South Korea · Drama · 2001
This is Love
Binge Brief
- Aired 172 episodes on KBS 1TV from October 29, 2001 to June 28, 2002.
- The run was extended by two months past its original April 2002 finish after casting delays hit the follow-up series (reported 26 February 2002).
- Nationwide viewership reportedly neared 60% during the 2002 World Cup, when KBS 1TV kept its regular schedule.
- Missed the shortlist for the December 2002 Korea Broadcasting Writers' Award over its birth-secret plot device.
- Won 4 awards at the 2001 KBS Drama Awards, plus a Writer Award for Lee Deok-jae in 2002.
Synopsis
This Is Love (사랑은 이런거야) is a 2001 South Korean daily drama that aired on KBS 1TV from October 29, 2001, to June 28, 2002, across 172 episodes. Broadcast on weeknights, the show follows five related couples from three families as they work through the daily friction of marriage, in-laws, and grown children living under one roof.
The Cha family anchors the story: Cha Jeong-nam and Lee Jeong-ja are a bickering couple in their fifties whose marriage was arranged by their parents decades earlier, while their three sons each represent a different stage of married life. Eldest son Cha Sang-beom becomes a stay-at-home father after losing his job, leaning on his working wife An Do-hae and drawing his parents' disapproval. Second son Cha Jun-beom, who believes his life has never known failure, marries Park Hun-suk, the only daughter of Park Byeong-du and Jang Geum-nan. Youngest son Cha Gi-beom and his wife Oh Yeong-a are newlyweds still finding their footing.
The central conflict follows Hun-suk, who married into the Cha family while concealing that she had once been an unwed mother. When the truth eventually surfaces, it strains the trust between the two families and forces both households to confront the gap between the image of a proper marriage and the messier reality behind it.
This Is Love leaned into the birth-secret plot device common to KBS daily dramas, a choice that kept it out of contention for the Korea Broadcasting Writers' Award in December 2002. Even so, it was consistently the top-rated program in its 8:25 p.m. weeknight slot, and its audience share reportedly neared 60 percent during the 2002 World Cup, when KBS 1TV kept its regular schedule while rival networks carried football matches. KBS extended the run by two months, into June 2002, after casting delays on its successor series. At the 2001 KBS Drama Awards, Yoon Hae-young (Excellence Award, Actress), Choi Ran (Supporting Actress), Ahn Jae-hwan (Best New Actor) and Lee Chang-hoon (Popularity Award) all won honors, and writer Lee Deok-jae was recognized at the 2002 ceremony.
This is Love cast
Themes and messages
The production's own stated intent (기획의도) frames the series around filial devotion, trust between spouses, loyalty among siblings and friends, and warmth between neighbors, told through three generations of the same extended family living side by side.
Interesting facts
KBS extended the drama by two months past its original planned end date after casting difficulties on the follow-up series, "당신 옆이 좋아" (Being Beside You Is Good), reported by Yonhap News via Yeongnam Ilbo on 26 February 2002.
Lead actor Lee Chang-hoon was cast only one day before the first script reading, after the production struggled to fill the role.
Nationwide ratings reportedly approached 60% during the 2002 FIFA World Cup, when KBS 1TV kept its regular evening schedule while other networks aired football matches.
