Choi Su-jong headlines cable period drama Into the Fire
by javabeans
Cable channel TV Chosun is lining up another drama series, and it’s a period story titled Into the Fire. It’s a story about money, sacrifice, and love as the hero, played by Choi Su-jong (A King’s Dream, President, Comrades), rises from poverty in a war-ravaged youth and pulls himself up by his steel will (and bootstraps) to become a financial success.
On the surface the overall trajectory sounds pretty familiar, although setting it in the years following the Occupation and Korean War puts it several decades before stories like Giant or Empire of Gold. Choi Su-jong’s tenacious, upright character rises up through the miserable circumstances of the post-war years and pours his efforts into developing steel. As he works toward his goal of setting up an integrated steelworks factory, he falls into a love triangle with his childhood friend and a woman who saved his life named Kumiko.
I’m reminded mostly of Giant, which followed the construction boom of the 1970s and ’80s that was responsible for turning Seoul into the sprawling metropolis it is today. Into the Fire takes that concept one step farther back in history, following the progress of a poverty-stricken, war-torn country taking its first steps toward becoming a modern nation. And if ever there were a man to convey that indomitable spirit, it’s Choi Su-jong, sageuk king and television mainstay. Just by casting him you’ve ensured that everybody loves him and roots for him—not that we wouldn’t root for the hero anyway, but he’s Choi Su-jong. He pretty much guarantees automatic rooting.
TV Chosun hasn’t exactly been rife with hits, either in dramas or in other programming (see: Operation Proposal, Hanbando), but it appears they’re giving it a second go with a new round of dramas; they start with Lee Hong-ki’s Hundred Year Bride in February, and then this drama. Into the Fire will begin filming at the end of February and plans to premiere in April.
Via FN News
RELATED POSTS
- Accident-ridden sageuk King’s Dream to end early
- Still injured, Choi Su-jong resumes filming in voice only
- King’s Dream in danger of losing lead actor, on heels of losing lead actress
- King’s Dream extends hiatus, loses lead actress
- King’s Dream postpones broadcasts in wake of accidents
- KBS sageuk King’s Dream beset by accidents
- Choi Su-jong and Ha Hee-ra to play husband and wife
- Choi Su-jong to play next Korean president
- War drama Legend of the Patriots (Comrades) premieres this weekend
Tags: cable programs, Choi Su-jong
![[Beanie Recs] Feel-good fantasy?](https://d263ao8qih4miy.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/BeanieRecs.jpg)
![[Beanie Review] A Virtuous Business](https://d263ao8qih4miy.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/AVirtuousBusiness_reviewb.jpg)
Required fields are marked *
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
1 Meh
January 3, 2014 at 12:25 PM
This is exactly what I needed. Thank you soooo much for the news and I'm so excited!
Required fields are marked *
2 cherkell
January 3, 2014 at 12:32 PM
Awww, I love him and love hearing this news! Hope CSJ has been healing well since the whole "King's Dream" nightmare. Just as long as no horse-riding is involved, this drama should be awesome! ;)
Required fields are marked *
3 Nicole
January 3, 2014 at 12:46 PM
Choi Su-jong was my first sageuk love haha...I was obsessed with Dae Jo-young, and Sea God when I was even younger.
My cousin works for TV Chosun as a PD so I hope these new shows prove to be successful!
Required fields are marked *
meiji_era
January 6, 2014 at 4:12 PM
I wish her luck! Hopefully this will be successful, too.
Required fields are marked *
4 Cynthia
January 3, 2014 at 1:36 PM
Glad to see one of my favorites back, especially as it appears that he's recovered from that terrible auto accident last year.
Will look forward to seeing this Kdrama!
Required fields are marked *
5 Kiara
January 3, 2014 at 1:36 PM
Love him and I hope this is not a physically demanding role. He has been in many sageuks/war dramas with many injuries. I cant decide if he is the king of sageuks or Lee Duk Hwa.
If this is anything like Giant with a villain like Jo Pil Yeon I'd be all over it.
I didn't watch him King's Dream but loved him Comrades.
Required fields are marked *
sparks121
January 3, 2014 at 2:29 PM
Comrades was great, I felt it was so under-appreciated.
Required fields are marked *
Kiara
January 3, 2014 at 8:55 PM
Yes and it was way better than the over-hyped and big budget Road No# 1 that end up being a flop.
Comrades felt so REAL and I loved every characters in it thanks to the amazing writers, director, and casts etc. This drama made me cry like a little baby. This is the kind of drama that I will never forget because it ripped my heart out.
Required fields are marked *
ddangha
January 5, 2014 at 3:32 AM
Comrades is my all-time favorite drama, I felt so alone about having watched it :( Glad to see someone here knows it too.
Required fields are marked *
6 Abbie
January 3, 2014 at 2:10 PM
I'm not particularly familiar with this actor, and the plot sounds familiar, but I may give it a shot.
Required fields are marked *
beggar1015
January 3, 2014 at 4:09 PM
Oh, he's a very talented actor. Always turns in his A-game to whatever role he's playing. Give Comrades a look. It's a drama set during the Korean War and one of my favs.
Required fields are marked *
7 trixicopper
January 3, 2014 at 8:53 PM
I've always had a soft spot for CSJ. The only time I ever rooted against him was in EOTS. I was team pirate all the way! :)
Required fields are marked *
8 JoJo
January 4, 2014 at 7:44 AM
Loved him in President where he and wife Ha Hee Ra made sparks fly, and wish they would act together again. Looking forward to this.
Required fields are marked *
9 meiji_era
January 6, 2014 at 4:10 PM
I think TV Chosun is trying to be the next JTBC in terms of drama production since JTBC is the only General Cable network that commissions and produces their own series. Plus, they are taking advantage of their ratings since they are now the second most-watched General Cable network behind MBN (But they are the least watched Gen. Cable in primetime.)
Required fields are marked *
10 grace, the one from Jersey, USA
January 7, 2014 at 3:11 PM
He'll always be Dae Jo Young to me.
And Lee Duk Hwa is Tang general, Xui Rengai. (sp?)
Evil laugh: Heh, heh, heh.........
Watching the 134 episodes of DJY will
do that to you. (Ok, I missed 2 episodes
one week-end because Iwas travelling
out-of-state and wasn't near a TV.)
I wish Choi Su-jong and anybody else
from the DJY "gang" all the best: both
personally and professionally!
Good Luck with this new project!!!!!!
*
Required fields are marked *
11 Iris
March 22, 2014 at 6:39 AM
I understand from other sites the working title is "Into The Flames" - maybe to distinguish it from the movie. Either way...I so look forward to this Kdrama. Love Choi Su-Jong.. Now Lee Ki-chan is making his acting debut in it.
http://www.soompi.com/2014/02/28/singer-lee-ki-chan-to-make-official-acting-debut/#.Uy2Si4Wa_ZR
Required fields are marked *