TOP and Kwon Sang-woo take over “71”
by javabeans
The movie 71 had first caught my interest for starring young actors Kim Bum and Yoo Seung-ho as student soldiers in wartime, but problems arose when the movie encountered budget issues and the like. The stars dropped out and the production halted for an extended period. Now, the project has changed production companies and been revived with a new title and new stars: TOP and Kwon Sang-woo will be meeting onscreen as the two leads of Into the Gunfire [포화 속으로].
The old title referred to a real incident during the Korean war when North Korean soldiers had invaded and 71 South Korean students had banded together to defend their home (in Pohang, Gyeongsang-do). Kim Bum’s former character had risen to lead the students in the pivotal battle.
With this new casting, Kwon Sang-woo plays a man who enlists in the military after being suspected in a murder and volunteers for the student forces; TOP plays another, more junior student soldier. Actors Cha Seung-won (City Hall) and Kim Seung-woo (IRIS) are in contention for other roles: Cha as a North Korean officer and Kim as a lieutenant leading the 71 young soldiers. Directing is Lee Jae-hwan of A Moment to Remember and writing is Lee Man-hee of A Turtle Runs.
(I’ve made the joke before, but this time I’m honestly perplexed: Does Kwon Sang-woo really not know what his image and/or generation is? I’m not saying that a man can’t take leading roles with younger actors, because Kwon can totally still do the sexy leading man thing. But the role in question is of a student and had previously been filled by Kim Bum — thirteen years younger is a big leap, even if the character has been tweaked. I’m puzzled.)
The film will begin shooting at the end of November or early December, and plans for a mid-2010 release.
Via Now News, Hankook Ilbo
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Tags: Kwon Sang-woo, TOP
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1 djeedjes
November 6, 2009 at 11:12 AM
I completely agree with your opinion of how Kwon Sang Woo chose his roles.
Even if that role were not previously filled by Kim Bum, I think he's too old to potray student who is about to enter military service...( except if he's an old student )
Look at the pictures : KSW has more mature appearance, and definitely shows that he's way older than TOP.
Anyway, if all the casts you've mentioned above are confirmed, this will be something I'm really looking forward!! ( TOP?Cha Seung Won? Kim Seung Woo? YES, YES, YES! :D )
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2 Jacq
November 6, 2009 at 11:18 AM
Oh yeah, totally agreeing with you. KSW seems so out of place here. Can't they do a better casting job in this role?? Seems like a very odd choice.
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3 shirley
November 6, 2009 at 11:23 AM
maybe he needed money for diapers.
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4 ar_arguably romantic
November 6, 2009 at 11:46 AM
"but the role in question is of a student and had previously been filled by Kim Bum — thirteen years younger is a big leap, even if the character has been tweaked. I’m puzzled."---> i felt the same way too. Had to read your post twice to see if maybe you were talking about two different movies and not the same movie with two different titles.
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5 ygfangirl
November 6, 2009 at 11:49 AM
wow, TOP is really finding a niche in acting...he's taking on more roles these days....TOP don't forget Big Bang T^T....
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6 Dee
November 6, 2009 at 12:07 PM
SWEETT!!!.... can't wait!!! I disagree.....
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7 jayjay
November 6, 2009 at 12:38 PM
awww i really wanted kimbum and yoo seung ho for this role
i'm pretty disappointed
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8 Issa
November 6, 2009 at 12:53 PM
Somebody needs to tell KSW that he's an ahjusshi now
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9 Nanaee
November 6, 2009 at 1:14 PM
Yap... totally agree... he looks even older now after he is married and has a kid... and he has to learn to let go of the young cute boy image.. cos he is and looks much older now... He has to go for the sexy manly adult role instead.
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10 Quidam
November 6, 2009 at 1:18 PM
KSW is replacing Kim Bum?!?! LOL. When will he wake up? This is getting ridiculous.
Not only that, but all of KSW's recent projects have been SO disappointing. Hopefully that won't be the case here because I really like T.O.P and the supporting cast.
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11 b020
November 6, 2009 at 1:48 PM
I really hope he is not really playing a high school student - I really liked the original 71 storyline that they were going to film. Hopefully they don't change too much of it.
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12 bspanda
November 6, 2009 at 2:48 PM
KSW - does your adviser/manager need a pay rise? Did you mistreat them? Cause why or why would they sign you up for a project playing a STUDENT alongside TOP who is 13 yrs younger. @_@
It really boggles the mind the decisions KSW has made in the last few projects... Perhaps being happily married has effected his brain to make age appropriate projects.
He should perhaps learn from his contemporaries eg Lee Byung Hun, So Ji Sub, et al and choose projects that suit his age/stage of his career. While not all their projects are without fault - some were jems that reminded people what they liked about these actors in the first place eg Rough Cut (So Ji Sub), The Good The Bad the Weird (Lee Byung Hun).
