Cutting through clouds and hands of fire in Hwayugi

44 December 13, 2017

Cutting through clouds and hands of fire in Hwayugi

by tineybeanie

Let the bromance begin! I didn’t realize how much I needed a Lee Seung-gi (You’re All Surrounded) and Cha Seung-won (Hwajeong) reunion until now. Described as an “absolute exorcist romance” in the group poster below, Hwayugi is going strong in its promo game, just having released its official posters and more teasers. This upcoming Hong sisters drama features Lee Seung-gi, Oh Yeon-seo (My Sassy Girl), and Cha Seung-won as our main trio battling the forces of evil in a modernized Korean drama adaptation that draws its source material from the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West.

Oh Yeon-seo plays your not-so-average real estate businesswoman who can see spirits (analogous to monk Xuanzang in Journey to the West). Lee Seung-gi plays the trickster monkey king Sun Wukong, who loves to antagonize Cha Seung-won’s character, the Bull Demon King who has been trying to patiently serve on earth to gain godhood and entry into heaven. To humans, he’s known as the charismatic gentle CEO of the best entertainment company in Korea. The two other characters in the group poster include Lee Hong-ki (Modern Farmer), who plays a top idol celeb that embodies the pig character, and Jang Gwang (Thief-nom, Thief-nim) who plays a real estate chaebol who embodies Friar Sand.

In the first teaser, Oh Yeon-seo stares at Lee Seung-gi in wonder as her voiceover narrates, “surrounded by light and capable of cutting through clouds…” and he introduces himself as Sun Wukong, the heavenly being. Then Cha Seung-won warns her to pretend she doesn’t see or hear any of the spirits that surround her. It happens that both Cha Seung-won and Lee Seung-gi were looking for the spirit of the monk Xuanzang that resides within Oh Yeon-seo. Lee Seung-gi even promises to come to her rescue anytime she calls his name, and when she does, he shows up all bloody and bruised but with a smirk on his face, happy that she called.

In the next teaser, the ultimate showdown between Lee Seung-gi and a corridor full of dark spirits commences. But suddenly, he pauses for a moment to check with Oh Yeon-seo, asking if she’d really rather prefer being eaten by them than by him. She replies that their first priority is to escape, and he resumes his fighting stance.

But I don’t think he ever gets a chance to fight them, because in the next teaser, Cha Seung-won shows up in the same corridor. And with one pound of his mighty cane, he vanquishes all of the dark creatures. Then he turns on Lee Seung-gi and blames him as the primary reason he hasn’t ascended into heaven yet as a new god. Lee Seung-gi pretends not to hear him, and the teaser ends with Cha Seung-won in extreme frustration.

Oh my gosh, it looks so good! Mythical fantasy romance Hwayugi will air on tvN on Saturdays and Sundays, starting December 23.

Via iMBC 1, iMBC 2

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1 eked13

December 13, 2017 at 11:40 AM

I thought that line would be considered a wee bit too fruity for Korean TV!

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Flightey Gazelles

December 16, 2017 at 1:16 AM

Lol, I hadn't thought of that! But I think that may be a reference to MGIAG.

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2 Hope Airen

December 13, 2017 at 11:53 AM

Lee Seung Gi and Oh Yeon Seo's chemistry is already looking good, especially with his puppy-in-love look he's giving her.
The teasers look so good, as much as I'm trying not to, I'm terribly excited for this drama. Also, dunno if anyone remembers, but the "eating" comment, Miho already said it to Cha Dae Woong in the first eps. (My GF is a Gumiho anyone? The ol' good times of Hong sisters)

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3 V

December 13, 2017 at 12:06 PM

I'm ready for this one! 6am is pretty early in the states (Central) but I'll try. Perfect time for right before work.

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4 fgb4877

December 13, 2017 at 12:06 PM

I hope this will become a GREAT Hong Sister's Drama:

* The source material is slapsticky (please look for "Monkey", Sir Arthur Waley's take on Wu Cheng'En's "Journey to the West"). Even if the language is from first half of 20th Century, it is still a riot.

* They are really good at metaphors, fairytales, folktales and supernaturals, so this one is a ball in their park, a game they know how to play.

* A stellar cast!!!.

* More than two years to polish their comeback!.

* They can't ruin this one if they want to keep their Drama scripts in all the major broadcasting station (and not to be demoted to variety shows).

So I keep my fingers crossed.

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5 spazmo

December 13, 2017 at 12:19 PM

my gosh, seungi has become so handsome and chiseled...

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abalyn

December 13, 2017 at 12:49 PM

The upside of him being in the special forces in the military.

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Flightey Gazelles

December 16, 2017 at 1:25 AM

Seriously! And his expression in that top pic with Cha Seung Won. He even manages to make the triangle bowl Cut/Punk haircut work. But the hottest things about the picture for me are strangely his shoes. So mature and complimentary with his clothes. When did the cutey, dorky one get so hot?

