It’s Okay, It’s Love PD helms remake of Chinese drama Scarlet Heart
by girlfriday
An international co-production is in the works for a Korean drama adaptation of the time-slip Chinese fusion sageuk Scarlet Heart (Bubu Jingxin). Hollywood’s Universal Studios is investing in the Korean remake, called Moon Lovers, which will be helmed by PD Kim Kyu-tae of It’s Okay, It’s Love, That Winter The Wind Blows, and IRIS. The original drama, which aired in 2011, was based on a novel of the same name and tells the story of a contemporary woman who travels back in time to the Qing dynasty and becomes embroiled in a royal conflict between princes. Namely that they all fall in love with her, naturally.
The story will be adapted to take place in Korea… which basically makes it Faith/Dr. Jin without the doctoring, no? The central premise of Scarlet Heart is that the heroine gets into an accident in the present day, then wakes up centuries in the past in the body of one of her reincarnated selves. So I guess it IS her, only not really the exact same (does this technically count as a body-possession, or not?). In any case, she adjusts to life in the Qing dynasty and finds love with a prince, all while trying not to derail the course of history.
The Korean drama will reportedly have a budget of 15 billion won, and will be entirely pre-produced so that it can be broadcast simultaneously in Korea and China (the ever-growing trend these days, on the heels of Lee Young-ae’s Saimdang, The Herstory and Song Hye-gyo’s Descended From the Sun).
I think I’m more curious about how this project will turn out as an international venture, since a time-slip drama to Goryeo or Joseon is hardly anything new in dramaland. Though with a good writer and cast attached, it could certainly improve upon the formula.
Moon Lovers doesn’t have a broadcaster attached yet, but plans to start shooting later this year, or early next year at the latest.
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Tags: drama production, Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo, remakes
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1 hodduk_honey
September 16, 2015 at 2:13 PM
Reverse Rooftop Prince?
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redd
September 16, 2015 at 8:03 PM
My tought, exactly!
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endz
September 16, 2015 at 8:16 PM
NOPE. The actual prince went to present day. Not possess the body of "his present version". He even took his guards with him..
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hodduk_honey
September 16, 2015 at 8:58 PM
And the female leads in RP were reincarnations of their past selves.....yes, not exactly the same but the article still reminded me of RP
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2 Stuart
September 16, 2015 at 2:15 PM
Wasn't "Last" also entirely pre-shot?
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Orion
September 16, 2015 at 2:20 PM
'Last' was not entirely pre-produced. The first 8 episodes were ready to go when it started airing. So half pre-produced. Most dramas only have the first 4 or parts of the first 4 done when their begin airing.
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3 lordseungri
September 16, 2015 at 2:16 PM
Well As long as it's better than Dr. Jin we will be good
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Clueless
September 16, 2015 at 4:37 PM
That doesn't require any effort. If we are at that, Faith is in the same category. (It was my first ever drama started that I couldn't be bothered to see the last two episodes. I painfully stayed to the end with others, not with Faith, even though I love, I really do love Kim Hee-Seon and I got to really like other people from the cast, like Yu Oh-Seong)
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4 Orion
September 16, 2015 at 2:17 PM
The question is, will they extend the thirst for quality from pre-production to the cast and crew or will we get some young pretty hallyu and idol folk with an "agreeable" writer in here? So that they will be sure they will get to sell the show well abroad and make back some monies?
I won't trust them until the writer and cast are attached. I mean, it's not my kind of show anyway, but I'll definitely cheer it on if the creators and cast are solid. Don't know the original either, but I hope it's a big enough deal for them to mind the people attached.
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pogo - sailing HMS Queen of Tears and HMS Sailboat Lovely Runner🍉
September 16, 2015 at 5:59 PM
The question is, will they extend the thirst for quality from pre-production to the cast and crew or will we get some young pretty hallyu and idol folk with an “agreeable” writer in here?
