Sang-doo! Let's Go to School! () is a 2003 South Korean television series starring Rain, Gong Hyo-jin, Lee Dong-gun, Hong Soo-hyun and Song Min-joo. It aired on KBS2 from September 15 to November 4, 2003 Mondays and Tuesdays at 21:50 for 16 episodes.
Synopsis Cha Sang-doo (Rain) and Chae Eun-hwan (Gong Hyo-jin) were best friends growing up, who secretly have crushes on each other. One day, Eun-hwan's family goes bankrupt and debtors rush to collect their belongings. Eun-hwan tries to reason with a debt collector who is taking her father's old record player, but he takes it anyway. Sang-doo, on his way to walk to school with Eun-hwan, sees the whole thing. He tries to purchase it from the man, but is refused. In a struggle to retrieve the record player, Sang-doo ends up throwing a man off a bridge and putting him in a coma. Sang-doo is sent to prison for assault. After being released from prison, he finds that his parents have disowned him and moved to America and Eun-hwan has run off with her family.
Years pass, and Sang-doo now has a daughter, Cha Bo-ri (Song Min-joo), from a one night stand with Han Se-ra (Hong Soo-hyun). She is sick and diagnosed with leukemia. In order to pay off her hospital bills, Sang-doo becomes a gigolo. His uncle (Lee Young-ha) was a former gigolo and gives him advice on the trade.
One day, he comes across his long-lost first love, Eun-hwan, who is now a high school math teacher in his city. In an effort to regain her love, he returns to high school, first as a security guard and then as a student in her class. Unfortunately, she is engaged to his daughter's doctor, Kang Min-suk (Lee Dong-gun). Min-suk and Sang-doo start off as rivals, vying for Eun-hwan's heart, but later end up as good friends. As everything seems to be going smoothly for Sang-doo and Eun-hwan, circumstances prevent them from staying together.
Cast
Main Cha Sang-doo – Rain Sang-doo is the protagonist of the drama. As a boy, he was charismatic and always popular. One day, he tried to retrieve his first love's cherished possession, but in the process kills a man. His life was turned upside down - he was sent to prison, his parents disowned him, and his first love disappeared. He ends up having a child with Han Se-ra. His daughter Bo-ri has leukemia and to pay her medical bills, he secretly becomes a gigolo with the help of his uncle.
Chae Eun-hwan – Gong Hyo-jin Eun-hwan has been in love with her childhood best friend since high school, but was separated from him due to her family's financial troubles. As a sign of her devotion to him, she takes care of his dog until the day they reunite.
Kang Min-suk – Lee Dong-gun Min-suk is Eun-hwan's fiancé and also happens to be Cha Bo-ri's attending physician. Initially, he dislikes Sang-doo and always finds ways to challenge him. Eventually, he gets to know Sang-doo's true character and becomes one of his best friends.
Han Se-ra (aka Pal-ran) – Hong Soo-hyun Se-ra is a wannabe model. She was abandoned by her birth mother when she was young and has lived on her own ever since. She met Sang-doo at a restaurant and fell in love with him. After giving birth to Bo-ri, she gave her up for adoption because she was unable to pay for her medical bills. Sang-doo retrieves Bo-ri and raises her. Se-ra uses this to stay close to Sang-doo.
Supporting Song Min-joo as Cha Bo-ri (Sang-doo's daughter) Lee Young-ha as Cha Man-do (Sang-doo's uncle) Yeo Seung-hyuk as Chae Ji-hwan (Eun-hwan's brother) Jeon Hye-bin as Yoon Hee-seo Shin Goo as Song Jong-doo (principal) Jung Ae-ri as Gong Shim-ran (Eun-hwan's mother) Kim Mi-kyung as Sang-doo's teacher Park Geon-il Song Ha-yoon
Soundtrack 세상끝까지 My Love - Jung Chul Beautiful Thing 난 멈추지 않는다 내안의 다짐 Someday 단념 내 어린 시절 그 바닷가(연주곡) Silver Lining Perfectly Numb 바람속으로 세상끝까지
Ratings Episode Nationwide Seoul 1 20.1% (1st) 20.9% (1st) 2 22.8% (1st) 23.6% (1st) 3 28.0% (1st) 28.7% (1st) 4 30.8% (1st) 31.1% (1st) 5 32.3% (1st) 32.7% (1st) 6 34.4% (1st) 34.6% (1st) 7 36.2% (1st) 36.5% (1st) 8 35.7% (1st) 36.2% (1st) 9 36.1% (1st) 36.7% (1st) 10 36.2% (1st) 37.0% (1st) 11 36.6% (1st) 37.1% (1st) 12 36.5% (1st) 37.0% (1st) 13 36.8% (1st) 37.5% (1st) 14 37.0% (1st) 37.8% (1st) 15 37.6% (1st) 38.4% (1st) 16 38.4% (1st) 39.1% (1st)
Awards 2003 KBS Drama Awards Excellence Award, Actress – Gong Hyo-jin Best Supporting Actress – Hong Soo-hyun Best New Actor – Rain Best Actor in a Comic Role – Lee Young-ha Best Actress in a Comic Role – Jung Ae-ri Best Young Actress – Song Min-joo Netizen Award, Actor – Rain Netizen Award, Actress – Gong Hyo-jin Best Couple Award – Rain and Gong Hyo-jin
2004 Baeksang Arts Awards Most Popular Actor (TV) – Rain
Notes
References
External links Sang-doo! Let's Go to School official KBS website (archive)