[Drama 2018] Mr. Sunshine, 미스터 션샤인 - Winner of Critics’ Choice Award for Drama category

[rubie]

7 hours ago, sava2sava said:

Finally LBH doing a drama I think the only drama I've seen him in is All In

 

Hi @sava2sava, he had Beautiful Days before All In and IRIS in 2009. These three are his most noted drama series although he did most Kdramas before 2000. But yeah, finally, back on the small screen.  Totally didn't expect that he'll do a drama again since he's been doing more movies these days.

(waves back to @sf4kdrama, thank you for the good words and positive input. Mr Sunshine fighting!  )

 

August 15, 2017

“Goblin” Writer Kim Eun Sook’s Newest Drama Gets Timeslot

Source: Soompi by S. Park 

More details are being revealed for Kim Eun Sook’s next drama.

Kim Eun Sook, the talented writer of mega hit dramas such as “Descendants of the Sun” and “Goblin,” is working on her newest drama “Mister Sunshine” starring actors such as Lee Byung Hun, Kim Tae Ri, Yoo Yeon Seok, Byun Yo Han, and Kim Sarang. She will be also working with producer Lee Eung Bok for the third time for this drama.

“Mister Sunshine” will air on tvN on Saturdays and Sundays sometime next year. Which of Kim Eun Sook’s dramas is your favorite?

Source (1)

[rubie]

August 16, 2017

From Kim Eun-sook, the Hong Sisters and Noh Hee-kyeong, will tvN 'Drama Empire' reconstruct?

Source: Joynews via HanCinema.net

tvN is on its way to recover the modifier 'Drama Empire'. A fancy line-up of star writers are standing by from the end of the year to early next year.

tvN "Mr. Sunshine" has been arranged for broadcast on Saturdays and Sundays starting early next year.

"Mr. Sunshine" starring Lee Byung-hun, Kim Tae-ri, Yoo Yeon-seok, Byun Yo-han and Kim Sa-rang, is the story of a boy who returns to Korea under the identity of an American soldier.

However, it's the staff that draws more attention. Director Lee Eung-bok from "Descendants of the Sun" and "Goblin" as well as Kim Eun-sook the writer have come together again. They have been making hit dramas every once in two years.

tvN is currently unstable but it's determined to rebuild the drama empire of tvN. The first runner up is "Hwayugi" by the Hong Sisters.

"Hwayugi" is a fantasy drama based on the ancient novel "Seoyugi". Son Oh-gong, Jecheon Dae-sung with fatal villainy and Jeon Seonmi, a junior lawyers with unique snobbishness, go on a journey to find the light in the dark world of the devil in 2017.

Cha Seung-won is one of the casts so far. The staff here are intriguing as well as they have formally succeeded with the MBC drama "The Greatest Love" in 2011.

"Wise Prison Life" is next. This drama is based in prison and depicts the people living in a space of mystery.

"Answer to 1997" and "Answer Me 1994" director Sin Won-ho and writer Lee Woo-jeong-I will be responsible for this one with a line-up of Park Hae-soo, Jung Kyung-ho, Sung Dong-il, Choi Moo-sung, Jung Woong-in, Yoo Jae-myung, Krystal, Lim Hwa-yeong and more.

Noh Hee-kyeong's "Live" is also one of the most looked forward to dramas this year. "Live" is the story of policemen in a patrol division and it is expected to come out next year.

tvN sources say anticipation is on the rise with the upcoming of "Hwayugi", "Wise Prison Life", "Live" and "Mr. Sunshine".

[rubie]

August 22, 2017

"The Handmaiden" Kim Tae Ri to come back with movies and drama

Source: SBS via HanCinema.net

Kim Tae-ri who swept away all rookie awards in 2016 is coming back later this year. She was called the "Cinderella of Chungmuro" due to her outstanding performance in Park Chan-wook's "The Handmaiden". Many look forward to her comeback and she has several works to be released later this year.

Movies "1987" and "Little Forest" release soon. In 2018, she'll be starring in a drama called "Mr. Sunshine" written by Kim Eun-sook.

"Descendants of the Sun" and "Goblin" writer Kim Eun-sook's "Mr. Sunshine" features Kim Tae-ri whose co-star is Lee Byung-hun.

