News bites: October 15, 2016

by awcoconuts

Yoo Seung-ho, Taecyeon

• Hooray that he’ll be back to sportin’ a sageuk mane of glory: Yoo Seung-ho (Remember–Son’s War) is confirmed for Ruler–Master of the Mask, in which he’ll play an 18th-century crown prince of Joseon fighting off a faction that’s out to obtain control of the water supply. The sageuk melodrama will run for 20 episodes and air in the first half of 2017, likely on MBC. [New1]
• House Above Time, the mystery thriller starring Kim Yun-jin (Gukje Market), has added to its cast. The film’s about a woman who is blamed for her husband’s murder in the family home and her son’s disappearance. The housewife will return to the home after serving 25 years in prison in order to uncover the truth, and during the film she’ll transform from a warm and doting mother to a cold woman who trusts no one. Taecyeon (Bring It On, Ghost) has been cast as a priest who is the only person wanting to believe her, while Jo Jae-yoon (Fantastic) will play her not-long-for-the-world husband. House Above Time will be directed by Im Dae-woong (To Sir With Love) and will begin filming this month for an early 2017 premiere. [Xports News]


Man to Man

• Upcoming JTBC drama Man to Man now has the distinction of being the Korean drama commanding the highest price per episode for broadcasting rights in China. The record was previously held by Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo, which received 400,000 USD per episode from Chinese broadcasters for a total of 8 million USD. While the exact numbers haven’t been confirmed, Man to Man has sold for an excess of 400,000 USD per episode, proving that Park Hae-jin remains a significant draw for Chinese audiences. [Busan Ilbo]
• Given how much milking there was of the Misaeng cow, it comes as no surprise that there was a special “See You Tomorrow, Misaeng” panel discussion held during tvN’s 10th anniversary festival. Director Kim Won-seok confirmed that a second season would be forthcoming, but admitted the director and cast are all TBD. Stars Im Shi-wan, Lee Sung-min and Kim Dae-myung also spoke at the panel, and all expressed a desire to return for season two. [Herald]
• KBS has a special treat in store for Moonlight Drawn by Clouds fans. Following the finale episode on the 18th, the station will air an 85-minute special with previously unseen footage and cast interviews. Meanwhile, a reward vacation is still in the works, and an unconfirmed update has the trip taking place in Cebu, Philippines from October 21 to 25. [My Daily, Osen]


Sound of the Heart

• New posters are out for web drama Sound of the Heart, which is based on the long-running eponymous webtoon on Naver. The project is a collaboration between Naver, KBS’s variety department, and production company Cross Pictures, and it stars Lee Kwang-soo (Dear My Friends) as a simple-minded wannabe cartoonist. Kim Dae-myung (Misaeng) plays his elder brother, Jung So-min (D-Day) his girlfriend, and veterans Kim Byung-ok and Kim Mi-kyung his parents. The show will first be available via Naver in November, and then will be broadcast on KBS in December. [Sports Chosun]
• How sweet, Heirs mom Kim Sung-ryung will be reunited with Heirs son Lee Min-ho when she cameos in the third episode of Legend of the Blue Sea, the fantasy romance starring Lee, Jeon Ji-hyun and more. Jeon’s a mermaid who tries to adapt to life in Seoul, while Lee’s a swindler who falls for her. The show will take over the spot vacated by Jealousy Incarnate in November on SBS. [Osen]


Kim Sung-ryung, Ji-yeon

• Ji-yeon (Triangle, Dream High 2) is confirmed for the lead in web drama My Runway, in which she’ll play a high-schooler who isn’t very good at her studies but who has a good personality. She lacks any notable skills or talent and therefore began showing an interest in clothes from a very young age, since beautiful clothing would bring her attention. She naively wants to be a model because her face and body meet the criteria and she gets to wear pretty clothes. The fluffy-sounding show about haughty top models and the wannabe model youngster with loads of determination will be released on the web, and negotiations are underway to follow its web debut with a TV broadcast. [Joongang]
• The Cheese in the Trap film has finally found its director in Kim Je-young, who has both directorial (Queen of the Night) and screenwriting (Miss Wife, Wonderful Radio) credits to his name and who recently wrote and directed the Chinese-Korean film So I Married an Anti-fan. The movie reboot of the popular webtoon-turned-tvN-show will also be jointly produced in China and Korea, with Park Hae-jin reprising his role as Yoo Jung sunbae and Oh Yeon-seo putting her spin on Hong Seol’s character. Cameras will begin rolling early next year, and the film should open in theaters in summer 2017. [DongA]
• Park Jung-min (Dongju, You’re All Surrounded) and Moon Geun-young (Village: Secret of Achiara) are pairing up to bring Shakepeare’s classic tale of doomed lovers to life. Moon is returning to the stage after a six-year hiatus, and the two coevals will star in Romeo and Juliet, which opens its run on December 9 at National Theater of Korea’s Daroreum Theater. [DongA]

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