It was totally unexpected but my wishes are finally fulfilled and I get some real quality Sung-joon (and Ji-soo) time. With the Hyun-soo/Jung-in/Jung-kyung issue percolating, the Sung-joon/Ji-soo line is a welcome addition.

I have some mixed feelings on how the whole love triangle thing was handled in this episode, but I found the giggle factor to be fairly high mostly to due Lee Chun-hee’s cute, frivolous, and lighthearted Sung-joon.

SONG OF THE DAY

Smile OST: Yang Sun Mi – “많이 아파” (Hurts a Lot) [ Download ]

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How the mighty have fallen…

As soyjoy mentioned in her last recap, watching an episode twice makes the shortcomings glaringly obvious. This definitely isn’t a masterpiece that needs to be seen more than once. It’s not surprising for a 50-episode series to be drawn out, but I think some plot development/movement is in order. Fortunately, Lee Chun Hee’s entrance has infused a bit of energy and his love interest has been revealed, giving me some hope for the future. I still enjoy the goofy and sweet moments, so all is not lost.

[Just a little housekeeping note: Unfortunately, our 3rd partner in crime had to bow out, leaving 2 of us for the recaps. With the good ratings, I fully expect to see 50 episodes of Smile, leading to our decision to recap 2 episodes together going forward.]

SONG OF THE DAY

Smile OST – “안녕 내 사랑” (Goodbye, My Love) by Melo’ Breeze [ Download ]

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Actor Lee Chun-hee (aka “Chunderella”) was a fan favorite on the SBS sitcom program Family Outing, and it was to much disappointment that he chose to leave the show in June against the producers’ requests. Now he has come out and admitted, “I regret leaving.”

Lee Chun-hee candidly expressed his regrets on the September 21st broadcast of talk show Ya Shim Man Man 2 when asked about his departure. He explained that he’d watched the show recently: “Seeing everyone get along so well with the new members without me bothered me.” He even disclosed that CF requests and his income had dropped since leaving the show, eliciting big laughs with his forthrightness.

Next up for Chunderella is the upcoming comic SBS drama series Smile, starring Lee Min-jung and Jung Kyung-ho; he plays the brother to Lee Min-jung and the immature son of a rich family who loses everything and moves in with their former chauffeur’s family.

Via BNT News, Segye

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The new SBS drama Smile [or Smile, You aka 그대 웃어요] has found its leading man to play opposite Lee Min-jung (Boys Before Flowers, Who Are You) in her first leading role. Although the cast already includes Family Outing’s “Chunderella” Lee Chun-hee and Que Sera Sera’s Lee Kyu-han, neither of them will be the main love interest. That role goes to Jung Kyung-ho of Ja Myung Go, You’re Far Away, and Time of Dog and Wolf.

In the story, Lee Min-jung is the daughter in a rich chaebol household, while Lee Chun-hee is her immature older brother. When her family meets with financial ruin, she’s dumped by her former fiancé (Lee Kyu-han) until he decides he wants her back. Meanwhile, she and her family move in with their former chauffeur, played by Gourmet’s veteran chef Choi Bool-am. The ex-chauffeur now runs an auto center with his son (Chun Ho-jin of Job Well Done), who is married to Song Ok-sook (Beethoven Virus’s nervous cellist). The two families struggle to adjust to living together, making for lots of bickering but also warm family moments and laughs.

Pretty solid cast, I think. Aside from those above-named actors, also cast are Choi Jung-yoon (Bad Couple, Romance Hunter) and Kang Seok-woo (You’re My Destiny, Pure 19).

The drama held its first shoots on September 1 in Seoul at Seoil University. Smile is written and directed by the pair behind last year’s hit romantic comedy The Last Scandal of My Life, and will follow Style on weekends, beginning September 26.

Via IS Plus

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Coming on the heels of the drama announcement for Lee Min-jung’s next project Smile [그대, 웃어요], we have news of one of the two male leads: It has cast Lee Kyu-han, who played Sam-soon’s amusing rapscallion of an ex-boyfriend in My Name is Kim Sam-soon and the more strait-laced second lead of Que Sera Sera.

It appears he won’t be Lee Min-jung’s main man, though — that role is yet uncast, although Lee Chun-hee’s name is being tossed around as a contender. Lee Kyu-han is cast in the role of Lee Min-jung’s fiancée when she is the daughter in a wealthy chaebol family. However, upon her family’s financial ruin and their subsequent move into their chauffeur’s home, his parents oppose the marriage. Due to his indecisive nature, he allows them to break up his engagement. As so many people do, he doesn’t realize what a good thing he had until he loses it, and it’s only after she begins courting a new love interest that he decides he can’t forget her, and thereafter does everything in his power to get in the way of her new romance.

I don’t have strong opinions about Lee Kyu-han, but I generally like him. From his roles in Sam-soon and Que Sera Sera, he’s shown both a comedic and serious side, and based on the former, I’m optimistic that he’ll be able to pull off the role of an annoying and jealous second lead with an entertaining touch.

Smile will air on weekends following Style.

Via Star News

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• Lee Min-jung gets her first leading role
• Que Sera Sera: Episode 1

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