Korean Drama Port

Navi releases “Missing You” for new drama ‘Come Come Absolutely Come’ OST

2011-12-07T13:15:00.001+08:00

On December 7, Navi released her OST track “Missing You” featuring Pae Nuri of FIX, for the new drama ‘Come Come Absolutely Come‘.

“Missing You” was composed by Gavy NJ, KCM, and produced by a famous producer Min Myung Ki. Navi’s clear and beautiful voice tied well with the track’s medium tempo and smooth melody.

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Singer : Navi
Single : Come, Come, Absolutely Come Part.1
Date : 7 December 2011

Source:
http://www.allkpop.com/2011/12/navi-releases-missing-you-for-new-drama-come-come-absolutely-come-ost

Kim Hyun Joong to star in a drama next year

2011-11-29T15:24:00.001+08:00

Singer Kim Hyun Joong has announced that he will be starring in a drama soon.

On November 29th, the star attended a press conference for the ‘2011 MAMA‘ in Singapore’s Sands Expo Convention Center. He said, “It hasn’t been officially revealed yet, but I will be acting in April of next year. We originally had a world tour in mind, but we postponed that for the drama.”

He continued, “I heard that I did well on the Billboard charts. I am very happy about that. It feels real that being #1 in Korea means being #1 in the world.”

Stay tuned for more updates on Kim Hyun Joong’s new drama!

Source:
http://www.allkpop.com/2011/11/kim-hyun-joong-to-star-in-a-drama-next-year

Lights and Shadows / 빛과 그림자

2011-11-29T15:00:00.001+08:00

Title: 빛과 그림자 / Lights and Shadows
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Episodes: 50
Broadcast network: MBC
Broadcast period: 2011-Nov-28 to 2012-May-15
Air time: Monday and Tuesday 21:55

Production Credits
Director: Lee Joo Hwan
Screenwriter: Choi Wan Kyu

Synopsis
MBC’s special 50th-anniversary drama production “Light and Shadow” draws a man’s up and down life with modern history as its background starting from the 1960s during the Vietnam War. Ahn Jae Wook will play the role of Kang Ki Tae who is the first national entertainer for soldiers in war fields.

Cast

Main Cast
Ahn Jae Wook as Kang Ki Tae
Nam Sang Mi as Lee Jung Hye
Lee Pil Mo as Cha Soo Hyuk
Son Dam Bi as Yoo Chae Young

Supporting Cast
Jun Kwang Ryul as Jang Chul Hwan
Lee Jong won as Jo Myeong Gook
Sung Ji Roo as Sin Jeong Goo
Shin Da Eun as Kang Myeong Hee
Son Jin Yeong as Hong Soo Bong
Ahn Kil Kang as No Sang Taek
Lee Se chang as Choi Seong Won
Kim Hee Won as Yang Tae Seong
Ryu Dam as Yang Dong Cheol
Jun Gook Hwan as Kang Man Sik
Park Won Sook as Park Kyeong Ja
Kim Mi kyung as Kim Geum Rye
Seo Seung Man as Johnny Boy
Kim Dong Gyoon as Cherry Boy
Ha Jae Sook as Kim Gye Soon
Lee Ah Yi as Lee Kyung Sook

Lights and Shadows Trailer

Jung Il-woo sings a track for for Ramyun Shop OST

2011-11-22T17:01:00.001+08:00

The song isn’t released yet, but Jung Il-woo will be featured on the upcoming Flower Boy Ramyun Shop OST with the title track on its Part 3, “Someone Like You” (너란 사람).

Jung plays the delightfully immature, spoiled Chi-soo in the drama, and it’s been a hoot watching him grapple with actual human feelings the more he finds that not everybody (namely, our intrepid heroine) is going to kowtow to his every demand. It’s like Chi-soo’s got the social awareness of a 3-year-old, but wrapped up in an adult body. The song will be a warm ballad that’ll accompany Eun-bi’s (Lee Chun-ah) growing feelings as she starts to see more of Chi-soo’s childlike sincerity. Aw. We’ve sure seen a lot of the childlike, so it’s time for the latter part of that equation to step up to the plate.

If you’ll recall, Jung also contributed a track to the soundtrack of his last drama, 49 Days (posted below), which is one of my favorite tracks from that series. He’s reportedly working himself ragged (not a new state for him) with all-night shoots, song recording, and cameo appearance filming. Busy boy is busy.

Jung’s track releases on the 24th.

Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/11/jung-il-woo-sings-a-track-for-for-ramyun-shop-ost/

Lee Dong-wook added to Wild Romance

2011-11-18T12:55:00.001+08:00

So the rumors were half-true: Yoon Eun-hye isn’t taking on romantic comedy series Wild Romance, but Lee Dong-wook is.

He’ll be joining Lee Shi-young, who was recently cast as the female lead, a judo athlete turned bodyguard. He plays a baseball player, and their relationship gets off to an inauspicious start with some “unpredictable bad luck.” I foresee lots of comedic clashes in their future, before the antagonism turns to love.

I love Lee Shi-young — she can make even the worst writing somewhat watchable (see: Poseidon) — and I think Lee Dong-wook has solid comic chops, so I’m looking forward to this pairing. But more than the casting, I’m particularly keen on this drama because it comes from writer Park Yeon-seon, who wrote Alone and Love and Mixed-up Investigative Agency, both of which were standouts. Directing is PD Bae Kyung-soo of Infamous Chil Sisters; actor Oh Man-seok has also joined the cast.

The drama is set for 16 episodes and premieres in January. It’ll air on Wednesdays and Thursdays, in the post-Man of Honor timeslot.

Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/11/lee-dong-wook-added-to-wild-romance/

Jung Woo-sung’s image transformation in Padam Padam

2011-11-17T10:49:00.001+08:00

Yet more stills are out from Padam Padam: The Sound of His and Her Heartbeats, the upcoming cable drama starring Jung Woo-sung, who is the focus of this batch of images.

Jung plays Kang-chil, a man wrongly accused of murder who serves 16 years in prison, whose innocent nature is protected in part by his younger buddy and “guardian angel” Kook-soo (Kim Bum). Kang-chil at one point experiences a near-death experience, surviving thanks to a miracle. He falls in a “fateful love” with a woman described primarily as “selfish,” played by Han Ji-min. Due to his past, he’s awkward in the romance arena and turns shy around her, bringing out his innocent, cute nature, while also contrasting with his tough side. (See: tattoos and skill with mechanics.)

So that explains Jung’s clean-cut, aw-shucks appearance in the show. Yet I can’t help feeling that Jung’s character is starting to veer past “pure” and “good-hearted” and into simpleton territory, based on the way he’s depicted here. He’s supposed to be a good boy, not Forrest Gump. And the Dumb and Dumber hair certainly doesn’t help.

I feel like we’ve been hearing about this drama forever, with photo dumps occurring on a regular basis, and yet we don’t actually know any more about it. With a respected writer like Noh Hee-kyung (The World They Live In, Goodbye Solo, More Beautiful Than a Flower) penning scripts, you’d think they’d put a bit more emphasis on the story, but other than “fateful love between an innocent man, a selfish woman, protected by a guardian angel,” we’re not getting much. It’s all the same old. How ’bout some story with that story, hmm?

Padam Padam premieres on jTBC on December 5, and will run as a Monday-Tuesday drama.

Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/11/jung-woo-sungs-image-transformation-in-padam-padam/

T-ara’s Eunjung falls off a horse while filming for ‘Queen Insoo’

2011-11-15T21:27:00.001+08:00

T-ara‘s Eunjung met with an unfortunate accident on set while filming for her new drama, ‘Queen Insoo‘.

Representatives of Core Contents Media revealed, “On November 14th, Eunjung headed straight for the ‘Queen Insoo’ set after completing her choreography rehearsal.” They continued, “Unfortunately, due to the cold weather and the fast speed of the horse, Eunjung lost her grip on the reins and fell.”

The representatives assured that Eunjung was given painkillers after she was rushed to the hospital. Shooting schedules will be readjusted accordingly after closer examination.

In related news, T-ara will be making their comeback performance on November 17th through Mnet‘s ‘M! Countdown‘.

Source:
http://www.allkpop.com/2011/11/t-aras-eunjung-falls-off-a-horse-while-filming-for-queen-insoo

Brain / Beu-re-in / 브레인

2011-11-15T20:55:00.001+08:00

Title: 브레인 / Beu-re-in / Brain
Genre: Medical
Episodes: 16 (to be confirmed)
Broadcast network: KBS2
Broadcast period: 2011-Nov-14 to 2012-Jan-3
Air time: Monday and Tuesday, 21:55

Production Credit
Director: Yoo Hyun Ki, Song Hyun Wook
Screenwriter: Yoon Kyung Ah

Synopsis
A drama that deals with the brain and neurosurgeons.

Lee Kang Hoon (Shin Ha Kyun), who graduated from the top medical school, works at the top hospital, and is the top neurosurgeon around. Basically, he’s Brain No. 1. (And he works on brains, too!) He has ambitions to become the director at his university hospital. He is obsessed with success, which is probably both his greatest flaw and strength, since it makes him steely and fierce.

However, once he meets his sunbae Kim Sang Chul (Jung Jin Young), the prickly genius doctor and world famous neurologist, he turns over a new leaf and becomes a sincere doctor. Seo Joon Suk (Jo Dong Hyuk) is a doctor and will become Lee Kang Hoon’s rival. Yoon Ji Hye (Choi Jung Won) is also a neurosurgeon who grew up in an ordinary family. She is extremely strict in matters of work and study, but has a warm bedside manner with her patients.

Cast
Shin Ha Kyun as Lee Kang Hoon
Jung Jin Young as Kim Sang Chul
Jo Dong Hyuk as Seo Joon Suk
Choi Jung Won as Yoon Ji Hye

Supporting Cast
Lee Sung Min as Ko Jae Hak
Ban Hyo Jung as Hwang Young Sun
Park Cheol Ho as Park In Bum
Im Ji Eun as Hong Eun Sook
Jo Soo Min as Im Hyun Jung
Kwak Seung Nam as Yang Bum Joon
Shim Hyung Tak as Jo Dae Sik
Lee Seung Joo as Dong Seung Man
Kwon Se In as Yeo Bong Goo
Kim Soo Hyun as Jang Yoo Jin
Song Ok Sook as Kim Soon Im
Kim Ga Eun as Lee Ha Young

Note
This Drama was original casting by Lee Sang Yoon, Yoon Seung Ah and Lee Hyun Jin, but they all left on 20/Sep/2011 after had their first script reading on 17/Sep/2011.

Brain Trailer

SBS’s History of the Salaryman finalizes its cast

2011-11-11T12:30:00.001+08:00

Lee Beom-soo, Jung Kyeo-woon, Jung Ryeo-won, Hong Soo-hyun

History of the Salaryman is the SBS drama coming from the producers of last year’s hit Giant, and after teasing cast possibilities for a while, the drama has now finalized its main cast.

Lee Beom-soo, who also starred in Giant, was an early lock for the series, with Jung Ryeo-won (Pain, Ja Myung Go) now set to play leading lady. Her name had been previously floated, so there’s no surprise with her, nor with Jung Kyeo-woon (Romance Town) also onboard, although his contracts are still in the works. We do have a fresh name in the mix, though, with Hong Soo-hyun signing on.

That’s great, since she’s fantastic. After a rather slow start in her career (Only You, Sangdoo Let’s Go To School), Hong Soo-hyun really burst out of the gates this year with a couple sharp performances: She stole scenes as the jealous frenemy to Yoon Eun-hye in Lie To Me, then put in a strong turn in The Princess’s Man as the commanding-yet-vulnerable Princess Kyung-hye. I remember thinking she was a lackluster actress in earlier dramas, but she’s on fire now and a definite actress to watch.

The four main leads all participated in the drama’s script reading last week, and will begin filming in the upcoming week, with first shoots scheduled for November 17. It’ll air in January.

Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/11/sbss-history-of-the-salaryman-finalizes-its-cast/

Me Too, Flower! / 꽃! / Na-do, Kkot!

2011-11-10T12:03:00.001+08:00

Title: 나도, 꽃!/ Na-do, Kkot! / Me Too, Flower!
Also known as: I’m A Flower, Too
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Episodes: 16 (To Be Confirmed)
Broadcast network: MBC
Broadcast period: 2011-Nov-09 to 2011-Dec-29
Air time: Wednesday and Thursday 21:55

Production Credits
Director: Go Dong Sun
Screenwriter: Kim Do Woo

Synopsis
A complex love story involving three women and one man.

Cast

Main Cast
Yoon Shi Yoon as Seo Jae Hee
Lee Ji Ah as Cha Bong Sun
Han Go Eun as Park Hwa Young
Seo Hyo Rim as Kim Dal
Jo Min Ki as Park Tae Hwa
Lee Ki Kwang as Jo Ma Roo

Supporting Cast
Im Ha Ryong as Bae Sang Uk
Kim Ji Sook as Kim Do Mi
Lee Byung Joon as Team leader Kim
Son Il Kwon as whimsical Manager Lee
Jung Man Shik as Kim Do Gyun
Baek Seung Hee as Lee Young Hee
Ki Joo Bong
Baek Bong Ki
Baek Seung Hwan (백승환)
Jo Sung Kyu
Heo Ga Yoon (허가윤)

Me Too, Flower! Trailer

Vampire Prosecutor rocks the ratings again

2011-11-08T17:44:00.001+08:00

Wow. Impressive. Yesterday’s Vampire Prosecutor episode pulled in a seriously solid 2.59% viewership rating overall. It peaked at a (minute-by-minute) high of 3.31%, making it a series best. Just yesterday I’d said it might take a little bit longer for cable dramas to make it that high, but I’m happy to stand corrected on that front.

Here’s another metric to consider: Of all 20- to 30-something female viewers watching television in that timeslot, Vampire Prosecutor had a 20% share, meaning that 1 in 5 women in that demographic tuned in at the time were catching a glimpse of our chic, wry prosecutor vamp tasting the blood of victims and solving crimes.

Read Full Artcle @
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/11/vampire-prosecutor-rocks-the-ratings-again/

TV Bang-ja Chronicles is another cable hit

2011-11-07T12:16:00.001+08:00

You’re probably going to get sick of hearing it, but here’s yet more news that cable is standing strong: Channel CGV’s newly premiered four-parter, TV Bang-ja Chronicles, enjoyed a promising start on Saturday with an overall viewership rating of 1.510%, hitting 2.475% at its highest point. Other current cable offerings like Flower Boy Ramyun Shop, Vampire Prosecutor and Empress are performing strongly as well.

To clarify, as there have been confused comments in recent ratings posts: Cable dramas have generally aired in non-prime-time slots and therefore don’t compete directly with broadcast dramas, which air in the 10 pm hour (with dailies in the 9 pm slot). A few exceptions: tvN has tried to carve out a spot in the prime-time landscape with Manny, I Need Romance, Birdie Buddy, and Flower Boy Ramyun Shop, all of which have competed with Big Three shows.

But given that many cable dramas are late-nighters (11 pm or midnight), and because cable has an inherently more limited audience, a 1% rating is considered favorable — even if a broadcast drama would be considered a failure in the 5% range or below. Only a year or two ago, a 1% cable show was a big success, but with the way things are changing, I think we’re going to see that baseline tick up to 2% very soon.

TV Bang-ja Chronicles is an adaptation of the sageuk film of the same name, updating the classic story of Chun-hyang. It brought in positive viewer response, thanks to its speedy storytelling, visuals, and portrayal of emotions as Episode 1 kicked off the love story between servant Bang-ja (played by Lee Sun-ho) and Chun-hyang (Lee Eun-woo), which naturally infuriates her other man, the aristocrat’s son Mong-ryong (Yeo Hyun-soo).

TV Bang-ja Chronicles continues airing on Saturday nights for the rest of the month.

Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/11/tv-bang-ja-chronicles-is-another-cable-hit/

Medical drama Brain’s teasers and stills

2011-11-06T11:51:00.001+08:00

With KBS medical drama Brain about a week from its premiere, here are the drama’s first two teasers, as well as character stills of the main cast of neurosurgeons featuring Shin Ha-kyun, Jung Jin-young, and Choi Jung-won.

The way this drama handled its casting process has been pretty clunky (not to mention controversial), which had turned me off the show from the start. Having seen the teasers, though, you can see that they’re clearly going for suspenseful and dramatic, in which case it makes sense to opt for a serious film actor like Shin Ha-kyun (The Front Line) over the younger Lee Sang-yoon (The Duo). And Choi Jung-won (Wish Upon a Star) has been a leading actress for longer than new face Yoon Seung-ah (Playful Kiss), even if I think she’s much more appealing in lighter comedies than serious dramas.

All that said, it doesn’t excuse the poor way the drama dumped its first cast, and begs the question: If you say these actors were all wrong for the parts, why cast them in the first place?

Brain is doing something a bit unusual for premiere week, in airing Episodes 1 and 2 on the same night, Monday. That’s because the following day is going to be pre-empted for soccer, so they’re trying to get the jump rather than falling an episode behind schedule. With Mondays and Tuesdays pretty packed with programming, a new show can’t afford to lose interest, so hopefully they’ll hook viewers with the double header. Medical dramas aren’t really my bag, but they do have some dynamic actors at play here with Shin Ha-kyun and Jung Jin-young, both of whom are pretty damn charismatic.

Brain comes from God of Study’s team, PD Yoo Hyun-ki and writer Yoon Kung-ah. It follows Poseidon and airs its first two episodes on November 14.

Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/11/medical-drama-brains-teasers-and-stills/

Song Il-kook and Park Jin-hee in Fermentation Family

2011-11-01T09:01:00.001+08:00

Fermentation Family (aka Balhyo Gajok), starring Song Il-kook and Park Jin-hee, may have an awkward-sounding title (at least in English), but the stills from the upcoming cable drama are quite easy on the eyes.

Pictured together here are series stars Song Il-kook (A Man Called God) and Park Jin-hee (Giant) from the drama’s open set day, and already the chemistry is crackling between them. Take the above shot: They look like they’re either about to bite each other’s heads off or start making out, or maybe both.

Normally I’d find the drama’s unwieldy title off-putting (even if it’s apt given the traditional (fermented) Korean cuisine milieu), but in this case I don’t even care, since what has my attention is the credentials of the producers: Writer Kim Ji-woo and Park Chan-hong have paired twice before, and both Devil and Resurrection were standouts — tightly written, dark, and gritty.

This drama is aiming lighter than those previous projects, though, so I’m expecting less in the way of dark crime material and more of the heartwarming variety. The drama is centered around a family that runs a Korean restaurant who bumble through life, as well as the oddball characters who gather there, and promises to tell a “cheerful, touching story.”

The romance between the leads described as one of those bickering relationships that graduates to friendship, mutual helpfulness, and then a “family-like, warm romance.” Now, that’s an ill-thought-out simile: Familial is just about the last quality I look for in a romance, myself. (I’m going to write this one off as a promotional foot-in-mouth moment rather than an actual faux-incest motif.)

The broadcaster, jTBC, is another of the new cable channels that has yet to premiere. It is preparing an impressive drama lineup with which to launch: Fermentation Family joins the list along with others like Padam Padam: The Sound of His and Her Heartbeats and sageuk drama Queen Insu starring Chae Shi-ra.

Fermentation Family premieres on December 7.

Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/10/song-il-kook-and-park-jin-hee-in-fermentation-family/

Flower Boy Ramyun Shop / 꽃미남 라면가게 / Kkot-mi-nam Ra-myeon-ga-ge

2011-11-01T08:26:00.001+08:00

Title: 꽃미남 라면가게 / Kkot-mi-nam Ra-myeon-ga-ge / Flower Boy Ramyun Shop
Also known as: Flower Boy Ramen Shop
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Episodes: 16
Broadcast network: tvN
Broadcast period: 2011-Oct-31 to 2011-Dec-20
Air time: Monday and Tuesday 23:00

Production Credits
Director: Jung Jung Hwa (정정화)
Screenwriter: Yoon Nan Joong (윤난중)

Synopsis
This romantic comedy deals with “pretty boys,” who with good looks and individuality, operate a ramen shop with lively college girls and experience the happenings of daily life.