Hmmmm, I wonder which one it's more likely to be? Because Korean dramas have treated acting talent as such a great priority in the past.....
and mind you, this drama's heroine is from the future so she won't even have to speak convincing sageuk-ese.
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Kiara
September 16, 2015 at 8:03 PM
I love the original. I'm waiting to see who the writer is going to be before I start bitching lol.
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jane
September 16, 2015 at 8:40 PM
I dont mind if they get a new young talent much better than someone that may already have some pre-conceived image. we will just have to wait and see.
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5 alpha
September 16, 2015 at 2:22 PM
This drama is just shouting Faith and Rooftop prince to me. And it isn't attracting me atm. Al depends on the casting.
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endz
September 16, 2015 at 8:18 PM
It's neither. This is more complicated. She possessed the body. while Faith and RP characters actually time-travelled.
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6 Jon G.
September 16, 2015 at 2:22 PM
Wait, how do they adapt a story that is essentially the fictionalisation of the succession dispute of the Kangxi Emperor to take place in Korea?
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juniper
September 16, 2015 at 2:57 PM
Good question. I'm guessing they'll adapt the story in very broad strokes--modern girl goes back to Joseon (or maybe Goryeo or one of the three kingdoms? They might have enough money to do that now), gets caught up in one succession war or another (don't see how they can fit like 15 princes anywhere, though), and history gets thrown out the window in favor of shoujo relationship drama with a side of fratricide. Personally I'm hoping they turn Lee Bang-won into the romantic lead, but that would make him into a joke twice in one year and I guess the poor guy deserves a break.
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museofmanymasks
September 16, 2015 at 4:52 PM
I kind of want them to go further back than Joseon for variety's sake. Dramaland Joseon has gotten so oversaturated that I'd rather just read history books than watch dramas disappoint me.
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Mary
September 16, 2015 at 7:52 PM
I agreed
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Kiara
September 16, 2015 at 11:08 PM
I wish they'd leave it alone but it's too late now.
Lee Bang-won would be the ideal for the 4th prince but man, 15 flying dragons in Joseon? Lol. They will have to rewrite history and then explain why the other 10 princes were erased from the history books.
I hope they'll go all out fiction here so they can have more freedom to keep it close to the original source.
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kanz
September 16, 2015 at 3:21 PM
Gwanghae's father, Seonjo, had many sons and daughters and his reign was full of war, including Imjin War and palace strife. I think they'd make BBJX Korean version to fit this era.
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pogo - sailing HMS Queen of Tears and HMS Sailboat Lovely Runner🍉
September 16, 2015 at 6:00 PM
That was what I was wondering myself. Three Musketeers adapted very well to Joseon Korea, but this is a whole different kettle of fish.
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Mariamawangja
September 17, 2015 at 6:26 AM
That is a good question. BBJX is one of my all time best Chinese Drama and i am very curious about this remake. The center of BBJX was the battle between the princes for the throne and the facinating way 4th become the emperor. For this to be korean, it has to be fictional like they did in Moon Embraces the Sun. Please dont spoil this MAGNIFICENT story Korea or i will be pissed. On a side note, i am totally watching it to see how they can pull it off.
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Monica
September 18, 2015 at 11:23 AM
My thoughts exactly! I've been a kdrama fan for 20+yrs and Scarlet Heart was the first Chinese drama I'd ever watched-stumbled on to it by accident. And to my everlasting surprise, it's the only drama in my entire life as a drama fan that I had watched repeatedly more than 5 times in a row! I still think it's the best drama I'd ever watched, simply because of its high emotional effects. It's been years after watching it, and I can still remember the story, the music, the acting with perfect clarity. To me, after watching endless, and hundreds of dramas per year, that's saying something. Everything about it was top notch. The writing, the cast chosen -specially the 3 leads- and their perfect acting, the beautiful music, the costumes. I only had 2 minor complaints: the tragic ending (just because I'm a fan of happier endings) & the really fake-looking lotus pond scene.
