Be Melodramatic Explained

Alt Name:Melo Is My Nature
Native Name:
Hangul:멜로가 체질
Hanja:멜로가 體質
Rr:Melloga Chejil
Mr:Melloga Ch'ejil
Lk:Melo Suits Me
Genre:Romantic comedy
Country:South Korea
Language:Korean
Num Episodes:16
Executive Producer:Ham Young-hoon
Company:Samhwa Networks
Network:JTBC

Be Melodramatic[1] is a 2019 South Korean television series starring Chun Woo-hee, Jeon Yeo-been, Han Ji-eun, Ahn Jae-hong and Gong Myung. It aired on cable network JTBC on Fridays and Saturdays at 20:30 from August 9 to September 28, 2019.[2] The drama received a manhwa adaptation.

Synopsis

A romantic comedy that depicts the daily lives of 30-year-old best friends Lim Jin-joo (Chun Woo-hee), Lee Eun-jung (Jeon Yeo-been) and Hwang Han-joo (Han Ji-eun), using a show within a show as the backdrop.

Jin-joo is a writer who gets her first chance to write a 16-episode television series and, in the process, falls for her director, Son Beom Soo (Ahn Jae-hong), and he for her, although not without a number of prickly moments. As Jin-joo writes the show and Beom-soo develops it, their personal and professional lives intertwine in unexpected ways.

Eun-jung is a documentary film maker who has not properly got over the early death of her fiance from cancer. But she is successful professionally. During much of the series, she is making a documentary about a second-tier actress and personality, Lee So Min (Lee Joo-bin), who ends up being considered for a role in Jin-joo and Beom-soo's show.

Han-joo is a single mother who works for a marketing and production company. One of her jobs is to ensure that production companies that have accepted product placements by her company live up to their commitments, a responsibility she executes inventively. She gets promoted and her company ends up working on Jin-joo and Beom-soo's show.

The show features a large ensemble cast and follows the story arcs of many of them.

Cast

Main

A rookie drama screenwriter. She broke up with Kim Hwan-dong after dating him for seven years.

A documentary director who is the CEO and only employee of her company. She has persistent complex grief disorder[5] after her boyfriend passed away and often imagines and talks with him.

The marketing team leader of a drama production company. She's also a single mother.

A famous drama director who has filmed five consecutive hits, who combines arrogance and insecurity. He decides to make Jin-joo's proposed 16-episode romantic comedy, “When You're 30, It Will Be Okay” after reading her proposal.

A new employee in Han-joo's marketing team. He has a complicated relationship with his girlfriend Ha-Yoon.

Supporting

People around Jin-joo

Lim Jin-joo's ex-boyfriend and Son Beom-soo's assistant director.

Jin-joo's former boss. She is a famous screenwriter in the industry.

Jin-joo's younger sister.

Jin-joo’s mother

Jin-joo’s father

People around Eun-jung

Eun-jung's younger brother. A drama producer who is close with the three best friends. He is in a relationship with another male producer.

Eun-jung's deceased boyfriend. He often appears in her imagination.

She's a top celebrity and Eun-jung's rival. They used to be friends before So-min became famous.

A documentary director and Eun-jung's friend.

President of documentary group.

People around Han-joo

Han-joo and Seung-hyo's son. He sometimes struggles with not having his father around.

CEO of the drama production company where Han-joo works.

Han-joo's ex-husband and In-kook's father. He seduced Han-joo when she was a college student and left her because he wasn't satisfied with his life.

People around Beom-soo

Director of the broadcasting company JBC where Beom-soo works.

Beom-soo's co-worker and friend. He often fails in giving Beom-soo good advice.

She works at JBC's cafeteria and confessed her love to Beom-soo.

Beom-soo's ex-girlfriend. She's a lyricist who sometimes works with Hyo-bong.

Others

So-min's manager. He is very dedicated to her and seems to have a crush on her.

Jae-hoon's on-again off-again girlfriend.

He and Chu are friends.

Special appearances

Production

Lee Byeong-heon, who co-wrote and co-directed the series, started working on it in 2015 after the release of his coming-of-age film Twenty. He stated that he "wanted to discuss the stories of people, not just women, who were starting anew after coming out of relationships. This story was too much to spin in two hours so [he] opted for a drama format."

The early working title of the series is Yeouido Scandal (여의도 스캔들) . It was originally planned to airon cable channel tvN in 2017 following A Korean Odyssey, however, it did not push through.[21]

The first script reading took place on March 13, 2019 in Sangam-dong, Seoul, South Korea.[22]

On July 12, 2019, actor Oh Seung-yoon, who had been cast for the role of Lee Hyo-bong,[23] was removed from the drama after being booked for aiding and abetting drunk driving.[24] As the crew needed to reshoot all his scenes from episode 1 to 14, the premiere was delayed by two weeks, from July 26 to August 9.[25] On July 19, it was confirmed that Oh Seung-yoon had been replaced by Yoon Ji-on.

