Beautiful Days (TV series)

Synopsis

Similar to its drama contemporaries, Beautiful Days involves conflicts in family relationships, as well as a love triangle.

Lee Min-chul (Lee Byung-hun) 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) was involved in unethical practices in the past, as well as in the murder of the father of Min-chul's stepbrother, Sun-jae (Ryu Si-won).

Into the scene comes two girls from an orphanage, Yeon-soo (Choi Ji-woo) and Se-na (Lee Jung-hyun), 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), and Min-chul will help Se-na achieve her dream of becoming a singer. A complex drama unfolds when 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 as Lee Min-chul
  • Baek Sung-hyun as young Lee Min-chul
• Choi Ji-woo as Kim Yeon-soo
• Ryu Si-won as Lee Sun-jae - Min-chul's stepbrother
• Lee Jung-hyun as Kim Se-na - Yeon-soo's sister

Supporting

• Shin Min-a 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 as Lee Sung-chun - Min-chul's father
• Lee Kyung-jin 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 as Yang Mi-mi / Yang Kyung-hee - singer
• Lee Ae-jung as Shin Jae-eun
• Kim Chung
• Kil Yong-woo
• Yoon Gi-won
• Oh Seung-eun
• Kim Min-sang
• Psy as himself (cameo, ep. 15)

Production

Filming locations

Many of the scenes were filmed on location in Seoul:

• The streets and area around Sinchon-dong and Ewha Womans University.
• Synnara Record (formerly Tower Records) in Changcheon-dong, near Sinchon Station, was used as "Victory Records."
• Café Pascucci in Apgujeong-dong 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

1. 그때까지 안녕 - Zero
2. 약속 - Zero
3. Heaven - Lee Jung-hyun
4. 약속 - Ryu Si-won
5. 그대뒤에서 - Zero
6. For You - Zero
7. 그때까지 안녕 - Ryu Si-won
8. 언제나 오늘 처럼 - Various Artists
9. 꿈 - Lee Jung-hyun
10. Missing You - Ryu Si-won
11. Please
12. 상처 - Ryu Si-won
13. 너만을 위해
14. 부탁 - Zero
15. Heaven (Music Video) - Lee Jung-hyun

International broadcast

The series aired in Japan on NHK 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. In Vietnam, the series aired on the channel VTV3 in November 2003.

Remake

An Indonesian remake was titled Cincin.

References

References

1. "Beautiful Days". [[Korea Tourism Organization]].
2. "Beautiful Days OST". [[YesAsia]].
3. (6 May 2005). "''Hallyu'' stars Lee and Choi greet Japanese fans". [[The Korea Times]] via [[Hancinema]].
4. (25 August 2005). "Ryoo Shi-won invites 800 fans to press conference in Japan". KBS Global.
5. link. [[Channel 3 (Thailand). Channel 3]]. (18 October 2015)
6. (2003-11-08). "Bộ phim Hàn Quốc "Những ngày tươi đẹp" bắt đầu ra mắt".