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| Miss Korea |
Title: 미스코리아 / Miseu Koria
Genre: Drama, romance, comedy, family
Episodes: 20
Broadcast network: MBC
Broadcast period: 2013-Dec-18 to 2014-Feb-26
Air time: Wednesday & Thursday 22:00
Original Soundtrack: Miss Korea OST
Miss Korea threw me for a loop at first. I didn't really know how to categorize it in my mind, and I eventually realized that it had a documentary-like feel to it. That feeling held out until the end of the series. I never felt like it was moralizing or forcing us to interpret characters in a specific way. Aside from a couple of side villains (the Ba Da Cosmetics guy, the elevator girl supervisor, and the gangster overlord), the characters all felt fleshed out and real. This is a slice-of-life drama if there ever was one, and once I settled in for the ride, I quite enjoyed how thoughtful and quiet it was.
What surprised me most about Miss Korea was its strong feminist
undercurrent. For every drama watcher who cringes at wrist grabs and
shouts at the screen at wilting female leads, this is the drama for you.
At its core, this show is about a woman who has lived her entire life
surrounded by men telling her what she should and shouldn't do with her
life and her body. From her well-meaning male family members to her
boyfriend to her boss at the mall, her life is dominated by male figures
pulling her in different directions.
Main Cast
Lee Yeon Hee as Oh Ji Young (27)
Lee Sun Kyun as Kim Hyung Joon (30)
Lee Ki Woo as Lee Yoon (30)
Song Sun Mi as Go Hwa Jung (32, BB Cosmetic's research manager)
Lee Sung Min as Jung Sun Saeng (40)
Lee Mi Sook as Ma Ae Ri (55, Queen Beauty Salon's director)
Go Sung Hee as Kim Jae Hee (24)
Oh Ji Young's family
Jang Yong as Oh Jong Goo (Ji Young's grandfather)
Jung Kyu Soo as Oh Myun Sang (Ji Young's father)
Jung Suk Yong as Oh Woong Sang (Ji Young's uncle)
Baek Bong Ki as Oh Ji Suk (Ji Young's elder brother)
Kim Hyung Joon's family
Im Ye Jin as Go Bong Hee (Hyung Joon's mother)
People at BB Cosmetic
Oh Jung Se as Kim Hong Sam (BB Cosmetic's planning manager)
Choi Jae Hwan as Kim Kang Woo (BB Cosmetic's researcher)
People at Human Partners Korea
Kim Jung Hwa (김정화) as Secretary Yeo
People at Boohwal Capital
Jung Seung Kil (정승길) as President Hwang
People at Queen Beauty Salon
Heo Tae Hee as Section Chief Yoon
Kang Tae Oh as Director Ma's son
Park Gook Sun (박국선) as Choi Soo Yun
Noh Soo Ram (노수람) as Director Ma's Miss Korea trainee
People at Dream Department Store
Jang Won Young as Manager Park
Kim Ye Won as Lee Young Sun
Moon Ji In as Kim Yoo Ra
Yoo Eun Ho (유은호) as Jung Eun Ah
Park Ha Na as Han So Jin
Choi Hyun Seo (최현서) as Kim Hye Mi
People at Cherry Beauty Salon
Hong Ji Min as Yang Choon Ja
Ha Yun Joo as Shin Sun Young
Kang Han Na (강한나) as Im Sun Joo
People at Bada Cosmetic
Jo Sang Ki as Kim Kang Shik
Others
Go In Bum as Jae Hee's father
Yang Ye Seung (양예승) as Noh Hee Joo
Yoon Jung Ah (윤정아) as Miss Korea candidate
Uhm Sang Mi (엄상미) as Miss Korea candidate
Shin Young Il (신영일) as Miss Korea MC (cameo)
Lee Moon Se (이문세) as Starry Night DJ and narration (voice only)
Jung So Min as gas station part-time worker (cameo, ep 20)