A romantic comedy-melodrama “Brilliant Legacy” aired on the television network SBS in 2009. The popular weekend drama consisting of 28 episodes brings to light the work, love and success of a young, rich socialite and a commoner girl whom he comes to adore.

The story begins when Ko Eun-seong, a student in New York, returns home during her vacation. A man named Sunwoo Hwan, who was also studying in New York, is on the same flight back home. The two find their baggage mixed up by mistake, and this causes some misunderstandings between them. Eun-seong’s father, meanwhile, has his wallet stolen by a thief who later dies in an accident. The police mistakenly identify the thief as the father after finding his belongings and issue a death certificate to the wrong person. The father, who was struggling to save his collapsing company, decides not to tell his family that he is alive so the family can claim his life insurance money. But his wife, the father’s second, believing that her husband died, kicks her stepchildren, Eun-seong and her young brother, out of the house. Devastated by her father’s death and abandoned by the bad stepmother, Eun-seong starts a small dumpling stall. For this moment, it looks like the poor girl will follow the fate of Cinderella. But the story begins to twist when she happens to meet an old lady who has an accident. Eun-seong takes good care of the old woman even though she can barely afford to pay her own living expenses. Impressed by the young girl’s kindness and passion for life, the old lady brings Eun-seong to her home. It turns out that the old lady is the grandmother of Sunwoo Hwan, who took the same flight as Eun-seong on her return home from New York. More surprisingly, the grandmother announces Eun-seong will inherit her food company. The spoiled grandson of this rich family finds himself cut off from his fortune, because the girl will inherit his legacy.

As with most sweet love stories, “Brilliant Legacy” concludes with a happy ending in which the characters eventually discover the true value of family and money. This heartwarming drama received rave reviews from viewers and critics alike by emphasizing the importance of human understanding, forgiveness, reconciliation and hope, rather than simply resorting to racy materials, like sex, revenge and violence. This is why this soap opera is hailed as a “kind drama.” The hit TV series enjoyed great popularity among local audience members, maintaining the top spot in viewer ratings for ten consecutive weeks, with its last episode raking up a high nationwide rating of 47 percent.

Singer and actor Lee Seung-gi proved his ability as a lead actor in this drama by successfully portraying an immature rich kid who later realizes true love and becomes a responsible man.

The Korean Foundation for International Culture Exchange announced in January 2010 that “Brilliant Legacy” would be broadcast in 81 countries in Europe, Oceania, North and South Americas, Central Asia and Africa as a way of boosting Korean pop culture around the world.