Mr and Mrs Kim fell in love with each other back in college .He studied medicine and she studied business . They wanted to get married but Mrs Kim's family was against it so they eloped together. They moved to a country in Africa called Zimbabwe when their daughter Bong Soon was still in preschool.
present day
Bong Soon is listening to kpop getting ready for school.She's late as always and the school bus is already waiting for her .She runs out taking her breakfast with her ,she always eats on the bus.
Bong Soon learns at a private school which is not that fancy . She's always felt comfortable as most of her friends are also indigenous to the country . There is Akira who's Indian but has also been in Zimbabwe for just as long as Bong Soon ,that's why they are best friends .Their parents also work together. Then there is Jason who is Japanese who just recently came to Zimbabwe and got into their friendship circle ,mostly because the other girls thought he was cute .Then there is Star and Mathew who are her Zimbwean friends whom she's been close with since Primary school .
As she returns from school,she gets home and her mom is crying.
Bong Soon: What's wrong mom ?
B.S MOM: (wiping her tears)Your grandfather passed away.
Bong Soon isn't very moved as she barely knew him.
B.S MOM: (crying)He was the only family I had left.
B.S DAD: (cormfoting her)Don't worry honey ,you still have us .
B.S MOM: It still hurts though, and now we've got to prepare for the funeral.
Bong Soon:How is his body going to get here?
B.S MOM: It's not coming here , we're going back to Korea .
Bong soon is stunned by this news.
Bong Soon:Korea!!!?
B.S MOM: (still weeping) Yes Korea, you've got to start packing we're leaving tomorrow.
Bong Soon: Tomorrow!!!!!!??
B.S DAD: Yes dear get ready ,you don't want to stress your mother too much right. I'll call your school and inform them that you won't be going for a while.
Bong Soon goes to her room with mixed emotions. She packs her bags and just sits on her bed feeling totally defeated .
Bong soon :(speaking to herself) I don't want to go back to Korea ,I like it here...
Her dad calls her out for dinner
B.S Dad: Don't worry dear, we're just going for the funeral and we'll back in no time.Let's try to support your mother.
B.S MOM: I'm sorry you never got to meet him. I should've taken you to see him once (she starts crying)
After supper Bong Soon goes back to her room and goes on to her phone.She tells all her friends that she's leaving for a while on their group chat.They all feel bad for her especially Jason who had recently started liking Bong Soon.
Today is the day the Kim family is going back home to Korea. At their gate Bong Soon's friends await with their going away surprise. They all comfort the Kim family and give Bong Soon some presents. Bong Soon gets a letter from Jason and he tells her to open it once they are in Korea. Bong soon doesn't get a chance to reply as the car taking them to the airport arrives and she shoves it into her pocket and says bye to everyone.
They get to the airport and on the plane and start their journey to Korea. Bong soon is scared as she doesn't remember much of Korea and her Korean is not that good since she spent most of her time speaking in English.
hello Korea
After a long flight they finnaly arrive in Korea and are greeted by a man wearing a fancy suit as they walk out the airport. He leads them to a limousine with her mom's family crest on it. Bong Soon asks her mom who that man is and she simply replies "our driver".
Bong Soon doesn't ask much because she could see her mom was still in pain. They then arrive at this big mansion and Bong Soon is shocked to hear that it's not a hotel but a house. Her mother seems very familiar with everyone and her father is pretty much the same as her "a fish out of water"
The workers take their bags and lead them inside the house .
Bong soon and her dad can't stop looking at everything and getting mind blown. It's a whole new world for them. An old man awaits them in the lounge . He greets Bong Soon's mother and offers his condolences. Bong soons mother introduces her husband and her daughter.
The adults remain in the lounge whilst Bong Soon is taken to her room by her personal maid Mrs Park .
Bong Soon is still in a state of shock . She tries to ask about her grandfather from the maid but all she says is "Mr Shin will tell you about that". She's nice but also strict and calls Bong Soon young Miss. Mrs Park gives Bong Soon a tour of the house but she is more interested in what her parents are discussing. Mrs Park sees Bong Soon's concern and tells her not to worry. She informs her that all she'll need to to is attend the funeral , greet all those who'll come to give their condolences and that she'll need to be on her best behavior as they are very important people.
the funeral
Bong Soon and her family dressed in traditional funeral hangbok greet the people who've come to mourn her grandfather. She notices that it's mostly rich old men but In the crowd she spots one young man .He looks dark , mysterious and seems to be her age .He's seems to have come with his father,oh well.
They finish the ceremony and then bury her grandfather next to her grandmother. Bong soon notices that her grandfather was important as there is alot of press at his funeral and they are advised to avoid all the cameras and now even have security guards.They get back to her late grandfather's house and she's afraid to ask the question but wants know when they will be getting back home .
As if she read her mind her mom suddenly calls for a family meeting after having another long discussion with the old man from before who she now knows as Mr Shin. Before her parents could say anything to her she could read in their eyes that they were never going to go back home .
