Take one part NCIS, one part Baywatch, one part Top Gun, one part k-pop music video, and mix it all up with some tragic-revenge and fall-from-glory themes. Are you wondering how on earth all that coalesces into a coherent, action-packed, thrilling hour of television?

Answer: It doesn’t.

Sadly, Poseidon falls into the category of Tries Too Hard, Underdelivers. The action scenes are empty sizzle, and are delivered on a production budget that makes it more campy than cool. It’s not all badness, but its entertainment derives in large part from humor of the unintended kind.

SONG OF THE DAY

Kim Yeo-hee – “꽃잎” (Flower petal) [ Download ]

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Post tags: Choi Siwon, featured, first episodes, Han Jung-soo, Lee Shi-young, Lee Sung-jae, Poseidon, U-Know Yunho

This is an odd turn of events: The dead-in-the-water maritime police drama Poseidon dropped by SBS has now been picked up by KBS for a fall premiere…although its main cast members have since dropped out.

Initially the drama had cast Eric (Strongest Chil Woo) and Kim Kang-woo (Story of a Man) as friendly rivals in an counterterrorism unit, along with idol-turned-actor U-Know Yunho (Heading to the Ground), Kim Ok-bin (Thirst), and Jeon Hye-bin (Yacha).

The production was repeatedly delayed, however, citing various reasons that included a particularly cold winter at sea that kept it from making its initially planned March premiere on SBS. With shoots pushed back multiple times, the cast members began dropping off to do other projects; in fact, Eric will be premiering with his, Myung-wol the Spy, in mere weeks.

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Post tags: Poseidon, U-Know Yunho

Cute!

I was thinking that the upcoming maritime-police show Poseidon would be strictly high-action dramatic stuff, but perhaps there’s room for a dose of humor in there as well, based on these behind-the-scenes photos from the filming location. That’s something I’m quite okay with; Eric’s got a pretty good sense of comic timing, with a wry delivery.

Granted, some of these are purely of the cast having fun between takes, like those picturing Eric and co-star Choi Jae-hwan (Pasta, Gloria) with the gun, but that pink moped is certainly part of the drama itself. And you know how nothing says manly elite special forces like two cops on a scooter decorated with flower decals.

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Read the rest of Eric shows his comic side behind the scenes of Poseidon (122 words)

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Post tags: Choi Jae-hwan, Eric, Poseidon, U-Know Yunho

Now THIS I can see!: Dong Bang Shin Ki’s leader U-Know Yunho has been cast in the lead role of Prince Shin in the musical adaptation of the phenomenally popular drama series Goong, playing the role originated by Joo Ji-hoon in the drama version.

Too bad this couldn’t have been Yunho’s acting debut, rather than the ill-fated and flaw-ridden soccer drama Heading to the Ground. As the leader of a hugely popular idol band, Yunho has already proven his dancing and singing skills, and making the transition from the pop stage to the musical stage seems more suited to him (and more forgiving a jump should he falter). Taking the lead role in a drama series as his acting debut was, unfortunately, biting off more than he could chew, but I’d actually really love to see him in the musical.

The musical version of Goong is produced by Group Eight and will open at the Seoul National Museum’s theater on September 8.

Via E Daily

RELATED POSTS

• Goong to be turned into a musical
• Heading to the Ground cut again
• Heading’s abrupt story changes prompt viewer complaints
• Yun-ho braces for criticism
• Heading interview with U-Know Yunho

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Post tags: Goong, musicals, U-Know Yunho

Well, MBC may have cut down its underperforming Heading to the Ground not once but twice, but perhaps it’ll fare better in Japan: the soccer drama will air beginning in January under the slightly altered title No Limit: Heading to the Ground.

The drama may have had a dismal run in Korea, but with U-Know Yunho‘s (and DBSK’s) popularity in Japan, hopefully the show will meet with a happier reception there. A source explained, “Because of Dong Bang Shin Ki’s popularity in Japan, there have been several talks with Japanese broadcasters ever since Heading to the Ground began broadcasting in Korea. Currently, we are in the final stages of making the contract.”

No Limit: Heading to the Ground will air one special broadcast on December 23 on the channel KNTV, then begin weekly broadcasts on January 24. Its Korean run ends this Wednesday with Episode 16, following a four-episode cut from its initial twenty-installment order.

