It looks like Jang Hyuk (Tree With Deep Roots, Midas) will be taking a break from dramaland for his next project. He has confirmed that he’ll be returning to the silver screen in the action thriller Influenza, due out later this year. The title in Korean is the everyday word for the common cold, but the movie’s about a deadly virus, so imma go with the much more menacing-sounding Influenza, ’cause Cold is totally nondescript and toothless, as far as scary titles go.
The film is about a deadly cold virus that spreads throughout the city, and a man and a woman who set out to find the cure before it’s too late. So… it’s basically Contagion? Not that virus movies are that different from each other anyway. It’ll be a big blockbuster film, directed by Kim Sung-soo (Beat, There Is No Sun, The Warriors) who also directed Jang Hyuk in his 2003 comedy The Total Conquest of English, also called Please Teach Me English, with Lee Na-young.
Apparently, the role was originally slated for Jo In-sung, but when his movie Fist Fighting went back into production, he chose to keep his promise to director Park Kwang-hyun, sending Influenza back out to search for a new hero. Well, I can’t think of anyone better to play Scientist, Man of Action than Jang Hyuk, so I’m sure it worked out for the best. (Er, don’t hold me to that description — I have no idea if he’s playing a scientist or a random sick-guy-turned-hero, or Jack Bauer who has to kill the virus-deploying-terrorists before the day is out.)
Influenza plans to cast its heroine and start shooting by the end of March.
Via My Daily
RELATED POSTS
- Jang Hyuk declines drama, avoids typecasting
- Tree With Deep Roots: Episode 1
- Busy Jang Hyuk already looking at next drama role
- Tree With Deep Roots’ posters, teasers, stills
- Courtroom thriller The Client releases stills, sets premiere date
- Stills from the set of Midas
- Jang Hyuk adds another movie to his busy schedule
- Jang Hyuk: “My family is my strength”
- Chuno: Episodes 1-2
RECENTLY COMPLETED
To be honest: my first response to this news was mehh, from the synopsis it seems pretty straightforward. Here’s hoping that they throw in a good twist in the mix.
I love Jang Hyuk, but I’ve seen so many Contagion-type movies that I’m not so excited about this news. Can’t we give the guy a Rom-Com please? He’s shown he’s got comedy chops in Thank You even if it was spare and in between. I’d love to see him shake off the action guy image. Than again, it’s this very image that shot him to stardom. Sigh. Jang Hyuk fighting! And please come back to dramaland soon. X)
Another ‘Disease Runs Rampant and destroys Civilization’ movie?
Love Hyuk, but the subject matter has been done and done.
Unless, of course, the disease survivors end up as Zombies.
THAT might perk my interest!
But even Zombies have been done time and again. Unless it’s Zombies with a twist never done before, it’s just not going to have that WOW factor. Sigh.
An army of Idol Zombies : Stage Lord. Byung Hee comes back from Death Land and bites every fan girl within reach to find the muse who will accompany him at the end of the world.
I’d watch it.
Hahaha, Idol Zombies. Limbs flying all over the place while said Zombies strut their thing on stage sounds pretty epic. I doubt Byunghee would appreciate being called an Idol though. XD
Idol Zombies! That could be the ‘twist’, although it might backfire on us by calling forth every actor we’ve accused of wooden acting….
Scenestiller, anyone?
That’s what you get for asking for an Horror Movie. Ask for a feel good movie and i won’t call him Idol.
How about a zombie guy falling for a human girl? I don’t think that’s been done yet. A vampire can marry a human these days, so I don’t think there’d be any major problem, barring front teeth falling off from a hot zombie kiss, and a rather bad smell and general unkempt appearance.
Zombie falling for a human girl? If we’re not being technical about our revenants, than The Mummy (with Brendan Fraser) movies count as “zombie” falling for a human girl right? XD
Yeah – and I seem to remember that the Mummy’s face had lots of those creepy scarab beetles scuttling under his skin – until a tornado of black flies came swarming out from his eyeballs while he was trying to put the make on Rachel Weitz.
Call me crazy, but a big part of my Kdrama love involves pretty boys/men. Zombies would interfere with the reality of my fantasy life!
Noooooooooo. I want to see Jang Hyuk in nothing less than a 500 episode drama. Does this mean he won’t be in a drama for the rest of the year? *cries*
Ay, pobrecita, you got it bad. Him nae~ since this is being released later this year, he may return to the small screen before the end of the year. On the bright side, at least you don’t have to worry about recapping a 500 episode drama. *shudders at the thought*
I agree with you COMPLETELY.
I want to see him in something long, funny, and where he’s actually ALIVE at the end.
Oh my goodness! Didn’t think of that. It certainly would be nice to see him live through a drama.
Watch Thank You then. It won’t let you down.
Ain’t that the truth! Loved him in Thank You.
Chocopie for you.
I couldn’t handle all the cancer, death and AIDS in that drama. Sad, because I absolutely love both leads.
Woah, hot picture we have here. Jang Hyuk is great. Whether it be movies or dramas, I’m glad he’s going to be on screen.
I really really really REALLY would want to see him in a romcom now. It feels like it has been forever.
i agree that “disease-fighting hero” would really suit him.
I have a request.
Could you include the original Hangul movie title in your posts for us people who speak Korean or are trying to learn?
Anyway thanks for this blog.
i check in at least 50 times a day.
Aw, I’m glad Hyuk is taking a well deserved break from Drama Land. He always seems to work so much!
Ugh, every time Jo In Sung’s name comes up I get disappointed again. I understand the want for a break, but he’s been back for so long. I love him, but my affections can’t last so long without wavering. And ‘Fist Fighting’ sounds…terrible.
Jang Hyuk. *Swoon*
I love him <3
Holy crap he’s hot! Drooooool….
Don’t know if he’s a scientist or not – which, by the way, Korea’s obviously has a handful of “geniuses” (according to K-drama-lala-land) that should have already figured out the cure – but there’s definitely going to be Jang Hyuk action.
When there’s Jang Hyuk, he will use every opportunity to do something badass. Even if it’s just one scene.
LOVE Jang Hyuk! Can’t wait to be able to see it.
I love this man…hes so damn sexy, not to mention one awesome actor. love every thing hes been in…
I saw the chuno and komapsmidae.recently.and so like the act of ouri jang hyouk.i from iran.ouri degili faiting;-)