That being said, I really really hope that the Korean remake will do a good job to at least match or surpass the Chinese drama masterpiece otherwise I'll be quite annoyed.
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7 avenus
September 16, 2015 at 2:23 PM
I love the Chinese drama. I'm curious how they are going to adjust this using Korean history.
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Jon G.
September 16, 2015 at 2:27 PM
I wonder ...
The whole idea seems a bit like a dramatisation of Steve Jobs' autobiography ... if Steve Jobs had been born in post-war South Korea.
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KDramaNewbie
September 16, 2015 at 2:50 PM
uh what?
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Quiet Thought
September 16, 2015 at 3:31 PM
Yeah, that one just flew in over the left field fence.
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juniper
September 16, 2015 at 3:56 PM
I think he means that uprooting the story from its original context requires changing the whole thing, anyway, so it doesn't really qualify as a remake. I'm not sure this logic applies with something so light on the history, however. If the original were actually about the Kangxi succession dispute, or had anything to say on an historical level, that would be different. As it is, I think you could transplant the story into Korean "history" without losing anything pretty easily.
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Jon G.
September 16, 2015 at 4:23 PM
The plot of "Bubu Jingxin" is the Kangxi succession dispute under the premise that this dispute is the result of a love dodecahedron between the princes and a time-travelled modern Chinese woman who learned about the history of this dispute in school.
This is one of the two main ideas of the whole show. (The other one is the question of what this situation would do to this particular woman.)
juniper
September 16, 2015 at 5:02 PM
Fair enough. You do have a point and 9 times out of 10 I'd agree with you. I'm probably being too flippant about BBJX, but imo the only thing it does with history is mine it for romantic angst. If you take the core of the story to be "shoujo reverse harem featuring x number of princes ready to kill each other over her," then it could just as easily be about a girl who learned about Lee Bang-won and the strife of the princes, and went back in time and caused it.
Jon G.
September 16, 2015 at 4:25 PM
Steve Jobs biography doesn't make sense and is impossible if he was born in 1955 Korea. Just like "Bubu Jingxin" doesn't make sense and most of its plot is impossible in Goguryeo, Goryeo or Joseon.
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korini
September 17, 2015 at 3:51 AM
What a revelational comparison between "neo-liberal" capitalistic plutocrats and feudal royalties. I never thought of that but it should explain a lot of things in contemporary history.
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bjharm
September 16, 2015 at 7:59 PM
The chinese drama was very popular they even made a part two almost right away but I think in modern time, as if I remembering the right one, there was another drama with the same theme on around that time, I think she did a little meremaid trick and dissappears in sparkles or something in the end of the drama, so not happy ending, thus the rush to make part two..flash to the past and it is the princes turn to be reborn..or something like that.
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petirrojo
September 17, 2015 at 3:04 PM
This was one of my favorite dramas last year -- the story was terrific -- so much so that they made a brand new feature length film version of it which should be airing soon in Asia (if it isn't already).
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8 Iris
September 16, 2015 at 2:24 PM
I am super excited for this. I hope we hear news of the cast soon, and I hope I like them.
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9 MsB
September 16, 2015 at 2:46 PM
Sadly I was bored with the C-version! Wish they would do Cuo Dian Yuan Yang!
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10 microworm
September 16, 2015 at 3:00 PM
I have read the book and seen the drama, both are good. The drama didn't deviate from the book and so the plot was in tact. Casting was spot on and it was no wonder the drama was a huge success.
In the book, the author plotted it so well that although the heroine went back in time to see history unfold and was entwined with the historical characters, her presence had been cleverly wiped off from historical record and thus left no trace in history. I don't know much about Korean history and is curious to see how they would adapt the story.
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11 Chandler
September 16, 2015 at 3:08 PM
I've actually heard really good things about Scarlet Heart. I gave it a try myself once and remember liking it (though the CGI was horrible in the beginning), but it was too many episodes for me at the time.
