Bread, Love and Dreams (TV series)

Bread, Love and Dreams (Korean제빵왕 김탁구) is a 2010 South Korean television drama starring Yoon Shi-yoon, Joo Won, Eugene and Lee Young-ah. It tells the story of how a determined young baker overcomes many trials towards his goal of becoming the best baker in Korea. This story takes place in the 1970s to 1990s, starting after his conception and finishing when he reaches his mid-20s. The series aired on KBS2 from June 9 to September 16, 2010, on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 22:00 (KST) for 30 episodes.

Bread, Love and Dreams
Promotional poster
Also known asThe Baker King
Hangul
제빵왕 김탁구
Hanja
製빵王 金卓求
Literal meaningKing of Baking, Kim Tak-gu
Revised RomanizationJeppang-wang Gim Tak-gu
McCune–ReischauerCheppang-wang Kimt'akku
GenreRomance
Slice of life story
Melodrama
Created byKwak Ki-won
Jeong Sung-hyo
KBS Production
Written byKang Eun-kyung
Directed byLee Jung-sub
StarringYoon Shi-yoon
Joo Won
Eugene
Lee Young-ah
ComposerLee Pil-ho
Country of originSouth Korea
Original languageKorean
No. of episodes30
Production
Executive producerJeong Hae-ryong (KBS)
ProducersAhn Jae-hyun
Shin Sang-yoon
Running time60 minutes
Production companySamhwa Networks
Original release
NetworkKBS2
ReleaseJune 9 (2010-06-09) –
September 16, 2010 (2010-09-16)
Related
Baker King

The series was one of the most watched shows in South Korea in 2010, with a final episode viewership rating of 50.9% and becoming the 25th highest rated drama of all time. It is considered the breakout role of lead actor Yoon Shi-yoon, catapulting him to immense popularity as well as receiving much praise for his sincere acting.[1][2]

Synopsis

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Kim Tak-gu (Yoon Shi-yoon) is the eldest son of Gu Il-jong, the chairman of Geosung Foods Enterprise, and Kim Mi-sun, his mistress. The chairman's wife, In-sook, is furious with her husband and shuns Tak-gu. When his mother is kidnapped, Tak-gu runs away from home and spends the next 12 years looking for her.

In his journey, he enters a baking school owned by Pal-bong who is a legend in the baking industry. Coincidentally, he was also Tak-gu's father's teacher. In said school, Tak-gu also finds Jo Jin-goo, the man who kidnapped his mother. Jo Jin-goo tells Tak-gu that his mother accidentally fell off a cliff. Tak-gu decides to stay at the bakery and learn the art of making bread, like his father did before him. Gu Ma-jun (Joo Won), Tak-gu's half-brother, is also at the school, hoping to learn baking to win his father's approval and take over the family business. He lives under an assumed name and never reveals his true identity. Ma-jun still nurses a hatred for Tak-gu from their childhood.

It is later revealed that Tak-gu's mom is not dead and that she is looking for him. The chairman, who also spent the past 14 years looking for Tak-gu, eventually finds out that he is at the bakery and is furious at Ma-jun for not telling him. The chairman wants Tak-gu, his eldest son, to take over the family business instead of Ma-jun. Rejected, Ma-jun plots to steal Tak-gu's childhood friend, Shin Yoo-kyung (Eugene), and embarrass his family in the process. Tak-gu eventually finds his mother, but In-sook and her lover, Han (the chairman's assistant), plot to rob Tak-gu of his inheritance to let Ma-jun take the chairman's position. When the chairman finds out, Han attempts to murder Tak-gu, but Tak-gu is saved by Jo Jin-goo. Meanwhile, Ma-jun's plan to embarrass his family works, but it doesn't give him the satisfaction he expects. He reaches a truce with Tak-gu and the two agree to let their older sister, Gu Ja-kyung, run the company. The show ends with Tak-gu continuing to work at the bakery with his girlfriend, Yang Mi-sun (Lee Young-ah), while Ma-jun decides to travel around the world with his new bride, Shin Yoo-kyung. Manager Han is imprisoned and the chairman is happy that at last, his loved ones found happiness.

Cast

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Main

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Supporting

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Gu family

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Yang family

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  • Jang Hang-sun as Pal-bong (Yang Mi-sun's grandfather)
  • Park Sang-myun as Yang In-mok (Yang Mi-sun's father)
  • Hwang Mi-sun as Oh Young-ja (Yang Mi-sun's mother)

Others

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Soundtrack

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  1. At The End of The Day (하루의 끝에) – V.O.S
  2. Love You to Death (죽도록 사랑해) – KCM feat. Soul Drive
  3. That Person (그 사람) – Lee Seung-chul
  4. Only One (단 한사람) – Bada
  5. Hope is a Dream That Doesn't Sleep (희망은 잠들지 않는 꿈) – Kyuhyun (Super Junior)
  6. For Me (나를 위해) – Michelle Yoo-jin
  7. Only You (너 하나만) – Yoon Shi-yoon
  8. It Was Love (사랑이야) – Lee Young-ah
  9. My Love (내사랑) – Joo Won
  10. Now Go and See (지금 만나러 간다) – Code V

Awards

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2010 3rd Korea Drama Awards

2010 18th Korean Culture and Entertainment Awards

2010 KBS Drama Awards

2011 47th Baeksang Arts Awards

  • Best TV Director (Lee Jung-sub)

