Night Watchman preps for premiere with posters, stills

51 July 29, 2014April 8, 2017

Night Watchman preps for premiere with posters, stills

by javabeans

There have been a lot of promos coming out of the Records of a Night Watchman camp as the fusion sageuk fantasy gears up for its premiere next week, capped off with a press conference held on July 29 with all the main cast members present—which would be Jung Il-woo, Yunho, Go Sung-hee, and Seo Ye-ji.

I don’t really love the posters, particularly the middle two which seem like hack photoshop jobs (though the one with the ghosts hovering around our ghost-seeing prince is cute), but the stills look more promising. Maybe the lesson is to let the costuming and cinematography shine on their own, without over-manipulating posters so much that it looks like you just put a bunch of life-sized cardboard cutouts onto a rooftop? And the poster in front of the palace just looks like something out of a video game.

The show is keeping in line with the recent trend of incorporating numerous genres into its premise—paranormal, action, romance, period drama—and seems fitting for the summertime with its ghost plotline (summer is typically the season of horror fare), though its PD, Lee Joo-hwan, clarified that it’s really a youth melodrama at heart, more than a paranormal thriller. So we can expect youthful romance, foibles, and coming of age alongside the spooks.

At the press conference, Jung Il-woo commented on how it feels to take on his third sageuk project (preceded by Return of Iljimae and The Moon That Embraces the Sun), saying, “This drama is one that spurred a sense of personal ambition. I think sageuks have a very curious appeal to them, where the look in your eye and your physical movements become more important than in modern projects. Because you feel things grow heavier, it makes you really think twice about your acting.”

Yunho, meanwhile, described his character as quite serious, though he wants to draw out his cute moments and sometimes offbeat. Overall, he called the character’s personality “80 percent similar to my real one.” For our sake, I’m hoping to see more of the cute side, ’cause what’s the point in assembling a cast of young ghostbusters to fight spirits and fall in love if they’re just gonna be serious about it? Bring on the ghosts and the fun, I say.

Records of a Night Watchman premieres on MBC next Monday, August 4.

Via MBN

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1 Ace

July 29, 2014 at 8:16 AM

With my low expectations, who knows this drama might surprise me. That said, I'm ready to use the ff button if Mr. Stiff can't be cute and offbeat as he claims.

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2 john

July 29, 2014 at 8:25 AM

The female character, is she a ghost buster shaman or something like that? That might be worthwhile.

Hope the writing doesn't fail and flail.

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3 thesandwitch04

July 29, 2014 at 8:28 AM

Please be good. Just...be good. Not expecting the best, but it should be engaging. At least.

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4 Kiara

July 29, 2014 at 8:28 AM

Jung Il-woo!!! I don't know about this but I'll check it out for you.

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5 0live13ranch

July 29, 2014 at 8:36 AM

All I can see is Jung Il-woo, and I'm IN :D

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6 harmonyfb

July 29, 2014 at 8:48 AM

> though its PD, Lee Joo-hwan, clarified that it’s really a youth melodrama at heart, more than a paranormal thriller.

Dammit. Here I was all gearing up for ghosts and dragons and chase scenes, and it's really going to be about feelings. UGH.

Dramas, I trusted you. ::flings arm dramatically across eyes::

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7 crazedlu

July 29, 2014 at 8:51 AM

Ooh. The stills actually look nice. Although, that's probably due in part to the villain with fried yellow hair being absent mostly.

This genre(s) is right up alley. Will check it out. My expectations are so incredibly low, I hope there's only going up from here. (C'mon, Yunho! Even though there's no way you've learned, or will learn, to act, I want to at least be able to tolerate your character.)

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8 Miho

July 29, 2014 at 9:31 AM

Let's start already. I am waiting to see Jung Ilwoo oppa. And Yunho oppa too.

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9 redfox

July 29, 2014 at 9:43 AM

don´t you dare suck, drama. I am doubtful. let it be at least camp cult drama like Faith is (to some of us)
if action scenes suck, everything sucks. I have learned that much. so at least....please. Jung Il Woo needs a really good drama at long last

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10 pogo - sailing HMS Queen of Tears and HMS Sailboat Lovely Runner🍉

July 29, 2014 at 9:46 AM

I know the premise(ghost-seeing hero!) and first poster of the three ghosts are somewhat Arang-esque (excellent!)

