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Bye Bye, Birdie (Buddy)

Well, that was anticlimactic. After months of delays and shuffling around on the broadcast schedule, MBC has decided to drop Birdie Buddy from its upcoming lineup after all, which means that the golf drama that was to be singer UEE’s first leading role is no more.

A source from MBC’s drama department stated that while they had agreed to air Birdie Buddy following Queen of Reversals, the drama didn’t pass muster in meetings with the outside production company subcommittee. (At MBC, all programs produced by an outside production company must be approved by their committee before being allowed to air.) The reason was not divulged.

Birdie Buddy had been intended to air earlier this year, but failed to find a slot on the summer schedule. Then it managed to secure a place in the March 2011 lineup, which was then bumped up — a good sign — to December before the committee decided to drop it.

The reason now becomes clear for MBC’s decision to grant Queen of Reversals an extension, which had puzzled me initially because the drama certainly doesn’t call for one with its storyline or its tepid ratings performance. However, MBC seems to be putting a lot of eggs into their shiny new basket called 짝패, which translates to The Duo, the fusion sageuk series reportedly considering Chun Jung-myung in the lead. That drama has been running behind in pre-production, so MBC had wanted to fill the post-Reversals slot with a drama that is currently already well into filming. That was Birdie Buddy, until it wasn’t.

Hence: More episodes of Queen of Reversals.

Well, that certainly is a bummer for the cast and crew of Birdie Buddy, although I can’t say I’m that surprised, or even disappointed. (Taking UEE out of the equation, how many of us can say we’re bummed about this drama fizzling?)

Tiny bit of silver lining: Birdie Buddy, which is produced by Group 8, has already sold rights to seven foreign countries. So perhaps it’ll be watchable in some form, for fans who just have to see it.

This situation illuminates the risks of 100% pre-produced dramas, which is a current conflict (albeit a kinda lame one) in Mary Stayed Out All Night. You can produce a drama and polish it and insist on putting quality first — but then if you can’t get on a broadcast schedule, you have no way of making back your investment. It’s all sunshine and roses and talk about artistic integrity until the realization sinks in that the cold, hard cash ain’t comin’.

At least I can look forward to 짝패/The Duo?

Via E Daily

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Heh. I feel bad for the cast and crew. After being kicked around like that, they actually get kicked out now? But that's showbiz for you. Cutthroat and all. Well, on the bright side is that they can move on and look for something that people might actually want to watch.

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I'm honestly so upset and it's sad for the cast.

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Wow, I legitimately feel sorry for UEE...

I was actually in no way looking forward to this but that is messed up how they just strung them along for the longest time until they decided to drop them dead.

It was like watching a slow painful death for an ugly puppy. You weren't going to adopt it, but you still feel bad at how it was slowly put out of its misery.

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The whole puppy analogy hit a spot.

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Ouch. Yeah, I know about the puppy thing. But I wanted to adopt it, my parents were the ones who would not have approved.

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to me personally puppies are cute and adorable.. there can be no ugly puppy ;-)

anyways, this could be a good thing for UEE.. Birdie Buddy sounds like a boring story-line.. *YAWN*

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I'm mostly sad for UEE 'cause she sacrificed so much during AS's Bang promotion and the pressure of Birdie Buddy was heavily put on her shoulders.

You're analogy is daebak.

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oh,poor UEE look at her she's so sad now

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^_^

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Haha, that's what I thought. Well in the first picture she doesn't look too happy about this but oh look! (seeing second picture) she seems better already! Or possibly just vengeful with that club in hand.

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Didn't know it was pre-produced. Interesting. A drama about golf, I just didn't feel it. But weirder things have caught me I guess. Still probably wouldn't have watched this one.

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i was never interestedin the drama in the first place, sports related dramas tend to be a flop i mean, look what happened to heading to the ground and dream. But i do feel sad for the cast and crew, they wasted their time. Uee missed after school's music activities for this.

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=/ twas bad day for the "jung in" for the UEE production company... maybe

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Aww... Hopefully this doesn't happen to our Jung-in.

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ouch! Not so much for UEE's bruised ego but also for a fact that this was supposed to be her first leading role and it's met with rotten luck. Fortunately After Shcool's doing well and she's gaining great exposure from the media hence it's the rest of the cast I feel really bad for. At least the drama's been sold to several countries so hopefully the production team can break even.

I've lost interest in this drama ever since Seo Ji Hye dropped out and I think it's a blessing that she did. It's quite unfair though - I doubt MBC would have axed the show if it starred Bae Young Joon!

