The fifth drama I've watched is Lovers in Paris 파리의 연인. Lovers in Paris is another drama that fueled the Hallyu Wave. A lot of people may have watched Lovers in Paris as their first Korean drama if they didn't start with Winter Sonata or Full House. The charisma displayed by Park Shin Yang in this drama sparked numerous parodies that simply increased the popularity of this drama.
Lovers in Paris tells the story of Kang Taeyoung (Kim Jung Eun), a down-to-earth girl studying film in Paris. Taeyoung works part-time as a housekeeper for Han Kijoo (Park Shin Yang), whom is the president of GD Motors. As with all stereotypical businessmen in Korean dramas, Kijoo is a bit cold in personality department, which reflects his strong business sense. Despite firing Taeyoung for being unable to live up to his high expectations, Kijoo rehires her to be his fake fiancee. Kijoo ends up falling in love with Taeyoung. Taeyoung also meets another guy, Yoon Soohyuk (Lee Dong Gun) who also falls for her bright personality and charm. The problem is that Soohyuk is Kijoo's nephew. Both are close to one another given their difference in age is only about seven years. Taeyoung will need to figure out what to do to help herself out of this situation.
The plot is not exactly the most original (rich, cold-hearted guy and poor bright girl), yet Lovers in Paris captured my interest throughout the entire series. The Paris setting is pretty original and made me interested in visiting Paris one day. Also, watching Lovers in Paris early on negates the overall plot. The plot leading up to the kiss scene is just amazing and arguably one of the most memorable scenes in Korean drama history. Also, the acting ability of Park Shin Yang in Lovers in Paris is unmatched in any of the other dramas I've seen following the "cold-hearted businessman" concept. Kim Jung Eun plays the character Taeyoung very well too. She's very beautiful and cute with a fierce personality when it comes to standing up for her beliefs.
The soundtrack for Lovers in Paris is pretty good. The main theme "Nuh Eh Gyut Eu Ro 너의 곁으로" is pretty addicting to listen to. The other song "Nuh Ha Na Man 너 하나만" is the other track, used more for the more emotional scenes. Both tracks are sung by Jo Sung Mo, a famous ballad singer. Lovers in Paris also has another notable song. In one scene, Kijoo plays the piano and sings for Taeyoung. The song is called "Sarang Hae Do Dwel Gga Yo 사랑해도 될까요" and is still regarded as one of the most famous songs among Koreans.
Lovers in Paris has a pretty good ending too, although it might be confusing for some. Nevertheless, Lovers in Paris is another one of my all-time favorites. Everyone I know who has seen it will agree to that. It's certainly a good drama choice for those who are just getting into dramas. All the actors and actresses have unquestionable talent and that makes the drama very worthwhile to watch.
