High Kick!

High Kick!

Promotional poster
Genre Situation comedy
Created by Kim Byeong-wook
Written by Song Jae-jeong
Lee Young-chul
Lee So-jeong
Choi Jeong-hyeon
Bang Bong-won
Directed by Kim Byeong-wook
Kim Chang-dong
Kim Young-ki
Starring Lee Soon-jae
Na Moon-hee
Jeong Jun-ha
Choi Min-yong
Park Hae-mi
Shin Ji
Kim Hye-seong
Jung Il-woo
Seo Min-jung
Kim Bum
Hwang Chansung
Opening theme "Unstoppable High Kick" by Moogadang
Country of origin South Korea
Original language(s) Korean
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 167
Production
Producer(s) Kim Jeong-wook
Running time 30 minutes
Production company(s) Chorokbaem Media
Release
Original network MBC
Original release November 6, 2006 (2006-11-06) – July 13, 2007 (2007-07-13)
Chronology
Followed by High Kick Through The Roof
Related shows High Kick: Revenge of the Short Legged
External links
Website
High Kick!
Hangul 거침없이 하이킥
Revised Romanization Geochimeopsi Haikik
McCune–Reischauer Kŏch‘imŏpsi Haik‘ik

High Kick! (Hangul: 거침없이 하이킥; RR: Geochimeopsi Haikik; lit. "High Kick without Hesitation", "Unstoppable High Kick", or "Smooth High Kick") was a popular South Korean situation comedy revolving around the life of the Lee family, taking place in Seoul at the same time as the broadcast (Winter, 2006 - Summer, 2007).[1][2][3][4] The title of the show "High Kick!" has several implications, one of which is the oft-depicted high kicks of Yoon-ho, one of the main characters. The show aired in South Korea from Monday to Friday in sitcom format. Due to its popularity, the show filmed more episodes than were initially planned. Many of the characters starred in commercials and advertisements in Korea. The show's popularity also led to High Kick Through the Roof, which aired in 2009-2010, and High Kick: Revenge of the Short Legged, which aired in 2011-2012.

