Shopping King Louis also commonly known as Shopping King Louie is a South Korean Romantic comedy Drama. Shopping King Louis first aired in 2016 and was very popular. This drama consists of 16 episodes each ranging from 57-63 minutes in length. This drama has great mix of comedy, romance, and mystery that keeps the audience engaged and emotionally invested in the characters’ lives. Although this drama has a few depressing storylines and tear-inducing moments, I found it fairly light-hearted overall and I enjoyed the break from the more intense dramas I tend to watch. Shopping King Louis is appropriate for most audiences 12 and up as it does depict some violence and mixes in innuendo to contribute to its sense of comedic tone.
The two main characters of Shopping King Louis are Go Bok-sil (Nam Ji-hyun) and Kang Ji-seong/Louie/Louis (Seo In-guk). Bok-sil grew up in a mountain village with no running water or electricity. When she was very young both of her parents were killed in a mudslide, as a result, she and her younger brother were raised by their grandmother. Growing up she became the breadwinner for her family, making money by foraging in the forest for wild ginseng and other rare plants and herbs. Bok-sil’s family appears in a documentary about people who still live in the wilderness in Korea, which as a result her younger brother runs away to Seoul to experience city life. When her grandmother dies she also goes to Seoul to try and find the only family she has left, her younger brother.
Louie is the heir to a very profitable business empire. His parents were killed in an accident when he was young and was raised by his grandmother, who feared that he would also die if he was near her sent him to live in France with a trusted butler. He grew up isolated, overprotected, and very spoiled. When his grandmother decides that it is time for him to assume his role as the new chairman for the company she sends for him to return to Korea. However, upon his arrival in Korea, he is in a terrible car accident and is presumed dead, this is when he meets Bok-sil.
Bok-sil is searching for her brother in Seoul and comes and meets Louie who is where her brothers’ jacket. Louie does not know who he is or how he ended up living on the streets as a beggar. Louie’s car had been found the night before with a very burnt body, that was now unidentifiable, in it the night before, and since he grew up in isolation no one outside of the family and close friends knew what he looked like. Due to this when Bok-sil finds the now amnesiac Louie on the streets she is unaware that he is the heir to a great fortune. Bok-sil decides to start to care for Louie hoping that his memory will return and he can tell her where her brother is, the only issue with this plan is Louie has very expensive tastes and is constantly spending all her money, he is the shopping king! Louie and Bok-sil slowly begin to care for and depend on each other as they both learn how to live in the city and try to get Louie’s memory to return.
Shopping King Louis is a heartwarming drama that has an excellent balance of romance, comedy, drama, and friendship. It is sure to keep you invested in the characters’ lives as they grow as people and nurture their relationships. Shopping king Louis has scenes that will make you laugh out loud as well as cry your eyes out. If you are looking for an easy weekend binge this is definitely the show for you! The only thing remotely negative I could say about this show is that it is very unrealistic and can be pretty cheesy at times which is why I would give it a rating of 8.5/10, but I highly recommend Shopping King Louis for people looking for an easy lighthearted show to watch!