Cha Chi Soo looks cool, confident and fascinates women with his bright smile and pure love. He then becomes involved in running a ramen shop with other beautiful men and a woman.

Cast

Main Cast
Jung Il Woo as Cha Chi Soo
Lee Ki Woo as Choi Kang Hyeok
Lee Chung Ah as Yang Eun Bi

Suppporting Cast
Kim Shin Ah as Kang Dong Joo
Park Min Woo as Kim Ba Wool
Jo Yoon Woo as Woo Hyun Woo
Ho Soo as Yoon So Yi
Joo Hyun as Cha Ok Gyun
Jeong In Gi as Yang Chul Dong
Seo Bum Suk a Coach Seo

Flower Boy Ramyun Shop Trailer

If Tomorrow Comes / 내일이 오면 / Nae-il-i O-myeon

2011-11-01T07:52:00.001+08:00

Title: 내일이 오면 / Nae-il-i O-myeon / If Tomorrow Comes
Also Known as: When Tomorrow Comes
Genre: Family, Romance
Episodes: 50
Broadcast network: SBS
Broadcast period: 2011-Oct-29 to 2012-Apr-15
Air time: Saturday and Sunday 20:40

Production Credits
Director: Jang Yong Woo
Scriptwriter: Kim Jung Soo

Synopsis
“If Tomorrow Comes” is about the love and conflict between a mother and daughter. Seo Woo takes on the role of kind-hearted college girl Yoon Eun chae, who thinks respecting your parents brings you happiness. The mother role will be played by Go Doo Sim.

Cast
Seo Woo as Yoon Eun Chae
Go Doo Sim as Son Jung In
Ha Suk Jin as Lee Young Gyun
Lee Kyu Han as Lee Il Bong
Im Hyun Sik as Lee Kwi Nam
Lee Hye Sook as Kim Bo Bae
Kil Yong Woo as Yoon Won Sub
Kim Hye Sun as Kim Soon Jung
Seo Yoo Jung as Hyun Sook’s sister
Kim So Yun (김소연) as Da Jung
Lee Kyung Jin as Yoon Won Ja
Kim Joo Ri (김주리)
Lee Seung Hyung as Son Jung Mo
Shin Da Eun as Oh Soo Jung
Park Soo Young (박수영) as Lee Jin Gyu
Do Yi Sung as Lee Sung Ryong
Ri Ah (리아) as Lee Ji Mi

If Tomorrow Comes Trailer

Jung Ryeo-won and Jung Kyeo-woon to join Salaryman?

2011-10-27T11:25:00.001+08:00

Upcoming SBS drama History of the Salaryman secured its leading man Lee Beom-soo, but has turned in a new direction for his leading lady. Jung Ryeo-won, who has been focusing the majority of her career on films, is reportedly in talks to take on the role. In addition, Jung Kyeo-woon (Romance Town, Dr. Champ) is also considering a supporting role. Not that I expected anything else from the producers behind Giant, but the cast looks like it’s shaping up nicely.

I suppose starting with Lee Beom-soo as your anchor doesn’t hurt in attracting your choice of leading ladies. It’d be nice to see Jung Ryeo-won back on the small screen, now that she’s established herself as an actress in a broad array of film roles. She’s probably a better fit than Lee Min-jung was, because she’s got a little more heft in the melodrama department. Salaryman is described as the story of an average, everyday office worker, and his personal struggle to succeed as he deals with loneliness and isolation.

Read Full Article
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/10/jung-ryeo-won-and-jung-kyeo-woon-to-join-salaryman/

Ji Jin-hee joins Gu Hye-sun in aviation drama

2011-10-24T10:58:00.001+08:00

Ji Jin-hee (Dong Yi, The Man Who Can’t Marry) is returning to SBS with a drama titled Take Care of Us, Captain, in which he plays a skilled and perfectionist pilot opposite Gu Hye-sun (The Musical), his co-pilot and love interest.

The drama was formerly called Fly Again, which was a smoother-sounding title but also perhaps more generic-sounding. I think I’m okay with the new title, though it translates somewhat awkwardly into English.

The show’s calling itself “Korea’s first aviation drama,” which seems to be forgetting that spy-airport-terrorism-romance-action mishmash, Air City — or maybe they’re hoping we all forget that too. True, Air City was more about the airport than flying, which is no surprise since it was basically a show commissioned to commemorate Incheon International Airport itself. So weird. What were you thinking, Lee Jung-jae and Choi Ji-woo?

But I digress. Take Care of Us, Captain spins Ji Jin-hee into the opposite direction of his warm and cheerful portrayal of King Sukjong from Dong Yi. Ji will be going for “cool-headed charisma” instead as pilot Kim Yoon-seok, the captain of a passenger plane. The drama weaves in the stories of the numerous passengers he’s responsible for, as well as the various crewmen, customs officers, repair staff, and other employees he’ll come into contact with regularly.

So, a little bit like Air City, but with a less bombastic premise (no spies or international intrigue) and more focus on the people’s relationships. It could work (I’m thinking US sitcom Wings), or it could be boring as all get-out. Alas, I don’t think it’s going for funny, with the heroine’s relationship to her rival described as a “melo storyline.”

Playing that romantic rival in a complicated relationship is Yoo Sun, who played Bok-shil (aka Bokifer) in the heartwarming family comedy Sons of Sol Pharmacy. She’ll take the role of the leader of the flight crew, and occupies one of the legs (I assume the impotent one) of the main love triangle featuring Ji Jin-hee and Gu Hye-sun. Back in her earlier days, she’d made an in-flight mistake that caused a young mother’s death, and led to the infant contracting blood poisoning. Haunted by her guilty conscience, she had helped the daughter of that woman become a pilot, who grows up to be the airline co-pilot (Gu Hye-sun). Okay, let me exchange impotent for most awkward ever.

Also in the cast is Honey Lee — gukak musician, Seoul National University grad, former Miss Korea, and musical actress — who takes another stab at drama acting (after Pasta and Partner) as the director of the airline.

Take Care of Us, Captain plans to begin filming in November, and is tentatively set for a January broadcast. It’ll take up the Wednesday-Thursday slot on SBS following Tree With Deep Roots.

Credit/Source:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/10/ji-jin-hee-joins-gu-hye-sun-in-aviation-drama/

MBC premieres Saturday medical suspense drama Night Hospital

2011-10-17T14:40:00.001+08:00

For something a little different in the way of drama offerings, there’s a late-night Saturday drama that just premiered on MBC called Night Hospital, which is billed as a medical suspense thriller starring the very underrated (in my opinion) Yoon Tae-young as a surgeon-slash-boxer. What’s not to like?

Night Hospital‘s first episode drew a very promising 5.9% rating for its premiere episode on the 15th — note that that’s for a drama airing at midnight-thirty on a Saturday night. Considering that some prime-time weekday shows average in that range, that’s a pretty great number. Viewers have been impressed with its compelling plot and quick pacing, and I think the 10-episode length is a mark in its favor.

The story: Yoon Tae-young (who was great in Strike Love and Legend) plays Heo Jun, which is not coincidentally also the name of the famed court physician of Joseon times. This Heo Jun is a promising doctor specializing in liver transplants who for some reason roams from fighting match to fighting match (he practices MMA, or mixed martial arts). He gets “kidnapped” by another liver transplant specialist, Dong-man (Choi Jung-woo), and is put to work in his night hospital. His secret night hospital. Wait, this isn’t the kind where you wake up in a bathtub full of ice and a note, is it?

Jun’s motivation for fighting is to avenge the wife who was killed in front of his eyes. He had at one point found the killer, but had to watch him walk free on account of insufficient evidence. Dong-man entices Jun to work for with the promise to hand over a video that’ll ensure the killer’s capture, and makes him director of the night hospital.

However, Jun’s hands aren’t like they used to be, and in fact he was fired from his old hospital after making a mistake, so he brings in another surgeon, Na-kyung (Ryu Hyun-kyung) to work with him.

A promising start, it sounds like. Night Hospital airs at 12:20 AM on Saturday nights (technically Sunday morning) and is set for a 10-episode run.

Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/10/mbc-premieres-saturday-medical-suspense-drama-night-hospital/

Character stills from Padam Padam

2011-10-14T11:16:00.001+08:00

I know Padam Padam is all about Jung Woo-sung (Athena) and Han Ji-min (Cain & Abel)…but can we talk about how much Kim Bum has grown up the the past year? Yowsa.

I know all boys have to age sometime, and Kim Bum has been gradually growing out of his boyish looks with every role he takes, but still…I feel like he’s turned into an adult overnight, and it’s both amazing (those cheekbones! those eyes!) and sad (bye-bye, pinchy-cheeks).

Now he actually looks like he might suit the role of Padam Padam’s street-smart prison inmate who watches over the pure-hearted and wrongly convicted Jung Woo-sung while they’re serving time in the clink together. Jung’s character spends 16 years in prison, gets out and meets the self-centered Han Ji-min, leading to romance. Kim Bum is his buddy’s guardian angel who watches his back in and out of prison, while new face Lee Jae-woo takes a role in the supporting cast.

The cable drama premieres on jTBC on December 5.

Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/10/character-stills-from-padam-padam/

A Thousand Days Promise / 천일의 약속 / Chunilui Yaksok

2011-10-08T09:14:00.001+08:00

Title: 천일의 약속 / Chunilui Yaksok / A Thousand Days’ Promise
Also known as: Forget Me Not / 1,000 Day Promise
Genre: Romance, melodrama
Episodes: 20
Broadcast network: SBS
Broadcast period: 2011-Oct-17 to 2011-Dec-20
Air time: Monday and Tuesday 21:55

Production Credits
Director: Jung Eul Young
Screenwriter: Kim Soo Hyun

Synopsis
A story about a woman who’s slowly losing her memory but a man still love her unconditionally and stay beside her.

Cast

Main cast
Kim Rae Won as Ji Hyung
Soo Ae as Seo Yeon
Lee Sang Woo as Jae Min
Jung Yoo Mi as Hyang Ki

Supporting Cast
Moon Jung Hee
Jung Joon
Yang Han Yeol (양한열)
Lee Mi Sook
Park Yoo Hwan
Kim Hae Sook
Alex

A Thousand Days Promise Trailer

Dangerous Woman / 위험한 여자

2011-10-08T09:04:00.000+08:00

Title: 위험한 여자 / Dangerous Woman
Genre: Romance, Family
Episodes: 100+
Broadcast network: MBC
Broadcast period: 2011-Oct-10 to 2012
Air time: Monday to Friday 7:50am

Production Credits
Director: Lee Min Soo
Screenwriter: Lee Hong Goo

Synopsis
A drama about a daughter of an entrepeneur fighting against a plot to take over her father’s business.

Cast

Main Cast
Go Eun Mi as Kang Yoo Ra
Hwang Bo Ra as Kang So Ra
Kim Jung Hyun as Kim Ji Won
Yeo Hyun Soo as Kang Dong Min

Supporting Cast
Kim Bo Yun as Yoon Do Hee
Jo Yeon Woo as Kang Dong Joon
Sun Woo Eun Sook as Na Yeon Sook
Im Chae Moo as Kang Joo Hyeok
Kim Young Bae as Director Choi
Lee Na Eun as Lee Seo Joo
Sung Woong as Lee Seo Hoon
Nam Yoon Jung as Nam Ji Sook
Kim Eun Yeong as Lady Sin

Man of Honor / 영광의 재인 / Youngkwangeui Jaein / Glory Jane

2011-10-08T08:56:00.001+08:00

Title: 영광의 재인 / Youngkwangeui Jaein / Glory Jane
Also known as: Man of Honor
Genre: Romance
Episodes: 24
Broadcast network: KBS2
Broadcast period: 2011-Oct-12 to 2011-Dec-29
Air time: Wednesday and Thursday 21:55

Production Credits
Director: Lee Jung Sub
Screenwriter: Kang Eun Kyung

Synopsis
Kim Young Kwang (Chun Jung Myung) is a baseball player on a minor league team, former 4th hitter of the major league team, is an innocently confident man who never stops trying his best to re-live past glories. Yoon Jae In (Park Min Young) works as a nurse’s aide is a struggling young, cheery, bright girl who always maintains a positive attitude despite her poor background and dreams of becoming a nurse. She meets Kim Young Kwang at the hospital when he sustains injures, as they struggling to overcome their fates, they find love. Seo In Woo (Lee Jang Woo) is the future heir of a sports clothing company and also the clean-up hitter for the a professional baseball team that his father owns. A love triangle ensues between these three characters.

Cast
Chun Jung Myung as Kim Young Kwang
Park Min Young as Yoon Jae In
Lee Jang Woo as Seo In Woo
Kim Yun Joo as Kim Kyung Joo
Lee Jin as Cha Hong Joo
Choi Myung Gil as Park Goon Ja
Son Chang Min as Seo Jae Myung
Park Sung Woong as Seo In Chul
Lee Moon Shik as Heo Young Do
Kim Sung Oh as Joo Dae Sung
Nam Bo Ra as Kim Jin-Joo

Man of Honor Trailer

The Empress / 여제 / Yeo-je

2011-10-08T08:46:00.001+08:00

Title: 여제 / Yeo-je / The Empress
Genre: Drama
Episodes: 13
Broadcast netwrok: E-Channel
Broadcast period: 2011-Oct-01 to 2011-Dec-24
Air time: Sat 23:00

Production Credits
Original work: Manga Jotei Kaoruko by Ryo Kurashina
Director: Choi Do Hoon (최도훈)
Screenwriter: Choi Yoon Jung

Synopsis
This drama show a woman who rises to high authority takes revenge on the people who stepped on her life and caused her to step into prostitution.

Seo In Hwa (Jang Shin Young) is a college student studying painting at a prestigious university. She wants to live her life differently from her mother who ran a hostess bar, but she is trampled over by power and money. Because of this, Seo In Hwa becomes a hostess in a drinking establishment. She overcomes hardships to become the best in her field. She then seeks revenge on the men in power who destroyed her life and let her mother die.

Cast
Jang Shin Young as Seo In Hwa
Kang Ji Sub as Jung Hyuk
Jun Se Hong as Choi Yoo Mi
Choi Phillip as Hyung Il
Kim Hyung Jong as Tae Soo
Jung Kyung Soon
Myung Kye Nam
Kim Bu Sun
Hyun Suk
Lee Ki Yeol

The Empress Trailer

Man of Honor’s production press conference

2011-10-06T07:11:00.001+08:00

A week from its premiere, KBS’s new Wednesday-Thursday drama Man of Honor held its production press conference, with its main cast in attendance: Chun Jung-myung, Park Min-young, and Lee Jang-woo take the main three roles. Already I can see the Baker King-esque dynamic in the stills; nothing like a rich-boy-poor-boy rivalry in childhood to up the ante in adulthood, is there?

(Side note: Nice of them to keep the same hairstyles for their childhood counterparts, for ease of identification — but I’d hate to be the kid who stuck with the same haircut for over twenty years.)

Chun Jung-myung plays the Young-kwang of the drama’s title (it means honor), a former baseball star — the kind who delivers a home run with bases loaded in the bottom of the 9th inning and two outs — who has been pushed back to second string. Given the sports milieu, the role calls for some action. Chun unfortunately suffered a fall from a horse while shooting his recent drama The Duo, damaging his spine, knee, and leg, giving him difficulty walking. It was a pretty bad accident and at the time, he’d undergone both medical and naturopathic treatments to get in shape to resume filming.

He said, “I was a bit worried because I’m not entirely recovered yet. I like physical exercise, but for a few months after the accident I wasn’t able to do much. Young-kwang is a pro baseball player so I would need to get my body comfortable with his movements, so I worried that my physical condition wouldn’t be up to it.”

Yikes. Although he says all is well now, I’m not sure I believe that’s possible, considering he needed constant treatments and physical therapy. He said, “After suffering a severe injury, I’m more mindful of needing to take care of myself. And I have to do that in order to get fully into the acting.”

Park Min-young plays Jae-in, a nurse’s aide with a bubbly, energetic character. She only had two months off after City Hunter ended before taking on the new role, and admitted she was a little nervous about the time squeeze. “But I enjoyed the script so much, and really trust the director and writer.”

She also cut her long hair off for the first time in 14 years, in order to play up Jae-in’s bright personality. She’d been enthusiastic about the change, and found the thrill of chopping off her hair so exciting that she’d asked for a shorter cut.

Lee Jang-woo plays the other leg of the love triangle as Young-kwang’s rival In-woo, “with lots of fighting scenes with Chun Jung-myung and Park Min-young.” He added, “In most of my scenes, the scripts indicate, ‘Dismissively, not listening.’ Aside from his father, he treats everyone rudely, and acts like he’s king.” You may as well just call him Ma-jun v.2.0, while Young-kwang gets to be Tak-gu the Second.

Lee Jin plays a cool, confident design manager in an outdoor apparel company. Her character went to school with Young-kwang and has feelings for him, making her a romantic rival with Jae-in. Naturally, where Jae-in is plucky and poor, Lee Jin’s character is chic and fashionable. Because it would just be too much to have two nice women vie for the same guy, right? One has to be bitchy so we know who to root for, yunno, just in case promotional billing hadn’t made that clear.

Meanwhile, the supporting cast includes Choi Myung-gil, Kim Sung-oh, Lee Moon-shik, Sohn Chang-min, and Kim Yeon-joo

Man of Honor replaces Princess’s Man and premieres October 12.

Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/10/man-of-honors-production-press-conference/

Deep Rooted Tree

2011-10-06T04:25:00.001+08:00

Title: 뿌리깊은 나무 / Ppurigipeun Namu / Deep Rooted Tree
Also Known as: Tree With Deep Roots
Genre: Period
Episodes: 24
Broadcast netwrok: SBS
Broadcast period: 2011-Oct-05 to 2011-Dec-22
Air time: Wednesday and Thursday 21:55

Production Credits
Director: Jang Tae Yoo
Screenwriter: Kim Young Hyun, Park Sang Yun (박상연)

Synopsis
Based on Lee Jeong-myeong’s novel “Deep-rooted Tree”. Work that highlights the serial killings during the 7 days before the announcement of the Korean script.

A series of murder occurred during the reign of King Sejong. As Kang Chae Yoon who is investigating these cases gets closer to the root of the truth, he finds himself embroiled in a massive conspiracy behind the serial killings which involves a group of genius who are willing to risked their lives towards their cause/goals and secret powers who will interfere with the course of his investigations.

Cast
Jang Hyuk as Kang Chae Yoon
- Chae Sang Woo as child Chae Yoon
Han Suk Kyu as King Sejong
- Song Joong Ki as teen Lee Do (later King Sejong)
- Kang San as child Lee Do
Shin Se Kyung as So Yi
- Kim Hyun Soo (김현수) as young So Yi
Ahn Suk Hwan as Lee Shin Juk
Lee Jae Yong as Jo Mal Saeng
Jo Jin Woong as Moo Hyool
Park Hyuk Kwon as Jung In Ji
Yoon Je Moon as Ga Ri On
Kim Ki Bang as Cho Tak
Shin Seung Hwan as Park Po
Song Ok Sook
Suh Joon Young as Prince Gwangpyeong
Lee Soo Hyuk as Yoon Pyeong
Kim Ki Bum as Park Paeng Nyeon
Jo Hee Bong as Han Ga Nom
Jun Young Bin as Mak Soo
Yoo Hyun Soo as Lee Soon Ji
Shin So Yool as Mok Yi
Shim So Hun (심소헌) as Duk Geum
as Sung Sam Moon
Baek Yoon Shik as Taejong (cameo)

Deep Rooted Tree Trailer

Deep Rooted Tree (8 min Preview)

Thousand Day siblings Su Ae and Park Yoo-hwan

2011-10-04T16:49:00.001+08:00

Huh, wouldn’t you know it? Su Ae and Park Yoo-hwan actually look a lot like siblings, which is what they play in their upcoming drama Thousand Day Promise.

