# Giant (TV series)

Giant (Korean: 자이언트; RR: Jaieonteu) is a 2010 South Korean television series starring Lee Beom-soo, Park Jin-hee, Joo Sang-wook, Hwang Jung-eum, Park Sang-min, and Jeong Bo-seok. It aired on SBS from May 10 to December 7, 2010, every Monday and Tuesday at 21:55 (KST) for 60 episodes. Giant is a sprawling period drama about three siblings' quest for revenge during the economic boom of 1970-80s Korea. Tragically separated during childhood, the three reunite as adults and set out to avenge their parents' deaths, their fates playing out against a larger tide of power, money, politics, and the growth of a city.

## Synopsis

The plot revolves around the lives of the three Lee children: Kang-mo (Lee Beom-soo), Sung-mo (Park Sang-min), and Mi-joo (Hwang Jung-eum). One day, Kang-mo overheard that a group of dock workers wanted to entitle his father to rob the gold bars he transports. Kang-mo reported this to his father, Lee and his father reported to Jo Pil-yeon (Jeong Bo-seok), a KCIA official. However, Pil-yeon conspired with Hwang Tae-seob Lee Deok-hwa), Lee's best friend to rob the gold truck and killed Lee, which Tae-seob reluctantly agreed since he needed the money for his construction project. During the robbery, Tae-seob unable to bring himself to kill his best friend and told him to run with his family to Seoul but Pil-yeon killed Lee and Sung-Mo witnessed his father demise. To tie off loose end, Pil-yeon and his men decided to murder Sung-mo’s entire family, forcing the family to be on the run. The mother of the siblings revealed that before their father died, he had bought a property in Seoul for them to stay. Sung-mo is separated during their escape to Seoul after he distracted Pil-yeon man in a train. He is then winded up in a US military base and becomes the choir boy. During a stay at the inn their mother dies in an heating accident. Kang-mo and Mi-joo was separated when they are in Seoul. Eventually, Kang-mo is forced to work as a shoeshine boy to make end meet and encountered Tae-seob by chance.
Kang-mo helps Hwang Tae-seob avoid bankruptcy by advocating the use of a different landfill material, which is coal ash. Out of gratitude, he is later adopted by Tae-seob. Meanwhile, Sung-mo made plan to earn Jo Pil-yeon's trust by spying on the US military development plan so Pil-yeon can make a huge fortune in real estate in the future so Sung-mo could destroy him in the future. Decade later. Kang-mo works as assistant to Tae-seob and Sung-mo becomes the right-hand man for Pil-yeon while Mi-joo becomes a caretaker for the wife of Chairman Hong, one of the prominent building contractors in Seoul. During a bidding of an important construction contract for a subway, Sung-mo sabotaged the bidding process, causing Chairman Hong to reveal a black book contains illegal funds of major building contractors and high-ranking officials. Pil-yeon and Tae-seob send Sung-mo and Kang-mo to retrieve the black book respectively, culminating of Sung-mo nearly kills his own brother without knowing it. Hong gives the black book to Mi-joo, which leads to Mi-joo and Kang-mo reunites after decades of separation. Sung-mo secretly helps Hong for his own plan of revenge causes him to finally reunite with his siblings to which he apologizes to them for failing to protect them. Sung-mo reveals the heart-breaking truth to Kang-mo that Tae-seob was responsible for their father's death. At the same time, Tae-seob's son accidentally kills Hong to retrieve the black book and frames Kang-mo for its. Kang-mo surrenders himself to the police while planning his revenge against Tae-seob. Tae-seob agrees to help Kang-mo for taking the blame for his son by giving the land in Gangnam to him. In prison, Kang-mo rises up to become the prison boss. After being released, Kang-mo establishes the Han River Construction company to compete with Manbo Corporation which Pil-yeon and Tae-seob control.
Eventually, Kang-mo succeed in making Manbo Corporation to lose a major contract in land development in Gangnam and manages to isolate Tae-seob allies in the construction association. Tae-seob begs Kang-mo to go back to work for him and even promises to let him and Jung-yeon to be together as husband and wife but he angrily refuses and reveals that Tae-seob owes him his father's life, shocking him. Out of guilt, Tae-seob decides to atone for his crime and transfers half of Manbo Corporation assets to Kang-mo as a token of redemption.
Mi-joo and Jo Pil-yeon's son, Min-woo, fall in love but cannot be allowed to be together because their families are enemies. Mi-joo becomes pregnant and goes into hiding, while Min-woo desperately searches for her. After foiling Tae-seob's stepwife and stepson from taking over his asset, Tae-seob asks Kang-mo for forgiveness and he accepts it, which Tae-seob reveals the location of his father's grave. While Kang-mo forgives Tae-seob, Sang-mo is not convinced. Mi-joo eventually gives birth to a son and becomes a singer. Min-woo discovers that Kang-mo and Mi-joo are sibling and shocks what his father did to Mi-joo's father, causing him to help Kang-mo in secret so he can be with Mi-joo and his son. Although Pil-yeon hates the fact that his grandson comes from his enemy, he still wishes to groom him to be his successor, replacing Min-woo. Pil-yean fakes the paternity test to fool Min-woo that Mi-joo's son is not his to manipulate him for his own ends. Eventually, Sang-mo creates a plan to take down Pil-yeon once and for all and plans to retire to open an orchid farm after the vengeance is fullfilled.
Later, Sung-mo baits Pil-yeon to spill out all his misdeeds and secretly recording it before escaping but is shot in the head by an agent of Jo Pil-yeon, rendering him mentally invalid. He is then hidden by a close friend in the intelligence agency. In the next 5 years, Jo Pil-yeon campaigns to become Prime Minister and he forces Min-woo to embezzle the funds of Manbo Corporation to acquire necessary bribes. Kang-mo and Mi-joo manage to locate Sung-mo along with the black account book and expose Pil-yeon as he is elected as Prime Minister. With undeniable proofs, Pil-yeon is forced to resign and goes into hiding. Min-woo is arrested for embezzlement and Manbo Corporation is acquired by Han River Construction. Mi-joo reveals the truth about his son, causing Min-woo to have had enough with his father and rats him out to the police, resulting in Pil-yeaon's arrest and life imprisonment. Sung-mo undergoes surgery to have the bullet taken out of his head, but he tragically dies. He is buried alongside his father.
Many years later, Kang-mo has become South Korean most successful businessman and Mi-joo has become a famous singer. Min-woo is released from prison and attends her concert. Jo Pil-yeon breaks out of prison to try to murder Kang-mo, but he fails and commits suicide afterwards. The series ends with Kang-mo receiving word from his wife that his long-lost brother (a fourth sibling who was adopted by an American couple many years ago) has come to visit him.

