Cheongdam-dong Alice () is a 2012 South Korean television series, starring Moon Geun-young, Park Si-hoo, So Yi-hyun and Kim Ji-seok. The series tells the story of a young woman's "journey" to Cheongdam-dong ― one of the wealthiest areas in Gangnam ― by seducing a second-generation chaebol into marriage. It aired on SBS from December 1, 2012, to January 27, 2013, on Saturdays and Sundays at 21:55 for 16 episodes.
Synopsis Han Se-kyung (Moon Geun-young) believed in l'effort est ma force, meaning "hard work is my strength." The aspiring fashion designer couldn't afford to study overseas, but won many local design contests and mastered French on her own.
She slowly begins to lose her positive outlook toward the world when her father's small bakery closes down after losing customers to larger retailers. Se-kyung's boyfriend of six years (Namkoong Min), who has to pay his sick mother's medical bills, runs away with her savings.
After much struggling, Se-kyung finally lands a job as a designer at GN Fashion, an apparel company in ritzy, image-conscious Cheongdam-dong (a small, insular, and particularly posh neighborhood in Seoul's Gangnam District). She is stunned to find out, however, that her actual job is being a personal assistant to the president's wife ― who turns out to be her high school classmate and rival Seo Yoon-joo (So Yi-hyun).
Her "official" boss In-hwa (Kim Yoo-ri) is the president's younger sister, at 29 only two years older than Se-kyung, who became the youngest person to be appointed to her position. "What sucks is your taste, not your resume," In-hwa bluntly tells Se-kyung. "Taste is an accumulation of what you see and think, as well as the kind of things you are exposed to, from the moment that you were born."
What she says completely shatters Se-kyung's life philosophy rooted in hard work and consistent effort. Upon this despairing realization, Se-kyung changes her life's course. Seeing how Yoon-joo's life has changed compared to her own, Se-kyung decides to do exactly the same thing — marry a rich man. She enlists Yoon-joo's help and embarks on the project to become a "Cheongdam-dong daughter in-law," a term referring to stylish young married women of the upper crust living in that wealthy neighborhood. Her bitter disillusionment leads her to seduce Jean Thierry Cha (Park Si-hoo), the youngest CEO in the luxury-brand industry. Cha, whose real name is Cha Seung-jo, harbors a petty side and is determined to get back at the people who have hurt him in the past. And despite his line of business, he feels a strong hatred towards women who marry for money and are obsessed with designer labels. Seung-jo falls for the genuine, idealistic Se-kyung, but not knowing this, she gives up on being the person she wants to be, and decides to live like those she once despised.
The title is a word play on Alice in Wonderland, referring to the heroine's fish-out-of-water status in said neighborhood, as she navigates the strange new world of designer clothes, gossip and consumerism, and learns the meaning of real love and happiness.
Cast Moon Geun-young - Han Se-kyung Han Se-kyung is an optimistic girl living her life with the belief that "hard work is my strength." After countless job interviews, she finally gets hired by an apparel company. But not as a designer; instead, she becomes an errand girl for the president's wife. This makes her rethink her past and makes her determined to change her future.
Park Si-hoo - Cha Seung-jo / Jean Thierry Cha The Korean president of Artemis, a famous luxury brand. Although he was born into a rich family, he is estranged from his father and built his company based on his own hard work. He says he will never trust women again after getting hurt by his first love Yoon-Joo; but actually, he desires true love more than anybody else.
So Yi-hyun - Seo Yoon-joo Ever since she was a young girl, Seo Yoon-joo had wanted to enter Cheongdam-dong. After using several methods, she finally becomes a "Cheongdam-dong daughter-in-law." She was once Han Se-kyung's rival in high school, and used to be jealous of her. She is Seung-jo's first love.
Kim Ji-seok - Tommy Hong A famous Korean designer, who moonlights as a matchmaker for upper crust families. At first, he schemes against Han Se-kyung for ruining his plans for an arranged marriage between Cha Seung-jo and Shin In-hwa. But later he admires her tenacity and helps her.
Han Jin-hee - Cha Il-nam Cha Seung-jo's father, and president of Royal Department Store. He is estranged from his son and tries to reconcile with him.
Kim Seung-soo - Shin Min-hyuk Seo Yoon-joo's husband and president of GN Fashion.
Kim Yoo-ri - Shin In-hwa Shin Min-hyuk's younger sister. She is the youngest to become the leader of the team of designers at GN Fashion, and is Han Se-kyung's boss. In-hwa has beauty, talent, a strong personality, and an excellent background, and her pride is piqued when Cha Seung-jo chooses Se-kyung over her, so she tries to undermine their relationship.
Shin So-yul - Choi Ah-jung Han Se-kyung's best friend.
Park Gwang-hyun - Heo Dong-wook Cha Seung-jo's best friend, and shrink.
Choi Sung-joon - Secretary Moon Jung In-gi - Han Deuk-ki Se-kyung's father, and a baker.
Lee Jong-nam - Jung Yoon-hee Se-kyung's mother.
Shin Hye-jeong - Han Se-jin Han Se-kyung's younger sister. She likes to be with her friends. Though she sometimes does not like to listen to adults, she has a kind and warm heart.
