i smell insecurities.

Magazine Allo has much more star-power than Style, so maybe the Style people should have courted a heavy-hitting actress from the get go instead of trying to cause a stir now. And what's up with casting Ryu Shi-won? That's random. I thought he defected permanently to Japan.

It's going to be hard to top a drama that's fixing to sign Han Chae-young AND Kim Haneul in the same production. They'll totally play up the fashion and glamour without making it look difficult. Go Team Magazine Allo!

Well, you can't blame them for wanting to take Magazine Allo off the air. It will hurt them in the ratings since it airs a month earlier and it's so similar in storyline.

I'm going like this drama.... "end sarcasm"

If I could only watch one drama, I'd probably watch Magazine Allo over Style, only because I think Han Chae Young and Kim Han Eul suit their characters more....but I am biased. Han Chae Young is amazing :)

That said, I don't think SBS should be pissed off at all. The fact that they're trying to take action means that they already think they're going to lose to MA...which doesn't seem to show much confidence in their drama.

I say, may the drama with the best fashion win!

Seriously... does this stuff ever happen in American television? Can you imagaine if NBC tried to sue CBS for trying to air "Chicago Hope", only because it's kinda like "E.R."? Or if something simular happen with "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" and "30 Rock"??

Wonder if MA and Style are both script as you go dramas. Could lead to a real battle, if both alter the plot etc. as they progress with filming.( SBS could use the first month of MA to trim and style (pun intended) their Style.) Would be an interesting and maybe growing experience for both teams of staff.

I'm thinking that the idea isn't that they are copying the same material, although the vehicle for creating the stir seems to indicate just that.

I'm not sure who was "first" but if Style had announced its plans first to be a fashion-related drama, and then Allo pulled a stunt by taking the same genre, pushing up the start date and grabbing more headlines with flashier names, I'd be ticked off too.

Not sure how I feel exactly about "who I want to succeed," but in the end, I just want good writing and stories, and I care waaaaay less whether it is based on the fashion industry, the sanitation industry, figure skating, whatever.

Totally random, but I think Lee Jia could pull off Tifa, if Korea ever decides to adapt Final Fantasy VII as a drama. haha.

LOL!

"HEY, STYLE! If you wanna play the plagiarism card, perchance you might wanna look in the mirror? "

hee, that's what I thought, too!

Hum, truly when i read about MA I really thought it was because they wanted another "stylish" drama to compete with Style...
Well, it's quite ridiculous because for example On Air and Worlds Within had the same storyline and it was completly different but well, i understand SBS, if Style goes after MA, people are ready to think it's quite the same thing so they will not watch.

And i really think KBS has done it on purpose to have high ratings, after their great failures and their big succes with BOF, they want to keep attention... I mean it not in the bad way but they want to follow the trend...

Funny SBS pissed about it when they stole Iljimae from MBC last year, who planned for it first.

@10, that dude -

I might be one of 3 ppl on dramabeans gets that reference. lol. That said, Tifa is more of a personality than just a face. Tifa is a wounded person at heart I think, just full of anger and sorrow, and her brutal hand-to-hand style of combat preference sort of feeds this kind of twisted personality and character. Can Lee Jia play that kind of a role? Hard to say...

***

As to Style and Allo, I'm thinking maybe both should be sued and have their projects stopped, if in fact there are too many similarities to think it a mere coincidence.

As much as I think that Style might be shouting at the rain, I don't have much sympathy for either Style or Allo.

***

Maybe if both of these projects were stopped, then we could see more original ideas come out, with writers getting paid to think first rather than just to push out paper based on trends.

I'm not sure how "relevant" or trendy of a story this would be, but how about a drama about a fictional family whose hanbok designs have been "it" for generations in Korea, and the youngest son of the family who seeks to push the boundaries of design in a field that has traditionally been kept by women, and so he keeps producing his designs in secret apart from his family name... creating a cool fusion between Western and traditionally Korean design...

Ok, maybe that hanbok idea kind of sucks. And so I get discouraged too, thinking that there is nothing original left, and all ideas are just copies or mixed bags of various things that I have seen before or even if I haven't seen it before, that SOMEbody has done it before. But every year, you get something new and special and that's awesome. There are so many stories out there.

