Take one part NCIS, one part Baywatch, one part Top Gun, one part k-pop music video, and mix it all up with some tragic-revenge and fall-from-glory themes. Are you wondering how on earth all that coalesces into a coherent, action-packed, thrilling hour of television?

Answer: It doesn’t.

Sadly, Poseidon falls into the category of Tries Too Hard, Underdelivers. The action scenes are empty sizzle, and are delivered on a production budget that makes it more campy than cool. It’s not all badness, but its entertainment derives in large part from humor of the unintended kind.

SONG OF THE DAY

Kim Yeo-hee – “꽃잎” (Flower petal) [ Download ]

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Read the rest of Poseidon: Episode 1 (3,218 words)

© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2011. | Permalink | 104 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Choi Siwon, featured, first episodes, Han Jung-soo, Lee Shi-young, Lee Sung-jae, Poseidon, U-Know Yunho

Upcoming maritime police drama Poseidon, aka Baywatch-meets-Cops, has released its posters. They decided on the super serious vibe, which I think was a mistake in the boring direction, but at least the faces are damned pretty. I’m pretty sure it’s the same font as Athena too, which is a step in the wrong direction, association-wise. Is there only one Serious Action Drama Font in the poster-making departments at the big studios? Is it called Windswept Wingdings or Shot Through the Heart Sans Serif?

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Read the rest of Poseidon releases posters (240 words)

© girlfriday for Dramabeans, 2011. | Permalink | 88 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Choi Siwon, Han Jung-soo, Lee Shi-young, Lee Sung-jae, Poseidon

Yay, more movement on Poseidon! Here are shots from the drama’s initial script rehearsal; the table read was held three weeks ago but the photos have only been released now. The three main leads were naturally present — Choi Siwon, Lee Sung-jae, Lee Shi-young — as well as the supporting cast: Han Jung-soo, Gil Yong-woo, Park Sung-kwang, Jin Hee-kyung.

We also get a few more details about the story and premise: After losing his wife in an accident, Lee Sung-jae’s naval officer character becomes a total workaholic and sets out out to uncover a mafia organization linked to an unsolved case.

Choi Siwon was a rookie agent in Athena; here, he plays a onetime ace officer who’d enjoyed a steady rise. However, after getting caught up in a messy case, his career ground to a halt. The former hotshot is now the problem child of the special forces team Poseidon, and he’s put on the investigation team looking into that unsolved case. Also on that case is the sole female officer on the team, Lee Shi-young.

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Read the rest of Finally, some plot details on Poseidon v.2.0 (186 words)

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Post tags: Choi Siwon, Lee Shi-young, Lee Sung-jae, Poseidon

Never mind, I’m back on the Poseidon train. Er, boat?

I pretty much thought this show was a sinking ship (and, okay, it still could be), but now it’s gone and cast Choi Siwon (Athena) and Lee Shi-young (Playful Kiss), and now I can’t help but be suckered back in.

The show has been floundering for a while now, struggling to cast even after getting a second shot at airing and hopping from SBS to KBS. With just a month left till it airs, it’s finally secured its leads and will get right to work — not a moment to spare! — with script readings scheduled for the 2nd.

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Read the rest of Poseidon casts Choi Siwon, Lee Shi-young (371 words)

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Post tags: Choi Siwon, Lee Shi-young, Lee Sung-jae, Poseidon

After making her name in drama series like Green Rose, My Girl, and Chuno, Lee Da-hae is ready to make her movie debut. She has been cast in the 3D historical project Song of Springs [현의 노래], a project described as “a movie telling the life story of legendary court musician Woo Reuk, who opened up the world of sound in a world ruled by the sword.”

Woo Reuk was the creator of the gayageum, a classical stringed instrument, and will be played by Lee Sung-jae (Lawyers of Korea). Lee Da-hae’s character is Ara, the top dancer of Daegaya, a city-state of Gaya during the Three Kingdoms era. Film veteran Ahn Sung-ki (The Divine Weapon) plays a Silla general, while Moon Jung-hee (Oh My Lady) portrays a “mysterious woman of Gaya” described as a femme fatale who runs a bar. Speed Scandal‘s young cutie Wang Seok-hyun plays one of Woo Reuk’s students.

Song of Springs is based on a novel written by Kim Hoon and has been in pre-production for six years. It boasts a hefty production budget of 15 billion won and will be directed by Joo Kyung-joong, whose 2002 film A Little Monk won him the best director award at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards.

Via Mk.co.kr, OSEN

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© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2010. | Permalink | 40 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Ahn Sung-ki, Lee Da-hae, Lee Sung-jae, Moon Jung-hee, Wang Seok-hyun

The crew of MBC’s upcoming Wednesday-Thursday drama Lawyers of the Republic of Korea gathered on the afternoon of June 2 in Seoul’s Kangnam neighborhood for the show’s press conference.

The drama centers around the world of divorce law (and the warring divorce attorneys on either side), in which Lee Soo Kyung (Soulmate, Golden Age of the Daughter in Law) plays a lawyer who passed the bar in last place in her class. She’s still bitter over an ex who left her, played by Ryu Soo Young (18 vs. 29, Bad Couple), and currently is in a career rut, unable to get any of the good cases.

That changes with the high-stakes divorce suit between her actress best friend, Han Eun Jung (Full House, The Person I Love), and fund manager husband Lee Sung Jae (Daisy, Stranger than Heaven). But Best Friend Actress hires lawyer Ryu Soo Young of the top law firm in the country, while husband chooses Lee Soo Kyung. Uh-oh! I’m sure the sparks start flying soon enough.

(Pet peeve: It’s not the Lawyers of the Great Republic of Korea; it’s simply “Republic of Korea.” But speaking of titles, it seems to be going for a cutesy vibe, even punctuating it differently [대~한민국 변호사] to suggest the ever-popular sporting cheer: Daaaae~ han min guk! *clapclap* *clap* *clap!*)

Since this is the drama that Lee Soo Kyung abruptly left When Night Comes to star in, I’m curious to see if it was a good choice on her part. I do like the actors of Lawyers, but I’m not intrigued by either the plot or preview. But Lee Soo Kyung’s bright, lively personality is always a breath of fresh air to watch.

Lawyers of the Republic of Korea airs after Spotlight retires; it premieres on July 9.

Via Newsen

SONG OF THE DAY

Aquibird – “Kiss Me” [ Download ]

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© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2008. | Permalink | 27 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Han Eun-jung, Lawyers of Korea, Lee Soo-kyung, Lee Sung-jae, press conferences, Ryu Soo-young