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News bites: May 20, 2023

  • tvN has released new stills for See You in My 19th Life, featuring a serious-faced Ahn Bo-hyun (Yumi’s Cells 2), whose life is about to be turned upside down when the reincarnated Shin Hye-sun (Mr. Queen) shows up at his door. The fantasy romance premieres on June 17 in the weekend slot. [News1]

  • A creepy first poster is out for SBS’s new occult mystery Revenant (previously The Devil), which stars Kim Tae-ri (Twenty Five Twenty One), Oh Jung-se (Uncle), and Hong Kyung (Weak Hero Class 1). Coming to chill us to the bone on June 23, PD Lee Jung-rim (VIP) is at the helm with scripts by writer Kim Eun-hee (Jirisan). [News1]
  • A batch of stills have dropped for Netflix’s Bloodhounds, showcasing our sparring duo Woo Do-hwan (Joseon Attorney) and Lee Sang-yi (Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha). We also get a peek at Heo Jun-ho (Missing: The Other Side 2), Park Sung-woong (Unlock the Boss), Choi Siwon (Work Later, Drink Now 2), and Yoon Yoo-sun (The Interest of Love). The crime-action launches on June 9. [MBC]

  • Speaking of Netflix, Kim Young-kwang (Call It Love) and Kim Nam-gil (Island) have been cast in a new action-thriller called Trigger. With plans to broadcast in 2025, filming is set to begin this autumn once casting has been finalized. Writing and directing will be helmed by filmmaker Kwon Oh-seung (Midnight). [Star News]
  • Go Jun-hee (Possessed) is making her drama comeback in a new series called Reversal (roughly translated). Although we don’t know much about it yet, based on the character description, the story seems to be set around the community who live in the Weol-kwang Villa complex. Go will be playing cafe owner Hee-sun, the new tenant living in unit 201. [News1]

  • New posters have been released for ENA’s Happiness Battle, featuring the fierce five leads: Lee El (My Liberation Notes), Jin Seo-yeon (One the Woman), Cha Ye-ryun (Gold Mask), Park Hyo-joo (Now We Are Breaking Up), and Woo Jung-won (Under the Queen’s Umbrella). The murder mystery unfolds this month on May 31, in the Wednesday-Thursday slot. [Newsen]
  • The promos continue for ENA’s Lies Hidden in My Garden as well, with character stills of the main four: Kim Tae-hee (Hi Bye, Mama!), Im Ji-yeon (The Glory), Kim Sung-oh (Unlock the Boss), and Choi Jae-rim (Green Mothers’ Club). The suspense thriller will be airing in the Monday-Tuesday slot, starting June 19. [Osen (1), (2), (3), (4)]

 
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Realizing I haven't seen Go Joon-hee in anything other than She Was Pretty, which I don't remember. But, to be fair, her best work is as herself in season 4 of We Got Married. She was one-half of a couple that gave viewers like me exactly what we tuned in for.

Still very much looking forward to Shin Hye-sun's upcoming and to Netflix's Bloodhounds.

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1. Can’t wait! I’m torn between wanting to read the original source material before starting the drama or watching the drama with fresh eyes. To those who’ve read the webtoon, how was it? Is it worth the read?

2. Perfect, spooky poster. Love the colour palette being used here. I imagine it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but I’m very excited. Kim Tae-ri is not an actress whose works I will miss.

3. I was completely unaware that Siwon was going to be in Bloodhounds??? How did I miss this??? Also wow, there’s like no women in the show after editing out Kim Sae-ron.

4. Two actors I love, but release date 2025? Only two years away, I know, but it still sounds fake to me somehow.

5. I feel like I haven’t seen Go Joon-hee in forever. Good to know she’s still active as an actress. That said, I don’t know if I’m interested in yet another drama about a cloistered bourgeoisie class in their little gated communities of horror and conformity. It feels like an overcrowded genre now.

6. Great actresses, terrible poster. Seriously I could do a better job while asleep.

7. Given the superstar status of Kim Tae-hee, the rising star of Im Ji-yeon, and the makjang-y genre trappings of the drama itself, I’m curious to see if this will finally be ENA’s post-EAW success story. God knows they need the ratings.

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To answer 1, the webtoon was sort of like reading a kdrama in manhwa form. If you're an experienced drama watcher, you'll be able to guess most if not all of the plot points that'll happen. Still it was a sweet, fun read and some of the characters were downright adorable.

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Yeah, Lee Hye's webcomics all feel like Kdramas. They'll be perfect for adaptations!

