Twinkle Twinkle

Year produced
2011

How long
54 episodes

Foreword
Twinkle, Twinkle is a light, cheerful, and heartwarming family drama that tells the success story of Jing Yuan, a workaholic career woman who is determined to make her own way in the world without the help of her family, which has garnered considerable wealth from their publishing company.

But what Jing Yuan doesn't know is that because of the hospital's negligence, she was switched at birth with another baby, Jin Lan. The identity swap results in the two girls being raised by families of different wealth and status, and living a different fate.

When Jin Lan learns the truth, she sees it as a way to reverse her poverty-stricken circumstances. But even after being restored to her rich biological parents, Jin Lan's bitterness makes her consider Jing Yuan her rival, and she continues to torment her. Jing Yuan, whose life has been turned upside down, faces numerous setbacks on the road to recovery.

Story/Introduction on characters

1.Kim Hyun-joo as Han/Huang Jing Yuan
Jing Yuan is a 29-year-old single woman with a good educational background. Her parents are successful and she has one older brother. Sang Yuan Both work for the family publishing company which her father runs. She dreams of one day taking over the publishing company. She works hard and places her career before personal life.

Even though her mother seems to favor her brother, Jing Yuan's life seemed perfect, but then she learns that her parent are not her real parents. Two babies are switched in the hospital. Now she faces a different life and she tries to pull herself together to do her best. After getting sabotaged, she suffers from a pay cut and has to move into a small deserted room. Cheng Jun helps her to paint her new office quickly.

She moves in to stay with her real family and adjusts to the changes although she still keeps her job. Quan Yang trains her to cook breakfast for all in the morning but she is lousy in cooking. She secretly gets instant food but gets scolded. She learns things the hard way. She has to fend off the debtors and starts to understand Jin Lan. Jin Lan keeps sabotaging her at work but she is able to overcome it.

She also manages to make Jin Lan turn over a new leaf and both are filial to both mothers. She marries Cheng Jun in the end and both lead a simple life. Hyun-joo's acting is natural and she indicates the pain Jing Yuan is going through well.

2.Lee Yoo-ri as Huang/Han Jin Lan
Jin Lan is a 29-year-old single woman with only a high school diploma. She has parents and one older sister and one younger sister. Her older sister is married and has a daughter. Her mother runs a small restaurant, while raising her daughters. Her father is addicted to gambling and does not take care of family.

Jin Lan works in a book store. She wants to have a better life and believes the only way is to find a man able to give her a better life. Following her beliefs, Jin Lan dates a law student Shang Zai. After Shang Zai passes the bar exam, he dumped her to woo Jing Yuan. Jing Yuan pities her when she begs her to return Shang Zai to her but tells her to find another man. Feeling dejected, she doesn't even mind the debtors burying her when she is kidnapped to the mountains.

After the breakup, Jin Lan becomes desperate and then she learns that her parents are not her real parents. Her birth parents the Hans. They can provide her the life she always dreams of. So she returns to them, wanting to start with a new life. She can now continue her studies too after perming her hair and applying thick make-up.

When she starts working at the company, she is one of the junior staff and many look down on her. She sees the importance of authority after everyone changes the attitude when knowing that she is Zhi Xiong's daughter. Even though she knows that Jing Yuan likes Cheng Jun, she shows her interest in him and even manipulates her parents to want him as their son-in-law. Luckily, Shi Xiong learns the truth and gets her to give up and Cheng Jun will never give in.

Undeterred, she tries to please En Ai but ends up being tricked by her to give up her family company shares. She can even endure the smelly process of preparing the rice sausages. En Ai is pleased that she is as vicious as her. En Ai later deceives her that she is barren as she gets hurt in an attack and has to remove her ovaries to place them back later so that she can still conceive. How does she get hurt? Jin Lan is remorseful over her home happenings and wants to get the shares contract back.

An intruder tries to snatch it from her but escapes when Cheng Jun is alerted. Cheng Jun ends up having the document but he passes it to Jing Yuan. Still, she is puzzled on why En Ai still insists that Cheng Jun should marry her even though she can't conceive. She later learns from the doctor that she is deceived. After this ordeal, she moves back to stay with Quan Yang.

