Pinocchio (South Korean Television Series)
Pinocchio is a South Korean television series that aired on SBS from November 12, 2014, to January 15, 2015. The drama, consisting of 20 episodes, was directed by Jo Soo-won and written by Park Hye-ryun. It occupied the Wednesday and Thursday 21:55 time slot, succeeding My Lovely Girl and preceding Hyde Jekyll, Me.
Plot Synopsis
The story follows Ki Ha-myeong (Lee Jong-suk), a young man whose life is upended after a tragic fire at a waste facility destroys his family. Following the death of his mother and the disappearance of his father, Ha-myeong is rescued from the ocean by an elderly man named Choi Gong-pil (Byun Hee-bong). Believing Ha-myeong to be his long-deceased eldest son, Dal-po, the man adopts him, and Ha-myeong assumes the identity of Choi Dal-po.
Dal-po grows up alongside his adoptive niece, Choi In-ha (Park Shin-hye). In-ha suffers from a fictional condition known as "Pinocchio Syndrome," which causes her to hiccup whenever she tells a lie. As they grow older, Dal-po discovers that In-ha's mother, Song Cha-ok (Jin Kyung), was the reporter responsible for the biased coverage of the fire that ruined his family. This revelation creates a complex emotional conflict as Dal-po navigates his feelings for In-ha while seeking the truth about his past.
Production
The production team, including director Jo Soo-won and writer Park Hye-ryun, had previously collaborated on the 2013 series I Can Hear Your Voice. The first script reading for Pinocchio was held in October 2014 at the SBS Production Center in Ilsan, South Korea. The role of the male lead was initially offered to Kim Woo-bin, who declined due to scheduling conflicts.
The series achieved notable commercial success in international markets. According to the production company SidusHQ, the drama was sold to the Chinese platform Youku Tudou for $280,000 USD per episode, which at the time set a record for the highest price per episode for a Korean drama.
Cast
The series features an ensemble cast including:
- Lee Jong-suk as Choi Dal-po / Ki Ha-myeong
- Park Shin-hye as Choi In-ha
- Kim Young-kwang as Seo Bum-jo
- Lee Yoo-bi as Yoon Yoo-rae
- Jin Kyung as Song Cha-ok
Actor Yoon Sang-hyun made a cameo appearance in episode 11, reprising his character Attorney Cha Kwan-woo from I Can Hear Your Voice.