Beethoven Virus

Beethoven Virus (Korean: 베토벤 바이러스; RR: Betoben Baireoseu) is a 2008 South Korean television series starring Kim Myung-min, Lee Ji-ah, and Jang Keun-suk.[1] The show drew attention for being the first Korean drama to depict the lives of classical musicians, an orchestra and ordinary people who dream of becoming musicians.[2][3] It aired on MBC from September 10 to November 12, 2008 on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:55 for 18 episodes.

Beethoven Virus
Promotional poster
Genre
Written by
  • Hong Jin-ah
  • Hong Ja-ram
Directed byLee Jae-kyoo
Starring
Country of originSouth Korea
Original language(s)Korean
No. of episodes18
Production
Executive producer(s)Oh Kyung-hoon
Producer(s)Park Chang-shik
Cinematography
  • Song In-hyuk
  • Hong Sung-wook
Production company(s)Kim Jong-hak Production
Release
Original networkMunhwa Broadcasting Corporation
Original releaseSeptember 11 (2008-09-11) –
November 12, 2008 (2008-11-12)
External links
Website

Synopsis

Kang Gun-woo (or Kang Mae) is a world-renowned orchestra maestro who is a perfectionist in his work. He is not an easy person to work with and is feared by all his players. By chance, he comes across a woman named Du Ru-mi who plays the violin, and a young cop also named Kang Gun-woo who is a musical genius, even without formal training. The three soon get tangled in a love triangle as Kang Mae attempts to salvage a local orchestra.

Cast

Main characters
Kang Gun-woo is an orchestra conductor who is a single forty-year-old man that lives with a dog named Toven (named after Beethoven). He is very talented and famous for his excellent skills in music. Conductor Kang feels that classical music is for the nobility and to play the noble classics, the talent of players should be brilliant. Because he believes in this, he insults many musicians who do not match his perfection. However, he has shown jealousy and hatred in the past for those who are naturally talented, or those who are prodigies in music, such as Maestro Jung. He also has shown that he hated the trumpet player Kang Gun-woo for being a genius in the beginning of the drama.
Kang Mae is notorious for his aggressiveness and sharp tongue. His nickname is "orchestra killer." His personality is mostly written in his face when he encounters trouble and he smirks to show he isn't weak. The reason that he has spent most of his time overseas is because he had once refused to perform in front of a large audience, which included the president.
Du Ru-mi is the concert mistress of the project orchestra. Despite her delicate appearance, she is actually hot-tempered, moody, and optimistic about everything. Her headaches and tinnitus are the symptoms of a tumor that is impinging on her cochlear nerve, an acoustic neuroma, perhaps, which will eventually cause complete hearing loss. Now, she has a resolute goal to continue to play the violin and continue to perform on stage until she loses her hearing completely.
Kang Gun-woo is a traffic officer with a strong sense of justice. To help a pregnant woman get to the hospital, he moves a car by crashing it into another car, which causes him to be suspended from his position. Even though he cannot read music, he has a natural talent for playing the trumpet and for music itself. The project orchestra that he joins through Ru-mi's recommendation gives him an opportunity to open his eyes and ears to music and conducting.

Supporting characters
  • Lee Soon-jae as Kim Gab-yong (Oboe)
  • Juni as Ha Yi-deun (Flute)
  • Song Ok-sook as Jung Hee-yeon (Cello)
  • Park Chul-min as Bae Yong-gi (Trumpet)
  • Jung Suk-yong as Park Hyuk-kwon (Double Bass)
  • Lee Bong-gyu as Park Jin-man
  • Kim Young-min as Jung Myung-hwan
  • Jo Se-eun as Kim Joo-yeon
  • Park Eun-joo as Kim Joo-hee
  • Lee Han-wi as Kang Chun-bae
  • Park Kil-soo as Kim Kye-jang
  • Hwang Young-hee as Hyuk-kwon's wife
  • Baek Jae-jin as refugees' leader (ep 10)
  • Kim Ik as doctor (ep 10)

Production

At the drama's press conference prior to airing, Kim Myung-min, who plays the talented yet difficult maestro Kang, actually conducted Ennio Morricone's Gabriel's Oboe, and Johannes Brahms' Hungarian Dances with a full orchestra in front of reporters and fans who came to the venue.[4] Kang is based on real-life conductor Shin-ik Hahm.[5]

