MBC hosted its awards ceremony for the 2008 Acting Awards on December 30. Let me first reiterate that I think these end-of-year broadcast-station awards are mostly meaningless. That said, this year’s Daesangs were TOTAL WEAKSAUCE, MBC. Top honor (the “Daesang” grand prize) went to…
Oh, you mean it was split this year? Between Beethoven Virus’s much-lauded epitome of awesomeness, Kim Myung-min, and East of Eden’s overblown and overrated Song Seung-heon?? I mean, I could understand going for the sentimental vote and awarding deceased Choi Jin-shil (she got a lifetime achievement instead), but Song Seung-heon winning acting awards is in itself a joke.
Oh, this just gets better and better! (If by better you mean “so bad it’s good, no actually, it’s still bad.”)
Remember how just yesterday I was saying how Sohn Dam-bi, recently cast in a dance movie as her Hollywood debut, was an odd choice because she doesn’t speak good English and has no acting experience? I should have clarified.
Because Dennis O is joining her in that film, and he both speaks English and has acting experience. And yet, I still feel compelled to burst out laughing. (I meant good acting experience?) I’m inclined to cut newbies a little slack when they’re first starting out because the learning curve can be steep, but Dennis has been in several drama series by now and he’s just as bland as ever. I don’t see him as quite wooden — he’s better than wooden, but just slightly — it’s rather that acting still seems like a foreign notion to him. He bumbles along, trying really hard, but lacking any sort of nuance. It’s like a 50-foot-giant trying to play with a dog, who ends up crushing it. (The funny thing is, I still really like the guy. He seems sweet. And yeah, he’s gorgeous. He’s just not a good actor.)
He won’t be dancing in the film, though, and takes on an “important role” as Sohn Dam-bi’s “oppa.” If they mean oppa literally and are casting him as her brother, I wonder if they’re just going to gloss over the obvious fact that Sohn is full Korean and Dennis is half. And will they explain why one sibling speaks poor English and perfect Korean, while the other speaks perfect English and poor Korean?
In any case, this should be interesting. (But will it be watchable?)
I mean, that must be it, right? For a series billing itself as a multi-generational saga full of revenge, action, and intrigue, casting an acting lightweight like former model Dennis O (short for Dennis Joseph O’Neil) is a gutsy move that must be the result of an excess of confidence, or optimism, or something.
Then again, main star Song Seung-heon ain’t such a noted thespian either; maybe MBC’s counting on the female viewership to be so dazzled by the confluence of male beauty that they’ll forget to notice their acting. Or, perhaps they’re counting on their strong female lineup (Lee Mi-sook, Lee Da-hae, Han Ji-hye, and Lee Yeon-hee) to shoulder that burden, along with the supporting cast (Yeon Jung-hoon, Yoo Dong-geun, Jo Min-ki). By the way, I don’t know how a drama can have so much money poured into it and such an otherwise all-star cast and yet seem so dull and trite to me. Not one speck of interest.
I don’t hate Dennis O; I’m just a drama fan who’d rather have valuable airtime given to people who are good at their job. He seems like a nice guy who fell into a career for which he is not suited purely because of his looks. More power to him for taking advantage of the Korean obsession for the half-Caucasian members of their fold. Does that mean he shouldn’t be judged by the same professional standards that “serious” actors are held to? Oh hell naw. Especially since you can’t call him an inexperienced noob anymore, with a bevy of ads and CFs and two drama series under his belt (Sweet Spy, Witch Amusement; I tried to be nice in his Witch days but in the end I was forced to admit I’d been overly optimistic).
I mean, I understand that the man is beautiful — sure, without question. But can he act? Not really so much.
The character he takes on in the drama is a (multi)millionaire casino heir, shedding Dennis’ heretofore sweet image in exchange for a “tough” one instead. (Maybe he ought to take the Keanu route to success and speak as little as possible, limiting himself to fierce glowering, fight scenes, and action struts.) East of Eden follows current Monday-Tuesday drama When Night Comes on MBC and is set for an August premiere.
Ahh, Witch Amusement. How you’ve amused me so. Despite your repeated shenanigans (or maybe because of them), I’ve enjoyed watching you, all 16 episodes. You gave me so much to laugh about (and more to laugh AT, but who’s differentiating? Po-tay-to, po-tah-to.).
I was mildly concerned that in its last week, Witch Amusement would for no reason regain its sanity and fall into a sudden abyss of logical, comprehensible blandness. Having seen Episode 15, I laugh at my naivete. I worried for nothing. All is well in the land of entertaining crazy. I loved this insane, silly episode because it made me laugh. Who cares if most of it was the inappropriate kind?
(Random) SONG OF THE DAY
Blue Sorbet – “그남자가 자꾸…” (That man keeps on…) [ zShare download ]
