The Undateables (South Korean TV series)

The Undateables (Korean: 훈남정음; RR: Hunnamjeong-eum) is a 2018 South Korean television series starring Namkoong Min and Hwang Jung-eum. It aired on SBS from May 23 to July 19, 2018 on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 22:00 (KST) for 32 episodes.^[2][3][4]

The Undateables
Promotional poster
Hangul	훈남정음
Literal meaning	Hoon-nam and Jung-eum
Revised Romanization	Hunnamjeong-eum
Genre	Romance comedy
Written by	Lee Jae-yoon
Directed by	Kim Yoo-jin
Starring	Namkoong Min Hwang Jung-eum
Country of origin	South Korea
Original language	Korean
No. of episodes	32
Production
Executive producers	Kim Jung-hee Yoo Byung-sul
Cinematography	Bae Hong-soo Lee Moo-jin Moon Ji-seob
Editors	Park Sung-hee Oh Jin-ah Kim Min-ji
Camera setup	Single-camera
Running time	35 minutes
Production companies	Mong-jak-so Co., Ltd.[1] 51K
Original release
Network	SBS TV
Release	May 23 (2018-05-23) – July 19, 2018 (2018-07-19)

Synopsis

It is a romantic comedy about Kang Hoon-nam who knows everything there is to know about love and Yoo Jung-eum whose biggest dream is to be loved and get married. The two of them get off on the wrong foot, first five years ago at the airport when Hoon-nam witnesses Jung-eum pursuing her then-boyfriend at the airport, and then in the present when they share the same client Oh Doo-ri and are initially misled into thinking the other is competition (although their employers are in fact in different industries). Coincidentally, two of Hoon-nam's friends get hooked up with two of Jung-eum's friends; Yook Ryong and Coach Yang, then followed by Lee Su-ji with Choi Jun-soo.

However Su-ji is longtime friends with Hoon-nam from Australia, while Jun-soo has been the best friend and mentor to Jung-eum for 30 years while also renting at her father's place for the last few years. When Su-ji returns from Australia to Korea, then Hoon-nam has to leave his home for her, and ends up living with Jung-eum and Jun-soo much to the latter's chagrin since Jun-soo harbors a secret crush on Jung-eum..

After things initially don't work out, Hoon-nam and Jung-eum coincidentally cross paths again as both try to sign up Mr. Kim as a client. Mr. Kim has been dating their mutual client Doo-ri. Hoon-nam then signs up with Jung-eum's agency as a client. Su-ji pressures Jung-eum to manipulate the match so she is paired up with Hoon-nam, as she wants to marry him although his heart is not for Su-ji despite their other compatibilities.

Cast

Main

• Namkoong Min as Kang Hoon-nam

The director of a toy gallery, and a relationship expert who doesn't believe in love.^[5]

• Hwang Jung-eum as Yoo Jung-eum

A diving athlete-turned "relationship helper" who dreams of love and marriage, but has given them up in the face of reality.^[6]

• Choi Tae-joon as Choi Jun-soo

A clinic doctor who is Jung-eum's best friend.^[7]

• Oh Yoon-ah as Coach Yang Sun-hee

Coach of the National Diving Team.^[8]

• Jo Dal-hwan as Charlie

A magazine editor.^[9]

• Jung Moon-sung as Yook Ryong

Hoon-nam's cousin.^[10]

Supporting

• Nam Kyung-eub as Kang Jung-do

Hoon-nam's father. A politician.^[10]

• Shim Hye-jin as Ko Eun-nim

Hoon-nam's stepmother.^[11]

• Lee Moon-sik as Yoo Seung-ryul

Jung-eum's father. A positive and optimistic man who serves as a motivation to his daughter.^[12]

• Lee Joo-yeon as Lee Su-ji / Lee Susie

Daughter of the President of Korea Swimming Association, who came to Korea from Australia to search for Hoon-nam.^[13]

• Myung Ji-yun
• Baek Ji-won as Bong Sun-hwa

Jung-eum's manager at the matchmaking company.

