Alone in Love

Alone in Love

Promotional poster for Alone in Love
Genre Dramedy
Romance
Based on Renai Jidai 
by Hisashi Nozawa
Written by Park Yeon-seon
Directed by Han Ji-seung
Starring Kam Woo-sung
Son Ye-jin
Gong Hyung-jin
Lee Ha-na
Country of origin South Korea
Original language(s) Korean
No. of episodes 16
Production
Executive producer(s) Heo Woong
Oh Nam-seok
Producer(s) Koh Kyoung-hee
Location(s) South Korea
Running time 60 minutes
Mondays and Tuesdays at 21:55 (KST)
Production company(s) Yellow Film
Broadcast
Original channel Seoul Broadcasting System
Picture format 1080i (HDTV)
Original run 3 April 2006 – 23 May 2006
Chronology
Preceded by Ballad of Seo Dong
Followed by The 101st Proposal
External links
Website
Korean name
Hangul 연애시대
Hanja
Revised Romanization Yeon-ae Sidae
McCune–Reischauer Yŏn-ae Sitae

Alone in Love (Hangul: 연애시대; RR: Yeon-ae Sidae; lit. "Love Generation") is a 2006 South Korea television series, starring Kam Woo-sung, Son Ye-jin, Gong Hyung-jin and Lee Ha-na.[1][2][3] It aired on SBS from April 3 to May 23, 2006 on Mondays and Tuesdays at 21:55 for 16 episodes.

The ratings it received were not very high, but the series won acclaim for its subtle and realistic portrayal of love, marriage and divorce.[4] The story follows Eun-ho and Dong-jin, two ordinary people - not particularly attractive or successful - as they come to terms with their relationship. Although already divorced for three years, they are unable to leave each other alone, persistently meeting, bickering, and offering support, comfort, even matchmaking for the other. The two seem destined to be together, but they are unwilling to face their past and confront the tragedy they have spent years trying to forget.

It was based on the Japanese novel Love Generation (Japanese: 恋愛時代 Hepburn: Renai Jidai) by Hisashi Nozawa, which was published in 1996 and won the 4th Shimase Literary Prize for Romance in 1997.[5][6] The Korean adaptation was written by Park Yeon-seon (screenwriter for My Tutor Friend and Too Beautiful to Lie). This was the first TV series directed by film director Han Ji-seung (who won a Grand Bell award in 2001 for A Day).[7]

Plot

Eun-ho (Son Ye-jin) and Dong-jin (Kam Woo-sung) meet one day at the bookstore where he works and they are immediately drawn to each other. They fall in love after subsequent meetings, and are eventually married. Two years later they are divorced.

Dong-jin still works at the bookstore, while Eun-ho works at a fitness club. Even so, 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.[8]

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, inside she has a feminine sentimentality and a soft heart. 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 Jung-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.
Seo Tae-hwa 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 Dong-jin's father.

Filming locations

Most of the filming locations were in Bundang-gu, 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.[9]

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 proposed 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.[9]

Ratings

Date Episode Nationwide Seoul
2006-04-03 1 12.9% 14.5%
2006-04-04 2 11.5% 12.2%
2006-04-10 3 12.6% 13.4%
2006-04-11 4 12.9% 14.2%
2006-04-17 5 12.3% 13.6%
2006-04-18 6 14.1% 15.8%
2006-04-24 7 13.1% 14.7%
2006-04-25 8 13.4% 15.1%
2006-05-01 9 13.2% 14.8%
2006-05-02 10 10.9% 11.1%
2006-05-08 11 14.6% 17.1%
2006-05-09 12 14.8% 16.9%
2006-05-15 13 13.5% 15.2%
2006-05-16 14 14.9% 17.1%
2006-05-22 15 13.8% 15.7%
2006-05-23 16 17.4% 19.1%
Average 13.5% 15.0%

Source: TNS Media Korea

Soundtrack

Album information Tracklisting
Alone in Love OST
  • Released: May 8, 2006
  • Label: EMI Music Korea Ltd.
  • Composer: Noh Young-shim
Album information Tracklisting
Alone in Love Special 2CD OST
  • Released: October 11, 2006
  • Label: LOEN Entertainment
  • Composers: Noh Young-shim, Lee Moon-se
  • CD1
Alone in Love Special 2CD OST

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Recipient Result
2006
33rd Korean Broadcasting Awards
Best Drama Alone in Love Won
Best Music Noh Young-shim Won
SBS Drama Awards
Grand Prize (Daesang) Kam Woo-sung Nominated
Top Excellence Award, Actress Son Ye-jin Won
Best Supporting Actor in a Miniseries Gong Hyung-jin Won
Best Supporting Actress in a Miniseries Oh Yoon-ah Won
Top 10 Stars Kam Woo-sung Nominated
Son Ye-jin Won
New Star Award Lee Jin-wook Won
Lee Ha-na Won
2007
43rd Baeksang Arts Awards
Best TV Drama Alone in Love Nominated
Best Director (TV) Han Ji-seung Nominated
Best Actress (TV) Son Ye-jin Won
Best New Actress (TV) Lee Ha-na Nominated
40th WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival Platinum Remi Award
(Series - Dramatic category)
Alone in Love Won

International broadcast

The series aired in Japan on Hallyu cable channel KNTV in April 2007.[10] It also aired in the United States with English subtitles on MHz WorldView in January 2010.[11]

References

  1. Han, Eun-jung (12 March 2006). "After Big Screen Success Son Ye-jin Returns to TV". The Korea Times via Hancinema. Retrieved 2013-02-22.
  2. Kang, Myoung-seok (14 May 2010). "10LINE: Actress Son Ye-jin". 10Asia. Retrieved 2013-03-22.
  3. Wee, Geun-woo (23 December 2011). "Actress Son Ye-jin's Movie Picks". 10Asia. Retrieved 2013-06-12.
  4. "Alone in Love Review". Twitch Film. 1 September 2006. Retrieved 2013-02-22.
  5. "Novels: Alone in Love". Hisashi Nozawa official site. Retrieved 2013-02-22.
  6. "Alone in Love (2-Volume Set)". Han Books. Retrieved 2013-02-22.
  7. "연애시대 (Alone in Love) Production Meeting Report". Twitch Film. 10 March 2006. Retrieved 2013-02-22.
  8. Shin, Hae-in (23 May 2006). "Are you Alone in Love?". The Korea Herald via Daum. Retrieved 2013-02-22.
  9. 9.0 9.1 "TV Dramas: Alone in Love". Korea Tourism Organization. Retrieved 2013-02-22.
  10. "Japanese Reporters in Seoul for Hit Drama". KBS Global. 21 February 2007. Retrieved 2013-04-30.
  11. "New Programs Debut on MHz Worldview in January". MHz Networks. 23 December 2009. Retrieved 2013-02-22.

External links