Jang Dong-yoon enters the ring as ENA’s Sand Flower
by tccolb
The first teaser and poster have dropped for ENA’s new coming-of-age romance The Sand Flower, shining the spotlight on our hero Kim Baek-du – played by Jang Dong-yoon (Daily Dose of Sunshine) – as he takes us for a stroll onto the sandy ssireum (traditional Korean wrestling) ring.
In his younger days, Baek-du had once been hailed as a ssireum prodigy on the road to stardom, boasting both passion and talent in spades. Giving us a glimpse into his childhood, the teaser opens on a sweet flashback of when his friend had told Baek-du to one day become the strongest man.
My heart breaks for Baek-du, though — when we re-meet our ssireum athlete in the present, his career hasn’t taken off as hoped. With no winning titles under his belt, Baek-du is now seen as decent at best.
But our hero is not yet ready to give up his dreams, and he faces a crossroads when his ssireum team ends up on the chopping block, in danger of being disbanded. With his fire refueled, we watch as Baek-du enters the arena and the teaser closes as he mentally prepares himself: “This tournament today could very well become the last one in my life.”
Although we haven’t seen much of them yet, our story also stars Lee Joo-myung (Twenty Five Twenty One), Yoon Jong-seok (Our Blooming Youth), and Kim Bora (Finland Papa), fleshing out the world along with Lee Jae-joon (So Not Worth It) and Lee Joo-seung (Black Knight) among others.
With production led by PD Kim Jin-woo (A Model Family, Suits) and writer Won Yoo-jung (The Lies Within), ENA’s The Sand Flower premieres on December 20 in the Wednesday-Thursday slot.
Via Newsen
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Tags: Jang Dong-yoon, Kim Bora, Lee Joo-myung, Lee Joo-seung, Like Flowers in Sand, Yoon Jong-seok
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1 Kurama
November 16, 2023 at 12:25 AM
Jang Dong-Yoon is very busy. He has another drama that will air on Amazon Prime with Nana. He got one on Netflix. The next one in Disney+? 😀
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jillian
November 16, 2023 at 1:23 AM
That would be great if he has a drama on all these streaming sites.
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lapislazulii
November 16, 2023 at 3:51 AM
Right!! And I thought Song Kang and Rowoon were impressive with two almost back to back dramas, JDY has them beat with like 4 dramas on air this year I think 🤯
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Kurama
November 16, 2023 at 4:26 AM
Yeah, Oasis, Daily Dose of Sunshine, My Man is Cupid and Like Flowers in Sand.
My Mand is Cupis was filmed before but they didn't have a channel or OTT to air it.
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kiara
November 16, 2023 at 11:09 AM
I'm happy for him. He's busy but not noisy, overexposed.
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2 Gikata
November 16, 2023 at 5:00 AM
Well, perhaps this is gonna be THE JDY drama of 2023 for me? I don't have much hopes for CUPID, sadly.
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bong-soo
November 16, 2023 at 7:22 AM
I am trying to find out when CUPID was actually filmed. I really would like to consider this a 2022 drama that got pulled off the shelf. Almost sure it will be a pass for me. This report says it will be available on Amazon Prime on Dec. 1:
https://koalasplayground.com/2023/11/14/oddly-low-budget-looking-and-long-delayed-rom-com-my-man-is-cupid-with-jang-dong-yoon-and-nana-gets-december-1-release-on-amazon-prime/
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Gikata
November 16, 2023 at 10:17 AM
Apparently in March-November 2022 and initially was expected to air before the end of year on SBS. Given the long delay, unexplained change of broadcaster and absolute zero of buzz between announcement and the first promos few days ago I'd say there must've been some serious issues with this project from the start. Budget troubles, perhaps? I really don't want to think it had anything to do with SBS' reluctance to work with JDY again after JOSEON EXORCIST mess which was in no way his fault, but to my cynical mind it sounds rather possible(((
In the hindsight, this may be for the better - romcoms without heavy star-studded cast have been long doing poorly on TV, esp national one, so OTT-only release saves the drama from ratings humiliation at least. If it magically does well on Prime, good for them, and if it doesn't, well, everyone involved will just quietly move on.
