Korean Drama Port: Yoon Sang-hyun

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/

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/

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/

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.