Lee Soon-jae courted for drama version of Grandpas Over Flowers
by girlfriday
Ha, you can never fault tvN for not knowing a good thing when it has one. The cable network is home to hit variety travel program Grandpas Over Flowers (starring halbae foursome Lee Soon-jae, Shin Gu, Park Geun-hyung, Baek Il-sub, and luggage boy Lee Seo-jin), and now they’re reportedly developing a drama for the spring based loosely on the halbae foursome concept. It’s being called both Flower Grandpa Investigation Unit and Oppa Investigation Unit (I can’t tell which is funnier. They’re both cracking me up equally.) about a group of grumpy grandpa deliverymen who solve crimes on the side. HEE.
It’ll be helmed by the PD of movies Meet the In-Laws and Tone-Deaf Clinic (though he also has Full House: Take 2 on his resume, eek) and one of the writers of the old sitcom Three Men, Three Women, and so far Lee Soon-jae is the first actor being courted. It’d be great if they could get all four original flower halbaes to be in it together, though I’m sure there are endless choices for veteran actors with comedic chops. The comedy procedural centers around four grandpas in their 60s and 70s who work together as couriers. They’ve all come to this job late in life and the characters’ various pasts are part of the mystery.
Lee Soon-jae would play the head of the delivery company, the lead halbae who was a traffic cop as a younger man. Ha, so that explains his penchant for crime-solving, though of course it’s extra hilarious that he was a traffic cop who always wished he could do detective work. I love the idea of four grandpas running around solving crimes ineptly, only to accidentally do a good job. The potential hijinks are endless.
Oppa Investigation Unit is hoping for a May broadcast following crime thriller Gap-dong, though it’s still early for solid confirmations on timeslot. Meanwhile Lee Soon-jae is shooting current sitcom Potato Star 2013QR3 and prepping for his third trip with Grandpas Over Flowers which takes off later this month.
Via Sports Hankook
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Tags: Flower Grandpa Investigation Unit, Grandpas Over Flowers, Lee Soon-jae
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1 madame kim
January 13, 2014 at 4:09 AM
OMG, this sounds so awesome! Actually, now that I think about it, somebody needs to make the Korean version of Red!!!
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Nheony
January 13, 2014 at 8:56 AM
Totally agree with you. Just imagining it is cracking me up. Better if they add Yoon Yeo-Jung in the cast. Hee! Bring on the hijfun!
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Julia the Berkshire Beanie
January 13, 2014 at 6:44 PM
I'm thrilled at the idea that the Halbaes can get something meaty to act in besides the typical roles assigned to grandpas. Yes, older people are more than cheobal CEO's and disapproving grandfathers thwarting young love.
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Altins
January 13, 2014 at 8:52 PM
They should put LeeSeungGi as SoonJae's grandson, a college boy, who's also the errand-boy, when it comes to chase the criminals. Because these "oppas" no longer can run fast to catch criminals.
And even in the middle of his class, he gets phone call from his grandpa to catch criminal, and getting lost, but still ends up catch the criminals.
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Lilian
January 14, 2014 at 7:10 AM
This sounds epic! Hope it really turns out well and superbly funny. Can we have lots of cameos too please?
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2 mary
January 13, 2014 at 4:12 AM
Oppa is better. I imagine there will be grandmas and lovelines too. (Can we get some people from Noonas Over Flowers too?)
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kstalls
January 13, 2014 at 8:55 PM
It would be so good if they were like the female leads haha
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3 xxvxx
January 13, 2014 at 4:31 AM
Ahhhh it's gonna be so cute!
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4 Shadow-chan
January 13, 2014 at 4:35 AM
Oh. My. God.
So awesome!
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5 fab
January 13, 2014 at 4:39 AM
That'd be just a great show. Unfortunately I can't watch the variety, but a drama is definitely welcome.
Super Oppa investigation Unit aka SOIU. Yesss the hijinks are indeed endless for this one. :d
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6 fab
January 13, 2014 at 4:40 AM
Btw, what happened to the like-button?
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7 Abbie
January 13, 2014 at 4:41 AM
Cracking up reading this! There is so much win here I don't know where to start. Awesome idea, not to mention adorable! If Lee Soon-jae halbae joins, I will definitely watch!
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8 Dorotka
January 13, 2014 at 4:57 AM
Ha ha ha, so instead of one Miss Marple we have 4?? :--)
Could be fun. Especially with some comedy.
BTW, any plans to write some review on the Potato Star?
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9 darksilvercloud
January 13, 2014 at 5:23 AM
awesome! Fingers crossed, please let all four halbaes take this!
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10 bgr
January 13, 2014 at 5:34 AM
Hope "luggage boy" gets invited to the party!
he could be their mechanic.
;) hehe
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11 jen
January 13, 2014 at 5:54 AM
now this
i would watch!
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12 kaekaed
January 13, 2014 at 5:58 AM
Oppa? that's pushing it - unless they have girlfriends who call them that. cause little old ladies calling little old men, Oppa, would be adorable.
