Phoenix 2020 (Korean: 불새 2020; RR: Bulsae 2020) is a South Korean television romantic drama series directed by Lee Hyun-jik starring Hong Soo-ah, Lee Jae-woo, Seo Ha-jun and Park Young-rin. The series is a reboot of the 2004 MBCseries of the same name and includes 120 episodes. The story follows a rich woman and a poor man who marry, get divorced, and meet again after their fortunes have reversed. It premiered on SBS TV on October 26, 2020, and aired on weekdays at 8:35a.m. KST until April 9, 2021.
Synopsis
Wealthy chaebol, Lee Ji-eun (Hong Soo-ah) falls in love with the poor Jang Sae-hoon and marries against their families' wishes. Ji-eun was engaged to Sae-hoon's family friend, Seo Jeong-in (Seo Ha-jun), but he was in a committed relationship with another woman. The couple was expecting a child despite the lack of approval from Jeong-in's father. Ji-eun and Sae-hoon eventually divorce, and Jeong-in later dies. After ten years, Ji-eun and Sae-hoon meet again but with swapped lifestyles. Once affluent, Ji-eun lost her fortune while Sae-hoon became a rich entrepreneur. Their changes in wealth allow them to view the world differently and understand each other leading to their reunification.
However, they both have other love interests. Ji-eun meets Seo Jeong-min (Seo Ha-jun), heir to the Seorin Group and Jeong-in's twin brother, and they start going out while Sae-hoon is dating his girlfriend, Mi-ran. At the same time, Jeong-min's ambitious stepmother, Choi Myung-hwa, wants to hang on to Seorin Group at all costs. She is Mi-ran's mother but living under an assumed name and has not seen Mi-ran in years. Jeong-min dislikes Myung-hwa, and Seo Moon-soo (chairman of Seorin Group, Jeong-min's father, and Myung-hwa's husband) plans to remove her.
The show ends with a series of legal cases against Seorin Group, ironically brought to court by Jeong-min himself after he tires of his father's controlling tendencies. Seo Moon-soo is angry at his only living son after Jeong-in's death. In the legal chaos, Moon-soo jettisons Myung-hwa but she kills him and stays with her daughter. Ji-eun and Jeong-min break up, and Ji-eun and Sae-hoon start to work together again.
Cast
Main
Hong Soo-ah as Lee Ji-eun, a chaebol, who ten years later, became a helper
On June 30, 2020, SBS announced their remake of the 2004 drama Phoenix with the original writer, Lee Yoo-jin. The remake ran for 120 episodes, a much longer run compared to the original's 26 episodes. Lee Yoo-jin commented on the story, "It seems to be a different story from the original. The setting of reunion between Lee Ji-eun and Jang Se-hoon is changed, but the reunion and love journey of the two are different from the original. After reuniting the once-loved man and woman, the process of recovering and understanding the wounds that have been inflicted on each other has been depicted, rather than the ending of achieving love again." The filming started in the second half of 2020 and a production presentation was held on October 20, 2020.
Release
The television series first aired on October 26, 2020, on SBS TV and aired on weekday mornings until April 9, 2021.
Original soundtrack
Part 1
Released on November 4, 2020 (2020-11-04)
No.
Title
Lyrics
Music
Artist
Length
1.
"Call your name" (박지용)
Yang Gyeong-seok, Park Ji-yong (Honey), Wooside
Yang Kyung-seok
Park Ji-yong (Honeyji)
3:41
2.
"Call your name (Inst.)"
Yang Kyung-seok
3:41
Total length:
7:22
Part 2
Released on November 12, 2020 (2020-11-12)
No.
Title
Lyrics
Music
Artist
Length
1.
"Will we be able to meet again" (기현 (Kihyun))
ALMOND
필승불패
Kihyun
4:00
2.
"Will we be able to meet again (Inst.)"
필승불패
4:00
Total length:
8:00
Part 3
Released on January 5, 2021 (2021-01-05)
No.
Title
Artist
Length
1.
"Sight"
Jeok Woo
3:22
2.
"Gaze (Inst.)"
3:22
Total length:
6:44
Part 4
Released on January 11, 2021 (2021-01-11)
No.
Title
Artist
Length
1.
"Beautiful days...and us"
DooBoo, Jincheol (Round About)
3:39
2.
"Beautiful days...and us (Inst.)"
3:39
Total length:
7:18
Part 5
Released on January 19, 2021 (2021-01-19)
No.
Title
Lyrics
Music
Artist
Length
1.
"Love is leaving like this"
Victory and Defeat, ALMOND
Victory and Defeat
Kim Minwool
3:17
2.