## Cast
### Main

* Lee Beom-soo as Lee Kang-mo, the middle brother in the family. He started out as a shoeshine boy but eventually becomes a real estate mogul as an adult.
** Yeo Jin-goo as young Kang-mo
* Park Jin-hee as Hwang Jung-yeon
** Nam Ji-hyun as young Jung-yeon
* Joo Sang-wook as Jo Min-woo
** Noh Young-hak as young Min-woo
* Hwang Jung-eum as Lee Mi-joo
** Park Ha-young as young Mi-joo
* Park Sang-min as Lee Sung-mo
** Kim Soo-hyun as young Sung-mo
* Jeong Bo-seok as Jo Pil-yeon
* Lee Deok-hwa as Hwang Tae-seob
* Kim Seo-hyung as Yoo Kyung-ok
* Lee Moon-sik as Park So-tae
** Seo Ji-won as young So-tae

### Supporting

* Yoon Yoo-sun as Jung Young-sun, Kang-mo's mother
* Yoon Hyung-kwan as Yeom Jae-soo
* Shin Seung-hwan as Yeom Shi-deok
** Jung Seung-won as young Shi-deok
* Choi Ha-na as Yeom Kyung-ja
* Han Kyung-sun as Lee Bok-ja
* Im Jong-yoon as Yoon Ki-hoon
* Moon Hee-kyung as Oh Nam-sook
* Kim Jung-hyun as Hwang Jung-shik
* Jang Soon-gook as Joo Young-gook
* Lee Seung-hyung as Moon Sung-joong
* Park No-shik as Park Choong-kwon
* Song Kyung-chul as Nam Young-chul
* Bang Kil-seung as drill instructor
* Hong Yeo-jin as Yang Myung-ja
* Yoon Yong-hyun as Go Jae-choon
* Hwang Taek-ha as Yoo Chan-sung
* Lee Hyo-jung as Han Myung-seok
* Kim Hak-chul as Oh Byung-tak
* Lee Ki-young as Min Hong-ki
* Im Hyuk as Baek Pa
* Jung Gyu-soo as Lee Dae-soo
* Son Byong-ho as Hong Ki-pyo
* Lee Eun-jung as Ji-na
* Jeon Jin-gi as detective lieutenant
* Kim Sung-oh as Cha Bu-chul
* Han Da-min as Cheon Soo-yeon
* Kim Eui-jin as Woo-joo
* Choi Gun-woo as Lee Joon-mo
** Lee Won-il as young Joon-mo
* Lee Soo-jin as Nurse Kim
* Yoo Ho-rin as Ji Yeon-soo
* Kim Young-sun as Yoon Ki-hoon's wife
* Moon Ji-in as female employee at Manbo Construction
* Choi Min as gang boss
* Min Joon-hyun
* Kim Ga-eun
* Ji-yoo
* Qri as Bunny Girls (cameo)
* Park So-yeon as Bunny Girls (cameo)
* Shin Shin-ae as Inn's hostess (cameo)

