Lee Wan

Drama Details
Title: Cheon-kuk-ui Gye-dan
Also known as: Stairs To Heaven / Steps in Paradise
Genre: Romance, Drama
Episodes: 20
Broadcast network: SBS
Broadcast period: 2003-12-03 to 2004-02-05
Air time: Wednesday & Thursday at 9:55 PM

Drama Review
Jung Suh (Choi Ji Woo) and Song Joo (Kwon Sang Woo) were best friends since young and shared a special bond with each other. They became closer when Jung Suh's mum passed away and Song Joo also lost his dad at a young age. Jung Suh's dad remarries and she is now caught with a new stepmother, stepbrother, and stepsister. The stepsister, Yoori (Kim Tae Hee) is envious of Jung Suh and Song Joo's relationship and tries her best to win Song Joo's affection but Song Joo has eyes only for Jung Suh. Meanwhile, Jung Suh is ill treated at home by her stepmom and stepsister. She finds solace in her stepbrother Tae Hwa (Shin Hyun Joon) when Song Joo is oblivious to her misery. Soon, Tae Hwa develops feelings for the kind and caring Jung Suh, but Jung Suh strongly loves Song Joo and vice versa. Jung Suh and Song Joo are separated when Song Joo starts of his studies overseas first before Jung Suh joins him. But tragedy befalls them when Jung Suh gets involved in a car accident caused by Yoori and loses her memory. Jung Suh's identity is erased by Tae Hwa because he wants her all to himself and he can't let her leave him. Five years past, when Song Joo returns to Korea to resume his family business and encounters Jung Suh who has lost the memory of them together. Hence, the emotional roller coaster begins, as Song Joo and Jung Suh fights their destiny to be together. The story evolves into a romantic journey where Song Joo and Jung Suh reunites, and the trials they have to face together. This drama is definitely emotion packed, with a great cast that brings out perfect chemistry to the screen. Kwon Sang Woo and Choi Ji Woo proved their acting abilities in this drama earning them high praises all around for their professionalism.

The director cleverly brings in familiar themes from different dramas that were successful in the past and wraps its up in a nice package for this drama. It's not just one or two cliche's that you will spot in this drama but many many used scenes. Many people had complained what a big mistake it was to create such an unoriginal drama. However, the success of Stairs to Heaven proved to many that Stairs To Heaven was original in its own sense, and that the audience liked what they saw. One of it was the soundtrack of the drama which was incredibly good with meanings of the songs that relate to the drama, giving the drama a whole new meaning. The amazing chemistry between the cast was also one thing that got me excited to know what was going to happen in episodes after episodes. This was perhaps one of the dramas that literally had me waiting hands and foot for the next episode to know what happened next. The great thing about this drama is that although the main theme of the drama is tragic, there are also light moments that balance it. Watching Stairs to heaven is like watching a magic show and a fairy tale at the same time. If you've fallen out of love, this drama will remind you how it feels like to be in love again. The feeling of loving and being loved is expressed throughout the drama. Stairs to Heaven will definitely end up in my list of Classic Dramas of All times. In other words, I thoroughly enjoyed Stairs to Heaven, in fact, I enjoyed it so much, I feel I could watch it another million times.

Extended Cast
Lee Hui Hyang as Tae Mira (Tae-hwa & Yuri's mother)
Ha Jae Young as Han Su-ha (Jung-suh's father)
Kim Ji Sook as Chairman Min Suh-hyun (Song-ju's mother)
Jung Han Yong as Han Pil-su (Tae-hwa & Yuri's father)
Baek Sung Hyun as young Cha Song-ju
Park Shin Hye as young Han Jung-suh/Kim Ji-su
Lee Wan as young Han Tae-hwa/Han Chul-su
Park Ji Mi as young Han Yuri