Who’s seen this movie? Is it as entertaining as it seems? (And do Kang Ji-hwan and Kim Haneul have fabulous chemistry like they do in my imagination (and the previews)?)

In any case, the new action-spy rom-com Level 7 Civil Servant [7급 공무원], which also goes by the English title My Girlfriend is an Agent, released to strong buzz, and drew in more than 465,000 to take first place in the box office for its first week. The scriptwriter is striking while the iron’s hot and has announced his follow-up project to be a drama series.

Writer Chun Sung-il also scripted the 2008 Park Yong-woo and Lee Bo-young period heist comedy Once Upon a Time, and he’ll next be penning a 24-episode KBS fusion sageuk called Chuno or 추노 (追奴). If that doesn’t grab you, perhaps you’ll be interested to know that the PD in charge will be Kwak Jung-hwan, who also did the summer horror series Hometown of Legends and the taut political fusion historical drama Conspiracy in the Court.

Chuno follows the story of a runaway slave in Joseon times and the slave hunter who pursues him, with a woman who completes the love triangle. With the writer’s flair for dialogue and the director’s ability to create darkness and suspense, this is one I’ll be looking out for.

Via OSEN

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The debut directing project for actress Gu Hye-sun — currently starring in KBS’s Strongest Chil Woo — now has a name, thanks to CEO Jung Seung-hye of Morning [아침] film studio. Jung had suggested the title The Cheerful Caretaker [유쾌한 도우미], which Gu Hye-sun liked and has now adopted. The short film tackling the subject of euthanasia creates a bit of a macabre undertone with its deceptively, well, cheerful title, doesn’t it?

Jung — who has been involved in such hit projects as The King and the Clown and Radio Star — has followed Gu’s progress closely in her debut project, but explains that her involvement doesn’t overshadow her protégé’s — she’s given first-time director plenty of room to work on her own.

Their acquaintance began when Gu Hye-sun first met Jung in 2004 at an informal event; in 2006, Gu took a screenplay she’d written to Jung and asked her to take a look. The film exec soon showed her support for her, calling her “Screenwriter Gu Hye-sun”: “Gu Hye-sun has undertaken the writing, art design, and other aspects all on her own. I believe she’ll become a director on par with those working now.”

Obviously I can’t judge for myself, but I kinda dig her choice of material — not that I love euthanasia, but she didn’t go for fluff, that’s for sure — and the cognitive dissonance in contrasting the title and topic.

Via Hankooki.com

SONG OF THE DAY

Taru – “Yesterday.” Taru (real name Kim Min-young) is the vocalist for pop-indie band The Melody, and recently came out with her solo album, which is where this track is from. [ Download ]

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Gu Hye Sun joins actors like Yoo Ji Tae in expanding her resume to film directing. Her debut project is the short film Gaze [시선], which starts filming on June 2 in Gangwon-do, and boasts a pretty large scale for this kind of work: approximately 50 crew members and name casting which includes sageuk actor Kim Myung Su, Seo Hyun Jin of the kpop group MILK, and Ha Jiwon’s younger brother Jeon Tae Su. There will also be cameos by other famous actors.

The 35mm film, written by Gu Hye Sun, will be approximately 20 minutes long, and deals with euthanasia and human psychology, which seems like an unexpectedly dark issue to tackle in a debut film — no fluffy vanity project here, it seems.

Gu herself won’t be acting, focusing instead on the directing and even set design work; she’s mentioned her desire to direct since her early debut days and was an art major at school. Her next acting role will instead come in the upcoming fusion sageuk drama Strongest Chil Woo (Choi Kang Chil Woo) which also stars Eric, Lee Eon, and Kim Byul.

Via Newsen

SONG OF THE DAY

Vistee – “Snow Cry.” Vistee is a fairly new three-member group that shares a sound with other electronica groups like House Rulez and Shibuya-kei artist FreeTEMPO. [ Download ]

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Obviously I love Kang Ji Hwan, but I didn’t have to add any superlatives to the following praise given by Hong Gil Dong’s writing team, the Hong sisters. Normally I take these kinds of end-of-series interviews with a pinch of salt (because the comments are almost always going to be positive — who wants to alienate co-workers? — and therefore robbed of meaning), but in this case I find myself in total agreement.

Of course, that could be my bias taking over.

Hong Gil Dong’s sister writers Hong Jung Eun, Hong Mi Ran: “Kang Ji Hwan is an actor to be thankful for”

“As writers, it’s a fortunate thing to meet with an actor who acts with his all his passion and emotions like Kang Ji Hwan.”

In a recent interview with Newsen, sister scriptwriters Hong Jung Eun and Hong Mi Ran of KBS2’s Wednesday-Thursday drama Hong Gil Dong talked of feeling grateful toward actor Kang Ji Hwan as the main character who showed strong acting and bore the responsibility for leading the drama through its end. …

SONG OF THE DAY

Yi Sung Yol – “새벽, 아침의 문” (Dawn, the door to morning) [ Download ]

 
More on Kang Ji Hwan >>

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Fascinating.

(Although, I’d hate to be called a “What the hell?!” writer. Oh, wait, was that just an invitation? Very well. Everyone gets a freebie “What the hell?!”)

Personally, I find the columnist’s conclusion kinda theatrical and pearl-clutchy (isn’t there some parents’ council s/he can join?), but it’s an interesting read nonetheless.

“How could they?”—”Still, I’m hooked”—”Problematic writers” return to the screen

The “problematic writers” have returned. “They” are writers penning “curse-inducing dramas” — a newly coined phrase [i.e., dramas that make us curse at the screen while still watching] — that are constantly criticized, yet enjoy high viewership ratings: Lim Sung Han, Moon Young Nam, and Seo Young Myung. With the comeback of these three, our autumn nights show sign of becoming noisier.

 
(Random) SONG OF THE DAY

NaRoo – “연극” (drama) [ zShare download ]

More on problematic “What the hell?!” writers >>

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