Kim Tae-ri recently came out with a magazine pictorial.

[rubie]

August 24, 2017

Kim Eun-sook's "Mr. Sunshine" possibly changing stations from SBS to tvN

Source: Heraldcorp via HanCinema.net

Kim Eun-sook's "Mr. Sunshine" starring Kim Tae-ri changed stations from SBS to tvN. Evidentally, production asked for 1.5 billion won per episode (~US$1.5 million), which was not possible.

Most importantly, a drama that costs one billion to make cannot be aired on an OTA (over-the-air) non-cable station like SBS, but can on a cable channel like tvN.

SBS did the math. Writers Kim Eun-sook and Kim Eun-hee have been doing most of their work in SBS so they had to make a deal with SBS. However, Kim Eun-sook's hottest drama yet, "Descendants of the Sun" was broadcast on KBS and "Signal" went to tvN because of a conflict in opinion.

Current drama conditions are far worse in non-cable statiosn than cable stations. It's not easy for SBS to produce a drama that costs over one billion won. The average cost these days is 500 to 600 million won (~US$0.5 million-US$0.6 million~). "Six Flying Dragons" is the biggest blockbuster on SBS yet. The Hallyu base from Southeast Asia is rising, but commercials aren't selling and the ban in China hasn't been lifted yet.

Next year brings the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, the Russian World Cup, and the regional election. Big events like these lead to low results in non-cable station dramas. The latter half of the drama might even have to wait a month.

Drama episodes are expanding, costs rise, and casting is increasingly difficult. Costs are rising even though leading characters are not always superstars.

On the other hand, CJ E&M can release numerous re-runs with just sixteen channels. It is safer and provides more options.

In addition, two mid-program ads can be put into every episode unlike in non-cable station programs which have a lot of restrictions when it comes to re-runs. Cable can increase advertisement sales on 16 channels. These days, advertisement costs are valued more on cable rather than non-cable station.

[rubie]

August 27, 2017

SBS Drops “Mr. Sunshine” Due To Astronomical Production Costs

Source: Koreaboo

The drama Mr. Sunshine has been transferred to be broadcast by tvN rather than SBS due to production costs.

According to an industry insider, the cost of each episode would come out to 1.5 billion KRW ($1,337,672 USD).

“The production company asked for over 1 billion KRW per episode, so SBS has given up on producing ‘Mr. Sunshine’.

There’s no guarantee that it will do well simply because of Kim Eun Sook and Lee Byung Hun. Of course, it may succeed like ‘Goblin’, but I think they thought the risk was too big.”

— Industry insider

In the case of a 20-episode series, the overall production cost would amount to a total of 30 billion KRW ($26,752,030 USD).

There were several reasons behind the high production costs, ranging from the cast’s income to the drama’s setting.

As an international movie star, Lee Byung Hun, comes with high appearance fees.

Furthermore, some episodes have to be filmed abroad, thereby adding to the production costs.

Mr. Sunshine will be written by Kim Eun Sook, the writer for Descendants of the Sun and Goblin, and is planned to air next year on tvN instead of SBS.

[rubie]

September 1, 2017

'Guardian' writer's new project goes to tvN 

By Park Jin-hai The Korea Times

"Mr. Sunshine," an upcoming television show written by writer and producer duo Kim Eun-sook and Lee Eung-bok, whose previous co-projects "Descendants of the Sun" and "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God," were megahits, will be broadcast on tvN.

This was a surprise for many, since it was largely predicted that major local broadcaster SBS, where Kim has worked for most of her projects, would air the drama. SBS has shown strong interest in Kim's new drama, trying its utmost to close a broadcasting contract with the production company Hwa & Dam Pictures.

SBS previously let go of Kim's dramas "Descendants" and "Signal" and saw them become popular on other TV channels.

After the announcement, industry insiders say that a major stumbling block for the deal would have been the prohibitive production costs _ approximately 1.5 billon won per episode. If it is made into a 20-episode drama, the total costs rise to 30 billion won, making it one of the most expensive local productions.

"Without Kim, it would be nearly impossible to produce a drama of that scale. With the biggest buyer China continuing to ban Korean cultural content, SBS would not be able to bear the costs," said an official of a subcontractor.

