Yay, 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.
Via Star News
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I love her!
Yay for Park Jin Hee!
Sounds good
I like her. She is cool.
After seeing her all heavy in Giant, fun would be fun.
I don’t know him, but I see he was in a movie with CSW.
PJH could just bring her beauty, but my impression is she also brings brains and integrity to her work. She doesn’t over/under act – she’s really subtle.
Plus I can’t resist a film or drama set in a café or restaurant, add a female chef and some ridiculous mobster-hi-jinks – it could be the hit of the year (fingers crossed).
Who am I kidding? If she is in it, I’ll watch it even if it’s dismal – but I’d rather it weren’t.
p.s. The Woman Who Still Wants to Marry is a criminally under-rated show (Kim Boo Ki!).
I love that drama too. Park Jin Hee acting in that drama was fantastic, funny but not the slap stick type. Her other two best friends were also great.
Whatever it is, this drama just got better…
Woooooo now thats an interesting pair. I’m liking it.
I don’t know if its just me or what but doesn’t he look, a little bit anyway, like Senior Chang from Community?
The only similarity between the two is their hairstyle, everything else is very different.
can’t unsee!!!!!
wow.. another cable drama!
yeah, just like Padam Padam…this channel must really be investing…
If its the peeps who did Rebirth, then I’m definitely jumping on that ship.
RIGHT?!?!?!? And I love both PJH and SIK!!!! Im so in!!!!
LOL. The drama description makes me excited for all the possible similarities that could happen. And there’s two of my favorite actors <3
Just imagine Song being a mobster leading over the boys talking like Jumong and waiving a stick around like it was his sword. *Sigh* I love that drama…
*Not “similarities”, I meant “possibilities”.
This sounds interesting. I love Park Jin-hee. She’s a very underrated actress. I thought she did a great job in Giant but was kinda mad that the other chick (forgot her name) was getting all the attention. :-/
Song Il Kook’s recent dramas have not been so good. Hopefully this one is a hit for him because Crime Squad and A Man called God were absolutely dreadful.
*shudder* the horror that was a Man called God. I usually don’t skip scenes but with this drama I skipped scenes plus whole episodes.
Once I made it through the initial shock of the first few episodes, I started appreciating it for its unintended camp factor. Sort of the way people watch 1 star films on mute at some local gay fundraiser shindig with the local drag queen and her sidekick narrating over the visuals.
Ooooo, how interesting =)
is it a rom-com? I am confused especially if it’s from the PD-writer team who did Rebirth and the Devil… those 2 dramas are some serious stuff…. since the Devil being one of my all time favorite.. i am definitely tune in for this one… I actually like both of the lead.. it’ll be interesting.
A very slight resemblance to Japanese drama, Shinya Shokudo, which I loved?
http://withs2.com/view/shinya-shokudo
http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Shinya_Shokudo
With that production crew and the two stars, this already sounds like a winner.
Song Il-Guk?! One of my all-time favorite actors (in sageuks – his other projects just reeked!) – he really needs a good drama to invigorate his career.
When I first read the description of Fermentation Family (btw, it sounds okay to my Eng. ears) I thought that they had renamed the upcoming drama about that rice wine (makgulli?) family. Guess not. Between kimchi and rice wine, the two casts should get together for a block party!
Anyway – Song Il-Guk! Woot!!
lol block party!
My lady is back?! WOOTZ! PARTAYYYY!
Subbing gods…please make this happen!
oh man, Cable channels are on a roll yo! This sounds good and the leads I simply adore!! Can I get Korean cable here in NZ now pleeeease
Another family drama? I don’t think family dramas attract over sea viewers but hopefully this one will.. because Song Il Gook, my baby, is the leading man.
I love Song Il-Gook too. I swear he’s the grown up version of kevjumba – physically I mean. HAHAHA. He’s our resident Doraemon, just like Song Ji-hyo said.
Park Jin-hee’s beauty always reminds me of Taiwan actress Brigitte Lin. I’m anticipating BL’s comeback on the silver screen.
Ooh, I totally see the similarity between PJH and Brigitte Lin. LOVE the latter! Bride with White Hair! Woot!
Now that you mention it, they ARE quite similar.
OK, you just made me eBay Bride with White Hair DVD. (I have the VHSs of BwWH 1 & 2, but hadn’t made the transition to DVD for those.)
pak jin hee ssi pan ga wa! I really like her. I hope this isn’t a brain number 2 with cast changes every few days.
Yay, it sounds great! I love her – and I don’t know him, but the writer is awesome. The concept could be very interesting indeed!
It’ll make a nice change from all those flower boy restaurants.
SIG? I’d watch him tie his shoes. My first Kdrama crush. Way back in EOTS. Looking forward to this.
The Devil & Resurrection? Two of my all time favorites.
Oh, her name had been tied with a cable sageuk so when I read somewhere she was confirmed for a cable drama I instantly thought it was that.
Sounds good, I agree with other commentors, thus far it is sounding Shinya Shokudo-esque and I liked that show, a lot. But will they have Jo Odagiri sat quietly in a corner of the cafe making peanut abacuses? Probably not.
Not the greatest Song Il-gook fancier, but I like her, have heard raves about the writer-PD tandem. ‘S all win.
Man that is a new channel and they have all the hot new dramas.Isn’t it only operational from Dec?
Padam with JWS and Kim Bum on 5th Dec and this on the 7th.Wow…they have the $$$$ huh?
Shin-young and Jumong
I hope this is good, because I love them both!
This sounds really cool!
I so approve of this pairing!!!
FINALLY! A drama with awesome leads!!! Ever since Scent of a Woman ended, I had no dramas to really look forward to (note, those with LEGIT A-list veteran actors and actresses). The plot hints look excellent!
totally excited about this…all i seem to hear about is cable dramas
Waaay excited about this. Awesome writer-director duo as well as awesome actors. That plus a fun-sounding story? I’m so in.
wow !! I love her and a great fan of Song . I can see the chemistry. can’t wait a great drama during the cold weather season in the States
OMG, this drama is just about perfect on paper.
Great Actors – Check!
I anticipate PJH & SIG having awesome chemistry!
Great Writing – Check!
Great Directing – Check!
And Rebirth – one of my faves!
Quite possibly great soundtrack, since the Rebirth OST still remains one of my faves.
kiyaaaaaaaaaaaaa! O JOYS JOYS O JOYS!
hmm it’d be great if it had a vibe similar to Bad Family.
dang this is cable’s year!
The PD-writer, SIK +PJH… I am looking forward to this.
Darn! The girl is back!
Been waiting for ages, she’s been in a hiatus this year.
After the back to back movies and dramas last year.
Now my long wait is over. ^__^
I love Song Il-kook, Park Jin-hee, and Resurrection/Rebirth has been my favorite K-drama thus far…. therefore, this is my most anticipated cable drama. Yay!!!
The first time I have a good feeling about Song’s leading lady. This drama doesn’t sound dark or horror. But why December 07? Will they finish the shooting before airing?
Looking forward to Fermented Family! Woot!
OOH! It’s very rare that I get excited about the premise of a drama. Usually I just go for whatever my favorite actors are doing. But this just sounds like it could be so good. Unlikely families forming around an eatery is one of those great classic themes. And we can expect lots of gratuitous shots of food.
I really love SIK! He is so…so… waiting news about him allways!
Yes i look forward to the movie FERMENTATION FAMILY been reach NIGERIA