• Seo Dong-won
• Seo Eun-woo
• Jin Ye-sol
• Kang Hui as Model

Special appearance

• Jung Yong-joo as Oh Doo-ri

Jung-eum's potential client.^[14]

• Ji Il-joo
• Kim Kwang-kyu as Kim So-wool

Production

• The first script reading was held on April 2, 2018 at SBS Ilsan Production Center in Tanhyun, South Korea.^[15]
• Filming began in early April.^[16]
• A press conference was held on June 7, 2018 at SBS Ilsan Production Center in Tanhyun, South Korea.^[17]

Original soundtrack

The Undateables OST
Soundtrack album by Various Artists
Released	2018 (2018)
Genre	Soundtrack
Language	Korean English
Label	935 Entertainment OGAM Entertainment

Part 1

Released on May 23, 2018

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Artists	Length
1.	"Only U"	Nick Sammy	Nick Sammy	Nick & Sammy	3:46
Total length:					3:46

Part 2

Released on May 30, 2018

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Artists	Length
1.	"Your Name Is..." (너의 이름을...)	Ha Geun-young Kim Kyeong-beom	Ha Geun-young Kim Kyeong-beom Kim Ji-hwan	Yeonjung (Cosmic Girls)	4:06
2.	"Your Name Is... (Inst.)" (너의 이름을... (Inst.))		Ha Geun-young Kim Kyeong-beom Kim Ji-hwan		4:06
Total length:					8:12

Part 3

Released on June 6, 2018

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Artists	Length
1.	"Need My Heart To Pound" (두근이 필요해)	Park Jeong-wook Kim Ha-rang Kim Joon-il	Park Jeong-wook Kim Ha-rang Kim Joon-il	Alice (Hello Venus)	3:15
2.	"Need My Heart To Pound (Inst.)" (두근이 필요해 (Inst.))		Park Jeong-wook Kim Ha-rang Kim Joon-il		3:15
Total length:					6:30

Part 4

Released on June 13, 2018

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Artists	Length
1.	"If Not You" (너 아니면)	Good Choice KamDongis	Seo Jae-ha Kim Young-sung KamDongis	Huh Gak	4:15
2.	"If Not You (Inst.)" (너 아니면 (Inst.))		Seo Jae-ha Kim Young-sung KamDongis		4:15
Total length:					8:30

Part 5

Released on June 20, 2018

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Artists	Length
1.	"I Might Have Loved You First" (먼저 사랑할지 몰라)	Good Choice Red Socks	Red Socks	Son Seung-yeon	3:16
2.	"I Might Have Loved You First (Inst.)" (먼저 사랑할지 몰라 (Inst.))		Red Socks		3:16
Total length:					6:32

Part 6

Released on June 27, 2018

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Artists	Length
1.	"I Can Go Back" (돌아가도 돼)	POPKID Kim Seung-joon	POPKID Kim Seung-joon	Bumkey	3:40
2.	"I Can Go Back (Inst.)" (돌아가도 돼 (Inst.))		POPKID Kim Seung-joon		3:40
Total length:					7:20

Part 7

Released on July 11, 2018

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Artists	Length
1.	"Slowly"	Ha Geun-young Kim Kyeong-beom	Ha Geun-young Kim Kyeong-beom Kim Ji-hwan	Soobin (Cosmic Girls)	3:11
2.	"Slowly (Inst.)"		Ha Geun-young Kim Kyeong-beom Kim Ji-hwan		3:11
Total length:					6:22

Ratings

• In the table below, the blue numbers represent the lowest ratings and the red numbers represent the highest ratings.
• NR denotes that the drama did not rank in the top 20 daily programs on that date.
• TNmS stop publishing their report from June 2018.

Ep.	Original broadcast date	Average audience share
		TNmS[18]		AGB Nielsen[19]
		Nationwide	Seoul	Nationwide	Seoul
1	May 23, 2018	6.1% (NR)	6.9%	5.3% (NR)	6.1% (15th)
2		5.4% (NR)	6.3%	5.2% (NR)
3	May 24, 2018	6.9% (17th)	7.2%	4.9% (NR)	5.3% (16th)
4		6.0% (NR)	6.3%	5.0% (19th)
5	May 30, 2018	3.9% (NR)	4.0%	3.7% (NR)	3.8% (NR)
6		5.0% (NR)	5.2%	4.5% (NR)	4.7% (NR)
7	May 31, 2018	5.3% (NR)	5.5%	3.9% (NR)	4.1% (NR)
8		5.4% (NR)	5.6%	4.1% (NR)	4.3% (NR)
9	June 6, 2018	3.6%	3.8%	3.2% (NR)	3.4% (NR)
10		4.3%	4.5%	3.9% (NR)	4.1% (NR)
11	June 7, 2018	5.7%	5.9%	4.1% (NR)	4.3% (NR)
12		4.8%	5.0%	4.4% (NR)	4.6% (NR)
13	June 14, 2018[a]	5.6%	5.8%	3.5% (NR)	3.7% (NR)
14		4.5%	4.6%	3.6% (NR)	3.8% (NR)
15	June 20, 2018	4.0%	4.8%	3.3% (NR)	4.2% (NR)
16		4.6%	5.4%	4.4% (NR)	5.1% (NR)
17	June 21, 2018	4.7%	5.8%	4.5% (NR)	5.6% (16th)
18		4.4%	5.6%		5.7% (14th)
19	June 28, 2018[b]	3.5%	4.4%	3.1% (NR)	3.9% (NR)
20		4.8%	5.6%	4.4% (NR)	5.2% (NR)
21	July 4, 2018	2.7%	3.3%'	2.4% (NR)	3.0% (NR)
22		3.4%	4.2%	3.0% (NR)	3.8% (NR)
23	July 5, 2018	3.1%	3.9%	2.8% (NR)	3.6% (NR)
24		3.2%	4.1%		3.7% (NR)
25	July 11, 2018	3.2%	3.7%	2.8% (NR)	3.3% (NR)
26		3.3%	4.0%	2.9% (NR)	3.5% (NR)
27	July 12, 2018	3.2%	3.8%	2.8% (NR)	3.6% (NR)
28		3.5%	4.2%	3.1% (NR)	3.9% (NR)
29	July 18, 2018	2.3%	2.9%	2.1% (NR)	2.4% (NR)
30		2.4%	3.0%		2.5% (NR)
31	July 19, 2018	3.0%	3.7%	2.6% (NR)	3.3% (NR)
32		3.2%	4.1%	2.8% (NR)	3.7% (NR)
Average		3.6%	4.3%	3.1%	3.9%

