A hugely popular sitcom “High Kick through the Roof” aired on local TV network MBC from late 2009 to early 2010. The 126-episode comic sitcom revolves around 12 different characters, featuring their diverse stories including senior romance, family conflict, difficulties in schools and workplaces, complicated love relationships, and more seriously, class struggle, as some describe it.

The story begins with two sisters leaving their home in a remote mountain to move to Seoul. The young girls come to live in a rich family, with the older sister working as a maid in the house owned by a food company president. Their interesting, sometimes harsh lives with this new family and neighbors unfold during the series. The owner of the house is always bossing people around, both at home and in his company. The biggest victim is his son-in-law, who lives in the same house and works for his father-in-law’s company. While the old widower wields his power in everything, he becomes as gentle as a lamb when dating a woman that he is in love with. Of course, the old man’s daughter frowns upon the romance between the elderly couple. In the house, the maid’s younger sister is teased by the old man’s ill-tempered granddaughter all the time, as she looks down on the maid’s sister as a mere live-in servant. Meanwhile, the maid has a secret crush on the old man’s son, who is a doctor, while the old man’s grandson falls in love with the maid. As you might imagine, their conflicting relationships do not turn out well, ending in tragedy.

Viewers posted an ocean of online comments about the unexpected tragic ending, which is considered a rather inadequate finale for a sitcom. The ending is all the more shocking, since this amusing TV show usually depicted hilarious scenes. Interpretations vary on the ending, in which the maid and the doctor apparently die in a car accident.

“High Kick through the Roof” is the second season of the so-called “High Kick series” produced by Kim Byung-wook. The director is known for his sophisticated, superb portrayal of the inner sides of his characters. He is also well known for the dramatic transformations he creates among actors and actresses in his works. For instance, in the first season of the High Kick series entitled “High Kick without Hesitation,” Kim successfully turned 76-year-old actor Lee Soon-jae into a mischievous character who enjoys watching pornography in secret. The impressive performance of the veteran actor, who previously had the image of a strict, obstinate father, earned him a funny nickname “yadong Soon-jae.” Yadong means “pornographic videos.”

The highly successful sitcom enjoyed high viewer ratings and favorable reviews, with budding actors and actresses who appeared in the drama rising to stardom and becoming one of the most sought-after stars. It is said that the High Kick series gained great popularity even in North Korea. According to Radio Free Asia, the South Korean sitcom series made a lot of young North Koreans laugh and they are fascinated by the series’ fun scripts.