So I might be interested if they get a good writer and some good actors attached.
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12 shf
September 16, 2015 at 3:20 PM
After this remake, I'm really hoping for a Korean remake of the C-drama Boss and Me. *crossing fingers and praying*
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Fitri Iphiet
September 16, 2015 at 7:31 PM
boss and me is too 'plain' for korean drama standard, except they adapt from the novel itself.. i like that drama and the novel, but korean like makjang story..
but with the failing of The Time i've loved you, emm... and also Dr. Jin, plus (sorry to mention Fated to love you kr version), i have doubt with any k-adaptation.. :(
i hope they won't adapt My Sunshine or Best Time.. no no no.. hehe
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bjharm
September 17, 2015 at 1:22 AM
that drama somehow worked for me, in a pure Idol drama way, ie I really only cared about the two leads and the story came second place. Since that drama I noticed the lead actress all over the place, lord knows how she can appear in so many drama's at the same time, guess with the chinese way of making drama, some often take a year or more before being shown.
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Mariamawangja
September 17, 2015 at 6:29 AM
I LOVE BOSS AND ME!!! i hope they can remake that one because the Chinese one was great
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13 Lucy
September 16, 2015 at 3:20 PM
I LOVED this drama.
It really surprised me. When I thougth that the time travel was just a plot device, they brought it back to the centre, so well plotted, and he female protagonist made sense all the time.
They made a forgetable second part, and the main couple of actors ended married in real life! what more could you ask?.
Awsome news is what I'm trying to say.
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14 Wonbinlover
September 16, 2015 at 3:27 PM
I really liked the Chinese drama and the casting was spot on. I don't know how they are going to adapt the history into Korean history but I hope that since its preproduced that they would be able to do it nicely. I do hope they cast Joo Jin Moo as the 4th prince and Lee Bo Young as Ruo Xi since I think they would fit those characters nicely. Jo In Sung can be the 8th prince and I'll have a Frozen Flower reunion which would be nice.
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dkaoru
September 19, 2015 at 7:58 AM
Lee Bo Young reaaly resembles Liu Shi Shi. They could be twins!
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15 neyrie
September 16, 2015 at 3:27 PM
Not much a fan of remakes causenso little actually does it bwtter than the original but Reading the pre-produced part made me so happy. With this new trend I feel hope that Kang DongWon will comeback to dramaland. So giddy tonhave him back to dramaland!
Hehehe actually I am so wishing he signs up for this drama. He would be awesome as the the 4th prince!!! KDW and his super elegant long lock in saguek....
Please dramahgods make KDW sign up fpr this drama...
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pogo - sailing HMS Queen of Tears and HMS Sailboat Lovely Runner🍉
September 16, 2015 at 6:03 PM
No chance, Kang Dong-won has not done a drama in the last 10 years and isn't going to do a drama ever again if he can help it. Pre-produced dramas still put more strain on their cast and crew than movies would.
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16 Quiet Thought
September 16, 2015 at 3:33 PM
I'll believe in one of these time travel stories when the modern person stuck in the past makes their highest priority inventing the flush toilet.
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john
September 16, 2015 at 3:49 PM
Quiet Thought ~
Have you seen Man Comes To Tang Dynasty ?
"A young man is accidentally transported back to the Tang Dynasty and finds himself surrounded by beautiful women of the era.
Taking advantage of the situation, the young man begins to “invent” perfume, the game of soccer, and other futuristic contraptions that make him very popular in his new surroundings.
Will he decide that living in the past is better than his present life? “
Viki has it, (alas, not fully subbed), the episodes I have seen are funny though.
