Full House

Cast:
Han Ji Eun – Song Hye Kyo
Lee Young Jae – Jung Ji Hoon (Bi)
Kang Hae Won – Han Eun Jung
Yoo Min Hyuk – Kim Sung Soo

I haven’t been so addicted to a Korean drama since "Autumn’s Tale". "Full House" will probably be my favorite drama of 2004. I won’t go into details about the plot, but here’s a brief summary:

After coming back from a trip to China that her friends paid for, Han Ji Eun finds out that they did so only to sell her house while she was away. She returns and finds that the new owner of the house is none other than famous actor Lee Young Jae, whom she happened to meet on her trip. Circumstances bring Young Jae and Ji Eun into a marriage by contract, making them appear as a couple to the public. Under the terms of the contract, they will be married for 6 months while Ji Eun does all the housework. After 6 months, she will get the house back. Ji Eun finds herself falling for Young Jae, but he loves his childhood friend, Hae Won. Young Jae’s friend, Min Hyuk, also shows an interest in Ji Eun. Many interesting and amusing things happen to this “couple” throughout their married life that bring them closer together, but will they really become a couple?

Acting:
Han Ji Eun - Song Hye Kyo
She appears to be weak, but she won’t let herself get picked on. Even though she fights with Young Jae all the time, she can’t help but be touched by his obscure kindness. However, she knows that he loves Hae Won and finds it harder and harder to live as his “wife” under such circumstances.

Like many people, I had my doubts about Song Hye Kyo portraying this type of role. Unlike her previous roles, Ji Eun is a bit naïve but cheerful, lively, funny, strong-willed, and less refined. However, Hye Kyo has proved herself as a capable actress. Her acting has improved greatly, and her portrayal of Han Ji Eun was flawless. The scene where she imagined herself “pushing herself on” Young Jae was hilarious. The clumsiness and silliness were depicted well. She should take on more of these types of roles.

Lee Young Jae – Jung Ji Hoon (Bi)
A popular rising actor in Korea, Young Jae marries Ji Eun because of rumors of his sexuality. Although Young Jae appears to be rough and is mean to Ji Eun, he actually does care about her. He has always liked his childhood friend Hae Won, but he seems to be quite possessive about Ji Eun sometimes.

Also a popular singer known as Bi/Rain, Jung Ji Hoon acted very well as the loud Young Jae. He had a very cute smile that makes him look like a child when he was around Ji Eun. Although he seemed to overdo the “I’m lost” look a bit, he was a very good Lee Young Jae. His chemistry with Hye Kyo was great, and they really did seem like a married couple.

Kang Hae Won - Han Eun Jung
Young Jae’s childhood friend, who was pursuing Min Hyuk at the beginning of the series. However, she finds herself jealous when Young Jae marries Ji Eun. Min Hyuk points out that she only “wants” him, but doesn’t like him, and she realizes she does not want Young Jae, who has always been by her side, to be taken away from her.

This character wasn’t particularly evil, just the annoying third party. The role didn’t really require many expressions, and Han Eun Jung’s portrayal was acceptable.

Yoo Min Hyuk - Kim Sung Soo
Young Jae and Hae Won’s friend. He is rich and successful, which means that he has many girls after him. He always takes care of Ji Eun and helps her. He doesn’t want her to be hurt by Young Jae.

Kim Sung Soo is charming and good-looking, and he has a definite screen presence, allowing him to fit into the role of Min Hyuk quite nicely. He acted well as the Min Hyuk who was also looking out for Ji Eun and waiting patiently for her to return his feelings. While Hae Won was selfish, Min Hyuk was more of a gentlemen.

In General:
A very good series that shouldn’t be missed, especially if you’re a fan of Bi or Song Hye Kyo. Both put up superb performances and had amazing chemistry. Watch for all those hilarious and sweet moments the two have. You’ll just find yourself wondering why they don’t just get together already, since they are legally married anyway. The ending song “Destiny” is also very nice.

Screenshots:
http://www.kbs.co.kr/drama/full/art/photo/photo.html