News bites: March 8, 2021

34 March 8, 2021March 8, 2021

by stroopwafel

Na In-woo

Na In-woo (Mr. Queen) will take on the role of On Dal in River Where the Moon Rises and the show’s clearly been working overtime to get him ready to roll. The casting change was confirmed after the removal of former lead Ji-soo from the production. KBS had originally announced that they would air Episodes 7 and 8 as planned, and re-film starting with Episode 9 but new reports say that Na In-woo will appear starting in Episode 7. As for Ji-soo, in light of recent revelations about his past he’s been dropped from all of his ad contracts and will be enlisting in the army this October. He’ll serve as a public service officer due to a 2016 surgery he received relating to a bone infection.
[Sports Kyunghyang, Maeil Kyungje, Sports Seoul]

15 years after the original first aired, Goong is set to get a remake. I can see why the production company would be so tempted to remake the show, after all it launched careers (Joo Ji-hoon and Yoon Eun-hye in particular), birthed a spin-off and a musical, but I’d rather see new stories told rather than old ones rehashed (I’m including Que Sera Sera here as well). It’s hard to recapture the magic most of the time and I’d rather hold onto the memories. As of yet, there are no details on casting or production dates.
[Ten Asia]

Ki Do-hoon

Star writer Kim Eun-sook’s trying her hand at something new this year: drama showrunner. The pen behind hits like The Lonely Shining Goblin and Descended From the Sun is the creative power behind the new show, Writing Your Destiny. When a god plagiarizes a makjang writer in order to bring about a romance story for the ages, he inadvertently messes with fate and finds himself having to step into the human world to correct his mistakes. The first stills show leading man Ki Do-hoon (Catch the Ghost) as the plagiarist god and his costar is Jeon So-ni (When My Love Blooms). PD Kim Byung-soo (Queen In-hyun’s Man, Nine: Nine Time Travels) and writer Eun Sun-woo are also attached the the project. Writing Your Destiny, will be available on the Korean streaming platform Tving starting on March 26.
[Xports News, YTN]
Moon Ga-young (True Beauty) and Super Junior’s Kim Heechul (Flower Grandpa Investigation Unit) are working on a web drama together called Recipe for Youth. Heechul will be playing a dating coach who’s famous for manufacturing scandals while Moon Ga-young is a rookie actress searching for fame. Well, that’s what she tells Heechul. In reality she’s a reporter who’s looking to get into his good graces so she can get an exclusive scoop. As the two tangle, Heechul finds his own path to true love. The rom-com will premiere on March 14.
[Ilgan Sports]

Bae Doo-na, Gong Yoo, Lee Joon

Netflix held a star-studded virtual roadshow on February 25 to announce their Korean content plans for the upcoming year. The streaming platform is set to invest roughly $500 million for 2021, which is a massive increase from their previous years (Netflix spent about $700 million between 2015 and 2020 on Korean content). Actors from several projects attended to speak about their work and Bae Doo-na (Forest of Secrets 2), Jung Woo-sung (Fly Dragon), and Yoo Ah-in (#Alive) were just some of the names in attendance. I feel both excited and apprehensive about all of this. On one hand, there have been a lot of fantastic Netflix originals that wouldn’t have been possible on a regular broadcast channel, but I have a creeping worry that what makes K-dramas special might end up being diluted (I really hate the “season” structure of some shows). The optimist in me thinks we could end up with the best of both worlds: lots of great, fresh movies and dramas on Netflix and all the Korean channels.
[Sports Chosun, SBS Entertainment News, Ten Asia]
Park Gun-hyung (Working Mom, House Daddy) is now a father of two. His wife gave birth on March 3 to a healthy baby girl. Congratulations!
[Star News]

Required fields are marked *

1 Eazal

March 8, 2021 at 6:16 AM

Wow, River crew is working really fast! Now I want to see the new On Dal!

Required fields are marked *

2 kiara

March 8, 2021 at 6:32 AM

I'm hoping he'd make his appearance in eps 7 like some reports. I don't see how showing the original lead would make viewers want to tune in.

Required fields are marked *

So he has already done. I wanted to check in the show, I kind of like it and I was bracing myself to skip all On Dal scenes but luckily they had already changed that creep whose name is not worth mentioning.
What infuriates me is that he has ruined KDrama for me for a while. I find it a bit difficult to separate the art and the artist and now I wonder who else is terrible under that well polished and sweet facade. What seemed honey turned into saccharin and I cannot stand saccharin. Hyolin was the first bully I heard about in KPop / KDrama when Angry Mum was running - the irony - and I couldn't listen to any of her songs or Sistar, although she was gifted with a great voice. :( I feel so sad and angry at the same time.

