When recent casting news put forth that Jang Hyuk was in the running for another sageuk drama, Gaksital (Bride Mask), there was a bit of backlash from those in the camp of Jang Hyuk Does Too Many Sageuks, or maybe it’s more like Jang Hyuk Plays Badass Sageuk Fighters Too Much. Psh, like that’s a bad thing.

In any case, Jang has officially turned down Gaksital, which would have had him playing a freedom fighter against the Japanese imperialists. I hardly think doing a period drama set in the 1930s is akin to playing a slave hunter in Joseon times (Chuno), or a revenge-seeking warrior in, okay, more Joseon times (Tree With Deep Roots), but Jang’s reps explained that he felt it would be too much of a burden doing sageuk after sageuk. I guess that means the netizens win? I just hope that doesn’t mean he’s going to go off and do more Midas-es. (I tried. So boring.) Although I DO think he’d be great in a contemporary comedy.

Oh well. Jang Hyuk bowing out of Gaksital frees up a potentially fascinating character up for another actor. The hero may seem ordinary and dull in his everyday persona, Lee Kang-to, but transforms into the deadly avenger Gaksital who sets out to kill the invaders and take down his family’s enemy. Based on a 1970s manhwa by famed manhwa-ka Heo Young-man (Gourmet, Tazza), the drama is hoping to translate that into success.

Gaksital will continue in its casting efforts, while Jang Hyuk plans to keep searching for his next project.

Via Sports Chosun

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© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2011. | Permalink | 55 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Jang Hyuk, manhwa adaptations

javabeans: Wait so Kim Haneul is doing You’re My Pet remake AND the Absolute Boyfriend remake?

girlfriday: What’s Absolute Boyfriend?

javabeans: It’s another Japanese manga that’s been adapted over and over again and is up for a K-drama remake. The heroine has a robot boyfriend. Literally a robot.

girlfriday: Does not compute. He’s a robot? Like a cyborg? This is the premise?

javabeans: She orders one to her specification, and then he develops some sort of AI form of emotion, so that he’s got his “own” thoughts and feelings.

girlfriday: Am I supposed to find this creepy?

javabeans: No, but you probably should.

(...)
Read the rest of Kim Haneul and TOP are top contenders for Absolute Boyfriend (512 words)

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Post tags: conversation post, Kim Haneul, manhwa adaptations, remakes, TOP

WHAT?! I won’t believe this until it’s on the air, but Lee Min-ho has reportedly been selected to headline a Korean drama adaptation of City Hunter, the popular 1980s manga and anime about a womanizing detective.

The lead character is Saeba Ryo, who runs the City Hunter business with his partner, Kaori Makimura, and is a bit of a perv. (He almost exclusively takes cases from pretty women.) He also fights crime with the help of his trusty partner (some might call her his Girl Friday [Swoon. -GF]), who secretly loves him.

I wrote about City Hunter back in 2008 when a Korean-Japanese production was being planned starring Jung Woo-sung. I’m going to guess that fell through. This version is slated for SBS and sounds like it might actually make it.

City Hunter was created by Hojo Tsukasa in 1985. There have been a few live-action adaptations attempted in the past, but none seemed to be that successful. According to one rep from the production company, the series has received numerous requests for drama adaptations, but those hadn’t come into fruition because they didn’t satisfy the creator’s requests. However, Hojo Tsuaka was reportedly satisfied with Lee Min-ho as the lead — no doubt thanks to his star-making role in last year’s uber-hit Boys Before Flowers.

The original was set against 1980s Tokyo; this version will take place in 2011 in Seoul. The Ryo character has been renamed “Kang Jin.”

OMFG. I may love this, or love to hate it. Either way, love.

Via Hankyung

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Post tags: Lee Min-ho, manhwa adaptations

Okay, now THIS I could really get behind!

When I first heard about the adaptation of Itazura na Kiss for Korean television, I was not impressed — I’m tired of the constant Japanese-manga-to-kdrama efforts, and I was skeptical about Group Eight’s ability to handle it well. The production house’s biggest success to date has been Boys Before Flowers, and they seem to have a particular eye for translating trendy manhwas to television, but for every decent show (Tamra the Island) they’ve had a bomb (Goong S). And we all know that Boys Before Flowers was a success despite numerous flaws.

