How to Buy a Friend

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]

How to Buy a Friend
Promotional poster
Hangul	계약우정
Hanja	契約友情
Literal meaning	Friendship Contract
Revised Romanization	Gyeyag-ujeong
Genre	Romantic comedy Coming of age Melodrama
Based on	Friendship Contract by Laad Kwon
Developed by	KBS Drama Production
Written by	Kim Joo-man
Directed by	Yoo Young-eun
Starring	Lee Shin-young Shin Seung-ho Kim So-hye Oh Hee-joon Min Do-hee Cho Yi-hyun
Music by	Choi In-hee
Country of origin	South Korea
Original language	Korean
No. of episodes	8[a]
Production
Executive producers	Kim Yong-jin Sohn Jae-sung Moon Joon-ha
Producer	Lee Hyun-kyung
Camera setup	Single-camera
Running time	35 minutes[a]
Production company	Mega Monster[2]
Original release
Network	KBS2
Release	April 6 (2020-04-06) – April 14, 2020 (2020-04-14)

Synopsis

Two teenagers begin 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

• Lee Shin-young as Park Chan-hong^[4]

Also known as Ninja among his schoolmates, he is an ordinary high school student who has a talent for writing. He has a crush on Uhm Se-yoon.

• Shin Seung-ho as Heo Don-hyuk^[5]

Also known as Iron Man, he is notoriously known for his fists and has fought 10 men at one shot. He landed in juvenile detention and came to the school that Chan-hong, Se-yoon and Kyung-pyo attend.

• Kim So-hye as Uhm Se-yoon^[6]

The prettiest and most popular girl in school.

• Oh Hee-joon as Oh Kyung-pyo^[7]

Chan-hong's best friend.

• Min Do-hee as Choi Mi-ra^[8]

Se-yoon's best friend. She was also close to Seo-jung in arts class.

• Cho Yi-hyun as Shin Seo-jung^[9]

A senior who committed suicide at school, she was an art student who was close to Se-yoon and Mi-ra when she was alive.

Supporting

Chan-hong's family

• Kim Won-hae as Park Choong-chae^[10]
• Baek Ji-won as Oh Jung-hee^[11]

Pyung-seop's people

• Jang Hye-jin as Jo Pyung-seop^[12]
• Kim Do-wan as Kwak Sang-pil^[13]

Jeil High people

• Kim In-kwon as Woo Tae-jung^[14]
• Kim So-ra as Choi Jung-won^[15]
• Lee Jung-hyun as Kim Dae-yong^[13]
• Yoo Se-hyung as Ahn Seong-do^[12]

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
Released	2020
Genre	Soundtrack
Language	Korean English
Label	Danal Entertainment

Part 1

Released on April 6, 2020 (2020-04-06)^[17]

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Artist	Length
1.	"It Was Spring" (그때가 봄이었더라)	Major League	Major League	Joo Ye-in	3:48
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.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Artist	Length
1.	"My Friend"	Nafla	Kim Tae-san Nafla	Nafla	3:07
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.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Artist	Length
1.	"One & Only"	Ha Sun-ho	Han Seung-soo Ha Sun-ho	Ha Sun-ho	2:42
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.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Artist	Length
1.	"I Saw You in My Dream" (꿈에서 널 봤어)	Kangaroo Rhinoceros	Crazy Park	Lee Min-hyuk	3:48
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.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Artist	Length
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. 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.