''Life Is Beautiful'' () is a 2010 South Korean television series starring

Song Chang-eui Song Chang-eui (born January 24, 1979) is a South Korean actor. Though better known as a musical theatre actor, notably in '' Hedwig and the Angry Inch'' and ''Gwanghwamun Love Song'', Song has also starred in television dramas such as ''The Sc ...

Lee Sang-woo Lee Sang-woo (born February 13, 1980) is a South Korean actor. He rose to fame in the 2007 television drama ''First Wives' Club'', and has since played leading roles on '' The Road Home'' (2009), '' Don't Hesitate'' (2009), ''Life Is Beautiful' ...

Lee Sang-yoon Lee Sang-yoon (; born August 15, 1981) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his starring roles in ''My Daughter Seo-young'' (2012), '' Angel Eyes'' (2014), ''Liar Game'' (2014), ''On the Way to the Airport'' (2016), ''Whisper'' (2017), ...

and

Nam Sang-mi Nam Sang-mi (born May 3, 1984) is a South Korean actress. Career Nam Sang-mi was working in a Lotteria restaurant near Hanyang University in the fall of 2001 when someone posted her personal photos on the internet. Her popularity as an ulzzang ...

. It aired on SBS from March 20 to November 7, 2010 on Saturdays and Sundays at 21:45 for 63 episodes. Aside from scoring high ratings that were in the mid-twenty range during its run, the series is notable for its sensitive portrayal of a loving, openly gay couple in a

Korean drama Korean dramas (; RR: ''Han-guk deurama''), more popularly known as K-dramas, are television series in the Korean language, made in South Korea. They are popular worldwide, especially in Asia, partially due to the spread of Korean popular cultu ...

on primetime network television. Although the approach to homosexual themes is quite sympathetic, it has been argued that "major changes in the last episodes of 'Life is Beautiful' were made due to the strong opposition towards the issue," and that there are "no kissing scenes between the main actors in 'Life is Beautiful' in the midst of endless kissing scenes in other K-dramas that depict heterosexual couples."

Plot

Set in

Jeju Jeju may refer to: * Jeju Island (Jejudo), an island near South Korea * Jeju Province (formerly transliterated Cheju), a province of South Korea comprising Jejudo **Jeju City, the biggest city on Jejudo **Jeju dog, a dog native to Jejudo ** Jeju l ...

, the drama revolves around a loving, multi-generation family led by the parents Yang Byung-tae ( Kim Yeong-cheol) and Kim Min-jae (

Kim Hae-sook Kim Hae-sook (; born December 30, 1955) is a South Korean actress An actor or actress is a person who portrays a Character (arts), character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in ...

), and their four children Tae-sub (

), Ji-hye (Woo Hee-jin), Ho-sub (

) and Cho-rong (

Nam Gyu-ri Nam Gyu-ri (; born April 26, 1985) is a South Korean singer and actress. She was the leader of the Korean female trio SeeYa. In 2009, Nam Gyu-ri had a contract dispute with the group's management company and left the group. Lee, Mi-hye오락� ...

), as well as assorted grandparents and uncles. The story follows the family's everyday lives and conflicts, including oldest daughter Ji-hye's marital problems with her husband Soo-il (

Lee Min-woo Lee Min-woo (hangul: 이민우; born July 28, 1979), also known mononymously credited as M as a solo artist, is a South Korean entertainer, known as a member of the South Korean boy band Shinhwa. Lee was the first Shinhwa member to debut a ...

); younger son Ho-sub's pursuit of his mother's assistant, Yeon-joo (

); and oldest son Tae-sub's romantic pairing with divorced professor Kyung-soo (

), whose homosexual relationship their families react to while addressing issues of personal, social, and familial acceptance, leading to, finally, love and understanding.

Cast

;Yang family *

Kim Yong-rim Kim Yong-rim (born March 3, 1940) is a South Korean actress. Kim made her acting debut in 1961 and has since worked steadily in Korean dramas, notably ''Silver Grass'', for which she won the Grand Prize (Daesang) at the MBC Drama Awards The ...

as Byung-tae's mother *Choi Jung-hoon as Byung-tae's father * Kim Yeong-cheol as Yang Byung-tae *

as Kim Min-jae *

Kim Sang-joong Kim Sang-joong (born August 6, 1965) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for starring in the television dramas ''My Husband's Woman'' (2007), ''City Hunter'' (2011), and ''The Chaser'' (2012). He won the Grand Prize at the MBC Drama Award ...

