'My Name is Kim Sam Soon' is a delicious contemporary romance

 

[dropcap]D[/dropcap]oes true love exist? Does love last forever? How do you give your heart to someone after having yours broken? Is it even possible to truly love another person when you've given your all to someone and failed miserably? These are the questions that My Name is Kim Sam Soon poses and tries to answer.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="533"] "How great would it be if love had no expiration date? Is there nothing without an expiration date? Isn't there a love without expiration?"[/caption]

Some of you are probably familiar with the title. But for those who are new to Kdramas, My Name is Kim Sam Soon was a popular and award-winning Korean TV series that aired in 2005. It was dubbed in Filipino in the same year and it was a really funny, sweet rom-com (which, you probably know by now, is my weakness). The hit Kdrama was based on a novel of the same title by Ji Su-Hyun and it was recently translated to English by Kimchi Press. (Kudos to Kimchi Press and Summit Media for doing this!)

My Name is Kim Sam Soon uses the classic love-hate trope which you can usually see in Kdrama romcoms (The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince, The Master's Sun, and My Love From Another Star are some of the best examples). It's very common but it works every time.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="466"] "You're getting older, but you're still a fool who thinks everything will turn out well if people would just be honest."[/caption]

There were a few times when I thought the TV series was funnier and more entertaining than the book which isn't surprising -- the lead actors (Kim Sun-a and Hyun Bin) performed well and beyond what was required of them. But I also found myself shaking with laughter at several parts of the book and I loved how both characters were so candid and self-deprecating. Although the beginning felt slow, it was understandably so because it helped with character development. The romance, although predictable and inevitable, was not rushed.

Kim Sam Soon is one of the funniest protagonists I've encountered, also one of the most relatable. She's 29, chubby (which was probably why it was so famous -- it broke long-held Kdrama stereotypes), and brokenhearted -- very realistic. She is smart and kind, too but don't cross if her if you don't want a literally tear-jerking cake filled with chili powder. She's a pâtissier and she loves food so much. While she says this is the reason she's chubby, Do Yeong claims it makes her smell delicious. Awww!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="468"] "People change, minds change, and even love changes too."[/caption]

But the most noteworthy thing about Sam Soon is her passion for love itself. She's had her share of heartaches but that didn't turn her into a cynic (like Do Yeong). She continues to believe that someday (and hopefully before she turns 30) she will find true, everlasting love. She is in love with love.

I guess I'm still in that period where it's pathetic, sorrowful, amazing, and gratifying to have my heart seem to palpitate because of someone else. I don't want to be cold yet. I want to love, even if it's a stupid kind of love.

While Kim Sam Soon is a breath of fresh air when it comes to female protagonists, Jang Do Yeong is the typical rich-and-handsome-but-mean-guy-with-a-painful-past love interest. I can't think of anything unique about him. But his temper, wit, and easy banter with Sam Soon definitely adds charm and entertainment value to the novel. And during the times that he shows his sincerity and sometimes, brutal honesty, I couldn't help but love the guy. Together, they make an odd, funny couple.

All I'm thinking is that you used to date an idiot. You should be relieved that you've broken up with him.

The use of third person omniscient POV in this novel give readers a sort of power. I knew what everyone, including the minor characters, were thinking and feeling. This approach doesn't always work because sometimes we prefer to be surprised but in this case, it was welcomed. It was clear that all I had to do was sit back, relax, and let the romance unfold.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="567"] "The thing you just called phenylethylamine, that hormone which is produced when you sincerely love another, I think it has never disappeared from my body."[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="412"] What the inside looks like...[/caption]

This was the first translated Korean novel that I read and I liked it. There were a few times where I had to reread a sentence because I couldn't get it the first time, and I'm guessing it's because of the translation. Maybe some sentences were differently structured in Korean?

But overall, this novel is a winner. My Name is Kim Sam Soon is a tasty contemporary romance that's got just enough sweetness, cheesiness, with a hint of bitterness and crunch that makes for a delicious read.

Have you read/watched My Name is Kim Sam Soon? Does true love exist? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this!

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Random PSA: Do you need any advice on love, school, work, or just life in general? Lauren Bjorkman, author of Miss Fortune Cookie, is guesting on The Bookshelf Intruder and she'd love to answer your burning questions! Leave your comments and I will make sure your questions get to her. :)