The period drama which is to be broadcast next year, tells the story of a man, who happens to board an American battleship as a boy during the first American military action in Korea in 1871, and returns later to Korea as an American soldier.

Typically period dramas cost more for production than other genre dramas. For "Mr. Sunshine," a set must be built, costumes have to be newly designed, and long overseas location shooting is also required. Plus, each episode is predicted to pay over 100 million won to writer Kim, another 50 million won for the director, and over 100 million won to cast A-list male lead Lee Byung-hun, who is returning to the small screen after nine years.

Both SBS and the production company declined to confirm the price negotiated.

In terms of production costs per episode, MBC's 2007 fantasy period "The Legend," with Bae Yong-joon and then-unprecedented computer graphics, tops the list at 1.6 billion won. With that exception, MBC's budget for TV dramas in 2009 averaged 200 million won per episode, according to Korea Creative Content Agency's research data.

Production costs have risen over the years and now it reaches between 400 and 500 million won. Some blockbuster dramas tend to reach 1 billion won. The SBS fantasy romance "The Legend of the Blue Sea" and writer Kim's previous hit on tvN "Guardian," which finished broadcasting in January, were said to cost 1.1 billion won per each episode.

"While drama exports to China are closed, an increasing number of dramas are seeing rising costs for actors, writers and other staff, leading to higher production costs," Park Ho-sik, a Studio Dragon producer, told a local media outlet.

Major broadcasting companies, which have less freedom to air drama reruns and advertisements than cable channels including CJ E&M, have continued to raise the skyrocketing production costs.

Kim Young-seob, SBS drama department chief, said, "To produce quality dramas, which have led hallyu (the Korean wave), we need more financial resources. As we cannot expect much from TV commercial sales and our hands are tied by many government regulations now, it is really hard for us to fight against the deep pocketed media mogul CJ."

jinhai@ktimes.com

[rubie]

September 14, 2017

 

Kim Sa Rang Confirmed To Join Writer Kim Eun Sook’s New Drama

 

Source: Soompi by K. Lew    

 

 

Actress Kim Sa Rang will be joining the star-studded lineup for “Goblin” and “Descendants of the Sun” writer Kim Eun Sook’s new tvN drama “Mr. Sunshine.”

 

On September 14, a source stated, “Her appearance in the drama ‘Mr. Sunshine’ has recently been decided upon. Although the filming dates are not confirmed, filming will begin sometime in mid-October.”

 

“Mr. Sunshine” is set in 1871 and is about a boy who returns to Korea after becoming an American soldier. It is writer Kim Eun Sook and director Lee Eung Bok’s third collaboration together.

 

Other actors confirmed for the drama include Lee Byung Hun, Kim Tae Ri, Yoo Yeon Seok, Byun Yo Han, Choi Moo Sung, and more. This is Kim Sa Rang’s second project with writer Kim Eun Sook, having previously worked together on “Secret Garden” together. Kim Sa Rang’s last drama was “My Love Eun Dong” in 2015.

 

Source (1) (2)

[rubie]

September 16, 2017

 

'Mr Sunshine': Kim Sa Rang Joins New Drama From 'Descendants of the Sun,' 'Goblin' Writer

 

BY DIANE SAMSON / Korea Portal

 

 

Kim Sa Rang has been added to the star-studded cast of "Mr. Sunshine." The anticipated new drama on tvN was scripted by renowned Kdrama screenwriter Kim Eun Sook. 

 

The actor is best known for her roles in the 2015 JTBC drama "My Love Eun Dong" where she played the lead female character Sae Jung Eun. "Mr. Sunshine" will be her second project with Eun Sook who also penned hit 2010 romance "Secret Garden."

 

"Her appearance in the drama 'Mr. Sunshine' has recently been decided upon," a source revealed (via Soompi). "Although the filming dates are not confirmed, filming will begin sometime in mid-October."

 

The upcoming period drama is set in 1871, during an expedition of the United States to

Joseon. The story follows a Korean boy who boards an American warship and heads to America. Years after, he comes back home as an American soldier. 