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13 cheonsa
November 6, 2009 at 3:47 PM
I'm totally agreeing with everyone. KSW is grossly mis-cast in this particular role. Just not feeling it.
Now TOP is another story. Those looks of his .... damn, he's hot! And if they can also sign Cha Seung Won and Kim Seung Woo ... it will be a pretty interesting film to watch.
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14 tegzvip
November 6, 2009 at 4:01 PM
KAY.
I let it slip when you were casted with Yoona, but seriously, to me the whole student role doesn't open any doors for me to watch you play that role.
BUT CAUSE IM BIASED AND THE STORYLINE IS INTERESTING, I shall watch it.
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15 Kender
November 6, 2009 at 4:14 PM
Kwon Sang Woo, why? D: I'm not gonna lie, I hate him. I think he's a barely credible actor, and his lisp drives me CRAZY. Also, ego much?
TOP, on the other hand, I'm a little excited for. :3
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16 Ces
November 6, 2009 at 4:47 PM
Wow you just love KSW, dont you...
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17 Brendel
November 6, 2009 at 4:53 PM
KSW really has to pull his act together and only accept age-appropriate roles. I am beginning to dislike him, esp. after Cinderella Man. :-(
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18 E-gyrl
November 6, 2009 at 7:32 PM
Look, i could care less about KSW age as long as he plays the part. But I am even more excited about TOP!! I love that kid, he got me all shook up when I see him in Iris. I need a moment every time he come on the screen! All in all it sounds like a good cast...
E.
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19 ockoala
November 6, 2009 at 7:48 PM
And here I thought the refusal to act and accept one's age affected actresses only - apparently KSW also suffers from the same mental affliction.
LOL, agree with pretty much every hilariously pointed comment in this thread, as if the Cinderalla Man casting debacle wasn't ridiculous enough. I wonder if he tried to win the role of Gu Jun-pyo in BBF ("I have a pama already, and can totally rock a chaebol role").
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20 more
November 6, 2009 at 9:36 PM
Im worried about kwon sang woo acting he needs to improve especially for a war type movie sill like him though
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21 varms
November 6, 2009 at 10:46 PM
@ockoala LOL at the pama joke!!!
Maybe he played so many of the old mature gangster roles that he wants to revert to acting like a youngin', "Almost Love was a piece of cake and I was believable in Cinderella Man, no?"
Top's casting sounds interesting, and he's more dangerous looking. Too bad about Kim Bum and Yoo Seung Ho though... They sound awesome. Cha Seung Won as a North Korean? HAWT.
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22 Nanae123
November 6, 2009 at 10:54 PM
LOL for ockoala's comment... you made a good point....
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23 anna hae
November 7, 2009 at 12:05 AM
i'm more interested in the previous pairing of actors-kim bum and yoo seung ho.
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24 Aries
November 7, 2009 at 12:35 AM
Don't care for KSW, neutral to TOP but Cha Seung-won and Kim Seung-woo? YES!
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25 Aries
November 7, 2009 at 1:25 AM
Don't care for KSW, neutral to TOP but Cha Seung-won and Kim Seung-woo? YES!
OH! You're my new favorite blogger fyi
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26 TOPBUM is MY OTP
November 7, 2009 at 2:54 AM
KDJFLKDS it's time that they put kim bum back in there fkadjfladsf TOP x KIM BUM PLEASE KTHX
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27 Sirce
November 7, 2009 at 5:39 AM
Though I like Kim Bum, he just has a really soft and nice image. I think of all 4 actors, TOP and Yoo Seung Ho would have made a nice 'rebel-brave''/leaderlike/HOT-combo. KSW is and looks just too old.
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28 gelatin
November 7, 2009 at 6:19 AM
@Sirce
seungho and TOP combo? WOW, that would be really nice to see.
seungho i guess fit angsty characters well. :))
KSW? what the hell where they thinking?
they should've gotten a younger (and a better) actor.
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29 This Is Me Posting
November 7, 2009 at 7:31 PM
I'm confused. Who's the girl on the right? Is that "TOP"? Why do you keep calling her a he?
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30 pabo ceo reom
November 8, 2009 at 5:14 PM
Kwon Sang-woo is still stuck in the past somewhere.......
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31 Abie Lee
November 16, 2009 at 11:03 PM
I wish it was still Kim Bum and TOP. TOP kinda reminds me of Jang Geun Seuk's character in You're Beautiful. They've got strong eyebrows and they look hot even when they're scowling. TOP is more vampire like. Maybe it's his teeth. But he's really hot.
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32 Jasmine
November 30, 2009 at 8:50 PM
Kwon sang woo can pull off playing a student. Like Bae yOng joon in Winter Sonata
I do not think you have an open mind . Look at the American actors/actresses...they donot worry about the age as long as they can act and pull it off.
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33 seirrah
January 8, 2010 at 1:45 AM
ah... whatever they say i still like ksw..
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34 Jasevan
January 27, 2010 at 4:04 AM
This is going to a BIG HIT!!! KSW+TOP
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