Kim Rae-won courted to headline legal thriller Punch

13 October 28, 2014October 28, 2014

Kim Rae-won courted to headline legal thriller Punch

by girlfriday

There was some kind of backstage drama going on at SBS over the last day, because stories started to come out that its December Monday-Tuesday drama Punch was going to be replaced by a different series altogether. One mad scramble (and who knows what Anthony-esque string-pulling stunt) later, Punch is now back on the winter drama schedule and casting is back in motion. An offer is out to Kim Rae-won to star, which would mark his first small-screen role in three years since his army comeback drama Thousand Day Promise.

Punch is the highly anticipated third outing from writer Park Kyung-soo, of The Chaser and Empire of Gold. This time he’s pairing up with Fashion King PD Lee Myung-woo, which is frankly a little worrisome. Jo Jae-hyun (Jung Do-jeon) was the first name attached to the project, and has since confirmed, and veteran actress Choi Myung-gil (older Mi-rae in Mi-rae’s Choice) has also signed on.

This writer’s dramas are all about corruption and money and power, and this one will be no different — Punch is set in the legal world, where prosecutors at the supreme court are up to their eyeballs in dirty money and power plays. The worst of them will be Jo Jae-hyun, the the public prosecutor general who hides his corruption under the face of a genial down-home good ol’ boy.

If Kim Rae-won signs on, he’ll play the hero, a section chief investigative prosecutor who finds out that he has six months left to live because of a terminal illness. I almost want to stop him from taking anything that sounds even remotely depressing after Thousand Day Promise (possibly the most depressing drama ever), but in Punch he’d play a man who decides to take the whole house of corruption down with him when he goes, which will probably be a really good dramatic role for him. Kim is currently shooting his gangster movie Gangnam 1970 with Lee Min-ho, which has pushed its release date to January.

Punch follows Secret Door and premieres December 15.

Via TV Report

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Tags: Jo Jae-hyun, Kim Rae-won

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1 Chandler

October 28, 2014 at 4:26 AM

AHHH, I love Kim Rae-won so much and I want him back in dramaland! But I don't know if I can watch him die!

Still, it sounds like it could be potentially awesome and I'm sure he'll be wonderful in it if he signs on. I definitely like the part about him taking down the whole house of corruption with him and will probably watch for that.

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capricorn

October 28, 2014 at 4:49 PM

i love kim rae won too...he's one of those rare versatile actors who can do melodrama and comedy

i wish he'd get cast in a drama...something good...i think he would've been good in 'Joseon Gunman'...of course i love lee junki in that role, but i think kim rae won could have done well in a role like that too...or 'Secret Love Affair'

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2 Danda

October 28, 2014 at 5:17 AM

I love this writer.....And based on his/her previous drama(The Chaser and Empire of Gold) , romance is out of the story....

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Annie

October 28, 2014 at 5:30 AM

I hope so... especially in the setting of terminal illness when Park Kyung Soo isn't the type to pull a deus ex machina and have the hero magically survive in the end.

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3 Mandy

October 28, 2014 at 8:01 AM

I'm so pumped about this drama since I just love all the other works by the writer. The PD is worrisome but I didn't really like the PD for The Chaser all that much, so I'm hoping this is a welcome change.

Not really familiar with Kim Rae-won - I don't think I've seen any of his previous work. But this I definitely won't miss!

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4 Kara

October 28, 2014 at 8:29 AM

Yay!!! I love Kim Rae Won and would be so happy to see him back in dramaland!

His acting was so natural and emotional in What Star Are You From, a really underrated drama he did years ago with Jung Ryu Won. If the drama gods are really smiling on us, this will be another reunion drama and JRW will sign on too! (I don't even know if there is a part for her, just wishful thinking) :)

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songielove

October 28, 2014 at 6:21 PM

WSAYF is one of my most favorites of all time! That's the drama that solidified my love for KRW, although I had watched him from his early beginning. So happy to see another another WSAYF lover! You spoke my mind about a Won-Won Couple reunion, but this doesn't sound like there's any room for romance. Besides, it would be too depressing as it already sounds. But KRW for the win! :P

As much as I love KRW and hate the depressing terminal illness plot, I have to say that the role sounds extremely fitting for him (but partly reminds me of "A Thousand Days Promise", which was depressing to watch for me). Sounds chaotic and exciting! I'd definitely be in to watch if he signs on, but honestly, anything KRW is a yes for me. I miss him so much on screen!

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5 iris

October 28, 2014 at 9:33 AM

Love Kim Rae Won AND Jo Jae-Hyeon. That would be the their 2nd drama together since Snowman. That's exciting.
I also love the idea of Kim Rae won in a thriller. What I find a bit worrisome is the writer. I watched Empire of Gold and while it initially was interesting, it soon became repetitive and boring , and dipped in the ratings. Over all ratings were pretty mediocre. The Chaser reached higher views in the last 4 episodes. Now, if it were the writer of Scandal: A Shocking and Wrongful Incident (in which Jo Jae Hyeon played) I'd be a lot happier.

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6 MsB

October 28, 2014 at 10:16 AM

Not a Kim Rae Won fan but I loved Empire of Gold and The Chaser; plus I like legal dramas as long as they don't get too sappy in the love department which is why I prefer J-drama legal dramas!

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larus

October 28, 2014 at 10:39 AM

Don`t worry, there will be no romance at all in this drama. The hero has no time left and he is on a mission. I anticipate this drama because of the writer. He did not write so far sappy love story ( he did not write romance in his dramas at all) but I will be curious how is going to be written a romance in his style. Maybe in the future dramas but I doubt it.