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Nominee	Result	Ref.
2018	SBS Drama Awards	Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Wednesday-Thursday Drama	Hwang Jung-eum	Nominated

Notes

1. No episodes were aired on June 13 due to election day news coverage.
2. No episodes were aired on June 27 due to coverage of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Group F match between South Korea and Germany, and aired the next day. The episodes were pushed earlier to 21:30 that day due to coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2018 Group H match between Japan and Poland.

References

1. "[공식] 황정음X남궁민 '훈남정음' 확정..7년 만의 재회". chosun.com. 14 March 2018.
2. "[SBS Star] Namkoong Min & Hwang Jung Eum to Make a Cute Couple in a New Drama!". SBS News. 15 March 2018.
3. "Hwang Jung-eum, Nam Goong-min to create feel-good romantic comedy". Kpop Herald. May 24, 2018.
4. "Hwang Jung-eum, Namgoong Min Reunite in New TV Series". The Chosun Ilbo. May 24, 2018.
5. "Namgoong Min to Star in "Handsome Guy and Jung-eum"". Hancinema. Dailian. March 7, 2018.
6. "황정음, SBS '훈남정음' 주인공…남궁민과 호흡". Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). March 14, 2018.
7. "최태준, '훈남정음' 출연 확정… 남궁민X황정음과 호흡". 10Asia (in Korean). April 19, 2018.
8. 오윤아, ‘훈남정음’ 출연 확정…황정음·남궁민과 호흡. 10Asia (in Korean). March 30, 2018.
9. [단독] 조달환, '훈남정음' 전격 합류..'귓속말' '리턴' 흥행 잇는다. The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). March 31, 2018.
10. ‘훈남정음’ 오윤아·조달환·이문식·심혜진, 출연 확정…탄탄한 라인업(공식). Star MBN (in Korean). April 19, 2018.
11. "Shim Hye-jin to Play Namgoong Min's Mother in "Handsome Guy and Jung-eum"". Hancinema. Nate. March 29, 2018.
12. "Lee Moon-shik to Play Hwang Jung-eum's Dad in "Handsome Guy and Jung-eum"". Hancinema. Naver. April 1, 2018.
13. "[공식]이주연 SBS '훈남정음' 캐스팅…남궁민-황정음과 호흡". Naver (in Korean). Sports Chosun. April 19, 2018.
14. "Jung Young-ju Cast in "Handsome Guy and Jung-eum"". Hancinema. Asiae. April 3, 2018.
15. "Namgoong Min, Hwang Jung-eum and More Attend Script Reading for "Handsome Guy and Jung-eum"". Hancinema. April 25, 2018.
16. "[단독] 남궁민, SBS '훈남정음' 출연 확정..5월 첫방송". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). March 6, 2018.
17. "'The Undatables' actors vow to salvage falling ratings". Yonhap News Agency. June 7, 2018.
18. "TNMS Daily Ratings: this links to current day-select the date from drop down menu". TNMS Ratings (in Korean). Retrieved January 13, 2018.
19. "AGB Daily Ratings: this links to current day-select the date from drop down menu". AGB Nielsen Media Research (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 17, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2018.

External links

• Official website (in Korean)
• The Undateables at IMDb
• The Undateables at HanCinema