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6 🍙 kimbap noona

December 13, 2017 at 12:47 PM

Is “exorcist romance” categorized as a sub-genre of “healing drama”?

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7 abalyn

December 13, 2017 at 12:51 PM

I wonder when Netflix will let American viewers watch this-- March?

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egads aka Dame Maggie

December 13, 2017 at 12:57 PM

Oh no, Netflix nabbed this? Ugh.

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Table122000

December 13, 2017 at 2:08 PM

It's also coming to Viki:

https://www.viki.com/tv/35620c-hwayugi

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abalyn

December 13, 2017 at 6:14 PM

Ooh. It looks like it will be available on Viki in America. Hooray!

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abalyn

December 13, 2017 at 6:18 PM

I'm so mad about Prison Playbook. Every other English speaking country can watch it weekly except for us. I'm sure it's good for TvN, but Netflix ruins the drama experience for Americans.

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spazmo

December 14, 2017 at 3:01 AM

it's called Wise Prison Life on "ond****nice.io...

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abalyn

December 14, 2017 at 6:15 PM

I can't get the pirated versions to ever load, unfortunately. I've certainly tried.

8 CoffeeCat

December 13, 2017 at 1:11 PM

The hype is strong with this one...
But seriously, I would love to see Cha Seung Won channel his inner YG on that reality show.
Contestant: Pick me pick me pick me up!
CSW: No.

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9 skyler

December 13, 2017 at 1:14 PM

OMG 😱 I'm loving it... i can't wait any longer for this show to air.. the teasers are so good.. as usual lee seung gi is amazing.. glad I be watching it during Christmas

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10 aa

December 13, 2017 at 3:23 PM

there won't be any love line right?
pleaseee
I enjoy this drama better without love line between OYS and LSG (their character). No offense

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Napkiin

December 13, 2017 at 10:09 PM

Pretty sure there would be a love line. Although I feel a little bit weird about the love line since Oh Yeon Seo's character is supposed to be Lee Seung Gi's teacher/mentor....

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alasecond

December 14, 2017 at 12:56 PM

if sherlock and watson can be made into man and woman..then any darn characters can be..

#elementarydevastaded
#youdon'tmesswithclassics

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aa

December 14, 2017 at 3:42 PM

I know right.. sigh weird
well Korean drama still can not fully able to survive without love line between female-lead lead.
Even though not all korean drama like that nowadays.

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11 Cocomo

December 13, 2017 at 3:58 PM

So excited for this drama and it's just me or that second poster looks very similar to the Nothing to Lose poster.

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12 Herlene

December 13, 2017 at 4:08 PM

Looking more and more promising, although I am initially wary of the gender transformation of the monk and the resulting loveline. Please be good....

It is interesting that they added zombie to the mix to the fantasy. Journey to the West itself has a lot of demons and sprites such as spider demon and bone demon, I wander if they would be present in this adaptation.

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13 NP

December 13, 2017 at 4:08 PM

Cha Seung Won's deadpan voice is the best lol.

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14 Ally

December 13, 2017 at 5:27 PM

Fantasy, tVN, bromance, pretty heroine, Hong Sisters! What could go wrong? *chooses to have amnesia over Bride of the Water God (tVN) and Big (Hong sisters)*

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15 Barbrey

December 13, 2017 at 6:07 PM

I wonder if I should read up on Journey to the West. I feel like I'm going to miss a lot of in-jokes since it seems to have been such an Asian classic.

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Napkiin

December 13, 2017 at 10:07 PM

You totally should. Journey to the West is one of the best works I've watched/read. Maybe the drama would make more sense later on.

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tsutsuloo

December 14, 2017 at 6:57 AM

I was thinking the same. Mom read me Monkey King stories when I was very young but I haven't revisited the mythology for decades. Dramabeans book club!

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tsutsuloo

December 14, 2017 at 7:06 AM

For brevity and accessibility, I'm starting with Arthur Waley's "Monkey." But I'm borrowing Anthony Yu's four volume translation of "Journey to the West" from the library for a taste of the poetry and notes.

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Ally

December 15, 2017 at 4:55 AM

Looking forward to your mythological comparisons on the recaps!

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16 ajewell

December 13, 2017 at 6:17 PM

I never stopped believing. Bring on the crazy, mythic, cuteness!!

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17 loveblossom🌸

December 13, 2017 at 7:14 PM

This show seems pretty epic. Not trying to have big expectations about it, but I'm excited to see Cha Seung Won in a new drama anyway.

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18 sam

December 13, 2017 at 7:50 PM

welcome back Seunggi-ya!!!!! may this be as amazing as it looks.

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19 mary

December 13, 2017 at 9:19 PM

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let them do a Goblin parody with the umbrellas and Sun Wukong's red scarf thingy. Come on Hong Sisters, come back to your punny old ways....