Original soundtrack

Be Melodramatic OST
Type:Soundtrack
Artist:Various artists
Released:2019
Genre:Soundtrack

Part 8

Ratings

+ Average TV viewership ratings
Original broadcast dateTitleAGB Nielsen
(nationwide)[26]
1August 9, 2019I'm Not Going to Like Something Like Love
(Korean: 나는 사랑 같은 거 안 해)
1.790%
2August 10, 2019If He's a Director, Shouldn't He Have a Girlfriend? The Thing is He Has No Luck^^
(Korean: 감독이면 여친 없겠네요? 재수 없어서^^)
1.035%
3August 16, 2019Are You on the Side of the Man I Like?
(Korean: 제가 좋아하는 남자 쪽에 속하나요?)
1.723%
4August 17, 2019Are You Going to Transfer? What a Philanthropist!
(Korean: 갈아탈 텐가? 이런 박애주의자!)
1.531%
5August 23, 2019It's Not Going to Be Easy, But It's Going to Be a Lot of Fun. Good Luck to Us
(Korean: 쉽진 않겠지만 엄청 재밌을거예요. 잘해봐요 우리)
1.596%
6August 24, 2019You're Growing on Me. You're Growing on Me...
(Korean: 정 들었어요. 정 들었다고...)
1.478%
7August 30, 2019Can I Kiss You? Only Kiss!
(Korean: 키스해도 돼요? 키스만!)
1.544%
8August 31, 2019I Don't Know How I Used to Be...
(Korean: 모르겠어 내가 어땠는지...)
1.190%
9September 6, 2019Why Are You Hesitating, Are You Excited, By Any Chance?
(Korean: 뭘 망설여, 설레고 그러냐 혹시?)
1.521%
10September 7, 2019Is Something Making You Jealous?
(Korean: 뭔가 질투가 난달까?)
11September 13, 2019There's Something I Need to Figure Out... My Heart That Likes the Writer
(Korean: 해결해야 될 일이 있어요… 작가님 좋아하는 내 마음)
12September 14, 2019Love Is The Best Thing In The World
(Korean: 사랑은 세상에서 제일 좋은 것)
1.324%
13September 20, 2019Why Are You Getting Out of There...?
(Korean: 네가 거기서 왜 나와...?)
1.270%
14September 21, 2019Do You Want Me to Hug You? It's Hard For You...
(Korean: 내가 안아줄까요? 당신 힘드니까...)
1.651%
15September 27, 2019Today I Should Be a Little Disappointed
(Korean: 오늘은 좀 실망을 해야겠어요)
1.489%
16September 28, 2019I've Stayed By My Whole Life At This Temperature
(Korean: 지금 정도의 온도로 평생 옆에 있어♡)
1.803%
Average

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryRecipientResultRef.
201911th Melon Music AwardsBest OST"Your Shampoo Scent In The Flowers" (Jang Beom-jun)
21st Mnet Asian Music AwardsBest OST"Your Shampoo Scent In The Flowers" (Jang Beom-jun)[27]
202056th Baeksang Arts AwardsBest New Actress (TV)Jeon Yeo-been[28]

