Korean Drama

Title: 한강수타령 / Han River Ballad
Chinese Title : 汉江恋歌/汉江水打令/汉江水民歌
Also known as: Ode to the Han River / The Ballad of Han River / A Song of Han River
Genre: Romance, family life
Episodes: 51
Broadcast network: MBC
Broadcast period: 2004-Oct-02 to 2005-Mar-27
Air time: Saturday & Sunday 7:55 PM

Synopsis

MBC TV’s weekend drama, “Song of the Han River” is a story of life and love involving a vibrant middle-aged woman, her two daughters, a niece, a nephew, and a cast of other characters surrounding them. The woman, named Kim Young-hee (Go Doo Shim), is a widow who sells fish to support her family. Through their often turbulent lives, we are able to experience the difficulties of a not uncommon family and the persistence of the love its members have for one another. “Song of the Han River” is a warm but enervating story of ordinary people dealing with the normal difficulties of life.

To bring about a sort of renaissance in MBC’s weekend drama offerings, “Song of the Han River” ambitiously reunited the team of Kim Jeong-su and Choi Jong-su from the popular MBC drama “You and I” for the first time in 6 years. Planning and preparations for this new presentation were undertaken from May 2004, and the target audience ranged from those in their early 30s to those in their 50s.

Director Choi Jong-su revealed that his intention was to create a drama dealing with a variety of characters. “Song of the Han River” also portrayed the linkage between the past and present by making use of the Han River as a central theme. Throughout its entire length, this drama portrayed a range of Korean emotions and sentiment, and particular care was taken in casting so as to attract young viewers in addition to the targeted middle-age group. The title comes from the eponymous theme song, “Song of the Han River,” originally a folk song that has been re-cut with an upbeat modern feel by the group The Bubble Sisters. Work was done to connect the mood of the song’s original version with the drama’s overall feel.

Cast

Kim Young Hee’s household

Kim Hye Soo as Yoon Ga Young (28)
Kim Min Sun as Yoon Na Young (sister, 25)
Go Doo Shim as Kim Young Hee (mother, 50)
Choi Sung Joon as Yoon Soo Young (cousin, 25)
Lee Yoon Ji as Yoon Da Young (cousin, 20)
Bong Tae Kyu as Choi Kang Soo (boarder)

Lee family

Kim Suk Hoon as Lee Joon Ha
Han In Soo as Lee Tae Keun (father)
Park Jung Soo as Park Dan Ok (mother)
Ahn Se Mi as Lee Joon Mi (sister)

Other people

Choi Min Soo as Shin Ryul
Lee Jong Soo as Shin Jae Hyuk (Ryul’s cousin)
Park Han Byul as Mi Ae
Kwon Eun Ah as Young Hee’s “sister” (40)
Park Kwang Jung as Park Jang Bo (Young Hee’s suitor)
Lee Hae Sang as Yoo Sun (Ryul’s old girlfriend)
Lee Seung Shin as Shin Ryul’s magazine editor (Ga Young’s friend)
No Joo Hyun as Young Hee’s first love
Goo Bon Im

Production Credits

Screenwriter: Kim Jung Soo
Producer: Jang Geun Soo
Director: Choi Jong Soo
Assistant director: Kim Geun Heung, Lee Sang Hyup

Official Site