*** CONTAINS SPOILERS *** What a surprise to come across a Korean melodrama that is so heart-warming and a female character that is as endearing and lovable as Kim Sam Soon. Although by no means fat, ugly or plain by American standards (what kinds of insane standards of beauty are Korean women living by?!?), Sam Soon is not particularly striking and sits on the low end of the totem pole in relation to the hordes of pretty, skinny young things that surround her in the drama. Many of Sam Soon's problems are universal ones that women face, such as poor self-image, lack of confidence, unfaithful boyfriends, and a gnawing fear of one's biological clock ticking away. How she triumphs is through determination and a recognition that she can make it on her own, boyfriend or no boyfriend (this is evidenced in her decision to open up her own pastry shop with her sister later in the story).
The script is well-paced and well-written with clever dialogue (some in Korean that unfortunately fly past those of us who don't speak the language) and even more clever scenarios that I promise will have you rolling around laughing. Sam Soon's character is no dainty princess; like a bull in a china shop, she bowls over anyone--man or woman--that stands in her path. She triumphs over prettier and younger women not by wits or a makeover, but by mostly by brute strength.
I can't help feeling uneasy about how Sam Soon and other female characters are too much at the mercy of their men. When Sam Soon's love interest tries to seduce her, conveniently "forgetting" that he is already in a committed relationship, Sam Soon's reason for refusing him is that she wanted to lose 10 - 20 lbs first. Perhaps this was a superficial explanation obscuring the complex undercurrent of meanings that flows through their conversations (ie, the real reason is not her weight but the fact that he is already in a relationship but she doesn't want to confront him about it). However, if Sam Soon's comment was meant literally, then I am frustrated by the writer's decision to present such a flaccid model of womanhood.
Overall, this melodrama is very entertaining, well-acted, has great dialogue, and funny scenes that translate well across cultures. You can watch a grainy, low-res version of the entire series at YouTube.com by typing in "My Name is Kim Sam Soon eps 1".
The script is well-paced and well-written with clever dialogue (some in Korean that unfortunately fly past those of us who don't speak the language) and even more clever scenarios that I promise will have you rolling around laughing. Sam Soon's character is no dainty princess; like a bull in a china shop, she bowls over anyone--man or woman--that stands in her path. She triumphs over prettier and younger women not by wits or a makeover, but by mostly by brute strength.
I can't help feeling uneasy about how Sam Soon and other female characters are too much at the mercy of their men. When Sam Soon's love interest tries to seduce her, conveniently "forgetting" that he is already in a committed relationship, Sam Soon's reason for refusing him is that she wanted to lose 10 - 20 lbs first. Perhaps this was a superficial explanation obscuring the complex undercurrent of meanings that flows through their conversations (ie, the real reason is not her weight but the fact that he is already in a relationship but she doesn't want to confront him about it). However, if Sam Soon's comment was meant literally, then I am frustrated by the writer's decision to present such a flaccid model of womanhood.
Overall, this melodrama is very entertaining, well-acted, has great dialogue, and funny scenes that translate well across cultures. You can watch a grainy, low-res version of the entire series at YouTube.com by typing in "My Name is Kim Sam Soon eps 1".