Kwon Sang-woo takes the lead in SBS’s Temptation
by javabeans
That sure was quick. Immediately on the heels of announcing the scheduling of SBS drama Temptation, we have the confirmation of its hero, which will be played by Kwon Sang-woo, back on television screens a mere six months after his last drama. And while Medical Top Team wasn’t a success for Kwon as one of last year’s lowest-rated dramas, at least he balanced that out by also having the year’s highest-rated miniseries with Yawang, which was also on SBS.
Temptation will tell the story of a “man’s romance” (…whatever that means) about a married man who is “pushed to the limit of life” and receives an offer he can’t refuse—so he sells himself to another woman to pay off his debt. How much is he worth? At least several billions in won (so several millions of dollars), which is the cost of the deal, in exchange for “entrusting his body in her care”… whatever that means. Obviously there is a sexual/physical element to the wording, but as this is a K-drama, I have to think there’s something more to the deal than just that.
Conflict ensues, naturally, but ultimately leads to a story of four people finding what true love is. That does sound less salacious a bent than we may have thought at first, but I’d welcome the unexpected. Kwon’s character will be a good-natured and sensitive humanist type who grew up in a rural neighborhood and moved up to Seoul to attend an elite university, which he put himself through by working all sorts of odd jobs. Lee Mi-yeon (Merchant Kim Man-deok) has reportedly received the offer to play the lead, but has not yet made any decisions.
While the logline sounds provocative, there are hints that what we’re looking at isn’t a tawdry soap but something a little more thoughtful—or is that just my hope showing? I’d like for this idea to be pulled off decently, if only because the alternative is just so obvious. Kwon Sang-woo is the king of the angsty male melo, but I do like when he’s playing the sweet nice-guy type, and the producers’ credits run the gamut from sweet romance to warm family fare to taut thriller. (The drama comes from writer Han Ji-hoon of Dr. Jin and Time of Dog and Wolf, and PD Park Young-soo of My Daughter Flower, Oh My Lady, and Family Honor.) Okay, fine, that list also includes gross-out medical sageuk, but let’s not uphold Dr. Jin as representative of anything dramaland, shall we?
Temptation will follow Doctor Stranger as SBS’s next Monday-Tuesday miniseries and premiers in July.
Via TV Report
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Tags: Kwon Sang-woo, Lee Mi-yeon, Temptation
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1 Langit13iru
May 20, 2014 at 8:19 AM
It's like Yawang but male version. KSW-abs-shower-crying scene please make it happened.
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2 Shelby87
May 20, 2014 at 8:23 AM
sounds Yawang-ish to me .... about selling himself ... but not that I am complaining .. more abs , shower scenes and since he's the king of "angsty male melo" more tears pleasseeee
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3 Dream
May 20, 2014 at 8:24 AM
Hey the story sounds a bit like a Bollywood film that came in the 90s titled 'Judaai'....in that movie, a woman forces her good natured and righteous husband to marry a rich girl (who loves him) due to her greed (he opposes a lot but the wife goes on a hunger strike...LOL)....and after the divorce and second marriage, he lives with both wives but doesn't love the second one but gradually falls for her as the first wife distances herself from him in her new found richness....and later, she regrets....well, there is more but let me stop here...haha
Anyway, I liked Kwon Sang Woo in My Tutor Friend...the only thing I've seen him in....let's hope this drama is good as it sounds a bit different...but a melo.....
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Chhavi
May 20, 2014 at 9:05 AM
Funny that you compared the premise with that film....one of my favourite classics.
It'd be like digging gold if the drama plot is similar to the movie.....
I wonder who will take up the role of the greedy wifey!!!
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Dream
May 20, 2014 at 9:26 AM
Yes....it's one of my favs too...a fun movie with great acting :)
Glad to see someone from India here....
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news
May 20, 2014 at 10:05 AM
I'm not from India and I've seen it :-)
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dramamad
May 20, 2014 at 9:14 PM
That was the exact same thought i had i.e the similarity to Judai. Hated that movie though and as much as i love Kwon Sang Woo, i think this one, i'll pass
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dramamad
May 20, 2014 at 9:16 PM
Thought of the same movie as i read the post! hated it though, so as much as i love Kwon Sang Woo, this one i'll pass
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4 Jessica
May 20, 2014 at 8:26 AM
Is it just me or the character's description is so much alike with Kwon Sang Woo's character Ha Ryu in the earlier part of Yawang? ?
