As I mentioned in my previous blog post, my admiration for Lee Soon Yoon has not diminished since I started watching his other show, “Life Is Beautiful,” which has received a high rating of 9.1 on the popular website Douban.

“Life Is Beautiful” consists of sixty-three episodes, with each episode lasting 60 minutes. Some Douban users commented that the high score is mainly due to the “gay topic.” Before I began watching it, I didn’t expect the show to be peaceful, slow-paced, and visually stunning. Most of the “gay” films and TV shows I’ve seen tend to depict love in an abnormal way. However, “Life Is Beautiful” presented a completely different perspective on love between two men. It is just as beautiful, passionate, and romantic as love between a man and a woman. This is true love itself, which is not influenced by wealth, appearance, nationality, gender, or any other factors.

Curious to learn more about the show, I researched and discovered that the screenwriter behind it is Kim Soon-hyun, whom I greatly admire and respect! After evaluating my watching list, I concluded that the three best TV shows are “Empresses in the Palace” from China, “Friends” from the USA, and “Men of the Bath House” from South Korea. The latter, which is written by Kim Soon-hyun, has made a lasting impression on me!

“Men of the Bath House” is a 1996 show that was dubbed in Chinese and spans 87 episodes. I have lost count of how many times I have watched it—whether I was feeling sad, doing housework, relaxing, or feeling lonely. Sometimes, I even let the show play in the background like soothing music. Kim Soon-hyun possesses exceptional skills in crafting compelling plots, depicting complex characters, and exploring social and familial contradictions. Her talent for employing vivid metaphors shines through the show. For example, Grandpa’s snoring was likened to wind rustling through the forests, marrying a man of few words was likened to driving through a dark tunnel, and the second girl wearing white on a blind date was likened to a stewardess. Each character in the show has their flaws yet remains lovable, and every subplot unfolds in a logical and natural manner.

Kim Soon-hyun, despite her petite stature, is a force to be reckoned with. She took legal action against the top television company in South Korea for stealing her ideas, and she emerged victorious! As a playwright, she not only writes the story but also selects the directors and establishes her own group of actors. Perhaps that’s why her shows are so impeccable—the writer herself is the soul of a show!

In “Men of the Bath House,” the writer dared to criticize government leaders and advocated for the reunification of North and South Korea. At the age of 67 (Kim Soon-hyun was born on January 27, 1943), she fearlessly presented a homosexual romantic story in a traditional Asian country like South Korea. She is both brave and open-minded! It is a fortunate thing to have her support for every pursuit of true love, and her work commands the respect of everyone!

I wish I could understand Korean and read her works in their original language. I sincerely hope that this exceptional writer continues to create remarkable works of art!