 

The new drama will also star Lee Byung Hun ("IRIS," "G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra"), Kim Tae Ri ("Entourage"), Yoo Yeon Seok ("Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim"), Byun Yo Han ("Ex-Girlfriends' Club"), Jo Woo Jin ("Goblin") and Kim Byung Chul ("Ruler: Master of the Mask"). It will also reunite Eun Sook with Lee Eung Bok who also directed two of the screenwriter's biggest dramas "Descendants of the Sun" and "Goblin."

 

"Mr. Sunshine" is set to premiere in the first half of 2018. Hwa and Dam Pictures CEI Yoon Ha Rim explained in a previous statement that the new period drama will not be pre-made, but preparations were started early so as to ensure that the crew will have sufficient time to create a high-quality program. 

 

Drama Fever also reported that Yoon praised Lee who, the CEO said, was a good match for the lead character. He revealed that Eun Sook wanted someone who is talented and speaks good English and there is no one more perfect than Lee. The actor who previously starred in big blockbuster Hollywood movies such as "Terminator: Genisys" 

[rubie]

September 18, 2017

Heo Jung-eun from "Oh My Geum-bi" to star in "Mr. Sunshine"

 

Source: YTN via HanCinema.net
 

 

Heo Jung-eun, also known as the genius kid actress, is starring in the tvN drama "Mr. Sunshine". She takes role as the younger version of Kim Tae-ri.

 

"Mr. Sunshine" is a drama about a young boy who gets dropped off by a battleship in America who returns to Korea, the country that abandoned him, as a US soldier. It is written by Kim Eun-sook and directed by Lee Eung-bok with a cast of Lee Byung-hun, Kim Tae-ri, Yoo Yeon-seok, Byun Yo-han, Kim Sa-rang, and more.

 

Heo Jung-eun has been added to the line-up as the young Ae-sin, the last blood relative of the Ko Family.

 

Heo Jung-eun was born in 2007 and she made her debut in the 2012 morning drama "I Like You". She then starred in "Yawang", "Neighborhood Lawyer Jo Deul-ho 2", "A Hard Day" and more. She starred in the recent KBS 2TV drama "Oh My Geum-bi" as a little girl with child's Alzheimer's.

[rubie]

September 25, 2017

Choi Jin Ho to star in tvN's "Mr. Sunshine"

 

Source: TV Report via HanCinema.net
 

Actor Choi Jin-ho is starring in the new tvN drama "Mr. Sunshine" along with Lee Byung-hun, Kim Tae-ri, Kim Sa-rang, Yoo Yeon-seok, Byun Yo-han, Choi Moo-sung and more.

 

"Mr. Sunshine" is about a young American soldier who is stationed in Korea after a battleship abandoned him. Choi Jin-ho takes on the role of Kwan Ryo, a character that doesn't agree with Lee Byung-hun.

 

"Mr. Sunshine" is written by Kim Eun-sook and she worked with Choi Jin-ho-I in 2013 in "The Heirs".

 

Meanwhile, Choi Jin-ho is currently filming the movie "Inrang".

[rubie]

September 27, 2017

 

President makes 2017 'Power People' list

 

Source: INSIDE Korea JoongAng Daily

 

Actor Song Kang-ho took first place in “Power People.” [YONHAP]

 

Ilgan Sports, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily, has chosen 30 “Power People” this year whose jobs range from acting, singing, producing and writing to running an entertainment company and even President Moon Jae-in for his huge influence on popular culture. 

 

The mass survey, which started in 2014, was conducted by 150 people - 50 each insiders from the broadcasting, film and music industries. Each person got to choose five people.Compared to last year’s survey, the spectrum of jobs has widened, which means there are more people than celebrities honored for their contributions to popular culture.

 

Actor Song Kang-ho of “A Taxi Driver” and “The Age of Shadows” won first place.

 

Scriptwriter Kim Eun-sook was selected as the fifth most powerful person. She had taken second place last year.  Kim has become particularly well known after the KBS2 drama “Descendants of the Sun,” and the tvN drama “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God.”

 

Singer Lee Hyori ranked sixth, the highest score for any television personality. She premiered on the JTBC TV show “Hyori’s Homestay,” which aired from June 25 to last Sunday. 

