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Friends-style cable sitcom in the works

MBN is the brand-new cable channel bringing us the vampire-alien-prince-idol-star sitcom Vampire Idol (so awesome, that descriptor), and now it’s got another sitcom in the works: a Friends-esque sitcom titled You Drive Me Crazy, which has just lined up Lee Soo-kyung as one of its leads.

MBN is described as a general-service cable channel (as opposed to one that caters to a specific category, like OCN and movies, for instance), and is not yet in service; it premieres in December and is busily preparing its inaugural programming selections.

You Drive Me Crazy touts itself as “Korea’s first sitcom made in the American-style drama format.” That could mean a lot of things, but I’m hoping it yields a positive result. Perhaps it means it’ll adopt the studio-audience format, although Korean sitcoms like High Kick already make use of canned laughter. Or maybe it means it’s dipping its toes into the single-camera comedy format — although that doesn’t work with the Friends reference, which was multi-camera. Urg, guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

The sitcom will employ a team of three writers (yay — I think more Korean dramas should get onboard with the writers’ room concept, rather than giving script duties to one person) and will be directed by Kim Hee-won; while I can’t find much info on the PD or writers, one of the producers, Lee Jang-soo, is a drama veteran with series like Stairway to Heaven and Road No. 1 under his belt. True, one of those is a tearjerker melodrama and the other is a tragic war epic, but he’s not the writer so I’m not worried yet.

Lee Soo-kyung plays a beautiful office worker with a “unique charm,” who’s one of a mixed group of three who end up living together, and the show tracks the various comic happenings that arise out of their arrangement. Sounds a lot more like Three’s Company than Friends to me. The show, which will run for 120 episodes, will play with the central motif: Can men and women really be just friends? Good question.

I think Lee is the perfect choice for something like this; she’s taken on more dramatic roles lately (Daemul, Loving You a Thousand Times) but she’s got good comic timing and a bubbly personality that works well with comedy. She was cute in Golden Age of the Daughter-in-Law, and I loved her in Soulmate — which, if we’re nitpicking, probably already stole the title of “first American-style sitcom” away from this one, with its single-camera format and editing style. Heck, Soulmate’s plot seems a lot more Friends-like than You Drive Me Crazy, with its cast of four couples and exploration of modern dating.

Not that I’m complaining, mind you. The more cable offerings I hear about, the more excited I get for the evolving K-drama landscape. Change is good, and it’s refreshing to shake up the tried-n-true with new experiments.

You Drive Me Crazy is aiming to match its premiere to the station’s, in early December.

Via Osen

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I loved her in My Country Calls, and Ryu Jin!!

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me too I really loved her with Ryu Jin in MCC they made such a cute and funny pair!!!
I really love all of her dramas, Can't wait to watch this!

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Sounds great!

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It has to be lee soo kyung. I'm glad she's going back to comedy and I hope her costars are just as great.

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big fan of hers ever since Lwayers of korea.

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Again seems like cable is taking up all the good stuff....

If it really is Friends-esque i'm soo in.

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Argh I just watched Soulmate a couple of weeks ago.She was great but I loved her in My Country Calls.

Sigh however we'not going to get subs for this are we?

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Cable's on a roll! I don't know if this is good or bad. I guess many pros and cons. But I'm so glad that they're having a team of writers instead of one poor soul. Should be time already.

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ooh, i'd definitely love to see an ensemble comedy, korean-style.

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I just rewatched Soulmate yeterday, and I'm so glad we get to see more of her!

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I'm in, love her--a great comic as well as drama actress... not just in My Country Calls, but Lawyers of Korea, Soulmate as well the other dramas she's been in ....can't wait, thanks!!!

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Korean version of Friends . . . so they're restarting the Three Guys and Three Girls franchise?

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Maybe they mean it's more of a sit-com, with each episode being a self-contained plot instead of one long sweeping plot broken up into 16 cliffhanger episodes. I don't think I've ever seen that in a kdrama.

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I loved Soulmate and her in Soulmate, which remains the most non-Korean kdrama in my book.

120 episodes? Not sure if I can make the commitment!

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120 episodes is long, but if it's like High Kick where i don't necessarily have to watch every episode, then I might watch some of it.

Hopefully cable will continue bringing more and more wonderful presents!!

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ditto. i loved her with ryu jin in MCC but 120 eps way too long. but maybe i'll try this one cz i can't manage watched friend which had 10 seasons long. i hope it's good.

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ditto. i loved her with ryu jin in MCC but 120 eps way too long. but maybe i'll try this one cz i can manage watched friend which had 10 seasons long. i hope it's good.

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She was hilarious in My Country Calls!

I wonder who the other cast members will be. With a Friends style drama, everyone's gotta click!

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I hope someone subs this! Hopefully Viki or drama fever gets it!

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Remember her most in Soulmate...and would it be to much to ask for Shin Dong wook?...oo..ohpppulease bring him in.

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i think there's a new show on american television with the same plot-line. whether it is like three's company or friends, doesn't matter to me because i love both shows.

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I loved her and JGW in Loving You a Thousand Times. Great chemistry. I miss seeing her in a drama. Glad to hear she has a new project. Something to look forward to!

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Bring it on!.. and a great OST too!!

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ohhhh.. i remember her most from soulmate... this is gonna be awesome, i hope.

"Again seems like cable is taking up all the good stuff…."

True. so many awesome new shows.
can't wait ^^

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For me, she's one of the beautiful & fresh faces in Kdrama Industry. I am excited to see Lee Soo Kyung again. I hope they will consider Jung Kyeo Woon as her leading man (제발! - please!). I love their "Loving You A Thousand Times" drama.

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