## Ratings

Average TV viewership ratings :
| Ep. | Original broadcast date | Average audience share | Average audience share |
| Nielsen Korea ||
| Ep. | Original broadcast date | Nationwide | Seoul |
| 1 | May 10, 2010 | 10.0% | 12.1% |
| 2 | May 10, 2010 | 13.5% | 12.1% |
| 3 | May 11, 2010 | 11.6% | 12.4% |
| 4 | May 17, 2010 | 11.0% | 10.4% |
| 5 | May 18, 2010 | 13.3% | 13.1% |
| 6 | May 24, 2010 | 13.9% | 14.8% |
| 7 | May 25, 2010 | 14.7% | 14.7% |
| 8 | May 31, 2010 | 14.8% | 14.8% |
| 9 | June 1, 2010 | 15.4% | 16.3% |
| 10 | June 7, 2010 | 13.8% | 13.8% |
| 11 | June 8, 2010 | 14.9% | 14.6% |
| 12 | June 22, 2010 | 12.4% | 12.5% |
| 13 | June 28, 2010 | 12.8% | 12.9% |
| 14 | June 29, 2010 | 14.4% | 15.2% |
| 15 | July 5, 2010 | 14.3% | 14.4% |
| 16 | July 6, 2010 | 14.8% | 14.7% |
| 17 | July 12, 2010 | 16.4% | 17.6% |
| 18 | July 13, 2010 | 18.2% | 18.4% |
| 19 | July 19, 2010 | 16.4% | 16.6% |
| 20 | July 20, 2010 | 18.9% | 19.6% |
| 21 | July 26, 2010 | 17.4% | 18.4% |
| 22 | July 27, 2010 | 19.1% | 20.7% |
| 23 | August 2, 2010 | 19.2% | 20.2% |
| 24 | August 3, 2010 | 20.7% | 20.8% |
| 25 | August 9, 2010 | 21.4% | 22.2% |
| 26 | August 10, 2010 | 22.9% | 23.7% |
| 27 | August 16, 2010 | 22.4% | 22.2% |
| 28 | August 17, 2010 | 24.9% | 25.3% |
| 29 | August 23, 2010 | 22.4% | 23.4% |
| 30 | August 24, 2010 | 21.0% | 21.2% |
| 31 | August 30, 2010 | 20.9% | 21.4% |
| 32 | August 31, 2010 | 22.2% | 22.8% |
| 33 | September 6, 2010 | 22.6% | 23.1% |
| 34 | September 7, 2010 | 24.2% | 23.9% |
| 35 | September 13, 2010 | 23.6% | 23.8% |
| 36 | September 14, 2010 | 24.2% | 24.5% |
| 37 | September 20, 2010 | 20.6% | 19.9% |
| 38 | September 21, 2010 | 17.6% | 17.6% |
| 39 | September 27, 2010 | 22.3% | 22.1% |
| 40 | September 28, 2010 | 23.1% | 23.0% |
| 41 | October 4, 2010 | 22.5% | 22.3% |
| 42 | October 5, 2010 | 24.7% | 25.1% |
| 43 | October 11, 2010 | 27.9% | 28.3% |
| 44 | October 12, 2010 | 24.0% | 23.9% |
| 45 | October 18, 2010 | 28.9% | 30.4% |
| 46 | October 19, 2010 | 28.5% | 28.8% |
| 47 | October 25, 2010 | 28.1% | 29.3% |
| 48 | October 26, 2010 | 29.2% | 30.9% |
| 49 | November 1, 2010 | 28.0% | 28.7% |
| 50 | November 2, 2010 | 29.8% | 30.2% |
| 51 | November 8, 2010 | 29.5% | 30.3% |
| 52 | November 9, 2010 | 29.7% | 30.0% |
| 53 | November 15, 2010 | 29.2% | 29.3% |
| 54 | November 16, 2010 | 29.7% | 29.8% |
| 55 | November 22, 2010 | 30.7% | 30.2% |
| 56 | November 23, 2010 | 29.1% | 29.1% |
| 57 | November 29, 2010 | 31.4% | 32.3% |
| 58 | November 30, 2010 | 32.7% | 32.8% |
| 59 | December 6, 2010 | 32.7% | 33.2% |
| 60 | December 7, 2010 | 38.2% | 38.6% |
| Average | Average | 21.7% | 22.0% |
| In the table above, the blue numbers represent the lowest ratings and the red numbers represent the highest ratings. ||||

