Sunday, June 28, 2015

Drama Preview - Midnight Diner


Korean drama is not really entertainment known for its fresh stories. Even when they appear to be, a lot of them are based on other works, such as manhwa, webtoons or even works in other countries. 'Midnight Diner' is itself based on a Japanese drama called 'Shinya Shokudo' and originally a manga. However, that does not change the fact that it can bring some much needed diversity to Korean drama.

Premise

The series is about a restaurant which is only open from midnight to 7am. Its owner and chef, a mysterious man called Master will cook dishes according to each customer's wishes. Along with the food, Master offers his company while the diners speak to him about what troubles them.


Full Article: [HanCinema's Drama Preview] "Midnight Diner".

Drama First Look - Hidden Identity


TvN's new crime drama, 'Hidden Identity' is now done with its introductory episodes and has begun going into the main plot. Expectations for this show have been high, partly on a Hallyu level due to the participation of Kim Beom, but also because the promotion for the show has looked promising for fans of the genre and the way cable television treats it. 'Hidden Identity' has a few key issues right now, but it has enough good things to do well.

First things first, it is important to define the series. While the topic of a revenge plot for the male lead is present, this is far from a personal story. It is also not a character drama, for the most part. Perhaps the series will further develop its characters as time goes by, but it is a pure action and suspense thriller at the moment. This is not really a bad thing if done well, but it can harm this particular series in the future.


Full Article: [HanCinema's Drama First Look] "Hidden Identity".

Drama Preview - Oh My Ghostess


More romance is arriving from tvN, a channel which by now has made romantic comedies its most notable genre. This time around, we have fantasy involved in the form of what sounds like quite an embarrassing ghost possession. With Park Bo-yeong making a return to dramas and a cast and premise which sound at the very least entertaining, we might be in for a fun summer rom-com.

Premise

Na Bong-seon (Park Bo-yeong) is a timid woman who works as a sous chef. She can also see ghosts. Kang Seon-woo (Jo Jeong-seok) is a confident man with a firm grip on reality and a top chef. He does not notice Bong-seon, who has a crush on him, until she becomes possessed by a ghost named Sin Soon-ae (Kim Seul-gi-I). The ghost of a woman who is very different to Bong-seon and very forward with her advances towards men.


Full Article: [HanCinema's Drama Preview] "Oh My Ghostess".

Sunday, June 21, 2015

Actor Spotlight - Park Hee Soon


Actors vary a lot in their talent, skills, types of performances, popularity and even function in the industry their career develops in. There are many who might not be familiar or very familiar to foreign fans and especially drama fans, but whose work has been significant. They have helped the film and drama industries maintain a certain quality through their individual artistic efforts and choices. Park Hee-soon is such an actor.

Park graduated from Seoul's Institute of the Arts and Theatre in 1988 and it was not long after when he got his first role in theater, in 1990. In 1994, he starred in a short film called '2001 Imagine' as a man who is obsessed with the idea that he is John Lennon. In the following decade, he had some roles in film that ranged from small appearances to a main cast member, until he got his first leading part alongside Kim Yoon-jin in 2007 film 'Seven Days'.


Full Article: [HanCinema's Actor Spotlight] Park Hee-soon.

Drama Review - Missing Noir M


While crime shows are in general more realistic and handle more dire topics than for example fairytale romances, they do not necessarily explore their stories more deeply. Crime fluff does exist and has its own tropes that also become clichés. OCN has delivered many good dramas, but had not gone the extra mile into meaningful stories with a theme. Until 'Missing Noir M' came along. A show which elevates its genre and becomes a milestone for the channel's drama output.

Gil Soo-hyeon (Kim Kang-woo) is a former FBI agent and highly intelligent, highly educated person who has returned to South Korea. He is asked to lead a special missing persons unit which will handle only the most difficult cases and those of great importance or interest. His crew consists of Oh Dae-yeong (Park Hee-soon), a regular detective trying to climb up the ranks and Jin Seo-joon (Jo Bo-ah), a computer and cybercrime expert.


Full Article: [HanCinema's Drama Review] "Missing Noir M".

Sunday, June 14, 2015

Drama Preview - Hidden Identity


TvN might be best known for its romantic comedies, but the station has offered more genres during its run. Shows like last year's 'Incomplete Life' or 'Gabdong - The Serial Killer' have been well received while attempting a new approach for the channel and Korean drama in general. The new addition to this variety comes with crime drama 'Hidden Identity', which might not sound exciting yet, but has all it needs to succeed.

Premise

The series follows a newly formed group fighting crime by using all kinds of means, legal and not. Cha Geon-woo (Kim Beom) is a former SWAT and SEAL member seeking revenge over his girlfriend's death. Jang Moo-won (Park Seong-woong) is the team's composed and responsible leader, Jang Min-joo (Yoon Soy) is an expert in disguise, martial arts and psychology and Choi Tae-pyeong (Lee Won-jong) has a great network and underground connections.


Full Article: [HanCinema's Drama Preview] "Hidden Identity".

Drama Preview - My Beautiful Bride


Doing one thing and doing it well is just fine, but with channel OCN having successfully established its own style of series for a while now, branching out into different things is inevitable. 'My Beautiful Bride' is an upcoming drama which adopts more of a regular drama programming form and focuses on a main plot, something the station's series have already attempted a few times. Done well, this might just be a milestone for the provider.

Premise

Kim Do-hyeong (Kim Moo-yeol) is a man who will stop at nothing to find his fiancée. When his bride to be goes missing, Do-hyeong start diving deeper and deeper into the case, willing to even become a monster in order to find her. Cha Yoo-mi (Lee Si-yeong) is a detective who is trying to help him, while at the same time trying to keep him from losing himself in his quest for the truth.


Full Article: [HanCinema's Drama Preview] "My Beautiful Bride".

Sunday, June 7, 2015

Actor Spotlight - Jo Bo Ah


Entertainment is not an easy field to work in. As a woman, it is usually even harder. Young talents do not only need a breakthrough, but also to be supported during their first steps and nurtured into something great. This benefits everyone in the future. The same is true for the entertainment of South Korea. One such young talent who has shown potential and needs the opportunities to develop it is Jo Bo-ah.

After studying in Sungkyunkwan University's Department of Acting for Theater, Film & TV, Jo Bo-ah made her 2011 debut through cable, and specifically jTBC. Following her start on the channel's audition program 'Made in U', Jo landed a role in daily drama 'I Live in Cheongdam-dong'. In 2012, she got her first bigger role in tvN drama 'Shut Up: Flower Boy Band'. Jo's first role in cinema was alongside Jang Hyeok in the 2014 film 'Innocent Thing'.


Full Article: [HanCinema's Actor Spotlight] Jo Bo-ah.

 
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