• Source: Jealousy (1992 TV series)

Jealousy (Korean: 질투; RR: Jiltu) is a 1992 South Korean romantic comedy television series starring Choi Soo-jong and Choi Jin-sil. It aired on MBC from 1 June 1992 to 21 July 1992 on Mondays and Tuesdays for 16 episodes. The show is based on the 1991 novel, Long Shadow of My Love by Yoon Myung-hye. It is one of the highest-rated Korean dramas of all time, with 56.1% viewership ratings on its final episode, and the first Korean production to be exported and broadcast overseas.




Background


It established the main cast as top stars of the 90s and launched Choi Jin-sil's television career. It is considered the first trendy Korean drama, and one that marked the beginning of Korean romantic comedy. In 1993, China's Harbin TV imported and broadcast the TV series, making it the first Korean production to be broadcast outside the country and a bridgehead for the export of Korean dramas to the Asian market, especially the Chinese mainland, which was dominated by Japan. It was aired again on July 20, 1997, re-edited into 8 episodes each with a runtime of 90 minutes, as the first television series to be rebroadcast through MBC Drama Masterpiece.




Plot


The story revolves around Ha-kyung and Young-ho, who are old best friends. Ha-kyung works for a travel agency and lives with her single mother who works as editor-in-chief at a magazine publishing house. She loves hanging out with her old buddy, Young-ho, and the two share an effortless banter. Although they are long-time friends, their relationship teeters on the threshold of love and friendship.
One day, Young-ho meets a beautiful, intelligent, and wealthy woman, Young-ae, and he soon grows infatuated with her. When Ha-kyung realizes that Young-ho has feelings for someone else, she feels bouts of jealousy and realizes Young-ho is more than just a friend to her. She suppresses her jealousy and decides to give up her feelings for him, asking Young-ae to take care of him. Ha-kyung tries to find her own way through life, while trying to maintain her friendship with Young-ho.
Ha-kyung also had a long-time secret crush on her middle-school tutor, Sang-hoon. She reunites with Sang-hoon, and the two begin to spend time together. This development does not go unnoticed by Young-ho, who soon begins to feel jealous as well. He starts seeing Ha-kyung as a woman, not just a friend, and asks her out on a date. A misunderstanding results in Ha-kyung waiting in the rain for Young-ho, who never arrives. The two try to go back to being just friends, as Ha-kyung focuses on her career and Young-ho pines for her.
After spending a year abroad, Ha-kyung returns to Seoul and reunites with Young-ho. Both soon confirm that their feelings have not changed.




Cast


Choi Soo-jong as Lee Young-ho
Choi Jin-sil as Yoo Ha-kyung
Lee Eung-kyung as Han Young-ae
Lee Hyo-jung as Min Sang-hoon
Kim Hye-ri as Bae Chae-ri
Kim Chang-sook as Jung Sung-hee
Im Jung-ha as Jo Sung-soo
Kim Joo-young as Park Seong-jo
Lee Mi-kyung as Kim Soo-won
Jung Myeong-hyun as Jung Dong-sik
Kim Sang-soon as Kim Chun-man
Maeng Sang-hoon as Nam Woo-je
Jeon Woon as Lee Soo-seong
Park Sang-jo as Kim Young-sik




Reception


The concept of trendy dramas can be seen in movies or TV series that take advantage of popular stars, so as to delve deeper into urban lifestyles, state-of-the-art fashion, and new generation mindsets. Soon, the desire to imitate the lighthearted conversations and daily rituals of the main characters spread like wildfire among the young generation in South Korea. Cultural critic Ha Jae-geun said, "The drama ‘Jealousy’ was not just considered a popular drama, but is accepted as a symbol of an era. It was the beginning of the trendy drama.” The drama was a breath of fresh air, breaking away from the standard tropes of most dramas of the past. It approached the public from a new perspective, portraying the unique yet realistic lifestyles of young people in their 20s and 30s.
The drama especially resonated among female viewers in their 20s who identified with the female lead, over a narrative about the transition from being just friends to lovers. For her beauty, acting ability, and relatable portrayal of the lead character, Choi was nicknamed, “The Nation's Sweetheart” and became a beloved national actress.
In 2011, women's portal Ezday surveyed 1,314 netizens on the topic of 'memorable dramas from the 1990s. Jealousy was voted as the 'most memorable drama' by 20% of respondents, followed closely by Star in My Heart with 19% of the votes. For 'Best Actress of the 1990s,' Choi Jin-sil took the top spot with 34% of respondents, followed by Kim Hee-sun, Shim Eun-ha, Shin Ae-ra, Lee Seung-yeon, and Jeon Do-yeon. For 'Best Actor of the 1990s,' Jang Dong-gun was chosen by 21% of respondents, followed by Ahn Jae-wook and Choi Soo-jong.




References

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