Three-part cable movie Girl K premieres this weekend
by javabeans
Is it a movie? Is it a drama? I dunno which classification is more apt for a three-part TV movie airing on cable, but in any case cable channel CGV’s Girl K looks pretty badass.
Mixing action and thrills, Girl K is being called the “Korean Nikita,” which automatically piques my interest; I loved the 1990 French movie, the Hollywood adaptation Point of No Return, and the ’90s series with Peta Wilson. I’m actually least familiar with the newest incarnation, the CW series, but I’ll be getting right on that. And now there’s a Korean mini-drama/movie with a similar premise? Count me in.
In the Nikita universe, the heroine is coerced into working as an assassin for a secret organization, essentially blackmailed into being their killer for hire while longing for her freedom. Girl K shares some similarities with that premise, but deviates in some significant ways: It centers around a high school student, Yeon-jin, whose mother is killed before her eyes. Mom had been affiliated with a secret organization, SS1, but upon learning that the chief was planning to use her daughter, she’d run away with Yeon-jin, only to be eliminated.
Afterwards, Yeon-jin vows to hunt down the killer, left to fend for herself with only one helper/Daddy Long Legs figure for moral and material support. To claim her revenge, she joins SS1 and turns herself into one of their killers. All while apparently attending school and dealing with boys with crushes. It’s like all my favorite CW shows, mashed into one.
The movie/show stars newbie Han Groo as the lead character, Yeon-jin, and funny-creepy-scary man Kim Jung-tae (Can’t Lose) as her helper. The 19-year-old Han Groo is a singer who will be making her acting debut with this project, but she did beat out 100 other hopefuls in the audition process and performed most of the action stunts herself, so I have hopes that she’ll be a good fit for the role. (Her background: She learned dance in the U.S. in middle school, and martial arts in high school in China.)
The movie also features another idol star, Kim Dong-joon of ZE:A, a big man on campus who falls for transfer student Yeon-jin at first sight. Park Hyo-joo (Air City) plays an ex-assassin who trains Yeon-jin. Her role is mostly office-bound as she gives orders on missions, but Park stated that she had to work out hard for a pivotal, emotional action sequence near the end.
In addition, the always-fantastic Kim Roi-ha (Comrades) plays Yeon-jin’s enemy, while Baek Do-bin (Queen Seon-deok) plays a hot-blooded detective who lost a colleague to that enemy and is now on a dogged hunt to track down SS1.
Girl K began filming on May 18 and will air its first episode this Saturday, August 27, at midnight. It’ll air its second and third episodes on the two following Saturdays.
Via My Daily
Tags: cable programs, Girl K, Han Groo, Kim Jung-tae, Park Hyo-joo
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1 disfigurine
August 25, 2011 at 3:43 PM
looks cool actually
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Annie
August 25, 2011 at 6:43 PM
Reminds of me of the photos Ha Ji won took for sector 7.
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mud
August 25, 2011 at 8:24 PM
I was just thinking she could be the next Ha Ji Won. The haircut, tank top, familiarity with firearms... the girl's got it down pat.
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Momo
August 25, 2011 at 8:53 PM
She looks like Sung Yuri at some angles. It does look pretty cool.
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jaybee
August 26, 2011 at 1:24 AM
i thought so too with a little bit of moon geun young added in to the mix...anyways, i will definitely be looking forward to this.
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jomo143
August 26, 2011 at 5:20 AM
I thought it was SY!
emma
September 2, 2011 at 6:38 PM
definitely moon geun young XD
crizzyville
August 25, 2011 at 9:25 PM
right... already set the next ha ji won?! still waiting for sector 7 though...
hope things go well for this lady... we need real good kick-ass women
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2 vis
August 25, 2011 at 3:45 PM
Have been keeping an eye on this but didn't know it was airing this weekend. Thanks for the heads up! Looking forward to saturday :D
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3 Ani
August 25, 2011 at 3:45 PM
Nice. I gotta say though, Dong-joon being big man on campus? Not seeing it. He's just so... Non-big-man-on-campus you know. HAHAHA. Jung-tae is on a roll.
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4 Jones
August 25, 2011 at 3:47 PM
I'm so (so) thrilled to see Kim Jung-tae becoming more popular. He seems to have a whole bundle of new projects coming out every month. Yay for me (and everyone else)!
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5 Silver
August 25, 2011 at 3:48 PM
Saw a preview of this a couple of days ago, I actually thought/hoped it would be a longer drama. Maybe if it's successful it'll spawn something else, because I honestly wouldn't mind a City Hunter-like series with a female character at the center.
