Choi Kang-hee back to TV with Last Secretary
by javabeans
New drama alert! Choi Kang-hee (Petty Romance) is returning to television in SBS’s new Wednesday-Thursday drama Last Secretary, which airs later this summer.
In it, she plays a heroine despairing at her inability to find employment, when she’s hired as a secretary in a major company and falls for her boss. Of course. (One of these days, I’d love to see her fall for the guy at the bottom of the office totem pole. Or the cute coffee clerk in the lobby. Or the IT geek. Just something different.) Given that 34-year-old Choi Kang-hee is famous for her own baby face, the immediate premise reminds me of Baby-Faced Beauty (if the heroine fell in love with the hot boss instead of her co-worker) — although, admittedly, the secretary-boss dynamic is hardly new and can be found, oh, everywhere.
The drama is still looking for its hot boss hero, but the name currently being floated around as a top candidate is Royal Family’s Ji Sung. If that works out, it might be interesting to see Ji Sung in lighter fare for once, since he’s been doing heavier dramas in recent years like Royal Family, Kim Suro, Swallow the Sun, and New Heart. It’s always fun to see formerly serious guys go rom-com; if anything, Cha Seung-won’s ridiculous turn in Best Love (and I mean ridiculous in the best way) is proof of that.
Meanwhile, this’ll be Choi Kang-hee’s first drama in three years, since her quiet 2008 series My Sweet Seoul, which was a drama I consider legitimately well-made and -directed, but could not stand because of her. To be more accurate, her lead character, whom I found insufferably selfish, which is too bad since I like Choi otherwise and loved seeing her budding romance develop with Lee Seon-kyun. Hopefully her character here will be more likable.
The production team has me a little wary, with PD Sohn Jung-hyun having done stuff like the makjang First Wives’ Club and Princess Lulu, although I’ve heard better things of his 2007 Crazy For Love, the latter of which he worked on with scriptwriter Kwon Ki-young.
Last Secretary will replace City Hunter and premieres on August 3.
Via Hankyung
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Tags: Choi Kang-hee, Ji Sung
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1 Programmer Ahjumma
June 5, 2011 at 1:28 PM
The IT geek hero... I want that BADLY
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jakebot
June 5, 2011 at 2:52 PM
technically speaking, that might actually happen in City Hunter, in a way...it does get annoying that it's almost always the boss or his son who get's the girl. regular guys like the plucky types, too! lol
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Schmazel
June 5, 2011 at 3:05 PM
I vote for that too!!
But KDramas seem to find the need to squeeze in a chaebol (or two) in every single drama.
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janna
June 5, 2011 at 3:37 PM
He'd end up graduating at the top-of-his-class (but taking that nowhere), worked part-time at the CIA and Google, and secretly has lots of money....just because.
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...
June 5, 2011 at 7:51 PM
u missed out the angsty and misunderstood part. lol
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2 maez
June 5, 2011 at 1:33 PM
I do have to admit that in Baby-Faced Beauty I wish she would end up with Ryu Jin. Ryu Jin is sooooo sweet and he's just right for me ;)
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angelpur
June 5, 2011 at 2:18 PM
true, but her interactions with daniel choi are adorable ;) can't wait for ep 11.
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3 Keylye
June 5, 2011 at 1:37 PM
I'm not sure how I feel about Choi Kang Hee. Maybe I just need to see her in a role I really like.
And I'd like to see Ji Sung in a lighter role. New Heart was pretty serious, but his character was adorable.
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JD
June 5, 2011 at 10:52 PM
LOVED her in Sweet Buns. Her character is something I can relate to.
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dramaaddict
June 5, 2011 at 10:58 PM
Not sure about Choi Kang Hee either, before the may line up, I watched Rules of Love (our attitude to prepare parting), and i have to say I didn't like her there either. But much like My sweet seoul, it may just have been the character she played. So although this is a predictable storyline, I hope we can at least fall in love with her character.
As for Ji Sung, he is easy on the eyes so a nice rom-com would be a nice change.
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4 Yasmin
June 5, 2011 at 1:45 PM
Speaking of drama replaces, what is the drama replacing manny as it just ended this week??
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kaleido
June 5, 2011 at 2:14 PM
I think "I Need Romance" is replacing Manny... was described as Sex in the City kinda deal.. see post:
http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/04/kim-jung-hoon-picks-his-comeback-drama/
although I don't like or dislike most of the 3 female lead but I do like Kim Jung Hoon... so i hope this one will be good.
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5 jandoe
June 5, 2011 at 1:46 PM
aw man does NOT sound interesting to me. but maybe that's okay - i'm barely even catching up with the May Madness anyway!
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6 snow
June 5, 2011 at 2:02 PM
i'm meh on choi kang hee, so i'm hoping ji sung doesn't do this drama...
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7 Jay
June 5, 2011 at 2:04 PM
Maybe it's just me, but this premise is a total turn-off. (And also sounds like a total throwback to the 50s -- way to be progressive.) Kdramas already have a lot of power dynamic issues, i.e., the guys are generally set up to have all the power and the girls have none, so actually making her his assistant...it's creepy. An assistant's whole job is their boss, so having her fall for him too...it's too much.
Although now that I think about it, it would be more appealing if he fell for her and she was oblivious while he forlornly looked out at her from behind the office door! But as it stands, yuck. I really love Ji Sung and I hope he doesn't take this role.
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8 Sup super supper
June 5, 2011 at 3:02 PM
I actually just watched Petty Romance last night, and was wondering what Choi Gang Hee's been up to otherwise and found mention of this show somewhere deep in the tubes. It made me heave a big sigh, because I actually like her quite a lot, but I do not have high hopes for what this sounds to be. Especially not so close on the heels of something as thoroughly winsome as Baby-faced Beauty.
