The story seems simple and full of tropes: amnesia, chaebols, cinderella-like characters, car crashes, etc. but none of them felt melodramatic at all-especially when those cliches would usually spell out melodrama in other dramas. The drama's anchor is on the chemistry between Seo In Guk and Nam Ji Hyun and the drama knows its strengths so it focuses on that. The progression of their relationship is organic, genuine, honest, and just full of cuteness! The story isn't fast in the sense that things are always happening but the continuous character growth in the relationships is what will keep you watching. You become invested in all the characters and grow to love them- all of them. That was the draw for me.
I love this drama and its Cinderella feel. It's such an easy watch but not boring- and that's so hard to achieve, having light cuteness that's balanced by heartfelt moments
I really liked the OST especially Tiger Moth by Monsta;it's still playing on repeat.
I recommend SKL, completely if you like:
-cuteness overload, in a good way
-a well-done rom-com (actually hilarious and romantic at the same time)
-no melodrama because the writer defies all the cliches you think will happen
Shopping King Louis is one of the most pure, innocent, and heart-warming dramas I've watched in a long time. I sincerely recommend this to y'all especially if you need a little bit of Louis to lift up your spirits!
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Pure ! They are so pure… I just wanna hug all these pure souls and no leave them go never!!
Lets go to start:
- Plot : Something new without introducing new things to the romcom (Yeah it sounds so twisted)
- Cast: ABSOLUTELY PERFECT. The leads are so extra and pure that I can't say nothing more.
- Drama itself: It had the perfect amount of love, comedy and good acting.
- Music and effects: SO CUTE AND FUNNY!
If you wanna spend a good moment watching a drama, buy this! Yeah, spend all your time and hours watching them. Embrace the cuteness of Seo in Guk (what a gem, is this puppy even real?)
Con: mmmmmm maybe the drama topic tips? But Bah you almost don't realize it and I gave up trying to find dramas who delete these topics.
If you wanna find yourself smiling when some of these characters are smiling, this will be your drama.
Have a good time queens and kings of shopping.
See ya!
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I simply couldn't, and still cannot, comprehend how someone would take 7 episodes to learn that money is a valuable thing if you have little of it. Even though his spending habits were enormous, Louis should've picked up by the second scolding that he spent too much. He never did though.
Ko Bok Sil doesn't learn anything either. She finally seems to have trained Louis into not spending cash and she goes out to get a credit card.
I also cannot comprehend how the writer would think it was not obvious to name Louis dog Koboshi and only in the last episode reveal that he named the dog after a girl he got a gift from; Ko Bok Sil. Even Bok Sil herself thought he called her when he called the dog, so why didn't any of the intelligent adults pick up on this? Why didn't Louis?
Last thing I couldn't get: why all the broken lovelines? Sure, Louis and Bok Sil end up together, same goes for Mr. Kim and Ms. Heo. But Joong Won ends up chasing someone else (we have no idea what kind of feelings she has for him, if any), Ma Ri ends up chasing someone who's not interested and the same goes for In Sung.
All in all I don't think this K-Drama deserves the 8.4 it got here, I'm rating it 6.0/10.
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The side characters were all extremely likable, even Marie. The way the "greedy" family member is resolved truly broke my heart and how it was handled couldn't have been done better in my opinion.
The last episode had me in tears because it was heartbreaking and touching at the same time. I didn't expect everything to tie together the way it did in the end, but I'm so glad the writers had the forethought to wrap everything up the way they did.
There are no loose ends and I didn't find any plot issues that usually leave me questioning things. Everyone got an ending and the pacing was superb.
*And* EVERY SINGLE EPISODE HAD ME LAUGHING MY BUTT OFF. Which only added to the quality of the drama.
"Tiger Moth" by MONSTA X was an amazing OST and I keep listening to the original version as well as the acoustic because they're just so lovely to listen to!
I've seen Seo In Guk is some other dramas, such as Reply 1997, and while I adored his bashful and introverted character in Reply 1997, his silly and innocent character portrayal (completely different, mind you) was hilarious and expertly represented.
The only real memorable drama I remember seeing Nam Ji Hyun in was Suspicious Partner. Personally, I think she did a better job portraying such a kindhearted soul in Shopping King Louie than she did as an attorney in Suspicious Partner. Even though she really did do well in Suspicious Partner, I think I prefer the performance she made here.