 

Former Korean traditional wrestler and a current television personality, Kang Ho-dong, ranked 12th with his active roles in JTBC TV shows such as “Please Give Me One Meal” and “Knowing Bros.”

 

Meanwhile, the ranking of popular comedian Yoo Jae-suk dropped sharply to 18th from third place last year and second place from the year before. 

 

Actress Kim Hee-sun, who played a lead role on the JTBC drama “Woman of Dignity,” is now 17th, the only actress in the top 30.

 

Boy band Wanna One has been ranked second, as the power of these 11 boys seems stronger than ever. 

 

Not only are broadcasting companies striving to win their time and air them on their channels, but companies also compete to have Wanna One in their advertisements.

Global idol group BTS, or Bangtan Boys, now occupy seventh place. Their latest song, “DNA,” which was released last Monday, has ranked in the top 100 tracks on the American music publication Billboard magazine’s main chart. 

 

BTS became the second K-pop act to have their Korean-language song on the Hot 100, after Psy’s major hit track, “Gangnam Style.”

 

President Moon has found himself in 25th place. This is the first time for a president to be selected for the “Power People” survey. 

 

The result implies that Moon has had a significant and positive influence across the cultural

industry.

 

All in all, the results show that the trend in pop culture has constantly changed and that people with diverse types of jobs - from entertainer and CEO to producer and even the president - are all playing their part to shape the nation’s cultural character.

 

BY HONG YOU-KYOUNG [hong.youkyoung@joongang.co.kr]

[rubie]

October 5, 2017

 

Lee Byung Hun Addresses His 20-Year Age Gap With “Mr. Sunshine” Co-Star Kim Tae Ri

 

Source: Soompi by J. Lim

 

 

During a recent interview, Lee Byung Hun talked about his upcoming role in the drama “Mr. Sunshine” and addressed the wide age gap between him and his co-star Kim Tae Ri.

 

“Mr. Sunshine” will be the third project that screenwriter Kim Eun Sook and Lee Eung Bok collaborate on, and will feature a strong cast that includes Lee Byung Hun, Kim Tae Ri, Yoo Yeon Seok, Byun Yo Han, and Jo Woo Jin. The drama will be the story of a young boy who travels to the United States during the 1871 Shinmiyangyo [U.S. expedition to Korea], and returns to his homeland later as an American soldier.

 

Lee Byung Hun was high on the list of favorites to appear in the drama as the male lead requires fluency in English. The actor has appeared in multiple Hollywood movies like “Magnificent 7,” Misconduct,” and “Terminator Genisys,” so he fit the requirements for the role. On why he decided to appear in the drama, Lee Byung Hun laughed and said, “Though working with Kim Eun Sook was a big draw, my agency’s CEO was the biggest influence on me. BH Entertainment’s Son Seok Woo recommended the drama to me and said that Kim Eun Sook writes really great scripts, and that made me want to take the project on.”

 

 

Many are curious to see how the relationship between Lee Byung Hun and Kim Tae Ri will play out in the drama as they have a 20-year age gap between the two of them in real life. Kim Eun Sook has featured couples with large age gaps in her dramas before, like in “A Gentleman’s Dignity” and “Goblin.”

 

When asked how he feels about acting alongside Kim Tae Ri, Lee Byung Hun said, “I’m not sure what our dynamics will be like because I haven’t received a script yet. However, I met Kim Tae Ri pretty often last year because she was receiving awards for ‘The Handmaiden’ while I was getting them for ‘Inside Men.’ I met her, Son Ye Jin, and Park Jung Min as fellow award-recipients at almost half of the awards ceremonies, and there were over 10 of them in total. It almost felt like we had worked on a project together, and we ended up feeling like we’d known each other for a long time.”

 

“Mr. Sunshine” will be a weekend drama that airs in 2018.

 

Source (1)

[rubie]

October 12, 2017

 

Bae Jung-nam to star in "Mr. Sunshine"

 

Source: VIVA100 via HanCinema.net

 

Former model Bae Jung-nam is starring in the new tvN drama "Mr. Sunshine", the story of a boy who was abandoned on American soil and is later stationed in Korea as an American soldier.