Main characters

Lee Soon-jae (이순재, Lee Soon-jae)
[5] The head of the Lee family, he works alongside his daughter-in-law at his Korean medicine hospital. Being the oldest in the family, he can be harsh and strict toward his family members, and thinks only about himself. He always kicks or hits other members of the family. Due to this aggressive behavior, Soon-jae acts as the dictator of the Lee household and no one opposes what he says.
Na Moon-hee (나문희, Na Moon-hee)
Soon-jae's wife, she is incredibly strong and has an enormous appetite, which she passes on to Joon-ha. Despite her age, she does all of the cooking and cleaning, and looks after Joon (Min-yong's baby). Since Soon-jae and Hae-Mi often berate and insult her, she often has daydreams of them suffering. Like Min-Yong, she is annoyed by Hae-mi, and would do anything to embarrass her.
Lee Joon-ha (이준하, Jeong Jun-ha)
Son of Soon-jae and Moon-hee. A huge strong man with an enormous appetite, nicknamed as the "Lord of Gluttony". Laid off from the company he was working, he spends his time at home as an unsuccessful investor and depends on the earnings of his wife, who is the main doctor at his father's hospital.
Lee Min-yong (이민용, Choi Min-yong)
A late-born son of Soon-jae and Moon-hee, he works as a P. E. teacher at a pungpago where his nephews attend. Min-yong is the opposite of Joon-ha in many terms. Min-yong is a slim man with straight hair, less lazy, more handsome, and employed, but has the nasty attitude toward Soon-jae, while Joon-ha is more like Moon-hee; a plump man with curly hair, very lazy, dumb looking, overweight, and unemployed, but more sympathetic than Min-yong. Returning to his parents house after a short-lived marriage with Shin Ji, he lives in an expanded and modified storeroom upstairs, which is connected with the main house with a firemen's pole.
Park Hae-mi (박해미, Park Hae-mi)
[6] The wife of Lee Joon-ha. A doctor that works with Lee Soon-jae. Hae-mi was in love with another man before her marriage. Accepting Joon-ha's proposal was to rival the lover who had dumped her, which Joon-ha finds out in one of the episodes. She gave financial support to Soon-jae's hospital when it was near the brink of closing down, and much more popular than Soon-jae as a doctor.
Lee Min-ho (이민호, Kim Hye-seong)
The eldest son of Lee Joon-ha and Park Hae-mi. Being very bright, but physically small and soft, he is often portrayed as a "mama's boy," and always quarreling with his younger brother Yoon-ho, who is in the same class at the pungpago. An easy target to bully due to his weak appearance, while Yoon-ho would simply fight back no matter the odds. The contrast between the two brothers is one of the main themes of the show. At school he sits in the very front of the classroom along with Kim Bum, who has been best friends with him for a long time, and they embrace each other in a sign of friendship.
Lee Yoon-ho (이윤호, Jung Il-woo)
The youngest son of Lee Joon-ha and Park Hae-mi. He is a tall, strong, and handsome boy known for his high kick. He also narrates the story of the show. He is also a motorcycle maniac. He is very popular among the girls in pungpago, though his grade is low and he sometimes demonstrates his utter ignorance. As one episode disclosed, Yoon-ho was as bright as Min-ho in his childhood, but after riding on the back of motorcycle of a friend of Joon-ha's, he became completely absorbed in fighting and motorcycles; Joon-ha is blamed by Hae-mi for Yoon-ho's bad grades and delinquent behavior. Yoon-ho is often misunderstood and sometimes blamed for things he did not do.
Shin Ji a.k.a. Shin Bong-hee (신지, Shin Ji)
The ex-wife of Lee Min-yong and the mother of Jun. Loves music, and is trying to get a job at a music industry, singing CF songs and taking auditions for musicals. She asked for a divorce from Min-yong, wishing to study abroad in Moscow, but came back to Korea in short time. Min-yong and her take turns in taking care of Jun, though Jun seems to be in the Lee household most of the time presumable due to Shin Ji's busy schedule.
Seo Min-jeong (서민정, Seo Min-jung)
[7] An English teacher at the pungpagothat Lee Min-yong teaches at, and the homeroom teacher of Min-ho, Yoon-ho, Bum, Chan Seong and Seung Hyun. She rented the apartment that Min-yong and Shin JI used to live in, and lives there with Shin Ji after her return from the short and unsuccessful attempt to study in Moscow.
Kim Bum (김범, Kim Bum)
Lee Min-ho's best friend, desiring to become the proper member of the family. The two boys are very close and care for each other. He had a crush on Yoo-mi later in the sitcom.
Kang Yoo-mi (강유미, Park Min-young)
Lee Min-ho's girlfriend. Very pretty but extremely poor at studies, always getting lowest scores at school. She is also secretly three years older than her schoolmates, but only Kim Bum, Lee Min-ho, Lee Yoon-ho,and Lee Min-yong, who doesn't care about that so much, know it.

