Missing You (2013 TV series)

Plot

Fifteen year old Lee Soo-yeon (Kim So-hyun) is a victim of bullying at school, targeted because her father was a murderer. Through a series of fated events, she meets Han Jung-woo (Yeo Jin-goo), the son of a chaebol and gangster. Jung-woo protects Soo-yeon from the bullies, they become friends and soon fall in love. One day, Jung-woo was kidnapped and Soo-yeon, who witnessed the abduction, attempts to help - only to be taken by the kidnappers as well.

Kang Hyung-joon (Ahn Do-gyu)'s mother, the mistress of Jung-woo's grandfather, and Jung-woo's father have been fighting over a large sum of money. She finally succeeds in moving the money to a Swiss bank with the help of her nurse, Jun Hye-mi. Wanting to leave Korea safely with Hyung-joon as soon as possible, Hye-mi was ordered to have Jung-woo kidnapped until they can flee out of the country. Due to an unexpected accident during the time when Jung-woo and Soo-yeon were both kidnapped, they became separated. Jung-woo was rescued from the kidnappers by his father, but he was unable to return to help Soo-yeon, who was presumed to be dead. Jung-woo's father, wanting to cover up the incident, bribes the kidnappers and the police to fake Soo-yeon's death. Hyung-joon, however, had saved Soo-yeon's life and killed a detective that was chasing after them. Soo-yeon then fled out of the country with Hyung-joon and Hye-mi.

Fourteen years later, Jung-woo (now Park Yoochun) is now a homicide detective and has set his mind on finding Soo-yeon, believing that she is not dead. Soo-yeon (now Yoon Eun-hye) is now known as Zoey Lou, a rookie fashion designer who appears to have a bright personality, but she still carries the emotional scars of her past inside her. Fate leads to the meeting of the two, but Zoey is unforgiving towards Jung-woo for abandoning her during the kidnapping. Meanwhile, Kang Hyung-joon (Yoo Seung-ho), rich with the money his mother took from the Han family, returns to Korea for revenge. He appears warm and nice, but turns out to be a psychopathic murderer and uses the alias Harry Borrison to get his revenge on Jung-woo's father for murdering his mother.

Main characters

Han Jung-woo is born into a wealthy family and is the son of Han Tae-joon. He has a stepmother who doesn't care for him and remained in the U.S.A., supposedly in exile. On return, he comes across Lee Soo-yeon and befriends her. When they met again later at school, he is her only friend. They soon develop feelings for each other and agree to meet on a rainy day. On that day, however, he is kidnapped, and Soo-yeon, witnessing this, jumps in to save him. Unfortunately, they are separated during this as Jung-woo's father, who manages to save him, refuses to go back for Soo-yeon. Jung-woo persistently looks out for her, but it is in vain. Fourteen years later, Jung-woo, who now is a detective, stumbles upon Zoey Lou, who is remarkably similar to Soo-yeon. He decides to stay close to her as he is convinced that she is Soo-yeon. He crosses paths with Harry Borrison who is Zoey's current boyfriend. As a detective, he is quick to find out that his father had faked Soo-yeon's death. He also discovers that Harry is indeed his uncle and is now a murderer who is after him and his family. He tries to protect Soo-yeon from everyone. In the end, he earns back Soo-yeon's love and marries her.

Lee Soo-yeon is a poor girl who has an abusive father. Her father turns out to be a murderer, and people despise and bully her because of this. When she meets Han Jung-woo, she is surprised and smitten by how he wants to be her friend. She quickly develops feelings for him because of this. When she sees him get kidnapped on the day they were supposed to meet, she tries to save him. Unfortunately, she gets raped and separated from him. Jung-woo's father fakes her death even though she was rescued by Kang Hyung-joon, a boy she saved from a fire earlier. She runs away with him and his 'aunt' abroad. Fourteen years later, living under the name of Zoe Lou, she is now a popular rising designer who returns to Korea. Upon meeting Jung-woo again by chance, she recognizes him but pretends she isn't Lee Soo-yeon. She had held a grudge against him for leaving her at the kidnapping scene rather than saving her. As Jung-woo, however, consistently tries to protect and reach out to her, her anger fades gradually and admits her true self to him. Because of this, her current boyfriend, Harry Borrison (who is Kang Hyung-joon) gets angry at her for going back to Jung-woo. He makes her life miserable by depicting her as the accused for all his crimes. Through all this, she reconciles with her family and in the end marries Jung-woo.