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skinnymocha
January 13, 2014 at 6:15 AM
Haha. Ja-ok's "oppa~" (coupled with the teenage shyness/giddiness) was so cute when she greeted Baek Il-sub.
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13 hanhan
January 13, 2014 at 6:24 AM
can another halbaes join too??
about GOF season 3, will seojinie become the luggage boy again? his weekend drama will air next month, right?
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14 CaroleMcDonnell
January 13, 2014 at 6:28 AM
oooh, this sounds so good!
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15 SGK
January 13, 2014 at 6:34 AM
I can see parades of cameo ahead..... :D
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16 neyrie
January 13, 2014 at 6:38 AM
hahaha EPIC!!!
I am so IN!!!
aahhhh I wan Seo JInnie in this one too!!!
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17 ilikemangos
January 13, 2014 at 7:15 AM
Hahah. oh, the endless comedic possibilities...
If this happens i would so watch.
Lee Soon Jae is my favorite k-drama grandpa and having him as leader would just be perfect.
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18 emiie
January 13, 2014 at 8:00 AM
I hope this happens!
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19 saranga
January 13, 2014 at 8:49 AM
oh my god, this is GENIUS. it already sounds like it could be so much fun. they must get the original halbaes! that's totally the point!
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20 YL
January 13, 2014 at 9:00 AM
I am sold! Love the concept. Hee.
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21 Noelle
January 13, 2014 at 9:39 AM
Totally on board! This needs to happen.
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22 jomo143
January 13, 2014 at 10:38 AM
I see this working really well if they do it episodically - like that Dating Agency drama - with cameos by hot - male and female- stars who are either criminals or victims.
Kinduv a Grumpy Old Men Columbo Murder They Wrote thingamabob
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23 Angélina Eang
January 13, 2014 at 12:32 PM
"Oppa Investigation Unit"
LMAO, I died :D
But yeaaap', it's such a great idea ! TVN is really amazing when it comes to creativity. They have a lot of genres and tend not to fall in KDrama clichés which is a really good thing !
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24 Arhazivory
January 13, 2014 at 1:30 PM
I want this drama asap. : D
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25 WM
January 13, 2014 at 4:16 PM
I am so in! Brilliant idea by whomever came up with the concept. This would be a ratings darling.
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26 mary
January 13, 2014 at 5:31 PM
Ok, I know how they can incorporate a luggage boy now.
Seo Jin is the halbae's grandson who can't get married because he's too busy being a cop.
His grandpa rounds up the Grandpa Gang to help investigate crimes so Seo Jin can have time to go on blind dates. But then the grandpas always end up in trouble and Seo Jin has to leave the dates anyway to go save his Grandpas.
Because, Grandpas Over Flowers. :)
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27 exile18
January 13, 2014 at 6:05 PM
OMG! the concept is awesome! it sounds really good and I really hope to see this happen! Bring all four halbae back^^
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28 kooriyuki
January 13, 2014 at 6:41 PM
There's a third trip? HUZZA!!
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29 astromantic
January 13, 2014 at 7:02 PM
I immediately thought of the upcoming "Sanbiki no Ossan" when I saw this (three old men in their sixties teaming up with their children & grandchildren to fight for justice against baddies!). Still, cute concept!
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30 Ree
January 13, 2014 at 7:10 PM
TVN, bring it on! I'm sold already! :)
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31 wednesdays
January 13, 2014 at 7:58 PM
Hope all 4 halbaes join the project, then seo jin could be a grandson working as a cop that assists them with their cases... that would be fun to watch! :) with cameos from the noona cast.... hahaha...
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32 byuldreamer
January 13, 2014 at 9:07 PM
this is one of the best things i've heard in a while...totally on board. sounds like so much fun and giggles ^^
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33 sangay choeden
January 13, 2014 at 10:22 PM
fantastic ! I'd really love to see this drama, concept is interesting and hey, who doesn't want to see the 4 of them together again in a drama solely for them ?
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34 bakedshrimp
January 14, 2014 at 1:14 AM
SUPER. AWESOME.
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35 dearly
January 16, 2014 at 12:54 AM
Sounds like a fun adventure. Sort of reminds me of "Twilight Gangsters" of the grandmas who decided to become thieves and rob a bank to get a vacation to Hawaii. That was a delightful story with a bittersweet ending.
More info: http://asianwiki.com/Twilight_Gangsters
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36 sixtyeightmonkey
January 16, 2014 at 5:57 PM
Speaking of Grandpas Over Flowers, I just watched the PBS Frontline special on North Korea that aired this past Tuesday, January 14. In one shot of the secret footage smuggled out of North Korea, the backs of two women were seen watching videos smuggled from the South on thumb drives. What were they watching? Yep. Grandpas Over Flowers. Wow.
http://video.pbs.org/video/2365155890/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=pbsofficial&utm_campaign=frontline
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37 Ann
January 21, 2014 at 7:21 PM
Given what's been going on in Queens, NY, they could do one of them fighting McDonalds.
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