As a newbie to the acting world, Park Yoo-hwan, aka Micky Yoochun’s little bro, said, “When I first received the casting offer, I was so honored that I even thought, ‘How could I dare?’ I got emotional thinking of the huge opportunity that came to me.” That’s because the writer and the actors are some major dramaland heavy hitters, and Park continued, “I even shook at the thought of receiving a script from writer Kim Soo-hyun. I can’t forget the excitement and thrill I felt when reading the script over and over.”

In the drama, Park will play a young man who has to watch his noona (Su Ae) gradually losing her memory, as she experiences a heart-rending romance with Kim Rae-won. Pictured below Su Ae seen studying her own scripts, on the set and in between shoots.

Thousand Day Promise premieres on October 17.

Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/10/thousand-day-siblings-su-ae-and-park-yoo-hwan/

Joo Sang-wook in new cable drama Ten

2011-10-03T15:51:00.001+08:00

Get ready for another cable drama (when it rains, it pours, no?): Joo Sang-wook (Giant, Thorn Birds) stars in Ten, an upcoming OCN show where he plays a former detective and current police academy instructor who is made the head of a special crime unit called “Ten,” which investigates unsolved cases.

Well, Korean procedural dramas have taken a page from CSI’s playbook (Sign), and also NCIS (Poseidon), so I guess it’s Cold Case‘s turn. Hm, maybe the only American dramas they can get in Korea are from CBS. What’s next, Two and a Half Criminal Minds?

In Ten, Joo Sang-wook’s character Ji-hoon possesses keen deductive powers and a strong logical mind. I’d expect no less of a crime procedural hero, though I’m relieved that he’s not yet another genius, if only for variety’s sake. The genius count has been unnaturally high in K-dramaland for years, and I’m ready to root on a regular ol’ Joe.

Joo said, “Four years ago, I played a police officer in the drama Air City. That was a character and drama that I was tremendously grateful for. Now that I’m back playing a detective, I’m flooded with old memories.” Huh, that’s funny because it had totally not registered till just now that he’d been in Air City, which was such a disappointing, disjointed, and unmemorable drama. I do seem to remember there being lots of pretty, pretty men working at the airport, but it’s only on going back through recaps that I recall him.

Ten will air, appropriately enough, for ten episodes and premieres on cable channel OCN on October 23.

Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/10/joo-sang-wook-in-new-cable-drama-ten/

Can’t Lose bargains its way to extension

2011-10-02T14:21:00.001+08:00

So the dust has settled on the behind-the-scenes battle and it looks like the production team and the actors have met halfway on the extension deal. MBC drama Can’t Lose originally announced a four-episode extension, only to have it refuted by lead actors Yoon Sang-hyun and Choi Ji-woo, who only signed on for sixteen. Citing exhaustion (which is sadly the norm in kdramaland), they argued against the extension.

After a few days’ negotiation, they’ve settled on a middle ground: a two-episode extension, bringing the new total to 18. Well, if we HAVE to have more episodes (and I’d argue not), then 18 is better than 20. When we last left off, the couple had newly divorced and begun to finally open up to each other and feel a rekindled attraction, so it’s not a bad place in the story to be.

They can pretty much just add new dating hijinks now that they’ve sort of reverted to an early courtship phase in their relationship. I certainly like the fact that an extension might mean more happy times rather than the usual extended bout of angst, because this drama is thankfully light on the angst-a-whirl, and we’ve already gotten through some of the couple’s heavier conflicts. Now all that’s left is getting back together, and getting it right this time.

The extension brings the finale to October 20, meaning follow-up rom-com Me Too, Flower! starring Lee Jia and Kim Jae-won premieres Wednesday October 26.

Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/10/cant-lose-bargains-its-way-to-extension/

OCN’s Vampire Prosecutor in action

2011-10-01T16:03:00.001+08:00

Yeon Jung-hoon is about to put his gentle image way behind him when his new drama series Vampire Prosecutor hits the airwaves this Sunday, and I’m really looking forward to it — both the drama and his image transformation, since it’s always the extreme shifts that are so intriguing, whether it’s gentle-to-badass or the reverse.

When the initial premise came out, the drama sounded like it could either be hilariously cheesy or compelling and dark, but thankfully the teaser pointed more toward the latter. It’s cable, so that means they get to take some more risks, regarding both the narrative and the visual expression of that narrative. Girl K whetted my appetite for harder-edged fare, and I’m hoping Vampire Prosecutor supplies that.

The premise: Yeon Jung-hoon plays a cold-hearted (in more ways than one) vampire who can see the moment of murder with one taste of the victim’s blood, which ought to come in handy for his prosecuting job. Not to mention his superhuman strength. To get into fighting form for the drama’s action scenes (in Korea, public prosecutors often take an active role in case-solving, like DAs and cops rolled into one), Yeon dropped 5 kg and has been training in the martial art julkwondo. Lesson of the day: Don’t mess with the vampire who can tear your heart out with his bare hands OR with his fangs, depending on whether he’s had lunch that day yet — and then toss your rotten carcass into jail using the legal system to boot. Talk about inflicting a wound, rubbing salt in it, having a taste, and then rubbing it in some more.

Vampire Prosecutor will run for 12 episodes beginning this Sunday, October 2, on cable channel OCN.

Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/09/ocns-vampire-prosecutor-in-action/

Park Min Young chops off her hair for ‘Man of Honor’

2011-09-29T16:53:00.001+08:00

Actress Park Min Young has cut off her lustrous long hair for the first time since her debut for her role in the upcoming KBS drama,’Man of Honor‘.

The ‘City Hunter‘ star will be playing the role of ‘Jae In’, a cheerful nurse who lives in hard conditions. “She thought that cheerful cropped hair would be better suited for the role than her long hair,” revealed a representative. “All of her thoughts are focused on making a successful transformation into Yoon Jae In.”

The title of the drama is a pun on her character’s name; while the title means ‘man of honor’, it can also literally mean ‘Young Kwang’s Jae In’. Young Kwang is the name of the male lead in the drama.

Aside from Park Min Young, the drama is said to have drawn a list of heavyweights including Chun Jung Myung, Lee Jang Woo, and Lee Jin (of Fin.K.L fame). It will start broadcasting on October 12th.

Source:
http://www.allkpop.com/2011/09/park-min-young-chops-off-her-hair-for-man-of-honor

Kim Rae-won and Su Ae get close for Thousand Day Promise

2011-09-29T13:48:00.001+08:00

The melodrama Thousand Day Promise, starring Kim Rae-won and Su Ae, is set to premiere on SBS as a Monday-Tuesday drama, starting October 17. They only started filming recently, but with Kim Soo-hyun (Life Is Beautiful) churning out scripts well in advance, I’m anticipating tight writing, and with this cast, poignant and affective (also effective) acting.

Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/09/kim-rae-won-and-su-ae-get-close-for-thousand-day-promise/

Park Jin-hee and Song Il-kook headline new drama

2011-09-29T10:42:00.001+08:00

Park Jin-hee is coming back to dramaland! The star of Giant and The Woman Who Still Wants to Marry has signed on to headline a new cable drama opposite Song Il-kook (Crime Squad). Song has been considering the role and other names have been bandied about for the lead actress, but both are now confirmed to star.

The drama is called Fermentation Family or Balhyo Gajok, which is just the weirdest title ever. But now that a character description is in for Park Jin-hee, it starts to make a little more sense (it still sounds horrible though). She’ll be playing a naturally gifted chef who dreams of becoming the chef of the best fusion restaurant in Korea. But the reality is that she’s the cook in a tiny neighborhood joint with bizarre local clientele, including hotheaded gangsters like the one played by Song Il-kook.

The story is about the unlikely family that forms among the people who are connected through this neighborhood eatery. So fermentation can be literal, like with many Korean foods (kimchi, soybean paste), and it can also be figurative, as in “raising a family.” I just wish it were a better-sounding word in English. “Family” also takes on a double meaning if it refers to the mobster family as well as the bizarro family that forms around the leads.

This drama comes from the PD-writer team behind Mawang / The Devil and Rebirth / Resurrection, PD Park Chan-hong and writer Kim Ji-woo. Those aren’t exactly light and fluffy dramas, which makes me think that this might skew towards the dark thriller type of drama. That’s what I thought initially with the writer, director, and Song Il-kook. But the premise as it sounds now seems to center on Park Jin-hee’s character, and on her restaurant as the focal point for this ragtag family. And to me, ragtag family sounds comical (and awesome). It’s anyone’s guess which way it’ll go.

Fermentation Family premieres December 7 on jTBC.

Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/09/park-jin-hee-and-song-il-kook-headline-new-drama/

Son Dambi and Ahn Jae-wook cast in Light and Shadow

2011-09-28T15:27:00.000+08:00

Upcoming MBC special 50th anniversary drama Light and Shadow has had drama veteran Ahn Jae-wook‘s name attached as the leading man for some time. Now he’s confirmed for the lead, and joining him is… Son Dambi? I thought at first they were paired together as leads which would be So. Strange. But it looks like she’s confirmed for the second lead. Ahhhhh… all is right with the world. It’s not so much the twelve-year age gap (that, I can stomach) but the…uh… acting gap that had me confused. But hey, I guess we’ve seen weirder pairings work before.

Kim Min-jong (Athena) and Nam Sang-mi (Life Is Beautiful) are the two stars in consideration for the other two leading roles, which makes a whole helluva lot more sense. So basically it goes: Nam Sang-mi is the leading lady in a love triangle with Ahn Jae-wook and Kim Min-jong, and Son Dambi has a crush on Ahn Jae-wook. That is, if Nam and Kim sign on. I certainly hope so, since I love them both, and wouldn’t really watch unless they joined the cast. And basically, with Ahn Jae-wook and Kim Min-jong facing off over a girl, we’d be in 90s drama heaven.

The story takes place from 1960 to the present, so it’s a large-scale epic about the life and career of an entertainer, played by Ahn Jae-wook. He debuts on a stage in front of American troops stationed in Korea, and it follows his path through the decades, with Korea’s modern history as a backdrop. Son Dambi is slated to play a senator’s daughter who falls in love with Ahn Jae-wook’s character. It’s all so vague, but what I’m guessing is that the drama’s more about the history, and less about the characters.

Light and Shadow will be helmed by the team behind Jumong, PD Lee Joo-hwan and writer Choi Ahn-kyu, and premieres in November on MBC, following Kye Baek.

Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/09/son-dambi-and-ahn-jae-wook-cast-in-light-and-shadow/

‘Protect the Boss’ PD gives a hint about the drama’s ending

2011-09-28T10:53:00.001+08:00

PD Son Jung Hyun of SBS‘s ‘Protect the Boss‘ recently hinted at the drama’s ending episode.

Son stated, “The ending to the drama will be inherently ‘boss-like’. I tried to show the growth between not only the wealthy, but all of the characters in the drama. The final scene features an episode that I’m sure will put a smile on every viewer’s face.”

He continued, “I’d like to sincerely thank everyone for supporting ‘Protect the Boss’ up until now. Personally, I feel happy to have been able to work with such great actors.”

‘Protect the Boss’ will wrap up its 18-episode series on September 28th.

Source + Photos:
http://www.allkpop.com/2011/09/protect-the-boss-pd-gives-a-hint-about-the-dramas-ending

Still cuts of Yunho’s scenes in ‘Poseidon’ revealed

2011-09-28T10:43:00.000+08:00

On the 27th, still cuts of TVXQ Yunho‘s scenes from KBS 2TV‘s ‘Poseidon‘ were revealed.

The still cuts display Yunho in various scenes of the drama. Playing the role of a special forces soldier, he had no trouble acting out his role even while wearing his heavy uniform. The singer who is making a cameo appearance in the drama actually carried out all of his acting scenes on his own, without using a stunt double.

An insider on set reported, “He arrived on set after a long flight but did not show any signs of fatigue. He read over his lines, and was prepared to get into character. Although he is an idol star, he is humble and works very hard. We were shocked by his professionalism.”

Source:
http://www.allkpop.com/2011/09/still-cuts-of-yunhos-scenes-in-poseidon-revealed

The boys slug it out in Man of Honor

2011-09-28T07:01:00.000+08:00

Here’s a first look at Chun Jung-myung and co-star Lee Jang-woo for their new drama Man of Honor, where they play rival sluggers on a pro baseball team. Okay, if they go sports drama with this, I might be suckered in, despite the impending melodrama.

Chun plays the washed-out once-great hitter, and Lee the golden boy who upstages him at every turn. I love stuff like this. Couldn’t we just forget about the other plots with chaebols and conglomerates, and just do this story about the two boys and their competition as teammates and rivals? I want it to be a sports drama so badly, but I feel like they’re going to move past the potentially awesome stuff really quickly, and land in the drama safe zone of boring business deals and obvious birth secrets. No! Less makjang, more baseball!

Both guys have been training rigorously for the last three months so that they can shoot without body doubles for the baseball scenes, which is pretty cool. I just hope the drama makes full use of it and throws its all into the tears sweat and glory of a good sports rivalry instead of wasting it. C’mon, rivals in love, rivals at the plate… can’t you just feel the tension? Sigh. I’m getting my hopes too high. I should just watch the first season of Friday Night Lights and call it a day.

Man of Honor premieres Wednesday October 12 on KBS.

Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/09/the-boys-slug-it-out-in-man-of-honor/

Seo Hyo-rim confirms Me Too, Flower!

2011-09-27T13:32:00.000+08:00

This drama cracks me up; after a whole bunch of names were announced as probable cast members for Me Too, Flower!, each of those actors’ representatives came out hastily to say, No, the deal isn’t final yet, we’re not yet decided, there’s been no contract, wait no wait! And then, one by one, they all confirmed the casting anyway. Ha!

First to sign on was Lee Jia as temperamental policewoman Bong-sun, followed by Kim Jae-won playing her two-faced, “undercover boss” love interest Jae-hee. Han Go-eun joined the show shortly thereafter as a businesswoman CEO who takes an active role in helping Jae-hee cultivate his career, and now Seo Hyo-rim takes on the role of “cute material girl” Kim Dal, half-sister to our heroine. Dal is ambitious and vain, but in an endearing way, which makes me think she’s a lot more like her adorable Sungkyunkwan Scandal character than her snotty Scent of a Woman role. I hope I hope.

Dal comes to live with unni Bong-sun after running into some tough times. She shows interest in the young chaebol Jae-hee (Kim Jae-won), whom Bong-sun knows to be a mere parking attendant working at a store near her police station. Dal also strikes up an acquaintanceship with an older man, played by the always wonderful drama veteran Jo Min-ki.

Seo Hyo-rim said, “I really like the characters and script, which is why I joined this drama right after finishing my last one. Dal has an unpredictable charm, which I hope you’ll enjoy.”

Me Too, Flower! is still finalizing the rest of its cast; idol boys Nickhun and Lee Ki-kwang were both rumored to be looking at the drama, and both were part of the mass casting denials. Who wants to bet they both end up joining anyway? If we’re following the trend, they’ll be hopping onboard any day now.

The drama, which comes from the My Name Is Kim Sam-soon scriptwriter, will air on MBC in early November.

Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/09/seo-hyo-rim-confirms-me-too-flower/

Actress Hwang Jung Eum is considering ‘Full House 2′

2011-09-26T16:30:00.000+08:00

Will Hwang Jung Eum star in ‘Full House 2‘?

Actress Hwang Jung Eum is considering the lead female role in upcoming drama ‘Full House 2′.

According to a drama representative, Hwang Jung Eum, who is receiving much popularity for starring in the sitcom ‘High Kick through the Roof‘ and the dramas, ‘Giant‘ and ‘Can You Hear My Heart?‘, is currently trying to coordinate her schedule to act as the leading female character. Apparently, her real-life upbeat personality fits the character description well.

Hwang Jung Eum’s agency, Core Contents Media, stated on September 25th, “It is true we are currently reviewing her appearance in ‘Full House 2′, but we are also looking at the possibilities of appearing in different dramas, movies, and various other works. We have not decided anything yet.”

‘Full House 2′ will be the sequel to hugely successful ‘Full House‘, which brought Rain and Song Hye Kyo to popularity in the acting world.

Source:
http://www.allkpop.com/2011/09/actress-hwang-jung-eum-is-considering-full-house-2

No Brain for Song Seung-heon

2011-09-24T14:50:00.000+08:00

Okay, this is messed up. Upcoming KBS medical drama Brain ditched its original cast (Lee Sang-yoon and Yoon Seung-ah) for a chance to score big fish Song Seung-heon as the leading man… and in the end Song turned the project down and walked away, leaving the production with NO cast. Pfft. I hate to say I told you so (Okay, I LOVE to say I told you so), but karma’s a bitch.

So basically, after all that hullabaloo, Brain is back to square one with no cast and it begins shooting at the end of the month. Wait, the end of THIS month? As in, a week away? See, this is what happens when you put all your eggs in one basket. Or, you toss out your perfectly good eggs for a shiny new egg that lands in your face. Omelette, anyone?

The producers reportedly decided that the original cast skewed too young, and then promptly turned all their energies to wooing Song Seung-heon, with enough faith to nix their original stars. Yoon Seung-ah even cut her hair for the role after being cast, only to be edged out by the possibility that Song would star. I’m sure she’ll bounce right back and that she looks great with any hair, but I’d be pissed if I cut my locks for a role and then got ousted.

So, no Brain for Song Seung-heon, and no cast for Brain. There’s a poem in there somewhere. Or maybe just poetic justice.

Brain airs on KBS this November… that is, if it can get a cast together and keep it.

Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/09/no-brain-for-song-seung-heon/

Vampire Prosecutor / 뱀파이어 검사

2011-09-24T14:43:00.000+08:00

Title: 뱀파이어 검사 / Vampire Geumsa / Vampire Prosecutor
Genre: Mystery
Episodes: 20
Broadcast network: OCN
Broadcast period: 2011-Oct-02 to 2012-Feb-12
Air time: Sunday 23:00

Production Credits
Director: Kim Byeong-soo (김병수)

Synopsis
A mystery investigative drama about a vampire.

Prosecutor Min Tae Yeon (Yun Jung Hoon) is bitten by somebody and becomes a Vampire. Tae Yeon rejects the life of a vampire and he survives by drinking the blood of dead people and still lives as a righteous prosecutor .

Tae Yeon also uses his new founded abilities as a Vampire to prosecute powerful persons normally thought above the law. A mysterious case then occurs and the evidence points to a Vampire as the perpetrator. Tae Yeon now knows that he is not the only Vampire. He also ponders why he became a Vampire and what truths may lie behind their motives.

Cast
Yun Jung Hoon as Min Tae Yeon (Prosecutor)
Lee Young Ah as Yoo Jung In (Prosecutor)
Lee Won Jong as Hwang Soon Bum (Detective)
Jang Hyun Sung as Jang Chul Oh (Chief Prosecutor)

Vampire Prosecutor Trailer

Love Rain holds initial script reading

2011-09-23T13:09:00.000+08:00

Huh, script reading already? Love Rain isn’t scheduled to air till 2012, but the main cast convened recently for its first script reading, which included actors Jang Geun-seok, Yoon-ah, Kim Shi-hoo, Sohn Eun-seok, Hwang Bora, and Seo In-gook.

Regarding the drama’s story, Yoon PD said, “There were a lot of one-sided loves in the ’70s era, a time period that the actors haven’t experienced for themselves. It was also a happy time, and the script reflects a lot of the emotions and experience that still linger in my memory.” According to one production company source, “Veteran PD Yoon Suk-ho led the proceedings and explained everything in detail, not leaving out even the smallest thing.”

Yoon-ah, playing two roles as a university student in the 1970s and her plucky daughter in 2012, said, “The two characters have conflicting traits, so I felt the burden of playing both roles. But after working with the director, writer, and other actors I feel like we fit well together, which is reassuring.”