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bong-soo
November 16, 2023 at 2:44 PM
Thanks for the context. I never wish bad luck to a drama.
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🌸 Seeker 🌸
November 17, 2023 at 1:15 AM
I’m glad it is airing.
Do wish it does magically well. 🧚
Hwaiting!!
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3 john
November 16, 2023 at 5:07 AM
Might have to check it out.
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4 bong-soo
November 16, 2023 at 6:40 AM
First of all that last pic with Jang Dong-yoon in the ring is a great poster. I have had my eye on this drama for awhile. Just for the record AsianWiki reports the literal title for this drama is: FLOWERS BLOOM IN THE SAND (nothing wrong with that!) and there is our hero standing the sand.
Jang Dong-yoon’s 2023 (with great performances early in the year in OASIS, and recently in SUNSHINE and I am sure finishing the year with a great performance in SAND) so make up for the ‘annus horribilis’ he experienced in 2021 (JOSEON EXORCIST). I couldn’t be more pleased for the guy.
This sports drama taking place in the world of ssireum will be the sports drama MY LOVELY BOXER wasn’t.
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john
November 16, 2023 at 6:49 AM
If you like sports stories.
I have not watched it it, however, Netflix has a Japanese drama
Sanctuary about a troubled youth that enters the world of Sumo wrestling.
It is supposed to be pretty good. Good reminder to self to watch.
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bong-soo
November 16, 2023 at 7:06 AM
Thanks John for the reminder. I already have the jdrama SANCTUARY (2023) (8 episodes) on my list to watch on Netflix . I should get to it.
Looking back over this year, for traditional boxing in a drama, I think the prize goes to Netflix’s BLOODHOUNDS and Woo Do-hwan and Lee Sang-gi. Excellent. JDY in OASIS is right up there also. Honorable mention to Jung Hae-in in D.P. 2. All these guys did it right.
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hacja
November 16, 2023 at 9:40 AM
@marcusnyc20. I'm a little more sympathetic to My Lovely Boxer than you--NOT, I hasten to add, because of the verisimilitude of the action, but rather because parts of it did accurately capture the difficulty that women have in winning respect in traditionally masculine sports. This was portrayed, unfortunately in a sports sense, not with the female lead (who gave a strong performance in other ways, but not in the ring) but rather with her opponent.
Still, speaking of how real the action was, I thought Bloodhounds went a little far in showing how in every fight Woo Do-hwan's magical power punch would be the one blow that would lay his opponent on the mat. Even Mike Tyson in his prime required he connect on a few punches before the KO!
In my experience sports and kdramas make a good thematic connection, but I never expect any sort of realism in the sports action.
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bong-soo
November 16, 2023 at 2:25 PM
I totally agree with your,
“but I never expect any sort of realism in the sports action”.
I always wonder before a sports drama begins how much actual ‘sport’ will take place.
I have a similar concern for SAND. I have minimal knowledge about ssireum and look forward to learning about this ‘traditional national sport of Korea’ that goes back to the 4th century.
IN BLOODHOUNDS iirc what I would call ‘official’ boxing in the ring took place at the beginning of the drama. That was it. What I appreciated about the boxing actors in BLOODHOUNDS is that they obviously trained with professionals. A subtle but important fact is that they each had a different boxing ‘style’ which they consistently maintained throughout. WDH’s boxing style was ‘orthodox’ ie with a left hand jab and right hand punch while LSG’s style was ‘southpaw’ with a right hand jab and left hand punch. That is why both guys could stand next to each (complementing each others style) and pummel the hell out of baddie Kim Myeong-gil’s chief thug In-beom and it took both if them to take that guy down. Just one example that I appreciated as a boxing fan.
john
November 16, 2023 at 2:10 PM
I have watched the first two Eps and I like it.
Be forewarned
I have read that the ending doesn’t resolve issues, saw some 😡 reactions, perhaps a season 2 ?
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bong-soo
November 16, 2023 at 2:27 PM
Thanks. Forwarned is forarmed lol.
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hacja
November 16, 2023 at 9:10 AM
I hope that this is a moving sports drama, but how moved you are does depend a little bit on whether you worry about the survival of ssireum as a team sport, and whether you care if its Jang Doon-yoon's character's last match or not.
