Posters and teasers are out for MBC’s special 50th-anniversary drama production, Light and Shadow, which follows the lives of entertainers through the ’60s, ’70s, all the way up to present day. As if you couldn’t tell from the clothes. Groovy.

(Although, does anything else think the costumes and hairdos are straight out of a stage production about the 1960s, rather than an actual, realistic period look? I’m half-expecting them to burst out into a chorus from Hairspray, or some such.)

The first video clip below isn’t so much a trailer as it is an introduction to the concept of the show, explaining that all the beloved hits of the bygone eras will be revived for the drama. I can see that being a huge blast of welcome for the older Korean set, but I wonder how that’ll translate to the younger viewers, both at home and abroad.

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Read the rest of Light and Shadow’s groovy ’60s-themed promos (155 words)

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Post tags: Ahn Jae-wook, Lee Pil-mo, Nam Sang-mi, Sohn Dam-bi

Okay, how adorable are they? Above, Nam Sang-mi strikes a singer pose in a shoot for the upcoming drama Light and Shadow alongside a co-star. The series is a special production from MBC as part of the broadcaster’s 50th-year anniversary, and follows the lives and careers of performers in an entertainers’ troupe, covering several decades from the 1960s onward.

That explains the looks, which can only be described as retro fabulous, for series stars Ahn Jae-wook, Lee Pil-mo, and Sohn Dam-bi, as well as Nam. It seems as though Ahn will be the big star, while Nam plays a newer performer who’s on the rise. (I presume from the glitzy looks that Sohn and Lee are on the same path.)

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Read the rest of Character stills from MBC’s Light and Shadow (96 words)

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Post tags: Ahn Jae-wook, Lee Pil-mo, Nam Sang-mi, Sohn Dam-bi

Why, hello there, ’70s. You are making quite a comeback this season, aren’t you?

First we had Jang Geun-seok and Yoon-ah’s Love Rain, which is set partly in the ’70s and partly in the present. Now Light and Shadow, an upcoming MBC drama, joins them in the retro department; here are stills featuring the drama’s four main characters, all dolled up and stylin’ in their old-school fashions (although I think technically these may be closer to the ’60s).

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Read the rest of Retro looks from Light and Shadow’s first test shoot (249 words)

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Post tags: Ahn Jae-wook, Lee Pil-mo, Nam Sang-mi, Sohn Dam-bi

Argh, Dream did it again. After Episode 1 had aired, I was on the fence about continuing the drama, but pretty close to jumping off that fence. Most of Episode 2 did little to convince me otherwise, and I was content to let this drama go on without me. But again, the last ten minutes managed to be more interesting than the first fifty combined, so I find myself dragged along a little bit longer. (Note: I don’t think I’m going to continue recapping — not unless Episode 3 is whiz-bam-bow! fantastic, and really, those odds aren’t high — just to let you know.)

The reason for my (and the public’s) lukewarm reaction, I think, is simple: When you put Kim Bum and Sohn Dam-bi together, meh. He’s adorable, she’s bland. Together, they’re boring. Then you try the combination of Sohn Dam-bi and Joo Jin-mo, but again, yawn. He’s great and she’s, again, bland, and together they are predictable.

But then you put Kim Bum and Joo Jin-mo together, as they do in this episode, and things finally wake up.

SONG OF THE DAY

MC Mong – “나비효과” (Butterfly Effect) [ Download ]

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Read the rest of Dream: Episode 2 (2,157 words)

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Post tags: Dream, Joo Jin-mo, Kim Bum, Sohn Dam-bi

I had a mixed reaction to today’s premiere episode of the SBS drama Dream. Perhaps viewers agreed, as the first installment drew a low 5.4% rating against MBC’s Queen Seon-deok (32.7%) and KBS’s The Man Who Can’t Get Married (8%).

Note that this number was marginally better than its predecessor Ja Myung Go‘s opening number (4.1%), but lower than its finale last week (7.2%). But I’ve said many times that a first episode rating number doesn’t necessarily mean much; it speaks more to the anticipation, not the quality.

SONG OF THE DAY

Bobby Kim – “Maybe” [ Download ]

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Read the rest of Dream: Episode 1 (2,251 words)

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Post tags: Choi Yeo-jin, Dream, first episodes, Joo Jin-mo, Kim Bum, Sohn Dam-bi

Ja Myung Go is wrapping up this week, and you know what this means: Next Monday, the much-buzzed-about new drama Dream premieres.

The SBS drama held its production press conference in Busan on July 21, and the lead actors came looking fan-tas-tic. See for yourselves!

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Read the rest of Press conference day for SBS’s Dream (275 words)

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Post tags: Choi Yeo-jin, Dream, Joo Jin-mo, Kim Bum, press conferences, Sohn Dam-bi

SBS really is aiming their upcoming Dream at the youth market, isn’t it? Which is too bad, since Joo Jin-mo is the best actor in the cast and he’s getting passed over in news and attention for his younger colleague Kim Bum (not that Kim Bum isn’t adorable).

With only a little more than a week left till it airs, Hong Ah-reum is the latest addition to the cast as Kim Bum’s love interest. The 20-year-old actress appeared not long ago as a young single mother in the KBS weekend series My Precious You, sporting an unfashionable hairstyle and Saturi accent. Her storyline depicting the conflict between her love for her son and her first love earned her a year-end nomination for best new actress.