If the production company hasn't sold its rights exclusively to MBC, can't another broadcaster pick it up?

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Wow- do the cast and production crew even get paid or do they wait until it get broadcast? Anyone know how the cast get paid? I wonder if the same fate is awaiting The Musical as it seem to have problem getting a time-slot, and even now exactly which TV station is airing it is unclear.

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they did drop harvest villa before but there is no comparison at all between the two
and no one would have watched it anyway

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Mmm I guess I feel sorry for Uee and the staffs that produced BBB but to be honest I'm not really that into golf.

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that's such a bummer for the cast and crew of birdie buddy. imagine putting in all that hard work just to see it go up in smoke... maybe another station will pick it up?

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Oh gosh.........what a SURPRISE. =/

Jeez, what the WORLD is happened to this drama who is ALREADY dropped?! Lord, I can't believe that this MBC is very very VERY ridiculous to decide to make this drama out and waste their time. (shook my head) I can't believe........How....how HORRIBLE of MBC who make them to have their heart suddenly breaks. (means for actor casts and crew people)

Loooook at this first picture of UEE -- she seems very DISAPPOINTED & wanting to experience her FIRST-time leading role in this drama, see? Dumb MBC.

I hope that UEE will have another new drama to made her happy someday than THIS dumb MBC who is all fault to drop them -- HIT on the ground. >=/

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yikes...i was looking forward to this the most because of UEE...but i also found the story about golf somewhat interesting which would not have been the case if I had not watched Invincible Lee Pyung Kang earlier this year which actually made got me to actually look at golf as a somewhat interesting sport...though this may be a good decision for MBC financially since sports dramas have not met with much success in Korea...but an extension for QOR??....they're gonna kill it

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Oh, yes, I agreed with #13 Cam

What a COLD HEARTED MBC is. Jeez, it doesn't matter to be perfect for drama -- NOTHING's perfect, HELLO?

I was very curious to watch this incoming drama BUT it suddenly, like, BAM! That SUCK.

Don't worry, UEE, you will possible to get another chance for another drama someday, of course.

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I agree with everyone that its sad. But just look at how many people have already said they weren't even considering to watch this drama. MBC just made a decision that is right for their company. Rather hurt someones feelings than have an entire drama run that no ones watching. That's just my opinion though....

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I'm disappointed for one reason.... Lee Yong Woo. It's amazing what ridiculousness I will sit through to watch a hot guy. Yes, people, even a dreadlocked Korean.

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mmm i think is time for the companies to stop feel very stressed and preocupated for ratings ,i think they are quite in important in commercial sense,but even a drama with low ratings have it's small fanbase,i think it's time to care less about ratings is my opinion ,in the past i didn't want watch dramas with low ratings because i think they were bad only for that (some must be bad,but not all),so more recently i aprecciated you're beautiful ,coffee house and sungkyunkwan scandal

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I totally chuckled at the title... made me think of Bye Bye Birdie from Mad Men :D

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Honestly, I don't think that I'm that sad that MBC dropped it, LOL. It never interested me in the first place, the casts nor the plot/storyline. So this means it'll never be aired in Korea???

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I am not a fan of UEE nor was I looking forward to Birdie Buddy but I do feel bad that the drama was dropped by MBC especially after pushing back its air date so many times. It is a pity that MBC has made that decision. It must be heartbreaking for the cast and crew who put in a lot of effort, energy, and sleepless nights during the filming and production of the drama. Hopefully one of the other broadcast stations will pick it up.

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Well, that sucks for Uee. Especially after you consider she had to drop out from After School promotions of "Bang!".

Hopefully they can release it online...

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Really sucks for the cast and crew. I've always thought 100% pre-production made more sense than filming the episodes the day they air because of all the scrambling around to get the episode on at the right time. Dong Yi, I think, is the most recent example that comes to mind, but I guess going the way of pre-production isn't all that great either. I probably wouldn't have watched it anyway though, except the first episode just to catch UEE in a role that was different from the one in YAB. Oh well, I guess she'll have other chances.

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this is dissapointing. I wish that they would have allowed the show to air and at least given the show some type of chance to get some ratings after all the effort that was put into this drama.

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well can't say i didn't see that one coming

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:( Aww. This sucks.

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Totally forgot about this drama.
I guess the cast will have find other things to do now. I was wondering why we haven't heard much about it. Usually we'd get some buzz. Guess we know why.

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I just find this Korean system of drama producing quite ridiculous. In other Asian places like China and Taiwan, the broadcaster will decide on what to film and then put in the money. Finished it before airing.

