I Am Sam

This was another drama that I never thought of watching in the first place if not for me being smitten by Park Min Young. The relatively young cast meant that it was not going to do well in the ratings and it showed. But frankly in a period where the television stations are flooding us with saeguk dramas weekly, this drama was a good avenue of release back into the modern world, plus its a funny comedy drama at that with all the serious politics in saeguk world.

In a nutshell, the story is about about how a timid and incompetent teacher, Jang Ee San (Yang Dong Geun) comes to teach the only daughter, Yoo Eun Byul (Park Min Young), of a highly dangerous mob leader (Park Joon Gyu). Eun Byul also is a new student at Myung Moon High who knows nothing whatsoever. Not even of the school’s “jjang” Chae Moo Shin (TOP from Big Bang). Sparks fly when the incompetent teacher and blur student stays together in a house forced by her mob father without them knowing that they have taken a liking to each other as time passes.

It’s a pretty light-hearted and funny drama to watch. And you have to say the writer was real crafty with the entire drama and especially the last 5 minutes of the ending, making it seem like there was an alternative intended ending. Overall the pace was just right, without the usual lagging in the middle episodes. There wasn’t any big scenes but all of the characters just have such an endearing layer of affection for each other.

Yang Dong Geun as Jang Ee San

Yang Dong Geun is really perfect as a loser teacher. He just amazes me with his talent and timing at comedic roles. You can’t help but just feel and be one with his character. He just got the ability to capture so much complex romantic feelings with his expressions. His relationship with Eun Byul was not too absurd plus they had good chemistry. Loved his relationship with his students and it was certainly not in the mould of a kick-ass teacher..

It’s funny how he always takes lines from movies and TV dramas and other authors and passes them off as his own but his students always manages to find out it’s not.

Park Min Young as Park Eun Byul

Frankly, I watched this drama because of her. She is simply so cute and adorable in so many different styles in the drama itself, I lost count of the number of times she came out in different outfits and hairstyles. Athough at times, her character was annoying but that can be excused since she was playing a little spoilt brat afterall. Nice to see her change a lot through her many interactions with Ee San. Loved her friendship with Sa Kang and Moo Shin.

Son Tae Young as Shin So Yi

Never knew about her but now I do. I do think she is very pretty and she was wearing a wig for almost the entire drama. She tried her best to accomodate Ee San most of the time but eventually it comes to nought. Her character was very unfortunate in the drama but there’s always light at the end as she hooked up with another great guy in Ji Sun Hoo. She has a passive character and goes well with Sun Hoo who is active and the same goes for Ee San who is passive and Eun Byul who is active. Passive and passive don’t go well together apparently.

Park Chae Kyung as Sa Kang

Another pretty girl in the drama and certainly making waves as the loyal, unassuming character of Sa Kang. Aloof at first but slowly opens up thanks to Eun Byul. Likes Moo Shin and shows affection for him bit by bit instead of throwing herself at him which was nice. Has great affinity for drawing and eventually becomes a teacher back at her high school.

T.O.P as Chae Moo Shin

Member of Big Bang and he doesn’t have much scenes in the beginning probably due to his performance commitment. The resident cool guy who can win any fight. Very cool in the drama and doesn’t talk much. Fiercely loyal and actually liked Eun Byul in the beginning but eventually ends up with Sa Kang. Funny that the policeman who wanted to put him behind bars, actually uses his help four years later and even wanted to recruit him into the police force.

Ryan as Ji Sun Hoo

Playing as a relief teacher, he is the one that all students, teachers included confide in him. Cool and confident always. They actually incorporated his real-life career as a singer into the drama. Falls for So Yi and doesn’t really make a move on her until she finally sorts out her mess with Ee San. Perfect match for So Yi.

Class 3-8 of Myung Moon High

The “worst” class in Myung Moon High has Jang Ee San as their form teacher and gradually he manages to tame the class with his unique teaching method. The class is littered with many interesting distinct characters besides Eun Byul who joins the class as a transfer student.

All of the class members were really adorable. The class head using latin with almost every line he speaks, the nerd with awful timing and always coming in second, bin trio, Sa Kang, Moo Shin, etc!

