How to Buy a Friend
Promotional poster
Hangul
계약우정
Hanja
契約友情
Literal meaningFriendship Contract
Revised RomanizationGyeyag-ujeong
Genre
Based onFriendship Contract
by Laad Kwon
Developed byKBS Drama Production
Written byKim Joo-man
Directed byYoo Young-eun
Starring
Music byChoi In-hee
Country of originSouth Korea
Original languageKorean
No. of episodes8[a]
Production
Executive producers
  • Kim Yong-jin
  • Sohn Jae-sung
  • Moon Joon-ha
ProducerLee Hyun-kyung
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time35 minutes[a]
Production companyMega Monster[2]
Original release
NetworkKBS2
ReleaseApril 6 (2020-04-06) –
April 14, 2020 (2020-04-14)

How to Buy a Friend (Korean: 계약우정) is a 2020 South Korean television series starring Lee Shin-young, Shin Seung-ho, Kim So-hye, Oh Hee-joon, Min Do-hee, and Cho Yi-hyun. Based on the Daum webtoon Friendship Contract by Laad Kwon, it aired on KBS2 from April 6 to 14, 2020.[3]

Synopsis

Two teenagers began a contractual relationship: Heo Don-hyuk promises to protect Park Chan-hong from his bully if the latter helps him uncover the truth behind the suicide of his girlfriend.

Cast

Main

Also known as Ninja among his schoolmates, he is an ordinary high school student and has a talent for writing. He has a crush on Uhm Se-yoon.
Also known as Iron Man, he is notoriously known for his fists and has fought 10 men at one shot. He got landed in juvenile detention and came to the school that Chan-hong, Se-yoon and Kyung-pyo attend.
The prettiest and most popular girl in school.
Chan-hong's best friend.
Se-yoon's best friend, she was also close to Seo-jung in arts class.
The senior who committed suicide at school, she was also an art student and was close to Se-yoon and Mi-ra when she was alive.

Supporting

Chan-hong's family

Pyung-seop's people

Jeil High people

Production

The first script reading took place in January 2020 at KBS Annex Broadcasting Station in Yeouido, Seoul, South Korea.[16]

Original soundtrack

How to Buy a Friend
Soundtrack album by
Various Artists
Released2020
GenreSoundtrack
Language
LabelDanal Entertainment

Part 1

Released on April 6, 2020 (2020-04-06)[17]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArtistLength
1."It Was Spring" (그때가 봄이었더라)Major LeagueMajor LeagueJoo Ye-in3:48
2."It Was Spring" (Inst.) Major League 3:48
Total length:7:36

Part 2

Released on April 7, 2020 (2020-04-07)[18]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArtistLength
1."My Friend"Nafla
  • Kim Tae-san
  • Nafla
Nafla3:07
2."My Friend" (Inst.) 
  • Kim Tae-san
  • Nafla
 3:07
Total length:6:14

Part 3

Released on April 12, 2020 (2020-04-12)[19]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArtistLength
1."One & Only"Ha Sun-ho
  • Han Seung-soo
  • Ha Sun-ho
Ha Sun-ho2:42
2."One & Only" (Inst.) 
  • Han Seung-soo
  • Ha Sun-ho
 2:42
Total length:5:24

Part 4

Released on April 13, 2020 (2020-04-13)[20]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArtistLength
1."I Saw You in My Dream" (꿈에서 널 봤어)
  • Kangaroo
  • Rhinoceros
Crazy ParkLee Min-hyuk3:48
2."I Saw You in My Dream" (Inst.) Crazy Park 3:48
Total length:7:36

Part 5

Released on April 14, 2020 (2020-04-14)[21]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArtistLength
1."Still Love"
  • Major League
  • Kim Dong-ha
  • Major League
  • Buzzer Beater
A.C.E[b]3:29
2."Still Love" (Inst.) 
  • Major League
  • Buzzer Beater
 3:29
Total length:6:58

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Recipient Result
2020 34th KBS Drama Awards Best Supporting Actress Baek Ji-won Nominated
Jang Hye-jin Nominated
Best Actor in a One-Act/Special/Short Drama Lee Shin-young Won
Shin Seung-ho Nominated
Best New Actress Kim So-hye Nominated

Ratings

In this table, the blue numbers represent the lowest ratings and the red numbers represent the highest ratings.