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2025 is totally fake, like wtf, no, we're not there yet, that's not a real year, what are you talking about; it's still 2019, and on Tuesdays, 2017.

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At first I thought you were talking about the show 2521, and was trying to process your meaning LOL.

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Seeeee? That just proves it.
But, 2521 is also a fake show.

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2025 doesn't even look like a year number 😐 A code maybe? house number? Maybe, but not an actual year.

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Exactly. It's too neat. Too tidy. Fits into itself too well.

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Thank you!! I feel validated. My brain refuses to believe anything past, idk, 2014. Time is fake and made-up.

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Are you kidding? 2014 was decades ago. I mean, have you seen what phones looked like back then? Or Lee Jong-suk? Not to mention Hair. The wave of shaggy-dyed-auburn-perms has advanced and receded at least twice since then, like a tsunami with particularly bad taste.

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Decades ago… I feel like my soul just shrivelled up realizing that. Yes, technology and fashion has advanced a lot since then, but the date itself sounds so recent to me. And I say this knowing I’m on the younger end of the spectrum here on DB.

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It was decades ago and also yesterday, yes, exactly.

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In regard to No. 4, there could be several reasons for the long air date. It may include various oversea location shoots. It could factor in lengthy post-production SFX. For Netflix, it could be an accounting and budgeting reason: it has an approved 2023 budget to spend this year, but may want to stretch out its drama inventory for possible leaner production years.

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We're almost half way through 2023, it's really only a year and a half away min at this point. Kingdom was announced 2 years before its release date, so it's not that weird, and could be so for multiple reasons as you say; ... it's just that 2025 feels a lot farther away than it actually is 😂

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2025 is NOT just two years away, I refuse to believe it.

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😂😂 It's a date out of a dystopian sci fi for sure.
And not the one we're living.

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The webtoon is absolutely worth reading, although you may want to wait until after the drama. I'm worried I'll be upset by some of the changes. I've only had one webtoon I read adapted into a drama that I watched, but it was Sixth Sense Kiss and I really hated the changes they made. It felt almost unrecognizable. Still, I'm hopeful because the source material is SO good and aside from the ML the casting is picture perfect (even though I think he's miscast, I'm glad that they cast someone who can actually act and I think I'll ultimately be okay with him in the role). I actually cried while reading See You in My 19th Life--but it was because of the second couple, not the main leads. Lol.

You could check out A Good Day to be a Dog first, that's Lee Hye's previous webtoon and the leads even have a cameo in See You in My 19th Life. That one is also being adapted into a drama.

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1. I haven't read the webtoon so I have no opinion on Ahn Bo Hyun as the ML, and I don't hate him aside from the role either, but I'd be starting for Shin Hye Sun anyway tbh.

2. Third time lucky, let's see if Kim Eun Hee can actually write, or if Kingdom was all the director 🤭 Jirisan is a very, very low bar guys (like, one the lowest), so hwaiting~ lmao

3. Come, already. Be better than Joseon Attorney, 제발. Be more like one kind of Netflix short dark, action show, and less like, the other kind, also 제발. Thank you.

4. 2025 is a fake date, I refuse to process the passing of time.

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KIM YOUNG KWANG AND KIM NAM GIL TOGETHER IN ONE SHOW??? I might just die from extreme excitement!

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I share your excitement, but 2025?!! I thought that had to be a mistake 😳

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Life has taught me that time flies with the speed of light 😁 At least I can stay excited and not get disappointed for longer?? That's one way of looking at it!!

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I know right???!? That pair-up sounds too good to be true!

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From Netflix US:
3. BLOODHOUNDS. This probably has been my most anticipated drama all year. Finally it has an airing date of June 9.

I am anticipating BLOODHOUNDS will be joining a rare group of kdramas that I call ‘guys dramas’ where the plot allows guys to bang the hell out of each other. A drama where their great physicality is on display. I am a fight guy.
I anticipate Woo Do-hwan and Lee Sang-yi will be joining Jang Dong-yoon (OASIS), Jung Hae-in and Lee Jun-young (D.P.), Lee Je-hoon and (yes) Lee Jae-wook (MOVE TO HEAVEN), All 4 leads (2 ml, 2fl) (THE UNCANNY COUNTER), Seo Kang-joon (WATCHER), Lee Joon-gi and Choi Min-soo (LAWLESS LAWYER) and (honorable mention) Yoon Kye-sang and Lee Bum-soo (LAST).
The above are dramas that I consider contained excellent fight scenes.

