October 17 was the night of the 48th Grand Bell Awards (or, per its Korean name, Daejong Awards), and it was a big event for a few films in particular. And while the Joseon-era David-versus-Goliath action sageuk Bow: The Ultimate Weapon didn’t sweep the categories, it did take home a nice chunk of them.

But Best Picture (and a few others) went to the Korean War film The Front Line (which is probably a good thing, since it’s this year’s entry to the Academy Awards — not that I expect it’ll win or even make final cut. Korean films rarely — never? — do).

A couple of other notable winners: bright, touching comedy Sunny, and the moody, pensive Bleak Night. All are on my Must Watch ASAP list.

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© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2011. | Permalink | 102 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: awards, Bae Jong-ok, Cha Tae-hyun, Choi Kang-hee, Daniel Choi, Go Chang-seok, Jang Seo-hee, Jang Young-nam, Jo Hee-bong, Jo Sung-ha, Jung Soo-young, Kang So-ra, Kim Haneul, Kim Hye-soo, Kim Sumi, Lee Je-hoon, Lee Min-jung, Moon Chae-won, Park Hae-il, Park Hyo-joo, Seo Young-hee, Shin Hyun-bin, Shin Hyun-joon, Song Sae-byuk, Won Bin, Yoon Kye-sang

And now we come to the (all-too-soon!) end of Girl K, which I hate to say goodbye to because I feel like we’ve only just hit the tip of the iceberg in terms of what this premise could do. I know, I know, I should be grateful for what I get. But can I help it if they’ve made me greedy?

SONG OF THE DAY

Lucia with Epitone Project – “안녕, 안녕” (Goodbye, goodbye) [ Download ]

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Read the rest of Girl K: Episode 3 (Final) (4,129 words)

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Post tags: cable programs, featured, Girl K, Han Groo, Kim Jung-tae, Park Hyo-joo

Girl K got off to a strong start with its action-and-combat-filled first episode, but it gets even better with Episode 2. It was promising right off the bat with its solid acting, strong cinematography, moody ambiance, and fresh action scenes. Each element on its own isn’t terribly new — it borrows quite heavily from other pop-culture properties, in fact — but put together, it makes for quite an entertaining, suspense-filled ride.

On top of that, this episode introduces a new element: The Cute! Oh, the adolescent budding romance. It’s adorable and fun, and such an interesting juxtaposition next to all the blood and guts. Yeon-jin may be a killer, but she’s also a teenage girl who isn’t immune to a little crush now and then.

SONG OF THE DAY

Beige – “일기” (Diary) [ Download ]

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Read the rest of Girl K: Episode 2 (4,007 words)

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Post tags: cable programs, featured, Girl K, Han Groo, Kim Jung-tae, Park Hyo-joo

Pretty badass. Girl K continues the recent trend of cable offerings that take advantage of their format to do what broadcast stations can’t or won’t do, and in this case it’s by going dark, violent, and edgy. But it doesn’t forsake emotion in the name of style, which is key to getting me invested into this character and premise; there’s an emotional center here.

My one complaint about this show/TV movie is that it’s too short — only three episodes? Dark, suspenseful, and get-your-blood-pumping action scenes, featuring a fierce, kickass teenage heroine? I’m all over it. It’s too bad we’ll only get such a brief glimpse of it.

SONG OF THE DAY

Kim Jung-tae – “잊어줘” (Forget) from the Girl K OST. Who knew the funnyman/scene-stealer/villain specialist could sing? [ Download ]

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Read the rest of Girl K: Episode 1 (3,651 words)

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Post tags: Baek Do-bin, cable programs, featured, first episodes, Girl K, Han Groo, Kim Jung-tae, Park Hyo-joo

Is it a movie? Is it a drama? I dunno which classification is more apt for a three-part TV movie airing on cable, but in any case cable channel CGV’s Girl K looks pretty badass.

Mixing action and thrills, Girl K is being called the “Korean Nikita,” which automatically piques my interest; I loved the 1990 French movie, the Hollywood adaptation Point of No Return, and the ’90s series with Peta Wilson. I’m actually least familiar with the newest incarnation, the CW series, but I’ll be getting right on that. And now there’s a Korean mini-drama/movie with a similar premise? Count me in.

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Read the rest of Three-part cable movie Girl K premieres this weekend (376 words)

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Post tags: cable programs, Girl K, Han Groo, Kim Jung-tae, Park Hyo-joo

Haven’t done one of these in ages! Here’s a collection of some of the recent casting tidbits making the rounds…

• Han Yeo-woon, the angel-faced actress of last year’s Story of a Man, stars in a 2-episode special drama called Love’s Miracle. Sounds like a weepie: The main characters are a man who loses his hearing in an accident and a woman burdened with debt who has heart disease. They “save each other” as they help each other pull their lives together. It airs on SBS on May 7. (Spoiler alert! Somebody dies.) [Newsen]
• Park Hyo-joo played a plucky intelligence agent in 2007′s Air City (and was just about one of the only bright, fun things about it) and now plays a secret agent in KBS’s My Country Calls. Her character works on the same team as hero Kim Sang-kyung. [Sports Seoul]
• Despite rumors of Sandara Park and Shin Se-kyung being top contenders for the female lead in the Hong sisters’ My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho, producers are insisting that they have yet to cast the role. Some reports even say that neither actress will take the role, but rumors are running wild anyway. [BNT News]

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Post tags: Daniel Choi, Gu Hye-sun, Han Yeo-woon, Kang Byul, Kim Nam-joo, news bites, Park Hyo-joo, Park Young-seo, Queen of Housewives, Song Joong-ki

I’ve mentioned two of the upcoming trio of Strong Female Leader sageuks — Empress Cheon-chu and Queen Seon-deok. Now let’s talk about the third, Princess Ja-myung.

Jung Ryeo-won (My Girlfriend Has Two Faces) is headlining, and Park Hyo-joo, above, has been added as a noblewoman who was dragged from her native land at a young age and forced into servitude. She now waits on the queen (played by Lee Mi-sook), mother of Princess Nak-rang (Park Min-young). The series comes from the minds of writer Jung Sung-hee (Seoul 1945) and PD Lee Myung-woo (Bad Couple).

Park has been rising in profile in the past year, notably in the cable drama Chosun Police Season 1, followed by a role in The Chaser. But I know her better from her previous role playing a spunky government agent in Air City — which started off decently but took a sharp downturn, leaving Park as one of the only good things remaining at its end (perhaps the only other being my hunny Lee Jung-jae).

I predict we’ll be hearing more comparisons being drawn between the dramas, with Ja-myung the long(est) shot of the three; however talented Jung Ryeo-won may be, she just isn’t yet in the same category as Chae Shira (Cheon-chu) or Go Hyun-jung (Seon-deok).

Via OSEN

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• Sung Yuri squares off with Go Hyun-jung
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• Air City: Episodes 1 & 2

© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2008. | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Ja Myung Go, Lee Mi-sook, Park Hyo-joo