Required fields are marked *

3 Cloggie

March 8, 2021 at 6:37 AM

I've seen Ki Do-hoon in two dramas: Once Again and Should We Kiss First and, well, I'm in utter shock that he's got the lead role. Let alone a lead role in a high-profile drama.

*am half-convinced that this is a mistake and there's a typo in the name or something*

Required fields are marked *

Miky

March 8, 2021 at 10:35 AM

The down is it is on Daum Kakao TV streaming not on regular broadcast

Required fields are marked *

suk

March 8, 2021 at 12:31 PM

I was really shocked too! Starring in a Kim Eun-sook drama could define your career, so I'm really curious what the casting team saw in Ki Do-hoon to choose him.

Required fields are marked *

halofan68

March 8, 2021 at 6:02 PM

Jeon So-Ni having already appeared with Park Bo Gum and Jinyoung, clearly the plan is to cast her with every puppy in the pound, regardless of talent level, moving forward for the rest of her career.

Required fields are marked *

soulsearch12

March 8, 2021 at 8:22 PM

His agency is Key East aka SM acquired it along with him. So he's backed by a powerful/well connected agency. Boy is a wooden piece of hunk.

Required fields are marked *

spazmo

March 8, 2021 at 9:35 PM

Comment was deleted

Required fields are marked *

spazmo

March 9, 2021 at 1:43 AM

Comment was deleted

Required fields are marked *

4 Kafiyah Bello

March 8, 2021 at 7:05 AM

I love this, he doesnt look terrible as On Dal, I disliked him a lot in Mr. Queen, so hopefully he is likeable here.

Required fields are marked *

zzthorn

March 8, 2021 at 5:02 PM

I disliked him in Mr Queen as well and in ep 7, he still has that sour look on his face that he had most of the time in Mr Queen. I am hoping and hoping that he switches that out for a smile and then I will give him a chance. But that sour look I remember from Mr Queen was what made me dislike him in that drama. Please start smiling. On Dal would.

Required fields are marked *

Kafiyah Bello

March 8, 2021 at 6:32 PM

Yeah, all I could think was he was missing the lightheartedness that Ji Soo had. It was just a glimpse though, so I will give him a couple more episodes.

Required fields are marked *

zzthorn

March 8, 2021 at 8:02 PM

Me, too. :-)

Required fields are marked *

spazmo

March 8, 2021 at 9:35 PM

Comment was deleted

Required fields are marked *

SooHa

March 8, 2021 at 10:30 PM

but On Dal suppose to be kind hearted and full of spirit boy! so he should smile! He suppose to be 'a fool' right? (based on the fairy tale and what his father ask him)
I love how Ji Soo looks KSY like an idiot :D .. so much stars in his eyes XDDD

Haven't seen eps 7 and I don't like him in Mr. Queen but I do hope he made changes in his role as On Dal. I'm still going to see this drama though.

Required fields are marked *

spazmo

March 9, 2021 at 1:44 AM

i keep posting this in the wrong thread... let me try again.

it was odd seeing him in ep 7... but he was in very few scenes, so they are letting us get used to him. he was rather stiff, but wait... ji soo is often stiff... hmmm. i hope he does well in this role.

Required fields are marked *

Kafiyah Bello

March 9, 2021 at 6:56 AM

Ji Soo was stiff too, but there was a playfulness to his character that this glimpse of the On Dal didn't have. That could nervousness or anything else. I appreciate the pressure he is under and how he is stepping into a role rather quickly, so I am going to give him time. He deserves that.

Required fields are marked *

5 mmmmm

March 8, 2021 at 7:09 AM

I love both DotS and Goblin, so I have high hope for the upcoming project of KES. And regarding Moon Ga-young, I am happy that her career seems to pick up after her work with my beloved baby KSH in Waikiki 2. So happy that both are doing well career-wise.

Talking about shows, when will I know the next show of KSH? Is he still on board with Mr.Hong?

Required fields are marked *

6 Kurama

March 8, 2021 at 7:15 AM

Netflix has a lot of dramas! I'm curious about D.P., no news about it. Hellbound has a great cast (I liked how the MC asked Won Jin Ah is she was wearing lipstick xD). The return of Goong Yoo with Bae Doo-Na is so a good news!

