Drama Casting & News
News bites: December 17, 2016
Running Man
- It would’ve been nice if Running Man had been able to conclude on a classier note, but things certainly got messy towards the end. It turns out Kim Jong-kook and Song Ji-hyo heard they were being let go at the same time the rest of us did, through the press. On the 15th, the production team issued a formal apology to Kim and Song for not handling the situation more discreetly, while Kang Ho-dong on the same day turned down the offer to join for season two, stating that he didn’t wish to cause discomfort. This led to an emergency pow-wow between the cast and crew on the 16th to clear the air and work through their grievances, and in a show of solidarity, the entire remaining cast agreed to conclude the show in February, with Kim and Song staying on until the final episode, instead of wrapping their stints at the end of this year. Talks of a second season are now off the table. [Herald, Kookje]
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Jung Woo, Kim Yoo-mi
- Awww, congratulations to Jung Woo (Himalaya) and Kim Yoo-mi (Could We Love), who are now the proud parents of a baby girl born December 15. Mother and child are doing well, and Jung Woo is reportedly elated to become a father. [Osen]
- The man has been working nonstop: Jo Jin-woong (Entourage) is mulling over an offer to play a police officer who infiltrates a drug ring in the film Onward. A remake of Johnnie To’s Drug War, the story about an imprisoned drug lord who promises to act as an informant for a lesser sentence will be directed by Lee Hae-young. Filming is expected to begin in the first half of 2017, but in the meantime, Jo will hit the big screen with upcoming films Sea Ice, Sheriff and Admiral Kim Chang-soo. [Joongang]
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Jo Jin-woong, Kim Yoon-seok, Kim Myung-min
- Chungmuro vet Kim Yoon-seok (Will You Be There) is considering a reunion with director Jang Joon-hwan for the film 1987. The two last worked together on Hwayi: Boy Who Swallowed a Monster in 2013, and prior Kim collaborators Ha Jung-woo (The Chaser) and Kang Dong-won (The Priests) are also considering the project. The historical/political movie will use as its backdrop the June Democracy Movement of 1987 and the torture and death of student activist Park Jong-chul. [My Daily]
- Welp, Jakseoui Byeon—Attack of the Water Monster went from being a Joseon thriller to a comic sageuk film, and along the way lost its director, Shin Jung-won, and star, Jung Woo-sung. For a humorous spin on a historical incident in 1527 when King Jungjong’s reign was being threatened by a monster, Heo Jong-ho has stepped up to helm, and Kim Myung-min (Six Flying Dragons) is being courted to star. Filming will begin next year. [News 1]
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Choi Jin-hyuk, Jung Hye-sung
- Choi Jin-hyuk (Pride and Prejudice) has chosen the investigative time-slip drama Tunnel as his army comeback project. He’s been confirmed to play a 10-year veteran investigator from the 1980s who, during his chase of a criminal, time-slips through a tunnel to 2016, where he’ll struggle to return to the past to solve the serial killer case he was working on. Tunnel premieres on OCN in early 2017. [Osen]
- They played brother and sister in Remember—Son’s War, and now Jung Hye-sung (Moonlight Drawn By Clouds) has scored a role opposite Namgoong Min again in the office comedy Chief Kim. Nam Sang-mi and 2PM’s Junho have also confirmed, and the zany workplace comedy will premiere January 25 on KBS. [DongA]
- Makjang hitmaker Kim Soon-ok (My Daughter Geum Sa-wol, Wife’s Temptation) is churning out another drama in her trademark style. Unni Is Alive will broadcast in early 2017, likely on MBC. [Joongang]
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The Seventh First Kiss
- The Lotte-backed web drama The Seventh First Kiss (hey, they added a kiss!) is a hit, although with this lineup, was there ever any doubt? Lee Min-ho was added to the horde of men clamoring for Lee Cho-hee’s attention—the other six were Lee Jun-ki, Park Hae-jin, Ji Chang-wook, Lee Jong-seok, Taecyeon, and EXO’s Kai. The web drama reached over 30 million views domestically and reached fourth place in Weibo’s search rankings in China. To date, four episodes starring Choi, Lee (Jun-ki), Park, and Ji have been released, and viewers are eagerly anticipating the release of the other episodes featuring their favorite celebrities. (Bonus: Ji sings the opening song, Kissing You.) [Osen]
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