Alone in Love () is a 2006 South Korean television series starring Kam Woo-sung, Son Ye-jin, Gong Hyung-jin, and Lee Ha-na. It is based on the Japanese novel by Hisashi Nozawa, which was published in 1996 and won the 4th Shimase Literary Prize for Romance in 1997, and tells the story of two ordinary people, as they come to terms with their relationship. The series aired on SBS from April 3 to May 23, 2006, on Mondays and Tuesdays at 21:55 (KST) for 16 episodes.
The series won critical acclaim for its subtle and realistic portrayal of love, marriage and divorce.
Synopsis Yoo Eun-ho (Son Ye-jin) and Lee Dong-jin (Kam Woo-sung) meet one day at the bookstore where Dong-jin works, and are immediately drawn to each other. They fall in love after subsequent meetings, and eventually marry. Two years later, they divorce.
Dong-jin still works at the bookstore, while Eun-ho works at a fitness club. A year and a half after their divorce, the two still meet in their favorite bakery for breakfasts, quarrel over trivial things like a married couple, and eat dinner on their wedding anniversary with a free meal coupon provided by the hotel where they got married. The narrative is punctuated by either character's internal monologue on their past and current relationships, as new love interests enter their lives.
All of this makes them wonder whether these lingering feelings are love, although both are too afraid to start over, and even more afraid to end the relationship completely. With neither brave enough to confront each other about the misunderstanding on the day Eun-ho had a stillborn baby, they are unable to move on.
Cast Actor Character Description Kam Woo-sung Lee Dong-jin 33 years old, born in Seoul. He has a laid back personality, and has loved books since he was a child. He works in a major bookstore located in the commercial district. Cool-headed and decisive in his professional life, Dong-jin is indecisive when it comes to his love life. He falls in love with Eun-ho, a customer in his bookstore, and succeeds in winning her heart, but their marriage does not last. Son Ye-jin Yoo Eun-ho 29 years old, born in Busan. Eun-ho is a retired swimmer who won national competitions in her prime years as an athlete. She now works as a swimming instructor at a sports center. Outgoing and tomboyish on the outside, she has a feminine sentimentality and a soft heart on the inside. She doesn't like to express her feelings, but is very stubborn once she has made a decision. Gong Hyung-jin Gong Jun-pyo 33 years old. A gynecologist in a university hospital, Jun-pyo has been Dong-jin's best friend since elementary school. When Eun-ho was pregnant, he was her gynecologist. He is the only person who knows why the two got divorced. After a traumatic experience, Jun-pyo faints every time one of his patients is giving birth. Lee Ha-na Yoo Ji-ho 24 years old. Eun-ho's younger sister. Like Eun-ho, Ji-ho headed to college in Seoul and is now a senior. She has already given up hope of getting a good job because of the high unemployment rate. She has an odd and "alien-like" personality, and plots with Jun-pyo to get her sister back together with Dong-jin. Moon Jeong-hee Jung Yoo-kyung She is a chef, specializing in traditional Korean food. She was Dong-jin's first love in middle school, and after they reconnect years later, they fall for each other and get married. Oh Yoon-ah Kim Mi-yeon 29 years old. She is an old friend of Eun-ho's, and has a daughter from a previous marriage. Though attractive, her brittle-like cheerfulness masks an insecurity caused by her divorce. Lee Jin-wook Min Hyun-joong 26 years old. Eun-ho's charming stalker is secretly a second-generation chaebol, but decided to turn his back on his father's money. Jung Yoon-soo 38 years old. He is a psychology professor and is taking swimming lessons from Eun-ho to overcome his extreme aquaphobia. Kind and gentle, he gathers the courage one day to ask Eun-ho out. Go Hye-young Choi Young-in Elegant and rich, she and Yoon-soo have a troubled marriage and are currently separated. Jin Ji-hee Cho Eun-sol 7 years old. Mi-yeon's daughter. Too solemn and precocious for her age, she unexpectedly bonds with Dong-jin while he's dating her mom. Ha Jae-sook Na Yoo-ri 28 years old. She is a pro wrestler and one of Eun-ho's close friends. They often have dinner at a local restaurant where the barman never talks. Kim Kap-soo Yoo Ki-young Eun-ho and Ji-ho's widowed father. He is a pastor and a talk radio host. Eun-ho often calls in anonymously on his show to ask for advice. Gi Ju-bong Lee Dae-hoon Dong-jin's father.
