Cats on the Roof


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Cats on the Roof[1] (Korean: 옥탑방 고양이; RR: Oktapbang Goyang-i; lit. Rooftop Room Cat) is a 2003 South Korean television series starring Kim Rae-won, Jeong Da-bin, Choi Jung-yoon and Lee Hyun-woo.[2] It aired on MBC from June 2 to July 22, 2003 on Mondays and Tuesdays at 21:55 for 16 episodes.

Cats on the Roof

Promotional poster

Also known as
  • Attic Cat
  • Cat on the Roof
  • Cat in the Rooftop Flat
  • Rooftop Romance
Written by
  • Min Hyo-jung
  • Goo Sun-kyung
Story byKim Yu-ri
Directed byKim Sa-hyun
Starring
Country of originSouth Korea
Original languageKorean
No. of episodes16
Production
Running time50 minutes
Original release
NetworkMunhwa Broadcasting Corporation
ReleaseJune 2 –
July 22, 2003
Cats on the Roof
Hangul
Hanja

屋塔房 고양이

Revised RomanizationOktapbang Goyangi
McCune–ReischauerOkt'appang Koyangyi

A comedy with light touches of drama about friendship, love and cohabitation, the series is loosely based on an internet novel written by Kim Yu-ri.[3][4] It was a hit, receiving an average viewership rating of 26.3% and a peak rating of 37.3%.

Kyung-min, a law student, is in desperate straits, so he decides to take it upon himself to help Hye-ryun's poor friend, Jung-eun. This is the beginning of an extremely volatile friendship that somehow ends with the two of them living together under one roof, or to be more specific, living in a room on top of the roof of an old building.

This romantic setting provides the backdrop for this unlikely love story. Kyung-min's bratty ways clash with Jung-eun's simple living, as he steadily takes advantage of her kindness and good nature.

Cats on the Roof was adapted from a web novel on the female-oriented web portal Miclub.[5] Min Hyo-jung and Goo Sun-kyung co-wrote the series; it was the first miniseries both had penned.[6] At the time of its announcement, Kim Rae-won had been cast as the male lead, but the female lead had not yet been chosen.[5][7] It reportedly ran into troubles with casting;[8] an Ilgan Sports article in April stated that Han Eun-jung would play alongside Kim as the female lead,[9] but by May Jeong Da-bin was said to have taken the role.[10]

An additional episode was arranged to air a week after the drama's planned ending, but it was cancelled due to scheduling conflicts with Kim Rae-won.[11] Additionally, the ending was changed last minute—originally, Jung Da-bin's character, Jeong-eun, would visit Kyung-min, Kim's character, after three years spent studying abroad. On the morning before the last episode's airing, the script was modified so that Jeong-eun would not study abroad and instead live with Kyung-min.[12]

It was adapted into a stage play of the same title in 2010, with Lee Sun-ho and Hwang Bo-ra in the leading roles.[13]

  1. ^ "Cats on the Roof". MBC Global Media. MBC&iMBC. Archived from the original on September 12, 2018. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  2. ^ "Lee Hyun-woo Stars in TV Drama". KBS World. May 22, 2003. Archived from the original on July 17, 2014. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
  3. ^ Chun, Su-jin (July 1, 2003). "Prince Charming moves in, brings laundry". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on December 17, 2014. Retrieved July 12, 2013.
  4. ^ Lim, Kit. "Attic Cat (2003, MBC miniseries)". Koreanfilm.org. Archived from the original on October 27, 2012. Retrieved July 11, 2013.
  5. ^ a b 인터넷소설 "옥탑방고양이" TV 드라마로 제작. Inews24 (in Korean). March 27, 2003. Retrieved September 27, 2024 – via Daum.
  6. ^ 스타 작가, 이름 값 할까?. Weekly Hankook (in Korean). October 10, 2003. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  7. ^ 드라마，SBS 웃음소리―MBC 한숨소리. Kukmin Ilbo (in Korean). April 2, 2003. Retrieved September 27, 2024 – via Naver.
  8. ^ "고양이"가 "야인" 물었네. Ilgan Sports (in Korean). June 12, 2003. Retrieved September 27, 2024 – via Daum.
  9. ^ [한은정] "어설픈 동거". Ilgan Sports (in Korean). April 3, 2003. Retrieved September 27, 2024 – via Daum.
  10. ^ MBC 월화미니시리즈 「옥탑방 고양이」. Yonhap News (in Korean). May 22, 2003. Retrieved September 27, 2024 – via Nate.
  11. ^ 옥탑방 고양이, 연장 방송 무산. Ilgan Sports (in Korean). July 13, 2003. Retrieved September 27, 2024 – via Daum.
  12. ^ "옥탑방 고양이" 결말 긴급수정. Yonhap News (in Korean). July 22, 2003. Retrieved September 27, 2024 – via Daum.
  13. ^ Chung, Ah-young (March 14, 2010). "Popular Drama Goes on Stage". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on June 9, 2012. Retrieved July 11, 2013.