Not sure that Goong is a drama that would work now... But I like the idea of modern Monarchy. The same for Que Que Sera. I really liked it because of Eric Moon and Jung Yumi.

I didn't know that Yang-Cha had a lead role! I'm curious now!

Required fields are marked *

7 Lord Cobol (Kdramas, like water, flow downhill)

March 8, 2021 at 9:20 AM

When a ~~famous, highly-successful writer~~ god plagiarizes a makjang writer in order to bring about a romance story for the ages

1: So not really a fantasy???

2: Writer who thinks he/she is a god?? (Which is almost true in a sense).

3: And thinks his/her next story will be one for the ages and not just another same-old trope salad.

Required fields are marked *

Miky

March 8, 2021 at 10:32 AM

From what i know he is the God of Fate...
This will be on TVING so just on korean platform.

Required fields are marked *

8 Ayalynn

March 8, 2021 at 9:43 AM

I know netizens are talking about it, but I also hope Lee Jae-wook, Lee Do-hyun or Kim Young-Dae to play Lee Shin in Goong

Goong doesn't need a remake but if they are planning to remake it anyway, it has to be amazing.
Please please don't take a chance, don't cast some Kpop idol or somebody completely unknown...

Required fields are marked *

ar_arguably romantic

March 8, 2021 at 2:43 PM

They rolled the dice the first time and it worked out! Yoon Eun-hye was an idol and this was her first drama role and first lead role. Joo Ji-hoon was a model with a few bit parts - an unknown- and this was his first lead role. They got some strong criticism for their acting back then - especially since the manhwa was at peak popularity at the time. I can see Kim Young-dae picking up a lead in a remake. Not so much the other guys who are likely getting more offers of leading man roles.

I think it'll be hard to outdo the set designs and the way it was filmed. Like you could screenshot a scene and it'll look pretty and well-composed, like it was lifted out of the manhwa. Like the colors even went with the color pages in the manhwa.

Required fields are marked *

9 Hanabi

March 8, 2021 at 1:12 PM

It looks like the outfits don't fit Na Inwoo. He is probably wearing Ji Soo's, right? I have to confess, I actually dropped this drama but now I am curious how all of this mess turns out so I'll probably pick it back up when Na Inwoo appears.

Required fields are marked *

10 CasualDramaFan

March 8, 2021 at 1:34 PM

Goong was the earliest drama I was watched. I was fascinated by the new world of k-drama and I lapped it up. Now in hindsight I think most of the elements in drama are problematic and outdated. Why they need to remake it? It still serves as getaway to k-drama but it is product of it's time. Let it remain in past.

Required fields are marked *

11 A. McG.

March 8, 2021 at 4:21 PM

I am ambivalent about the change of ML in River....I liked Na In Woo in Mr. Queen but grew to like Ji Soo as Ondal. I just feel sorry for the crew for the extra work and hope they're compensated. This show I've shelved for now until more episodes are released.

Required fields are marked *

12 SooHa

March 8, 2021 at 10:15 PM

I'm just hoping River Where the Moon Rises will go smooth with this changes.

I'm surprise that Kim Eun-sook didn't choose a A-list actor for her leads, usually it either the female or male lead that a so famous artist.

Kim Heechul back to small screen?! The role is so perfect for him but I really can't imagine he's in small screen :D

Required fields are marked *

13 yayabean

March 8, 2021 at 10:45 PM

😁So happy to see this segment back!

Required fields are marked *

14 Tazzo

March 8, 2021 at 11:37 PM

When I saw the first picture of Ki do hoon above, I thought I saw gong yoo And for a second my heart gave a crazy dance - new drama, Kim eun suk and gong yoo? Hell yeah. Then I realized I saw wrong. Now in literal hell 😭

Required fields are marked *

15 Ally

March 9, 2021 at 2:34 PM

Yay! Gong Yoo is back in something! 🤩🤩🤩

Required fields are marked *

16 eternalpnk

March 10, 2021 at 7:32 AM

I haven't tuned into River Where the Moon Rises, but I just might watch it now that Na In-Woo is the new On Dal. He piqued my interest from watching him in Mr. Queen. I hope he does well.

Required fields are marked *

17 Esperanza Avalos

March 27, 2021 at 6:00 PM

The ad about Take Back Our Culture is from the very people that promote violence against others that don't look like them. If you have any power, please don't accept ads from them because they are spreading their poison throughout the U.S. and the rest of the world.

Required fields are marked *