She turns for the better and both women decide not to change their surnames after all despite the court's verdict to declare the mistake openly. Jin Lan becomes Jing Yuan's subordinate to learn the ropes step by step and later becomes an eccentric writer's girlfriend. She also attends Jing Yuan's wedding with others. Yoo-ri's acting is acceptable but sometimes her dressing makes her legs look fat.

3.Kim Suk-hoon as Song Cheng Jun
Cheng Jun is the chief editor and works in the art ministry before. He often takes the public transport to work and expects his subordinates to do the same. He also prefers not to have his own office to have his table to sit with them. Jin Yuan grumbles as she is used to drive to work but slowly learns that she can observe others on the way to work.

He is strict with the staff to allow no mistake in editing but always makes the correct decisions. On Jing Yuan's first meeting with Shang Zai, she mistakens him to be him. He pities Jin Lan's plight and offers her his handkerchief. After being Jing Yuan's superior, both always get into conflicts as they don't see eye to eye. Many fail to detect that they are dating as they cover it up well later.

In fact, she treats him like an enemy who seizes her chance of promotion. He is rich but chooses to help out at En Ai's sausage shop and not to stay with her. Seeing Jing Yuan in low spirits after knowing her identity, he cooks for her to cheer her up.

En Ai's real identity of being a loanshark and indirectly causing his father's death has left him a deep scar. He is afraid that Jing Yuan will look down on him and it takes her some time as her father does borrow money from her sidekicks. After knowing about the shares issue, he moves home and tricks his mother into believing that he is going to inherit her business.

In reality, he causes her to be caught by the police and resigns later to teach at a village school. He suppresses his urge to visit En Ai in jail as he knows that she does not forgive him easily and he is afraid of meeting Jing Yuan. Jing Yuan comes to reunite with him and both get married. The couple is touched when the three mothers attend their wedding. I like Suk-hoon in this mature role. He depicts Cheng Jun's jealousy well to tell Da Fan not to harbor thoughts about Jing Yuan.

4. Kang Dong-ho as Jiang Da Fan
He has taken the bar exam thrice and fails. He stays in ‘golden egg' restaurant. He isn't married but has a 1 year old son. His girlfriend ditches him to study overseas so he decides to bring up his son on his own. Initially, Xi Yu takes care of his son at his home but later gives him back so that the women can help him.

He knows what Jin Lan is going through and tries his best to console her. Jing Yuan adores his son and he slowly likes her. Cheng Jun regards him as a love rival but upon seeing Da Fan getting ill while preparing for exams, he helps him to take care of his son.

As he knows the law, he is able to deal with the loansharks and bring the family out of poverty. He likes Jing Yuan but fails to win her heart. Still, he accompanies her to look for Cheng Jun. He finally passes his exams and becomes a lawyer now. His acting can be wooden at times although better at the end.

5. Jang Yong as Han Zhi Xiong
He owns the publishing company and is strict with the staff. He plans to give the company to Jing Yuan but the truth dashes all his hopes. He threatens to remove her from his will so that she gets nothing but she still moves out. Unlike Na Xi, he treats both daughters equally well.

He doesn't even mind getting an outsider, Cheng Yuan to head the team as he finds him capable. He is disappointed with Jin Lan keeping the fact that Quan Yang is going blind from the rest and reprimands her. He tells her to move out, wanting her to stay with Quan Yang but to his dismay, she stays with En Ai. That leads her astray and he is regretful of what has happened.

6. Park Jung-soo as Jin Na Xi
She is Jin Lan's biological mother and is very dignified. She wants to take care of both daughters but Jing Yuan chooses to stay with her biological family. Upsetting her, she decides to forget her for good but she is disappointed with Jin Lan's doing. When knowing that Quan Yang is going blind, she realizes Jing Yuan's intentions and starts to patch up with her again.

7. Kim Hyung-beom as Han Sang Yuan
He is the elder brother of Jin Lan and works in the publishing company as a manager. However, he knows little and skives on the job, only wanting to take over the company. Cheng Jun's presence scares him so he mortgages his shares to En Ai. He doesn't know that this is a trap to seize his shares. He becomes too ashamed to face his family. He becomes a househusband after his son is born to make amends.

