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News bites: March 11, 2017


Ji-soo, Park Bo-young, Park Hyung-shik

  • The cast of Strong Woman Do Bong-soon is making good on their pre-premiere pledges. Prior to the show’s launch, the cast agreed that if an episode was able to exceed 3% in viewership ratings, Park Bo-young would see some lucky viewers home (reprising her role as a Herculean bodyguard) and the two male leads would hug 100 people. The premiere episode achieved 3.8%, while the fourth episode increased viewership to a whopping 8.3%, and the cast was quick to respond to the outpouring of support. Park Hyung-shik and Ji-soo will be giving out free hugs in Youngdeungpo’s Times Square on March 14, and recipients will be selected based on replies to JTBC’s official SNS account. Park Bo-young began muscling the first of five winners home on March 8 with the aid of castmates Im Won-hee and Kim Min-gyo, and footage of these fan interactions is expected to be available on JTBC’s homepage beginning March 17. [Herald Pop, Joongang]
  • Congratulations to Han Groo (Marriage Not Dating), who recently gave birth to twins! Her rep said she is currently focused on recovery but that she’s planning a return to the industry next year. [Joongang]

  • Han Groo, Jin Gu, Seohyun, Min Hyo-rin

  • Jin Gu may reunite with Jung Woo (they were in C’est Si Bon together) in the film Heungbu. He’s currently reviewing an offer to cameo as the trickster brother Nolbu in the retelling of a classic Korean folktale about two brothers, one kind and the other greedy. Jung Woo was recently confirmed to play the gentle-hearted Heungbu. [Osen]
  • A new weekend drama called Thief-nom, Thief-nim (a working title that roughly translates to Jerk Thief, Honorable Thief) is courting Seohyun (Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo) as its female lead. About thieves who aim to take down a small number of vested interests that covertly operate in Korea, the drama will be written by Sohn Young-mok and Cha Yi-young (Dazzling Temptation, Gold Rainbow) and directed by Oh Kyung-hoon (Mom, Home Sweet Home). Thief-nom, Thief-nim is scheduled to follow Father, I’ll Take Care of You on MBC in May. Star News]
  • Gearing up to return to dramaland is Persevere Gu Hae-ra actress and current Unni Slam Dunk regular Min Hyo-rin. She’s confirmed for a two-episode web drama that will also air on KBS called Individualist Ms. Ji-young. [Osen]

  • Dasom, Oh Yoon-ah, Chun Ho-jin

  • Joining Kim Joo-hyun as the leading trio in Sister Is Alive are SISTAR’s Dasom (Strange Daughter-in-Law) and Oh Yoon-ah (Saimdang, Light’s Diary). Dasom’s character is the source of the story’s problems; she’s intelligent and is a looker, but she’s also described as a skilled liar and a charmer. She had to quit school to earn income to support her family, and thus the extent of her education has been some high school beauty classes. Since she was young, she’s done anything to earn money, and she absolutely hates being poor. Oh’s role is that of an intellectual and levelheaded former assistant to a large conglomerate executive, but once she births the child she’s always wanted, she’ll give everything up to become a homemaker and to focus on her daughter. The story about three friends who share the same pain and who raise a child together will air after Our Gap-soon in April on SBS. [Joongang 1, 2]
  • Chun Ho-jin (Moonlight Drawn By Clouds) will reunite with Six Flying Dragons castmate Yoo Ah-in in Chicago Typewriter. Chun’s been cast as a novelist and giant of the Korean literary world, who was once a supporter of Yoo’s character. The two had a falling out and have turned their backs on each other for good. The fantasy rom-com will take the spot vacated by Tomorrow With You on tvN in April. [DongA]

  • Song Kang-ho, Jo Jung-seok, Lee Sung-min, Yoon Je-moon

  • It’s easy to get blinded by the star power of the cast of Drug King, which cast Song Kang-ho early as the boss of a an illegal substance ring. Jo Jung-seok is now confirmed for the role of a prosecutor, Lee Sung-min (Memory) will play a policeman, and Yoon Je-moon (Last) a Yakuza member who supports kingpin Song. Also confirmed are Kim Dae-myung (Misaeng) and Jo Woo-jin (The Lonely Shining Goblin), who are reuniting with director Woo Min-ho (all three collaborated on Insiders); Kim will play Song’s younger cousin, while Jo will play a Busan thug. Finally, Kim So-jin (The King) has been cast as Song’s wife, and Lee Hee-joon (Legend of the Blue Sea) a drug dealer. Cameras for the film are expected to begin rolling by July. [Star News 1, 2]
  • KBS is moving ahead with a new Producers-like variety drama, and has tapped PD Yoo Ho-jin of 1 Night 2 Days Season 3 to direct. This will be Yoo’s first time directing a drama, and it’ll be interesting to see what his collaboration with The Producers team will yield. [Sports Chosun]

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ooooh, PD Yoo directing a drama! Interesting! Looking forward to that one.

March 14 for the free hugs. SIGH. I'm going to Korea 10 days after this event. No luck seeing them. But happy for the drama's success. And leaving this adorableness here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBKh_I4HkQo

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They are soooo adorable together. The way Hyung-sik look at her... it's almost like he really has a crush on her.

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He's like the real version of that heart-eyes emoji. ?

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I love Park Hyung Sik and his eyes! Gotta find a man who looks at you like that.

But also, can anyone not fangirl over Park Bo Young - she's absolute girl crush. Watching her all giddy over Ji Soo's words made me all giddy.