Sounds like Yoon PD has a very specific idea for what he wants to achieve, and I predict the drama will heavily bear his imprint: Scenic locales, a mood-enhancing soundtrack, a strong dose of sentimentality, and lots of melodramangst. In all the news about Yoon Suk-ho and his young cast, I hadn’t paid as much attention to the writer, but now that I remember that Oh Soo-yeon worked on Season Dramas Autumn Fairy Tale (scriptwriter) and Winter Sonata (initial writer), as well as the Cinderella story All About Eve and the extremely angsty A Star’s Lover, I’m feeling warier than ever. I love a good melodrama and I’m not averse to angst, but I hope Love Rain’s pure-love and fated-through-the-generations premise can convey youthful melodrama in a new way, rather than giving us Hallyu Dramas Redux.

Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/09/love-rain-holds-initial-script-reading/

First stills from Thousand Day Promise

2011-09-22T14:26:00.000+08:00

Here’s our first look at upcoming drama Thousand Day Promise, with Su Ae and Kim Rae-won as lovers battling against time and memory. I’m ridiculously excited for this drama, despite the fact that it’s a melodrama and destined to be a tear-jerker. I LOVE Su Ae, and JB LOVES Kim Rae-won (I’m not allowed to love him. In fact I can only say his name three times in this article or else she’ll start a rampage.) so I think it’s safe to say we’re on pins and needles for this drama.

The latest drama by acclaimed screenwriter Kim Soo-hyun centers around a heroine struggling with memory loss (as in, her memory begins to deteriorate, not amnesia from the get-go). Kim Rae-won plays the stalwart boyfriend who stands by her side, as they struggle to hold onto their love. I think it’s a great premise, and one that’s similar to a story like Scent of a Woman, except it gets to explore significantly different themes. It’s a race against the clock, but in a different, and I think more compelling way.

And best of all, it’s been in production since late August, and the scripts are in for ten of the sixteen episodes. That means no rushing, no crap live shoots, no half-assed editing on the fly. The story is engaging, the cast is A-list, and I trust the writer. In a nutshell, most anticipated drama of the fall.

Thousand Day Promise follows Warrior Baek Dong-soo on SBS and premieres October 17.

Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/09/first-stills-from-thousand-day-promise/

Song Seung-heon in for a Brain replacement?

2011-09-21T15:40:00.000+08:00

The entire announced cast of medical drama Brain is being replaced…and potentially filling the new hero’s shoes is Song Seung-heon.

The official story from Brain’s chief producer is that the drama feels too much like a “youth drama” with formerly cast Lee Sang-yoon (The Duo) and Yoon Seung-ah (Playful Kiss). You know, the stripling young lad a month shy of 30, and the barely-pubescent 28-year-old woman. Forgive me if I’m a little skeptical. (By which I mean: Lee and Yoon are in no way old, but youth drama? Pfffft. Like you could see them playing the kids of You’re Beautiful and You’ve Fallen For Me rather than, say, the teachers.)

In any case, the CP said that they felt it was skewing too “youth” and are reworking things now. You think you could’ve done that before actually casting your show? All is backwards in K-dramaland; the cast had even recently held a script reading. Also out are supporting leads like Lee Hyun-jin (You’ve Fallen For Me) and Kim Soo-hyun (Sophie from Runaway Plan B).

Song Seung-heon is in negotiations to take over the lead role as ambitious brain surgeon, which…pfffft, just makes me giggle. I like Song Seung-heon, particularly after changing up his image in My Princess, and especially after hearing that he’s learned to have some fun and not always try to look cool all the time. But brain surgeon? With Song, nekkid abs and glowering are part of the deal, and sometimes the whole of it.

On the other side of the story, you have the replaced actors, whose reactions are: “This is shocking.” Lee Sang-yoon and Yoon Seung-ah’s agencies are already in drama promotion mode, having thought the deal finalized with the production company and the broadcast station.

KBS’s newly staffed Brain will follow Poseidon and air in November.

Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/09/song-seung-heon-in-for-a-brain-replacement/

Poseidon / 포세이돈

2011-09-20T05:19:00.000+08:00

Title: 포세이돈 / Poseidon
Also Known as: Coast Guard Investigation 9 (CGI9)
Genre: Action, romance
Episodes: 16
Broadcast network: KBS2
Broadcast period: 2011-Sep-19 to 2011-Nov-08
Air time: Monday and Tuesday 21:55

Production Credits
Chief Producer: Kwak Ki Won
Producer: Moon Jung Kwang (문성광), Lee So Yeon
Director: Yoo Chul Yong, Oh Sang Won (오상원)
Screenwriter: Jo Kyu Won (조규원)

Synopsis
This drama is the story of the members life savers of the coast guard. The drama is based on the special duties of the Korean Coast Guard officers (rescues, terrorism threats, and other special missions) and also their obstacle in life and love. The drama takes its name from the Poseidon Team, a special forces unit of the Marines. Using the strong bonds of humanity as a basis, and through the challenges faced by the protagonists and their spirit of self-sacrifice, the drama movingly shows the significance of life and the stories of how people overcome obstacles in life.

Kim Sun Woo, who spent his school days as a troublemaker, decides to make a change in his life and joins the sea special attack team, which is called Poseidon. Sun Woo works as a promising commando, but he unexpectedly becomes entangled in an unsavory incident after 2 years. He is demoted and is sent to a maritime police office in Gunsan city. Sun Woo’s passion cools down and he slowly loses his vision as a maritime policeman. Then one day, Jung Ryul, who has formed a new crime investigation section in Incheon city, visits Sun Woo and asks him to join the team.

Cast
Choi Si Won as Kim Sun Woo
Lee Si Young as Lee Soo Yoon
Lee Sung Jae as Kwon Jung Ryul
Han Jung Soo as Oh Min Hyuk
Jung Woon Taek as Lee Choong Shik
Kil Yong Woo as Oh Yong Gap
Jang Dong Jik as Kang Joo Min
U Know Yunho as Kang Eun Cheul
Im Ki Hyuk (임기혁) as Kim Sang Soo
Kim Tae Hyung (김태형) as Woo Hyun Tae
Jin Hee Kyung as Hyun Hye Jung
Kim Yoon Seo (김윤서) as Hong Ji Ah
Lee Dong Shin as Kwon Chang Bum
Choi Jung Woo as Han Sang Goon
Lee Byung Joon as Superintendent Gu
Son Jong Bum as Captain Oh
Park Sung Kwang (박성광) as Kim Dae Sung
Lee Sang Hoon (이상훈) as Lee Won Tak
?? as Choi Hee Gon
Kim Joon Bae (김준배) as Jung Duk Soo
Jang Won Young as Ahn Dong Chool
Park Won Sook as Uhm Hee Sook
Choi Ran as Young Ran
Jun Mi Sun as Park Min Jung
Kim Soo Hyun (김수현) as Kwon Ha Na
Lee Joo Shil as Cha Myung Joo

Poseidon Trailer

High Kick 3: The Revenge of the Short Legged / 하이킥3, 짧은 다리의 역습

2011-09-20T05:10:00.000+08:00

Title: 하이킥3, 짧은 다리의 역습 / The Revenge of the Short Legged
Also known as: ,
Genre: Sitcom, family, comedy, romance
Episodes: 120
Broadcast network: MBC
Broadcast period: 2011-Sep-19 to 2012
Air time: Monday to Friday 19:45
Related Series: High Kick 1 and High Kick 2

Production Credits
Production Company: Chorokbaem Media
Director: Kim Byung Wook, Park Soon Tae (박순태)
Screenwriter: Lee Young Chul (이영철)

Synopsis
Ahn Nae Sang and Yoon Yoo Sun are middle aged husband and wife. When his business goes bankrupt, this couple moves in to her brother’s house and the conflict starts.

Cast

Ahn family
Ahn Nae Sang as Ahn Nae Sang
Yoon Yoo Sun as Yoon Yoo Sun
Lee Jong Suk as Ahn Jong Suk
Krystal Jung as Ahn Soo Jung
Yoon Kye Sang as Yoon Kye Sang
Suh Ji Suk as Yoon Ji Suk

Other people
Park Ha Sun as Park Ha Sun
Go Young Wook (고영욱) as Go Young Wook
Park Ji Sun (박지선) as Park Ji Sun
Yoon Gun (윤건) as Yoon Gun
Kim Ji Won as Kim Ji Won
Julien Kang as Julien
Baek Jin Hee as Baek Jin Hee
Lee Juck (이적) as Lee Juck
Kang Seung Yoon (강승윤) as Kang Seung Yoon

High Kick 3: The Revenge of the Short Legged Trailer
[Not yet Available]

Yoon Seung-ah joins KBS’s Brain

2011-09-17T14:58:00.001+08:00

Yoon Seung-ah has graduated to leading lady status with her next role, as she’s just been cast in KBS’s medical drama Brain, which earlier cast Lee Sang-yoon (The Duo) as its ambitious lead.

True to its title, the drama’s all about brains and the people who treat them. (Alas, not the zombies who eat them.) The cast of neurosurgeons includes Lee Sang-yoon, his sunbae Jung Jin-young (Dong Yi), his rival Lee Hyun-jin (You’ve Fallen For Me), and now love interest Yoon Seung-ah.

Yoon’s character, Yoon Ji-hye, is described as a dedicated and committed professional who’s hard-core about her studies and her work. Usually that means the character’s got some flaws on the personality front (see: harsh Dr. Poopypants in Scent of a Woman, before he learns how to express his inner emotions without lashing out), but Ji-hye is warm and fair with her patients.

Yoon is still relatively new to the industry (at almost-28, she got a bit of a late start) and has had just a couple of supporting drama roles under her belt — she was Ha-ni’s best friend in Playful Kiss and most recently in the family sitcom All My Love — but I like her screen presence and hope this drama suits her.

She said, “Following All My Love, I’m happy to be cast in my first drama leading role. This will give me the opportunity to show a more serious image than in a sitcom. I’ll be heading into shoots soon so I’m busily preparing now, and I’ll work hard to repay all the love I’ve been given.”

Brain follows Poseidon, airing on Mondays and Tuesdays starting in November.

Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/09/yoon-seung-ah-joins-kbss-brain/

Live in Style / 폼나게 살거야

2011-09-17T14:52:00.000+08:00

Title: 폼나게 살거야 / Pomnage Salguya / Live in Style
Genre: Family, Comedy
Episodes: 50
Broadcast network: SBS
Broadcast period: 2011-Sep-17 to 2012-March-04
Air time: Saturday and Sunday 21:50

Production Credits
Producer: Oh Se Kang
Director: Hong Chang Wook
Screenwriter: Moon Young Nam

Synopsis
“Live in Style” is a family story. The family are in a difficult situation now, but they try to overcome and live in style. Each member of this large family have unusual names.

Cast

Mo Sung Ae’s family
Lee Hyo Choon as Mo Sung Ae
Son Hyun Joo as Na Dae Ra
Choi Soo Rin as Nam Eun Jung
Kim Hee Jung as Na No Ra
Yoon Se In (윤세인) as Na Ah Ra
Choi Woo Shik (최우식) as Na Joo Ra

Chun Yeon Duk’s family
Park Jung Soo as Chun Yeon Duk
Ki Tae Young as Choi Shin Hyung
?? as Choi So Hyung
?? as Choi Goo Hyung

Jo Yong Pal’s family
No Joo Hyun as Jo Yong Pal
?? as Jo Jin Sang
?? as Lee Hae Shim

Other people
Oh Dae Gyu as Shin Ki Han
Go Se Won as Jo Eun Geol

Live in Style Trailer

The Great Gift / 위대한 선물

2011-09-17T14:42:00.000+08:00

Title: 위대한 선물 / Widaehan Seonmul / The Great Gift
Also Known as : The Mighty Gift
Previously Known As: 선물 / Gift
Genre: Family, Romance
Episodes: 2 (2 episodes aired consecutively)
Broadcast network: SBS
Broadcast period: 2011-Sep-11
Air time: Sunday 23:10

Production Credits
Chief Producer: Kim Jung Min
Producer: Yoon Soon Hwan (윤순환)
Director: Bae Tae Sup
Screenwriter: Go Yoon Hee (고윤희)

Synopsis
A Chuseok special family drama about a woman who is losing her eye-sight and has to depend on guide dog, and a cop who helps her.

Cast
Han Ji Hye as Kim Ha Yeon
Kim Dong Wook as Gu Woo Ram
Kim Eung Soo as Kim Jung Min
Moon Hee Kyung as Yoon Joo Hee
Kwon Byung Gil as principal
Lee Jong Nam as vice-principal
Moon Chun Shik as homeroom teacher
Kim Hye Sun as Woo Ram’s sister-in-law
Chun Young Min (천영민) as Gu Seung Ri

The Great Gift Trailer

Noriko Goes to Seoul / 노리코, 서울에 가다

2011-09-17T14:25:00.000+08:00

Title: 노리코, 서울에 가다 / No-ri-ko, Seo-wool-ae Ga-da / Noriko Goes to Seoul
Genre: Family, Romance
Episodes: 1
Broadcast network: KBS
Broadcast period: 2011-Sep-10
Air time: Saturday, 23:20

Production Credits
Chief Producer: Choi Ji Young (최지영)
Producer: Moon Joon Ha (문준하)
Director: Lee Gyo Wook (이교욱)
Screenwriter: Seo Jung Min (서정민), Ahn Joo Young (안주영)

Synopsis
A family drama that recovers family love when Japanese lady Noriko Mori (Takashima Reiko) crazy for K-pop stars coincidentally meets Min-ha (Lee Hong Ki) and the two affect each others lives.

Japanese middle-aged housewife Noriko Mori has been married for 17 year. She’s also a huge fan of Korean pop singer Kim Hyun-Jae. Her quiet husband Hiroshi (Masanobu Katsumura) and daughter Miyuki (Manami Ikura) doesn’t understand her fascination with the K-pop singer. One day, Noriko is diagnosed with lung cancer. Making matters worse, Miyuki says she quit athletics at her school. Hiroshi doesn’t take Miyuki’s decision seriously, but Noriko worries more and more about her daughter. At this time, Noriko hears of an audition being held featuring her favorite singer Kim Hyun-Jae as a judge. In order give inspiration to her daughter Miyuki, Noriko decides to take part in the audition. Noriko then goes to Seoul .

Cast
Takashima Reiko as Mori Noriko
Lee Hong Ki as Kim Min Ha
Kim Ji Young as Sam Wol
Ikura Manami (伊倉愛美) as Miyuki
Oh Yong as Sang Chul
Katsumura Masanobu as Hiroshi
Han Jung Won (한정원) as So Ra
Im Jong In (임종인) as Woo Jin
MayBee as Junko
Ryu Shi Won as Kim Hyun Jae
Tani Rumiko (谷ルミコ) as Haruka
Abe Mihoko (阿部美穂子) as Nazumi
Kim Sun Hwa as Woo Jin’s mother
Son Eun Seo as radio DJ
Nam Sung Joon (남성준) as Young Soo
Park Sang Shin (박상신) as Jung Tae
Lee Ah Ram (이아람) as Hee Young
Lee Jung Sung as doctor
Kim Byung Choon as juror
Lee Chang Yong (이창용) as juror

Noriko Goes to Seoul Trailer

The ladies of Flower Boy Ramyun Shop

2011-09-16T15:02:00.001+08:00

Now that the pretty, pretty boys have been cast for Flower Boy Ramyun Shop — that would be 49 Days’ Jung Il-woo and A Star’s Lover’s Lee Ki-woo — we have the ladies who will join them.

Cast in the romantic lead opposite Jung Il-woo is Lee Chung-ah, which I think I’m pretty happy about. Her most recent dramas have been dailies (Pumpkin Flower Soon-jung and Everybody Cha Cha Cha) so that means that while she’s fairly well-known back at home, her profile is a bit lower for those of us abroad who gravitate more toward prime-time dramas and films. But I do recall her being cute and funny in Accidental Couple (she played Hwang Jung-min’s sister), and she was even cuter and funnier as the Korean-Japanese student who bickers with, then falls for, Park Ki-woong in My Tutor Friend 2. She was also in the recent Gong Yoo—Im Soo-jung romantic comedy Finding Kim Jong-wook.

In Flower Boy Ramyun Shop, Lee Chung-ah plays Eun-bi, a 25-year-old university student who’s preparing for the civil service exam, who manages the ramyun shop populated by a staff of pretty boys. Sort of like Coffee Prince, except the heroine’s the boss and one of her romantic interests (Lee Ki-woo) is employed as her genius chef.

Interestingly, Jung Il-woo’s prince-like chaebol character is a high school student, and heir to a food product company. I’d expected that Jung would one again be part of a noona romance (he’s 24, she’s 26), but I didn’t think he’d be that young. I suppose high school students in Korea can be as old as 20, so it may not be such a big issue, and hey — it could be as cute and appealing as the Gong Yoo—Gong Hyo-jin couple in Biscuit Teacher Star Candy.

Then there’s new face Kim Ye-won (who was a Vietnamese housekeeper in Romance Town) playing a high school teacher. She’s a confident modern woman whom the men see as prime “bride material” (ugh, that phrase); I’m gonna bet her male students think so too.

Flower Boy Ramyun Shop is scheduled for 16 episodes to follow Birdie Buddy on cable channel tvN, premiering in late October.

Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/09/the-ladies-of-flower-boy-ramyun-shop/

The Vampires come to television

2011-09-14T14:47:00.000+08:00

Yup, Vampires, as in more than one. We’ve talked about Vampire Prosecutor before, but there’s another show in the works — a sitcom this time — called Vampire Idol. Can there be singing and judges?

First, the version we know about. OCN’s series Vampire Prosecutor, starring Yeon Jung-hoon (Jejoongwon, East of Eden) as the titular hero, has released a trailer (watch below) that’s pretty boss: slick, cool, and dark. I’m even warming to the fake blue eyes, which add that hint of ethereal coolness to his overall look.

But best of all is the interesting spin that this drama takes on the whole vampire/investigative genre: Our hero can actually use his vampire powers in his day job (heh), because one taste of the blood left at a murder scene allows him to see the moment of death and glean how it came about. Aw, it’s work AND a meal! Never say vampires can’t multi-task.

Then, there’s Vampire Idol, which has just cast MC/comedian Shin Dong-yup, currently the only actor attached. This one is set to air on general-service (as in, not specializing in specific genres or formats) cable channel MBN, and will be a 30-minute sitcom with 120 episodes.

This drama has two things going for it. First off, the premise: A naive prince from a vampire star comes to earth to become…an idol. It’s a school-set premise as he struggles to realize his goal. Omg. That’s awesome. It’s like Hello, Franceska, only zanier.

And then, there’s the pedigree of the producers. The former MBC PD at the helm worked the New Nonstop campus sitcom series (the one with Jo In-sung, Jung Da-bin, and Jang Nara). One of its writers wrote the hit old-school sitcom Three Men, Three Women, and the other wrote Soonpoong Clinic.

Vampire Idol is looking, naturally, to bring some idols to its young cast, and is reportedly also looking to bring on veteran actress Kim Sumi (of Daring Women, Hooray for Love, and 1N2D’s recent Actress Special).

OCN’s Vampire Prosecutor is set for an October 2 premiere, while Vampire Idol has yet to confirm its timeslot.

Vampire Prosecutor Trailer

Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/09/the-vampires-come-to-television/

Medical drama Brain lines up male leads

2011-09-13T14:50:00.000+08:00

(Jung Jin-young, Lee Sang-yoon and Lee Hyun-jin )

A new KBS medical drama titled Brain is prepping for production and lining up its lead actors: Jung Jin-young (Dong Yi, Kingdom of the Wind) has been cast, and it’s looking likely that both Lee Sang-yoon (The Duo, Life Is Beautiful) and Lee Hyun-jin (You’ve Fallen For Me, Boy Meets Boy, pictured above) will join them.