8. Park Yu-hwan as Li Xi Yu
He is Zhi Xiong's 18 year old younger brother. He is the son of his father's mistress and is 43 years old younger than Zhi Xiong. All feel weird to have such a young uncle. He also doesn't dare to admit to Jing Yuan's colleague to lie that he is already 24 years old and is in university in order to woo her.

Xi Yu has tuition from Da Fan. That is why he helps him out in taking care of the baby. Cheng Jun has thought that Jing Yuan is the baby's mother when he sees him with her. Jing Yuan develops feelings for the baby and treats him as her son.

He is shameful of his mother who gives him up due to money but is touched to know that she buys clothes for him every birthday. He has wanted to return to her in exchange for the shares to secure the company but is reluctant to leave his family. In the end, he still stays with them.

9. Jeon Soo-kyung as Li En Zhen
She is once the assistant chief editor but suddenly disappears. She is back, pregnant with Sang Yuan's baby. She is older than Sang Yuan and Na Xi finds it hard to accept her as her daughter-in-law but Zhi Xiong gets her to stay with them. She respects Xi Yu but tells him not to hate Song Yi as she might have a reason.

She shakes her head at Song Yi's attitude. You will laugh when she asks for Xi Yu's permission to scold her. Whose fault is it to produce such a young uncle for them? She gives birth to a son and becomes the chief editor. She often flies overseas and is so busy that she can't attend Jing Yuan's wedding.

10. Go Doo-shim as Li Quan Yang
She manages the restaurant on her own and is often bothered by Nan Feng's gambling habit. She protects her daughters well. Jin Lan disappoints her but returning to her natural parents. She feels guilty to ask Jin Lan to give Cheng Jun up to Jing Yuan. Knowing that she is going blind, she insists that Jing Yuan should stay with the Hans for her future. She tries all means to drive her away but fails. Jin Lan stay with her till she goes blind and all four daughters are still with her after that.

11. Gil Yong-woo as Huang Nan Feng
He is Jing Yuan's father who is an impulsive gambler. Zhong He always has to cover up for him. Jin Lan is bitter for having to pay off his debts all the time and leaves the family. He is sad over this as he treats all daughters equally.

En Ai plans to gets him caught for gambling but to her dismay, Jing Yuan calls the police to arrest Nan Feng earlier than her. She is determined to get him to kick off the habit. He blames her initially but later forgives her. After knowing that Quan Yang is going blind, he nearly wants to kill himself but later becomes strong as Quan Yang is able to face up. He helps out in the restaurant after that.

12. Lee Ah-hyun as Huang Tai Lan
She is Quan Yang's eldest daughter. She tries saving as Zhong He doesn't earn much. She moves home after selling off her flat as she runs out of money. She is very strict with her daughter and is at a loss when knowing that Quan Yang is going blind. She relies too much on Quan Yang. Zhong He helps her to face it bravely and they help her around at home after that happens.

13. Han Ji-woo as Huang Mei Lan
She is Quan Yang's youngest daughter who dreams to be an actress. She often goes for auditions and is a spendthrift, often borrowing Jing Yuan's clothes if she runs out of money.

14. Kim Sang-ho as Park Zhong He
He is Tai Lan's husband who is very open and filial. He is middle-aged and is hurt when Jun Xiu thinks of him to be Tai Lan's father when they meet for the first time.

15. Shin Soo-yeon as Park Zhi Yuan
She is Tai Lan and Zhong He's daughter. She is stressed going for English classes although she knows that Tai Lan is doing it for her own good.

16. Kim Ji-young as Gao En Ai
She owns a rice sausage shop and seem to be a normal mother . Yet, she is the notorious white bear who sends fear to everyone as a loanshark. She doesn't repent when some kill themselves after being unable to pay off their debts. She strikes a deal with Cheng Jun. She allows him to do what he wants but she must choose her own daughter-in-law.

