‘You Have Done Well’: Likely the Costliest K-Drama Ever, Stars Park Bo-gum, and IU

You Have Done Well involves huge production costs, reports Chosun Ilbo. It says that the leads’ combined pay amounts to roughly one billion won, while its total production expenses hit as much as 60 billion won, courtesy of OSEN.

While the makers aren’t willing to confirm any of that data given their contractual obligations, industry sources unanimously concur that You Have Done Well incurs the “highest ever” budget in the history of Korean dramas, adds the report.

Park Bo-gum‘s K-drama comeback with the web series already sets the bar high for a stellar ensemble ahead of its premiere. Under the direction of Kim Won-seok, who has an impressive roster of hit K-drama titles, including Sungkyunkwan Scandal (2010), Misaeng (2014), Signal (2016), My Mister (2018), and Arthdal Chronicles (2019), Park will share screen time with IU (Lee Ji-eun), Moon So-ri, Park Hae-joon, and more together with Kim Seon-ho in a special appearance.

You Have Done Well comes with the added distinction of being penned by Lim Sang-choon, famed for her realistic narratives. She has won honors for her scripts in the dramas Fight for My Way (2017) and When the Camellia Blooms (2019), most notably the Best Screenplay Award at the 56th Baeksang Arts Awards.

In the course of the four seasons, You Have Done Well delves deep into the lives of Gwan-sik (Park), as resolute as iron, and Ae-soon (IU), a stunning rebel born in Jeju in 1950s Korea.

Ae-soon is uncompromising and fearless. She has the innocence of a child, yet she is also a grown-up in a situation where she cannot back down. Though she faces the dismal barriers that keep out brightness, A-soon is like an untamed blossom with her head held towards the light.

Her way of life is firm and invincible, making her something of a fascinating individual. She still aspires to be a poet even in scenarios where attending school isn’t feasible and lets her hair down and her spirit high.

Gwan-sik on the other side, is a quiet, decided guy. He appreciates the gravity of commitment and is a diligent, dependable person. He can be sensitive to love though; all it takes is a smile from Ae-soon to make his heart skip a beat.

He wholeheartedly embraces his role as an ally of unflinching loyalty, never wavering from his feelings for Ae-soon while also taking responsibility for her well-being amid dire circumstances.

The story, which unfolds on the exquisite, scenic island of Jeju, paints the good old days of two distinct individuals who never cease smiling, not even in sorrow. It’s akin to an emotional ode to those carefree days, reviving vivid recollections of a mother’s, father’s, grandmother’s, and grandfather’s lives, all encapsulated in an unforgettable slice-of-life romance drama.

A Netflix release of You Have Done Well is planned for this year.