This korean system of filming while shows are being aired is very risky especially when the cast/crew get into problems injured e.g. Kim Nam Gil in Bad guy, Cha Seung Won in athena and the change of director in Daemul.

Not only it affect the normal filming of the drama, making it so stressful with all the timeline, it is also affect the integrity of the script, amending it to audience response and taste and hence sometimes turning out horrible.

This is especially so for extensions, sometimes it works when the secondary characters get more airtime and storytime but very often half way thru the show, you realise that the story is being drag on...

Yes, and someone mentioned are the cast and crew being paid if it doesnt go on air. It is very bad for the morale of the workers. I assume the cast get a downpayment but I am not sure of the crew.These poor guys...

I really hope the system gets improved on.

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But this whole incident is an argument FOR live-shooting, lol!

Birdie Buddy was pre-produced, so none of the cutting/extending and catering to audience that you complain of - and we see that the other side of the coin isn't without its risk, either.

Live-shooting has all the problems you mentioned, and I'm no huge fan, but this incident shows why Korea is apparently not ready to adopt to pre-shot system - because dramas are moved around and projects axed too quickly so that no pre-aired drama has any guarantee it'll ever make it on the air. Live-shooting is far more flexible and a lot fewer resources are wasted, plus despite the stress of the filming that can sometimes drag down the quality, I think there's something about having live stills from the set released as you watch that make the process of live-filming very 'real' to the audience, fostering a deeper connection to the drama and its actors when they know how hard they're working on it RIGHT THIS MOMENT.

However, I'm actually also a fan of pre-produced dramas, normally. I feel that it's important to give the crew some time to breathe (especially the writer who is under great risk to resort to cliches when pressed for time - original and zany ideas don't come on demand, after all) - but the morale we take away from 'Birdie Buddy' is that pre-produced dramas can fall into terrible traps and just radically changing the system to 100% pre-produced might jnust not be the answer.

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Do you judge a canvas before its even painted on?

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I like UEE and I enjoyed what I saw in Queen Seondeok as young Mishil, but this might turn out to be a good thing thing because as mentioned sports dramas don't tend to do really well so she could be avoiding a potential flop.

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dammit.. this better not happen to What's Up. It's a Song Ji Nah drama for pete's sake. The name alone should have all SBS, KBS and MBC pitching in for the bid to get broadcasting rights.

And of course, What's Up has Im Ju Eun, who was one of THE breakout stars last year.

Most important of all... IM JOO HWAN. Need I say more?? Of course not.

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I agree.

The first thought that ran through my mind when I read this was that hopefully, 'What's Up' would avert a similar fate.

But I'm getting the jitters 'cos 'What's Up' still has not managed to score a firm broadcast date.

God...I need more Im Ju Hwan goodness...

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tough biz. :(

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all after school members should sit on mbc's committee lap and entertain them to the max then prolly it will through

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It will probably be edited for a theatrical movie.

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Let's get back to basic. Produce good dramas, tell great stories - then broadcasters will have no problems airing these series.

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to tell you the truth i was not looking forward to it anyways, maybe she should go back to being a villain...? that might suit her more

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I'm a fan of sport related movies but somehow Korean dramas about sports are not meant to be. I like golf but mixing it with Korean drama? Blehhh.

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That's too bad, especially since work and effort went into it.
The silver lining could be that she can get some experience and this acting gig won't forever be dragged out.

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A lot of people seem upset...however, since the drama was complete, I'm sure MBC watched more than one episode when they decided.

And after thinking of dramas like "heading to the ground" - which i personally think HURT Yunho's future as an actor, not helped it - well,not airing it might be best ^^;;

Also, it's easy to say "why worry about ratings" ...but ratings = commercials, which = paying for more dramas, which = we get what we want in the long run - more dramas

So while ratings don't mean *i'll* personally like the drama more, it does mean something to the companies involved. And sometimes ratings are a good indication as well - look at Secret Garden :)

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Wow. That sucks like hell. They worked hard for the drama and they don't get aired? Wow. Screw the station.

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I read on dramawiki that though it was rejected to air in Korea, it was sold overseas to 7 other countries to broadcast there as it had already been filmed in full. Does anyone know where it was sent and if they've begun airing or not?

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I have been watching this drama on dramafever.com and it totally rocks...I thought it wouldn't be that good, but the tension between UEE's character and her coach John Lee (and her rival) is suspenseful. This is a must watch and MBC lost out on this one

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