Production The Korean adaptation was written by Park Yeon-seon (screenwriter for My Tutor Friend and Too Beautiful to Lie). This is the first TV series directed by film director Han Ji-seung (who won a Grand Bell award in 2001 for A Day).
Filming locations Most of the filming locations were in Bundang District, Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. Eun-ho and Ji-ho's house is in Bundang-dong near St. John's Cathedral. Dong-jin's house is the Ewha Villa. The Dunkin' Donuts branch that Dong-jin and Eun-ho frequent is in Jeongja-dong. The hospital where Jun-pyo works is Bundang Jesaeng Hospital near Seohyeon Station. Eun-ho's everyday bike route is along Tancheon Bicycle Road in Imae-dong.
The bookstore where Dong-jin works is the Kyobo Bookstore near Gangnam station. The fitness club where Eun-ho works is the Suwon World Cup Sports Center, behind the Suwon World Cup Stadium. The beach where Dong-jin proposes to Eun-ho is in Jeongdongjin. The Grand Hyatt Seoul is where they have their faux anniversary dinner. Dong-jin's wedding to Yoo-kyung takes place on the Hanriver Land Ferry.
Soundtrack Album informationTrack listingAlone in Love OST Released: May 8, 2006 Label: EMI Music Korea Ltd. Composer: Noh Young-shim
Album informationTrack listingAlone in Love Special 2CD OST Released: October 11, 2006 Label: LOEN Entertainment Composers: Noh Young-shim, Lee Moon-se CD1Alone in Love Special 2CD OST Released: October 11, 2006 Label: LOEN Entertainment Composers: Yoon Jong-shin, Jung Won-young CD2
Ratings In this table, represent the lowest ratings and represent the highest ratings.
Original broadcast date Average audience share Nationwide Seoul 1 April 3, 2006 12.9% 14.5% 2 April 4, 2006 11.5% 12.2% 3 April 10, 2006 12.6% 13.4% 4 April 11, 2006 12.9% 14.2% 5 April 17, 2006 12.3% 13.6% 6 April 18, 2006 14.1% 15.8% 7 April 24, 2006 13.1% 14.7% 8 April 25, 2006 13.4% 15.1% 9 May 1, 2006 13.2% 14.8% 10 May 2, 2006 11 May 8, 2006 14.6% 17.1% 12 May 9, 2006 14.8% 16.9% 13 May 15, 2006 13.5% 15.2% 14 May 16, 2006 14.9% 17.1% 15 May 22, 2006 13.8% 15.7% 16 May 23, 2006 Average 13.5% 15.0% Source: TNS Media Korea
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Recipient Result 2006 33rd Korean Broadcasting Awards Best Drama Alone in Love Best Music Noh Young-shim SBS Drama Awards Grand Prize (Daesang) Kam Woo-sung Top Excellence Award, Actress Son Ye-jin Best Supporting Actor in a Miniseries Gong Hyung-jin Best Supporting Actress in a Miniseries Oh Yoon-ah Top 10 Stars Kam Woo-sung Son Ye-jin New Star Award Lee Jin-wook Lee Ha-na 2007 Best Drama Alone in Love Best Director Han Ji-seung Best Actress Son Ye-jin Best New Actress Lee Ha-na 40th WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival Platinum Remi Award (Series - Dramatic category) Alone in Love
International broadcast The series aired in Japan on Hallyu cable channel KNTV in April 2007. It also aired in the United States with English subtitles on MHz WorldView in January 2010.
In Thailand, the series aired on Channel 7 from September 13, 2008, to November 2, 2008, on Saturdays and Sundays from 09:15 to 11:00 (ICT).
References
External links Alone in Love official SBS website