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6 mars
August 25, 2011 at 4:02 PM
Revenge thriller featuring a female lead? SIGN. ME. UP. I wonder if she'll adhere to a code similar to Yoon-sung or walk a darker line.
Also, also JB and anyone else who hasn't watched the CW version of Nikita it is actually really, really good. Maggie Q owns the screen and it's just really engaging and does some interesting things.
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meenuby
August 25, 2011 at 4:26 PM
I agree - I'm really enjoying the CW version of Nikita. It's kinda like the City Hunter to 90's La Femme Nikita's Story of a Man. :D
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reese
August 25, 2011 at 5:40 PM
I agree. I actually stopped watching it sometime around the middle of the season (aka when they went on break) because I got sidetracked with school stuff and vacation, but I'll be catching up on it before the next season starts. I think all the episodes are the CW's website so it shouldn't be hard.
I definitely recommend watching it.
And I can't wait for this to air; I hope someone is going to sub it.
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win
August 26, 2011 at 8:30 AM
I love the CW's Nikita with Maggie Q! I originally watched it to support an Asian sister in the industry...I mean, she's the title character! But definitely got hooked with the story line. I was a bit worried that they might have canceled it after the first season but so glad CW picked it up for a 2nd one.
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7 Okie Dokie
August 25, 2011 at 4:14 PM
She looks like Sung Yuri. I totally thought it was Yuri playing the lead. Sounds interesting.
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KANGly
August 25, 2011 at 4:48 PM
Agree with you. She looks like Sung Yuri in some of the stills.
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Akiness
August 25, 2011 at 6:15 PM
Oh good, I'm not the only one. I actually thought it was her at first and then I saw the different name and then it was wait...what? Heh...it doesn't help that I'm tired either.
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Momo
August 25, 2011 at 8:58 PM
haha...i said the same thing and commented on 1 before I saw this lol
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8 Memlu
August 25, 2011 at 4:22 PM
Oh, wow, this looks like it could be fantastic! Definitely worth checking out, at least. I have to agree with Silver - I'd love a City Hunter-esque drama with a lady at the front.
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9 danni
August 25, 2011 at 4:37 PM
Well, it is short. I might need to check this out, it sounds pretty awesome.
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10 mmmaggie
August 25, 2011 at 4:38 PM
Was Kim Jung-tae always in everything and I'm only now noticing, or did he get a bump post-1N2D? Because seriously, what isn't he in lately?
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mooses
August 25, 2011 at 7:23 PM
oh, he was always in everything lol
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11 crazedlu
August 25, 2011 at 4:53 PM
action and high school? i'm in. and if hangroo has trained in martial arts too? i'm even more in. can't wait.
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12 Xtineee
August 25, 2011 at 4:54 PM
Yes! Finally! A story about a girl who can kick-ass & is a bad-ass! I have been waiting for this. Also... Javabeans, you should definitely watch 'Nikita', the CW version. It's super good! Relatives of mine says that it's one of the best tv/movie version of Nikita so far.
Yay! I love me of some action/thriller genre!
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13 Noelle
August 25, 2011 at 4:54 PM
Love the pic with her and the hammer. Comical.
So looking forward to this. Hopefully I can find somewhere that'll sub it.
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14 Biscuit
August 25, 2011 at 4:57 PM
Jim Jung Tae is on a roll!
And that actress is like MGY, Park Bo Young and Lim mashed into one.
Why is this awesomeness only three parts? Or more importantly, this is cable!? Not that I'm upset about that since they've produced really good dramas... but cable really taking over.
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15 supah
August 25, 2011 at 5:27 PM
Omo! Haz to haz to haz to waaaatch!
Yeahh... Cable really is pulling out all the big guns lately. Not complaining, I just want my drama, never had much of a network bias anyways.
Kim Jung-tae and Kim Roe-ha = Mad love!
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16 omo
August 25, 2011 at 5:34 PM
Good for Kim Jung Tae. He's going places and I love to see him succeed. After recounting his difficult days in Win Win, he just about broke every part of me that is to break. I'll root for him no matter what character he plays. KJT, fighting!!
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17 Carinne
August 25, 2011 at 5:59 PM
I like the spinning carnival ride, what is it called? I notice guys do that a lot over there planting one of their legs across over the girl's thighs/knees. Is it common? Nothing to do w/ gaining more skinship, is it?
I can understand doing that when the girl wears a skirt or dress, but other than that, I say, "let her flail those limbs like cooked spaghetti." Bwahahaha!
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18 diorama
August 25, 2011 at 6:03 PM
*chants* "Subs! Subs! Subs!"
I want this so bad now. A female-centered revenge thriller. How awesome is that?