Off the top of my head, I would say maybe he should get a regular job, and do a little wrestling on the weekends to satisfy his residual competitive dreams. But who knows, maybe I'll be convinced otherwise.
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5 bbstl 🧹
November 16, 2023 at 9:30 AM
Looks like lots of “back” acting! 😄
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hacja
November 16, 2023 at 9:47 AM
I have a feeling abdominal muscles will play a starring role as well. I wonder if they will have to hire actors to play various body parts of the male stars "Jang Dong Yoon's stomach" "Yoon Jong Seok's legs" etc.
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Gikata
November 16, 2023 at 10:24 AM
Oh, don't worry, after TALE OF NOKDU and especially SEARCH there is hardly any doubt left that JDY absolutely does not need a stunt double for muscle flexing scenes)))
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bong-soo
November 16, 2023 at 2:38 PM
Comment was deleted
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bong-soo
November 16, 2023 at 2:40 PM
I didn’t watch KBS’s THE TALE OF NOKDU (2019) (Viki US) but did watch JDY in OCN’s SEARCH (2020) (Viki US) and @gikata is spot on. JDY was in great shape in that drama.
(O/T. He also had some wonderful scenes with Moon Jeong-hee. I would love to see them work together again.) Jump ahead this year to KBS’s OASIS (Viki US). JDY’s physicality (fighting/action) was outstanding. He has obviously kept himself in shape.
In SUNSHINE he was able to relax on the ‘action’ front.
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DancingEmma
November 16, 2023 at 7:21 PM
@bong-soo: He was funny and charming in the first half “The tale of Nokdu”. I don’t like when actors radically transform their physiques as is unhealthy but he did it and is a riot as Mrs Kim. With plenty of make-up, weight loss, long hair, careful angles and editing, he almost convincingly passes (but the voice). It is fun to watch the first half but the second half is definitely not a rom com.
bong-soo
November 17, 2023 at 7:43 AM
@dncingemma, DancingEmma, fwir THE TALE OF NOKDU was well received.
Jang Dong-yoon does have a distinctive voice.
In APAD/recapped under YOU WHO FORGOT POETRY (2018) which I watched on DramaFever my favorite poem is “Lily Magnolia” by Do Jong Hwan (poet/politician) beautifully narrated by Jang Dong-yoon. This link to the poem also shows the care that was taken in APAD in presenting the poetry. (I really wish I could get to the source of this video for my fanwall but technically I am not capable). Here goes (from a beanie’s fanwall 5-11-2018 with thanks):
https://www.dramabeans.com/members/hades/activity/481711/#
bong-soo
November 17, 2023 at 8:15 AM
Apologies @dncingemma. I realize now you found this earlier. (I should have known lol).
DancingEmma
November 17, 2023 at 8:19 AM
Please don’t worry and thanks again!
DancingEmma
November 16, 2023 at 12:38 PM
Haha. He is such a giraffe that I always worry about his long neck as when he does action stuff, I think that he might get injured.
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Diana Hansen
November 16, 2023 at 1:04 PM
And since it is a wrestling drama, its natural (no guilt) WATCHING the back acting (along with perhaps abs and thighs). Its all in the acting you know.
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Diana Hansen
November 16, 2023 at 1:05 PM
Watching the backs acting.
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hacja
November 16, 2023 at 1:29 PM
I like the idea of backs acting, except that it makes me think of how often my back acts up!
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6 pliplipli
November 16, 2023 at 8:37 PM
my boy has a lot of projects coming up at the same time and I'm happy for him
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7 loveblossom🌸
November 16, 2023 at 10:39 PM
LOVE the poster. From the way he is centered with his back facing us to gripping the exaggerated satba that unravels to the foreground. And the window light angled on him too.
Glad Jang Dong Yoon is booked and busy!!
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🌸 Seeker 🌸
November 17, 2023 at 1:17 AM
Perfectly styled and eye catching poster. 👍
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8 redfox
November 17, 2023 at 8:09 AM
oooh I like wrestling
we won our first olympic gold in wrestling
but nowadays it is mostly womens´sport here
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