Lie to Me is a 16-episode South Korean Series set in a luxury resort hotel business both in Seoul and on Jeju Island.
Chic, exacting hotel president Hyun Ki Jun runs aunt's hotel empire with meticulous and unemotional behavior. He accidentally encounters Gong Ah Jung, a low-level civil servant working in the Ministry of Tourism, outside a night club looking for his long absent artistic younger brother Sang Hee.
After being embarrassed at an International event, Ah Jung runs into Yoo So Ran at a beauty shop. It turns out Yoo So Ran married Chun Jae Bum, a lawyer and Ah Jung's first love. Feeling on the spot, Ah Jung announces she's married to a rich man. Hilarity Ensues. When she nearly gets her lie exposed, Ki Jun unwittingly gets pulled in as the groom. The rest of plot continues as they begin to have feelings for each other. Entering in the fray is also former fiancée Oh Yoon Ju.
For the American series of the same name, see Lie to Me.
This series contains examples of:
- Alone in a Crowd: Episode 15, when Ah Jung finds Ki Jun and his grassroots campaign to get her reinstated after being dismissed from her job because of her relationship with him.
- Anguished Declaration of Love: First Ki Jun, in a resort inspection. Then Ah Jung, after a blind date.
- Aside Glance: Ah Jung has one when she's explaining to Sang Hee what her ideal marriage is like.
- Audible Sharpness: In Episode 7, Ki Jun and Yoon Ju are walking in a park. Yoon Ju is barefoot and steps on some glass audibly and cuts her foot.
- Big Brother Instinct: Ki Jun always feels responsible for others, whether they are family or not.
- Big Damn Kiss: At the end of Episode 6, where Ki Jun and Ah Jung are singing Lovin' Ice Cream, and Are You Still Waiting in the background, in front of everyone.
- Bridal Carry: In the first episode, after Ah Jung is doused with her tomato juice, Ki Jun carries her to a hotel suite.
- Call-Back: Twice. Ki Jun will use beverages to tell Ah Jung that he really is paying attention to her, and other items too.
- Cherry Blossoms: Ah Jung and Ki Jun sitting on a park bench being showered with petals when they first feel the attraction.
- Cool Shades: In episode 7, with Jae-Bum on the microphone. Ki-Jun through the series, mostly when he's outside.
- Corrupt Corporate Executive: One of the Board of Directors members of World Hotels and Resorts is guilty of this. Both the Chair of the Board of Directors Hyun Myung Jin and President Hyun Ki Jun decided to be polite and not contact the police.
- Daydream Surprise: When Ah Jung is out of ideas to cancel the Housewarming while saving face, she muses that the only explanation that would satisfy her friends would be if Ki Jun's house were burned down. Ah Jung and Sang Hee set fire to the house with a clear petrol, and then Ki Jun wakes up, as if were All Just a Dream.
- Did They or Didn't They?: Downplayed Both in Episode 8 and 16. In Episode 8 Ki Jun and Yoon Ju come back to Yoon Ju's house the morning after the big reveal. There is talk about finding one another again. In Episode 16, Ki Jun has made Ah Jung breakfast, and is wearing the same clothes as before.
- Distracted by the Sexy: In Episode six, the rest of Ah Jung's friends at the housewarming party despite being engaged or married.
- Double Entendre: Ki Jun tells Ah Jung, in a soft tone (at least in the subtitled version) "Today, I want to be with you." while caressing her face. He then starts laughing and reveals that he just wanted to have a date tonight.
- Double Standard: Abuse, Female on Male: Most of it involves a kick to the shins, but So Ran is the most violent on Jae Bum.
- Do Wrong, Right: Yoo So Ran toward Chun Jae Bum. He's been having affairs while So Ran has been away, while So Ran is upset, she also picks on him that Jae Bum was caught.
- Dramatic Slip: When Ah Jung finds out that she has been dismissed from her job she trips, and causes some ice art to fall too.
- Drowning My Sorrows: Ah Jung generally drinks a lot when she's upset and this leads to embarrassing situations. Also Ki Jun, but much more somber.
- Engrish:
- When Ah Jung is trying to speak to the Chairman of a Chinese hotel conglomerate, no less.
- Ki Jun talking to the Tourism committee on Jeju Island.
- Flashback: Done extensively in the first few episodes.
- The Girl Who Fits This Slipper: Implied in Episode 15, where Ki Jun puts the shoe on Ah Jung, communicating that he truly wants to be her.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Ah Jung calls a press conference to tell everyone that she is the woman in the paper so that the press will stop focusing on Ki Jun and not put any pressure on the deal with Gold Hotels. The rapid consequence of this means that she will lose her job.
- Hypercompetent Sidekick: Park Hoon, rattles off Ki Jun's measurements at the drop of a hat, and then worries that he left something out.