However! Now director Hwang In-roi has signed on, and that makes me very, VERY excited. Hwang In-roi did Goong and Return of Iljimae, and turned those two projects into sumptuous feasts for the eyes. I didn’t love Goong‘s pacing, but as a work of directing it’s a gorgeous feat, and Return of Iljimae, I’m sure you all know, is one of my favorite dramas ever. Those two dramas, which were both based on manhwas, have breathtaking cinematography and two of the best soundtracks and scores of any kdramas I’ve ever seen. Hwang has a sharp eye and brings out the best in his actors, including a few who were not known for their acting before working with him (Yoon Eun-hye, Joo Ji-hoon, Jung Il-woo), and has a wonderful, delicate touch with emotional beats.

Writing is Go Eun-nim of Bungee Jumping of Our Own, the 2001 film starring Lee Byung-heon and the late Lee Eun-ju.

Playful Kiss (aka Mischievous Kiss) was adapted into a hit Taiwanese drama in 2005, It Started With a Kiss, and was so popular that it produced a sequel series.

The Korean drama version will soon finish casting and begin filming in July, and is aiming for a Fall 2010 broadcast.

Via Mk.co.kr

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Post tags: manhwa adaptations, Playful Kiss

I know I just posted about this movie, but I dig stuff like this. With the buzz growing for the film Like the Moon Escaping From Clouds, now attention is turning toward the original manhwa upon which the movie is based, which was written and illustrated by Park Hong-yong. Here’s a side-by-side comparison of the four main characters in the manhwa and film, played by Hwang Jung-min, Cha Seung-won, Han Ji-hye, and Baek Sung-hyun.

(...)
Read the rest of From the manhwa page to the big screen (147 words)

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Post tags: Baek Sung-hyun, Cha Seung-won, Han Ji-hye, Hwang Jung-min, manhwa adaptations

Kang Dong-won‘s fantasy-hero film Jeon Woo Chi has had a strong box office performance, and at last count had sold 5.2 million tickets. Riding that success comes a manhwa series bearing the same name, which will be released in book form as well as via an online subscription service.

Although it’s not rare for a film or drama to be turned into a novel or manhwa, apparently this is a more unusual, as Jeon Woo Chi has been contracted for a three-season project. The first “season” will start being released through its online subscription service on January 25, and once each season has been completed, a book form will be published. Writing will be Lee Kyung-seok of manhwas Battle of Guitar and Zombie Time.

Given the fun, historical-action-magic fusion of the film, Jeon Woo Chi seems like a perfect project for a manhwa adaptation. Too bad the character doesn’t look terribly similar to Kang Dong-won, but I suppose we can’t all be Yonsama, can we?

Via Segye

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Post tags: Kang Dong-won, manhwa adaptations

Bad news for fans anticipating his comeback: Bae Yong-joon‘s drama Drops of God has been dropped due to several production issues. A source with the production company Keyeast, of which Bae is a major shareholder, said on December 5, “Even if the drama were to be produced, it would be difficult to keep up the level of quality.”

One of the problems facing the production is the issue of product placement; the names of famous wines are not allowed to be used, which is problematic since the original makes many references to real brands. The Keyeast rep explained many of their people argued that it would ruin the effect if fake names were used, and they would not be able to achieve the quality level they are striving for.

In August 2008, Keyeast had bought the rights to the popular wine-themed Japanese manga, written by Tadashi Agi (a pseudonym for the writing team). In fact, the writers are said to be fans of Yonsama and had modeled their character Tomine Issei after him. However, now Bae Yong-joon will have to push back his drama comeback, which would have been his first acting role since 2007′s Legend.

Via My Daily

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Post tags: Bae Yong-joon, manhwa adaptations

After a turbulent production history, SBS’s Daemul (aka Big Fish) is back on, and Go Hyun-jung has been (re-)confirmed as the female lead playing the country’s first woman president.

The project had been set to go into production last year and had cast Go Hyun-jung opposite Kwon Sang-woo as a male gigolo who romances the president. But after director changes and continued delays, it was finally scrapped. Then, in April of this year, news resurfaced of a potential revival, but there had been no updates to the project until now.