This is definitely a drama I will rewatch in the future. I especially found the comedic moments to be so incredibly hilarious! Whenever Louie screamed usually due to a bug, would make me laugh out loud! His scream and high pitched voice when screaming was just sooooo funny!
My rating for Shopping King Louie is a solid 10/10 with absolutely NO reservations.
I would highly recommend the K-drama, Cinderella and the Four Knights as an equivalent to Shopping King Louie.
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Amnesia? Chaebols? Mean rich guys? Clueless poor girls? Bitchy second leads? Truck of doom? Dead family? Fated meeting? Literally I could list All.Of.Them. And find that this drama almost definitely has it. Throw a pin and you’ll land on a cliche.
But I still liked it?
I’ll be honest, there’s a lot of reasons why ordinarily I wouldn’t. And I can’t say I didn’t get annoyed often watching it - I didn’t like a single character from that office for e.g and Bok-Shil’s passiveness irritated me.
But I still liked it?
Well, I liked it once I stopped thinking too much about it. Simply put, this drama lives only by its leads. They have excellent chemistry, are super charming, so so easy to watch and when they’re together their cuteness literally overrides any bad or boring or cliche problem this drama has. Like, it COMPLETELY overrides it. I skipped through plenty of scenes but not a single Bok-Shil x Louis one. Luckily, the drama also clearly knows that the leads are the stars because the plot doesn’t spend much time away from them and even the traditional kdrama angst moments are pretty short lived.
In the end, despite so many reasons I normally wouldn’t, I still loved this drama. It’s so fun and sweet and wholesome and if you’re like me and just skip all the dead weight, it’s super short too! I would genuinely rewatch just to see Louis being the cutest puppy of all time and Bok Shil smiling so sweetly, she’d make sugar jealous.
I recommend to everyone!!! Just know what you’re going in for first and it’s unlikely you’ll not enjoy yourself with these two being the softest kdrama beings ever put to screen.
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This is how I would describe this drama and it's over the top appeal. This is not a drama with substance. It's listed as a melodrama, but it is a cartoon version of a melodrama. All of the characters are comedic and over the top, yes even the bad guys. I admit that this was a plus and a minus for me, because sometimes playing certain things up for the comedy made it frustrating to watch, and hard to take seriously. Once I let go of any type of expectations of seriousness, I liked this drama a lot more, but I should be honest... there is only one reason I kept watching in the beginning, and that reason is Seo In Guk.
Seo In Guk as Louis is the main reason to watch this show. I've seen him, and liked him a lot, in other dramas, but I had no idea he could be so hilarious and silly. Louis is a character that could easily become annoying if played by the wrong actor, but instead I totally fell for him and his antics. He also managed to make him feel real in each completely unrealistic scenario this drama put him in, which sucked me even further into the story. Even when the plot let me down, Louis never did.
He's matched with Nam Ji Hyun as Go Bok Shil, another super sweet and likable character who avoids being annoying. She is naive, yet brave, so her innocence wasn't a turn off for me. I also loved that although she is obviously the Cinderella of this story, this never changed the essence of who her character was. Bok Shil and Louis are so incredibly adorkable as a couple, and have such great chemistry, that it felt like watching a real love story in spite of the cheesy plot. Their love story is what the show is all about, so liking them made me automatically like the show, and look forward to each episode.
There is also Yoon Sang Hyun as Cha Joong Won, another actor who I've loved in many other dramas, and he pulls off another memorable character. Playing totally against their sweetness, with each clearing of his throat, he became the hilarious third wheel to complete their love triangle. Although he is a classic "forever alone" character, watching his rivalry/bromance with Louis was fun. Honestly, the entire supporting cast is fun to watch. I can't really think of one bad cast member, and considering the cheesy dialogue and scenarios (a certain car ride comes to mind), the fact that they could pull off such over the top comedy so well shows how talented they all are.
What I didn't love is the plot. There were way too many tropes/clichés, and certain scenarios were dragged out way too long. I got so frustrated waiting for Louis' memory to return, or for someone to reveal who he was. Then there was some extreme violence that felt out of place in this extreme comedy, and seemed to be more for shock value. I did love the side stories of some of the characters (their neighbors, the servants, the mom clique...), but the main story of what happened to Louis, and why, seemed really messy. The romance portion does have some sweet closure at the end, though unbelievable, but at that point I liked them so much I just smiled and accepted it. That's how I felt about most of the plot... smile, or laugh, and accept it, even if its completely ridiculous.
