Goodbye Solo (2006) is an urban melodrama with an ensemble of seven main characters of different generations and backgrounds: a bartender (Chun Jung-myung), an artist (Yoon So-yi), a gangster (Lee Jae-ryong), a restaurant owner (Kim Min-hee), a secretary (Kim Nam-gil), a divorcee (Bae Jong-ok), and a mute old lady (Na Moon-hee). All feeling alienated because of pain in their past, they gradually interact and form a "family" borne out of emotional connection and mutual understanding. Noh said that the story unfolds to one common theme: that everyone is beautiful just the way they are. Known for her distinctive and striking dialogue, Noh poured many of her personal stories into the show, including her own experience with her mother. The drama is also notable for reinventing the career of actress Kim Min-hee. Previously known as a bad actress, Kim was a big fan of Noh's, and she campaigned for a role, despite getting rejected by Noh five times. But on the sixth time, Noh saw the actress's determination and hidden potential that made her right for the character Mi-ri. Despite cries of miscasting from drama fans, Kim went through strict acting training and character analysis, showing vast improvement in her performance and making the first steps towards her eventual transformation into a real actress.