Lee Sang-yoon’s management confirmed a few days ago that he has yet to sign contracts but is looking favorably at the project, while Lee Hyun-jin has reportedly verbally agreed and is in final contract negotiations.

My first thought upon hearing this news was: Yay, Lee Hyun-jin! He was probably my favorite character in You’ve Fallen For Me, playing stagefright-stricken Ki-young with the amazing voice. Talk about stealing your tiny bits of screentime with powerful onscreen presence and a natural charisma. My second thought after that: Boo, so I guess it’s not about zombies, then? Although in that case, the title would’ve probably been Brains. (Or, as I pronounce it, Braaaaaaaiiinnnns.)

As one article put it: Is Brain only casting brains? That’s because two of its leading men — Jung Jin-young and Lee Sang-yoon — hail from Korea’s elite Seoul National University; the 46-year-old Jung earned a degree in Korean language and literature, while 29-year-old Lee is studying physics. (Since we’re comparing notes, 26-year-old Lee Hyun-jin is currently on leave from studying industrial economics at Joongang University.) Schooling is one of those automatic ajumma-heart-warmers, and goes a long way toward Lee Sang-yoon’s image as an eom-chin-ah (the son you want for your own, see: Lee Seung-gi). Now all Brain needs is to cast Kim Tae-hee to round out its Seoul U cast.

Plot-ularly speaking, Lee Sang-yoon will be playing the lead role as an ambitious neurosurgeon who’s obsessed with advancing to the position of university hospital director. However, once he meets his sunbae, the prickly genius doctor played by Jung Jin-young, he turns over a new leaf and becomes a sincere doctor. Lee Hyun-jin will play another doctor and Lee Sang-yoon’s rival.

Brain is a re-teaming of the PD and writer of KBS’s hit drama God of Study, which I suppose is supposed to recommend the drama but makes me a little leery. I found God of Study incredibly cute…about a quarter of the time, and mind-numbingly dull the rest of the time. Based on that series alone, I think pacing and sufficient plot content will be areas to work on, but this IS an entirely different topic/genre, so maybe it’ll work.

Brain plans to follow Poseidon on Mondays and Tuesday nights, which puts its premiere sometime in November.

Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/09/medical-drama-brain-lines-up-male-leads/

Protect the Boss confirms extension

2011-09-10T12:50:00.000+08:00

Wednesday-Thursday SBS drama Protect the Boss starring Choi Kang-hee, Ji Sung, Wang Ji-hye and Kim Jaejoong, has been confirmed for a 2-episode extension, bringing the final episode count up to 18. That means an extra week for all the chaebol-and-secretary-slash-bodyguard hijinks galore.

There’s been talk of an extension, though the ratings for the show are in that mid-teens range, where it’s not quite a runaway hit, but it’s been performing solidly throughout. The Princess’s Man has taken a firm lead in the Wed-Thu primetime slot, recording 21.1% ratings this week, while Boss has kept a steady second place, this week coming in around 14.8%. (Plenty of shows extend with 14-17% range, though 20% is the new benchmark. Remember ye olden days of 50% ratings?) Anyway, it makes sense that an extension was in the cards for the show since it’s been critically well-received despite being in second place.

That pushes follow-up drama Tree With Deep Roots back another week, which will certainly benefit the high-budget production. Tree is the highly anticipated sageuk from the writers of Queen Seon-deok, about the life of King Sejong the Great, starring Jang Hyuk, Han Seok-kyu, Shin Se-kyung, and Song Joong-ki.

That means Tree premieres October 5, which oddly enough puts its premiere date right up against the last week of ratings leader The Princess’s Man. You don’t battle a new sageuk with an established sageuk — it’s the same audience! I suppose they’ll just take a hit for the first week, but if I were SBS, I’d air a special or something till the coast was clear. Amirite?

Credit;
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/09/protect-the-boss-confirms-extension/

Couple stills from Poseidon

2011-09-09T13:59:00.001+08:00

These two right here may be the only reason I’m keen to watch Poseidon, because individually Choi Siwon and Lee Shi-young are both pretty charismatic, and together they look downright adorable.

Their couple nickname (already they’ve got one) is Sun-Soo couple, which takes part of both characters’ names — he’s Sun-woo, she’s Soo-yoon. But it’s got the added little joke built in, since sun-soo also means player. Heh. I wonder who’ll be doing the heartbreaking here. I hope it’s her; surely the cocky hotshot could stand to be taken down a peg or two.

From the director of All In and the writer of IRIS, we can expect a fair amount of drama and action, although I really do hope there’s plenty of lighthearted beats, too — because if you’re gonna cast two beautiful stars with solid comic chops, it would be a waste not to put those skills to good use. I’m eager to see their romance play out (with lots of chemistry and skinship, please!); Siwon’s romance in Oh My Lady felt disappointingly platonic, while Lee’s characters seem to have been thwarted in love more often than not.

Below the couple shots, we have a few stills of the drama’s other lead actor, Lee Sung-jae, with the girl who plays his daughter. In the drama, he loses his wife (who was his first love) in an accident. Although he’s a doting single father, he becomes a workaholic and throws himself into his job with the police force, of which Lee Shi-young and Han Jung-soo (Prosecutor Princess) are also members.

Poseidon takes up the timeslot vacated by Myung-wol the Spy, although there’ll be a week gap between the two. Since Chuseok falls on Monday, the 12th, Poseidon will premiere the following week on September 19.

More Photo Stills @
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/09/couple-stills-and-more-from-poseidon/

Lee Ki-woo joins Flower Boy Ramyun Shop

2011-09-08T14:19:00.000+08:00

Another pretty face joins the drama designed around the concept of pretty faces, Flower Boy Ramyun Shop: The very, very tall (190 cm) Lee Ki-woo has been cast in the tvN drama in his first post-army project.

If you’ll recall, Flower Boy Ramyun Shop stars quintessential flower boy Jung Il-woo and is the first in cable channel tvN’s Oh Boy Series, which is targeted toward younger viewers and plans to cast kkot-minam (flower boy) stars in all its dramas. Jung Il-woo plays a chaebol in a food product conglomerate, whereas Lee Ki-woo will play a “genius chef” (ahh, chaebols and geniuses, the lifeblood of the Korean rom-com) who comes to Korea from Japan. At least he’s not a cold genius type, but instead shows a “cheerful, quirky, and free-spirited” side.

Lee explained making the choice because he was drawn to the “bright and witty script and distinctive character.” Apparently there’ll be even more flower boys to come, since Lee works in a ramyun shop with a number of them, and falls into a romantic storyline with the heroine who manages it.

There hasn’t been a lot of info about Lee Ki-woo since his enlistment two years ago, but it’ll be good to see him back now that he’s out (he was discharged on September 1). I’ve only seen him acting in a few things (his dramas include A Star’s Lover, Rude Women, and A Love To Kill) and to be honest I haven’t been wowed by his performances, but he has a cute, clean appeal. I’m gonna be rooting for Jung Il-woo all the way, though, no question.

Now all that remains is to see who’s cast as the female lead. Flower Boy Ramyun Shop takes the timeslot after Birdie Buddy and premieres in October.

Credit;
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/09/lee-ki-woo-joins-flower-boy-ramyun-shop/

Extension confirmed for Warrior Baek Dong-soo

2011-09-07T12:22:00.000+08:00

So the drama groundhog has seen its shadow, and now we’ll be getting six more episodes of Warrior Baek Dong-soo. The extension takes the drama’s total episode count up to 30 from its initially scheduled 24, although producers have stated that the drama had always had a 30-episode run in mind and therefore should be able to support extra weeks without too much strain. We hope.

I’d pretty much figured this was coming once producers announced that an extension was being considered. Fusion sageuk Warrior Baek Dong-soo has been performing strongly in its Monday-Tuesday slot, taking the ratings prize over MBC’s sageuk series Kye Baek and KBS’s Frankenstein of a spy-romance-comedy-melo-action series Myung-wol the Spy. SBS has got strong drama performers on every night of the week, and that’s never an easy slot to give up if you can help it.

Cotinue Reading Article @
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/09/extension-confirmed-for-warrior-baek-dong-soo/

Shin Se Kyung is graceful in her hanbok

2011-09-06T07:45:00.000+08:00

Actress Shin Se Kyung shows off her elegance in a hanbok just in time for Chuseok.

Shin Se Kyung revealed her graceful figure during the poster photo shoot of SBS’s new drama, “Tree With Deep Roots”. The deep red skirt and the bright blue top showcased her fresh beauty, while the combination of her milky skin and clean smile further enhanced her innocent charm.

Shin Se Kyung has been keeping busy after the release of her movie, “Blue Salt”, and is currently filming “Tree With Deep Roots”.

Credit;
http://www.allkpop.com/2011/09/shin-se-kyung-is-graceful-in-hanbok

The Musical

2011-09-03T13:58:00.000+08:00

Title: 더 뮤지컬 / The Musical
Genre: Musical
Episodes: 16
Broadcast network: SBS
Broadcast period: 2011-Sep-02 to 2011-Dec-16
Air time: Friday 22:00

Production Credits
Director: Kim Kyung Yong (김경용)
Screenwriter: Kim Hee Jae

Synopsis
Musical drama about the dreams and love of musical actors.

Koo Hye Sun, Daniel Choi, and Ock Joo Hyun form the love triangle at the center of The Musical, which follows the lives and dreams of aspiring musical stars.

Cast
Koo Hye Sun as Go Eun Bi
Choi Daniel as Hong Jae Yi
Park Ki Woong as Yoo Jin
Ock Joo Hyun as Bae Gang Hee
Ki Eun Se (기은세) as Seo Ra Kyung
Park Kyung Rim as Sa Bok Ja
Kim Hyun Sung as Han Sang Won
Oh Jung Se as Goo Jak
Kim Yong Min (김용민) as Joon Hyuk
Kim In Seo as Sang Mi
Lee Do Kyung as Eun Bi’s father
Jung Young Sook as Yang Soon Yi
Kang Ji Hoo as Hyun Kwang Seo
Cha Kwang Soo as Yoo Jin Young
Ahn Yeo Jin as Sun Hee
Park Geun Hyung as President Yoo
Jo Won Hee (조원희)
Lee Ji Hyung (이지형) as Yoo Jae Joon
Kim Jin Ho (김진호) as President Seo
Choo So Young
Jung Tae (정태)

The Musical Trailer

Little Girl K

2011-09-03T13:49:00.000+08:00

Title: 소녀K / Sonyeo K / Little Girl K
Also known as: Killer K / Girl K
Genre: Action
Episodes: 3
Broadcast network: CGV
Broadcast period: 2011-Aug-27 to 2011-Sep-10
Air time: Saturday 24:00

Production Credits
Production Company: CJ E&M Pictures
Director: Kim Jong Hyun (김종현)

Synopsis
Cha Yeon Jin is a high school girl whose outwardly normal existence and reticent character masks her true identity: she is a professional assassin who is seeking out her biological father in order to avenge her mother.

Cast
Han Groo as Cha Yeon Jin
Kim Jung Tae as Yoo Sung Ho
Park Hyo Joo as Min Ji Young
Baek Do Bin as Choi Tae Young
Kim Roe Ha as Jang Se Wook
Jun Mi Sun as Cha In Sook
Jun Gook Hwan as Kwon Do Hwan
Kim Dong Joon as Go Young Min
Bae Noo Ri (배누리) as Nal Na Ri

Little Girl K Trailer

Song Il-kook considers drama with Mawang PD

2011-09-02T14:33:00.001+08:00

Song Il-kook is reportedly in contention as the leading man in a new drama with an interestingly uninteresting title: It’s 발효가족, which means literally Fermentation Family. It’s a horrible sounding name, so for now I’m going to call it by its phonetic Korean name, Balhyo Gajok. Phew, that sounds better to my ear, strangely, though it means the same thing.

There’s barely any information about the project in official news reports, but from the dribs and drabs I’ve been able to pick up, the fermentation part of the title likely comes from the drama’s involvement with kimchi, although it also deals with gangsters. Now there’s a title for you: Kimchi and Gangsters. True, that would make it sound much more comedic, but then again, it’s not like fermentation conjures up images of badass gangsters either.

But before you mentally check out of the show before it’s even begun, there’s one key consideration: Directing it is PD Park Chan-hong, who did Rebirth (aka Resurrection) and Mawang (aka The Devil) — two dark thriller dramas oft-noted for their high-quality storytelling and acting (and, as it happens, both starring Uhm Tae-woong). That track record right there is enough to make me sit up and take notice, because it’s rare that we get dark K-drama thrillers that work well, and here’s a guy with two standouts on his resumé.

A rep confirmed that Song has received the script and is considering the role, but cautioned that it’s too early to make casting statements. (There are wee little rumors that Kim Jung-eun — I Am Legend, Forever the Moment — is in contention for the female lead, but those are not yet substantiated.) Song had a modest success last year with the weekend action drama A Man Called God, but fared less well this year with Crime Squad. Balhyo Gajok will be produced by Olive Nine, but currently doesn’t have broadcaster commitment.

Source/Credit;
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/09/song-il-kook-considers-drama-with-mawang-pd/

Warrior Baek Dong-soo contemplates extension

2011-09-01T14:46:00.001+08:00

The reigning Monday-Tuesday drama, SBS’s action sageuk Warrior Baek Dong-soo, is reportedly in talks to extend its run by six episodes, which would take the show from 24 episodes to a total of 30.

A source with the show confirmed that the extension is currently being seriously considered, and the actors are being consulted regarding the extra installments. While a final decision has yet to be made, the source also stated that a 30-episode run has always been a possibility, so an extension wouldn’t be detrimental to the story flow.

If the extension is confirmed, that pushes the Kim Rae-won/Su Ae melodrama Thousand Day Promise (written by hitmaker scriptwriter Kim Soo-hyun) to October.

SBS has got a good thing going with strong dramas airing practically every night of the week: Scent of a Woman just broke 20% and is winning on weekends, while Protect the Boss is second in its Wednesday-Thursday timeslot, but still holding strong with mid- to upper-teen ratings.

While I’m not following this series, it seems from various accounts that its current plot would support an extension, and with six weeks to go before reaching its original end date, there’s plenty of room to adjust the story to accommodate a longer run. And that gives the drama extra time to mine the burgeoning good-versus-evil face-off between pretty boys Ji Chang-wook (good) and Yoo Seung-ho (the dark side). As well as tossing in a few more manly hairstyles. Because, as girlfriday so sagely points out, “Baek Dong-soo. It’s all about the hair.”

SourcE/Credit;
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/08/warrior-baek-dong-soo-contemplates-extension/

Jung Il-woo’s new drama Flower Boy Ramyun Shop

2011-08-30T15:14:00.001+08:00

From pretty-boy masked heroes to pretty-boy Schedulers to pretty-boy… ramyun purveyors? The poster boy for the “kkot-minam” (flower boy) generation, Jung Il-woo, has signed on to a new drama called Flower Boy Ramyun Shop, which will air on tvN following Birdie Buddy.

Flower Boy Ramyun Shop (a working title) is the first drama in tvN’s planned “Oh Boy” series, which plays with the trendy drama format and features a star-studded lineup of flower boy leading men. The strategy is to make a direct play for the young market, and create an Oh Boy brand that opens the door for other related products and enterprises.

The Oh Boy series includes a reality/audition program, with the intention of being a long-running brand. Oh Boy Audition plans to premiere in October with seven episodes, scoping out the new generation of pretty boy leading men. The winner of that series wins a role in the second drama in the Oh Boy series, Flower Boy Attack Band.

Then at the end of October, Flower Boy Ramyun Boy will premiere, broadcasting on Mondays and Tuesdays. Jung Il-woo will play Cha Chi-soo, a conceited chado-nam (cold city man) from a wealthy family. He’s confident and chic, but also has a hidden pure side underneath it all. Aw, he’s a teddy bear hiding in asshole’s clothing. He’s the son to the country’s biggest food product conglomerate (think Nongshim, or Lotte).

Read Full Article @ Source
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/08/jung-il-woos-new-drama-flower-boy-ramyun-shop/

Vampire Prosecutor’s non-vampire prosecutor

2011-08-28T08:40:00.000+08:00

Upcoming drama Vampire Prosecutor has its lead actress, and it’s Baker King Kim Tak-gu’s Lee Young-ah, who joins lead actor/hero/vampire Yeon Jung-hoon in the cable series.

Yeon plays a prosecutor who becomes a vampire and has to hide his secret identity from others, while using his special vampire abilities to investigate crime and root out societal evils. So it’s like City Hunter meets Angel?

Omg, is this the drama girlfriday and I have been dreaming of? Alas, it very crucially lacks an Lee Min-ho, so I guess not quite. But still — there are a lot of ways in which City Hunter shared themes and similarities with Angel, although he wasn’t also the prosecutor in the secret-hero-fights-crime scenario. Lee Young-ah will be shedding her cute image to play a prosecutor in the special crimes team.

The drama airs on cable channel OCN, which was also home to the darkly stylized Yacha (which I hated, but thought was very well produced. The Spartacus-like orgy of blood-n-guts-n-sex just didn’t appeal to me). I suppose that means there’s a chance Vampire Prosecutor could also go dark, which would be fantastic. I haven’t gotten a handle on the tone the show’s going for so it may end up being cheesy as all get-out, but if it goes edgy, it could be something quite interesting.

Vampire Prosecutor will begin filming at the end of August, and plans to premiere at the end of September.

Source / Credit;
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/08/vampire-prosecutors-non-vampire-prosecutor/

Finally, some plot details on Poseidon v.2.0

2011-08-24T13:28:00.000+08:00

Yay, more movement on Poseidon! Here are shots from the drama’s initial script rehearsal; the table read was held three weeks ago but the photos have only been released now. The three main leads were naturally present — Choi Siwon, Lee Sung-jae, Lee Shi-young — as well as the supporting cast: Han Jung-soo, Gil Yong-woo, Park Sung-kwang, Jin Hee-kyung.

We also get a few more details about the story and premise: After losing his wife in an accident, Lee Sung-jae’s naval officer character becomes a total workaholic and sets out out to uncover a mafia organization linked to an unsolved case.

Choi Siwon was a rookie agent in Athena; here, he plays a onetime ace officer who’d enjoyed a steady rise. However, after getting caught up in a messy case, his career ground to a halt. The former hotshot is now the problem child of the special forces team Poseidon, and he’s put on the investigation team looking into that unsolved case. Also on that case is the sole female officer on the team, Lee Shi-young.

Tonally, it looks like the drama’s going for action and mystery, calling Poseidon an example of a “new concept in investigative dramas.” The point of comparison the production is making is the American series NCIS — by which I hope they mean Poseidon will be funny. Because really, nobody ever watched NCIS for Navy verisimilitude, right? The cases in that show were all about providing the backdrop for character interaction and humorous banter. I could get behind that.

I am a little nervous that the production isn’t that far ahead of its airing schedule, considering that the first version of the series had months of advance preparation and this one is less than a month away from its premiere. But the drama has basically wiped the slate clean and gotten a fresh start, so let’s hope it gets off on the right foot this time.

Poseidon premieres on Monday, September 19.

Credit;
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/08/finally-some-plot-details-on-poseidon-v-2-0/

First look at upcoming sitcom High Kick 3

2011-08-22T14:42:00.000+08:00

First stills are out for the hilariously titled third season of the High Kick family sitcom series, High Kick 3: Counterattack of the Short Legs.

PD Kim Byung-wook, the director behind the helm for all three seasons, explained the name as a sort of “losers fight back” motif; a high kick is more effective with long legs, so those with short legs are disadvantaged from the start. With the original series titledUnstoppable High Kick and the sequel named High Kick Through the Roof, I suppose you could say this one’s more like a Stoppable High Kick, har har. What, was High Kick That Doesn’t Quite Reach The Ceiling already taken?