......but the actual teasers feel a bit Gu Family Book-esque (not good, and not helped along by the 'youth melodrama' description).

And I really hope poor Go Sung-hee gets a change of hairstyle early in the drama.

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11 Quiet Thought

July 29, 2014 at 9:58 AM

Hey, if this works, everyone may be wearing square hats with dangling beads by next year.

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12 divyrus

July 29, 2014 at 10:00 AM

Okay I must be spaced out, cuz I read the entire post and was wondering where is Lee jin wook and Jung young hwa. :-o
Before realizing what show am reading about !

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skez

July 30, 2014 at 4:21 AM

waaaaat u mean Jung Yong Hwa is suposed to be in there?....oh am so gonna watch this!

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skez

July 30, 2014 at 4:49 AM

oh sorry i dint complete reading ur statement the moment i read Jung Yong Hwa i went nuts lol

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13 Quiet Thought

July 29, 2014 at 10:01 AM

Exactly what nationality is the young woman with the long braids supposed to BE? She looks like an escapee from a Rennaisance Fair held somewhere in Siberia

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beggar1015

July 29, 2014 at 4:27 PM

I was thinking more of Neo Classical Cavewoman to describe her look.

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RyeBlossom

July 29, 2014 at 7:12 PM

I always wonder about this- forget the "style", she is very indecent for the time.

How are people passing by without paying much attention to her?!

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pigsnout

July 29, 2014 at 9:41 PM

Maybe she's invisible?

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Quiet Thought

July 30, 2014 at 8:03 AM

Dr Who powers, maybe? They do that all the time, expecially with the female characters. I noticed in one story Freema Agyeman was parading around 1930s New York City in her SNSD blue jeans. Practically speaking, for New York in that era, she was naked.

14 Gidget

July 29, 2014 at 10:12 AM

Also, to my eye the visual styling they're using is similar to what they did in Sword and Flower. Both the costume styling and cinematography palette are oh so 1975. Gritty and dirty in a way that makes you think that everyone just needs to go take a bath.

Unless they're going to somehow tie that era into how the story is told, in a meta sort of way (by poking fun at a terrible era of TV and movie making), it just comes off as an unwelcome distraction from what should have been a really fun show to watch.

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15 fab

July 29, 2014 at 11:09 AM

the grey pink hanbok is really beautiful.

JIW is hot.

But I can't tolerate bad Saeguks, I barely finish the good ones so yeah...

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16 CaroleMcDonnell

July 29, 2014 at 11:14 AM

The stills are definitely wonderful; I especially loved the misty ghostly battlescene. But the posters..aargh!

I owe Jung Il Woo. I love him so much but wimped out on Rainbow. This one i can see myself finishing. I need a sajeuk I can fall in love with.

Thanks for the photos.

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Jennifer Calabrese

July 29, 2014 at 1:23 PM

I went all the way to the bitter end with JIW in Rainbow and I really wish I hadn't... I will wait for this to finish before checking into it - fingers crossed!

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17 Tara

July 29, 2014 at 12:04 PM

I'm being cautiously optimistic while cautiously keeping my expectations low, so I won't be sorely disappointed.

But I am a bit disappointed with the newer shift in the supposed genre of this...it sounded like a creepingly awesome fusion sageuk -- until the mention of this being a youth melodrama than a paranormal thriller. Boo -.-

I do like the trio of ghosts surrounding Jung Il-woo, that poster does give off Arang-like vibes :)

The costuming seems a bit simplistic and plain...at least it won't be so pretty and distracting ;) Shoot...as long as the story is written half-decent and the acting isn't overdone and cheesy, I think I will be somewhat happy and won't even care about the less-than-glossy look of the big sageuks as of late.

For Jung Il-woo's sake, I do hope this drama does end up being on the watchable side. I really do...

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18 brian

July 29, 2014 at 12:13 PM

The girl dressed like a shammy looks cute :) Although I'd not mind a shorter skirt, but that's my dirty old man mind going off on tangents, LOL.

