There’s no real new info in this report (well, not about the points we care most about, i.e., casting), but I’m sure people are curious as to the progress of this drama, its production, casting, etc. In short: Stuff is still in limbo, but at least the drama has a writer and a director now.

“Korean ‘Hana Yori Dango,’ a fete for super-idol groups”

The Korean version of Hana Yori Dango [Boys Before Flowers] appears it will become the battle turf of top idol groups.

The Korean version will be broadcast on KBS2 in December, with star PD Jeon Ki-sang at the helm, who got his start with Bodyguard and directed drama series Delightful Girl Chun-hyang and My Girl. Writer will be Yoon Ji-ryun, who penned scripts for the teen drama/sitcom Sharp #3.

[Read more →]

Tags: Boys Before Flowers, manhwa adaptations

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I’ll admit I haven’t paid much mind to KBS’s upcoming sageuk (and manhwa adaptation) Kingdom of Wind because, well, I never cottoned on to Jumong and felt no particular thrill to see Song Il-kook back in his old-fashioned threads playing Jumong’s grandson.

But I will say I’m a little surprised at the casting of two up-and-coming new pretty boys who have hitherto been known mostly for their good looks, in their first sageuk roles: Coffee Prince’s Kim Jae-wook, pictured above, and Kim Hye-sung, who’s just started expanding his repertoire (Jenny, Juno; Unstoppable High Kick) to more daring roles, like the queer short Boy Meets Boy. (Well, everyone knows that when you want to prove your acting mettle, you either go theater or sageuk.)

Furthermore, three of Kingdom of Wind’s main cast are also making their first sageuk attempts: lead actress Choi Jung-won (Infamous Chil Princesses), supporting actress Oh Yoon-ah (Old Miss Diary, Someday), and actor Park Gun-hyung (Dancing Princess). Generally I find that an actor’s first time in a sageuk is often marked by stiff, awkward acting (because the cadence of a historical drama is so different from a modern one), but the mark of a versatile actor is one who adapts to the new milieu quickly.

Must be their strategy to try to rope in the younger viewers, I suppose? The drama’s competition will be MBC’s Beethoven Virus, with whom it shares a premiere date — this Wednesday, the 10th — and SBS’s Painter of the Wind, which premieres two weeks later on the 24th.

Via My Daily

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Tags: Kim Hye-sung, Kim Jae-wook, Kingdom of Wind, manhwa adaptations, sageuk dramas, Song Il-kook

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The Korean “Boys Before Flowers” — wild card?

The Korean version of Boys Before Flowers [aka Hana Yori Dango] is looking like it may be dubbed a “wild card.”

The series, which has been produced in Taiwan and Japan and now plans for a Korean version, had initially planned to air on KBS2 at the end of this year. However, with difficulties arising in the early stages such as casting and organization, that is now being pushed back to next spring. …

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Tags: Boys Before Flowers, Hana Yori Dango, manhwa adaptations

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Gourmet is a really good show.

I understand why it’s winning the Monday-Tuesday drama battle (it’s poised to break the 20% mark any day now) because it’s well-made, well-directed, well-acted, and well-paced. (The assured pacing is more readily achieved in SBS’s recent trend of airing dramas that are produced prior to airing, which allows for a more finished and complete feel.) On top of that, the drama is beautifully shot — and there’s plenty of FOOD PORN!

But it’s not just about food. Obviously, the plot IS food-related, but Gourmet doesn’t forget that at the heart of any successful drama is the ability to draw upon its characters and create emotional moments, and it accomplishes that. Kim Rae-won is wonderful in his role, and does a lovely, layered job portraying depth to his good-natured character. While the drama starts with a slow build, I found that I liked it more and more as I kept going.

Rather than do strict episode-by-episode recaps, I’ve kinda thrown everything together into a four-episode analysis, with some summarizing in there as well. It seemed appropriate — because while the initial plot is pretty straightforward for these first four hours, Gourmet’s strength isn’t in the mere plot points themselves but in the underlying themes that support them.

SONG OF THE DAY

Gourmet OST - “내 꿈을 향해서” by Lemon Tree (Chasing my dream) [ Download ]

 
GOURMET Episodes 1-4 >>

Tags: episode recaps, Gourmet, Kim Rae-won, manhwa adaptations, Nam Sang-mi

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MBC’s When Night Comes, SBS’s Iljimae

 
The following article from OSEN takes a look at the difference between the types of dramas on the air these days. I find a lot of mainstream entertainment press to be oversimplified (I’m sure I’m just not looking in the right places), but it’s something to chew on, for those of us who are curious about the relationship between ratings and the popularity/quality/success of a drama — as much as we all like to say it doesn’t matter.

Popular Dramas, Buzzworthy Dramas — There’s a Difference

There are dramas that bring in high viewership ratings but don’t get talked about much. On the other hand, there are also dramas that don’t pull in strong ratings numbers but are constantly being discussed. A drama’s content, actors, and its PR are all potential factors in drawing attention, but they don’t necessarily correlate to good ratings. Because there are many ways to watch a drama these days, the significance of ratings is gradually receding, but it’s still the primary factor in deciding advertising, and is the standard for measuring popularity. …

SONG OF THE DAY

Gourmet OST - “너에게” (To you) by Casker. I’m still trying to catch up on Gourmet, but for now I will say it has a standout soundtrack. [ Download ]

 
More popular and buzzworthy dramas >>

Tags: daily dramas, drama ratings, Gourmet, Iljimae, La Dolce Vita, Lee Dong-wook, manhwa adaptations, mania dramas, My Sweet Seoul, Oh Yeon-soo, sageuk dramas, Sohn Ye-jin, Spotlight, Strongest Chil Woo, When Night Comes, You're My Destiny

Filed under: Drama Casting & News by javabeans - 32 Comments →