''Dear Heaven'' () is a South Korean television series starring Yoon Jung-hee, Lee Tae-gon,

Cho Yeon-woo Cho Yeon-woo (born Cho Jong-wook on May 30, 1971) is a South Korean actor. Cho made his acting debut in 2003, and his notable television dramas include ''Dear Heaven'' (2005), ''The Invisible Man'' (2006), ''What's Up Fox ''What's Up Fox'' ...

, Lee Soo-kyung, and

Wang Bit-na Wang Bit-na (born April 15, 1981) is a South Korean actress. She is best known for playing Bu-yong in the popular historical drama ''Hwang Jini''. Filmography Television series Film Awards * 2018 Korea Drama Awards: Top Excellence Award, A ...

. It aired on

SBS TV SBS may refer to: Broadcasting * SBS Broadcasting Group, Belgium, formerly many countries * Talpa TV, formerly SBS Broadcasting B.V., Netherlands ** SBS6, Dutch television channel ** SBS9, Dutch television channel * Special Broadcasting Service ...

from September 10, 2005 to July 2, 2006 on Saturdays and Sundays at 20:45 for 85 episodes. According to AGB Nielsen Media Research, it was the 5th highest rated TV program in Korea for the year 2006, with an average rating of 28.3%, and a peak rating of 44.5%. The popular

soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...

invited both criticism and high ratings for its provocative plot. The story revolved around a middle-aged woman who introduces her handsome news anchor stepson to her abandoned daughter, who had led a miserable life because of a cruel stepmother. It triggered controversy when the woman was revealed as the girl's biological mother. Viewers were divided on whether it was "immoral" and "incestuous" or a fresh take on relationship dramas, but director Lee Young-hee insisted that the show's theme was "deep maternal love, with a mother reclaiming her own daughter as a daughter-in-law in order to atone for having abandoned her as a baby."

Plot

When she was very young, Ji Young-sun (

Han Hye-sook Han Hye-sook (born August 20, 1951) is a South Korean actress. Han won the Grand Prize in the controversial but highly rated television drama ''Dear Heaven'' at the SBS Drama Awards The SBS Drama Awards (), also known as SBS Awards Festival, ...

) gave away her baby Lee Ja-kyung after giving birth to her. She later remarries and creates a new family, but soon after, her husband dies, leaving her behind with her stepson Gu Wang-mo ( Lee Tae-gon), and her daughter Gu Seul-ah ( Lee Soo-kyung). Now grown and a makeup artist, Lee Ja-kyung ( Yoon Jung-hee) finds herself adrift with loneliness since her foster parents died when she was a child. She fell in love with her step-uncle but his family shuns her, dashing away any hopes of being with him. Deciding to focus on her career and find a new love, she meets Wang-mo, a TV news anchor. Young-sun has been searching for the daughter whom she had abandoned in her youth. As if guided by the hand of fate, she discovers that Ja-kyung is already going out with Young-sun's own stepson, Wang-mo. In order to keep her secret daughter by her side, Young-sun does everything in her power to marry Ja-kyung to Wang-mo, and eventually succeeds. The two women form a curious double relationship, as at once mother/daughter and mother-in-law/daughter-in-law.

Cast

* Yoon Jung-hee as Lee Ja-kyung * Lee Tae-gon as Gu Wang-mo ;Gu family *

as Ji Young-sun * Lee Soo-kyung as Gu Seul-ah *

Jung Hye-sun Jung Hye-sun (born Jung Young-ja; February 21, 1942) is a South Korean actress. Jung made her entertainment debut as a voice actress with the KBS Daejeon Daejeon () is South Korea's fifth-largest metropolis, with a population of 1.5 m ...

as Hwang Maria (paternal grandmother) ;Kang family *

as Kang Ye-ri (TV news anchor) *

Kang Ji-sub Kang Ji-sub (born Kim Young-sub on February 6, 1981) is a South Korean actor. He began acting in 2005 in ''Dear Heaven'', and went on to star in television melodramas such as '' Two Wives'' (2009), ''The Empress'' (2011), and '' Two Women's Room' ...

as Kang Yi-ri (brother) *Hyun Suk as Kang Dong-choon (father) *

Lee Bo-hee Lee Bo-hee (born 25 May 1959) is a South Korean actress. Lee won a number of awards for her film roles in the 1980s, including Best New Actress for ''The Green Pine Tree'' at the 22nd Grand Bell Awards, Best Actress for '' Eoudong'' at the 22nd ...

as Kim Mi-hyang (mother) *

Park Hae-mi Park Hae-Mi (born January 28, 1964) is a South Korean actress. She is best known as a musical theatre actress, starring in stage productions of '' Mamma Mia!'', '' 42nd Street'', and ''Really Really Like You''. Park rose to mainstream popularit ...

as Kim Bae-deuk (aunt, Mi-hyang's sister) ;Lee family *

Im Chae-moo Im Chae-moo (born September 2, 1949) is a South Korean actor. Filmography Television series Film Variety show Awards and nominations References External links * * * 1949 births Living people South Korean male film actors ...

as Lee Hong-pa (Young-sun's first love) *

Ban Hyo-jung Ban Hyo-jung (born Ban Man-hee on November 27, 1942) is a South Korean actress. She made her acting debut in 1964 with a bit part in Shin Sang-ok's film ''Rice'', and went on to a prolific career in television drama In film and television ...

as Mo Ran-shil (Hong-pa's mother) * Kim Young-ran as Bong Eun-ji (Hong-pa's wife) ;Extended cast *

as Kim Cheong-ha (movie star) *Geum Dan-bi as Mun-ok (Ja-kyung's friend) *Lee Sook as Bae-deuk's friend *Lee Dae-ro as Bae-deuk's dancing partner

Awards

2005

SBS Drama Awards The SBS Drama Awards (), also known as SBS Awards Festival, is an awards ceremony presented annually by Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS) for outstanding achievements in Korean dramas aired on its network. It is held annually on December 31. The hi ...

*New Star Award:

*New Star Award: Lee Tae-gon *New Star Award: Yoon Jung-hee 2006

*Grand Prize (Daesang):

*Top 10 Stars: Han Hye-sook

References

External links

* *{{hancinema drama, Love_in_Heaven, Dear Heaven Seoul Broadcasting System television dramas 2005 South Korean television series debuts 2006 South Korean television series endings Korean-language television shows South Korean romance television series South Korean melodrama television series