Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo () is a 2016–2017 South Korean television series starring Lee Sung-kyung in the title role, with Nam Joo-hyuk. It is a coming-of-age sports drama, inspired by the life of Olympic gold-medalist Jang Mi-ran. It aired on MBC every Wednesday and Thursday at 22:00 (KST) from November 16, 2016, to January 11, 2017.

The series resonated with the young demographic; although it averaged 4.6% in audience share and received the lowest viewership ratings in its time-slot throughout its run, it gained a cult following among young viewers and received mostly favorable reviews.

Synopsis
Kim Bok joo (Lee Sung-Kyung), a young woman chasing her dream of weightlifting on an athletics college campus, develops a crush on her friend Jung Joon-Hyung's (Nam Joo-Hyuk) older brother, Jung Jae-Yi (Lee Jae-Yoon). At first, Joon Hyung teases her and goes along with her act, even helping her, but soon finds himself falling in love with her. This series is a coming-of-age story about a group of college athletes who are fighting for their dreams, experiencing and finding love in the process, and growing every step of the way.

Cast

Main
 Lee Sung-Kyung as Kim Bok-joo ()  
 A naturally gifted weightlifter with an ambitious and outgoing personality who attends a sports university. Growing up with her father, who was a former weightlifter, she is inspired to follow in his footsteps. She stands up for herself and her friends. She does not hesitate to beat people up if they provoke her. She hides her insecurities and fragile heart under her strong exterior.  At first, she experiences a one-sided love with Jung Jae-yi but later falls in love with his brother/cousin Jung Joon-hyung.
 Nam Joo-hyuk as Jung Joon-hyung () 
He is a talented swimmer with a playful personality who attends the same university as Bok-joo.  He and Bok-joo were childhood friends when they were in elementary school. At first, when they meet again at the university, they do not recognize each other, until an incident occurs that refreshes their memories.  He is raised by his kind aunt and uncle after his mother leaves him behind and moves to Canada, where she starts a second family.  Joon-hyung suffers from trauma and during tournaments often suffers a panic attack and makes a false start leading to him getting disqualified. He enjoys teasing Bok-joo, but gradually falls in love with her.
 Lee Jae-yoon as Jung Jae-yi () 
Joon-hyung's cousin and ersatz older brother, with a kind and gentle personality. A former athlete who becomes an obesity doctor due to an injury. He becomes Bok-joo's first love (without him realizing it) after he kindly lends her his umbrella on the street, even though at the time she is a complete stranger, and she enrolls in his obesity clinic so that she can meet him, although her need as a weightlifter is to put on weight rather than losing it. He treats Bok-joo like a younger sister and generally shows support to his brother's decision to like and date Bok-joo.
 Kyung Soo-jin as Song Shi-ho ()
Bok-joo's roommate and Joon-hyung's ex-girlfriend. She still has feelings for him and initially becomes jealous of his and Bok-joo's strong relationship, leading her to expose Bok-joo's secret trips to Jae-yi's clinic to Bok-joo's father and coaches at one point. After Bok-joo saves her life and sent her to the hospital on time, her relationship between her and Bok-joo and Joon-hyung gradually improves. She is a top-class rhythmic gymnast, who won a silver medal at the Asian Games at the age of eighteen, but she returns to the sports university due to a decline in her performance. Shi-ho is an overachiever and is under constant stress about her weight and skills, which led to her breakup with Joon-hyung, a psychiatric eating disorder and her acting rashly in various situations.

Supporting

Weightlifting team

 Cho Hye-jung as Jung Nan-hee (), despite her strength is a very feminine girl who dreams of romance and always willing to spread happiness.
 Lee Joo-young as Lee Seon-ok (), is direct, loves to eat, and does not show much affection but is loyal to her friends. She eventually "demonstrates" some potential interest in Tae-Kwon.
 Choi Moo-sung as Yoon Deok-man (), Professor/Coach
 Jang Young-nam as Choi Sung-eun (), Coach
 Oh Eui-shik as Bang Woon-ki (), the Team Captain who had a newborn child with his girlfriend
 Lee Bit-na as Bitna (), Bok-joo's junior
 Moon Ji-yoon as Sang Chul ()
 Jo Mi-nyeo
 Yoo Joon-hong
 Noh Yeong-joo
 Lee Ye-bin

Swimming team

 Ji Il-joo as Jo Tae-Kwon, the very friendly and silly roommate of Joon-hyung who eventually shows some interest in Seon-ok.
 Kim Jae-hyun as Kim Jae-hyun
 Kim Woo-hyuk as Kim Woo-hyuk
Joon-hyung's junior. He has a habit of dating women, then ghosting them, and thus is hated by all his female peers.
 Choi Woong as Kim Gi-seok
Joon-hyung's senior. He has a crush on Shi-ho and treats Joon-Hyung with a gruffer demeanor.
 Lee Ji-hoon
 Kim Nam-woo
 Kwon Hyuk-beom

