News bites: February 12, 2022

16 February 12, 2022April 12, 2022

by tccolb

Jung Woo-sung, Nam Yoon-soo

Rising star Nam Yoon-soo (The King’s Affection) has been busy fielding offers and is considering a role alongside Kim Se-jung (Business Proposal) in a new SBS drama. Titled Today’s Webtoon, the story is about a former judo athlete who becomes a webtoon creator. In the meantime, Nam confirmed he will be starring in Kakao TV’s fantasy-mystery Borrowed Body as a loner student who somehow switches bodies with the popular kid at school. [News1, Xports News]

Jung Woo-sung (Padam Padam) is currently in talks to make his drama comeback in Tell Me You Love Me. Adapted from a popular TBS Japanese drama which aired back in 1995, the story is about a hearing-impaired artist and an aspiring actor who fall in love. [YNews]
Based on director Yeon Sang-ho’s (Hellbound, Train to Busan) animated film by the same name, TVING’s upcoming King of Pigs has released striking new posters featuring lead actor Kim Dong-wook (You Are My Spring). Premiering in March, the dark thriller also stars Kim Sung-kyu (One Ordinary Day) and Chae Jung-ahn (Monthly Magazine Home ). [YTN]

Disney+ has been steamrolling ahead with their original series lineup for K-dramas in 2022 and more casting news has been released. Actress Ryu Hyun-kyung (Doctor Detective) now joins Choi Min-shik (In Our Prime, Old Boy) in the crime-action drama Casino. [Xports News]
In another Disney+ annoucement, Park Hee-soon (My Name) joins the cast of action-hero drama Moving which already confirmed Ryu Seung-ryong (Kingdom 2), Han Hyo-joo (Happiness), and Jo In-sung (Dear My Friends). [News1]
On TV Chosun, a new black comedy is in the works called The Witch Is Alive. The drama has a large ensemble cast including Lee Yuri (Lies of Lies), Lee Min-young (Love ft. Marriage and Divorce 3), Yoon So-yi (Get Revenge), Jung Sang-hoon (Cheat on Me, If You Can), Kim Young-jae (Artificial City), and Ryu Yeon-seok (Hospital Playlist 2). Set to broadcast in May of this year, production will be led by PD Kim Yoon-chul (Woman of Dignity, My Name Is Kim Sam-soon). [MK Sports (1), (2)]

Chun Woo-hee, Eom Ji-won, Song Seung-heon

Netflix’s upcoming dystopian drama Black Knight has secured Song Seung-heon (Voice 4) in a villain role opposite Esom (Taxi Driver) and Kim Woo-bin (Uncontrollably Fond). [10 Asia]
Also playing a villain is Eom Ji-won (Birthcare Center), who is joining the cast of tvN’s Little Women. The character comes from a powerful family and somehow becomes acquainted with the three leading ladies/sisters through her daughter. [Osen]
For some potential casting news, Chun Woo-hee (Be Melodramatic) has been tapped for a new tvN drama called Favorable Scam, while Namgoong Min has been offered a role in a webtoon adaptation called Sacred Divorce. [Newsen (1), (2)]
JTBC’s Green Mothers’ Club has finally confirmed an April start date and released new stills of the five leading ladies: Lee Yo-won (Running Investigators), Chu Ja-hyun (Unfamiliar Family), Kim Gyu-ri (Designated Survivor: 60 Days), Jang Hye-jin (The Red Sleeve Cuff), and Joo Min-kyung (Jirisan). [News1]

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1 Kafiyah Bello

February 12, 2022 at 5:16 PM

Esom and Kim Woo Bin, HUZZAH!!!!!!

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2 Soyesterday

February 12, 2022 at 8:14 PM

Two things:
1. Namgoong Mins career is really on a roll, the man has been in hit after hit for over 8 years now, definitely checking out his new projects when they land.

2.Netflix and Disney getting their dirty fingers into Korean dramaland has never sat right with me.

Their American and European content is straight trash, despite all the money they have.i hope that Korean studios and creators don't get too caught up with the money and abandon their own values and storytelling principles.