Rest of the cast members

Eun Byul’s father, Secretary Hong and Mr. Kim were equally good in their limited roles. The most funny scene for me was Eun Byul’s father and Mr. Kim in episode 9 when they visit Ee San at his home.

Special mention must go to the Bin trio of Da-bin, Ye-bin, and Hyeo-bin. They are always so lame but yet so hilarious. You can’t help but love them in the drama. They are not really bad girls even though they are troublemakers who are so full of themselves because they think they are ‘celebrities in training.’ How I always laugh when they make inferences that they are celebrities in training. They end being nothing like celebrities four years later!

Can’t forget about Mo Se who is always hanging around them. Heck, Mo Se eventually hooks up with Da Bin and gets married with babies.

Memorable Scenes

Chance meeting in Ep 1 changes their dormant lives…

Eun Byul getting slapped by Ee San after saying words unbecoming of a girl…

Eun Byul shocking her father by saying she wants to go to school!

First day of school sees Eun Byul slapping the resident cool guy, Mu Shin over a misunderstanding…

Eun Byul leaving Ee San to do the household chores…

This scene is so deja-vu, very familiar aint’ it?

They look adorable here trying to whip up something to eat…

So Yi always confiding in Sun Ho about her problems with Ee San…

Ee San forced to wear Eun Byul’s t-shirt after So Yi discovers it lying around, so hilarious as he explains only by wearing this, can he show off his muscles…

Ee San and So Yi finally kisses after the second try, their first sees them knocking each other noses…

Ee San is a cool teacher who defends his students from the irritating cop. When the cop calls the students poop, he says, “What’s wrong with poop? If you keep saying it stinks, then from the poop’s stance, it’ll be sad.”

The class head on the extreme right is always hilarious with his poetic English interludes…

Dabin, Yebin, Hyeo-bin camping outside of Eun Byul’s real house to catch her and Ee San red-handed, but ends up with hilarious results…

Taking a photo with Moo Shin and Mo Se had to butt in, haha…

Hitching a ride on Moo Shin’s bike, she is so cute ^^

Eun Byul pretending to be “So Yi” and charms Ee San’s best friend who envies Ee San for snitching a beautiful wife…

My favourite and i reckon the funniest part of the drama! Eun Byul’s father and Mr. Kim becomes Ee San’s “father” and “younger brother” with hilarious results. Just too funny for words.

Being forced to wash dishes as Ee San’s younger brother…haha

Eun Byul hiding herself when So Yi visits Ee San at his home unexpectedly…but So Yi eventually discovers that they are living together…

So Yi dancing her sorrows away, funny how she dances…

So Yi forgives Ee San but thinks about the worst possible scenario of Ee San and Eun Byul living together under the same roof…

So Yi decides to move in over the weekend to make sure nothing happens between Eun Byul and Ee San and creates friction between all of them…

Eun Byul and Mu Shin stops by and helps Sa Kang with her job when Eun Byul decides to create some fun mischief with the paint…

Eun Byul’s father makes another surprise visit and gets Ee San all flustered together with So Yi as the earlier decides to cook them something to eat…

Ee San reciting a poem to Eun Byul while they were being held captive. Before Ee San recited the poem, he told Eun Byul not to be too moved by it or else neither of us will be able to bear it. But afterwards, Eun Byul said she has heard it before because it was one of her mother’s favourite poem.

Until I spoke the name Eun Byul,
you had been no more than a mere gesture.
When I spoke the name Eun Byul,
you came close to me and became my silver star. (Byul means Star)
Just like the way I spoke your name Eun Byul,
one fitting the brightness and fragrance of mine,
My name, You, (to Eun Byul)
how do you decide to say my name?
Sam? (teacher?)
You are Eun Byul,
I am Sam.
You are to me,
and I am to you,
to become an unforgettable gaze.

Spending time together at the beach…

So Yi and Ji Sun Hoo ends up together which is simply a great match…

Sa Kang becomes a teacher at Myung Moon High School

Moo Shin and friend become detectives…

Moo Shin and Sa Kang four years later…

Eventually together after four years of separation…

Adorable Animations

Good Kimchi: Overall good production drama. 4/5 stars.

If you are interested in the series, visit Cococrust Repository to get your fix.

Many thanks to all the folks that updated I Am Sam at Soompi forums with information which made following the drama a joy.