The series began filming on August 17 at a hotel in Seoul, and most of the stills below feature the couple at the heart of the family, Ahn Nae-sang (Sungkyunkwan Scandal, Three Brothers) and Yoon Yoo-sun (My Girlfriend Is A Gumiho, The Duo), who play husband and wife in the middle generation. His business goes bankrupt and they find themselves moving in with her brother, which naturally causes conflict. In the first few stills, Ahn Nae-sang barges into the ladies’ massage area at a hotel, presumably to retrieve the wife.

Park Ha-sun (Dong Yi), meanwhile, plays a language teacher who teaches at the same school with Yoon Yoo-sun’s younger brother, Seo Ji-seok (Manny). (You can refer to this handy post for the full cast.)

I really enjoyed Unstoppable High Kick although admittedly the production values, acting levels, and directing are all rather flawed. But the charm of the cast and their genuine rapport buoyed the stories, and kept me hooked. (When will Korea pour the attention and money into sitcoms that they lavish on their big drama spectacles? It’s a missed opportunity, I tell ya.) I wasn’t grabbed by Season 2, but perhaps 3 will bring back some of the adorable interactions I loved about the first series.

With the first two series doing so well in the ratings and attracting such overwhelming attention, expectations are certainly high that this one will do the same. We’ll see in another month; High Kick 3 premieres on September 19.

Source/Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/08/first-look-at-upcoming-sitcom-high-kick-3/

The Musical gets picked up for broadcast, finally

2011-08-22T08:46:00.000+08:00

The Musical, starring Gu Hye-sun (Boys Before Flowers) and Daniel Choi (Baby-Faced Beauty) is finally set for a fall broadcast, having been given a 10 pm timeslot on SBS for Friday nights. It’s an unusual hour for a prime-time miniseries, since those currently air on every day except for Friday, but it’s a bit better than the 11 pm slot previously proposed. At least 10 pm is familiar drama hour for viewers.

With that, the cast and crew (and patiently waiting fans) can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Phew! And it only took a year. (The drama began filming last summer, in July 2010, and was stuck waiting around for somebody to pick it up.)

A refresher on the story (since it’s been so long since the actual plot was the subject of interest, rather than the production circumstances): Gu Hye-sun plays Eun-bi, a medical student who dreams of being a musical actress. Daniel Choi plays Jae, a songwriter with Broadway roots. Both took actors themselves to music lessons for their roles, with Gu busying herself with singing and dance rehearsals and Daniel Choi taking to the piano.

In addition to the two stars, Park Ki-woong (Story of a Man) is a cold-blooded investor who only cares about money, while Ok Joo-hyun plays “musical queen” Kang-hee, which ought to be a perfect fit with her own singing and musical-theater background. Comedienne and variety entertainer Park Kyung-lim plays Eun-bi’s offbeat friend.

The 16-episode drama will premiere on September 2.

Source/Credit;
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/08/the-musical-gets-picked-up-for-broadcast-finally/

Yoo Ji-tae begins work on feature directorial debut

2011-08-21T14:56:00.000+08:00

It’s been a while since Yoo Ji-tae (Midnight FM, A Star’s Lover) announced his foray into directing features, but almost three years later, he’s ready to begin working on the project.

According to one source, Yoo is currently writing the screenplay, which is described as a human drama about the heartache and love of a female migrant laborer. He is also in talks with investors and production companies for possible backing. Yoo’s management confirmed the reports, but added that they couldn’t divulge additional details because the script is still in the working stages.

This will be his debut in terms of full-length feature films, but Yoo has already had modest success with his four shorts, all of which he wrote in addition to directing, and which have traveled the film-festival circuit. His debut short, 2003′s The Bike Boy, is about a boy with a crush on a girl who tries to impress her by riding a bicycle. His second, 2005′s How Do The Blind Dream, is about a blind acupuncturist who’s tired of peace and quiet. One day a young woman comes to him as a patient and shakes things up with her frankness and bold talk.

His third, Out Of My Intention, was about a middle-aged man out to track down an old love. His most recent, 2009′s Invitation, deals with the lack of communication in today’s materialistic modern age, the alienation felt by those who want to communicate but find themselves cut off from each other.

Based on his choices, he strikes me as a serious sort; I’m intrigued as to what he’ll have to say with his debut feature. He’s obviously not going for commercial appeal, but I can appreciate that; he’s got enough commercial success on the acting front.

Source/Credit;
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/08/yoo-ji-tae-begins-work-on-feature-directorial-debut/

New stills from Myung-wol the Spy

2011-08-20T15:42:00.001+08:00

Well, the behind-the-scenes drama may have left some awkwardness, but at least in front of the cameras it appears we’re back on track with KBS’s Myung-wol the Spy: New couple stills featuring Han Ye-seul and Eric show a happier near future for Myung-wol and Kang-woo, who are dressed in matching couple shirts and out on a date.

Once the Great Kerfuffle of ’11 finally hit upon a resolution after disrupting production and dominating headlines all week, filming resumed with its lead actress on August 18 (Han flew to the States on the 15th, then almost immediately returned to Korea on the 17th). She gave a tearful apology to the crew on her first day back, during lunch hour, after which “filming returned to normalcy.”

Purported normalcy aside, it’s gotta be weird for all, so it’s actually stranger for me to see Kang-woo and Myung-wol looking lovey-dovey because I can’t watch the show without the knowledge of real-world events coloring it. Then again, maybe it’s because Kang-woo’s been such a nobly misguided pissypants lately that I’ve just gotten used to the angst.

With the big confession of the last episode changing the game, one wonders what’ll crop up to be the next big obstacle, since we’ve got three weeks left. It’s not too late for them to turn Kang-woo into a spy and bring on the bromance with Ryu! Just sayin’.

Source/Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/08/new-stills-from-myung-wol-the-spy/

Eric and Han Ye Seul reconcile during ‘Spy Myung Wol’ lunch break

2011-08-18T17:05:00.001+08:00

Despite their awkward beginning, the cast, staff, and leading stars of KBS’s ‘Spy Myung Wol‘ reconciled their differences during their lunch break.

After actress Han Ye Seul completed shooting her scenes in the morning, the crew broke for a lunch break. Prior to the lunch break, it was reported that the atmosphere between Han Ye Seul and co-star Eric was awkward and icy. That tension was broken after Han Ye Seul gave a deep apology in a kneeling position; Eric responded with, “Resolve the awkwardness, fighting!“.

The atmosphere returned to normal afterwards, as laughter was heard and conversations flowed ceaselessly. Eric and Han Ye Seul were finally able to face each other, and Go Young Tak (KBS’s drama director), EP Lee Kang Hyun, CP Jung Song Hyo, and PD Hwang In Hyuk managed to converse without any awkwardness.

The staff and cast ate samgyeoupsal (pork belly) while lightly drinking beer and cola, relaxing before filming resumed for the afternoon. The staff tapped Han Ye Seul’s back to express their support and encouraged her to work diligently as they continued filming.

Han Ye Seul apologized, “There were some difficulties in filming that made me feel sad. However, I later found out that it was all a misunderstanding. After causing this incident, I am thankful that I was welcomed warmly when I returned. Even if I opened my heart to everyone, it wouldn’t be enough. I’ll use all the strength I drew from these difficulties to film my parts.“.

Han Ye Seul began to cry, as she could no longer hold back her tears in. Upon hearing the apology, the faces of the staff and actors reportedly got brighter and everyone resolved to work harder than ever.

Source/Credit:
http://www.allkpop.com/2011/08/eric-and-han-ye-seul-reconcile-during-lunch-break-after-spy-myung-wol-filming

‘Spy Myung Wol’ ratings experience a healthy increase

2011-08-17T13:29:00.001+08:00

Thanks to the recent controversy surrounding the KBS drama ‘Spy Myung Wol‘ and its lead actress Han Ye Seul, the normally underperforming series saw a sizable increase in its viewership for its latest episode.

Ratings for the latest episode recorded 6.9%, a 1.6% increase from the previous night’s episode, which posted a measly 5.3%. The episode also drew attention for its suggestive dialogue, including a line that read “Are you the only one spending nights awake? Are you the only celebrity here?” which was spoken to ‘Han Myung Wol’, Han Ye Seul’s character.

Source:
http://www.allkpop.com/2011/08/spy-myung-wol-ratings-experience-a-healthy-increase

Can’t Lose’s comic promo posters

2011-08-17T13:19:00.001+08:00

Posters are out of MBC’s new rom-com Can’t Lose, featuring Choi Ji-woo and Yoon Sang-hyun as a couple mid-divorce. The posters are silly and cute, which is what I’m hoping of the drama itself — you know, lots of bickering-as-foreplay, lingering attraction despite the split, and fun misunderstandings.

If we’re to go off the posters, the drama is sure to deliver lots of glamorous outfits on Choi, while Yoon apparently must have one foot off the ground at all times. That’s gonna be a challenge, but an actor can’t shy from challenge if he wants to prove himself, right? Plus we’ve got a random athletic element at play, with fencing, arm-wrestling, and balance-beam gymnastics worked into one big mixed metaphor. Dueling, wrestling, teetering on precarious edges — got it.

Also: Is that Sung Dong-il, king of bizarro supporting characters, playing a judge? Climbing out of a painting?

It’s all very wacky, and I look forward to it. Can’t Lose will premiere on August 24, to follow current Wednesday-Thursday show You’ve Fallen For Me.

Credit/Source:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/08/cant-loses-comic-promo-posters/

KBS speaks about Myung-wol the Spy’s future at press conference

2011-08-16T16:28:00.001+08:00

KBS held an emergency press conference on the 16th at their broadcast station, to address the issue of Han Ye-seul’s departure from Monday-Tuesday drama Myung-wol the Spy.

Presiding was KBS’s drama department chief, Go Young-tak, as well as other executives EP Lee Kang-hyun and CP Jung Sung-hyo.
Their official stance was that Han acted “irresponsibly” and independently, in such a way that they can’t tolerate the reason for her actions. Go stated that the station “cannot accept that she refused to shoot based on discord with producers.”
Go called Han’s reasons for leaving the drama — the killer schedule and the late, piecemeal script deliveries — “an excuse” because “Myung-wol the Spy‘s schedule is not more arduous than other dramas.”
He denied that the drama was behind schedule or putting out script pages late. The scripts were released in bound form, not loose pages (loose pages is what happens when they’re so behind that the writer churns out pages rather than full scripts at a time). (Note: There were previous rumors that the drama was already in loose-script mode.)
CP Jung confirmed that Han made the request early on for a five-day workweek and stated that they made concessions to reduce her schedule and let her out of shoots to film CFs, but also stated that the reality of live-shooting dramas requires the lead actress to shoot long hours.

CP Jung added that Han didn’t want to act with certain actors, and scripts were revised when she didn’t want to do physical gags. “We did everything she asked.”
CP Lee said that he spoke with Han on the phone on the 13th, who said that the producers were ostracizing her on set. Lee told her that it didn’t make sense for producers to alienate their leading actress, and that they were probably just upset that she was late.
Lee added that Han had a positive reaction prior to the broadcast. “However, after seeing Episodes 1 and 2, she seemed dissatisfied with the result, which didn’t live up to her expectations. She also had complaints about her character, such as the physical gags and the personality that was limited to cheerfulness.”
KBS stated their intention to see the drama through the end.
A new actress will be brought in to replace Han if necessary.
Go added, “Actually, KBS was waiting for Han Ye-seul to return through it all. If she returned by Sunday night, the Monday broadcast would have been possible, and if she returned Monday the Tuesday broadcast would have been possible. Even now, although we don’t expect that she’ll return to Korea, if she were able to film Episode 13 and the situation could continue as planned, we would consult with the production company. If that’s the best [Han could offer], we would choose it.”

Han Ye-seul upon arrival in LA

Other points:

As of the 15th, less than 50% of this week’s intended episodes had been filmed.
Monday’s episode was pre-empted for a (pointless) special, which was basically the drama’s first 10 episodes condensed into the hour in an extended highlight reel.
The drama resumed shoots on the 16th with the other cast members. Apparently they intend to air an episode as scheduled for Tuesday evening. (How they will manage that, I have no idea.)
Han’s early-morning arrival in LA on the 16th was confirmed, and she spoke with an SBS program, Entertainment Tonight upon her arrival to say, “I left everything behind. I hope that as a result [of my departure], the other actors will be able to film in a better environment.”
Production company Lee Kim Productions has stated its intent to go after Han for civil and possibly also penal suits.
Han’s own agency, Sidus HQ, also plans to sue for damages, in conjunction with the producers.
Advertisers are also likely litigants; some of the companies she has been contracted to endorse have also expressed the possibility of filing lawsuits.
The fate of Han’s next movie, Penny-Pinching Romance with Song Joong-ki, is unclear. The film completed shooting a few months ago and is currently scheduled for a fall release.
Rumors are therefore rampant that Han intends to retire. Chances are, that choice is out of her hands now.

Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/08/kbs-speaks-about-myung-wol-the-spys-future-at-press-conference/

Myung-wol the Spy unable to complete shoot, to air special

2011-08-15T14:58:00.001+08:00

Oy vey. The reports are conflicting, the response is growing heated, and confusion abounds over the immediate fate of Myung-wol the Spy, which was thrown into chaos over the weekend when its star, Han Ye-seul, didn’t appear for her scheduled shoots.

The trouble began on Saturday the 14th when Han, who was scheduled for an early morning shoot, didn’t appear. Her side seemed as confused as everyone else, and stated that the shoots had gone so far into the night that she only had two hours after being released before her next day’s call time. Then stories emerged that Han and the PD, Hwang In-hyuk, have been at odds since the very start, which has only grown more contentious as filming went on. They’d fought fiercely on set earlier in the week, and Han had repeatedly requested a PD switch. A new PD was brought onboard but PD Hwang remained, which appears to have been a halfhearted non-attempt to appease her.

According to a production rep, Han expressed her problems with the schedule, and when those differences were not resolved, told the director that she wouldn’t make the Saturday shoot. The explanation was her ill health due to the shooting schedule, but apparently the crew still expected her, and the cast was in standby mode until shooting was eventually cancelled.

Han didn’t shoot on the 15th, either, and with the drama up to its neck in live shoots, that left the show with only 40% of its scenes shot for this coming week. KBS and the producers met on Sunday for emergency meetings to try to resolve the conflict, but ultimately the show was too far behind and they decided to go with the time-honored solution to many a last-minute broadcasting emergency: a special episode, whipped up to fill the timeslot.

That’s the plan for Monday; producers are still not sure what to do with Tuesday’s broadcast.

Okay, so those are the facts. To be honest, this story doesn’t add up for me, which is why I hesitate to make any declarations. I recall that Han had made the request before the drama began that the shoots adopt a less killer schedule, along the lines of a five-day workweek. Those rumors faded once the drama got under way, which suggests that she found a way to reconcile herself with the schedule. Or perhaps (and now I speculate) she was assured of a lighter load, only to be worked to the bone anyway.

I do think that Han’s behavior is clearly unprofessional, but because of the way this story has been reported and sensationalized in the past day, I’m not ready to condemn her yet. She would have to know how damaging to her image it would be to refuse to shoot — and she’s already getting lots of heat from netizens — so I wonder how bad it must be for her to risk it anyway. Then again, maybe she didn’t think. Who knows what the real story is?

As we know, the K-drama live-shoot system is hectic, possibly dangerous, and definitely crazy. It’s flawed, but as long as productions believe that the rewards (freedom to adjust on the fly, cater to ratings) outweigh the costs, they’ll keep doing it as long as they can get away with it. But one can’t help but wonder when the broadcasters will get sick enough of the madness to impose some rules from the top down to create some safety nets. In the case of Myung-wol the Spy, it’s one actress refusing to shoot, but in other cases, a delay of just a day or two from accidents and injuries can take a drama off the air (see: Boys Before Flowers, You’ve Fallen For Me). Surely we need more buffer time than that.

If Myung-wol fails to air this week, on the upside (glass half full!), perhaps they won’t need their two-episode extension after all. The story doesn’t need the extension, and it was more out of consideration for follow-up drama Poseidon than for Myung-wol anyway. If Myung-wol resumes broadcasting next week, it can end with Episode 16 and still let Poseidon premiere as scheduled.

Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/08/myung-wol-the-spy-unable-to-complete-shoot-to-air-special/

Han Jung-soo joins the cast of Poseidon

2011-08-14T13:21:00.001+08:00

Actor Han Jung-soo, known for being the good-guy second lead in Prosecutor Princess or the hot guy with abs in Chuno, (er…the other one, no the other other one, yeah that one) has been cast in the upcoming maritime police drama Poseidon, opposite Choi Siwon and Lee Shi-young. So… that pretty much seals it, right? Poseidon is an abfest in water? Seriously, it’s a pretty good contest, between the three of them.

He’ll be playing sergeant Oh Min-hyuk, in charge of a special investigations team, and is described as a hip, urbane, and charming guy who disarms people with his witty words. The producers describe the character as 100% in line with Han Jung-soo’s real-life personality, which just makes me laugh. So… they’re exactly the same, only one’s an actor and the other’s a detective in the ocean? Yeah, so similar. I get the charm part, though. Or was I just taken with his Chuno hair?

Is there any chance he’s going to grow it back for this drama? Sigh, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a cop with long hair, so I guess he’ll be sporting his Prosecutor hair with his Chuno abs. I suppose it’s a compromise I’m willing to accept.

Poseidon has (finally) begun production (again) and premieres in September following Myung-wol the Spy on KBS.

Source/Credit;
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/08/han-jung-soo-joins-the-cast-of-poseidon/

Park Min Young would like to play a cameo role in “High Kick 3″

2011-08-13T15:54:00.001+08:00

Actress Park Min Young expressed her excitement for the new season of MBC’s ‘High Kick 3‘, which is scheduled to air sometime in September. During a recent interview, she said that she would even be open to playing a cameo role if she were given the opportunity.

Park Min Young actually jumpstarted her acting career with ‘High Kick‘, and for that, she and fellow actors Jung Il Woo and Kim Bum are forever grateful to director Kim Byung Wook.

“I’m really looking forward to it, and I plan on watching every episode. I’m even open to play a cameo role on the show if they let me!”

Although a small role on a show like ‘High Kick’ is something she would like to try, she felt quite the opposite about being casted for a leading role in a sitcom. She didn’t feel it was something she could easily pursue, but she did want to maybe undertake a role in a romantic comedy like MBC TV’s ‘The Best Love‘ or SBS TV’s ‘Scent of a Woman‘.

“I watched up until the second episode of ‘Scent of a Woman’, and I really enjoyed it. As a woman, it’s not easy to play a part that requires you to be on TV with nerd glasses and messy hair, but Kim Sun Ah is so talented– she can pull off any character. The scene where she’s at the bank telling the teller how she saved all her money– it kind of reminded me of myself when times were tougher back in the day.”

In a year or so, Park Min Young would like to take up a role in something a little more melodramatic. She’s tried a few different genres, but not something melodramatic and so it’s on her list of things to do.

As far as entertainment programs, she has no plans to guest star on any of them just yet. “I’m kind of boring,” she said.

“I can’t act when you tell me to do it on the spot, but when I’m in front of a camera, I get in the zone. When it comes to entertaining people, its exactly the opposite. It’s fun to joke around with my staff members, but when you ask me to do it in front of a camera, I’m awkward. I was on “YaShimManMan” a few years back and everyone on the show seemed to know what they were doing except me.”

She wasn’t too turned off by the idea of appearing on KBS’s ’1 Night 2 Days‘ or MBC’s ’Infinite Challenge‘, however. “It’s a little frightening to think about revealing my true self to the whole world, but because everyone on the show do it so well, I feel like they would do a good job leading me through it. It’s something I would like to try at least once. I especially enjoyed the female actress episode of ‘1N2D’. I don’t know if I can imagine myself actually on the show though, (laughs)”

Park Min Young has been picked up for a new KBS2TV drama titled “Man of Honor” that airs every Wednesday and Thursday starting October 12th.