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Ruv

February 13, 2022 at 3:55 AM

For point 2 it will definitely happen over time. If you see the dramas that are making it big globally its the dark, gritty dramas with strong political undertones like Squid Game and All Of Us Are Dead or dark social commentaries like Hellbound. Kingdom and Love Alarm also gained strong popularity internationally but it was not widespread in America and Europe while DP and My Name were critically accepted as being very good but didn't have the same kind of popularity that Kingdom, Love Alarm, Squid Game, Hellbound and All of Us Are Dead have experienced. If you look at most of the upcoming line up for their dramas most of them are dark, gritty dramas high on violence and profane languages. This isn't a sign of K-drama because genre dramas like Signal, Stranger, Tunnel etc were never graphic and violent in fact the only crime drama that was extremely violent was Voice 1 who then toned down much of their violent scenes for subsequent seasons. There is also more skin and "sex" scenes in K-drama which make it less family friendly and wholesome. Too many dramas airing on TV with the 19+ tag has already started.

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Kafiyah Bello

February 13, 2022 at 6:36 AM

American and European isn't straight trash, I have to take exception to that because it simply is not true. There are plenty of excellent programs on Netflix from Europe and the States. As for Korean studios creators and studios being caught up with money etc etc, Korean movies have long been on par in terms of violence, sex, and degradation. So dramaland wouldn't be going crazy if it followed suit.

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Soyesterday

February 13, 2022 at 7:51 AM

Art is something that will always be subjective and tastes vary from person to person, I guess i should have qualified my statement by saying "in my opinion"

I disagree with you on drama land being on par im terms of violence and vulgarity though (sorry lol) .

Asian dramas in general have always done a good job of telling a compelling story without resorting to sex and violence as gimmicks, when they do show up theybare usually an integral part of the story

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Kafiyah Bello

February 13, 2022 at 5:03 PM

I understood you meant it fully as your opinion, but there is a LOT of American and European TV, classifying all as trash doesn't make any sense. That being said, I said Korean movies are on par and that drama land following wouldn't be crazy. I agree Asian dramas are great at storytelling without all of that. I agreed with a great deal of your statement, just not the American and European part. I hope they keep their storytelling with dramas, but I have seen some Korean movies that are so insanely violent and sexual, it is shocking. Oldboy is notorious for violence, but there is also I saw the Devil. Those are just two examples.

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nigirisushi

February 13, 2022 at 8:31 PM

I completely agree. The violence and sex in recent K dramas are not exactly new to Korean entertainment. Korean movies (think Oldboy, Parasite, The Handmaiden, Train to Busan) are on par in terms of violence and sex.

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miss h

February 13, 2022 at 8:54 AM

I don't agree that their American and European content is straight trash. Streaming allows creators to make darker, grittier dramas, which some people like. For those that don't, dramas that air on television or television and Netflix/Disney+ are still pretty much the same old k-dramas.

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3 PYC

February 12, 2022 at 9:58 PM

Great line up for Green Mothers’ Club! Long time no see, Lee Yo-won.

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bbstl 🧹

February 12, 2022 at 10:01 PM

Maybe it’s just yesterday’s discussion of 49 Days that makes me think so, but in this picture she really looks like she’s playing that depressed character again!

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PYC

February 12, 2022 at 10:19 PM

Serependity! 49 Days yesterday and then this drama news 😊

I was thinking two days ago if SYJ and HB are still a pair, then voila comes the wedding news.

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4 bbstl 🧹

February 12, 2022 at 9:59 PM

Thanks for all this drama news!
And btw, I challenge anyone who says DB spends time on celebrity gossip when “News Bites” doesn’t even mention the hottest story of the week, the HB-SYJ engagement ❤️💍❤️

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5 miss h

February 13, 2022 at 9:03 AM

I hope Jung Woo Sung does make his return dramaland.

King of Pigs stars Kim Dong-wook and is premiering in March? Somehow this drama totally slipped under my radar.

Lee Yuri in a black comedy. I'm in.

Chun Woo-hee usually picks good projects. If she accepts, I will watch.

I'm really looking forward to Green Mothers' Club.

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6 loveblossom🌸

February 13, 2022 at 10:15 AM

Yayy happy to see Nam Yoon Soo is busy. Hope he picks a lead role soon.

I like Kim Dong Wook. Interested in his new drama. I didn't catch his last one though and now that I'm in this long kdrama lull, I feel like I need to catch up on old shows. XD

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7 Ayan

February 13, 2022 at 1:24 PM

The witch is alive seems interesting! I'm just a little worried that the PD did My name is Sam Soon...
Will look out for Black Knight and Green Mother's Club!