 

Meanwhile, "Mr. Sunshine" is written by Kim Eun-sook who has penned successive hits like "Descendants of the Sun" and "Goblin". It's directed by Lee Eung-bok who has a beautiful aesthetic. The cast of "Mr. Sunshine" includes Lee Byung-hun, Kim Tae-ri, Yoo Yeon-seok, Byun Yo-han, Jo Woo-jin, Kim Byeong-cheol, and Kim Sa-rang.

[rubie]

October 16, 2017

 

Kim Hye-eun to star in "Mr. Sunshine"

 

Source: The HankookIlbo via HanCinema.net

 

Kim Hye-eun is making a special appearance in "Mr. Sunshine", the story of a boy who was abandoned on American soil and is later stationed in Korea as an American soldier.

 

Writer Kim Eun-sook and director Lee Eung-bok have come together once again for "Mr. Sunshine". The drama stars Lee Byung-hun, Kim Tae-ri, Yoo Yeon-seok, Byun Yo-han, Jo Woo-jin, Kim Byeong-cheol, and Kim Sa-rang.

 

Kim Hye-eun made impressive performances in the movies "Nameless Gangster", "The Sheriff In Town", "Secret Love Affair", "Golden Rainbow", "Monster", and more.

[quockhanh45]

So there's no script, but already casting completed? Hmm..

[rubie]

October 17, 2017

 

10 Well-matched drama couples despite their huge age gap

 

Source: MyKcatchup via HanCinema.net

Age is just a number when it comes to a good chemistry. There are many actors and actresses who've had a partner in a drama with a large age gap between them. This type of casting often brings worry before the drama begins, but once the first episode is aired, people can't help but be sucked into the unbreakable chemistry these couples have on screen!

 

"The Temperature of Love"

Yang Se-jong (1992) & Seo Hyun-jin (1985) = 7 years apart

Let's start with the recent younger-man-older-woman-romance phenomenon! Actor Yang Se-jong and actress Seo Hyun-jin can erase the seven year age difference from our minds when we watch them flirt. A seven year difference may sound like it's nothing compared to all the other couples ahead of them on this list, but they are wearing it well.

 

"Black"

Song Seung-heon (1976) & Go Ara (1990) = 14 years apart

Personally, I haven't yet seen the new drama "Black". (It's on the top of my list, though! You just can't go wrong with OCN dramas.) The news of the great Song Seung-heon and beautiful Go Ara as the two main characters in "Black" made everyone curious as to how their chemistry would work. According to the story that's been revealed so far, Song Seung-heon and actress Lee El appear as a couple, so I'm not exactly sure how Go Ara will come into play. Perhaps a love line will be created or they will just work together as partners. But either way, we hope to see a great spark between them.

 

"Mirror of the Witch"

Yoon Si-yoon (1986) & Kim Sae-ron (2000) = 14 years apart

Ah, young love! Actor Yoon Si-yoon and actress Kim Sae-ron also displayed a heartbreaking love line despite their fourteen year age gap. Though, with Yoon Si-yoon's forever baby face and Kim Sae-ron, who looks mature and adult-like for her age, the age difference is quickly forgotten.

 

"Fantastic"

Ji Soo (1993) & Park Si-yeon (1979) = 14 years apart

This totally unexpected couple created such lovely chemistry together! Their love story may have not been the most ideal, but the two made many peoples hearts flutter. For some reason, Koreans are enamoured by older-woman-younger-man-romance (noona romances) and even though they weren't the main couple in the drama, actor Ji Soo and actress Park Si-yeon made another great statement of that trend together in the K-drama history.

 

"Beautiful Gong Shim"

Namgoong Min (1978) & Minah (1993) = 15 years apart

Seriously, for every woman, Namgoong Min is that one man whom we wouldn't mind dating even if he is fifteen years older than us. Oppa, Marry Me, Please? "Beautiful Gong Shim" was Minah's first drama as the main character, so she was excited and nervous for the role. However, according to Minah, Namgoong Min was able to help her focus and coached her in some of their scenes, which made acting much easier and more comfortable. Having that trust between them perhaps explains why their chemistry was so good!

 

"The Perfect Wife"

Sung Joon (1990) & Ko So-young (1972) = 18 years apart

Of course, the scenes between Ko So-young and Yoon Sang-hyun were the main points, but whenever Sung Joon was in the scene with Ko So-young, there was just something sweet about the couple. Sung Joon is a rising star in recent years and this younger lover role helped him steal the hearts of noona audiences everywhere and made him grow as an actor.

