With MBC’s horror-thriller Hon being lauded as a well-made drama and its unknown lead actress garnering a lion’s share of the attention, Im Joo-eun has made a definitive leap to the big time. Here’s a look at the actress and how she beat out more than a thousand competitors to make such a splash in her first leading role.

Last March, a group of rookie actresses who had undergone an acting test took part in a question and answer period in front of MBC directors, who were acting as judges in the third round of auditions for the female lead of MBC’s special miniseries Hon. Out of 1,058 candidates, the final group comprised 14, and Im Joo-eun demonstrated comparatively solid acting skills. One director tossed out a question to Im, in a joking way, “If you want to be the lead in a horror drama, won’t you have to lose some of the fat in your cheeks?” Im Joo-eun didn’t hesitate for a second before calling out, “I’ll run 2 kilometers every day.” Immediately, she added, “Is that too little? Then, I’ll run 10 kilometers!” At her unexpected but determined attitude, everyone laughed. Two days later, director Kim Sang-ho ended his deliberations by choosing the large-eyed new actress for the lead role in the 10-episode drama.

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This past Thursday, MBC’s “premium horror” series Hon (Soul) ended its 10-episode broadcast. While the drama has generally been received favorably, there were some comments expressing disappointment at its end. It’s been called “2% lacking,” which is an expression that means that everything was generally good, but missing a certain punch. (No spoilers in this article.)

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Perhaps in reaction to the dip in viewership ratings, MBC has decided that it will not extend its “premium horror” drama Hon (Soul) after all. It had considered a two-episode extension after its successful premiere and good buzz for its fresh, taut story and suspenseful atmosphere. However, soon after the announcement, the ratings took a slight downturn from its high (about 12%) and currently sits around the 8%-9% mark.

Now it will end as originally scheduled with the 10th episode. Don’t be too disappointed, though; judging from the news last time, a potential extension wouldn’t have added new material, so it’s probable that this won’t result in any big plot changes. And with the Wednesday-Thursday battle shaping up for a tight race between KBS’s My Fair Lady and SBS’s Swallow the Sun, it’s not likely that Hon would have rallied back in a significant way. Best that it go out as planned, I say.

Via Star News

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MBC’s new horror-thriller Hon (Soul) aired its third and fourth episodes this week, but even before those broadcasts, the station had begun talks of extending the series.

The drama is doing well in its Wednesday-Thursday slot, looking strong out of the gate and buzz increasing for the well-produced, chilling story and its captivating rookie actress Im Joo-eun. Although the latest rating number is a modest 12% and puts it second after Swallow the Sun, given Hon’s genre and subject material (and the 19+ rating doesn’t help), this is considered a good response (funny how the ratings work that way, isn’t it?).

I’m not a fan of extensions in general, but this is a bit different than your usual scenario: reportedly, this isn’t a move to hitchhike on the drama’s popularity, but rather because Episode 1 couldn’t fit in all that had been planned for the Episode 1 script. Lead actor Lee Seo-jin gave his tentative approval, saying, “If the script had been stretched out because of the extension, I would have turned it down, but I’m considering it in a positive light since this is because the drama hasn’t been able to show all of the plot that it had already planned.”

Part of the reason I convinced my wimpy self to give the horror thing a try was knowing that it would clock in at a brisk 10 episodes, but I suppose adding two episodes doesn’t make it that much more of a commitment. Still, I’m always wary of extensions…

Via No Cut News

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I was hesitant to watch MBC’s new series Hon because I’m a big wimp when it comes to horror, but I was curious enough to give it a shot. And I found that while it has its jumpy moments, it’s not actually so scary that I can’t watch it. The fright comes more from ambiance and mystery than from actual scary moments — which on a psychological level may be more nerve-racking than a slasher.

What Hon does well is creating a mood, making moments out of little details. It’s very well-directed, confidently paced, and the music is downright fantastic — sometimes eerie, sometimes gentle, and often lovely.

SONG OF THE DAY

Mot – “Ghost” [ Download ]

HON Episode 1 >>

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