After all its recent problems including the departure of its original PD, the high-budget SBS drama based on the popular manhwa has been removed from SBS’s upcoming lineup, and now its stars Go Hyun-jung and Kwon Sang-woo have been officially released. They are now free to look at new drama projects.
Go Hyun-jung has already selected her next role, in the film You Don’t Even Know [잘 알지도 못하면서] directed by Hong Sang-soo. She’s waiving most of her acting fee, as are most of the other actors (Kim Tae-woo, Eom Ji-won, Yoo Joon-sang) and beginning filming next month.
Kwon Sang-woo is preparing for his upcoming wedding to actress Sohn Tae-young on September 28, but is still busy considering possible roles. A representative for the actor expressed his desire to get back to work, having spent a lot of (now-wasted) time waiting for Daemul to get off the ground.
Oh, well. Daemul had seemed like a potentially intriguing drama, but it’s had a pretty rough road. Too bad.
I was actually writing up So Ji Sub’s new movie (with Kang Ji Hwan!) and was looking to see what his next project was, and got wrapped up in trying to untangle THAT mess. (So Kang Ji Hwan will have to wait for the next post.) I’d been hearing about the high-profile drama Cain & Abel forever, but all the mentions of that series were so contradictory that I could hardly make sense of what the deal is.
It appears I’m not the only one confuzzled; even the drama production and broadcast stations can’t seem to agree on what the heck’s actually going on.
In an interview with Asia Economy two days ago, Gu Bon-geun, the president of SBS, said that Cain & Abel was canceled and officially off the schedule. The drama had been in planning for two years, attaching So Ji Sub before he was even officially discharged from military duty, and casting Jung Ryeo Won opposite him. However, the production has been unable to find its feet. Instead, Gu said, slated in Cain & Abel’s original timeslot, following similarly troubled drama Daemul, is the new drama Doctor Stop. He didn’t offer concrete news, however, as he explained, “We’ll have to watch Doctor Stop a little longer. We haven’t made a decision yet.”
But in contrast, Asia Economy also spoke with Cain’s PD Choi Ho Sung on the same day, who thought all systems were go and that SBS was planning to air Cain in November as scheduled. He expressed, “Hearing otherwise is shocking news. I’ll have to confirm what’s going on.”
But in another report by IS Plus, Doctor Stop is described as the new name for the drama originally conceived as Cain & Abel — after struggling to work out problems, the title was changed, along with the synopsis, plot outline, and even writers. Phew, that makes some sense — only, then, why would they have a new PD without the old one knowing about it? Doctor Stop will be helmed by director Kim Hyung Shik, formerly attached to Daemul, the drama it may or may not follow, depending on what ends up happening to Daemul. (Notice a pattern with the two shows? One thing’s for certain: SBS prez sure has lousy communication skills.)
In any case, Doctor Stop is explained as the term applied to a doctor’s warning to a wrestler or boxer who is injured so badly he should not continue. The drama centers around two brothers in this world (not sure yet in what capacity), for now, tentatively slated for a November premiere. (Maybe, possibly.)
At this point I think we’re all just better off writing off the series Daemul (Big Fish) as a no-go; that way, if it ever gets made, we can be pleasantly surprised. But things aren’t looking good for the already troubled drama.
Daemul hit problems early on with director issues, causing the original PD, Kim Hyung-shik, to step back from the project. That pushed back the drama production, which was then tentatively planned to air later this year. However, on the 26th, SBS chief officer Gu Bon-geun said that the drama will not be airing on SBS, which was a “mutually agreed” decision made by all parties.
He went on to say that although SBS will not be airing it, the drama is free to go to MBC or KBS (I don’t know whether a different station will want another’s dregs; then again, a high-profile project like Daemul may still attract interest).
However, on the same day, a source on the production side disclosed that production was still with SBS, leading to speculation that the supposed mutual agreement wasn’t quite mutual (or an agreement). Furthermore, lead actors Go Hyun Jung and Kwon Sang Woo were “reserved” through the end of May with the understanding that the project would continue later this year; it’s not certain whether they will continue on.
Maybe they should just cut their losses and call this one a wash, yeah?
Shinji - “이별이 안부를 묻다” which I suppose translates to something like “Farewell extends its compliments” or “Farewell inquires after you.” The Koyote singer and actress goes jazzy for her solo single. [ Download ]
The high-profile (and high-budget) upcoming SBS drama Daemul (Big Fish), starring Go Hyun Jung and Kwon Sang Woo as a female president and a gigolo, is in danger of going bust.
The series, originally planned for the second half of this year, has halted production. It’s having difficulty coming together; because of a rift between SBS and the production company due to so-called “director replacement issues,” PD Kim Hyung Shik has stepped back, and SBS is also avoiding involvement. It’s unclear whether the series will be able to continue.
The actors (she in her follow-up to hit cop drama H.I.T., he attempting to spring back from melodrama flop Bad Love) are awaiting an official decision from the production company.
Daemul was originally a manhwa published serially in a sports newspaper by creator Park In Kwon. The drama is in the hands of Lee Kim Productions, which also produced What Happened in Bali and War of Money.
First we’ll have KBS’s upcoming Blue House-centered drama, the Chae Rim vehicle Rivals, after which SBS’s Daemool premieres. I first mentioned the manhwa-based project back when SBS was courting Lee Young Ae for the lead role, but Lee Young Ae turned it down, and they’ve finally settled on another female to headline in a casting move I’m just as pleased with — Go Hyun Jung.
I’ve loved Go Hyun Jung (HIT, What’s Up Fox?, the seminal Sandglass) for a while now. She’s one of those actors with character, in addition to being classy and talented. All that on top of being beautiful in a very natural, down-to-earth sort of way.
In Daemool, Go Hyun Jung plays the first ever Korean female president, who rose to prominence after ditching a career as a public prosecutor to help the underprivileged as a human rights lawyer; the story unfolds upon a backdrop of “love and hate, political intrigue, and feuding.” The original manhwa, it may be noted, was rated “adults only.” I expect the drama will be toned down but hopefully retain some edge.
Kwon Sang Woo has already been cast as the male lead, and the creatives behind the series include director Kim Hyung Shik (Surgeon Bong Dal Hee) and writer Yoo Dong Yoon. The manhwa was created by Park In Kwon, and the drama, produced by Lee Kim Productions (War of Money), is scheduled to broadcast after On Air ends.