Minor characters

Gaeseong-daek (개성댁, Lee Su-na)
Na Moon-hee's best friend. Currently jailed in prison for murdering her sister. Escaped from prison and fled to Moon-hee's house many times but each time Soon-jae turned her in.
Yum Seung-hyun (염승현, Yum Seung-hyun)
Another classmate of Min-ho and Yoon-ho and the rival of Yoon-ho. In the later episodes, he even competes with Yoon-ho for Seo Min-jeong's attention.
Hwang Chan-sung ( 황찬성, Hwang Chansung)
A friend of Yum seung-hyun, One of Yoon-ho's rivals & a trouble maker in Pungpa high school, but after being betrayed by Seung-Hyun he became Yoon-Ho's friend.
Jun (준, 고채민, Go Chae-min)
Min-yong and Shin Ji's infant child. At the very beginning of the show, the grown-up Jun appears as an astronaut. He can be seen in nearly every episode in a few scenes but never does anything apart from sleeping or just crying.
Na Hae-mi (나해미, Na Hye-mi)
A classmate of Yoo-mi, transferred from a different school in the later episodes (starting from Episode 116). She chases Yoon-ho around, publicly broadcasts herself as Yoon-ho's girlfriend, lies to him for drawing his attention, and deeply annoys him.
Nurse Yoo and Nurse Park
Two staff members who work at Soon-jae's hospital and act as his secretaries somewhat. Yoo is younger than Park and nothing much is portrayed about her except working at the reception desk.
Yoo-mi's parents
Yoo-mi's father is a somewhat mysterious man with a hidden agenda. He eventually dies, apparently shot in the chest and found by Min-yong on one stormy night. It is revealed that he worked as an agent for North Korea but changed sides, which led him to being hunted by his former comrades, who later killed him.
Hong Sun-chang (홍순창, Hong Sun-chang)
Vice Principal of Pungpago. He is extremely sarcastic.
Lee Seo-hyun (이서현, Yoon Seo-hyun) (Detective Lee)
He is a detective and is usually seen handling the cases behind Yumi's family. He also has a crush on Shin Ji.
Seo Joo-hyun (서주현, Noh Joo-hyun)
Seo Min-jeong's father. He is opposed of the relationship between Min-yong and Min-jeong.
Han Young-min (한영민, Seo Hyun) 
Han Young-min is part of the staff in a musical Shin Ji played in. He has a crush on Shin Ji even though he is younger than her, they go out for a short period of time.

Cameo appearances

Jung Jin-young (정진영, Jung Jin-young)
Chicken carrier
Ivy (아이비, Ivy) 
Special patient
Yoon Seong-ho (윤성호, Yoon Seong-ho)
Jun-ha's friend
Jun (준,서경석, Seo Kyeong-seok)
An adult Jun at 25 years old.
Kim Mi-ryu (김미려, Kim Mi-ryu)
Min-jeong's friend. Her crush: Yoon-ho.
Yoon Gi-won (윤기원, Yoon Gi-won)
Special P.E. teacher at Pungpago.
Tablo 타블로(타블로, Tablo)
Special teacher at Pungpago. His crush: Min-jeong.
Cho Won-seok (조원석, Cho Won-seok)
A person trying to cast Shin Ji.

Soundtrack

OST Part 1

  1. Unstoppable High Kick - Moogadang
  2. Love U Like U - Moogadang
  3. Why Is It - Moogadang
  4. Sambuja Song - Moogadang

OST Part 2

  1. Love to ride - Lee Gyeong-mi
  2. In place - Lee Eun-ju

OST Special Edition

  1. Love to ride (Full Ver) - Lee Gyeong-mi

International broadcast

References

  1. ↑ Hong Soo-hyun, Lee Ho-jeong (January 15, 2007). "Sitcom maestro has the right formula for laughter unlimited". Korea JoongAng Daily via Hancinema. Retrieved May 29, 2013.
  2. ↑ Chun, Su-jin (January 30, 2007). "TV Review: Happy? Watch High Kick and ask again". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved May 29, 2013.
  3. ↑ Kim, Tae-jong (February 6, 2007). "TV Sitcom Wins Over Viewers With Unconventional Characters". The Korea Times via Hancinema. Retrieved May 29, 2013.
  4. ↑ Kang, Hye-ran (July 25, 2007). "Director keeps sitcoms all in the family". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved May 29, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Internet Generation Discovers Pre-TV Age Actor". The Chosun Ilbo. January 26, 2007. Retrieved May 29, 2013.
  6. ↑ Yang, Sung-hee (August 8, 2007). "A high kick into top gear for a new star". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved May 29, 2013.
  7. ↑ "Newlywed Seo Min-jung to Retire from Acting". The Chosun Ilbo. August 27, 2007. Retrieved May 29, 2013.
  8. ↑ http://www.kntv.co.jp/prog/detail/?p=1960
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