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bjharm
September 17, 2015 at 1:23 AM
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court in other words
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kalel
September 16, 2015 at 4:06 PM
Well said! Life without flush toilet must have been a nightmare, LOL! :-)
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17 soapbox
September 16, 2015 at 3:53 PM
With all these Chinese drama remakes lately, they're clearly trying to tap into the money flow of China by appealing to them. Is it just me or is this a really dumb way of doing it though? They're going to remake something that derived from there and then try to sell it back to the Chinese people... what I'm wondering is why do they think the Chinese public would care about a Korean remake when they have the original.
Was The Time We Were in Love even popular in the kdrama-watching niche over there?
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Kgrl
September 16, 2015 at 4:14 PM
Lols, great question. From what I've read online, those who've watched the original series when it was propelled to high popularity are often unimpressed with the remakes.
There seems to be growing revitalization of China's own dramas recently, so even Korean dramas have fallen off the totem pole. With over 500 dramas coming out of China alone, yearly, there's gotta be a selection process.
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natalie
September 16, 2015 at 6:59 PM
maybe they are trying a meteor garden success ...
but that one is from a japanese manga
turned taiwanese drama
turned japanese drama
turned korean drama
and so and so on hahahaha it also have an american fan video
hahaha now its Chinese literature's time to shine... or will it?
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jane
September 16, 2015 at 8:38 PM
I need to highlight that The Time we were in Love was a taiwanese drama which has a different feel from mainland chinese drama. Also SBS messed up on that one, they didnt stick to the angst and sexiness in the original script and should have gotten another 2nd male lead. This historical drama here was a beautiful drama with beautiful cast and was immensely popular all over chinese speaking regions and with preproduction, it has a lot more potential. I am rather hopeful about it. I just hope they get a cast that I like.
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18 Ichimebu
September 16, 2015 at 4:01 PM
Waaah! One of my favorite drama!!!! ? I hope they'll make a good remake, and that all the cast suit the characters. No idol group please! Unless they're really good at acting and only minor characters lol.
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19 momosan
September 16, 2015 at 4:08 PM
I must be the only one who saw the title "Moon Lovers" and had horrible flashbacks to the Japanese/Chinese production of Tsuki no Koibito aka Moon Lovers - which was one of the most horrible shows I've ever seen. Just awful dreck that nearly killed my love for Kimutaku. On the other hand, I liked BBJX (which I know by the name Startled by Each Step, not Scarlet Heart) it was a fun one to marathon but I can't quite figure out how that could possibly relate to any point in Korean history.
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20 kalel
September 16, 2015 at 4:48 PM
Something for everyone I guess. Is it possible, though? Korean viewers mean ratings and advertisements, Chinese audiences need to be indulged, which only means flirting with k-actors with huge fan-bases (you know, the "netizens" issue that pops up in every conversation every single time on every online community and every blog when a possible cast is mentioned) and all that must be wrapped up with some fascinating background in order for this project to stand a chance in American market.
Whoever in k-ent succeeds in this multitasking nightmare must be a true genius.
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21 museofmanymasks
September 16, 2015 at 5:08 PM
I'm just worried they'll axe the extra princes and focus on the 4th/Rou Xi/8th love line. The world needs 13th and 14th! DON'T DO IT SHOW! (And to be fair, 10th was funny and 9th served a purpose, so plz keep them all. And the wives! Anyone else notice Kdramas downplay the polygamy more than Cdramas do?) They could cast all idols in the main triangle and I'd be okay if it meant I got to keep my side characters. I'm lying, but still.
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lucy
September 17, 2015 at 12:45 AM
Dude, you are sooo right!, ( Team fourth prince though!).
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fab
September 17, 2015 at 8:25 AM
How many princes were there??
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museofmanymasks
September 17, 2015 at 11:51 AM
IRL the emperor had like 24 from different concubines but many died young. In the drama, the main ones are all the guys on the poster, plus a few more who you don't really see as much except for ceremonies or plot development.
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dkaoru
September 19, 2015 at 8:02 AM
the wives in BBJX are amazing portrayal of characters. I just watched the show because of this post. I'm so impressed with all the female characters here.
I hope they keep the strong women characters in the korean adaptation.