- Ignored Confession: When Ah Jung tells So Ran that the marriage to Ki Jun is a hoax, the previously skeptical So Ran can't accept it, mainly because of the housewarming.
- Imagine Spot: When Ah Jung describes her ideal marriage. Also when she tries to avoid Ki Jun in the beginning.
- Internal Reveal: Happens to Ki Jun when Jae Bum mentions that Ah Jung's mother died.
- Iron Lady: Both Hyun Myung Jin (Aunt of Ki Jun) and Manager Park Ji Yoon. Manager Park certainly has her soft side when dealing with Ki Jun, but in her own words "Being cruel is sometimes more humane." Also lets not get started on some of Auntie's activities.
- Ironic Echo: In the Third Episode So Ran tells Ah Jung that "Everyone has a pair." Ah Jung then says this later to her in an attempt to Break the Haughty.
- Karaoke Box: A noraebang (the Korean name for it) is used to promote office unity. It's also used to get Ah Jung to relax by Sang Hee.
- Lap Pillow: Ki Jun, trying to convince Ah Jung to marry him.
- Leitmotif: Used very frequently. Themes include The A Team, Kung-Fu Fighting, and various arrangements of Lovin' Ice Cream.
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall: In the first episode, Aunt Myung Jin is wondering why Ki Jun is behaving so oddly, and Ki Jun replies that "Aunt, you've been watching too many dramas."
- Mahjong: Chairman Chen meets with Congressman Park, and Hotel President Hyun Ki Jun.
- Meadow Run: Ki Jun runs a marathon from the aeroport where Ah Jung is running from her home, they meet in a meadow.
- Missed Him by That Much: Happens in the Airport a lot. Yoon Ju, with Sang Hee and Park Hoon. Also with Ki Jun and Sang Hee in the very first episode.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Ah Jung has been tasked with promoting the Culture of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. She sets up a concert of traditional music. There's an initial low turnout, but then soon becomes sold out. It turns out that Ki Jun has bought all of the tickets and gave them away as complimentary tickets. Ah Jung is upset because her boyfriend inflated sales, but not attendance. Justified that this doesn't give the government information about what exposure is like, or how effective the advertising campaign was.
- Oh, Crap!: In episode 5, when Jae Bum sees Ah Jung in the elevator with another woman who is not So Ran.
- Ordered Apology: After the event at the beginning of the series is interrupted by bees, Ah Jung is ordered to write an apology or her resignation. Ah Jung protests that site management was responsible for not clearing the bees.
- Percussive Therapy: Ki Jun plays some solo Squash as he is angsting over the fact that Yoon Ju is trying to restart their relationship, while his feelings for Ah Jung are growing.
- Rage Against the Reflection: Ah Jung while in a pharmacy to treat her drunkenness, looks into the mirror and finds herself in a complete mess. Thankfully, it doesn't last long.
- Right in Front of Me: Downplayed. In Episode 9, a co-worker of Ah Jung remarks on Ki Jun arriving at the hotel for the international summit, and that someone in their division was really lucky to have married him. Ah Jung doesn't reveal it is her.
- She Cleans Up Nicely: Ah Jung, portrayed as the hard working student and government official. Then for the meeting in the Episode 2 and 11. It helps that Actress Yoon Eun-hye plays her.
- Sibling Triangle: Both Ki Jun and Sang Hee like Ah Jung. This is second time around for both as they both liked Yoon Ju three years ago.
- Simple, yet Opulent: Ah Jung with the Dress in Episode 2 and 11, though it is hard for someone on a government salary to afford.
- Suddenly Sober: Episode 5, Ah Jung is drinking after finding something out about Jae Bum, and then has Ki Jun take her home. After she vomits on Ki Jun, she is suddenly more focused. She does take something from a pharmacy.
- Spit Take: Ah Jung in Episode 11 when she finally locates So Ran, and they are having an evening drink together with Ki Jun. So Ran asks Ah Jung a question.
- Take Our Word for It: Downplayed. When Ki Jun is playing on his phone during his sick day, we only hear sounds of a racing game.
- Unkempt Beauty: While Ah Jung is performing her Important Haircut, the actress is without make-up.
- Viral Marketing: In-universe Ki Jun declares his love at a shopping mall so that people recorded it and uploaded on the internet, sparking a viral video effect.
- Vomit Discretion Shot: Ah Jung onto the front of Ki Jun's jacket.
- What Did I Do Last Night?: After Ah Jung briefly runs into Yoon Ju, Ah Jung gets hammered, and then wakes up in Ki Joon's bed. Ah Jung eventually remembers (through a series of flashbacks, but Ki Joon still acts as though something happened).
- What the Hell, Hero?: When Ah Jung is presenting a concert of traditional music,she finds that all the tickets are sold, but only a handful of people are in attendance because Ki Jun bought all of the rest of the tickets. Ah Jung calls Ki Jun out on it.