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4. TRIGGER (Netflix). With all due respect, we are talking about 2025. Come back sometime next year please.
Let’s get back to 2023 and get a firm airing date for Kim Nam-gil’s upcoming SONG OF THE BANDITS.

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Did you watch WEAK HERO, bong soo? That had some good fight scenes. It was sad though.
I won't say that Park Ji Hoon had the physicality you're looking for since the entire point was that he doesn't, but Choi Hyun Wook might.

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Sic I did not watch WEAK HERO CLASS 1 (2022) (Viki US) probably because high school based dramas particularly based around bullying are not a favorite genre of mine and towards the end of 2022 I was watching several crime cdramas.
However, it seems to have gotten a lot of good reviews. Looking over the cast I am not familiar with Park Ji-hoon’s work but I do know Choi Hyun-wook from RACKET BOYS (2021) (Netflix US) and there seems to be a number young actors who also appeared in D.P.
CHW is listed in the cast for D.P. 2.
Thanks for the suggestion. 8 episodes averaging 45 minutes or less is a plus.

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Understandable. Youth dramas are a bit of an acquired taste in general, *and* the subject matter here is heavy.
I didn't like where they left us at the end but I thought it was pretty well done and I liked the characters.
See how you go.

I love Choi Hyun Wook, he's been delightful in everything I've seen him in.

Unfortunately I probably won't check out DP2 for him though, because I disliked the first one, and it's another case of "defeating the thematic point of the first one by existing", which is a crime in itself even if I didn't agree with the thematic point of the first one 😂😂😂

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I encourage you to watch Weak Hero Class 1. One of the best dramas released in 2022 (the best imo, next to 25-21. And both series have Choi Hyun Wook as one of the main leads).

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Well, with both @sicarius and @isagc giving WHC1 their imprimatur I will work it in while I am on a mini sabbatical until BLOODHOUNDS, MBC’s NUMBERS (this one better be available on Viki) and Taec doing his vampire bit arrive on the scene.

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Hi @sicarius, @isagc. A report from my sabbatical field. I did watch over the last few days and finished last night WEAK HERO CLASS 1 (2022). Thanks for the recommendation. With the story taking place in an all boys high school and based on above, I would have to call it a ‘young guys drama’. Here are a few impressions:
1. Overall, a very good production with kudos to first time (I think) director You Su-min and leads Park Ji-hoon, Choi Hyun-wook (rl youngest of the 3) and Hong Kyung.
2. In the area of physicality Choi Hyun-wook and the lesser known Cha Woo-min (the UFC training guy) were the standouts. (CWM has a pic of both of them in the ring on his instagram account). CHW gave a great performance and of his fights my favorite was his first one in episode one when he takes on the baseball team guys. All things considered it was the ‘lightest’ of the drama’s confrontations.
3. I don’t know if I really buy into the pivot of Beom-seok’s character in episode 6. However, that determined the rest of the story. (Bottom line for me. I think he had a crush on Su-ho and that added more anger to his already tenuous mental condition which was a bad thing.)
Also in episode 6 and after, the appearance of Noble Idiocy almost drove me to distraction. I stand by my assertion that NI in a drama has never had a positive impact but almost always the reverse. Su-ho would probably not be in the situation he is in if his friends had communicated with him.
4. As far as a season 2 goes, I would be fine without one but if there is a season 2 I will watch.
I will be keeping an eye out for these guys’ future projects. CHW is listed as ML in tvN’s upcoming SPARKLING WATERMELON which looks quite interesting. He is just 21.

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All the main actors are great in this drama but I have a soft spot for Choi Hyun Wook. I think he is one of the most promising young actors in Dramaland.

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@isa- Same on both accounts!

@marcusnyc20 good to read your feedback! Yeah they had a complex story to tell in a short amount of time. I didn't like the ending either, but unlike you I probably won't watch S2 (especially if it doesn't have SuHo/CHW in it).

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“… allows guys to bang the hell out of each other.”

You have no idea what passed through my mind reading that. Not fight choreography, I can tell you that.

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2 - contrary to most people here, my beef with the writer started not with Jirisan, but Kingdom Season2 finale. Still fuming about that one, honestly. Yet I'll probably give this a chance because I'm craving some horror and cast is promising.
3 - I'll think about it once it's completed and I'm in the right mood.
4 - KNG in action thriller? Say no more!
7 - if it's not good, I'm gonna be very angry, really.

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