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dkaoru
September 19, 2015 at 8:04 AM
13th prince is my fave, hope they keep his character
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22 liddi
September 16, 2015 at 5:36 PM
The original novel and C-drama were unforgettably beautiful. The C-drama followed closely to the novel, boasted a stellar cast, excellent direction, gorgeous set, marvellous soundtrack, and a heartbreaking twist at the end that probably even surpassed the novel. I really hope that this k-adaptation does not lose the essence of the source material... and delivers where it really counts, with the perfect casting, script and direction. Apparently, scriptwriter Jo Yoon Young (Save the Last Dance for Me, Secret Love) is onboard - not familiar with her works so I can't comment there. Either way, praying this will be a remake that would do justice to the original.
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23 Kayla
September 16, 2015 at 6:08 PM
i was really hoping they would've cast MCW for the female lead but alas, she signed onto GMB & plus she probably does not have enough star power in china.
i'm thinking the leads will be big names (with all the money that is being put into this.) i've heard PSH thrown around (apparently that is what the c-netizens want) but will she sign on though? isn't she going back to school? regardless, i hope it's an actress that can at least act.
as for the male lead(s) i'm not super worried about. there's waaaay more talented actors that can fill in those roles. it's the lack of good actresses (within the age range) that worries me...
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Nessie
September 16, 2015 at 7:54 PM
Yea I heard PSH is being considered too, and for one of the princes Jo In Sung is a name that's being thrown around. I would love to see JIS dressed in sageuk again *sigh*
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⭐ Sera The Ms Temper ⭐
September 17, 2015 at 12:12 AM
There are many good actress within the age range, but not many that actually has a big name. Nevertheless, just hoping that a big name with a good acting at least. Park Shin Hye is better than some idols, even im not really confident with Park Shin Hye in sageuk. Maybe Suzy can be considered too?
However, if this drama is not going to be filmed really soon, maybe, maybe we can have a hope for MCW. But as you said, she may not have a star power in China. So maybe Park Shin Hye is the best choice for them. But we never know.
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bjharm
September 17, 2015 at 1:29 AM
Was not the girl she takes the body of only 16teen? Was she murdered and she took over the body? any way they need an actress that can pass for a time as 16teen and I think she lived there for ten year? so to 26?
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⭐ Sera The Ms Temper ⭐
September 17, 2015 at 6:15 PM
Briefly, they need an actress with a young look. Actress in 20s is suitable with this role.
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24 hana
September 16, 2015 at 6:11 PM
I've never seen this but it makes me very sad because one of my favorite chinese dramas is Palace, reading this plot and assuming this came first that would mean that Palace is a complete rip off of this drama. Palace is about a modern day girl who goes back in time to the Qing dynasty and meets the princes and falls in love with both the 4th prince Yinzhen and eighth prince Yinsi. and uses her knowledge of the future to try and save the eighth princes live and at the same time not change the past. it even has the part with her being sent away from court to do the palace laundry and she goes back to the future and sees the artifacts from the Qing dynasty and her being in them. Totally breaks my heart that my favorite drama was probably a shot for shot rip off.
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jane
September 16, 2015 at 8:34 PM
why must you think that it is a rip off? it is an adaptation. good dramas get adapted all over the world just like good novels are translated to many languages. Its a compliment.
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maggie
September 16, 2015 at 11:31 PM
Palace is indeed a rip off of BBJX. The producers of Palace asked to purchase the rights to BBJX, but the writer went with another team instead. Thus the people behind Palace decided to create their version, except switching who ended up with the girl, between 4th and 8th Prince, and made sure they released their own version as quickly as possible. BBJX is a far superior drama, in terms of casting, costume, set design, time period nuances, etc.
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25 ⭐ Sera The Ms Temper ⭐
September 16, 2015 at 7:05 PM
i dont have so much hope, for sure they will put top stars, and maybe idols. just pray the castings are good enough.
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