The production had even taken legal action against Go earlier this year when she finally moved on from the floundering Daemul to take on Queen Seon-deok, and the company accused her of breaching her contract. (She fought back and other reports contended that she and Kwon were let go.) But there must not be any hard feelings and having Go on their side can only be a positive thing, as she is coming off a fabulous turn in Seon-deok and is being buzzed about as a virtual lock for the MBC Acting Daesang award, to be announced later today.

Now, we’ll just see who takes the male lead. I actually think it would be a great part for Kwon Sang-woo to take, and a much better one than his disappointing role in this year’s Cinderella Man. Daemul does not yet have a filming schedule.

Via Yonhap News

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Post tags: Daemul, Go Hyun-jung, manhwa adaptations

I say this without snarkiness (a quality I think is growing far too overrated these days anyway): One would have thought that idol singer Kim Hyun-joong‘s stiff, uncomfortable acting debut in Boys Before Flowers earlier this year would have convinced people to STOP casting him in high-profile projects, but alas ’tis not the case. He has just been cast as the lead in the film adaptation of popular Japanese manhwa-turned-drama Kimi wa petto, or You’re My Pet. The j-dorama aired in 2003 on TBS.

Like Boys Before Flowers, the Japanese original starred the popular idol-actor Matsumoto Jun (opposite Koyuki). The romantic drama unfolds as a woman fashion-magazine editor who is perfect in looks and talents comes to live with a good-looking young man. She and the man, who is first taken in and affectionately called her “pet,” gradually fall in love. The female lead is still currently casting.

The contract has yet to be finalized, according to Kim’s management, but should be made official soon. The film will begin shooting as soon as the casting is complete, and aims for a release date next year.

(I really thought Kim Hyun-joong would go the way of Se7en, as in, he’d realize that he was sorely limited in the acting arena and focus on his music. Coupled with his seemingly indifferent attitude toward acting in the first place — he had to be persuaded to take the BBF role by management who were eager to heighten his name recognition — I figured he’d fade from acting, not be cast as the lead in another high-profile remake. Again, I mean this without sarcasm, but I sincerely hope he hies himself to some intensive acting training if he wants a career in the field.)

Via OSEN

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Post tags: Kim Hyun-joong, manhwa adaptations, remakes

This is not finalized (so take with a grain of salt), but Jeon Ji-hyun‘s potential drama comeback just may come in the Korean adaptation of Japanese manga Absolute Boyfriend, aka Zettai Kareshi. The kdrama will be directed by PD Kim Min-shik of Queen of Housewives and Before and After: Plastic Surgery.

Jeon Ji-hyun is currently busy surveying projects to finalize her decision, and the Zettai remake is reportedly a strong contender. (It had considered casting U-Know Yunho at one point, who moved on to Heading to the Ground instead.) A source with the production said, “We understand that for a long while, Jeon Ji-hyun has been carefully preparing to take a role in a Korean drama. We are working out the details of her casting, and hope for a positive result.”

In the original fantasy-romance manga, a girl accidentally gets a made-to-order boyfriend android from a website, only to find out that she has to pay an exorbitant amount to keep him — unless she helps the company conduct research to improve future models. She must then hide his non-human status from others, and he starts to develop human emotions.

In the kdrama version, the lead is not a teenager but a 30-year-old woman who is a stylist at a beauty salon without any clients. She is betrayed by her first love who becomes an overnight success as a movie star. Feeling the sting, she orders up her ideal man in robot form, aka her “absolute boyfriend.”

Absolute Boyfriend will be a 16-episode drama to air on MBC either at the end of this year or in early 2010. If she decides on the drama, it will be Jeon Ji-hyun’s first in ten years, since 1999′s Happy Together. After seeing such a lot of the same old kdramas airing one after another, this plot sounds like a refreshing change.

(Of course, the big question — aside from whether Jeon will sign on — is: Who plays the perfect manbot?? My wishlist: Kim Kang-woo or Gong Yoo!)

Via DongA

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© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2009. | Permalink | 108 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Jeon Ji-hyun, manhwa adaptations