Neurosurgery drama Brain began its run today on KBS, and while I haven’t gotten around to checking out the premiere yet, here are some posters and stills to mark the series launch.

The posters do a pretty good job of telling us that this is going to be a Serious Medical Drama — rather than, say, romance central a la Grey’s Anatomy — with a rivalry driving it. Actually, make that multiple rivalries: In the top poster, Shin Ha-kyun (The Front Line) faces off with Jo Dong-hyuk (Yacha), but in the one directly below it’s Jung Jin-young he’s paired against. Add do that Choi Jung-won (Wish Upon a Star), who may have romantic storylines with one or more of the male leads.

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Read the rest of Scenes from newly premiered KBS drama Brain (275 words)

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Post tags: Choi Jung-won, Jo Dong-hyuk, Jung Jin-young, Lee Hyun-woo (2), Shin Ha-kyun

With KBS medical drama Brain about a week from its premiere, here are the drama’s first two teasers, as well as character stills of the main cast of neurosurgeons featuring Shin Ha-kyun, Jung Jin-young, and Choi Jung-won.

The way this drama handled its casting process has been pretty clunky (not to mention controversial), which had turned me off the show from the start. Having seen the teasers, though, you can see that they’re clearly going for suspenseful and dramatic, in which case it makes sense to opt for a serious film actor like Shin Ha-kyun (The Front Line) over the younger Lee Sang-yoon (The Duo). And Choi Jung-won (Wish Upon a Star) has been a leading actress for longer than new face Yoon Seung-ah (Playful Kiss), even if I think she’s much more appealing in lighter comedies than serious dramas.

All that said, it doesn’t excuse the poor way the drama dumped its first cast, and begs the question: If you say these actors were all wrong for the parts, why cast them in the first place?

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Read the rest of Medical drama Brain’s teasers and stills (171 words)

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Post tags: Choi Jung-won, Jung Jin-young, Shin Ha-kyun

KBS medical drama Brain is finally locking in its cast (again), and has finalized the casting of one male lead in Shin Ha-kyun and its female lead in Choi Jung-won. They’ve got no time to spare, with the drama set to premiere in early November, leaving them with just one month to begin filming.

The production’s earlier excuse that its first cast seemed “too young” still rings false to me; I think what they meant was more that they wanted more starpower, more heft. Which, we know, doesn’t always come with age. Because with Shin Ha-kyun onboard (The Front Line, Thirst, Cafe Noir), they’re clearly going for more gravitas, and now the White Tower comparisons are starting to be bandied about. If you want someone on par with Kim Myung-min, you’ve gotta go after the heavy hitters.

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Read the rest of A few more brains for Brain (353 words)

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Post tags: Choi Jung-won, Shin Ha-kyun

Wish Upon a Star and Kingdom of the Wind actress Choi Jung-won is featured in a photo spread for fashion mag Elle Korea; she poses in these stills with a cello, which seems like merely an extraneous prop since the real appeal is in her artfully disheveled look. I like how she looks partially like a broken-down Victorian doll, and partially like a bored socialite forced to endure painfully tedious cello lessons when she’d really rather be shopping. Or sleeping. Or flirting with teacher. I’ve been there, sister. Except for the rich socialite part, of course, and okay, also the chic designer wardrobe.

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Read the rest of Choi Jung-won poses for Elle Korea (134 words)

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Post tags: Choi Jung-won, photo shoots

Actress Choi Jung-won (Wish Upon a Star) recently traveled to Kyushu, Japan, and we’ve already seen the first set of stills from her trip.

That means that there isn’t much additional news to note this time, but the photos sure are lovely to look at. (I like this set better than the first, because this one looks more visually interesting than just sightseeing in the streets.)

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Read the rest of Choi Jung-won in Kyushu, Part 2 (114 words)

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Post tags: Choi Jung-won

Actress Choi Jung-won (Wish Upon a Star) recently traveled to Kyushu, Japan, and has released these photos from the trip. She went as part of a road documentary program she shot with cable channel ETN, which followed her around as she went sightseeing.

One of the broadcast station staffers who accompanied her explained that although Choi has a very feminine and proper image from her dramas, she’s really more of a tomboy and was very open and lively with the staff. (Choi was bubbly and cute in her latest drama, Wish Upon a Star, but that was a departure from her pre-existing images from earlier roles like sageuk drama Kingdom of the Wind and the popular family series Infamous Chil Sisters.)

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Read the rest of Choi Jung-won’s trip to Kyushu (67 words)

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Post tags: Choi Jung-won

Saturday, September 18, was the day of the 18th Icheon Chunsa Film Festival, held in the city of Icheon in Kyeonggi Province. The overwhelming winner was the film Moss, a crime thriller from the director of Silmido starring Jung Jae-young, Park Hae-il, Yoo Jun-sang, and Yoo Sun. It picked up awards in seven categories, including Best Picture and Supporting Actor.

Moss released in theaters in July and is based on the “web toon” of the same name. It was a big performer this summer, logging 3.3 million attendances.

Other notable winners were the war movie Into the Fire, which was given a special jury prize, and Bestseller, which picked up a few awards as well.

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Read the rest of 18th Icheon Chunsa Film Festival (906 words)

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Post tags: Cha Ye-ryun, Choi Jung-won, film festivals, Go Chang-seok, Go Eun-ah, Jo Jin-woong, Song Ji-eun, Uhm Jung-hwa, Yoon Yeo-jung

Choi Jung-won displayed a cute, bubbly charm — and shorter hair — in her last drama, SBS’s family-friendly Wish Upon a Star, but she goes feminine and extravagant for her latest photo spread. She’s featured in fashion mag Marie Claire, styled in the concept of a “goddess.” (I don’t really see the goddess aspect of it, but it is very pretty.)

Choi has taken a break after her drama wrapped earlier this year, and this is the first we’ve seen of her since.

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Read the rest of Choi Jung-won featured in Marie Claire (121 words)

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Post tags: Choi Jung-won

Five years after the film began production, finally the action noir Sweet Dreams is getting a release. The film is based on a true story about a young Korean man who gets caught up in a gunfight with yakuza members in Japan.

Cases like this are interesting (to me) because the careers of the stars have taken such turns since they shot the movie, and now this film takes them back to 2005. Sweet Dreams stars Yeon Jung-hoon (pre-East of Eden and -Jejoongwon, two of his recent big roles, as well as being pre-army service), Choi Jung-won (pre-Wish Upon a Star and -Kingdom of the Wind), and Lee Ji-hoon (in one of his early acting roles, when he was making the transition from singer).

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Read the rest of Sweet Dreams completes production after five years (62 words)

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Post tags: Choi Jung-won, Lee Ji-hoon, Yeon Jung-hoon

Wish Upon a Star ended with a series high rating of 18.5%, which was the top rating among Tuesday dramas. To be perfectly frank, I think the last two episodes are two of the weakest, which is too bad. We do get our happy ending (not that that was ever in doubt) and a feel-good vibe, which is ultimately all I ever wanted from this drama. I’m a little disappointed that this episode wasn’t as good as some of those middle episodes that were so winning, but overall I’m satisfied with how it ended.

SONG OF THE DAY

Ash – “안녕,” which is “hello” and/or “goodbye.” [ Download ]

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Read the rest of Wish Upon a Star: Episode 20 (Final) (4,565 words)

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Post tags: Choi Jung-won, Kim Ji-hoon, Lee Kyun, Shin Dong-wook, Wish Upon a Star