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5 Muenchabench
May 20, 2014 at 8:33 AM
Hopefully they "push it push it to the limit" censorship wise, cause these descriptions put my mind firmly in gutter
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Pipit
May 20, 2014 at 11:42 PM
We who have our minds in the gutter have no hope (at least as long as those dramas are aired on other stations besides TVN).
I still remember what happens with the wedding night scene in the Bride of Century -which is by the way is on my top 3 most loved kdramas. I'm not entirely sure whether they really sleep together and not just kissing until I watch the episode that shows she is with child.
That's how sterile kdramas are.
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6 Nessa (Bebe) 🌹
May 20, 2014 at 8:36 AM
Now that SBS has put in place that 'no Makjang' policy, I'm anticipating more and more 'human' and slice-of-life type dramas, which, in my book, is always a plus :)
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7 Mandy
May 20, 2014 at 8:41 AM
I can tell this would be one of those dramas that will either be a huge unexpected hit (ala Secret) or an expected fail (like Beyond the clouds) in ratings.
But the story sounds weird and convoluted and... boring? So I'm out even if I do like KSW; sort of.
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8 missDVM
May 20, 2014 at 9:14 AM
Am I the only person that finds it somewhat amusing that "Dr. Jin" has become the gold-standard of what a horrible drama can be? It is both sad and funny at the same time.
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9 Waiting
May 20, 2014 at 9:30 AM
I must be in some sort of blackhole...Yawang? I've never even heard of it. Has anyone watched this? Don't recall seeing it in the open threads either...huh...
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kopytko
May 20, 2014 at 10:16 AM
I am sure Yawang/Queen of Ambition was mentioned in its time. It had one of the most hateful lead ever. The drama drove many of us crazy and the main thought was how to punish the heroine. The acting was fine, as expected with SooAe and Kwon Sang Woo, but the writing made no sense.
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10 mary
May 20, 2014 at 9:44 AM
What a crazy mix.
Kwon Sang Woo reminds me of melo (not in a bad way, just... a really sad way.)
PD reminds me of the fun in Oh My Lady.
Writer reminds me of NOTHING. My mind draws a blank. My head pounds when I try to recall what this writer did in the past... there are flashes of gummi bears(?) but it hurts so much I can't bear to let the memories surface.
------
I have a GENIUS suggestion on how to make this drama work though, and it's GROUNDBREAKING. Very fresh idea. Like, I bet you'll never guess what I'm thinking of adding to this drama to make it 10000x more interesting.......
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bbstl 🧹
May 20, 2014 at 11:33 AM
Ummm . . . Song Jae Rim plays all three ladies?
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xxvxx
May 20, 2014 at 11:37 AM
Lol... I think I am missing something here! Why is Mary always tagged to Song Jae Rim?
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mary
May 21, 2014 at 8:53 AM
They think I'm the (name hidden by author) who makes crazy comments about Song Jae Rim.
*tries to look innocent*
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zakin89
May 20, 2014 at 11:46 AM
Oh you and your SJR obsession :D It cracks me up so much^^ And your comments are just plain funny ;)
But then... I am kind of obsessed with Jo Seung Woo so... I wouldn't mind seeing him in more dramas as well :D
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mary
May 21, 2014 at 2:11 AM
You and latteholic should get together. ^__^
Oh, and JSW has lots of projects + a new musical, so you won't miss him so much.
My Rim Oppa is just busy doing fan meets. I hate SM C&C. T___T I mean, I know the $$$$$ is probably from fan meetings, but you can't skate on fan meetings forever! Soon you need another movie/drama/project, otherwise fans will forget you...
Take note, SM:
FAN DOES NOT LIVE ON MEETS ALONE.
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11 risa
May 20, 2014 at 10:44 AM
For me, KSW is okay, but nothing to get excited about~ however the potential casting of Lee Mi Young got my attention. I have a soft spot for her after watching Noonas Over Flowers, and I'd love to see her in a drama soon.
Just to be on the safe side, Heads had probably better steer clear of this one (although the Dr. Jin recaps probably are some of the most beloved on DB).
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12 Tracy
May 20, 2014 at 10:46 AM
Is this like a kdrama version of Indecent Proposal? I hope Lee miyeon confirms, I'm looking forward to seeing her in a new drama.
