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2010 Beanie Awards: Vote for your favorite dramas of the year

javabeans — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 04:26:20 +0000

It’s December, and you know what that means around these parts: Time to reflect on the past year and see how the dramas stacked up! And boy, were there a lot of them.

As in previous years, I am planning a multi-part series (with special guest bloggers, natch!) to wrap up the year, which we’re busily writing up now — keep your eyes peeled in the coming weeks! If you want a refresher on how previous years have gone, here’s this handy tag to take you right to them.

But before we tell you what we thought about the dramas of 2010, this is YOUR turn to weigh in and vote for your favorite shows, couples, bromances — and, yes, your big disappointments — in what we’re calling the Beanie Awards. They’re in your hands; give ‘em out with care!

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Read the rest of 2010 Beanie Awards: Vote for your favorite dramas of the year (1,194 words)

© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2010. | Permalink | 679 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Bad Guy, Baker King Kim Tak-gu, Chuno, Cinderella's Sister, Coffee House, Comrades, Daemul, Dong Yi, Dr. Champ, featured, Giant, God of Study, I Am Legend, Jejoongwon, Joseon X-Files, Mary Stayed Out All Night, My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho, Oh My Lady, Pasta, Personal Taste, Playful Kiss, Prosecutor Princess, Road No. 1, Runaway, Secret Garden, Sungkyunkwan Scandal, The Woman Who Still Wants to Marry, Wish Upon a Star, year in review

Daemul PD quits

javabeans — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 22:45:32 +0000

Mere days after a new PD was added and its scriptwriter replaced, SBS drama Daemul has lost its original director, PD Oh Jong-rok.

Oh had just days earlier agreed to shift his duties more toward working on the script with the replacement writer, while new director Kim Chul-kyu concentrated on directing the shoots. Oh was to remain as the head PD, while Kim would be in an assisting role. However, now the production company has confirmed that Oh will wash his hands entirely of the drama, making Kim the head PD.

The reason given this time is Oh’s health, combined with growing discord with the production company. (Methinks the latter is a bigger compelling factor than the former.) One source from SBS confirmed that it is true that the PD and the company encountered a big clash of opinions.

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Read the rest of Daemul PD quits (431 words)

New director brought on for Daemul, ousted writer speaks up

javabeans — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 12:05:01 +0000

More drama for SBS’s Daemul: Just a week after swapping writers, the drama has director changes as well. Oh Jong-rok (Style, Working Mom) was the original director, but a new PD has been brought onboard, Kim Chul-kyu (Hwang Jini). This has led to a wave of speculation of trouble behind the scenes of the already-much-beleaguered production. (Seriously. I’m amazed Daemul even managed it onto the air.)

SBS hurried to counter rumors that Oh was being forced out because of discord with production house Lee Kim (Yigim) Productions, and said that they were merely adding Kim to the project. That SBS source said that this is to share the workload among the film crews, because they are already nearing live-shoot scenarios for the drama. (Already? After only two weeks??)

Reportedly, Oh will remain in charge of the overall production, and will spend more of his time working with the writer on the scripts rather than on outdoor filming, which will be handled by Kim.

Despite this hasty explanation, there are some who feel that there must be more to the story, especially when considering that even the cast felt confused and upset at this sudden news. PD Kim was introduced as a new PD on the 17th, and this abrupt change caused much chaos on set.

In fact, the cast temporarily refused to film until they were given a clear explanation, including star Go Hyun-jung. With the shooting schedule so tight, some feared that the drama wouldn’t be able to make its broadcast for this week’s episodes, but reps from SBS and the production company were able to persuade the cast and settle the matter, and filming resumed after a three-hour standoff.

The situation was already tense following the ousting of Daemul’‘s first writer last week: Hwang Eun-kyung was shown the door after writing the first four episodes due to clashes with PD Oh over the direction of the story, and writer Yoo Dong-yoon took over.

Although Hwang’s departure was glossed over by SBS as a mere difference of opinion, Hwang has come out with frank remarks: “It feels like I’ve been robbed,” she said, adding, “I feel angry and wronged.”

According to Hwang, Oh frequently rewrote her work, and his revisions took out the stories she wanted to tell and replaced them with his. She estimates that 80% of the first two episodes was written by her, but there’s little left of her ideas in episodes 3 and 4. When she asked Oh why, he merely told her that the reason was to “protect the writer.” He had begun requesting the writer change since late July, which is when he started refusing to let her come to rehearsals.

Aie, what a mess. And yet, Daemul is pulling in higher ratings with every episode! What else could possibly go wrong?

Via Hankyoreh, DongA

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Dramabeans Podcast #3

javabeans — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 14:10:03 +0000

Time for another podcast!

In which javabeans and girlfriday discuss:

Our recent trip to NY Comic Con;
thoughts on dramas we didn’t personally recap, such as I Am Legend;
and Sungkyunkwan Scandal, which we love;
and Dr. Champ, which we like;
Runaway, which we like a little less;
and Daemul (meh).

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Read the rest of Dramabeans Podcast #3 (95 words)

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Post tags: Daemul, Dr. Champ, featured, I Am Legend, Runaway, Sungkyunkwan Scandal

Daemul replaces writer in its second week

javabeans — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 18:23:55 +0000

Already, SBS’s Daemul is sitting pretty in first place in its second week — its latest, Episode 3, breezed past KBS’s Runaway Plan B with a 26.4% rating to the latter’s 15.1% — so it comes as a bit of a surprise to hear that the production has replaced its writer.