On some k-tv channel this morning, they were showing this human interest story about this woman (single mother???) who was raising the cutest little daughter I've ever seen in my life, but the daughter wasn't doing well in school because she wasn't social - while all the other children were singing songs and learning to button coats and things, the daughter was just sitting in the corner alone. She didn't like to talk or interact with other people, but you could tell she was smart (they filmed her buttoning up shirts by herself in her mom's room, late at night, so she COULD do it). Why is the daughter like that? Why is the mother alone? THAT is the beginning of an awesome story, and it could go in so many different ways.

I just wish they could put it all together.

1. Get a great story.
2. Find a team of producers and directors that are skilled and a good fit.
3. Put together the right cast, not necessarily just throwing in the brightest stars trying to catch trends or find comeback vehicles.
4. Pay good money for a kickbutt soundtrack.

Then, release the DVD set within a few months of the end of airing, so that they can take back money from bootleggers, and then use that money to make more awesome projects...

All this sounds like to me is that SBS has no confidence whatsoever in their drama "Style" and is up to some dirty stuff. If you believe in your product, sit back and relax. If not, why bother broadcasting it? Duh.

It's possible that the execution of the stories is too similar, which would allow for a valid argument of plagiarism on SBS's part. If they are arguing for "severe copyright infringement," then there must be striking similarities in the construction of the story beyond the use of the concept. I haven't watch Devil Wears Prada nor am I hip and up on stories on the fashion industry, but like most niche narratives, they probably cover the same overall arc (women, shoes, youth envy, skinny body envy, rivalry, cute [gay] men, industry intrigue, more shoes :-) ). The devil, as they say, is in the details. I wonder how SBS got access to KBS's script -- which I assume they did if they are throwing around accusations of infringement.

@boraaah,
I can't think of an example off the top of my head right now, but America (the West) is very strict when it comes to copyright infringement. (I think the West created intellectual property laws -- I am pretty sure). The examples you gave of ER or Chicago Hope are more of conceits or concepts, not of actual stories. Actual stories can be copyrighted. Maybe we don't hear about outright lawsuits among networks in America -- but they happen often enough. More often I hear about writers suing networks for stealing their ideas. I have a friend who worked at a network and apparently they guard scripts for shows in development b/c there is so much cutthroat competition and millions of dollars at stake. And of course there are the high profile stories like accusations of plagiarism against Coldplay (song) and Seinfeld's wife (cook book). There are many other low profile ones that we don't hear much about.

I don't know much about the networks in Korea, but after what KBS did to Boys Over Flowers, my instinct is to condemn then 'cause they seem like hacks to me and more after money than quality. I can see them stealing and punching and playing dirty. But then, I am so super bitter over what they did to HYD, I am willing to condemn the entire network. It's a good thing I won't ever be on that jury, if it ever gets to that point and if Korea even has a jury system.

I still don't get what is so hot about Lee Jiah. I saw her a tiny bit in Legend and Beethoven Virus and I just thought she was merely mediocre, but it seems like she's pretty popular now.

@17 --- I agree with deeta. It was hard for me to get through episode 1 of Beethoven Virus because of her.

I'm sorry but I like the Allo cast better and they're just jealous that they didn't think of them first.

I don't really care who wins the ratings (or the lawsuits, if they get one going), as I won't be watching either - I find the fashion topic about as interesting as dirt. Especially since Magazine Allo is going to be going against Triple and Swallow the Sun, both much more to my liking in cast and concept. (As to Style, no idea who their competition is, but while I liked Lee Jiah in Legend, I don't like anyone enough to contemplate watching a fashion drama co-starrying RSY, the kdrama actor I dislike most).

This said, if the world can handle two Iljimaes in one year, why not two fashion dramas? I am going to be amused watching the drama surrounding them much more than the actual dramas themselves.