She likes Jin Lan and makes use of her to increase her wealth. She doesn't have a good impression of Jing Yuan as she gets drunk on their first meeting. After knowing her identity, Jing Yuan isn't frightened of her and tries to please her. She even tells her off for being wrong. En Ai loses out in word wars with Jing Yuan and is mad with her. Still, she is touched when she visits her in jail and she allows both to marry.

17. Jung Tae-woo as Yin Shang Cai
She is Jin Lan's ex-boyfriend. She is ditched after he woos Jing Yuan to get out of poverty. He is dismayed to know their real identities and woo Jin Lan back. Jin Lan despises this man but still makes use of him to find out En Ai's real identity.

18. Won Ki-joon as Zhu Ge Jun Xiu
He is Tai Lan's ex-boyfriend. He has thought of Zhong He to be Tai Lan's father and Zhong He is hurt. He is now an English teacher at the learning centre and meets Tai Lan there. He misses Quan Yang's cooking and often come to the restaurant. He later dates Mei Lan.

19. Yoo Sa-ra as Li Song Yi
She is Xi Yu's mother who gives him up to Zhi Xiong for the sake of money after Zhi Xiong's father dies. She doesn't want to be tied down by Xi Yu but later misses him.

Zhi Xiong also passes her some company shares. En Ai looks for her to persuade her to sell the shares to her so that she can control the company. She stays in En Ai's home and finds chances to look for Xi Yu. Xi Yu often avoids her as he thinks of her of a money –digger. Later, she passes the shares to Xi Yu and leaves for the US alone, knowing that she can never replace the family.

20. Gong Ki-tak as Song Guang Xiu
He is En Ai's assistant and bodyguard but is also Cheng Jun's buddy. Before En Ai can hurt Jing Yuan, he will quickly alert Cheng Jun. Knowing that Guang Xiu will be implicated, Cheng Jun gets him to move away before he sets fire to En Ai's home to destroy of her ill-gotten wealth.

Interesting facts from wikipedia

Below are the awards won and nominated for this drama :

2011 4th Korea Drama Festival AwardsBest Supporting Actress: Lee Yoo-ri

2011 MBC Drama Awards
Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Serial Drama: Kim Hyun-joo
Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Serial Drama: Kim Suk-hoon
Excellence Award, Actress in a Serial Drama: Lee Yoo-ri
Golden Acting Award, Actor in a Serial Drama: Gil Yong-woo
Writer of the Year: Bae Yoo-mi

2012 48th Baeksang Arts Awards
Nomination - Best Director (TV): Noh Do-chul
Nomination - Best Actress (TV): Kim Hyun-joo
Nomination - Best New Actor (TV): Kang Dong-ho

Hyun-joo was not that close to Suk-hoon but was closer to Dong-ho. Dong-ho invited her to a play that he was involved in and she was happy for him. As she did not know Suk-hoon well, both were awkward in many sentimental scenes. Even though Suk-hoon took some time to warm up and talk, Hyun-joo found him nice as he was caring to the older cast, asking them if they needed breaks when shootings were long.

She had wanted to strike up a good friendship with Yoo-ri but the hectic schedule did not allow time as both actresses were supposed to build up rivalry instead. They promised to find time if they have the chance next time round.

Most favourite character
Cheng Jun, he fights hard to be away from his mother's control. Knowing that Jing Yuan is capable, he pushes her to prove her worth. When knowing that she is framed by Jin Lan to accuse her of slipping a mistake in editing, he runs through all the surveillance tapes just to set things right to find out the real culprit. When she is down, he is always beside her.

Most hated character
Jin Lan, she becomes a bitter person when she loses out to Jing Yuan in career in love.

Conclusion
It is a very simple drama on the family. It sets me thinking too – do adoptive children feel neglected when knowing that they are not a part of the family that they have stayed for years? Jin Lan tries buying gifts for the Huangs but somehow, she feels that the feelings are not the same anymore. This drama gives a lot of insight on the adjustments that the two women face. It only shows how the families deal with different crisis and how kinship solves the problems.

Even if they do not have blood relations, feelings also run well. Jing Yuan and Jin Lan can finally share a room in Quan Yang's home as both are no longer hostile to each other. There is no more bad blood between them after they help each other.

Sukting's ratings :
On acting : *** (Scale of 5)

On story : *** (Scale of 5)