Kang Hyung-joon is the son of Kang Hyun-joo who was put in a mental hospital by Han Tae Joon. Hyung-joon was then chased out by him and bitten by his dog, crippling his leg. He goes into hiding with his mother's trusted nurse. When a fire starts in his house, Lee Soo-yeon, helped by Han Jung-woo, rescues him. He feels indebted to Soo-yeon and rescues her after she gets separated from Jung-woo. They escape abroad and lived under aliases. Over the years, he falls in love with Soo-yeon and becomes her boyfriend. He returns to Korea with her, under the name of Harry Borrison. He is not in good terms with Han Jung-woo as he is Han Tae-Joon's son, and that he is earning Soo-yeon's love again. Hyung-joon is secretly a psychopathic murderer driven by revenge for Han Tae-joon. When he sees Soo-yeon going back to Jung-woo, he frames her for his murders and makes her life difficult. He genuinely loves her and says that this is her "punishment" for not loving him back.

Supporting characters

Kim Eun-joo is a manhwa artist and Kim Sung-ho's daughter. Her family is close with Soo-yeon's and takes them in when they needed a new home. At first, she has a crush on Jung-woo but did not develop more serious feelings. She is devastated when her father dies while chasing Soo-yeon. She claims to hate Soo-yeon if she ever returns home after she got kidnapped. She pretends to be cold even though she is relieved that Soo-yeon is home safely.

Han Tae-joon is Han Jung-woo's father. He is driven by money and reputation. He put Kang Hyun-joo in a mental hospital and cripples her son, Kang Hyung-joon. Hyung-joon despises him and plots revenge against him. When Jung-woo was kidnapped, Tae-joon only saved his son even though he promised to go back for Soo-yeon. Instead, he burns all the remaining traces of Soo-yeon and allies with the police to fake her death. He is hated by Jung-woo for this.

Extended cast

Production

The series was written by Moon Hee-jung, who previously wrote The Last Scandal of My Life and Can You Hear My Heart. Director Lee Jae-dong previously helmed Can't Lose and Thank You.

Teenage actors Yeo Jin-goo and Kim So-hyun were first cast as the younger versions of the leading characters, and they appeared in the first four episodes. They previously played Crown Prince Lee Hwon and Lady Yoon Bo-kyung, respectively, in MBC drama Moon Embracing the Sun. In September 2012, Park Yoochun officially signed on as the male lead, and in October, Yoon Eun-hye was cast in the female lead role; this is her first melodrama.

Episode 13, originally scheduled for broadcast on December 19, 2012, was preempted by election special Decision 2012. It aired on Thursday, December 20 instead, resulting in only one episode for that week. The series was extended by one episode and ended on January 17, 2013, concluding with 21 episodes.

Ratings

According to AGB Nielsen Media Research, the first two episodes achieved a nationwide rating of 7.7 and 6.2 percent respectively. Both of which ranked third behind rivals The Innocent Man on KBS and The Great Seer on SBS.

Soundtrack

1. 떨어진다 눈물이 (The Teardrops Are Falling) – Wax
2. 바라보나봐 (Just Look At You) – Chung Dong-ha of Boohwal
3. 니 얼굴 떠올라 (Reminds of You) – Byul (feat. Swings)
4. 사랑하면 안돼요 (Don't Love Me) – Lee Seok-hoon of SG Wannabe
5. 마법의 성 (Magic Castle) – Melody Day
6. 슬픔 (Sorrow)
7. 외로움 (Loneliness)
8. 절망 (Despair)
9. 두려움 (Awe)
10. 기다림 (Waiting)
11. 보고싶다 (I Miss You)
12. Decisive (Inst.)
13. 마법의 성 (Magic Castle) (Inst.)
14. 사랑하면 안돼요 (Don't Love Me) (Inst.)
15. 니 얼굴 떠올라 (Reminds of You) (Inst.)
16. 바라보나봐 (Just Look At You) (Inst.)
17. 떨어진다 눈물이 (The Teardrops Are Falling) (Inst.)
18. The Wind is Blowing (Inst.)

Awards

2012 K-Drama Star Awards

2012 MBC Drama Awards

2013 Baeksang Arts Awards

International broadcast