Ooh. Looks like MBC’s horror drama series Hon (Soul) actually IS as creepy as it looks, because it just got slapped with a 19+ viewer rating, which means that it is not recommended for viewers under the age of 19.

Given that this is a regular prime-time broadcast television series (and not, say, cable television, which is where the more risqué offerings usually reside), it’s rather unusual for a drama to be rated 19+. Another recent case is the Hyun Bin series Friend, Our Legend, which also received a 19+ rating for violence and ended up cutting and covering up some scenes.

Hon’s production will be taking some last-minute editing steps before the show’s premiere next Wednesday. Producers explain that they attempted to fall within the criteria for a 15+ rating, but were unable to given the drama’s subject matter dealing with serial killings, its violent and provocative scenes, and use of profanity. They will also be curtailing the number of murder-related scenes and editing them, but because they would like to preserve the fright factor — it IS touted as a special summer horror series, after all — they won’t be changing too much.

Furthermore, reruns that air earlier in the day will have to be edited down to meet the more viewer-friendly “age 15″ rating. Hon stars Lee Seo-jin and premieres August 5.

Via Yonhap News

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Check out the teaser poster for Jang Geun-seok’s newest movie, the murder mystery based on a true story, Itaewon Murder Case [이태원 살인사건].

In the movie, Jang plays one of two Korean-American teenagers who are the main suspects in a killing occurring in an Itaewon fast-food restaurant. Both young men point the finger at the other for the killing a Korean university student, and the thriller unfolds as a detective (Jung Jin-young) tries to uncover what really happened. This casting differs slightly from the true case upon which the movie is based, which occurred twelve years ago in April of 1997 and has never been entirely resolved. The real case involved 17-year-old American Arthur Patterson and 18-year-old Korean-American Edward Lee, who were let go after a “bungled prosecution,” after which Patterson fled to the U.S. and Lee was acquitted by the Supreme Court.

According to a source with the film production, this story differs from other murder-thriller movies like Memories of Murder or Voice of a Murder in which authorities pursue an unknown killer. In Itaewon Murder Case, the two suspects are already in custody, and police must decide which is the true culprit.

Itaewon Murder Case also stars actors Shin Seung-hwan, Go Chang-seok, Oh Kwang-rok, and Triple’s resident cutie Song Joong-ki. It is planning for a September release. Meanwhile, Jang Geun-seok also recently announced his next television role in the idol drama You’re Beautiful.

Via TV Report, Chosun (English)

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Since we’ve gotten our first look at the main players of KBS’s My Fair Lady [아가씨를 부탁해, or 아부해], now we get to see how Moon Chae-won is taking on her character.

Moon’s role as aspiring shoe designer “Eui-joo” is described as “cute and bubbly,” and she plays a young woman who has grown up her whole life as a little sister figure to Yoon Sang-hyun’s “Dong-chan” character. Moon explained that thanks to Yoon Sang-hyun’s joking attitude, they share a pleasant and comfortable vibe, which no doubt will help their onscreen chemistry as longtime buddies.

[Read more →]

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SONG OF THE DAY

Get Set Go – “Twenty-One” [ Download ]

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Argh, Dream did it again. After Episode 1 had aired, I was on the fence about continuing the drama, but pretty close to jumping off that fence. Most of Episode 2 did little to convince me otherwise, and I was content to let this drama go on without me. But again, the last ten minutes managed to be more interesting than the first fifty combined, so I find myself dragged along a little bit longer. (Note: I don’t think I’m going to continue recapping — not unless Episode 3 is whiz-bam-bow! fantastic, and really, those odds aren’t high — just to let you know.)

The reason for my (and the public’s) lukewarm reaction, I think, is simple: When you put Kim Bum and Sohn Dam-bi together, meh. He’s adorable, she’s bland. Together, they’re boring. Then you try the combination of Sohn Dam-bi and Joo Jin-mo, but again, yawn. He’s great and she’s, again, bland, and together they are predictable.

But then you put Kim Bum and Joo Jin-mo together, as they do in this episode, and things finally wake up.

SONG OF THE DAY

MC Mong – “나비효과” (Butterfly Effect) [ Download ]

DREAM Episode 2 >>

Filed under: Drama Recaps by javabeans - 35 Comments →