 

"Secret Love Affair"

Yoo Ah-in (1986) & Kim Hee-ae (1967) = 19 years apart

How can I leave out "Secret Love Affair" when we are talking about drama couple with a huge age gap? Actor Yoo Ah-in and actress Kim Hee-ae are a legendary couple that initially shocked everyone. The drama itself had a sensitive theme, but the chemistry between these two was simply undeniable. Many agreed that for this love story to look good, it was only possible because the role of Oh Hye-won was given to actress Kim Hee-ae. No other actress would have looked this good.

 

"A Witch's Love"

Park Seo-joon (1988) & Uhm Jung-hwa (1969) = 19 years apart

"A Witch's Love" couple was as scandalous as "Secret Love Affair" couple, if not more, when the casting was announced. We knew that Uhm Jung-hwa would always be the gorgeous role-model to many womenm but having the nineteen year age gap with the Park Seo-joon made everyone question the drama. However, Park Seo-joon and Uhm Jung-hwa were able to silence all those doubts once the drama aired. The couple still stands as one of the most amazing younger-man-older-woman pairings in K-drama history.

 

"The Prime Minister and I"

Lee Beom-soo (1970) & Yoona (1990) = 20 years apart

One of the biggest age difference in the K-drama history is between Lee Beom-soo and Yoona. There was a twenty year age difference with this splendid couple, but it looked so natural thanks to the veteran actor Lee Beom-soo! Plus, this romance is meant to have that age difference, so it all makes sense! The drama itself may have not gained a high rating, but this couple sure made a lot of news with their cute love story.

 

"Mr. Sunshine"

Lee Byung-hun (1970) & Kim Tae-ri (1990) = 20 years apart

With the same age difference as the "The Prime Minister and I" couple above, this new couple with the twenty year age gap is waiting for their turn to make history! When the casting was announced and confirmed for this upcoming drama, everyone scratched their heads in doubt -- they still are. We are hoping that this unexpected couple will show us what they have to offer and bring success to "Mr. Sunshine"!

 

By Lily Lee

[rubie]

October 24, 2017

 

Choi Jin-ho to star in "Mr. Sunshine" by Kim Eun-sook

 

Source: MBN via HanCinema.net

 

 

Actor Choi Jin-ho is starring in Kim Eun-sook's latest tvN drama "Mr. Sunshine" reuniting with the writer for the first time in four years since "The Heirs".

 

"Mr. Sunshine" is the story of a boy who was abandoned on American soil and is later stationed in Korea as an American soldier.

 

Choi Jin-ho takes on the role of Lee Se-hoon, a high-ranking government official along with Lee Byung-hun, Kim Tae-ri, Yoo Yeon-seok, and more.

 

Meanwhile, Choi Jin-ho is starring in the recent movie "Swordsman" and "Inrang".

[rubie]

October 26, 2017

 

Park Ah-in signs on to tvN "Mr. Sunshine"

 

Source: Heraldcorp via HanCinema.net

 

 

According to sources, actress Park Ah-in is joining the cast of tvN drama "Mr. Sunshine" as Ko Ae-soon, a character with a story to tell.

 

"Mr. Sunshine" is another collaboration between writer Kim Eun-sook and director Lee Eung-bok. It's a human drama based in the 1900s about the justice army we must never forget.

 

Park Ah-in last starred in the KBS drama "Bad Man", "A Gentleman's Dignity", "Mama - Nothing to Fear", "Descendants of the Sun", "The Good Wife", and others.

 

Park Ah-in is putting her everything into the drama.

 

Meanwhile, "Mr. Sunshine" aims for release in 2018.

[peonie]

November 9, 2017

 

Lee Byung Hun discussed his cooperation with screenwriter Kim Eun Sook:   I would not regret it even if the new drama has poor ratings. (A translation)

 

 

Recently, actor Lee Byung Hun was interviewed regarding his cooperation with screenwriter Kim Eun Sook.  During the interview, Lee Byung Hun stated:  “I did not read the script of “Mr. Sunshine”  and decided to act in the TV series.   BH Entertainment Company representative Son Seok Woo played an important role.   He praised screenwriter Kim Eun Sook many times and finally convinced me.”