Reception

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The show was well received in South Korea, receiving a record viewer rating of 50.8%.[3] Audiences were attached to the show because of its underdog vs. society theme.[4] Naver listed it as the most searched for item in South Korea of 2010.[5]

On December 20, 2010, the series received presidential honors in a ceremony that thanked cultural content producers for their achievements.[6]

Ratings

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Ep. Original broadcast date Average audience share
Nielsen Korea[7] TNmS[8]
Nationwide Seoul Nationwide Seoul
1 June 9, 2010 13.8% N/A 16.3% 14.2%
2 June 10, 2010 14.4% 14.5% 16.9% 18.4%
3 June 16, 2010 26.4% 28.3% 28.5% 29.1%
4 June 17, 2010 24.2% 26.3% 25.3% 26.4%
5 June 23, 2010 27.1% 28.4% 28.5% 28.50%
6 June 24, 2010 31.1% 31.8% 32.2% 32.5%
7 June 30, 2010 31.0% 32.2% 33.4% 33.6%
8 July 1, 2010 31.6% 30.8% 35.8% 35.9%
9 July 7, 2010 33.4% 34.7% 38.1% 38.6%
10 July 8, 2010 33.0% 33.8% 34.5% 34.9%
11 July 14, 2010 34.1% 34.0% 35.9% 35.2%
12 July 15, 2010 35.3% 35.2% 36.9% 36.1%
13 July 21, 2010 37.3% 37.0% 38.5% 37.7%
14 July 22, 2010 37.9% 38.2% 38.4% 36.5%
15 July 28, 2010 36.6% 35.7% 39.7% 39.2%
16 July 29, 2010 37.9% 38.1% 39.9% 38.6%
17 August 4, 2010 39.5% 39.8% 42.5% 42.3%
18 August 5, 2010 40.5% 40.2% 44.4% 44.0%
19 August 11, 2010 42.3% 42.4% 44.9% 44.0%
20 August 12, 2010 42.6% 43.9% 44.6% 43.8%
21 August 18, 2010 41.9% 42.4% 44.0% 42.6%
22 August 19, 2010 42.3% 41.9% 43.7% 42.9%
23 August 25, 2010 43.6% 44.6% 44.1% 44.1%
24 August 26, 2010 41.9% 41.9% 44.7% 44.2%
25 September 1, 2010 44.0% 44.4% 45.8% 44.9%
26 September 2, 2010 45.0% 46.1% 48.4% 47.2%
27 September 8, 2010 43.3% 43.2% 47.5% 47.0%
28 September 9, 2010 44.7% 44.5% 48.2% 46.4%
29 September 15, 2010 45.3% 44.2% 46.5% 45.5%
30 September 16, 2010 49.3% 48.3% 50.8% 49.7%
Average 36.4% 36.7% 38.6% 32.2%
  • In the table above, the blue numbers represent the lowest ratings and the red numbers represent the highest ratings.
Ratings in the Philippines

It aired on GMA Network from January 3 to April 29, 2011, on weeknights at 10:00 PM PST.[9] It was moved to the 9:15 PM timeslot due to its high ratings but later moved back to its original slot to give way to the local shows. Each episode runs 45 minutes including commercial breaks. The entire series was dubbed in Filipino.

Kantar Media national TV ratings
(10:00 PM PST / 9:15 PM PST)
Pilot episode Final episode Peak Average Ref.
10.7% (10:00 PM PST)
18.9% (10:00 PM PST)
21.1% (9:15 PM PST)
N/A
[10][11][12]

References

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  1. ^ "The Chosun Ilbo (English Edition): Daily News from Korea – Who Grabbed the Spotlight in 2010?".
  2. ^ "Writer Kang Eun-kyung: 'Yoon Si-yoon Is Miraculous Actor'".
  3. ^ "Top 10 Most Popular Searches of 2010". Arirang News. December 29, 2010. Archived from the original on October 6, 2012. Retrieved January 17, 2013.
  4. ^ Chung, Jin-hong (September 24, 2010). "The lesson of the happiest bread". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved January 17, 2013.
  5. ^ Lee, Chang-sup (December 16, 2010). "What Korea is searched in 2010". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on October 1, 2012. Retrieved January 17, 2013.
  6. ^ "Drama 'Kim Tak-goo' receives presidential honors". Korea JoongAng Daily. December 23, 2010. Retrieved January 17, 2013.
  7. ^ "AGB Daily Ratings: this links to current day-select the date from drop down menu". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 26, 2013. Retrieved October 31, 2012.
  8. ^ "TNMS Daily Ratings: this links to current day-select the date from drop down menu". TNMS Ratings (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 28, 2013. Retrieved October 31, 2012.
  9. ^ "GMA Network brings to primetime TV the No. 1 Koreanovela of 2010, The Baker King". PhilippineShow.
  10. ^ "PHILIPPINE SHOW: "Noah" ruled Kantar Media's National TV Ratings last January 3". philippineshow.blogspot.com.
  11. ^ Santiago, Erwin. "Kantar Media-TNS National Household Ratings (April 29-May 1): AJ Perez's Maalaala Mo Kaya episode ruled Saturday primetime". pep.ph.
  12. ^ Santiago, Erwin. "Kantar Media-TNS National Household Ratings (March 8–10): Mara Clara reclaims primetime leadership". pep.ph.
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