Gu Won - Seo Ho-min Seo Yoon-joo's younger brother who is extremely loyal to her. Jo Kwang-min as Yeon Seo Hye-won as Seo kim-soo Namkoong Min - So In-chan (guest appearance, ep 1–3) Se-kyung's ex-boyfriend.
Episode summary
Episode 1 Cha Seung-jo, French name Jean Thierry Cha, is the youngest Korean president of a famous luxury brand called Artemis. He believes that women go after luxury brands because of their high prices. His strategy for management is to raise the price of products to achieve increased sales.
Han Se-kyung is a person who tries her best in getting everything and lives by the motto of "Self-achievement generated from hard working". Though she studies design, because of her family's financial problem, she doesn't have the opportunity to study design abroad. And for this reason, not having any abroad studying experiences, she is often rejected by job interviewers. After three years, surprisingly, she is offered a job as a temporary worker at a clothes designing company called GN Fashion. She doesn't become a designer in the company; she becomes an errand girl for the head lady. When she is delivering some bags once, she bumps into Cha Seung-jo's car. Cha seung-jo sees a full car of luxury brands and therefore insults HanSe-kyung as a "material girl". He hides his identity as the president of Artemis and introduces himself as the secretary of the president of Artemis.
Cha Seung-jo goes to see his father, president Cha ll-nam of Royal Company, and in a disdainful tone, tells him that Artemis will not be a shop in the Royal Company's shopping center. Seeing his son treats him poorly, Cha ll-nam leaves angrily.
On the other hand, Han Se-kyung's boyfriend wants to break up with her because he thinks he cannot let Han Se-kyung stay with him in poverty. He gives her a famous brand's bag as their break up present.
At the home of Cha Seung-jo, he shares his recording on the conversation between him and his father previously with his friend/psychological doctor. He takes out a picture of his ex-girlfriend, Seo Yoon-joo, remembering the time in France where he gives up his wealth and family in order to marry her secretly, but she breaks up with him instead because he isn't wealthy anymore. He decides to collaborate with GN Fashion, which is Seo Yoon-joo's husband's company. Seo Yoon-joo, aware of the collaboration, asks his husband, Shin Min-hyuk, if she can be in charge of setting up the dinner between Jan Thierry Cha and him. Shin Min-hyuk agrees.
When Han Se-kyung is delivering a set of pearl ear rings, she loses the Certificate of Authenticity. When she goes back to the shop to look for it, she meets Cha Seung-jo, who insults her again. Returning to her company, she finds shockingly that the head lady is Seo Yoon-joo, who is her high school rival.
Episode 2 When Han Se-kyung is about to quit her job, her team leader tells her that the reason she can't become a designer is that she doesn't have the taste for fashion, leading her to reconsider her decision.
Han Se-kyung's best friend, Choi Ah-jung, helps her to find out the life of Seo Yoon-joo in order to know how to become a "Cheongdam -dong daughter-in-law". She finds out that Seo Yoon-joo actually is called Cha Yoon-joo when she has lived in France because she has married a man there. Han Se-kyung guessed from this information and the words of Shin Min-hyuk, who is the president of GN Fashion, that she is accepted specially by Seo Yoon-joo.
A customer has come to Artemis and complains that one of the bags she bought has detached spots on it. Cha Seung- jo gives her a new bag and then asks his secretary, Secretary Moon, to investigate in what has caused this problem. After investigations, they find out that Han Se-kyung's boyfriend, So In-chan, has sold uncertified bags outside the stores. After Han Se-kyung hears about this news, she immediately runs to So In-chan's house. She finds that in his mailbox, there are many collection letters from various banks. Han Se-kyung wants to get help from Artemis' president. On her way, she meets Cha Seung-jo. Not know that Cha Seung-jo is actually the president of Artemis, they have an argument again and she goes away unhappily.
Cha Seung-jo goes to Seo Yoon-joo's house because her husband has a dinner appointment with the president of Artemis. She is deliberately shocked when she sees that the president is her ex-boyfriend.
On Han Se-kyung's side, her father tells her that the family is suffering from money-shortage. They cannot open their bakery anymore and they are under much debt. Hearing this, Han Se-kyung wants to change herself. She takes the piece of information that Seo Yoon-jo has married in France and goes to threaten her. She will not tell others this news only if Seo Yoon-jo helps her to become a "Cheongdam -dong daughter-in-law".
Episode 3 Seo Yoon-jo asks her brother, Seo Ho-min, to stalk Han Se-kyung secretly. From the pictures taken by Seo Ho-min of Han Se-kyung, she sees Cha Seung-jo is in it. On the other hand, Cha Seung-jo's doctor/best friend, Heo Dong-wook, says Cha Seung-jo cannot control his emotions mentally, he can never cry. Secretary moon finds Seo In-chan's location; he is at his mom's funeral at the time. Cha Seung-jo happens to witness the scene and he orders the company not to go after So In-chan anymore. Instead, he sends flowers to the funeral house to express his sorrow for his mother. Under the warning of his father that someone is secretly taking pictures of him, he catches Seo Ho-min and warns him not ever to do it again. Cha Seung-jo also moves to the same neighborhood where Seo Yoon-joo is living.