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19 hermosa5790
August 25, 2011 at 6:38 PM
the plot lines bear similarities with the Jap-French movie, Wasabi starring Jean Reno/Ryoko Hirosue. The part where both dead mothers connected to some crimes organization. The only different is, in the Korean version the girl turned into an assassin. In Japanese version, the girl turned into a sassy happy go lucky, don't care attitude girl. This also sounds like the new Hollywood film, Columbiana starring Zoe Saldana. Having said that, I think I'm going to enjoy a femme fatale kind of movies. Girl power all the way.. :)
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20 Lizzie
August 25, 2011 at 7:29 PM
Lmao, seeing without paying much attention I thought it was Moon Geun Young!!
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eyes-that-cannot-see!
August 26, 2011 at 6:10 PM
LoL-ing at myself too Lizzie!
It wasn't until I read the n-th comment about SY and MGY that I finally made the connection that MGY was never mentioned as the lead in this k-nikita-show. Wow! I had to scroll up and re-read who the lead really is, still unbelievable, I didn't get it til then!! I saw the first picture yesterday and thought it was Moon Geun Young. I finally read this today and still thought it was MGY with all the other photos. Except the school uniform picture she doesn't resemble MGY at all but still didn't register that MGY is so not in this show at all!!! Anyway looks interesting...I'm a Nikita fan so hopefully it'll be good. If you haven't checked out the CW version, it's pretty good you should try watching it :) looking forward to this k-nikita show!
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21 waterfight
August 25, 2011 at 8:15 PM
This sounds just like the new movie with Zoe Saldana, Colombiana!
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hermosa5790
August 26, 2011 at 1:53 AM
I know, right?
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22 Arhazivory
August 25, 2011 at 8:16 PM
Damn. This looks awesome. XD
I really hope someone subs it.
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23 craziluver
August 25, 2011 at 8:20 PM
the picture with short her looks like Moon Geun Young..at first.
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24 ar_arguably romantic
August 25, 2011 at 8:35 PM
yay for a drama where a girl doesn't hesitate to get her hand dirty with violence and perhaps, even some blood.
regarding the CW's version of Nikita. I've only watched a few episodes and it seemed alright, though I do think that Shane West is a bit of miscast.
Han Groo really looks like several actresses all rolled into you!
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25 Miss-lyDoodles
August 25, 2011 at 11:41 PM
(Her background: She learned dance in the U.S. in middle school, and martial arts in high school in China.)
Maybe we should do a background check on her--She's not a REAL SPY, isn't she?? haha! XD
Thanks, JB! This is the first time I've heard about this, and your writing makes me look forward to watching this.
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26 Lisa Purba
August 26, 2011 at 7:51 AM
Interesting. Looking forward to watching it.
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27 Anonymous
August 26, 2011 at 11:01 AM
I really thought it's moon geun young from the first picture above.
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28 Whow Cares
August 27, 2011 at 12:04 PM
It's interesting, Yes. But still a Remake in my opinion. So, don't blame hollywood if there are any Korean remakes. Still, Why there isn't any creativity in the Korean entertainment industry these days ?
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29 peachys2sleep
August 27, 2011 at 10:27 PM
Does anyone know where I can watch this?
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luci8le
August 28, 2011 at 5:48 AM
myasiancinema released the first ep !
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30 Cam
August 28, 2011 at 8:25 AM
GOSH. O_o
This girl is really something......Aigoo, she's remind me of my best favorite top actress Ha Ji Won, who is also working in her film "Sector 7", ofc!!! Kekeke!
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31 Miki
August 28, 2011 at 7:11 PM
OMG i'm soooo excited for this! I love it when a petite girl can kick butt!! LMAO
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32 echan
August 30, 2011 at 8:03 AM
wooow....she looks like sung yu ri.... Mixed with yoon eun hye..... For me, she is toooo cute to be femme fatale.....hehe, more like a cute school girl.....
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33 Helen
August 31, 2011 at 6:27 PM
Sigh. I was really excited for this after reading descriptions. I just saw the first episode and found it so disappointing. I'll try not to include any spoilers, but if you're looking forward to the show, you might want to stop reading.
It took the entire first episode to set up the story, and considering this is a 3-part series, I thought it was too long. The mother drove me crazy. The bad guy was weird -- not good scary weird, but just crazy weird. The writing -- mostly plotwise -- seemed jumbled and messy. Plot relies on too many coincidences and stupid decisions by the characters. By the end of the episode, I pretty much didn't care if all of the characters died . . . except maybe Kim Jung Tae's character.
Anyway, if you go in with fairly low expectations, the show might be worth it. I may still continue watching it. It's only 2 more episodes. But I'm sad thinking about what this series could have been.
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