Notes and References

  1. [티저] 나랑 한번 해보는 거 어때요 그거..? 〈멜로가 체질 Be melodramatic〉 8/9 (금) 첫 방송]. YouTube. JTBC. July 27, 2019. ko.
  2. Web site: Kim. Eun-jin. On 'Be Melodramatic,' adulting is a joke. August 10, 2019. Korea JoongAng Daily. August 11, 2019. .
  3. Web site: Hong. Hye-min. 천우희X전여빈X한지은, '멜로가 체질' 출연 확정…7월 첫방 [공식]]. https://web.archive.org/web/20190423074925/http://star.hankookilbo.com/News/Read/201902250954711524. dead. April 23, 2019. February 25, 2019. Star Hankookilbo. ko. April 23, 2019.
  4. Web site: Chun Woo-hee to Appear in 1st TV Series in 2 Years. February 26, 2019. English Chosun. April 23, 2019.
  5. Web site: Dr. Kevin. Fleming. Persistent Complex Bereavement Disorder DSM-5. Theravive. August 19, 2021.
  6. Web site: Kim. Do-hyung. JTBC 측 "안재홍, '멜로가 체질' 출연 논의 중" (공식입장). February 19, 2019. MK. ko. April 23, 2019.
  7. Web site: Park. Han-na. 공명 "차기작 '멜로가 체질'은 찰진 대사와 코미디가 핵심". April 2, 2019. Edaily. ko. April 23, 2019.
  8. Web site: Kim. Yoon-ji. '청시2' 이유진, '멜로가체질' 합류…천우희와 호흡. April 8, 2019. Edaily. ko. April 23, 2019.
  9. Web site: 백지원, '멜로가 체질' 이어 '미쓰리' 출연 확정 - 스타투데이. Maeil Business Newspaper. ko. 2019-06-21.
  10. Web site: Kim. Kyung-hee. [공식] 윤지온, '멜로가 체질' 오승윤 후임 확정, 스케줄 조율중]. July 19, 2019. iMBC. ko. July 20, 2019.
  11. Web site: '트랩' 이주빈, 이병헌 감독 '멜로가 체질' 합류(공식). 2019-03-18. EDaily. ko. 2019-06-21.
  12. Web site: 김영아, JTBC 새 금토극 '멜로가 체질' 출연. 2019-04-24. The Korea Economic Daily. ko. 2019-06-21.
  13. Web site: Kim. Yoon-ji. '극한직업' 허준석, 이병헌 감독 '멜로가체질' 합류. April 19, 2019. Edaily. ko. April 23, 2019.
  14. Web site: Kim. Jin-seok. 이지민, '멜로가 체질' 속 당찬 캐릭터 눈길. August 18, 2019. News Joins. ko. August 18, 2019.
  15. Web site: Jin. Joo-hee. 첫 방 '멜로가 체질' 천우희, 오래된 연인에게 처절하게 차였다(Ft.이하늬 진선규 특별 출연). https://web.archive.org/web/20190811160913/http://star.hankookilbo.com/News/Read/201908092361336168. dead. August 11, 2019. August 9, 2019. Star Hankookilbo. ko. August 11, 2019.
  16. Web site: '멜로가 체질' 공명, 김도연 앞에서 안절부절못하다...PPL이 뭐길래. August 10, 2019. The Korea Economic Daily. ko. August 11, 2019. August 11, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190811160540/https://www.hankyung.com/entertainment/article/201908106265k. dead.
  17. Web site: Na. Geum-joo. '멜로가체질' 한지은X공명, 김도연 설득 위해 위키미키 춤까지 '성공'. August 16, 2019. Xports News. ko. August 17, 2019.
  18. Web site: Kim. Ha-jin. 양현민, '멜로가 체질' 특별 출연…톱스타役으로 이병헌 감독 지원사격. August 16, 2019. The Korea Economic Daily. ko. August 18, 2019.
  19. Web site: Kim. Soo-kyung. 손석구, '멜로가 체질' 특별 출연...전여빈과 새 멜로 만들까. September 7, 2019. The Korea Economic Daily. ko. September 9, 2019.
  20. Web site: Kim. Ha-jin. '멜로가 체질' 정소민, 이병헌 감독과 인연으로 최종회 특별출연. September 28, 2019. The Korea Economic Daily. ko. October 1, 2019.
  21. Web site: [단독] '스물' 이병헌 감독의 tvN 드라마, '화유기' 후속 편성]. November 29, 2017. JoongAng Ilbo.
  22. Web site: Entertainment Team. '멜로가 체질', 이병헌 감독에 천우희까지...첫 대본 리딩 엿보기. June 27, 2019. The Korea Economic Daily. ko. August 19, 2019. November 17, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211117220407/https://www.hankyung.com/entertainment/article/201906274200k. dead.
  23. Web site: Kim. Young-rok. [단독]'황품 황태제' 오승윤, '멜로가 체질' 출연 확정…동성애자 역 도전]. March 20, 2019. Sports Chosun. ko. April 23, 2019.
  24. Web site: Seon. Mi-kyung. '멜로가 체질' 측 "음주운전 방조 오승윤 하차, 재촬영 후 8월9일 첫방"[공식]]. July 12, 2019. Osen. Naver. ko. August 11, 2019.
  25. Web site: Nam. Jae-lyun. '멜로가 체질' 이병헌 감독의 첫 방송 드라마…기대 포인트 셋. March 1, 2019. The Chosun Ilbo. ko. April 23, 2019.
  26. Web site: AGB Daily Ratings: this links to current day-select the date from drop down menu. Nielsen Korea. ko.
  27. News: 2019 MAMA' Unveils Official Nominees, Check the List and Voting Here. Business Times. ko. October 26, 2019. November 4, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191104145105/https://en.businesstimes.cn/articles/120907/20191026/2019-mama-unveils-official-nominees-voting-open.htm. November 4, 2019. dead.
  28. News: MacDonald. Joan. Baeksang Arts Awards Announces Nominees And Plans To Proceed Without An Audience. Forbes. May 8, 2020. May 8, 2020.