My Fair Lady ~ Former Gigolo or Human Rights Lawyer?

“My Fair Lady” (aka “Take Care of the Young Lady”) is a 2009 Korean drama, 16 episodes, categorized as Romance and Comedy (Rom-Com). It is streaming on KOCOWA+.

• Memorable Quote: “You like being kidnapped, so I’m kidnapping you.”

SUMMARY: A spoiled heiress living in luxury has her world turned upside down when a former gigolo becomes her butler. She is notorious for firing her butlers. But not this time. Only her grandfather can terminate his employment. They’re attached, whether she likes it or not.

♦ It’s Not a House, It’s a Castle

In “My Fair Lady” (aka “Take Care of the Young Lady”), Kang Hye-Na is an icy, spoiled heiress who lives in the luxurious “Lady Castle” estate. Raised by her stern grandfather, Kang Hye-Na grows into a woman who uses her wealth as a shield. She treats others with indifference or outright disdain. But underneath her arrogant mask is loneliness and heartbreak. However, she keeps her emotional distance from everyone around her.

Her life takes a chaotic turn when she literally crashes into Seo Dong-Chan—first with her car, then with her attitude. Seo Dong-Chan, a former gigolo burdened by massive debt to loan sharks. She throws money at him, like she does to fix everything. But he’s furious at her refusal to apologize. That was their first encounter. After a series of subsequent confrontations, he ends up becoming her butler. Seo Dong-Chan got the job because he promised her grandfather that he could change her attitude. But the real reason is he needs the money, and this job pays incredibly well. Kang Hye-Na tries everything to drive him away, but Seo Dong-Chan’s resilience and sharp wit make him the first person who refuses to bow to her whims.

Seo Dong-Chan also planned to seduce her and gain access to her wealth. After all, he was a gigolo, and she is – excuse the expression – a cash cow! As he settles into his role taking care of the young lady, their relationship dynamic shifts. Seo Dong-Chan becomes the only person who challenges her, comforts her, and sees her as more than a wealthy heiress.

ENTER Lee Tae-Yun

Lee Tae-Yun, a kind, idealistic human rights lawyer, is taking on conglomerates accused of a myriad of labor violations. As part of his plan to seduce Kang Hye-Na, Seo Dong-Chan arranged a fake fight in the parking garage. Thugs were supposed to try to attack the young lady, and he would swoop in to defend her and become her hero. Something went wrong, and real bad guys showed up. Seo Dong-Chan was fighting when, coincidentally, Lee Tae-Yun arrived on the scene. It was three against one. That’s hardly a fair fight. Lee Tae-Yun joined in to help Seo Dong-Chan, and together they overcame the thugs. But instead of thanking both of them, Kang Hye-Na gave Lee Tae-Yun full credit for saving her. Seo Dong-Chan couldn’t believe it! Doesn’t he deserve any credit? From that point forward, Seo Dong-Chan realized he had competition. He needed to figure out how to get rid of Lee Tae-Yun. But Kang Hye-Na was already attracted to the handsome lawyer.

Lee Tae-Yun is legally fighting against conglomerates, i.e., businesses run by both her grandfather and her uncle. She doesn’t want to be disloyal to her family, but Lee Tae-Yun’s gentle nature appeals to her. Kang Hye-Na started doing things completely out of character, hoping to win his heart. Seo Dong-Chan tries to interfere with a possible budding romance and marriage between them.

Family Obligations or Love? Choose!

As the story progresses, Kang Hye-Na’s character undergoes significant growth. She finds herself torn between her growing feelings for Seo Dong-Chan and her attraction to Lee Tae-Yun. Oh dear! It’s a love triangle.

• Seo Dong-Chan is a former gigolo who is debt-ridden. He has feelings for Kang Hye-Na, but believes he is unworthy. It’s not likely the grandfather would approve of him anyway.
• Lee Tae-Yun confesses his feelings for Kang Hye-Nah. Even though he is in a legal battle with her grandfather’s corporation, by society’s standards, he would be the “perfect partner” for an heiress. He comes from a wealthy background, too.

Kang Hye-Na struggles to sort out her conflicting emotions and feelings for both men and to balance her obligations and responsibilities as an heiress. What will she decide in the end?

Main Characters:

• Kang Hye-Na (played by Yoon Eun-Hye, “Coffee Prince”)
• Seo Dong-Chan (played by Yoon Sang-Hyun, “Secret Garden”, “Perfect Family”, “Namib”)
• Lee Tae-Yun (played by Jung Il-Woo, “Bossam – Steal the Fate”, “Our Golden Days”, “Golden Rainbow”, “Highway Family”, “Haechi”, “The Moon Embracing The Sun”, “Il Ji-Mae”, “Diary of a Night Watchman“)
• Yeo Ui-Joo (played by Moon Chae-Won, “The Princess’ Man”, “Goodbye Mr. Black”, “Payback: Money and Power”, “Taxi Driver 2”, “The Cursed“,“The Innocent Man“, “Good Doctor“, “Flower of Evil”)

Where to Watch

Viewership and Rating:

• IMDb: 6.9 out of 10 stars
• My Drama List: 7.6 out of 10 stars
• Dramabeans: 6 out of 10 stars
• TMDB (The Movie Database): 6.9 out of 10 stars
• Letterboxd: 3.8 out of 5 stars

My personal rating is the same as MDL.

My Fair Lady ended up on my watch list because I was following a Korean actor I had only seen in one Korean drama, and it was a supporting role. I was curious to see him as a lead actor. As for the lead female actress, she was described as “the female Gu Jun-pyo”, the character Lee Min Ho played in Boys Over Flowers. Both were released in 2009 and described as “classic”. That description is appropriate.

It was cute, but … first, the storyline is annoyingly predictable. But I need to clarify. I’m speaking as of 2026. Perhaps the plot wasn’t predictable in 2009.

Second, the fashion. 2026 or 2009. I’m no fashion expert. The outfits and the hairstyles were awful! Someone described it as “Iconic Wardrobe”. Iconic? More like eye sores. But what do I know? My mother was a seamstress, and my father was a tailor.

On the plus side, it was nice seeing the faces of today’s popular Korean actors when they were younger.

LINKS OF INTEREST:

Take Care Of The Young Lady aka My Fair Lady, Korean Drama Review. | KDrama Love

My Fair Lady (2009 TV Series) | Alchetron, the Free Social Encyclopedia. (Alchetron.Com)

Review of Korean Drama: Take Care of the Young Lady (2009). | Musing About Drama

TRAILER/TEASER:

KBS WORLD TV. “[Trailer] My Fair Lady.” YouTube, 7 Aug. 2011, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPh5JbjrJgs.

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