Feel-good with endearing characters, Shopaholic Louis was one of my favorite K-Dramas that aired in 2016.
Brimming with optimism and happiness, the characters of Seo In Guk and Nam Ji Hyun journey together in a world they are not familiar with in Shopaholic Louis. Trusting their friendship, eventually they realize that fate brought them together for them to fall in love.
Additionally, Seo In Guk is surprisingly one of the actors with consistent great drama portfolio. Thus, it made him closer to my K-Drama fangirl heart.
- Main Cast: Seo In Guk | Nam Ji Hyun | Chae Soo Bin | Yoon Sang Hyun
- Network & Episode Count: 16 Episodes | MBC
- Official Website:Shopping King Louie MBC
- Streaming Site:Viu | Netflix | Viki
*Originally published on my blog in December 2016
Quick Review
- Plot Trajectory: Consistently engrossing
- Plot Pace: Nicely-done
- Character Portrayal: Great main leads and supporting cast
- Writing: Remarkably penned with romantic seasoning
- Watch on a binge or intervals?: Binge if you are sad
- Crowning Moments: Endearing Main Leads | Feel-good vibe
- Romance | Addictive Meter:
- Overall Rating:
- Rewatch Value:
- K-Dramas of Similar Vibe: Rooftop Prince | Beautiful Gong Shim | 100 Days My Prince
Shopaholic Louis Quick Plot Summary *Spoiler Alert
Heir to a wealthy grandmother, Louis was sent to France out of her grandmother’s fear that she will endanger his life if they live together. This is based on an advice from a monk that her strong energy will eventually make her family suffer.
Afraid that her only grandson will die like her son and his wife, she painfully decides to have Louis lived in Europe to avoid the bad luck supposedly placed on her. Louis, who has been mostly restricted to do things he wanted to do, was compensated by allowing him to freely binge on his shopping spree hobby.
However, Louis’ shopping storm was halted when his grandmother fell ill and he was forced to go back to Korea. On his way home, he meets an accident and lost his memory. His family was not aware that he survived after the car he was supposed to be driving was reported in an accident. A dead burnt man and his watch were found in the accident scene.
Amnesiac Louis Meets Country Bumpkin Bok-sil
Meanwhile, Go Bok Sil is a country girl who left the mountains to look for her runaway brother after her mother passed away. When she saw, a man wearing the same jacket she gifted her brother, she hurriedly approached him and demanded to know where the owner of the jacket was.
Upon realizing that Louis suffered temporary memory loss, she decides to be with him to help find her brother. Through Bok Sil’s skill and perseverance, she was able to secure a job and a place to stay for both of them.
Inevitably, Louis learns his rich roots just as he realized he was already falling for Bok Sil. Everything seems to be falling in the right places, but then it was revealed how Louis had an encounter with Bok Sil’s brother right before the accident, and he ended up dying in Louis’ stead.
When Bok Sil finally learned about what happened to her brother, she left to go back in her hometown even with her conflicting emotions toward Louis. The latter tries to woo her back, but she remains resolved to the idea that she cannot be happy with him and remember her brother at the same time.
In a twist of fate, when Louis wanders somewhere in Busan, he bumps on Bok Nam, who luckily escaped death and had the man who bullied him took his stead in the accident. Louis takes him back and prepares a special event where he posed to have an amnesia again.
Eventually, he helped Bok Sil reunite with her long lost brother. Off the young lovers sought their ever-after, but they hurdled the last conflict that explained what caused Louis’ accident.
Peak Points + Series Musings
While every drama in the year 2016 was busy with the ratings and solidifying a remarkable plot, Shopaholic Louis sassily strutted like a big pile of positivity and bliss due to its endearing characters. Even the villains were adorably bad in the story. *chuckles
It’s that one drama that was made for sunny days and for people who just want to lounge and not worry about kdrama clichés and conflicts. It encourages to just watch each episode as comfy as possible, without worrying about so many things.
The sincere characters and the optimistic theme spread evenly all throughout captivated my emotionally drained self from the heavy plotted melodrama and period dramas this year. Shopaholic Louis was designed to become an elixir of positivity and sometimes we just need those dramas that will make us feel good.
A perfect rom-com to cheer you up
Bok Sil and Louis complemented each other so well that I can’t help but cheer them on learning and living a new life thrown at them. It made me so happy seeing a fictional couple unrestrained and yet so innocent in their life approaches. The heart-warming romance that bloomed between them may not be steamy but memorable just the same.
In its entirety, the cast are all fetching in their roles to the point that even the villains will not annoy you. I even had a weird thought that hobbits were in charge of the production while they were merrily drinking because depression was never hinted all throughout its run.
With its zany warmth, although lacking in depth, Shopaholic Louis will amuse you of its character centered plot that teaches friendship, trust and love. If you need a healthy dose of laughter, then settle your camping things and imbibe on the cheerful adventure of a shopaholic who found the meaning of life and love when he lost all his memories.
Relive some of the best moments of Shopaholic Louis through the following OSTs.
Photos: MBC
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