Credit:
http://www.allkpop.com/2011/08/park-min-young-would-like-to-play-a-cameo-role-in-high-kick-3

Myung-wol the Spy gets an extension, sort of

2011-08-12T13:56:00.001+08:00

If you hear one source tell it, KBS’s Monday-Tuesday comedy Myung-wol the Spy is getting two more episodes added to its initial 16-episode order. Another source says it’s not an extension, because the drama was always meant to have 18. Yet another says that no, it’s not an extension, because the drama’s length was meant to be fluid from the start, so it’s not that it has been lengthened so much as it has now been decided.

Bottom line: The show will end with Episode 18.

Despite struggling in the ratings — sageuk dramas Warrior Baek Dong-soo and Kye Baek are both performing better — Myung-wol even went as far as considering a longer extension that would have placed it at 20 episodes. The possibility of 20 had been on the table from the start, so the cast’s contracts actually are for 20 episodes, meaning that no additional negotiations were necessary in making the decision.

A rep from KBS stated that the extension doesn’t have anything to do with its follow-up show, action drama Poseidon, although given all of Poseidon’s troubles getting off the ground and the extreme lateness of its casting, I smell PR bull in that answer. Of course they’ll want to give Poseidon more time, and it’s not like Myung-wol was doing well enough in the ratings to justify the addition on its own. The numbers have climbed a bit with the latest episode, netting a 7.6%, but it’s still single digits.

As it happens, the timing actually gives Poseidon two extra weeks: With Myung-wol the Spy ending the week before Chuseok, Poseidon will have till the week after that. (Chuseok is one of Korea’s biggest holidays, a big event for family gatherings — and movie openings — during which currently airing dramas are usually postponed in favor of family-friendly holiday programming.)

Eep! I’m enjoying the farcical wacky comedy — and the newest dramatic twist that this week’s episodes brought — but I’m pretty much always going to argue against an extension. We’ve already seen the show recycling some story beats to keep the two leads together, and I don’t want them to increase the number of plot points they reuse. That would take away from the zany charm that got me in the first place.

On the upside, though, the story did take a huge turn at the end of Episode 10, which effectively puts the kibosh on any more plot recycling — the bickery dance is basically over now, and we’re getting to the meat of the romance. I do think there are plenty of story possibilities built into the world that have gotten pushed aside, and maybe now will be the time to tap into those. Like making the North Korean officials (SO weird and funny) more of an antagonistic presence, and heck, the South Korean ones, too. Remember that feisty NSA agent on Kang-woo’s tail? Whatever happened to her dogged pursuit and insistence that Kang-woo’s up to shady deals?

Or, you know, the drama could always just go meta-upon-meta-upon-meta and give Myung-wol amnesia. The idea makes me groan, but then I think of how Kang-woo’s drama-in-drama character gets amnesia, and how Han Ye-seul starred in Fantasy Couple, and the joke potential IS sort of killer. Hee!

Myung-wol the Spy ends September 6, and Poseidon premieres on September 19.

Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/08/myung-wol-the-spy-gets-an-extension-sort-of/

Man of Honor casts second leads

2011-08-10T13:31:00.001+08:00

Upcoming drama Man of Honor (also Young-kwang’s Jae-in, in the puntastic version), starring Park Min-young and Chun Jung-myung has cast its second leads to round out the main cast. ‘Cause yunno, it can’t be a k-drama without a love square. Lee Jang-woo (Smile, Donghae) and Lee Jin (Hon, Hometown of Legends, also of ye olden k-pop group FinKL) will be rivals and love interests to complicate things, and keep Man from Honor. Or is it the other way around?

The highly anticipated comeback drama by the writer-PD combo behind Baker King Kim Tak-gu is described as a Romeo and Juliet story about young people who overcome their fates to journey toward their dreams. Chun Jung-myung will be playing a second-string baseball player, while Lee Jang-woo plays the first-string, better, richer rival.

He’ll be competing with the hero in baseball and in love, as they vie for Park Min-young’s affections when they both end up in the hospital for injuries where Park plays a young nurse’s aide. The second lead, Seo Inwoo, is described as a cynical and prickly young heir, set to inherit his father’s clothing company someday. After his pro baseball career? So basically, he’s the golden boy, while Chun’s character Young-kwang is the struggling underdog, described as the type of guy who is confident and talks a big game, despite being an innocent kid.

Lee Jin has been cast as the rival to Park Min-young’s Jae-in, and she’ll be returning to television after a two-year hiatus to play the frank and easygoing Cha Hong-joo. She’s a designer, which will probably connect her to Lee Jang-woo’s character through work, and though the reason isn’t described, she feels competitive with the poor but plucky heroine. Because it’s the law of kdramas? Because otherwise you won’t do things to sabotage her budding romance with the honorable Romeo? Because her pert and bouncy hair makes you angry?

I’d almost rather they go all the way with one concept, like the baseball thing, and just turn it into a sports drama. Why does there have to be a chaebol and a clothing company? We could bring back the old school sports drama. We could have another Last Match! C’mon, you made an entire drama about baking, for pete’s sake. Bring back the sports drama. You know you want to!

Man of Honor follows The Princess’s Man and premieres October 12 on KBS.

Credit;
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/08/man-of-honor-casts-second-leads/

Jung Woo-sung returns in new drama

2011-08-10T13:27:00.001+08:00

Lauded screenwriter Noh Hee-kyung is finally ready to come back with a new drama, and has got A-lister Jung Woo-sung (Athena) in place as the leading man. The series is Padam Padam…The Sound of His and Her Heartbeats; the title refers to the French song by chanteuse Edith Piaf.

The story centers around a man, Yang Kang-chil, a tough guy who’s lived a rough life and served some hard time as a result of a friend’s scheme. Let’s hope that guy’s no longer a friend. He meets a bright veterinarian, Jung Ji-nah, and thus begins their love story.

Jung said, “I decided on this drama because I was drawn to the way Noh Hee-kyung writes ‘family drama.’ Whether mother-son or father-son, the love and pain experienced by families is something I’d like to try portraying in a realistic way.”

Noh Hee-kyung is certainly one of the more talented drama scriptwriters working these days, and has a particularly keen ear for dialogue and a thoughtful sensibility. She gets into her characters and makes them realistic, not just cliche-filled, hollow shells of familiar character types. If I have a complaint about her writing, it’s that she can veer into overly precious, which is the issue I had with her last drama, The World They Live In — but you can’t accuse her of being fluffy, shallow, or careless. But when she’s really on, I love her (see: Goodbye Solo); she has a way of stating something you thought you already knew, but discover afresh when expressed in her witty words.

If this heralds Jung’s renewed interest in dramaland, following last year’s spy drama Athena — he’d been off doing movies for a number of years — then I’m all for it. Too often stars hit it big with a drama, then make the leap to film careers and never look back. (Ah, the ones we’ve lost to the big screen: Jang Dong-gun, Lee Jung-jae, Won Bin, Ha Jung-woo, Lee Min-ki…) While it’s undoubtedly a great move for their careers, I do miss seeing them in dramas, which is really the better platform for cultivating rapport with audiences. (I fear that Lee Min-ho will soon join the ranks of the big film stars who leave their television days behind them, which makes me happy for him, but also sad at our loss as drama-lovers.)

Kim Kyu-tae directs, having previously worked on IRIS and A Love To Kill. Now we await news of his leading lady… With Noh attached, there’ll be no shortage of actresses dying for a chance to try something thoughtful and meaty. And, yeah, having to romance Jung Woo-sung onscreen doesn’t hurt either.

Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/08/jung-woo-sung-returns-in-new-drama/

Can’t Live With Losing

2011-08-09T02:52:00.000+08:00

Title: 지고는 못살아 / Jigoneun Motsala / Can’t Live With Losing
Also Know as: Can’t Lose
Genre: Romance
Episodes: 16 (To Be Confirmed)
Broadcast network: MBC
Broadcast period: 2011-Aug-24 to 2011-Oct-13
Air time: Wednesday and Thursday 21:55

Production Credits
Director: Lee Jae Dong
Screenwriter: Lee Sook Jin

Synopsis
A drama about what happens when a couple of lawyers gets divorced.

Cast
Choi Ji Woo as Eun-Jae
Yoon Sang Hyun
Park Won Sook
Kim Ja Ok
Kim Jung Tae
Jo Mi Ryung

Can’t Live With Losing Trailer
(Not Yet Available)

Eom Ki-joon loses driver’s license, keeps drama role

2011-08-08T11:18:00.001+08:00

Eom Ki-joon has been given his punishment for the DUI he incurred last month: His driver’s license has been revoked, but it looks like he will be able to continue his current job in SBS’s Scent of a Woman.

Phew — I think it’s fair in that clearly someone who drinks and drives deserves to have that privilege taken away, but am also relieved that he doesn’t have to quit the drama. Admittedly part of that is a selfish desire to see him continue being Dr. Poopy-seok, just as his role is getting interesting. Didja SEE Episode 6? Adorable. I think a drunk driver can be punished legally without necessarily losing his job, which would be the case even if he weren’t an actor, so I’m satisfied with the outcome.

The incident occurred on July 21 in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, when Eom’s car hit a taxi that had been stopped at a signal. Nobody was injured and Eom was deemed to be driving under the influence at the site of the accident, but headed to a hospital soon afterward for a more accurate reading on his blood alcohol content.

According to one source, the production hadn’t discussed cutting Eom out of the drama and Eom’s side expressed apologies for his mistake. According to a rep from SBS, they were waiting on his legal punishment before judging whether they’d need to proceed, but with the cancellation of his license, they find no reason to keep him from continuing in the drama.

Hopefully Eom learns from this encounter, counts his blessings that nobody was hurt, and kicks ass for the rest of the drama. He’s already doing a pretty awesome job giving his Eun-seok character wonderful layers, from his chilly protective outer layer to his vulnerable underbelly and his nervously adorable boyish side underneath it all.

Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/08/eom-ki-joon-loses-drivers-license-keeps-drama-role/

A Thousand Kisses / Chunbuneui Ibmatchoom / 천번의 입맞춤

2011-08-07T08:41:00.000+08:00

Title: 천번의 입맞춤 / Chunbuneui Ibmatchoom / A Thousand Kisses
Genre: Romance
Episodes: 50
Broadcast network: MBC
Broadcast period: 2011-Aug-20 to 2011-Feb-05
Air time: Saturday and Sunday 20:40

Production Credits
Director: Yoon Jae Moon
Screenwriter: Park Jung Ran

Synopsis

A Thousand Kisses is a drama about a woman who divorces (Seo Young-hee of Bedevilled) and faces all kinds of hardships on her way to success

Cast

Seo Young Hee
Ji Hyun Woo as Jang Woo Bin
Ryu Jin as Jang Woo Jin
Kim So Eun as Woo Joo Mi
Cha Soo Yun as Han Yoo Kyung
Shim Hyung Tak
Lee Ja Young

A Thousand Kisses Trailer
(Not Yet Available)

Hong Soo-hyun fractures rib in car accident

2011-08-05T15:30:00.001+08:00

This time it’s Hong Soo-hyun, the actress who recently thwarted Yoon Eun-hye’s every turn as bitchy So-ran in Lie To Me, who’s currently starring as a princess (and Moon Chae-won’s cousin) in the premium sageuk The Princess’s Man.

According to Hong’s management company, Keyeast, the car accident occurred in the wee hours of August 5, on the Gyeongbuk expressway at approximately 4am. In the dark night, Hong’s vehicle was rounding a curve and couldn’t see the car that had stopped in the road, possibly from a prior accident, and resulted in a head-on collision. Hong’s car was completely totaled.

The actress is currently being treated for injuries at the hospital, which sound substantial; for now, it’s been confirmed that she has fractured a rib, and her manager went into surgery for a serious arm injury.

As for her drama, it’s yet unclear how much the accident will affect the schedule. Hong hasn’t completed shooting her scenes for next week’s two episodes, and although the actress herself is reportedly insistent on being able to get back to work right away, some reports state that her condition is severe enough that she’s having trouble merely moving.

What’s especially crazy is that, according to one source, Hong had been checked out of the hospital after receiving “basic treatment,” then was given the okay to go home, but readmitted herself after the aftereffects kicked in and the pain increased. It was then that they realized she’d fractured a rib, which leads me to ask: What the hell kind of crackpot hospital misses a cracked rib? I’d like to know, and not just as a hypothetical, because I wanna make a note never to go there. It also bespeaks the craziness of the “must get back to work” mentality of dramas, where productions are so crunched for time that actors involved in major accidents jump right back to work with broken bones. It’s understandable that the production would feel panicked and stressed, but come on. There comes a point when you stop and say, Hey, maybe this isn’t healthy. Yeesh.

I’m gonna say it’s a pretty tall order to get Hong back in acting form in a few days’ time, so there’s a chance that The Princess’s Man, which stepped into the #1 ratings slot after City Hunter bowed out, may be pre-empted next week. It’s a bummer for Hong, who’s been enjoying a revitalized career with this new drama, where she plays a cool, haughty princess with aplomb. But, yunno, there are more important things than dramas airing on time.

Credit;
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/08/hong-soo-hyun-fractures-rib-in-car-accident/

Ojakgyo Brothers / 오작교 형제들/ Ojakgyo Hyungjedeul

2011-08-03T14:58:00.000+08:00

Title: 오작교 형제들 / Ojakgyo Hyungjedeul / Ojakgyo Brothers
Also known as: The Brothers of the Ojakgyo / The Brothers of the Bridge of Crows and Magpies
Previously known as: 황금연못 / Golden Pond
Genre: Family, romance
Episodes: To Be Announced
Broadcast Network: KBS2
Broadcast period: 2011-Aug-06
Air time: Saturday and Sunday 19:55

Production Credits

Production company: Green Snake
Director: Ki Min Soo
Sceenwriter: Lee Jung Sun

Synopsis

A family with 4 sons who live together with their relatives in a farm near Seoul. Hwang Tae Hee is the third son and a policeman who falls in love with a girl named Baek Ja Eun. Baek Ja Eun is a haughty young woman who only believes in her pretty looks and is quick to flare up with anger.

Cast

Uee as Baek Ja Eun
Joo Won as Hwang Tae Hee
Ryu Soo Young as Hwang Tae Bum
Choi Jung Yoon as Cha Soo Young
Jung Woong In
Baek Il Sub
Jun Mi Sun
Ye Seo Jin (예서진)
Heo Tae Hee

Ojakgyo Brothers Trailer

Stills from MBC’s divorce romance Can’t Lose

2011-07-31T12:36:00.001+08:00

Stills are out for Choi Ji-woo and Yoon Sang-hyun‘s new MBC rom-com, Can’t Lose, in which they star as a married couple in the midst of divorce who, I presume, eventually get their groove back.

Both leads are lawyers — she’s capable and competent, he’s a perfectionist — and their contentious relationship is described as a War of the Roses. (Which I assume is a reference to the ’80s movie, not the historical battles pitting Lancaster versus York.)

The background: Eun-jae (Choi Ji-woo) and Hyung-woo (Yoon Sang-hyun) meet without knowing of each other’s occupations, and fall in love practically at first sight. Their courtship is sweet and they marry with vows of “Til death do us part.” Slowly, cracks form in the relationship over the next year of marriage as they fight and make up, until they end up here, mid-divorce proceedings.

The premise reminds me a bit of Queen of Reversals (a whirlwind romance followed by a rocky marriage) as well as Alone in Love (a divorced couple having a second chance), although I expect Can’t Lose to be more in the comedy bent. I will say that Choi and Yoon look good together, and the plot makes me curious to see how they fell apart in a way that keeps the door open for reconciliation. Also, I’m looking forward to seeing some of the supporting cast, with Kim Jung-tae (Miss Ripley‘s Hirayama) and Sung Dong-il (My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho’s Chow Yun-fat lite, Runaway Plan B‘s Nakamura) both onboard. Can they camp together and sing about chewy dough again? Please?

Can’t Lose is set for an August 24 premiere.

Credit;

http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/07/stills-from-mbcs-divorce-romance-cant-lose/

Poseidon faces ticking clock to get production going

2011-07-28T12:33:00.001+08:00

The troubled drama was already rescued once from cancellation, and picked up for a fall broadcast after its plans for a spring premiere fell by the wayside. Yet with its September broadcast just over a month away, the drama still doesn’t have a cast after losing most of their original actors. Eep!

Cold weather and production delays pushed back filming this past winter, and with the stars unable to keep their schedules on hold indefinitely, Poseidon slowly began dropping actors: Eric, Kim Kang-woo, Kim Ok-bin, Jeon Hye-bin…

Re-casting has been a tough process; there has been talk of some possible names up for roles, but none have been finalized. One rep with KBS said, “After the drama was given a timeslot on the broadcast schedule, the producers contacted several actors and singers, but with the urgency of the proceedings, it’s not an easy situation.” And with casting in limbo, shooting is impossible.

The timeline is such that even if a cast were to be finalized immediately, the production would be facing mighty tight filming schedules to get everything ready in time. Many trendies do begin filming about a month prior to first airdate, but action dramas like Poseidon require more time for filming in unusual locales and conditions (at sea) and for post-production work.

Another rep said, “Poseidon has gone through a stormy voyage, but following its pickup for the broadcast schedule, it will need to make its premiere no matter what, and currently its feet are being held to the fire. Even if shooting were to commence, it’s uncertain whether it’ll proceed smoothly. The producers and actors will all have to bear a heavy burden.”

Originally intended to be an SBS series, Poseidon was dropped by that broadcaster and then picked up by KBS. It is currently slotted to air on Monday and Tuesdays after Myung-wol the Spy wraps up, which puts its first episode in the first week of September or thereabouts.

Credit:

http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/07/poseidon-faces-ticking-clock-to-get-production-going/

Eom Ki-joon in danger of being cut from Scent of a Woman

2011-07-27T12:35:00.001+08:00

There’s an update on Eom Ki-joon‘s car accident, and it looks like his recent DUI does in fact put him in danger of being cut from his current SBS weekend drama Scent of a Woman, starring Kim Sun-ah and Lee Dong-wook.

Eom was in a car accident on July 21st, where he rear-ended a taxi while driving under the influence. Thankfully no one was greatly injured, and now everyone is waiting with bated breath for the court to make a ruling on his case. He apparently was over the legal limit on the test at the scene, but the final word will come from the blood test, currently being analyzed. That’ll determine his culpability, and also his punishment.

SBS has issued a statement that no decision can be made until the court gives its ruling, so they wait, along with everyone else. So what does this mean for the drama? Basically they keep going for the upwards of two weeks until the verdict, after which Eom’s character will either get to continue being awesome crankypants Doctor Poopy-seok, or he gets written out and replaced by some other oncologist who did not poop his pants in grade school.

Credit and more info @
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/07/eom-ki-joon-in-danger-of-being-cut-from-scent-of-a-woman/

Park Shin-hye’s accident causes last-minute script changes

2011-07-26T12:45:00.001+08:00

Park Shin-hye, who was recently re-admitted to the hospital for injuries sustained in a car accident, has returned to filming for her current MBC drama You’ve Fallen For Me. However, she’s not completely back in full health yet, which has the production scrambling to rearrange their story to accommodate her condition.

That means that Park’s character Kyu-won will be sick for two episodes, which suggests she’ll also be less prominently featured in the plot. Understandable and probably a good decision, although I wonder if the story will suffer for the sudden rewriting. I think most fans will be pretty agreeable even if the story falters because they’re aware of the situation, but I can’t help but think back to the big Car-Accident-O-Rama of 2009, back when the “Boys Before Flowers Curse” was in full effect and each cast member was involved in at least one accident (some of them more than one). When Gu Hye-sun was in hers, the accident was bad enough to pre-empt an episode (and prompt a hastily put-together Special), and even after Gu resumed shoots, there was one episode where she essentially sat there as a prop, unable to speak. (Remember that awkward ramen-eating scene?)

