# My Lovely Sam Soon (2005)

> An average pastry chef agrees to pose as a wealthy restaurant owner's pretend girlfriend, and the arrangement starts to feel real.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/5100

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 16
- Episode runtime: 60 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: comedy, romance
- Created by: Kim Yun-cheol
- Network: MBC
- Cast: Kim Sun-a, Hyun Bin, Jung Ryeo-won, Daniel Henney, Kim Ja-ok, Lee Ah-hyeon, Na Moon-hee, Lee Kyu-han
- TMDB rating: 8.0/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0477524/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: none
- Tone: witty, breezy, sincere, cozy

## What critics say

Audiences rated the series positively, praising its romantic comedy charm and lead performances.

## Synopsis

My Lovely Sam Soon (2005) is a South Korean romantic comedy series created by Kim Yun-cheol for MBC, a single-season run of sixteen one-hour episodes that plays as a classic korean romcom. Kim Sun-a plays Kim Sam Sun, an average pastry chef whose plain manner and frank humor set her apart from the glossy people around her. Hyun Bin plays Hyun Jin Heon, a wealthy restaurant owner who asks her to pose as his girlfriend, and Daniel Henney plays Dr. Henry Kim, a rival suitor who complicates the romantic lines. Jung Ryeo-won appears as Yoo Hui Jin, adding another layer of rivalry and longing. The engine of the show is the pretend arrangement itself: each episode tests how long a fake relationship can survive family scrutiny, workplace gossip, and the small humiliations of living among the wealthy while the characters' real feelings grow. The tone is warm, witty, and breezy, with moments of wistful sincerity and comic embarrassment. Fans of Crash Landing on You, Coffee Prince, and While You Were Sleeping will find resonance in its contract romance, class divide, and gently self-aware heroine. Set in contemporary Seoul, it is a cozy, feel-good romance built for viewers who enjoy a heroine who refuses to be overshadowed.

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