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13 aida
May 20, 2014 at 11:11 AM
I have always been a fan of Kwon Sang Woo's ability to make me cry my heart out ever since my very first kdrama (sad love story) however this will be the first recent drama of his that i will see...and yes pleeaaasseee more crying shower scenes i am all in :)
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eny
May 21, 2014 at 6:43 AM
that crying scene is memorable, that is one of my favorite crying scene
The most memorable crying scene in korean drama :
- KSW, shower crying scene in Stairwaiy to Heaven
- Kim Sung soo in Stained Glass, doesn't show his face but with the only the voice already breaking heart
-Joo Jin mo in Empres Ki, when he find out SN is alive after he thought she die, really complex emotion, shock n happy
- Joo won in Gaksital, when he cry in the back of his brother n his friend also when he kill his brother then found out his mother die too
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14 ravens_nest
May 20, 2014 at 11:48 AM
Isn't this like the third time he's played basically a male sex worker? Daemul, Yawang, and now this. lol
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15 Tara
May 20, 2014 at 11:50 AM
Why is it that I want Kwon Sang-woo to suffer in dramas?! ;P He pulls off the angsty melo male lead well (his crying is epic!) from his Stairway to Heaven days...and I watched Yawang for his loyal but foolhardy portrayal of Ha-ryu.
This premise sounds like it could go salacious, but since it's on KBS, it'll be tame at best. The lead role sounds somewhat similar to HR-esque...but I, too, agree with JB that I'm hoping there's gonna be a thoughtful side to the story. The Dr. Jin credit gives me the heebie-jeebies, but I'll hold out hope. Or am I being too overly optimistic?? ;P
By the way, there was a discussion on OT about characters on dramas who simply are allowed (and get a free pass) to act horribly and pull shit on people 'just because' of their crappy childhood/upbringing -- Yawang's Da-hae is one of those at the top of that list of females who did whatever to get what they wanted and suffered no consequences for her actions. Yeah, she died but that was no match for all the shit she pulled, especially against HR :/
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Tara
May 20, 2014 at 11:52 AM
Oops, typo...meant SBS. It's the Big Three and not cable...is what I meant.
That's what I get for typing comments simultaneously for this and the Eric post :)
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16 avicenna
May 20, 2014 at 5:19 PM
I never watch yawang so I didnt understand with all these vague descriptions
Is it man in debt, becames a gigolo?
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17 sogazelle
May 20, 2014 at 5:27 PM
Yoon Eun Hye has been offered the role of the wife...
It will be her first mature role, but I'll prefer it if the drama was centered around her and if it's not too crowded which is the case in this drama...
I miss her, but I'll love it if she's also extended the offer to play opposite Eric in his upcoming summer rom-com.
I think those 2 they will set the screen on fire....oh well....
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kanz
May 20, 2014 at 6:47 PM
Yeah, I heard it too. If YEH confirms, please make the drama good and have high ratings for her sake, dramagods!
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eny
May 21, 2014 at 6:51 AM
really, i wanna see her in melo, but not intersted with i miss you doesn't truss his co-star in melodrama there. i'm intersted with this drama, excited
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18 WM
May 20, 2014 at 6:59 PM
Maybe he becomes a model or perhaps a boxer (or something similar), hence the taking care of his body phrase. Or perhaps he is hired to play a fake boyfriend? I'm grasping at straws here. lol
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19 cheekbones
May 20, 2014 at 9:47 PM
Has he became allergic to rom-com ? I miss My Tutor Friend days.
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20 Harpreet Kaur
May 20, 2014 at 10:47 PM
I heard that Yoon Eun Hye has been offered the wife role for this series. She is very good actress and I loved her in Princess hours and Coffee Prince. Hope so She got the main lead actress role.
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21 korfan
May 21, 2014 at 6:22 AM
Although not a lot of info was provided regarding what this drama's really about, there was enough to conclude that if could go in a bunch of different directions.
You never know, it just could be interesting.
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22 Jen Ng
May 26, 2014 at 1:40 PM
I know YEH will be a good wife in this drama because she always play a good character in her previous drama. I am very excited to wait for her new drama.
Good news to all fans of YEH.
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23 Dominic
July 22, 2014 at 2:34 AM
i do like . i'm looking forward new movies.
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24 Aj_gachha
November 6, 2015 at 6:59 AM
I like the drama but somewhere the actor forced himself to keep relation alive with gf more than wife is too unfair... here his emotion toward wife is pity, there could be better more emotional with his wife :(
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