In Dream, she goes in the opposite direction, portraying a bright, cute Yuri character who falls for Kim Bum’s Jang-seok, and thus begins their romantic loveline. She follows him around everywhere to cheer him on, and uses her father’s money to become a strong supporter and sponsor to him and sports agent Jae-il (Joo Jin-mo). Since love geometry is an essential kdrama component, she finds out that Jang-seok likes So-yeon (Sohn Dam-bi) and sizes her up as her love rival.

With Ja Myung Go ending next week, Dream is poised to take over the following Monday, July 27.

Via Chosun

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Post tags: Dream, Hong Ah-reum, Joo Jin-mo, Kim Bum, Sohn Dam-bi

SBS’s new drama Dream is about to replace the historical drama Ja Myung Go on Mondays and Tuesdays, and on the 15th held its customary pre-show ceremony to wish for good luck and a successful broadcast.

With the buzz this drama has (mostly over its lead cast of Kim Bum, Joo Jin-mo, and Sohn Dam-bi), expect that curiosity to show itself in the premiere numbers. Whether it can hold onto viewers against MBC’s powerhouse Queen Seon-deok is another story.

Kim Bum explained feeling the weight of expectations, saying, “Of the F4 members, I’m the first to show a transformation. It’s true that I feel pressure. I was aided a lot by borrowing the shell of the So Yi-jung character from the popular original series. I don’t think to be content with one image, but that I should wake up from fantasy and have to change.”

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Read the rest of Cast of SBS’s Dream prays for a successful run (141 words)

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Post tags: Choi Yeo-jin, Dream, Joo Jin-mo, Kim Bum, Sohn Dam-bi

Pop singer-dancer Sohn Dam-bi is giving up on her Hollywood debut and is turning instead to her new drama series, Dream. She had built up some hype (pun, har) for her entrée into Hollywood in the dance-themed film Hype Nation, but due to numerous postponements in the filming schedule, she’s decided to drop the film altogether.

That means she’ll be focusing on the drama Dream instead, which will take over Ja Myung Go‘s Monday-Tuesday timeslot. The drama has added Choi Yeo-jin (Surgeon Bong Dal-hee) and Julien Kang to its cast list, who will join male leads Joo Jin-mo (Frozen Flower) and Kim Bum (Boys Before Flowers).

Kim Bum plays a youngster who takes up mixed martial arts, while Joo Jin-mo plays a sports agent. Julien Kang will take up the role of another mixed martial arts fighter, which may be fitting as he is the younger brother of real-life martial artist Denis Kang. (Julien, 27, is a Korean-Canadian model who’d appeared on the male version of Misuda, aka Global Talk Show, which features a panel of non-Koreans living in Korea.)

And I’m… not feeling this casting. I mean, Kim Bum is a cutie and Joo Jin-mo oozes masculine sexiness, but with all the interesting-sounding dramas coming up, I’m not convinced with this one yet. Julien made his official acting debut playing one of Choi Ji-woo’s movie co-stars in the drama series A Star’s Lover; he was onscreen for about a minute and was, erm, forgettable. Who knows, maybe Sohn Dam-bi will turn out okay, but she’s had no experience so I hold no great hope.

Choi Yeo-jin at least is a decent actress, and she’ll take on the role of a television producer for a station that has exclusive rights to cover mixed martial arts fights.

Via E Daily, No Cut News, My Daily

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• Kim Bum turns tough guy for new drama
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Post tags: Choi Yeo-jin, Dream, Joo Jin-mo, Julien Kang, Kim Bum, Sohn Dam-bi

New project!

Kim Bum‘s had pretty good luck with projects — Unstoppable High Kick, East of Eden, Boys Before Flowers — and we’ll see if he can keep the streak going with his new drama. He’s just announced his next role, in the SBS Monday-Tuesday drama Dream [드림], which also stars Joo Jin-mo (200 Pound Beauty) and pop singer Sohn Dam-bi.

In Dream, Kim Bum will shed his pretty-boy image for a tough guy who spent time in a juvenile correctional facility and now practices mixed martial arts. Because the role calls for lots of skin-baring scenes (topless fighting Kim Bum?!?), he’s busy working out to get into top shape. The drama tells the story of the young man’s journey alongside a sports agent (Joo Jin-mo) as both struggle to overcome hardship and succeed. Sohn Dam-bi plays the daughter of a martial arts director.

Honestly, I have no idea if this drama will be good. Joo Jin-mo is sexy, yes, but Sohn Dam-bi is a pop singer with no proven acting skills. (Not saying she can’t have ‘em, just saying I’m not convinced.) But I’m definitely going to be looking forward to Kim Bum demonstrating some good acting, because I think Boys Before Flowers was a horrible example of what he’s capable of (for which I blame the director).

I find a little hope in its production team: Dream will be written by Jung Hyung-soo (Jumong, Damo) and directed by Baek Soo-chan (Tazza, Golden Bride). The drama will air in September.

Via Hankook Ilbo

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© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2009. | Permalink | 47 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Dream, Joo Jin-mo, Kim Bum, Sohn Dam-bi