Bong Soon runs off into the garden and starts crying. Her father comes to console her and he explains everything . Her mom being the only child has inherited all her father's businesses and she has to be in Korea to be able to manage it all.
Bong soon asks her father if she can go back and live with Akira's family but he says the family has to stick together. He tells her how everything was going to work out how she'd go to the best school and he'd still get to be a doctor and work at one of her grandfathers hospitals whilst her mother goes to the office with Mr Shin . Bong Soon feels scared and betrayed but she knows there's nothing she can do .
Bong Soon: (teasingly ) Since we're rich now can I have a new phone
B.S dad: (chuckles) No you can't ,the one you have is perfectly fine.
Bong Soon: (smiling)Just testing my luck.
They both laugh and get inside the house
B.S mom: Sweetheart I'm sorry about all this but let's try to work this out as a family
Bong Soon: (smiling)It's okay mom I understand "Doctor Kim here already used his psychology powers on me"
B.S dad: (teasingly) And my tiny Bong soon tried to use her charm on me but it didn't work.
Everyone laughs
Mr Shin: Not to be the party pooper but I need to get all your schedules ready .I know it been a long day but we need to prepare for your new lives here.
B.S MOM: Already?
Mr Shin: Yes Mrs Kim but you'll need to to use your maiden name for the mean time.
Bong Soon:Mom are you sure you're ready for all this
B.S MOM: I'm always ready to do anything for our family.
Bong Soon: That's why you're super mom!
Mr Shin: Young Miss we'll start with you
Bong Soon:(whispering to herself)Aishhhh...Why me?
Bong Soon:(with a fake smile on) okay Mr Shin what horrors do you planned for me.
Mr Shin: From Monday you'll be attending Sarawa High. It is one of the top schools in Korea.Your classmates will be politicians children , royalty, businessmans children etc.
Bong Soon:(speaking to herself) Snobs you mean.
Mr Shin: How good is your Korean.
Bong Soon: Welllllllllllllllll
Mr Shin: Okay we'll get someone to help you with that and the other basics you'll need to know
Bong Soon: Basics!? Isn't highschool the same . You know that I went to a pretty good school back in Zimbabwe right.
Mr Shin: Yes young Miss but things here will be much different. You have two days to get prepared. You should get some rest because you're about to get busy .
Bong Soon:Okay then,goodnight .I enjoy sleeping eitherway. (she walks away laughing)
early in the morning
Mrs Park Yee opens the curtains waking up Bong Soon.
Bong Soon:(yawning) It's morning already
Mrs Park: Yes young Miss you have to get ready and come down to try on your uniform .
Bong Soon: Okay ,but quick question
Mrs Park: Yes young Miss
Bong Soon:Are the highschools here like the ones in kdramas ?
Mrs Park: Well I wouldn't know about that . Either way the highschool I went to is not in the same caliber as the one you're going to so the experiences won't be the same.
Bong Soon: Aweee I see .How rich are these people I'll be learning with.
Mrs Park: Very rich.They are young Miss' and young Masters of their households ,but you shouldn't worry about that .
Bong Soon:(getting worried) Aigoo ,what if I'm the poor kid. what if I get bullied,please tell me what will happen to me....
Mrs Park: You won't get breakfast if you don't come down in 30 mins . Good bye Young Miss.
Bong soon gets ready and goes down for breakfast. Her parents leave soon after for work...
Bong Soon:(talking to herself) Now it's time to go wild in this palace
Mrs Park: I heard that.
Bong Soon: Aigoo... she has the ears of a bat
Mrs Park: I heard that too!
Whilst Bong Soon is feeling embarrassed Mr Shin arrives with alot of people.
Bong Soon:Who's this Mr Shin.
Mr Shin:These people will try to help you getting ready for school . Good luck !
Mr Shin leaves and they get started
Bong Soon firstly goes to their stylist for uniform fittings, shoes, bags etc
Bong Soon:(excitedly) I think I need a new hairstyle too.
Stylist : (chuckles) Darling ,were only here for your school stuff not for a whole make over .This is not princess diaries.
Bong Soon: (laughing )Oh well, at least I get new stuff.
Bong Soon then goes to her tutor for Korean
Tutor: (reporting to Mr Shin) Her Korean is not bad but it's not perfect but she can manage.
Tutor:(addressing Bong Soon) You won't need to learn something new academic wise you can continue with the subjects you were doing . Which sports are you good at though?
Bong Soon: I play tennis , swim and dad took me golfing once.He said I'm good enough .
Tutor: Okay we'll just add in horse riding lessons and archery how's that .
Bong Soon:Sounds great
Bong soon keeps on preparing till Sunday evening.She's been very busy that she forgot to inform her friends a bout everything. She tells them and they are heart broken .They even offer her a place to stay but she explains the situation and they understand.They cormfot each other saying there's just two years of highschool left then they might run into each other at college .