REVIEW: Lovers in Paris
| Title | Lovers in Paris |
| Male Lead | Park Shin-yang as Han Ki-Joo |
| Female Lead | Kim Jung-Eun as Kang Tae-young |
| Writer | Kim Eun-sook, Kang Eun-jung |
| Episodes | 20 Episodes | 65 Minutes per Episode |
| Release | June 12 to August 15, 2004 |
| Genre | Romance, Drama |
| Language | Korean |
| Country of Origin | South Korea |
Plot Summary
The story revolves around the romance between Kang Tae-young played by Kim Jung-Eun, a student filmmaker, and Han Ki-Joo played by Park Shin-yang, a car manufacturing CEO. They met by accident in Paris while Tae-young was a working student who was studying film and Ki-Joo was taking care of his international business.
Tae-young becomes Ki-Joo’s housekeeper. She cleans his house for him while he is away and leaves before he even gets back home. Ki-Joo had an important client that he was trying to woo and he needed help from Tae-Young to pretend to be his fiance.
![[left] Park Shin-yang as Han Ki-Joo; [right] Kim Jung-Eun as Kang Tae-young](https://kdramabinge.com//wp-content/uploads/2022/04/KDB-Lovers-in-Paris-01-1024x574.jpg)
Their encounter in Paris was short-lived with mishaps before returning to South Korea. The story unravels with past relationships, family secrets, and their very obvious difference in financial status. They have both fallen in love with each other, but their differences and people’s expectations of them keep on getting in their way. The story depicts a battle between following your heart without having to worry about the consequences or prioritizing your duties and what is being expected from you.
My Personal Comments and Observations About the Series
Meeting in Paris
Tae-young wants to follow in her father’s footsteps of becoming a film director. She does not have much money but she goes to Paris to study film. With the help of her friend, Lee Yang-Mi, she juggles her classes together with part-time jobs to make ends meet. Meanwhile, Ki-Joo, the CEO of a car manufacturing facility is also in Paris. He needs a housekeeper who would clean his mansion and do some errands for him while he is working. He prefers a Korean to fill the role to make matters easier for him. Tae-young ends up getting the job because she fits the bill.
White Lies
At first, Tae-young and Ki-Joo only communicate using sticky notes that Tae-young leaves around Ki-Joo’s house. Tae-young is very clumsy. She has the habit of using stuff around the house and eating whatever is available while she cleans and does errands for Ki-Joo. At first, unusual things pass unnoticed. But there are a few signs that puzzle Ki-Joo and make him wonder about his new housekeeper. This became a conflict for them and Tae-young almost got fired from the job.
As luck would have it, Ki-Joo needed Tae-young’s help with one of his business partners. He asked Tae-young to pretend to be his girlfriend to get on the good side of one of his business associates. They ended up getting caught with the white lie with Ki-Joo almost losing a huge contract because of it. But because of Tae-young’s honesty and sincerity, she was able to turn the situation around and patch things up with Ki-Joo’s associates.
The Brooding Friend
During her time in Paris, Tae-young met Soo-hyuk, a young guy who became her friend. He always happens to be within Tae-Young’s vicinity whenever she had a mishap and needed help. Soo-Hyuk has helped her in a few difficult situations that she encountered.
There was one time when Tae-Young was selling a piece of jewelry in a shop and the attendant was trying to low-ball her. Soo-Hyuk saw what was happening so he came to her rescue. He negotiated a good price for the jewelry and Tae-Young is very grateful.
Through their series of meetings, Soo-hyuk falls in love with Tae-young. He finds her personality refreshing and he finds himself attracted to her. He ends up always being the one to help her when she is in need. It is inevitable that they grow closer to each other and develop feelings.
Heading Back Home
Ki-Joo’s father orders him to go back to South Korea because he has been gone for a long time. Coincidentally, Tae-young also goes home to attend her father’s death anniversary ceremony. When Soo-hyuk finds out that Tae-young is back in South Korea, he goes home as well to follow her.
As Tae-young prepares for his father’s death anniversary, her uncle becomes embroiled in a situation with people to whom he owes money and she needs to help him out. This leads her to Ki-Joo’s company and the two meet again. These meetings allow them to develop their feelings for each other and eventually fall in love.
Fighting for Love Amidst Skeletons in the Closet
As the cliche goes, Lovers in Paris explores the chaos that ensues when two very different worlds collide and there is nothing you can do but suck it in and wait it out. It will be super hard before it becomes easy. After all, the stars may have aligned specifically so these paths cross orbits.
The story suddenly turns into a web of secrets and deceit preventing the couple from living happily ever after. They tried to hang on to the very end, but sometimes things just take time to settle. Sometimes finding love can be finding yourself too. And sometimes, spending time apart and working things out separately will only strengthen your relationship so you can bring it to the next level.
Final Thoughts About Lovers in Paris
Lovers in Paris is actually part of the Lovers trilogy that was written by Kim Eun-Sook, in my opinion, one of the best writers of love stories within the K-Drama biosphere. When I like the story of a series, I look for the other works of the writer and watch those as well. It is a great tip that I got from my friend who urged me to watch Korean dramas. It is also one proven way to find good-quality dramas that I will enjoy more often than not.
Lovers in Paris
The first installment of the LOVERS Trilogy aired in 2004 on SBS.
The story is about Ki-Joo a rich CEO who fell in love with Tae-Young, who wants to follow in her father’s footsteps as a director.
Lovers in Prague
The second story of the series aired in 2005.
It is about the daughter of the president, Yoon Jae-Hee, and a detective, Choi Sang-Hyun who are both heartbroken and fell in love with each other.
Lovers
The last installment of the LOVERS Trilogy is entitled simply, Lovers. It is about Yoon Mi-Ju, a plastic surgeon and the daughter of a reverend, and Ha Kang-Jae an orphan and a gangster.
The two meet when Mi-Ju mistakes Kang-Jae to be her sister’s ex-boyfriend.
Kim Eun-Sook is a certified hitmaker and has written numerous hit drama series. She wrote The Secret Garden starring Hyun Bin and Ha Ji-Won in 2010; A Gentleman’s Dignity starring Jang Dong-Gun and Kim Ha-Neul in 2012, and The Heirs starring Lee Min-Ho and Park Shin-Hye in 2013. The more recent ones are Goblin – Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, with a stellar cast of actors including Gong Yoo, Lee Dong-Wook, Kim Go-Eun, and Yoo In-na that run from the latter part of 2016 until the earlier part of 2017. Lastly, another series that stars Lee Min-Ho and Kim Go-Eun, The King: Eternal Monarch in 2020.
Lovers in Paris has won several awards including Best TV Screenplay at the 2005 Baeksang Arts Awards and Best TV Actress for the female lead, Kim Jung-Eun. It is a classic drama that is a must-watch for all k-drama lovers. The plot is very typical. A serious rich boy meets a clumsy poor girl in a series of incidents that makes them spend time together. They fall in love. Of course, nobody from the rich family wanted to accept the relationship. In contrast to friends and family of the poor one who seems to want to take advantage of the situation. Lovers in Paris delivers all the roller coaster of emotions that you want to experience while watching a romantic drama.
Binge Star Rating – 8.5 Stars
Re-watch Value
I would say Lovers in Paris is definitely a must-watch classic but a re-watch is optional.
Where to Watch
Watch the full series with complete English subtitles on the Drama Cool website. What do you think about Lovers in Paris? Did you like it too? Drop your comments in the comments section below. I’d love to know your views, please let me know what you think!
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Images from promotional materials from SBS may be subject to copyright. [Last Update 04262024]