 

Lee Byung Hun continued:   “ In fact, many years ago, he told me about screenwriter Kim Eun Sook.  I never said I would not work with the screenwriter.  I would only do it if I received a good script.   I heard that Screenwiter Kim’s lines are outstanding and a drama can be considerd a screenwriter’s art.  Screenwriters have great power in the production process.  If the two of us can cooperate in our prime,  we can have a great 'chemical reaction’.”

 

Besides, Lee Byung Hun said:  'I would not regret working with her even if the drama did not have high ratings.”  

 

In addition, the drama “Mr.Sunshine” starring Lee Byung Hun depicts the story of a little boy who boarded a US Military ship to the US in 1871 and who returned as a US soldier to Korea that abandoned him.   This drama will be broadcast by tvN in the first half of 2018. 

 

Source: http://www.allthatstar.com/tw/view.php?action=5205&postID=372327

[rubie]

November 10, 2017

 

Age gap nettles TV drama fans 

 

Gong Yoo, left, and Kim Go-eun played a romantic couple in tvN's sensational TV drama series "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God" that ended in January. / Korea Times file

 

By Ko Dong-hwan The Korea Times

 

Unlike countries in the West, South Korea is still rather conservative when it comes to romance. 

 

Among the Confucian standards and ethical references is how old romantic partners should be. 

 

When couples are seen as "too many" years apart, based on subjective consideration, the couple naturally arouses suspicion and questions prying into their comfort zones like "How did they ever hook up?" or "What would their parents say?" 

 

Such interest recently heated up further as viewers considered the lineup of upcoming TV dramas. 

 

A romance between a good-looking hero and heroine ― a classic and hackneyed ingredient in most South Korean small-screen dramas ― has always been there, but when there is an apparent generational gap, it upsets some fans. 

 

At the forefront of criticism is singer/actress Lee Ji-eun, 24, who reportedly is likely to be cast for the heroine of a tvN series tentatively titled "My Old Gentleman. " Her romantic partner is said to be Lee Sun-kyun, 42. 

 

The reports attracted hundreds of comments criticizing the drama and the casting of Lee, who, as a singer with the stage name IU, was the victim of rumors two years ago saying her song  "Zeze " targeted males with a Lolita complex. 

 

The latest criticism includes such comments as: "A romance between a man in his 40s and woman in her 20s appears as if they are father and daughter" and "As if watching illicit affairs between a middle-aged man and his daughter-like figure is not enough, do I really need to watch it again on TV dramas?" 

 

Go Ara, left, and Song Seung-heon joined a pre-air press conference for TV network OCN's drama series "Black" at a hotel in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Oct. 12. / Korea Times file

 

Angry fans also berated  "Black" airing on OCN since last month, in which Song Seung-heon, 41, flirts with Go Ara, 27, and tvN's coming drama in 2018 "Mr. Sunshine," in which Hollywood stud Lee Byung-hun, 47,plays a hunk alongside Kim Tae-ri, 27. 

 

The viral criticism of the dramas also focused on tvN's sensational hit  "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God" that ended in January, a fantasy romance between Gong Yoo, 38, and Kim Go-eun, 26. 

 

One of Korea's top screenwriters, Kim Eun-sook, who penned "Guardian" and "Mr. Sunshine," was also upset when asked whether she liked to portray Lolita complex relationships as true romance. 

 

The general criticism is reflected in a recent hot keyword on the nation's social networks ― "young forty," which refers to South Korean men in their 40s who avidly follow the cultural contents among people in their 20s. 

 

Most netizens criticized the young forties. One critic said, "Do they really want to be recognized as young?" Another noted, "Forties are not young but should protect and advise the young instead." 

 

The idea that 40-something men having romantic affairs with women in their 20s can be charming on screen, or in media, has contributed to the mass-production of "unrealistic and far-fetched" TV dramas, according to online voices. 

 

One drama producer explained that because many popular actors in their 20s and 30s were serving mandatory military service, available quality actors with skills and fame were usually in their 40s. 

 

aoshima11@ktimes.com