Several famous musicians made cameo appearances in the drama, including pianist Dong-Hyek Lim and violist Richard Yongjae O'Neill.[6]

Awards and nominations
YearAwardCategoryRecipientResult
2008 45th Baeksang Arts Awards Best DramaBeethoven VirusNominated
Best DirectorLee Jae-kyooNominated
Best ActorKim Myung-minWon
Best ScreenplayHong Jin-ah and Hong Ja-ramNominated
21st Grimae AwardsSpecial Award, Drama categorySong In-hyuk and Hong Sung-wookWon
The National Assembly Society of Popular Culture & Media AwardsMost Popular Drama in 2008Beethoven VirusWon
9th Broadcaster AwardsBest Performance in BroadcastingKim Myung-minWon
2nd Korea Drama Awards[7] Grand Prize (Daesang)Won
Top Excellence Award, ActorNominated
Excellence Award, ActorJang Keun-sukNominated
21st Korean Producers and Directors' AwardsBest DramaBeethoven VirusWon
MBC Drama Awards Grand Prize (Daesang)[8]Kim Myung-minWon
Top Excellence Award, ActorNominated
Excellence Award, ActressLee Ji-ahNominated
Golden Acting Award, Supporting ActorPark Chul-minWon
Golden Acting Award, Veteran ActressSong Ok-sookWon
PD AwardLee Soon-jaeWon
Best New ActorJang Keun-sukWon
Best New ActressJuniNominated
Writer(s) of the YearHong Jin-ah and Hong Ja-ramWon
Special Award, PD categoryLee Jae-kyooWon
Viewer's Favorite Drama of the YearBeethoven VirusWon
2009 36th Korean Broadcasting Association AwardsBest ActorKim Myung-minWon
4th Seoul International Drama Awards[9] Best MiniseriesBeethoven VirusRunner-up
Best ActorKim Myung-minNominated
3rd International Drama Festival in Tokyo[10]Special Award for Foreign ProgramsBeethoven VirusWon

International broadcast

The series aired in the Philippines on Q Channel 11 beginning April 12, 2010, on Mondays to Fridays at 2:00 p.m.[11] It aired in Japan on Fuji TV beginning February 1, 2011, on Mondays to Fridays, at 2:07-3:57 p.m.[12]

It aired in Thailand on Channel 3 beginning July 21, 2012, on Saturdays and Sundays at 1:30-4:00 a.m.[13]

gollark: Is that meant to be Karl Marx in the background?
gollark: It was designed to spread out keys which were used together, not limit typing speed.
gollark: Plus, coal plants pollute horribly, which is not very good for or people's health and long term things.
gollark: I mean, these are separate border-related tasks, aren't they?
gollark: This would reduce the amount of three-letter acronyms, at least, and I don't like those.

References
  1. "Beethoven Virus Interview with Kim Myung-min". MBC Global Media. September 26, 2008. Archived from the original on December 1, 2014. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
  2. Chung, Ah-young (January 1, 2009). "Beethoven Virus Still Goes On". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
  3. Kwon, Mee-yoo (February 19, 2009). "Beethoven Virus Fails to Spread". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
  4. Han, Sang-hee (September 9, 2008). "Dramas Bring Hero, Gamblers and Orchestra". The Korea Times. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
  5. Han, Jane (March 7, 2010). "Maestro Hahm Shin-ik's Humble Journey to Fame". The Korea Times. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
  6. "Musicians to make cameo appearance". The Korea Herald via Naver. August 22, 2008. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
  7. Chung, Ah-young (November 2, 2008). "Actor Kim Wins Top Prize at Korea Drama Festival Awards". The Korea Times. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
  8. "MBC Should Be Ashamed of Farcical Awards". The Chosun Ilbo. January 2, 2009. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
  9. Han, Sang-hee (September 13, 2009). "Seoul Int'l Drama Awards End With Promise". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
  10. "Beethoven Virus Wins Japan Award". The Korea Times. October 20, 2009. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
  11. "Beethoven Virus airs now in the Philippines". MyungMin International. April 25, 2010. Archived from the original on December 25, 2013. Retrieved August 20, 2013.
  12. "Beethoven Virus comes to Fuji TV Japan in February!". MyungMin International. January 20, 2011. Archived from the original on December 25, 2013. Retrieved August 20, 2013.
  13. เรื่องย่อ ทำนองรัก สัมผัสใจ. Kapook.com (in Thai). August 1, 2012. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
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