"Love is leaving like this (Inst.)"
Victory and Defeat
3:17
Total length:
6:34
Part 6
Released on January 25, 2021 (2021-01-25)
No.
Title
Lyrics
Artist
Length
1.
"This mind wanders aimlessly"
Victory invincible, Almond
Gabin Han
3:47
2.
"This mind wanders aimlessly (Inst.)"
3:47
Total length:
7:34
Part 7
Released on February 1, 2021 (2021-02-01)
No.
Title
Lyrics
Music
Artist
Length
1.
"A stuffy heart"
Victory and Defeat , ALMOND
Victory and Defeat, 1L2L
Lydia
3:27
2.
"A stuffy heart (Inst.)"
Victory and Defeat, 1L2L
3:27
Total length:
6:54
Part 8
Released on February 8, 2021 (2021-02-08)
No.
Title
Lyrics
Music
Artist
Length
1.
"Hold my hand"
Victorious and unsuccessful , ALMOND
Victorious and unsuccessful, LACONIC
Moon Songhee
3:25
2.
"Hold my hand (Inst.)"
Victorious and unsuccessful, LACONIC
3:25
Total length:
6:50
Part 9
Released on February 15, 2021 (2021-02-15)
No.
Title
Lyrics
Music
Artist
Length
1.
"You can't draw"
Haeun
Haeun, Park Jungjun
Damu
3:16
2.
"You can't draw (Inst.)"
Haeun, Park Jungjun
3:16
Total length:
6:32
Part 10
Released on February 22, 2021 (2021-02-22)
No.
Title
Lyrics
Music
Artist
Length
1.
"The Day We Loved Each Other"
Victory and Undefeated, Jamie, ALMOND
Undefeated, Jamie
12DAL
4:39
2.
"The Day We Loved Each Other" (Inst.)
Undefeated, Jamie
4:39
Total length:
9:18
Part 11
Released on March 1, 2021 (2021-03-01)
No.
Title
Lyrics
Music
Artist
Length
1.
"Destiny"
Oh Heung-seon, Lee Yong-gyu, Shin Seong-jin
Oh Heung-seon, Lee Yong-gyu, Shin Seong-jin
Soo-ah, Park Jung-min
5:02
2.
"Destiny" (Inst.)
Oh Heung-seon, Lee Yong-gyu, Shin Seong-jin
5:02
Total length:
10:04
Part 12
Released on March 8, 2021 (2021-03-08)
No.
Title
Lyrics
Music
Artist
Length
1.
"Your memories, our memories"
Victory invincible, Yuk sang-hui, Almond
Victory invincible, Yuk sang-hui, Almond
Morning Coffee
3:34
2.
"Your memories, our memories" (Inst.)
Victory invincible, Yuk sang-hui, Almond
3:34
Total length:
7:08
Part 13
Released on March 15, 2021 (2021-03-15)
No.
Title
Lyrics
Music
Artist
Length
1.
"Until today"
Victorious and unsuccessful, Yoo-Kyung- hee, Almond
Victorious and un-defeated, Yoo-Suk-hee, 1L2L
Na-eun Seol
3:32
2.
"Until today" (Inst.)
Victorious and un-defeated, Yoo-Suk-hee, 1L2L
3:32
Total length:
7:04
Part 14
Released on March 22, 2021 (2021-03-22)
No.
Title
Lyrics
Music
Artist
Length
1.
"Every day I Love You"
Victory and Undefeated, Yoo, Yuk, and Almond
Un-defeated
CherryBerry
3:22
2.
"Every day I Love You" (Inst.)
3:22
Total length:
6:44
Part 15
Released on March 29, 2021 (2021-03-29)
No.
Title
Lyrics
Music
Artist
Length
1.
"I Still Remember" (feat. Eun Chae)
Victory and Undefeated, Yoo, Yuk, and Almond
Un-defeated
Espresso
3:04
2.
"I Still Remember" (Inst.)
3:04
Total length:
6:08
Part 16
Released on April 5, 2021 (2021-04-05)
No.
Title
Lyrics
Music
Artist
Length
1.
"Every Moment Is Happy"
Victory and Undefeated, Yoo Yuk-hee, Min-hyuk Jung
Victory and Defeat
Jung Min-hyuk, Nakyung
3:23
2.
"Every Moment Is Happy" (Inst.)
Victory and Defeat
3:23
Total length:
6:46
Viewership
Phoenix : South Korea viewers per episode (thousands)Source: Audience measurement performed nationwide by °Nielsen Korea.