South Korea’s ‘Bridget Jones’
She doesn’t let men push her around, is overweight and can’t dance well, and talks openly about constipation. That’s why South Korea is falling in love with Kim Sam-soon.
Kim is the lead character of the new TV soap opera “My Name Is Kim Sam-soon,” which has rocketed to the top of the ratings since its premiere last month. Its popularity is driven by an audience of women who see the gutsy Kim as South Korea’s “Bridget Jones” -- a woman who speaks her mind and is fed up with societal pressure to marry and settle down while also living up to conventional stereotypes of beauty.
The MBC network show soared to 41.7% viewership across South Korea on Thursday evenings and is the highest-rated soap opera this year. TNS Media Korea, which compiles TV ratings, said women in their 30s are the largest group of viewers.
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