Would I watch this again? Probably not, but maybe. Again, the cast is really cute, so maybe that's enough to justify a second viewing. Maybe Louis' goofy smile is enough. At least the OST is good.
Overall this is a great excuse to watch Seo In Guk be as cute as possible, and a fun drama for those looking for more laughs than tears. It has too many flaws in the plot to make my favorites list, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it on someone else's. Who knew that amnesia, homelessness, robbery, assault, going missing, and family greed could be such hilarious fun? This was a great break from heavier dramas, and I highly recommend it for exactly that reason.
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Summary: This show is perfectly sweet in every way, the storyline, romance, comedy, filmography--literally everything. I feel like this show is pretty underrated, I will admit I wasn't initially smitten by the casting but I feel like they all took me wonderfully by surprise and am so happy I decided to watch this show. And now that it's over I'm going through the stages of acceptance--currently at...depression.
+/- Plot:
The scriptwriters had a way of leaving you wanting more at the end of the episode; and even though they used all of the KDramaLand cliches I actually didn't mind at all. They had a way of not making it overly dramatic and focused more on the characters' growth and developments which are the fortes of the show. They really tugged at your heartstrings with the hardships of the characters and how they overcame the difficulties together. What I really loved is that the theme of each episode was based on an older song--like Vincent, Be My Baby, The Winner Takes It All...etc. I felt that it was a different concept for a KDrama and felt it very reminiscent of some American dramas, which I really loved. The thing that really stands out in this drama is obviously the romance between the leads; they're both such sweet characters that you can't help falling for the two of them. What I think I loved the most about them is how they took care of each other and believed in one another, even when no one else did. Their romance was very sweet and innocent just like the characters. The only disappointment I had was maybe the conclusion of the show--because everything was so sweet and the writers kind of lead you to the conclusion of them settling down with a family, I really wanted a more concrete proposal at the least. However, I overall really liked how they came full circle with the show and was satisfied and very moved by the ending.
+/- Characters/Acting:
The actors portrayal of their characters are what really made this drama a hit for me.
In my opinion, while I haven't seen many of his other shows, this is by far one of Seo In Guk's best shows. I was so surprised that he fit the character so well and really became Louie. His character is the type that just keeps growing on you because of how sweet he is--even if at times the innocence caused him to be a little ignorant. I think what really made him shine in this character is all the small details he added. Whenever he'd remember something new, he would always cover his mouth like a shocked little kid, or when he'd walk he'd have a cute little waddle with little hand movements--they were the perfect touch to his child-like personality. What got me every time were his screams whenever he was shocked or scared. Everything was "Perfect!", as Louie would say.
Nam Ji Hyun is so heartwarming, even through her hardships she’s a hard and diligent worker and those are the types of characters I like the most. I really felt that she portrayed the country bumkin girl so well; never for a second have I doubted her role. She really played out every emotion to the T; one moment you could see the tears well up in her eyes and she’d turn around and be cold as ice. There were times when I was a little frustrated because she would play up the innocence factor whenever there was a romance scene; I felt that if she was a little less timid then I would have loved the scenes even more. But overall, I was really pleasantly surprised with her acting and character as it is the first time I have seen any of her works.
Yoon Sang Hyun is supposed to be a bit of a critical guy with sweet intentions, but at times I was a bit frustrated with his character. I really like him as an actor and am continually surprised in how many shows he's cast in. However, I don't think that this is his best work--I felt that the character was a bit too stifled and a little forced at time. The thing I disliked the most was the constant throat clearing, which got a little irritating half way through the show. But it became the running joke towards the end, which I admit I kind of liked.
Overall, the characters you are meant to dislike; I found that, while I wasn't fond of them I hardly had any animosity towards them. Im Se Mi played the insincerity decently so I wasn't disappointed by her character. I will say that I was kind of let down by the timidity of the "bad guy", but I think with the conclusion of the show and the unraveling of the backstory it made sense of how he portrayed the character.
+/- Music:
I lovedddd all of the music! As I said earlier each episode was based on an oldie song and loved how they weaved it into the background. As for the soundtrack I loved all of the songs and have been listing to the OST on repeat. Every song is the sound of the dusk of a warm spring evening; lovely and reminiscent. I think they really encompassed the feel of the drama well.
