# Encounter (South Korean TV series)

Encounter (Korean: 남자친구; RR: Namjachin-gu) is a 2018 South Korean television series starring Song Hye-kyo and Park Bo-gum. It aired on tvN on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:30 (KST) from November 28, 2018, to January 24, 2019 for 16 episodes. It is one of the highest-rated Korean dramas in cable television history.
Internationally, the series streamed via ViuTV and Viki, and had been sold to several South East Asian countries, as well as Mnet Japan which aired it in over 100 territories worldwide.

## Synopsis

Brought together by fate, a woman who seems to have everything and a young man who seems to have nothing decide to give up an ordinary life to be together. Cha Soo-hyun (Song Hye-kyo), daughter of a politician, lives a pathetic life guided by others. She was sold off (married) to a rich family, only to divorce her husband because of his affair. Her former mother-in-law adds as a condition to her divorce that Soo-hyun must (continue to) attend that family's functions, such as funerals, etc., when called.
One day while on a business trip in Cuba, she meets Kim Jin-hyuk (Park Bo-gum), a free-spirited guy. They spend time together. After they go back to South Korea, he meets her again but as an employee in the Donghwa Hotel, which she received as alimony. They are attracted to each other, yet only their fate will decide whether they can end up being together.

## Cast
### Main

* Song Hye-kyo as Cha Soo-hyun
    A daughter of a prominent politician and former daughter-in-law of a wealthy family.
* Park Bo-gum as Kim Jin-hyuk
    A freewheeling, ordinary young man who finds joy in the simplest things.

### Supporting
#### People around Cha Soo-hyun

* Jang Seung-jo as Jung Woo-seok
    Cha Soo-hyun's ex-husband.
* Moon Sung-keun as Cha Jong-hyun
    Cha Soo-hyun's father.
* Nam Gi-ae as Jin Mi-ock
    Cha Soo-hyun's mother.
* Ko Chang-seok as Nam Myeong-sik
    Cha Soo-hyun's driver.
* Kwak Sun-young as Jang Mi-jin
    Cha Soo-hyun's secretary.
* Cha Hwa-yeon as Chairman Kim Hwa-jin
    Jung Woo-seok's mother.

#### People around Kim Jin-hyuk

* Shin Jung-geun as Kim Jang-soo
    Kim Jin-hyuk's father.
* Baek Ji-won as Joo Yeon-ja
    Kim Jin-hyuk's mother.
* Pyo Ji-hoon as Kim Jin-myung
    Kim Jin-hyuk's younger brother.
* Kim Joo-hun as Lee Dae-chan
    Kim Jin-hyuk's friend who opens a restaurant.
* Gil Hae-yeon as teacher Ms Lee (tea house)

#### Donghwa Hotel

* Kim Hye-eun as Kim Sun-joo
    Kim Jin-hyuk's PR department leader at work.
* Jeon So-nee as Jo Hye-in
    Kim Jin-hyuk's friend and senior at work.
* Kim Ho-chang [ko] as Lee Jin-ho
    Kim Jin-hyuk's workmate.
* Lee Si-hoon [ko] as Park Han-gil
    Kim Jin-hyuk's workmate.
* Park Jin-joo as Eun-jin
    Kim Jin-hyuk's workmate who has an interest in him.
* Park Sung-geun [ko] as Choi Jin-cheul
* Shin Soo-yeon as Ji-yoo
    Kim Sun-joo's daughter.

## Production

The first script reading was held on August 23, 2018. Principal photography began in September 2018, with part of the filming taking place in Cuba.

## Viewership

An 8.7% viewership rating was recorded nationwide for the series first episode, making it the fourth-highest premiere rating of the network after Hospital Playlist 2, Jirisan, and Mr. Sunshine.
| Season | Season | Episode number | Episode number | Episode number | Episode number | Episode number | Episode number | Episode number | Episode number | Episode number | Episode number | Episode number | Episode number | Episode number | Episode number | Episode number | Episode number | Average |
| Season | Season | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Average |
| | 1 | 1.977 | 2.473 | 2.175 | 2.211 | 2.027 | 1.895 | 1.947 | 2.100 | 1.878 | 1.887 | 1.605 | 1.745 | 1.719 | 1.667 | 1.772 | 1.965 | 1.940 |

## Adaptation

In 2021, Viva Television and Cignal Entertainment produced a Philippine remake based on Encounter. It premiered on March 20, 2021 on TV5.

## International Broadcast

* In India this series Aired on MX Player in Hindi Dubbed Version in 2023.