''Sweet 18'' (; lit. "18-year-old Bride") is a South Korean television series that aired on
KBS2
KBS 2TV is a South Korean free-to-air
Free-to-air (FTA) services are television (TV) and radio services broadcast in unencrypted form, allowing any person with the appropriate receiving equipment to receive the signal and view or listen ...
in 2004. The story strongly focuses on both personal and clan-level relationships between Jung-sook, a member of Papyeong's Yun clan, and Hyuk-joon, a member of
Andong's Kwon clan. Both clans had hoped for re-establishing good relations after being separated for three generations by war, by arranging a marriage between Jung-sook and Hyuk-joon upon Jung-sook's birth.
Plot
Yoon Jung-sook (
Han Ji-hye) is an eighteen-year-old, dreamy, lively school girl. One day, she encounters a mysterious man in
traditional Korean clothing
The hanbok () is the traditional clothing of the Korean people. The term ''hanbok'' is primarily used by South Koreans; North Koreans refer to the clothes as (). The clothes are also worn in the Korean diaspora. Koryo-saram—ethnic Koreans liv ...
on the streets who carries a piece of literature her quite famous grandfather treasured. Despite not seeing his face, she falls head-over-heels in love with him and vows to marry him. Since she is the member of an ancient and noble
Korean Clan, the Yun clan, she will marry Kwon Hyuk-joon (
Lee Dong-gun), the heir of the Kwon clan. Hyuk-joon is ten years older than Jung-sook and already a prosecutor. Jung-sook finds out that Hyuk-joon is the mysterious man whom she fell in love with and willingly marries him. She becomes a housewife while her friends continue to attend college. Two worlds clash, as Jung-sook is still an immature teenager and Hyuk-joon a grown man. However, slowly, they become attracted to each other and fall in love, despite the fact that Jung-sook is pursued by a school mate and Hyuk-joon meets his first love again, who wants him back. Jung-sook has much to learn about the ancient traditions of the family of her husband and what it means to be married to a first-born son, however in the end, they are deeply in love with each other. Jung-sook gives birth to twins and starts a sewing business. Hyuk-joon continues working as a prosecutor in the police force in Seoul.
Cast
*
Han Ji-hye as Yoon Jung-sook
*
Lee Dong-gun as Kwon Hyuk-joon
*
Lee Da-hae as Moon Ga-young
*
Lee In as Ji Nam-cheol
* Yoo Hye-jung as Kwon Sun-ah
* Park Joon-hyuk as Jung Chan
*
Lee Soon-jae
Lee Soon-jae (; born November 16, 1934) is a South Korean actor. He has had a prolific career on the small and big screen spanning over six decades, and was given a second-class Eungwan Order of Cultural Merit for his work as an actor. Lee made ...
as Hyuk-joon's grandfather
*
Kim Hae-sook
Kim Hae-sook (; born December 30, 1955) is a South Korean actress.
Career
In 1974, she made her acting debut in MBC's ''Chief Inspector''. Over the past decade, she has won over 10 awards and appeared in over 30 films. Kim Hae-sook has publis ...
as Jung-sook's mother
*
Jung Kyung-ho as Jung-sook's blind date
* Lee Eun-joo as Seo Hyun-ju (Second Princess)
* Lee Eun-shil as Eun-ju (Third Princess)
* Kim Sun-hwa as Madam Kim
*
Jo Yeon-hee as Hyuk-jun's college junior
*
Ko Kyu-pil
Ko Kyu-pil (born May 2, 1982) is a South Korean actor. He debuted in the 1993 South Korean children's film '' Kid Cop'' and has thus appeared in notable television series and films in a supporting role.
Personal life
On June 16, 2023, it was ...
as Hyuk-joon's co-worker
*
Park Ji-il
Park Ji-il (Korean: 박지일, born September 1960) is a South Korean theatre, film and television actor. He is known for his supporting roles in various TV series and films. His better known works are: 2011 TV series ''The Thorn Birds'', 2013 ...
as Hyuk-joon's uncle
Notes
References
External links
''Sweet 18'' official KBS website
*
* {{IMDb title, 0499174, Sweet 18
Korean Broadcasting System television dramas
2004 South Korean television series debuts
2004 South Korean television series endings
Korean-language television shows
South Korean romantic comedy television series