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Yes to everything! Park Bo-young's googly eyes at Ji-soo and Park Hyung-shik's googly eyes at Bo-young is too much cuteness for me to handle! Hyung-shik is so damn charming and Bo-young is JUST SO SQUISHY!! Haha. She makes me giddy too, because she's so darn adorable! Won't be surprised if it takes Hyung-shik a couple takes to keep a straight face whenever Bo-young's using aegyo!

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Hugs on my birthday? Rats, I'm vacationing in the wrong place!

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advance happy birthday! <3

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Happy (early) birthday! By the way, you have the same birthday as Einstein :)

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Whoop, change of plans!? Jk, jk. Happy happy birthday!

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I'm just hoping they can somehow reach 9% (that would be INSANE!) and the boys can go shirtless bahahaha. It would be such a waste not to utilise the gorgeousness that is the two male leads.

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Woah, is this a legit ratings promise made by the boys? I'm imagining a hilarious misunderstood half naked scene of them together that Bong Soon will see in my mind right now. So many funny ideas I can suggest!

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I think any wild imaginations can be possible with this show! So far, we've seen her Park Hyung-shik crossdress and squeeze Ji-soo's butt, Ji-soo even crossdressed too, and there are more whackiness that's happening in the show, so a shirtless scene with the two of 'em sounds doable! Your scenario of Bong-soon seeing them together half nekkid is actually something I can see happening, too! Hahaha. Oh, I hope it happens!

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Can anyone kindly post the link of the jtbc sns account for the free hugs event? I will be in Korea for the next few days! Thanks so much :)

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congrats to SWDBS! i haven't started watching it yet but looking forward to a good binge watch

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Congratulations to Han Groo, may God bless her and her family. So Dasom is expanding her acting gigs, makes sense given who knows if Sistar will renew their contract or disband. I liked her in Virtual Bride so looking forward to seeing her again.

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Virtual Bride is drama where the lead girl is an idol who join a a variety show and she becomes a fake DIL or something lime that, right? I love that drama especially the first half. Dasom was quite great there.

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*like

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Congratulations to Strong Woman Do Bong-soon's team and Han Groo.

Drug King's lineup look like a dream casting. Can't wait to watch another Jo Jung-seok's project. Hopefully it will be good.

Also, waiting for casting news about the new variety drama. Hopefully it will give opportunity to some lesser-known actors out there.

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omg Yoo Ho-Jin 'Crayfish PD' directing a drama? Yay I missed him after he left the main PD position in 1N2D

Kinda wished he could return to 1N2D though but I hope he's successful with the drama :3 hope he will be close to the staff like in 1N2D

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Twins! Eeeeeeeeh! Han Groo, good job! Congrats!

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I predict this year SeoHyun will lead weekend drama, by next year she will lead weekday drama. Yoona used to to the same too (or was Yoona led the daily drama?).
Btw where is SooYoung who is the best actress in their group? I thought she will have a drama this year.

Congrats Han Groo for twins. Be a mother at a such young age. Good for her. She can re-build her career later. See Lee Yo Won, she married early too. But her career doesn't stop. By now she got a husband ,3 kids and steady career.

Excited for Drug King. We will get so many favourites in one movie. ??

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Isn't SooYoung from Girls Generation?

Congrats to Han Groo!!

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Yes she is, and so are Seohyun and Yoona :)

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Yeah, Yoona started out in a daily drama [You Are My Destiny] which was a hit. Then she did primetime weekday dramas.

Sooyoung was tapped for Polyclinic Doctor but I've heard nothing about it for ages. I'm thinking it's in production hell and they can't secure a broadcaster or something?

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Song Kang-ho, Jo Jung-seok, Lee Sung-min, Yoon Je-moon all in one movie <3.

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So happy for SWDBS!! Wish I could be part of that free hug event! LOL

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drug king sounds like its gonna be sooo goood

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I want Park Boyoung to be my bodyguard!!! ???

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Twins, wow! Congrats to Han Groo, and I hope she has a lot of helps :)

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I love Han Groo...congrats to her...hope to see her back in drama land soon!!

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Wah~ I love how the ratings for Bong-soon flipped from 3.8 to 8.3! Haha. I'm so happy for them for getting so much love because their show is so much fun to watch. I love Park Bo-young's unique idea of walking fans home and I can't even imagine the awesomeness of how that'll feel! Lucky fans! It's still early in the game (btw, how many eps is it?), so I hope the ratings continue to soar for Bong-soon.

I was watching an old Happy Together ep with Han Groo in it and it made me miss her, so I'm glad to hear some news about her! Congrats to her for having twins, omg! Twwwwwiiiiiiinnnnssss! I'm actually so excited to hear she might come back next year! It's too long, but now she has to take care of herself and her babies, so I'll be patient. Gah, she's such a great, young talent, that I was afraid we lost her forever... I should check out Girl K!

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16 episodes (for now). I hope jtbc don't extend it because of the great ratings. They really don't have enough story for more episodes imo.

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Aw, I'm so happy for Han Groo. Her twins are around the same age as my niece :) I'm glad she is still planning to come back to acting after everything. She's way too talented to give up.

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Congrats to Han Groo! And wishing her good recovery and a lot of help. Going from zero to two can be quite demanding... Our twins are nearly 2 now and it still is not easy... but there are also many many happy moments and we wouldn't change :--)

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Yasss Yoo PD, I really missed him in 1N2D. Season 3 original cast were actually perfect.
I'm excited

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I miss yoo pd interacting with the cast on 1n2d... Too bad he's totally behind the camera for this project. Will look forward to his project...

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Dang! That is some cast for "Drug King"; would almost be an overdose of acting talent.

SWDBS is a lot of fun and deserving of its high ratings; it's just too bad can't say the same for "Tomorrow With You" which is totally deserving of high ratings, but limping along ratings-wise.

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