News bites: February 4, 2017

by awcoconuts

TOP, Junsu

• Come back healthy and well! TOP (Tazza 2) and Junsu (who recently made a cameo appearance on Introverted Boss) are reporting for duty next week. They’ll begin basic training on February 9 before serving the remainder of their mandatory enlistment period as military policemen. [My Daily]
• I’m hoping for a speedy recovery for Moon Geun-young (Village: Secret of Achiara), who is currently in the hospital with a diagnosis of compartment syndrome. Moon underwent emergency surgery on February 2 after experiencing arm pain on the 1st, and she is awaiting a second surgery. Romeo and Juliet, the musical she is currently headlining with Park Jung-min, has canceled its shows in Daejeon this weekend, and depending on her health, upcoming engagements in Daegu and Andong may also be canceled. Her agency offered profuse apologies to fans who had anticipated seeing her on stage. [Star News]


Moon Geun-young, Hwang Jung-eum

• Congratulations to Hwang Jung-eum (Lucky Romance)–she and her husband are expecting their first child in the fall! [My Daily]
• Look for a slew of comedic movie sequels to hit theaters later this year. The follow-up to 2014’s Pirates has been confirmed, with the original team of writer Chun Seong-il and director Lee Seok-hoon on board, as well as stars Sohn Ye-jin and Kim Nam-gil. The Accidental Detective (or Private Investigator: The Beginning) will also be getting a sequel, and has secured starring duo Kwon Sang-woo and Sung Dong-il to reprise their roles, but will hire a new director to helm the second edition. Finally, the third installment of Detective K (also known as Joseon’s Greatest Detective) will combine the forces of Kim Myung-min and Oh Dal-soo again when it heads into production this summer. While serial works aren’t common in the Korean film industry, depending on how these sequels fare, a couple of projects that have been put on the back burner (New World 2, The Berlin File 2) may finally come to fruition. [Star News]


Lee Byung-heon, Park Jung-min

• Lee Byung-heon is hoping for another hit in collaboration with Yoon Jae-kyun’s production company JK Film (Master, Insiders). He’s signed on to play a has-been boxer in That’s My World, which will be helmed by Choi Sung-hyun in his directorial debut (he wrote the screenplay for Fatal Encounter or The King’s Wrath). The film will follow his reconciliation with his younger brother (Park Jung-min, Entourage), who’s been cast as a genius pianist with a physical disability. Filming will begin around June. [DongA]
• Jealousy will rear its ugly head in the weekend drama You’re Too Much. Sohn Tae-young has been cast as the granddaughter of a university chancellor and a well-bred, dignified woman who is engaged to Jung Kyeo-woon (Oh My Venus). Jung previously held a torch for Uhm, which will cause a crack in Sohn’s self-esteem. You’re Too Much follows Blow Breeze on March 4 on MBC. [Joy News 24]


Sohn Tae-young, Jung Woo

• I miss him in dramas, but it looks like Jung Woo (Retrial) will be staying in movieland a little longer. Fifth Column has been delayed, and he’s decided on a film called Heungbu as his next project. Based on a Korean folktale about two brothers, one greedy (Nolbu) and the other humble and kind (Heungbu), the film will be a new interpretation of the classic story, but still set in historical times. Heungbu will be directed by Jo Geun-hyun (Late Spring, 26 Years) and cameras are expected to begin rolling before mid-year. [Star News 24]
• Jeon Su-jin (Jackpot, Descended From the Sun) has been cast as Choi Kang-hee‘s sister-in-law in Mystery Queen. An immature but intelligent woman studying to be a psychologist, she and Choi get along, but they have a love/hate relationship. Kim Min-jae (The King, Village: Secret of Achiara) will play Lee Won-geun‘s partner and hoobae lieutenant. He’s fiercely loyal to and fond of his partner, but at work, he’ll tend to pass responsibilities off to his sunbae. Mystery Queen will take the spot vacated by Chief Kim on KBS in March. [TV Report 1, 2]


Jeon Su-jin, Kim Min-jae

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