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
| 2010 | 3rd Korea Drama Awards | Best Actor | Lee Beom-soo | Nominated |
| 2010 | 23rd Grimae Awards | Best Actress | Hwang Jung-eum | Won |
| 2010 | SBS Drama Awards | Drama of the Year | Giant | Won |
| 2010 | SBS Drama Awards | Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Special Planning Drama | Lee Beom-soo | Won |
| 2010 | SBS Drama Awards | Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Special Planning Drama | Park Sang-min | Nominated |
| 2010 | SBS Drama Awards | Excellence Award, Actor in a Special Planning Drama | Jeong Bo-seok | Won |
| 2010 | SBS Drama Awards | Excellence Award, Actress in a Special Planning Drama | Park Jin-hee | Won |
| 2010 | SBS Drama Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Special Planning Drama | Lee Deok-hwa | Won |
| 2010 | SBS Drama Awards | Best Supporting Actress in a Special Planning Drama | Hwang Jung-eum | Nominated |
| 2010 | SBS Drama Awards | Best Supporting Actress in a Special Planning Drama | Kim Seo-hyung | Nominated |
| 2010 | SBS Drama Awards | PD Award | Park Sang-min | Won |
| 2010 | SBS Drama Awards | Top 10 Stars | Jeong Bo-seok | Won |
| 2010 | SBS Drama Awards | Top 10 Stars | Lee Beom-soo | Won |
| 2010 | SBS Drama Awards | Top 10 Stars | Park Jin-hee | Won |
| 2010 | SBS Drama Awards | New Star Award | Hwang Jung-eum | Won |
| 2010 | SBS Drama Awards | New Star Award | Joo Sang-wook | Won |
| 2010 | SBS Drama Awards | New Star Award | Kim Soo-hyun | Won |
| 2010 | SBS Drama Awards | Best Couple Award | Joo Sang-wook and Hwang Jung-eum | Won |
| 2010 | DramaBeans Awards | Favourite Drama of 2010 | Giant | Nominated |
| 2011 | 2nd Seoul Art and Culture Awards | Best TV Actor | Lee Beom-soo | Won |
| 2011 | 47th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Drama | Giant | Nominated |
| 2011 | 47th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Actor (TV) | Lee Beom-soo | Nominated |
| 2011 | 47th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Actor (TV) | Jeong Bo-seok | Won |
| 2011 | 47th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Director (TV) | Yoo In-shik | Nominated |
| 2011 | 47th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Screenplay (TV) | Jang Young-chul, Jung Kyung-soon | Nominated |
| 2011 | 47th Baeksang Arts Awards | Male Popularity Award - TV | Lee Beom-soo | Nominated |
| 2011 | 47th Baeksang Arts Awards | Male Popularity Award - TV | Jeong Bo-seok | Nominated |
| 2011 | 47th Baeksang Arts Awards | Male Popularity Award - TV | Joo Sang-wook | Nominated |
| 2011 | 47th Baeksang Arts Awards | Female Popularity Award - TV | Hwang Jung-eum | Nominated |
| 2011 | 4th Korea Drama Awards | Best Actor | Lee Beom-soo | Nominated |
| 2011 | 4th Korea Drama Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Joo Sang-wook | Won |
| 2011 | 4th Korea Drama Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Kim Sung-oh | Nominated |
| 2011 | 38th Korea Broadcasting Awards | Best Full-length Drama | Giant | Won |
| 2011 | 38th Korea Broadcasting Awards | Best Writer(s) | Jang Young-chul, Jung Kyung-soon | Won |