Episodes
| Ep | Title | Air date | Status | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The series opens by introducing the Cha and Park in-laws as three generations under one roof adjust to a new son and daughter marrying into the family. | 2001-10-29 | Aired | |
| 2 | 2001-10-30 | Aired | ||
| 3 | 2001-10-31 | Aired | ||
| 4 | 2001-11-01 | Aired | ||
| 5 | 2001-11-02 | Aired | ||
| 6 | 2001-11-05 | Aired | ||
| 7 | 2001-11-06 | Aired | ||
| 8 | 2001-11-07 | Aired | ||
| 9 | 2001-11-08 | Aired | ||
| 10 | 2001-11-09 | Aired | ||
| 11 | 2001-11-12 | Aired | ||
| 12 | 2001-11-13 | Aired | ||
| 13 | 2001-11-14 | Aired | ||
| 14 | 2001-11-15 | Aired | ||
| 15 | 2001-11-16 | Aired | ||
| 16 | 2001-11-19 | Aired | ||
| 17 | 2001-11-20 | Aired | ||
| 18 | 2001-11-21 | Aired | ||
| 19 | 2001-11-22 | Aired | ||
| 20 | 2001-11-23 | Aired | ||
| 21 | 2001-11-26 | Aired | ||
| 22 | 2001-11-27 | Aired | ||
| 23 | 2001-11-28 | Aired | ||
| 24 | 2001-11-29 | Aired | ||
| 25 | 2001-11-30 | Aired | ||
| 26 | 2001-12-03 | Aired | ||
| 27 | 2001-12-04 | Aired | ||
| 28 | 2001-12-05 | Aired | ||
| 29 | 2001-12-06 | Aired | ||
| 30 | 2001-12-07 | Aired | ||
| 31 | 2001-12-10 | Aired | ||
| 32 | 2001-12-11 | Aired | ||
| 33 | 2001-12-12 | Aired | ||
| 34 | 2001-12-13 | Aired | ||
| 35 | 2001-12-14 | Aired | ||
| 36 | 2001-12-17 | Aired | ||
| 37 | 2001-12-18 | Aired | ||
| 38 | 2001-12-19 | Aired | ||
| 39 | 2001-12-20 | Aired | ||
| 40 | 2001-12-21 | Aired | ||
| 41 | 2001-12-24 | Aired | ||
| 42 | 2001-12-25 | Aired | ||
| 43 | 2001-12-26 | Aired | ||
| 44 | 2001-12-27 | Aired | ||
| 45 | 2001-12-28 | Aired | ||
| 46 | 2001-12-31 | Aired | ||
| 47 | 2002-01-01 | Aired | ||
| 48 | 2002-01-02 | Aired | ||
| 49 | 2002-01-03 | Aired | ||
| 50 | 2002-01-04 | Aired | ||
| 51 | 2002-01-07 | Aired | ||
| 52 | 2002-01-08 | Aired | ||
| 53 | 2002-01-09 | Aired | ||
| 54 | 2002-01-10 | Aired | ||
| 55 | 2002-01-11 | Aired | ||
| 56 | 2002-01-14 | Aired | ||
| 57 | 2002-01-15 | Aired | ||
| 58 | 2002-01-16 | Aired | ||
| 59 | 2002-01-17 | Aired | ||
| 60 | 2002-01-18 | Aired | ||
| 61 | 2002-01-21 | Aired | ||
| 62 | 2002-01-22 | Aired | ||
| 63 | 2002-01-23 | Aired | ||
| 64 | 2002-01-24 | Aired | ||
| 65 | 2002-01-25 | Aired | ||
| 66 | 2002-01-28 | Aired | ||
| 67 | 2002-01-29 | Aired | ||
| 68 | 2002-01-30 | Aired | ||
| 69 | 2002-01-31 | Aired | ||
| 70 | 2002-02-01 | Aired | ||
| 71 | 2002-02-04 | Aired | ||
| 72 | 2002-02-05 | Aired | ||
| 73 | 2002-02-06 | Aired | ||
| 74 | 2002-02-07 | Aired | ||
| 75 | 2002-02-08 | Aired | ||
| 76 | 2002-02-11 | Aired | ||
| 77 | 2002-02-12 | Aired | ||
| 78 | 2002-02-13 | Aired | ||
| 79 | 2002-02-14 | Aired | ||
| 80 | 2002-02-15 | Aired | ||
| 81 | 2002-02-18 | Aired | ||
| 82 | 2002-02-19 | Aired | ||
| 83 | 2002-02-20 | Aired | ||
| 84 | 2002-02-21 | Aired | ||
| 85 | 2002-02-22 | Aired | ||
| 86 | 2002-02-25 | Aired | ||
| 87 | 2002-02-26 | Aired | ||
| 88 | 2002-02-27 | Aired | ||
| 89 | 2002-02-28 | Aired | ||
| 90 | 2002-03-01 | Aired | ||
| 91 | 2002-03-04 | Aired | ||
| 92 | 2002-03-05 | Aired | ||
