News bites: July 13, 2022

by stroopwafel

Lee Jong-seok

• Lee Jong-seok (Romance Is a Bonus Book) has a big task ahead of him in Big Mouth, as he’ll be taking on two very different personas and in the latest character stills, we see him both as “Big Mouth” and “Big Mouse” (such a mouthful). Despite the funny nicknames, the drama is serious business. Lee Jong-seok is scraping by as an average joe lawyer with a low win rate until one day he’s swept up in a murder. Mistaken for a notorious conman dubbed Big Mouse, he decides to take on that persona to protect his family while he attempts to dig deeper into the larger conspiracy swirling around him. The dual persona aspect of the role is one of the things that drew Lee Jong-seok to the drama, “I found the irony of an ordinary lawyer being mistaken for a genius con artist very compelling.” In order to differentiate between the two, he focused on details such as their gazes and manner of speech. Lee Jong-seok is joined by Yoon-ah (Hush), Kim Joo-hun (Soundtrack #1), and Ok Ja-yeon (Mine), and the drama will follow Doctor Lawyer in the Friday-Saturday time slot on MBC beginning July 29. [iMBC]

• Coupang Play has released a teaser poster for their upcoming sitcom, Unicorn. Though the poster seems serious, borrowing from the look of Time magazine, the drama is a comedic look at the chaotic world of start-ups in Korea, and stars Shin Ha-kyun (Beyond Evil) and comedian Yoo Byung-jae. We don’t have many details yet on their individual characters, but we know Shin Ha-kyun will play an entrepreneur named Steve, the CEO of a well-established company. The drama title is taken from a common term in the business world and refers to start-ups that reach valuations of 1 billion dollars. I’m so intrigued by this Shin Ha-kyun + Yoo Byung-jae pairing. Yoo is known for his dry, off-beat sense of humor, and Shin gives off such Serious Actor vibes, but sometimes unusual combinations can be the most entertaining. Directed by Kim Hye-young (Be Melodramatic) and co-written by Yoo Byung-jae and In Ji-hye (Extraordinary You), the show will begin streaming in August. Between this and Stock Struck, it seems like finance and business dramas may become the next drama trend. [SBS]

• Kim Hyun-joo (Hellbound) is considering a new project with Yeon Sang-ho (Hellbound, Train to Busan) (talk about busy zombees). Titled Seonsan (which means family burial ground in Korean), the story is set in a village where the residents begin to suffer from a strange affliction before becoming zombified. In addition to directing, Yeon will be penning the scripts for his latest adventure into horror. It’s still early stages for Seonsan, as it hasn’t even been announced if it is a film or series. Though Kim Hyun-joo is only in the “positively reviewing the offer” phase, if she does accept it will be both a reunion and the third consecutive Yeon project that she’s taken a starring role in. Their first collaboration was the Netflix series Hellbound, and the second will be the film Jung_E, which will air later this year on Netflix. [Xports News]

• Dramedy film 6/45 has released two new posters and they’re making me miss the Ducklings from Crash Landing On You. Set against the backdrop of the DMZ, the story follows the conflicts and hijinks that take place between a group of South Korean soldiers and North Korean soldiers after a winning lottery ticket worth 5.7 billion won (roughly $5 million) floats across the DMZ from South Korea. Go Kyung-pyo (Private Lives) stars as the original lottery ticket owner, with Kwak Dong-yeon (Vincenzo) and Eum Moon-seok (Hello? It’s Me!) as fellow South Korean soldiers. On the northern front, we have Lee Yi-kyung (Secret Royal Investigator) and Park Se-wan (So Not Worth It) as sibling soldiers, with Kim Min-ho (Moonshine) rounding out the squad. 6/45 opens next month. [Sports World]

• OCN crime drama Player will reportedly be back for a second round. For the uninitiated, the first season aired in 2018, and starred Song Seung-heon (Will You Have Dinner With Me). The drama focused on a highly-skilled team of four who tracked dirty money and brought criminals to justice, and Song’s trusty teammates were played by Krystal (Crazy Love), Lee Shi-un (Crazy Love), and Tae Won-seok (Sisyphus). Season 2 will be an expansion of the crew’s work and world, with their sights being set on taking down shady entertainment agencies and cults. Three members of the original team, Song Seung-heon, Lee Shi-un, and Tae Won-seok, have confirmed they’ll be returning alongside PD Go Jae-hyun. I’m not wild about the continuing seasonification of dramaland, but I have a soft spot for Song Seung-heon so I’ll be watching. Player 2 is tentatively set to air in the first half of 2023 on OCN. [Ilgan Sports]

• Dear X Who Doesn’t Love Me is sharing a few more stills in advance of its premiere tomorrow, giving us a glimpse of the whole cast. Han Ji-hyo (Tomorrow) plays a college student who dreams of becoming a songwriter. One day she comes into ownership of a notebook with powerful lyrics — literally, as the notebook’s lyrics have the power to make men fall in love with her. Her previously nonexistent love life becomes a distant memory as each month a new man confesses his love for her. When best friend Doyoung (of idol group NCT) discovers the secret of her notebook, what will he do with that knowledge? Strangely, I’m getting major SLS vibes from Doyoung, even though he’s the actual lead. (Will this drama magically make us feel SLS via the actual lead?) Airing weekly on Thursdays on TVING, the drama premieres on July 14. [Xports News]

 
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