Summer Scent(Yeoreum Hyanggi)

Yeoreum Hyanggi (Summer Scent)

‘Summer Scent,’ which aired in 2003, is producer Yun Seok-Ho's third work, based on the four seasons. Following the tremendous popularity of his previous TV series ‘Autumn in My Heart’ in 2000 and ‘Winter Sonata’ in 2001, ‘Summer Scent’ has the summer season as its backdrop. Just as in ‘Autumn in My Heart' and ‘Winter Sonata,’ this TV drama employs the magnificent scenery of Korea as an important motif. Also, top stars including Song Seung-Heon and Sohn Ye-Jin played the leading roles, which elicited considerable public interest even before the drama aired.

• Synopsis Art director Min-Woo (played by Song Seung-Heon) lost his fiancée in a car accident. Later, on a trip to the mountains, he meets florist Hye-Won (played by Sohn Ye-Jin) and falls in love with her. Hye-Won had received a heart transplant, and coincidentally it was the heart of Min-Woo’s late girlfriend.  From the first moment they meet, Min-Woo and Hye-Won are attracted to one other and the attraction continues to deepen. But Min-Woo is also loved by Park Jeong-A (played by Han Ji-Hye), while Hye-Won is the object of Park Jeong-Jae’s affection (played by Ryu Jin). Adding to the tragic twist of fate, Jeong-A and Jeong-Jae are brother and sister. The destinies of these four are sadly and ironically intertwined. Min-woo and Hye-Won do not act on their feelings however, out of consideration for Jeong-A and Jeong-Jae. Meanwhile, Hye-Won learns that she had received the heart of Min-Woo’s late fiancée and tries to convince herself that Min-Woo is still emotionally attached to the dead woman. Even though they are in love, they cannot commit to a relationship because of Min-Woo's feelings for the dead fiancée as well as for others members of their group who are concerned for them.  When problems arise with Hye-Won’s new heart, she is hospitalized. Min-Woo blames himself. Wishing Hye-Won and Jeong-Jae a happy future together, he leaves Korea. As Hye-Won’s condition worsens and she feels there is no hope of survival, she lets Min-Woo know that she is dead. While he is abroad, Min-Woo learns that Hye-Won died, which causes him great heartache. He is not aware that Hye-Won has received another heart transplant, this time an artificial one, and miraculously recovers. A few years later, Min-Woo returns to Korea. Outside a concert hall, concert-goers hold umbrellas in the pouring rain. As people climb up and down the stairs, Min-Woo and Hye-Won accidentally meet. The two feel their hearts beating again and realize that their feelings of love were true. And this time, Hye-Won’s heart is her own - not the heart of Min-Woo’s late girlfriend.

• The cast

Yu Min-woo (Song Seung-Heon) Art director A handsome, sensitive character, he suffers great tragedy when his bride-to-be dies in a car accident on the day of their wedding. He lives with a broken heart until that day on the mountain, where he encounters Hye-Won. From then on, he dreams of a new love.

Shim Hye-Won (Sohn Ye-Jin) Florist  A pure soul, she has a new lease on life thanks to the heart transplant, and is the girlfriend of Jeong-Jae, whom she has known since childhood.

Park Jeong-Jae (Ryu Jin) Resort Head of Planning An attractive man with an upstanding character and good family background, his love for Hye-Won is like a sunflower. But as Hye-Won becomes more attached to Min-Woo, he becomes emotionally entangled between the two.

Park Jeong-A (Han Ji-Hye) Event PD Bright and honest, she is in love with Min-Woo, but senses that Min-Woo is not really in love with her. Although Hye-Won is her friend as well as her brother’s girlfriend, she grows extremely jealous of her when it becomes obvious that Min-Woo is attracted to her.

Lines from a scene

Min-Woo and Hye-Won meet by chance in the pouring rain outside a concert hall. Standing under an umbrella, they think to themselves Hye-Won : When I see you, I feel my heart pounding. Min-Woo : This is love.

Details of Production

Producer : Yun Seok-Ho Main cast : Song Seung-Heon, Sohn Ye-Jin, Ryu Jin, Han Ji-Hye Produced by KBS2 / Air date: July-September, 2003 Drama Photo Gallery Various photos collected from impressive scenes are available at this gallery. Click! Drama Review The entire drama series of 20 shows is available for review to all members of KBS Internet homepage. A film on how the drama was created and shot is also available, as well as "no goods. Click!

* Photo courtesy by KBS

Just as its name implies, Summer Scent was filmed in verdant locations such as Boseong Tea Garden, Korea Botanical Garden, and Deogyusan National Park. Most beautiful between spring and summer, these filming locations are visited by many more tourists since the drama aired.

Boseong Tea Garden

After their first meeting on the mountain, Min-Woo and Hye-Won meet again by chance. In a memorable scene, the two stroll through a green tea field. Boseong Tea Garden is most popular for its expansive green tea fields and for the walking path lined with cedar trees reaching 20 meters high. Don’t forget to taste Ujeoncha at the cost of only 1,000 won at the tea shop. Ujeoncha is the best quality tea in Korea, made of baby leaves picked before April 20.

>>Click here to learn more!

Korea Botanical Garden

Korea Botanical Garden, which, in the drama, served as the house of Min-Woo’s mother, grows about 1,300 species of wild Korean plants. In a lovely scene, Hye-Won, who loves flowers, walks through the fields of blossoms. Korea Botanical Garden gives out flower seeds to all visitors who buy an admission ticket. Various wild plants can also be purchased at the shop.

>>Click here to learn more!

Deogyusan National Park

In Deogyusan National Park, Min-Woo and Hye-Won meet for the first time. In an impressive scene, Min-Woo rests on a huge, tree-shaded boulder with Deogyusan Mountain in the background. Deogyusan is well-known for its beautiful waterfalls and rivers that flow into the valleys.

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Muju Resort

At Muju Resort, Min-Woo, Hye-Won, and Jeong-Jae remodel the existing buildings into a nature-friendly rest area. In the drama, the resort serves as the team’s work area. In real life as well, the resort is unique, with beautiful buildings and a splendid natural environment that could very well be an illustration from a children’s storybook. Since the drama aired, even greater numbers of tourists visit the site.