It's such a loss to have paired LJA with RSY, you know, when i see him, i feel like yawning, he is so boring : watching him, listening to him, ouaaaah, he makes me want to go to bed =O=
Well, i'm a fan of LJA but i get your points of view but well, here is about plagiarism, don't really know about what is really in store but i think SBS must has trustworthy informations to pursue them... It will be quite silly to claim plagiarism just because they fear they will loose their audience.
And I don't really think the matter is in which cast is better, it is a problem of which one is right or no. I really love HCY and especially KHN but it can be as crappy as another drama :)
I just hope it will not postponed both dramas or at list Style because I miss LJA >_<

You're awesome dramabeans

I prefer watching pretty people... sorry Style.

I don't blame SBS Style. KBS announced Allo after SBS Style and even going to air before them? Who wouldn't be ticked off? If SBS was more considerate, they would move their project to a later date. With the 2 similar dramas airing the same time, neither will get good ratings anyway.

I think it's a b**** move. Just duke it out. Don't be a cry baby out it. It kinda reminds me of when Spike TV first came on the air and "director" Spike Lee filed an injunction against them because he felt the public would associate the channel with him. They actually had to settle with that punk. Excuse me, but when I think of the name Spike, I either think of 40's musician Spike Jones or the best sex Buffy ever had.

Dramabeans- do you really not know how the industry works? Obviously (and everyone should know this) it's not about the plot or the script or even the similarities! It's about ELIMINATING the competition. Your immature attitude (and I quote- "Suck it up." shows a startling lack of understanding! The networks will do anything to ensure the ratings of their respective shows. In other words, survival of the fittest. Like a mother would protect their child. Why does this surprise anyone?

This is not problem of concept similarity, but the whole structure of relationships of characters. I think it's very similar. Even though it's not law violation, KBS did immoral behavior.

@Samsooki

Haha..I like how your mind works.

I am with you on good stories, good plots, good writing. I actually thought the han-bok story sounds interesting. It's a different side of fashion to explore. Or has it been done already?

@28, yvhsien,

Honestly, you'd have to ask other folks about what has and hasn't been done... I just make things up, framing stories in the basic of basics of story creation - make a set of memorable characters who, by circumstance or by character, become locked into a conflict from which they cannot escape and must follow through to the end. This is the essence of all dramas. Korean dramas rely on "oon-myung" (destiny or fate) to create the sense of being "locked in" while Western dramas tend to rely on characters making will-ful choices to push the stories along.

Regardless of the plot devices, people tend to get bored of the same stories and the same characters, BUT, if the writing and the acting and directing and producing and music are all good, then a good drama will be a good drama regardless of whether the idea has been done before.

Even if you make another rich guy / poor girl / contract relationship / love triangle drama, if you get top notch writers, actors and PD, music, cinematography people, you can bet your last green bottle of soju that I will be watching.

Hey Hey Hey!!!! Whhoooooaaa...............................

I thought about this while I was still reading their comment to you'alll, but I still don't understand why you'all ( many people) wants to see "Mazagine Allo" drama bettter than "Style" -- Is that it's because you all think they're "pretty" looking people like Han Chae-Young and Kim Han Eul, eh? Is that important for good "pretty" looking like their "pretty" faces than "ugly" looks like "Style", huh??

NNNOOOO WWAAAYYYY!!! It doesn't matter what they look like their faces with looks -- but it's nothing wrong with their looks from "Style"! It's NOT important how they have looks BUT it's important to watch these drama when these actors and actresses are doing so well at acting, mm! Actucally.....I know that many Korean actors and actresses are still beautiful and goood looking, of course!
I can't believe that they still complains what they want to watch "Magazine Allo" but NOT Style??!!!! Oh, loorrrddd.......what's wrong with you'all? I hope you'all will understand when you all will watching that drama "Style" will become best! It's same thing as rating will gaining sooonnerr! ((grins)) OH, I enjoyed watching "Devil Wear Parada", lolz, how awesome! I love this drama "Style" like as our American movie "Devil Wear Parada", hehe!

STYLE ROCKS!!!!!! ((Pray -- * Hope they will make this drama "Style" will become hitting into BEST top of drama like Shining Inhertance!! * ))