| 93 | 2002-03-06 | Aired | ||
| 94 | 2002-03-07 | Aired | ||
| 95 | 2002-03-08 | Aired | ||
| 96 | 2002-03-11 | Aired | ||
| 97 | 2002-03-12 | Aired | ||
| 98 | 2002-03-13 | Aired | ||
| 99 | 2002-03-14 | Aired | ||
| 100 | 2002-03-15 | Aired | ||
| 101 | 2002-03-18 | Aired | ||
| 102 | 2002-03-19 | Aired | ||
| 103 | 2002-03-20 | Aired | ||
| 104 | 2002-03-21 | Aired | ||
| 105 | 2002-03-22 | Aired | ||
| 106 | 2002-03-25 | Aired | ||
| 107 | 2002-03-26 | Aired | ||
| 108 | 2002-03-27 | Aired | ||
| 109 | 2002-03-28 | Aired | ||
| 110 | 2002-03-29 | Aired | ||
| 111 | 2002-04-01 | Aired | ||
| 112 | 2002-04-02 | Aired | ||
| 113 | 2002-04-03 | Aired | ||
| 114 | 2002-04-04 | Aired | ||
| 115 | 2002-04-05 | Aired | ||
| 116 | 2002-04-08 | Aired | ||
| 117 | 2002-04-09 | Aired | ||
| 118 | 2002-04-10 | Aired | ||
| 119 | 2002-04-11 | Aired | ||
| 120 | 2002-04-12 | Aired | ||
| 121 | 2002-04-15 | Aired | ||
| 122 | 2002-04-16 | Aired | ||
| 123 | 2002-04-17 | Aired | ||
| 124 | 2002-04-18 | Aired | ||
| 125 | 2002-04-19 | Aired | ||
| 126 | 2002-04-22 | Aired | ||
| 127 | 2002-04-23 | Aired | ||
| 128 | 2002-04-24 | Aired | ||
| 129 | 2002-04-25 | Aired | ||
| 130 | 2002-04-26 | Aired | ||
| 131 | 2002-04-29 | Aired | ||
| 132 | 2002-04-30 | Aired | ||
| 133 | 2002-05-01 | Aired | ||
| 134 | 2002-05-02 | Aired | ||
| 135 | 2002-05-03 | Aired | ||
| 136 | 2002-05-06 | Aired | ||
| 137 | 2002-05-07 | Aired | ||
| 138 | 2002-05-08 | Aired | ||
| 139 | 2002-05-09 | Aired | ||
| 140 | 2002-05-10 | Aired | ||
| 141 | 2002-05-13 | Aired | ||
| 142 | 2002-05-14 | Aired | ||
| 143 | 2002-05-15 | Aired | ||
| 144 | 2002-05-16 | Aired | ||
| 145 | 2002-05-17 | Aired | ||
| 146 | 2002-05-20 | Aired | ||
| 147 | 2002-05-21 | Aired | ||
| 148 | 2002-05-22 | Aired | ||
| 149 | 2002-05-23 | Aired | ||
| 150 | 2002-05-24 | Aired | ||
| 151 | 2002-05-27 | Aired | ||
| 152 | 2002-05-28 | Aired | ||
| 153 | 2002-05-29 | Aired | ||
| 154 | 2002-05-30 | Aired | ||
| 155 | 2002-05-31 | Aired | ||
| 156 | 2002-06-03 | Aired | ||
| 157 | 2002-06-04 | Aired | ||
| 158 | 2002-06-05 | Aired | ||
| 159 | 2002-06-06 | Aired | ||
| 160 | 2002-06-07 | Aired | ||
| 161 | 2002-06-10 | Aired | ||
| 162 | 2002-06-11 | Aired | ||
| 163 | 2002-06-12 | Aired | ||
| 164 | 2002-06-13 | Aired | ||
| 165 | 2002-06-14 | Aired | ||
| 166 | 2002-06-17 | Aired | ||
| 167 | 2002-06-18 | Aired | ||
| 168 | 2002-06-19 | Aired | ||
| 169 | 2002-06-20 | Aired | ||
| 170 | 2002-06-21 | Aired | ||
| 171 | 2002-06-24 | Aired | ||
| 172 | 2002-06-25 | Aired |
Awards
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Recipient | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | KBS Drama Awards | Excellence Award, Actress | Yoon Hae-young | Won |
| 2001 | KBS Drama Awards | Supporting Actress Award | Choi Ran | Won |
| 2001 | KBS Drama Awards | Best New Actor | Ahn Jae-hwan | Won |
| 2001 | KBS Drama Awards | Popularity Award, Actor | Lee Chang-hoon | Won |
| 2002 | KBS Drama Awards | Writer Award | Lee Deok-jae | Won |
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