Ep. Broadcast date Title
Average audience share
(Nielsen Korea)[22]
1 April 6, 2020 What Could You Possibly Do With a Poem?
(시따위로 뭘 할 수 있겠어?) 		2.3%
2 2.7%
3 April 7, 2020 The Limits of Poetic License
(시적허용의 범위) 		1.4%
4 1.6%
5 April 13, 2020 What Rhythm Has Taught Me
(운율이 내게 가르쳐 준 것) 		2.6%
6 2.4%
7 April 14, 2020 —[c] 1.4%
8 1.8%
Average 2.0%

Notes

  1. ^ a b In order to circumvent Korean laws that prevent commercial breaks in the middle of an episode, what would previously have been aired as single 70 minute episodes are now being repackaged as two 35 minute episodes, with two episodes being shown each night with a commercial break between the two.[1]
  2. ^ Performed by A.C.E members Kim Byeongkwan and Chan.
  3. ^ Episodes 7 and 8 were not given any title.

References

  1. ^ Park, Jin-hai (May 16, 2017). "Drama viewers angry over commercial breaks". The Korea Times. Retrieved April 17, 2020 – via PressReader.
  2. ^ Lee, Woo-joo (April 14, 2020). "'계약우정' 오늘(14일) 종영, 비밀 밝힌 이신영X신승호, 납치된 김소혜 구할까". Sports Chosun (in Korean). Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  3. ^ Park, So-hyun (March 2, 2020). "KBS 월화극 '계약우정'으로 다시 출발…4월 6일 첫방송[공식]". Spot TV News (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  4. ^ "Lee Shin-young to Star in New Drama". HanCinema. February 28, 2020. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  5. ^ Pan, Seo-yeon (January 23, 2020). "[단독] 신승호, 웹툰 원작 드라마 '계약우정' 주인공". YTN (in Korean). Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  6. ^ Jung, Ji-hyun (January 28, 2020). "김소혜, KBS '계약우정' 출연 확정…"여주인공 엄세윤役" [공식]". My Daily (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  7. ^ Ha, Soo-jung (April 9, 2020). "'계약우정' 윤활유 오희준, '웃음꽃 만개' 촬영장 대본 인증샷". Osen (in Korean). News Chosun. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  8. ^ Tae, Yu-na (March 2, 2020). "민도희, '365'에 이어 '계약우정'까지···월화극 잇달아 출격 (공식)". Hankyung (in Korean). Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  9. ^ "Jo Yi-hyun in "Hospital Playlist" and "How to Buy a Friend"". HanCinema. March 5, 2020. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  10. ^ Heo, Eun-kyung (April 13, 2020). "'계약우정' 김원해x백지원, 소년원 기록 있는 신승호 감싸안아 '집으로'". MBN (in Korean). Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  11. ^ "Baek Ji-won to Star in "How to Buy a Friend" as Oh Jeong-hee". HanCinema. March 5, 2020. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  12. ^ a b Kim, Na-kyung (April 15, 2020). "'계약우정' 미트라=유여운, 조이현 죽게 한 장본인..장혜진 악행 드러나". Hankyung (in Korean). Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  13. ^ a b Bae, Soo-jung (April 13, 2020). "'계약우정' 신승호, 이신영이 조이현이 게시판에 올린 글과 진짜 글을 다르다는 말 듣고…이정현은 장혜진의 부하 김도완에게 보고하며 '위기 일보직전'". Top Star News (in Korean). Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  14. ^ "Kim In-kwon to Star in "How to Buy a Friend"". HanCinema. March 9, 2020. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  15. ^ Kim, Dong-woo (April 15, 2020). "'계약우정' 김소라, 애정 어린 종영소감 전해". Hankyung (in Korean). Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  16. ^ Yang, So-young (March 4, 2020). "'계약우정' 이신영 신승호 김소혜, 대본리딩도 열정+패기 '뿜뿜'". MK (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  17. ^ Kim, Soo-kyung (April 6, 2020). "'계약우정' OST, 첫 주자는 주예인". Ten Asia Hankyung (in Korean). Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  18. ^ Yang, So-young (April 7, 2020). "나플라, '계약우정' OST 합류…7일 공개". MK (in Korean). Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  19. ^ Yang, So-young (April 10, 2020). "하선호, '계약우정' OST 합류…12일 공개". MK (in Korean). Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  20. ^ Kim, Soo-young (April 13, 2020). "이민혁, '계약우정' OST 발표…사랑 넘치는 봄 감성 '꿈에서 널 봤어'". Hankyung (in Korean). Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  21. ^ Yang, So-young (April 14, 2020). "에이스 김병관·찬, '계약우정' OST 참여". MK (in Korean). Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  22. ^ "Nielsen Korea" (in Korean). Retrieved April 6, 2020.

External links

Webtoons published by Kakao Webtoon
Works by Mega Monster Corp. (f/k/a Story Plant Co., Ltd.)
Categories