Rhythmic gymnastics team

 Cho Soo-hyang as Soo-bin
A rising star collegiate rhythmic gymnast who competes with Shi-ho.
 Ray Yang as Sung Yoo-hwi, Coach
 Lee Seul
 Oh Ha-nee as Rhythmic gymnast	
 Kim Yoo-ji
 Jung Yoo-jin

People around Bok-joo 
 Ahn Gil-kang as Kim Chang-gul
Bok-joo's father, a former weightlifter who owns a fried chicken restaurant
 Kang Ki-young as Kim Dae-ho
Bok-joo's uncle, a part-time aspiring actor who works at the restaurant

People around Joon-hyung 
 Jung In-gi as Joon-hyung's paternal uncle and foster father
 Lee Jung-eun as Joon-hyung's paternal aunt and foster mother

Extended 

 Yoo Da-in as Go Ah-young
A doctor at the Hanwool College of Physical Education. She has a crush on Jae-yi.
 Park Won-sang as Psychotherapist
 Kim Yoon-ji
 Kim Chae-eun
 Kim Cha-kyung
 Seo Wang-seok
 Kim Hyun-jung as Dormitory's house mistress
 Jung Hyun-seok as Dormitory's house mistress
 Park Jung-min
 Park Gun-lak
 Lee Joon-hee
 Lee Suk-jin
 Lim Seo-jung
 Yoo Yeong-bin
 Lim Uk-jin
 Lim Geun-seo
 Jung Soo-in
 Seo Kwang-jae
 Choi Nam-wook
 Tae Won-seok
 Heo Min-kang
 Jeon Ji-ahn

Special appearances (Cameo)

 Yoon Jin-hee as Weightlifting contestant (Ep. 1)
 Kim Jae-hyun as Joonhyung's minion (Ep.2)
 Lee Jong-hwa as Choi Tae-hoon (Ep. 1, 15)
 Lee Soo-ji as Ku Seul (Ep. 1)
 Lee Jong-suk as Jong-suk, Chicken Restaurant Customer and archery athlete (Ep. 2)
 Yoon Yoo-sun as Kim Jung-yeon, Joon-hyung's biological mother (Ep. 6, 14–15)
 Shin A-young as announcer
 Ahn Il-kwon
 Noh Woo-jin
 Ji Hye-ran as Song Shi-eon, Shi-ho's sister (Ep. 8–9, 13)
 Ji Soo as Bok-joo's fellow worker (Ep. 11)
 Seohyun as Hwan-hee, Jae-yi's ex-girlfriend (Ep. 12)
 Min Sung-wook as Sang-goo (Ep. 12)
 Kim Seul-gi as Seul-gi, supermarket employee (Ep. 15)
 Byeon Woo-seok as Joon-Hyung's senior (Ep. 16)

Production 
The series is written by Yang Hee-seung of the 2015 romantic comedies Oh My Ghostess and High School King of Savvy; and directed by PD Oh Hyun-joong of 7th Grade Civil Servant. The first script reading took place in August 2016 at MBC broadcasting station in Sangam, Seoul, South Korea.

Original soundtrack

OST Part 1

OST Part 2

OST Part 3

OST Part 4

OST Part 5

OST Part 6

OST Part 7

OST Part 8

Ratings

Awards and nominations

Notes

References

External links
  

2016 South Korean television series debuts
2017 South Korean television series endings
2010s college television series
MBC TV television dramas
South Korean sports television series
South Korean romantic comedy television series
Television series by Chorokbaem Media
South Korean college television series
《역도요정 김복주》는 2016년 11월 16일부터 2017년 1월 11일까지 방영된 MBC 수목 미니시리즈이다.

줄거리 
바벨만 들던 스물한 살 역도선수 김복주에게 닥친 폭풍 같은 첫사랑을 그린 감성 청춘 드라마

등장 인물

주요 인물 
 이성경 : 김복주(21세) 역 (아역 : 이지우) - 한얼체대 2학년 여자 역도부 (-58kg급)
 남주혁 : 정준형(21세) 역 (아역 : 김예준) - 한얼체대 2학년 수영부 (자유형 200m)
 경수진 : 송시호(22세) 역 - 한얼체대 3학년 리듬체조부
 이재윤 : 정재이(31세) 역 - 비만클리닉 의사, 준형의 사촌형

주변 인물

역도부 
 이주영 : 이선옥(21세) 역 - 한얼체대 2학년 여자 역도부 (-53kg급), 복주의 절친
 조혜정 : 정난희(21세) 역 - 한얼체대 2학년 여자 역도부 (-63kg급), 복주의 절친
 오의식 : 방운기(23세) 역 - 한얼체대 4학년 역도부 주장
 최무성 : 윤덕만(46세) 역 - 역도부 감독
 장영남 : 최성은(36세) 역 - 역도부 코치