The first writer, Hwang Eun-kyung, penned MBC’s hit medical drama New Heart. Replacement Yoo Dong-yoon is the writer of 2001-02′s Ladies of the Palace, 2003-04′s Age of Warriors, and 2007-08′s King and I, all sageuk projects.

Naturally, this has given rise to a lot of questions as to why, particularly since the drama is poised to become a big ratings draw. On October 14, a source with SBS’s drama department stated that writer Hwang had completed the scripts for episodes 1 through 4, “But in the process of writing 5 and 6, she couldn’t come to an agreement about the direction of the drama, so we unfortunately had to bring in a replacement.” That source added that they would make sure to make the transition smoothly, so as to keep the flow of the drama from being interrupted.

But the issue continues to be a buzz topic, and some are wondering whether this is the result of outside pressure from political circles (given the drama’s focus on politics). SBS has come with a strong denial to those rumors, stating that the writer change was decided before the drama began airing, and that the only reason is because of a clear difference of opinion between writer and director. According to that source, both Hwang and Yoo had written scripts for Daemul at the outset, and the PD had chosen Hwang. When their views clashed, he decided to go with Yoo.

Will the direction shift hurt Daemul just when it’s getting off to a great start, or will it propel the drama to greater heights? Well, considering how I disliked the first week’s episodes, maybe I’ll have to give it a second shot.

Via Star News, E Daily, Hankyung

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Daemul claims top ratings spot over Runaway

javabeans — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 00:00:12 +0000

SBS’s Daemul premiered strong this Wednesday, and has shot to first place in the ratings race in its first week. KBS’s Runaway Plan B dropped a few percentage points and had to settle for second place.

Wednesday’s episode drew identical numbers for both dramas: 18.0%. (Those are AGB numbers; TNS puts Daemul ahead with an 18% to Runaway‘s 15%. However, for consistency’s sake I use AGB unless otherwise indicated.) But Thursday’s episode had a clear winner, with Daemul pulling ahead to 21.5%. Runaway brought in a 16.2%.

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Post tags: Daemul, drama ratings, Runaway

New Daemul trailer and stills

javabeans — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 12:05:07 +0000

With My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho nearing its end, SBS’s new Wednesday-Thursday show, Daemul, is preparing to go on the air. (It premieres October 6.)

Here are a few trailers, as well as new stills that show lead actress Go Hyun-jung as a television broadcast announcer, which was her career before being elected president. While the first trailer to come out was lighter in tone, the new ones have a much different vibe — more forceful, urgent, and with a more serious bent.

(Note about the title: Daemul is slang meaning “big shot,” which many of you have noted is also in use in Sungkyunkwan Scandal. Neither drama originated the term, though it just so happens that both will be on the air at the same time.)

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© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2010. | Permalink | 71 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Daemul, Go Hyun-jung, Kwon Sang-woo

The mud gets slung in Daemul

javabeans — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 14:05:28 +0000

Kwon Sang-woo becomes the victim of mudslinging, and I mean that in the literal sense, in a scene for his upcoming drama Daemul.

This particular moment comes in Episode 3, which airs October 13. His character, passionate prosecutor Ha Do-ya, speaks to a mob of protesters who have gathered to demonstrate against the development of reclaimed land. (...)
Read the rest of The mud gets slung in Daemul (65 words)

From the president’s office in SBS’s Daemul

javabeans — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 17:26:04 +0000

She may be president, but I’m thinking she looks more like a pageant princess. Or a prom queen. Let’s just say that I don’t think a pink evening gown and sparkly heels are perhaps the most dignified look for a nation’s first female president, even if she IS played by the awesome Go Hyun-jung.

Accompanying her in these shots are her three co-stars Cha In-pyo, Kwon Sang-woo, and Lee Soo-kyung.

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Read the rest of From the president’s office in SBS’s Daemul (209 words)

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Post tags: Cha In-pyo, Daemul, Go Hyun-jung, Kwon Sang-woo, Lee Soo-kyung

Character stills for Daemul

javabeans — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 23:13:52 +0000

We’ve seen these cast members of Daemul in scenes from the drama, but here are four more character stills featuring the main four leads.

Go Hyun-jung, as you know by now, plays Korea’s first woman president, Seo Hye-rim, while Cha In-pyo portrays the politician with strong leadership abilities, Jang Tae-san.

Kwon Sang-woo is cast as the iron-willed Ha Do-ya, who overcomes hardship to become a passionate prosecutor. (Boo, no more gigolo Ha Ryu? Are they changing his character around to make more room for Cha? There’s been a lot less focus on Kwon lately, and I don’t think it’s just because of his brush with police; there was brief talk of Kwon quitting after the story broke, but the rumors were soon quashed.)

Last but not least, Lee Soo-kyung departs from her sunny, down-to-earth image to play a haughty careerwoman who got her MBA abroad, Jang Se-jin.

Daemul will take over the Wednesday-Thursday slot after My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho and premieres on October 6.

Via My Daily

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© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2010. | Permalink | 36 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Cha In-pyo, Daemul, Go Hyun-jung, Kwon Sang-woo, Lee Soo-kyung