Via Star News

RELATED POSTS

• Heading to the Ground cut again
• IRIS’s strong start endangers Heading’s ending
• The business of kdrama extensions and cuts
• Heading’s abrupt story changes prompt viewer complaints
• Yun-ho braces for criticism
• Heading to the Ground’s press conference day
• Heading interview with U-Know Yunho

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Post tags: Heading to the Ground, U-Know Yunho

Honestly, this has to suck for Heading to the Ground: Not only did MBC already cut the broadcast down by several episodes due to poor ratings, it has made an additional cut. What seems worse (to me) is the way in which they approached the matter, because viewers found out from a notice that ran after this Thursday’s episode that read, “The last episode will air next Wednesday.” Viewers were surprised to have the show end earlier than expected; this means there’s only one more episode, and MBC will broadcast a foreign documentary on Thursday.

The soccer drama starring idol star U-Know Yunho in his acting debut was initially supposed to wrap on November 12 with Episode 20. After two episodes were shaved from the series and one episode was postponed due to sports, the Episode 17 finale was moved up to November 5 to allow Hero to premiere a week earlier than scheduled. With the additional cut, the drama will now end on November 4 with Episode 16.

Heading to the Ground got off to a rough start with criticism for its star’s weak acting, which was followed by a slew of complaints over its confusing storyline that had nothing to do with the drama’s purported theme of soccer. Its ratings lagged in the 3%-4% range, and when competitor drama IRIS came along it drove a nail into the coffin; right after IRIS‘s 25% premiere, MBC announced the first cut to Heading. You’re Beautiful has held steady with 9%-10% ratings; Heading‘s most recent episode drew a 3.7%.

I get that Heading is not performing well, and it sounds like it’s riddled with flaws, but I do wish MBC would take more care with its underperforming series. A show may be subpar, but these last-minute scheduling changes only handicap the series further, and thus never gives it the chance to be the best version of itself. Then again, sounds like Heading may just need to be put out of its misery.

Via Segye

 
RELATED POSTS

• IRIS’s strong start endangers Heading’s ending
• The business of kdrama extensions and cuts
• Heading’s abrupt story changes prompt viewer complaints
• Yun-ho braces for criticism
• Heading to the Ground’s press conference day
• Heading interview with U-Know Yunho

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Post tags: drama ratings, Go Ara, Heading to the Ground, U-Know Yunho

Viewers are apparently unhappy with the recent events of MBC’s Heading to the Ground, and I can’t say I blame them — because, doth mine eyes deceive me? Has the drama’s main star U-Know Yunho actually been packed off to a mental hospital?

The drama is now halfway through, and despite the soccer theme, the story shifted abruptly in Episode 5 to center around a mental ward, after Bong-kun (Yunho) suffered an accident. He had been saving Hae-bin (Go Ara) from falling into the Han River, and ended up in the hospital with amnesia.

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Post tags: Heading to the Ground, U-Know Yunho

The first reviews are starting to come in for the first episode of Heading to the Ground, which aired today (I haven’t watched it yet, but I plan to), and the reaction is tentative and mixed. Most acknowledge that headliner and newbie actor Jung Yun-ho‘s acting is still raw and awkward, although many give him credit for the effort.

You know, as I’ve followed the lead-up to today’s premiere, I have to say that Yun-ho has handled himself pretty well, given his situation — he’s sort of stuck between a rock and a hard place in choosing to take a principal role for his very first acting gig. As the leader of a highly popular idol band that is famous throughout Asia, it’s not likely he would have been able to shrink into the backdrop as a supporting character, but being Headliner #1 does make him a prime target for criticism.

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Post tags: Heading to the Ground, U-Know Yunho

I think my excitement for MBC’s Heading to the Ground [맨땅에 헤딩] has been slowly but steadily shrinking ever since Kim Rae-won had to drop out. The drama makes its premiere this week as the new prime-time Wednesday-Thursday offering, and the production has just released a fresh set of stills. These feature Lee Yoon-ji in the role of the soccer team’s nutritionist giving CPR to soccer player Jung Yun-ho (U-Know Yunho).

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Post tags: Heading to the Ground, Lee Yoon-ji, U-Know Yunho

Heading to the Ground is nearing its air date, and held its production press conference on the afternoon of September 2 at Seoul’s Hyatt Hotel. The MBC series stars U-Know Yunho (aka Jung Yun-ho) in his acting debut, along with Go Ara, Lee Yoon-ji, and Lee Sang-yoon.

Man, these dramas premiere and end in such quick succession that it’s hard keeping track of the latest, isn’t it? The horror series Hon is about to hand off its Wednesday-Thursday timeslot to the new soccer drama, after it finishes with its tenth episode this week.

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Read the rest of Heading to the Ground’s press conference day (175 words)

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Post tags: Go Ara, Heading to the Ground, Lee Sang-yoon, Lee Yoon-ji, press conferences, U-Know Yunho