
The original script had intended that the character of Yeon-soo would die, but in response to a flood of protest letters from anguished viewers, the drama lets her live. Sena went on to succeed as a singer.
Soundtrack
# 그때까지 안녕 - Zero
# 약속 - Zero
# Heaven -
Lee Jung-hyun
Lee Jung-hyun (born February 7, 1980), also known by her occasional stage name Ava, is a South Korean pop singer and actress. She was first recognized for her acting abilities with award-winning role in her first film and has been solidified as ...
# 약속 -
Ryu Si-won
Ryu Si-won (; born 6 October 1972) is a South Korean actor and singer. After he made his debut in the KBS drama ''Feeling'' in 1994, Ryu pursued a singing career. He was convicted of stalking his wife (now ex wife) in 2013.
Early life
Ryu was ...
# 그대뒤에서 - Zero
# For You - Zero
# 그때까지 안녕 -
Ryu Si-won
Ryu Si-won (; born 6 October 1972) is a South Korean actor and singer. After he made his debut in the KBS drama ''Feeling'' in 1994, Ryu pursued a singing career. He was convicted of stalking his wife (now ex wife) in 2013.
Early life
Ryu was ...
# 언제나 오늘 처럼 - Various Artists
# 꿈 -
Lee Jung-hyun
Lee Jung-hyun (born February 7, 1980), also known by her occasional stage name Ava, is a South Korean pop singer and actress. She was first recognized for her acting abilities with award-winning role in her first film and has been solidified as ...
# Missing You -
Ryu Si-won
Ryu Si-won (; born 6 October 1972) is a South Korean actor and singer. After he made his debut in the KBS drama ''Feeling'' in 1994, Ryu pursued a singing career. He was convicted of stalking his wife (now ex wife) in 2013.
Early life
Ryu was ...
# Please
# 상처 -
Ryu Si-won
Ryu Si-won (; born 6 October 1972) is a South Korean actor and singer. After he made his debut in the KBS drama ''Feeling'' in 1994, Ryu pursued a singing career. He was convicted of stalking his wife (now ex wife) in 2013.
Early life
Ryu was ...
# 너만을 위해
# 부탁 - Zero
# Heaven (Music Video) -
Lee Jung-hyun
Lee Jung-hyun (born February 7, 1980), also known by her occasional stage name Ava, is a South Korean pop singer and actress. She was first recognized for her acting abilities with award-winning role in her first film and has been solidified as ...
International broadcast
The series aired in Japan on
NHK
, also known as NHK, is a Japanese public broadcaster. NHK, which has always been known by this romanized initialism in Japanese, is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee.
NHK operates two terrestr ...
in October 2004; it was popular and well received by Japanese viewers.
In Thailand first aired on
Channel 3 every Fridays and Saturdays at 10:30 p.m., starting from January 6 to March 30, 2007.
Remake
An Indonesian
remake
A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same ...
was titled ''Cincin''.
References
External links
''Beautiful Days'' official SBS website
*
{{Works by Kim Jong-hak Production
2001 South Korean television series debuts
2001 South Korean television series endings
Seoul Broadcasting System television dramas
Korean-language television shows
South Korean romance television series
South Korean melodrama television series
Television series by Kim Jong-hak Production