66 minSeason 1 • Episode 20
LatestMi-rae puts everything she has on the line to stop the plant from being built in Inju. Go-hae threatens to sue her for a great sum of money, and Joh Guk threatens to go after her company and more.
The City Hall is a 2009 South Korean television series starring Kim Sun-ah and Cha Seung-won. It aired on SBS from April 29 to July 2, 2009 on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:55 for 20 episodes. Written by Kim Eun-sook and directed by Shin Woo-chul, the story revolves around a low-ranking government clerk who becomes the youngest mayor of the fictional Inju City, and her romance with an ambitious and cynical deputy mayor. The drama series also marked movie star Cha Seung-won's return to the small screen after a six-year absence.
Acting
Kim Sun-ah's transformation from nobody to political force is *chef's kiss*
Writing
Kim Eun-sook's banter: sharp, absurd, weirdly romantic about local government
Costume
The 2009 office wear is a character unto itself. The hair. THE HAIR.
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
City Hall arrived during Korea's 'well-made drama' era, when writer-driven shows with strong female leads began dominating ratings over star-dependent casting. Kim Eun-sook would later write Goblin and Mr. Sunshine, but this is her most underrated political sandbox.
Cha Seung-won did this drama specifically because he wanted to work with Kim Sun-ah after seeing her in My Lovely Sam-soon. Their chemistry was so immediate that Shin Woo-chul reportedly expanded their scenes together mid-production.
KR