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19 missDVM

July 29, 2014 at 1:10 PM

I am SO excited about this drama!! Except..for…well…you..know…

*chuckling*

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20 Quiet Thought

July 29, 2014 at 1:17 PM

You gotta love a Joseon chaebol ghost hunter who knows to use recyclable grocery bags instead of plastic or paper. That red-on-black number looks to be from Whole Foods.

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21 Quiet Thought

July 29, 2014 at 1:24 PM

The Finnish shaman girl is just darling, but her outfit is the least plausible Joseon costume seen in these parts since Yoon Jin Yi dressed up as Peter Pan in an orange fright wig in 'Mandate of Heaven.'

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laden

July 30, 2014 at 2:03 AM

I just love your comments, they are always so quiet :D

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LillyLee

July 30, 2014 at 7:56 PM

LOL!!!

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22 snuffie

July 29, 2014 at 1:52 PM

I like how they gradate the colors red>green>blue through the costumes and backgrounds in the first poster. You know, instead of limiting each panel with single hues.

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23 Wag_a_Muffin

July 29, 2014 at 1:55 PM

Please be good. Please be good. Please be good. Please be good. Oh please, oh please, oh please be good!

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24 jessie

July 29, 2014 at 2:25 PM

The poster of the 3 ghosts and Prince Lee Rin is the only one that is worth mentioning. Only when they added funnyman Actor Go did i became interested.If they could keep making the plot revolving around these comical guys, I am fine. And plssss director keep yunho's part to the minimum for our enjoyment without being anxious when he is on screen. He can learnt the acting skill by being less focus and minimal screen time in the background.

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25 Sam

July 29, 2014 at 2:30 PM

Jung II Woo does look good in those sageuk roles. The posters of the 3 ghosts and Jung II woo is the best. The rest are really bad photoshop copies.They should seriously consider making these foursome the main act instead.

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26 Cass

July 29, 2014 at 2:41 PM

Does Yunho really know his character well.He seem so confused with his character. Previous interviews, he is cold person, and now he wants to be cute as well cos the response from viewers is they want comedy more.

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sue

July 29, 2014 at 3:40 PM

It is media play he is doing at the conference to take the heat away from his horrible stills released. Seriously he looks like a dead wood on the horse poster.Anything but cold .So he is trying a new lease with the cutie thing since netizens wants more comedy from their response on the posters.

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jane

July 29, 2014 at 3:44 PM

And talking about his former team member Jaejoong when the question was on triangle the drama. We know the positive response on jaejoong's acting. He is just trying to ride the hard work of his former team member lol.At the end, in drama, only one's own effort counts.

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mielle

July 29, 2014 at 4:48 PM

Please don't start shit with JYJ. I follow both groups but I'm closer to JYJ and I don't like it when people unnecessarily drag both groups. Things did not end well and there are fans on both sides that will be forever hating so please I beg of you to stop.

Yunho was asked about Triangle and he gave a rather
"eh-" response, nothing worth getting your panties in a bunch or claiming that anyone is riding anyone else's coattails. It is like you already said, he will be judged by his own efforts so please stop the mudslinging cause I don't want people to start insulting JYJ.

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maldita

July 29, 2014 at 7:01 PM

Uh, Jaejoong was the lead (or one of the leads). It's impossible for anyone not to connect what Yunho said about the drama to Jaejoong. He said something as neutral and polite as he could and didn't even specifically name names, so I don't get why it has to be a big deal, apart from the DBSK nostalgia feels of Yunho basically implying that he's at least monitored what the other side have been doing.

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sheils

July 30, 2014 at 6:42 PM

guess what? Jaejoong talked about Yunho today and how he's worried about his health and that he hopes he doesn't get dehydrated while filming..that he'll try to watch his drama and that the actors that have starred with Yunho before all say he works real hard....so what do you have to say about that now stan? muahahha!!

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techr

July 31, 2014 at 7:46 AM

Her name is not 'stan', she merely asked that bad blood not be bought up since it get's complicated with the shitty fandom we seem to have. Yes Jae replied with his overflowing concern as is usual of his overly sympathetic character and yes yunho made a very generic comment as is usual of his character. Nothing new here, therefore this 'stan' did not want it to be bought up, what's so wrong with that, that you must be rude?

This is Dramabeans, a classy site, not Allkpop. Let's concentrate on dramas and acting.