Timeline: Park Shin-hye’s car accident occurred on July 18, and she’d been checked out at the hospital immediately thereafter, then resumed drama shoots two days later, on the 20th. However, her injuries worsened and she had to go back for medical treatment last week, and the filming delay accounted for last Thursday’s pre-emption. On July 23, Park rejoined shoots again.

Hopefully this reworked storyline gives Park some reprieve and allows her to heal soon. You’ve Fallen For Me drama will resume its regular airing schedule on Wednesday, July 27, and will broadcast Episodes 8 and 9 this week.

Credit;

http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/07/park-shin-hyes-accident-causes-last-minute-script-changes/

Last Secretary

2011-07-25T04:03:00.000+08:00

Title: 보스를 지켜라 / Boseureul Jikyeora / Protect the Boss
Previously known as: 보스가 달라졌어요 The Boss Has Changed / 마지막 여비서 The Last Secretary
Genre: Romance, comedy
Episodes: 16
Broadcast network: SBS
Broadcast period: 2011-Aug-03 to 2011-09-22
Air time: Wednesday and Thursday 21:55

Production Credits

Chief Producer: Choi Moon Suk
Producer: Lee Sang Baek (이상백)
Director: Son Jung Hyun
Screenwriter: Kwon Ki Young (권기영)

Synopsis

No Eun Seol finally gets a job as a secretary at a law firm after struggling with unemployment, only to fall in love with her boss, Cha Ji Heon, the immature youngest son of a chaebol family.

Cast

Choi Kang Hee as No Eun Seol
Ji Sung as Cha Ji Heon
Hero Jaejoong as Cha Moo Won
Wang Ji Hye as Seo Na Yoon
Lee Hee Jin as Yang Ha Young
Park Young Kyu as Chairman Cha
Lee Hee Jin
Cha Hwa Yun
Kim Chung

Protect the Boss Trailer

Gye Baek

2011-07-23T11:46:00.001+08:00

Title: 계백 / Gye Baek
Genre: Historical, period
Episodes: 32
Broadcast network: MBC
Broadcast period: 2011-July-25 to 2011-Nov-08
Air time: Monday and Tuesday 21:55

Synopsis

A story about the life of General Gyebaek of Baekje in the mid 7th century.

Cast

Lee Seo Jin as General Gyebaek
- Lee Hyun Woo as teen Gye Baek
Jo Jae Hyun as King Euija
- Choi Won Hong as child Euija
- No Young Hak as teen Euija
Oh Yun Soo as Sa Taek Bi
Song Ji Hyo as Eun Go
- Jun Min Seo as child Eun Go
- Park Eun Bin as teen Eun Go
Hyo Min as Cho Young
- Han Bo Bae as teen Cho Young
Jun Noh Min as Sung Choong
Kim Yoo Suk as Heung Soo
Jin Tae Hyun as Gyo Ki
- Nam Da Reum as child Gyo Ki
- Seo Young Joo (서영주) as teen Gyo Ki
Choi Jae Hwan as King Mu
Jo Sang Ki as Nam Jo
Kim Hyun Sung as Moo Geun
Yoon Da Hoon as Dok Kye
Ahn Kil Kang as Kwi Woon
Jung Sung Mo as Yoon Choong
Im Hyun Sik as Jo Geum sunsaeng
Choi Jae Ho as Eui Jik
Kim Dong Hee as Eun Sang
Kim Jin Ho (김진호) as Wang Hyo Rin
Park Yoo Hwan as Chul Yeon
Go Yoon Hoo as Dae Soo
- Lee Poong Woon as teen Dae Soo
Jang Hee Woong as Yong Soo
Han Ji Woo as Yeon Tae Yeon
Lee Min Ho as teen Moon Geun
Cha In Pyo as Moo Jin (Gye Baek’s father, cameo)
Kim Byung Gi
Jung Han Hun

Gye Baek Trailer

Scent of a Woman

2011-07-23T11:40:00.001+08:00

Title: 여인의 향기 / Yeoineui Hyanggi / Scent of A Woman
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Episodes: 16
Broadcast network: SBS
Broadcast period: 2011-July-23 to 2011-Sep-11
Air time: Saturday and Sunday 21:50

Production Credits

Director: Park Hyung Ki
Screenwriter: No Ji Seol (노지설)

Synopsis

A woman, Lee Yeon Jae, is given the grim prognosis that she only has a short time left to live. She decides to quit her job at a travel agency and live her life to the fullest.

Cast

Kim Sun Ah as Lee Yeon Jae
Lee Dong Wook as Kang Ji Wook
Uhm Ki Joon as Chae Eun Suk
Seo Hyo Rim as Se Kyung

Extended Cast

Nam Goong Won (남궁원) as Im Joong Hee
Shin Ji Soo as Yang Hee Joo
Cha Ji Yun (차지연) as Cha Ji Yeon
Lee Jung Gil
Kim Kwang Gyu
Kim Hye Ok
Shin Jung Geun

Scent of a Woman Trailer

Protect the Boss posters and character stills

2011-07-23T11:32:00.001+08:00

We’ve got posters and character promo stills out for SBS’s Protect the Boss, and I have to say that this drama is slowly growing on me with what appears to be an offbeat, wacky vibe. It just may be quirky enough to work.

I wasn’t initially too enthralled by the chaebol hero and the boss-secretary setup (Ji Sung and Choi Kang-hee, respectively), but this looks like no typical K-drama setup, and no typical chaebol. Instead of being the coolly perfect businessman we’ve become so familiar with in dramas, this hero’s kooky and eccentric, while she literally kicks ass. The plot unfolds as she undertakes Project Tame The Errant Boss, and romance ensues.

The poster above takes on the bodyguard concept, which is made funnier by the implication that Choi Kang-hee is shielding her boss from work. Given that Ji Sung’s character is an inept boss, no doubt he considers that protection. Heh.

Acting as spoilers are Jaejoong as Ji Sung’s rival cousin and diametric opposite — he’s sharp, smart, and competent — and Wang Ji-hye as a lawyer and secondary love interest.

The drama premieres on August 3, following City Hunter.

Credit;

http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/07/protect-the-boss-posters-and-character-stills/

Can’t Lose holds first script reading

2011-07-21T13:22:00.001+08:00

That was fast. It seemed like just yesterday that the leading man, Yoon Sang-hyun, was cast to partner Choi Ji-woo in her new drama, and already they’re in rehearsals.

With casting now confirmed, MBC’s light romance Can’t Lose went straight into script readings on July 18. The drama is about a married couple (Choi and Yoon) in the process of divorce, which leads to “fierce, but funny” episodes. Looks like the comedy is a strong presence from the start, since there were reportedly bursts of laughter at the table read in response to the comic situations and dialogue.

The drama also features a robust supporting lineup that includes Kim Jung-tae (the wonderfully creepy Hirayama in Miss Ripley), Park Won-sook (Pil-joo’s shrill mom in Best Love), veteran Kim Ja-ok (High Kick Through the Roof, The World They Live In), and Jo Mi-ryung (Life Is Beautiful, Chuno).

I think this could be a fun drama, if the chemistry between Choi Ji-woo and Yoon Sang-hyun is right. Seems like we’re in for a lot of cute, comic bickering, which is a hoot when done right, and I’d love to see Choi’s lighter side out in full force, since I know she can do cute. If her recent 1 Night 2 Days stint showed anything, it’s that she’s an aegyo queen. And Yoon Sang-hyun does have a tendency to overdo the comedy, but I actually prefer when he’s being dramatic, because he tones it down and gets you with the emotion. I can totally see them fighting their way right into romance (or back into it, since I presume they had it at one point, but have since lost that lovin’ feelin’).

Can’t Lose follows You’ve Fallen For Me and premieres on August 24.

Via
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/07/cant-lose-holds-first-script-reading/

The Princess’ Man

2011-07-21T12:49:00.000+08:00

Title: 공주의 남자 / Gongjooeui Namja / The Princess’ Man
Genre: Period, romance
Episodes: 24
Broadcast network: KBS2
Broadcast period: 2011-July-20 to 2011-Oct-06
Air time: Wednesday & Thursday 21:55

Production Credits
Director: Kim Jung Min
Screenwriter: Jo Jung Joo (조정주)

Synopsis
A tragic love story between the daughter of Prince Suyang and grandson of Kim Jong Seo.

Cast
Moon Chae Won as Lee Se RyungPark Shi Hoo as Kim Seung Yoo
Song Jong Ho as Shin Myun
Hong Soo Hyun as Princess Kyung Hye
Lee Soon Jae as Kim Jong Seo
Kim Young Chul as Prince Suyang (later King Sejo)
Lee Min Woo as Jungjong
Extended CastUhm Hyo Sup as Lee Kye
Lee Joo Suk as Prince Anpyung
Heo Jung Kyu (허정규) as Kim Seung Gyu
Kim Yoo Bin as Kim Ah Kang
Kim Seo Ra as Lady Yoon
Yoo Ha Joon as Im Woon
Jung Dong Hwan as Munjong
Lee Hyo Jung as Shin Sook Joo
Lee Dae Yeon as Kwon Ram
Lee Hee Do as Han Myung Hwa
Kim Roe Ha as Jo Suk Joo
Yoon Jong Hwa as Jun Noh Kyul
Yoon Seung Won
Choi Moo Sung (최무성)

The Princess’ Man Trailer

Posters and promo stills from The Princess’s Man

2011-07-18T13:01:00.001+08:00

Romantic sageuk The Princess’s Man will be offering up a change of pace for Wednesdays and Thursdays when it takes over the slot vacated by the just-ended Romance Town this week. While that drama was lighter-spirited, this one will dial up the tragic romance and melodrama with its Romeo & Juliet premise. (The story: Two youngsters fall in love, but their fathers are on opposing sides of a political tug-of-war with the throne at stake.)

It also joins the new crop of sageuk dramas on the block, taking us from a rom-com-filled spring to a period-piece summer. Currently, we’ve got fusion action sageuk Warrior Baek Dong-soo on Mondays and Tuesdays, while King Gwanggaeto has been airing on weekends for several weeks. Soon we’ll have another Monday-Tuesday offering, Kye Baek — and then the anticipated Tree With Deep Roots come September. Phew! That’s a lotta sageuk.

In any case, it’s nice to see some smiling faces and friendly behind-the-scenes shots, given that The Princess’s Man is bound to wring a few tears (or maybe buckets) once its fated-lovers storyline kicks into full angst mode. Despite the mood of the drama, Park Shi-hoo shared that the atmosphere on set is comfortable, since he and co-star Moon Chae-won have known each other for a while prior to this series, going back to their rookie days. And really, how cute are they together?

The Princess’s Man premieres on July 20, and runs for 24 episodes.

More Posters and promo stills @
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/07/posters-and-promo-stills-from-the-princesss-man/

Hooray For Love

2011-07-17T12:05:00.000+08:00

Title: 애정만만세 / Aejungmanmanse / Hooray for Love
Also known as: Long Live Love
Previously known as: 지지 않는 여자 / The Woman Who Never Loses
Genre: Romance
Episodes: 50
Broadcast network: MBC
Broadcast period: 2011-July-16 to 2012-Jan-1
Air time: Saturday and Sunday 21:45

Production Credits
Director: Joo Sung Woo (주성우)
Screenwriter: Park Hyun Joo

Synopsis
The drama is about the success story of a woman named Jae-mi (Lee Bo-young) who divorces her loser husband (Jin Yi-han) and finds new love with the lawyer hired to invalidate their divorce (Lee Tae-sung).-- DramaBeans

Cast
Lee Bo Young as Kang Jae Mi
Lee Tae Sung as Byun Dong Woo
Jin Yi Han as Han Jung Soo

Extended Cast
Chun Ho Jin as Kang Hyung Do
Bae Jong Ok as Oh Jung Hee
Byun Jung Soo as Byun Joo Ri
Yoon Hyun Sook as Oh Jung Shim
Han Yeo Reum as Chae Hee Joo
Ahn Sang Tae (안상태) as Nam Dae Tae
Kim Soo Mi
Park In Hwan
Seo In Young (cameo, eps 1-3)

Hooray For Love Trailer

Watch Hooray For Love with English Subtitle
http://www.mysoju.com/korean-drama/hooray-for-love/
http://www.viki.com/channels/3846-the-woman-who-never-loses

Extension nixed for Miss Ripley

2011-07-08T15:53:00.000+08:00

Oh thank goodness. MBC has decided to forget the potential 4-episode extension for Miss Ripley, meaning it’ll end with its originally planned 16 episodes.

The reason given for the decision was that the actors’ schedules wouldn’t allow for an extension. The production rep stated that Lee Da-hae has activities planned in China soon after the drama wraps (assuming a 16-episode schedule), and that Yoochun is physically exhausted after his JYJ world tour and drama shoots. (It was also his tight JYJ schedule that helped prevent a Sungkyunkwan Scandal extension last year, thankfully.)

Well, that’s a relief. Not because I don’t think the story couldn’t have sustained 20 episodes, ’cause I think it could have — but only if it had been planned that way at the start. Or at least been given more time to work in additional storylines. At 12 episodes in, adding time would merely be stretching out the next four episodes into eight instead, and I was NOT looking forward to that. Especially since Miss Ripley is a drama whose pacing relies on calculated buildups of suspense.

Plus, we can’t forget that the ending was foreshadowed in the first episode, so it’s not like you could just hijack the direction and end it differently than it had been set up to be. Well, you could, but that would be throwing logic out the window, and why do that? Other than for the sadly all-too-familiar reasoning that seems to say, Because we can, silly.

Therefore, sageuk series Kye Baek will follow Miss Ripley with a late July premiere, rather than August.

Via

http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/07/extension-nixed-for-miss-ripley/

Superkidd and the Brave Girls to cameo in ‘Protect the Boss’

2011-07-08T15:08:00.001+08:00

Superkidd and the Brave Girls will be making cameo appearances in SBS’s upcoming drama, ‘Protect the Boss’!

The two groups will be joining the first episode in a scene with a CF photoshoot. To make it look like the real deal, the drama spent thousands on creating the set. PD Park Sun Ho will be explaining the CF’s concept to the groups before they break into a parody of Cha Du Ri’s hit CF song, “Because of the Liver“. The lyrics have been changed to “Because of Money”.

Directors said, “We’re hoping to catch attention not only with our lead roles, but with fun little scenes like this as well. We’re sure that the two groups’ CF song, ‘Because of Money’, will earn great popularity.”

The drama begins airing on August 3rd!

Source / Photos:
http://www.allkpop.com/2011/07/superkidd-and-the-brave-girls-to-cameo-in-protect-the-boss

Birdie Buddy to air Monday-Tuesdays on tvN

2011-07-06T11:27:00.002+08:00

Birdie Buddy is finally going on the air. Again. After being pulled. Again. Let’s hope it sticks this time.

It’ll be taking up the Monday-Tuesday slot on cable channel tvN, which makes it tvN’s third foray into prime-time programming (following Manny and the currently airing romantic comedy, I Need Romance). It had been announced previously that tvN would pick it up, but then was dropped — and is now back.

The interesting thing is that the drama was produced (100% pre-broadcast) as a 20-episode drama, but the cable switch means that the timeslot is shorter. So the episodes will be re-edited into 24 shorter episodes, down from 70 minutes to 45 minutes each. I’m a fan of shorter episodes in general, but not necessarily time-dictated re-edits — because the drama was written and produced with a certain rhythm in mind. They’re meant to end at a certain narrative point, and unless you’re very, very clever (24 times over), you’ll lose the careful build-up built into the storytelling.

And we know that mere minutes can make a huge difference as to whether a cliffhanger is effective or not — just take a look at City Hunter, which went from spoiling its own tense climaxes to driving us mad with anxiety for the next episode. Or Miss Ripley, where the editors seem not to understand the point of cliffhangers at all and seemingly just cut out in the middle of a random scene. (Seriously, what’s up with that, Ripley?)

Brief history of the much-troubled Group Eight golf trendy: Birdie Buddy initially cast Seo Ji-hye, who dropped out, and Lee Mi-sook, who dropped out. UEE was brought in, the drama was intended to air last summer, which didn’t happen, and then supposedly scheduled for March of this year, which didn’t happen. After being shelved for nearly a year, it’ll finally get to see the light of day. The funny thing is, the drama actually looks pretty decent; you can see the extended 20-minute trailer on Dramafever.

Meanwhile, UEE has already been cast in her next drama, the KBS weekend series Ojakgyo Brothers (formerly Golden Pond), which is slated for an August 6 premiere. That means she’ll be celebrating the end of her “drama curse” by pulling double-duty, with two dramas airing at the same time, although not on the same day — she’ll be on TV four days of the week, from Saturday through Tuesday.

Birdie Buddy’s premiere is set for August 15.

Source / Image Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/07/birdie-buddy-to-air-monday-tuesdays-on-tvn/

Warrior Baek Dong-soo: First Impressions

2011-07-06T11:24:00.000+08:00

Crap. It’s good. What to do? There just aren’t enough hours in a day for all these dramas!
Fusion action historical drama Warrior Baek Dong-soo premiered on Monday to 10.1% ratings (with Baby-Faced Beauty in the lead at 14.2% and Ripley close behind at 12.9%). This was one we were keeping an eye on because the premise is so cool—two young warriors trained together, one to protect the king and one to kill him—but stayed cautious about because this kind of drama is all in the execution.

Happy to report, it’s definitely slick. It’s epic in a good way, and though it begins as all sageuks do—with the fateful birth of the hero, the journey to that point is actually quite gripping. I don’t know that it’s grabbed me heart and soul yet, but it’s a classic origin story of a hero, made well with cool effects, heart-pounding music, good acting, and an emotionally centered narrative. All in all, a very strong opening.

It definitely takes the let’s-start-in-the-middle-of-the-action thing to the hilt, with no sense of easing us into the universe. But once we get past the flashy intro and settle into the story, it feels more organic as the epic fated birth of future warrior Baek Dong-soo begins to unfold.
It does one thing I hate, which is introduce a million characters via chyron (names, titles onscreen) which I know is commonplace in sageuks, but I still hate it. Because it’s lazy writing, to forgo introducing people in a way that we will understand, via context clues, dialogue, unique setup. I don’t mind being helped along if things are confusing, but I dislike being introduced to every character this way, as a crutch and a substitute for character intros. But once we get past the first ten minutes there’s a little less of that and we settle into the plot with fewer interruptions.

The first episode totally belongs to Jeon Gwang-ryul, who usually plays Evil Father in every k-drama ever, but here he’s the big hero, a righteous swordsman with a heart of gold. He’s delightfully badass but also a law-abiding warrior who is loyal to the king. With the death of his brother in arms, he becomes surrogate father to the unborn Baek Dong-soo.
Leading the opposition is dark warrior Choi Min-soo, who is channeling some Jack Sparrow, that’s for sure. He’s constantly drunk, all swagger and mystery, but equally hardcore when it comes to the sword. His epic battle with Jeon Gwang-ryul can only be described as Badass Vs. Badass-er. I hope there’s at least one of these every week.

I have no idea if Ji Chang-wook and Yoo Seung-ho will be able to carry the same weight and heroic badassery as the adult leads, but the drama’s stylish enough that I trust it’ll pull through on that front. I do like that they’re young enough to play both the teenage and adult versions of their characters, so I’m hoping we’ll see the main leads faster than we would in other sageuks. Sometimes other shows spend weeks with child actors, and as good as they might be, it leaves us chomping at the bit for the stars to take to the stage.

At its core, this is a stylized action drama—it’s blood, guts, and glory—so if you’re squeamish about chopped off limbs and flying knives, this isn’t the show for you. But it’s stylish and well-made (aka high-budget), which is sometimes the make-or-break thing for sageuks, at least for me anyway.
The verdict: I like. As soon as my DeLorean on backorder comes in, I’ll get right on the recaps. Sigh. If anyone out there either (a) wants to school me with their own recaps of Baek Dong-soo; or (b) owns a DeLorean I can borrow, hit me up. We might be able to deal.

Source / Image Credit:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/07/warrior-baek-dong-soo-first-impressions/