Rewatch Value:
Because of the sweetness of the characters and the romance between the leads I'd definitely watch this show again. I think that everything from the soundtrack to the editing and filmography was wonderful and would continue to make this really enjoyable. My two favorite shots of the show would have to be their trip to the beach and to Busan as I thought they were beautiful shots of the scenery as well as their budding romance. Overall, this show was spectacularly made and I really enjoyed it and will be back again in the future to revisit Louie and Bok Sil's romance.
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Meh.
Shopping King Louis is one of those dramas that I just don't understand where the high ratings are coming from. It frustrates me because although it wasn't a terrible drama, there just wasn't much to it either. Everything you'd expect the characters to do they do. Louis is a cute character but little to no growth was made with his character. I understand that he was spoiled but he more resembled a 10 year old boy with his mannerisms and choices. Honestly it was kind of weird. I think this was partly responsible for the lack of chemistry I felt between the main leads. It was a little unbelievable that Bok Sil fell in love with him. I liked Bok Sil's character for the most part, but she got kind of annoying in the later episodes. The supporting characters were almost interesting but not quite. The roles that they were given they played well but they really had nothing to them and I feel that the writers could have at least given Cha Joong Won or Baek Ma Ri some substance. Then again the drama as a whole doesn't really have any substance or depth to it. The "bad guys" were not threatening or realistic at all and I felt like the writers did a poor job integrating them into the plot which shouldn't have been hard to do. Also, I found the random animations to be super distracting rather than useful. The music was okay but there were a few scenes where the songs didn't fit the situation. All in all, not a bad drama, but not anything special either. Wouldn't watch again.Was this review helpful to you?
In conclusion, I recommend this drama to those who are looking for drama that can lighten your mood but with good storyline.
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The story is original, contains plenty humorous and loving scenes and most importantly doesn't fall into traphole of kdrama cliches which want to make you pull your hair out in each episode. Every wondering question is answered at the beginning of an episode in a flashback of scenes you have not yet seen which also greatly helps both main and support characters with overall development.
When it comes to the cast, I must say I found the entirety of them hilarious and well-matched, especially the main couple dynamic and second male lead's relation towards them that did not in any way infringe on the special kind of bond that the main couple has, which I've found to be a problem whenever there is a love triangle in a drama. Yoo Sang Hyun's character was eccentric to the point that I was glad whenever there was a scene with him because he was such a sarcastic drama queen in any given situation.
This drama does have mostly subtle musical background, but some of the heavier scenes have inappropriate choices of soundtracks that takes away from the supposedly dramatical scene and instead makes it comical, which I'm beginning to suspect was intentional by the producers.
It is, without a question, the warmest drama you could see this year so stray no further; the melo tag is overshadowed by the well-written plot and characters, the romance stands out on its own as the centre point of the story intertwined with grand ideas of connecting everyone into one big family and supporting each other. However, in that aspect it also did tend to go too far into the fairytale concept with some scenes so I did find it naive, but it is not meant to be anything else than a story that will leave you with the best kind of feelings after you're done watching it.
Highly recommended.
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And the characters...oh dear...they had their moments. Both main leads pissed me off at times but they also had their cutsey funny moments.
So yeah,i had my mixed feeling when i've finished it. It's worth watching if you are in the hunt for something sweet and silly,and if you don't have anything else to watch. But don't expect too much,you might get bored a couple of times.
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++
The CASTING is impressive, that's why i watched it ! If you are a fan of Seo In Guk, it is a drama for you, his acting is quite good in this drama and his character embodies the cuteness ^^ The other actors are good also, i discovered Im Se Mi as a beautiful and skillful actress.
The STORY is interesting at first sight about the rich guy who loses his memory and becomes a homeless man. Thus, the chemistry between the two main characters is spellbinding, it's a pleasure to see how much they are deeply in love !!
Moreover, there are a lot of funny characters such as Cha Joong Won (Yoon Sang Hyun), Baek Ma Ri (Im Se Mi), Jo in Seong (Oh Dae Hwan)... and my favorite one is Hong Jae Sook (Yoon Yoo Sun) which is a refreshing character !!
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BUT, despite all these good points, the plot bores me at the highest point... The bad guy isn't a bad guy (i don't ask a manichean drama, but even with subtlety, he isn't one and his acting is not as good as the others), there's nothing at stake in reality ! So i sadly finished this drama in fast-foward :/
It remains entertaining, but nothing very profound :)
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