수영&리듬체조부 
 지일주 : 조태권(21세) 역 - 한얼체대 2학년 수영부, 준형의 수영부 절친
 최웅 : 김기석(22세) 역 - 한얼체대 3학년 수영부, 준형의 수영부 선배
 레이 양 : 성유희(34세) 역 - 리듬체조부 코치

복주의 가족 
 안길강 : 김창걸(48세) 역 - 복주의 아버지, 역도선수 출신, 치킨집 운영
 강기영 : 김대호(36세) 역 - 복주의 막내 삼촌, 복주네 치킨 집 직원, 엑스트라

준형의 가족 
 정인기 : 준형의 아버지(58세) 역 - 실제 준형의 큰아버지, 부부약국 운영
 이정은 : 준형의 어머니 역(57세) 역 - 실제 준형의 큰어머니, 부부약국 운영

그 외 주변 인물 
 유다인 : 고아영 역(31세) 역 - 한얼체대 의무실 닥터

그 외 

역도부
 문지윤 : 상철 역 - 복주의 역도부 선배복주의 역도부 선배
 유준홍 : 정우 역
 조미녀 : 조미녀 역 - 복주의 역도부 선배
 노영주
 이빛나 : 빛나 역
 이예빈 : 예빈 역 - 복주의 역도부 후배

수영부
 이지훈 : 수영부 코치 역
 김우혁 : 김우혁 역
 김재현 : 김재현 역
 김남우 : 남우 역
 권혁범

리듬체조부
 조수향 : 수빈 역
 이슬
 오하늬
 김유지
 정유진

그 밖의 인물
 지헤라 : 송시연 역 - 시호의 여동생
 김채은
 김차경
 서왕석
 김현정 : 생활관 사감 역
 정현석 : 생활관 사감 역
 박정민
 박건락
 이준희
 이숙진
 임서정
 유영빈
 임욱진
 임근서
 정수인
 서광재 : 학과장 김경민 역
 최남욱
 태원석

 허민강
 유필란
 황주호
 김광태
 서단우
 조시내
 옥주리
 장문규
 박윤식 : 인부 역
 오기환
 유지수
 마민희 : 체조 선수 역
 윤진서
 정영도 : 캐스터 역
 이단비
 김미혜
 동윤석
 김홍규
 최나무 : 여대생 역
 변우석
 이규정 : 방운기의 아내 역

특별 출연 
 윤유선 : 김정연 역 - 캐나다에서 살다 온 준형의 친어머니
 박원상 : 준형의 주치의 역 - 신경정신과 상담의
 전지안
 신아영 : 아나운서 역
 이수지 : 구슬 역 - 역도선수
 이종화 : 최태훈 역 - 수영선수
 이종석 : 종석 역 - 한얼체대 사격 선수, 사격 국가대표. 치킨집 손님
 안일권 : 호프집에서 복주에게 시비 거는 학교 선배 역
 노우진 : 호프집에서 복주에게 시비 거는 학교 선배 역
 윤진희 : 역도대회 시상자 역
 지수 : 택배 알바생 역
 서현 : 환희 역 - 재이의 첫사랑
 민성욱 : 상구 역 - 재이의 대학교 선배. 환희의 남편
 김슬기 : 슬기 역 - 슈퍼 직원

시청률

OST

Part. 1

Part. 2

Part. 3

Part. 4

Part. 5

Part. 6

Part. 7

Part. 8

수상 
 2016년 MBC 연기대상 미니시리즈 여자 우수 연기상 이성경
 2016년 MBC 연기대상 신인상 남주혁

결방 사유 
 2016년 12월 29일 : 2016 MBC 방송연예대상 방송으로 인해 결방.

동시간대 드라마 
 KBS 수목드라마
 《오 마이 금비》 : (2016년 11월 16일 ~ 2017년 1월 11일)

 SBS 드라마 스페셜
 《푸른 바다의 전설》 : (2016년 11월 16일 ~ 2017년 1월 25일)

각주

외부 링크 
 역도요정 김복주 공식 홈페이지

2016년 드라마
2017년 드라마
문화방송 수목 미니시리즈
초록뱀미디어의 텔레비전 프로그램
역도를 소재로 한 작품
수영을 소재로 한 작품
리듬 체조를 소재로 한 작품
대한민국의 스포츠 드라마
양희승 시나리오 작품
2010년대 대한민국의 텔레비전 프로그램
2016년에 시작한 대한민국 TV 프로그램
2017년에 종료한 대한민국 TV 프로그램