as Yang Byung-joon *

Yoon Da-hoon Yoon Da-hoon (born Nam Kwang-woo on February 1, 1965) is a South Korean actor. He gained popularity with the sitcom ''Three Friends'' in 2000. Yoon has since starred in television dramas such as ''Guardian Angel'' (2001), ''Let's Get Married'' ( ...

as Yang Byung-kil *

as Yang Tae-sub *

as Yang Ho-sub *

as Yang Cho-rong ;Lee family *

as Lee Soo-il *

Woo Hee-jin Woo Hee-jin (born May 24, 1975) is a South Korean actress. Woo began modeling in commercials when she was in sixth grade, then made her acting debut in 1987. She became a household name when she starred in campus drama ''Feelings'' (1994), sitco ...

as Yang Ji-hye *

Jung Da-bin Jeong Da-bin (March 4, 1980 – February 10, 2007) was a South Korean actress. Best known for the popular television series ''Cats on the Roof'', she died through suicide in 2007 at the age of 26. Career Born Jeong Hye-seon in Seongnam, Gyeongg ...

as Lee Ji-na ;Park family *Lee Sang-hoon as Mr. Park * Jo Mi-ryung as Yang Soo-ja *

Kang Yi-seok Kang Yi-seok (born November 11, 1998) is a South Korean actor. Kang began his career as a child actor, and has starred in television series such as ''Mr. Goodbye'' (2006), ''First Wives' Club'' (2007), '' Five Fingers'' (2012) and ''Ugly Alert'' ...

as son ;Extended cast *

Jang Mi-hee Chang Mi-hee (born January 27, 1958) is a South Korean actress. She was born Lee Yun-hui in Seoul, South Korea in 1958. Chang debuted as an actress in 1976 as starring in ''Seong Chun-hyang jeon'' directed by Park Tae-won and TBC TV drama, ''Haen ...

as Jo Ah-ra *

as Boo Yeon-joo *

as Kim Kyung-soo *

Yoo Min Yuko Fueki (born June 21, 1979 in Tokyo) is a Japanese–Korean actress. She is most popular in South Korea, where she is known as Yoo Min. Fueki made her feature film debut in the 2001 film '' Hotaru'' (''Firefly'') and, in the same year, her ...

as Chae-young *Kim Woo-hyun as Hyun-jin *Lee Kyun as Dong-geun *

Bang Eun-hee Bang Eun-hee (born Bang Min-seo on May 7, 1967) is a South Korean actress. Bang made her acting debut in 1988, and rose to fame after being cast as the lead actress in Im Kwon-taek's ''General's Son'' (1990). She has starred in films and televis ...

as Jo Nam-shik *

Im Ye-jin Im Ye-jin (born Im Ki-hee on January 24, 1960) is a South Korean actress. As a teenage actress, she reached the peak of her popularity in the 1970s with the "Really Really" film trilogy, which include '' Never Forget Me'', '' I Am Really Sorry'' ...

as Ji-hye's aunt (cameo) *

Han Jin-hee Han Jin-hee (born March 14, 1949) is a South Korean actor. He made his acting debut in 1969 and has remained active in television and film. In 1990 he served as president of the TV Broadcasting Actors Association. Filmography Film *''My Littl ...

as Min-jae's ex-husband (cameo) *

Kim Jung-hwa Kim Jung-hwa (born September 9, 1983)is a South Korean actress. She rose to fame in the 2002 sitcom '' Nonstop 3'', and has since played leading roles in the television series ''Something About 1%'' (2003) and ''Snow White: Taste Sweet Love'' ( ...

as Woo Geum-ji (cameo)

Awards and nominations

Episode ratings

Source
TNS Media Korea

International broadcast

It aired on Japan's cable channel KNTV under the title ''Beautiful Life'', beginning February 24, 2011. It aired in Thailand on

True4U True4U is a Thai digital terrestrial television channel owned by True4U Station Company Limited, a subsidiary of True Corporation. It was broadcasting news, entertainment and sport programs. True4U is broadcasting on Thailand digital television pl ...

beginning November 18, 2015.

References

External links

* * * {{Works by Samhwa Networks 2010 South Korean television series debuts 2010 South Korean television series endings Seoul Broadcasting System television dramas Korean-language television shows South Korean LGBT-related television shows Television shows written by Kim Soo-hyun (writer) South Korean romance television series 2010s LGBT-related drama television series Television series by Samhwa Networks