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Eleven11
June 5, 2011 at 9:04 PM
Agreed! Petty Romance was soooo gooooood. I thought she was a really funny and relatable in it, and her chemistry with Lee Seon-kyun was amazing. I wish this drama sounded more interesting.
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9 ilovebinderclips
June 5, 2011 at 3:37 PM
argh doesn't it aggravate anyone else that SBS is going for another workplace drama when What's Up is still languishing in scheduling limbo??
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78446
June 5, 2011 at 8:04 PM
I am. But I wouldn't hold out hope for it to air this year when one of its lead actors recently going into army duty and the other is embroiled in a serious hit-and-run incident.
We must *sob* learn to move on.
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10 Rachael
June 5, 2011 at 3:48 PM
Hear Hear on something different.
Yeesh, if they even switched it around so it's a GUY as the secretary falling for his hot, lady-boss then there'd be a twist at least. Korea really really needs to have some more dramas where the guy is on the lower end of the totem pole and the woman higher up.
Then tackle right onto non-chaebol romance triangle with people who have actualy jobs. Lord, a romance between waitresses and waiters of rival snack shops could be hilarious.
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Mia
June 5, 2011 at 7:39 PM
I like where you're going. I would love to have a power reversal dynamic!
It was very well done in 'What's Up Fox' where the noona was the literal "leading" lady and the dongsaeng was trying to win her heart competing against a the "rich, perfect, doctor" (It was genius and wonderful, but really, what do you expect from the writer of 'Kim Sam Soon'?)
But there's a danger to the ol' "let's be original and reverse sexual power dynamics" - My Fair Lady, 'nough said.
I would love to have a drama just full of cliche blasting couples!
1. A noona dongsaeng relationship
2. A woman who is not getting her virgin lips kissed for the first time and followed up with obligatory teasing and instant attraction the male lead (who has been treating her like crap - naturally.)
3. And then of course, for this particular post, the lack of an all powerful chaebol (preferably replaced with a not-filthy-rich, and perhaps a bit shy (hell, at least human), geek.)
....We can all dream.
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zgznoona
June 6, 2011 at 6:54 AM
Amen.
I would love a drama like that.
Where do we sign for it?
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Jay
June 6, 2011 at 7:59 AM
I'm all about these ideas! Kdramas hit the cliches so hard that they make the opposites as listed above super-appealing. One of the reasons I really liked Royal Family was that the female lead was both significantly older than the male lead, and had a whole history of relationships behind her. AND he came from a poor background (as did she). It was just so different than the usual.
I'd also add that if I never have to see the guy describe our leading lady as "ugly" again, I'll be just fine. I'm just waiting for one of these ladies to deliver a fine smack at that point and take off with secondary guy for that one.
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Eleven11
June 5, 2011 at 9:13 PM
Eee! That's one of the reasons why I'm looking forward to Kimi wa Petto (You're my Pet) - the movie starring Jang Geun Suk and some lady who I don't remember because I'm a horrible JGS fangirl.
In the original story, the leading lady is a woman who is well-educated and extremely good at her job, leading a team at a newspaper (though she got demoted to the lifestyle section for punching her boss). She's known as an elite ice queen, men and women are intimidated by her and she has to suffer the inherent sexism directed at a strong women in power.
The leading man is a dancer quite a few years her junior, who becomes her 'pet' - her non-romantic (pfft, yeah right) live in companion. He provides her with the unconditional love and attention of a pet, and is not concerned by how much more successful she is than him. Obviously, their relationship grows out of that.
Gah I love this story so much, I hope the movie does it justice.
But yeah, its a bit of a different dynamic in terms of the social status of the OTP.
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11 Aya
June 5, 2011 at 4:08 PM
kdramaland just proves and mirrors statistics of consumer demands, the depiction of women in kTV and their role in ksociety time and again, no idea why ppl get upset... oh wait.
Oppa will play in this, everything else's irrelevant <333
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12 crysalide
June 5, 2011 at 4:38 PM
I would rather have Jisung take over the role that Jae Hee left. i wanna see his chemistry with real lover Lee Boyoung.
Maybe Kim Myung Min can play the role of Choi Kang Hee's boss?
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HanKang4ever
June 5, 2011 at 5:29 PM
Oh, right, LBY and JS are real life sweethearts!!! Wouldn't it be awesome if they also play reel sweethearts?!?!?!?!
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13 WM
June 5, 2011 at 4:43 PM
- Then tackle right onto non-chaebol romance triangle with people who have actualy jobs. Lord, a romance between waitresses and waiters of rival snack shops could be hilarious. -
Rachael, I so had to second this idea. Snack shops, small family restaurants, second hand clothing stores...any of these would work. Imagine Romeo and Juliet (sans the stupid death ending) in the bakery world. It would be awesome! Just picture them staring across the street at each through their respective employers' shop windows.
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14 YoSoyHaru!!!!!!!!!!
June 5, 2011 at 4:49 PM
i cant wait to see her in this drama, i just watched petty romance last night and omg it was very funny.
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tari
June 5, 2011 at 8:54 PM
Yeah it was fun, just watched it too. First I watched it for some Lee Seon-kyun's hot screaming, but she won me over with her "Ethan-Gere"-sex fantasy LOL.
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Eleven11
June 5, 2011 at 9:18 PM
Oh my god those fantasy sequences were hilarious. When Lee Seon-kyun laughs at her fantasy and 'Ethan-Gere' scowls at him?
Her reliance on sex information learned from ladymags was pretty hilarious too.
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15 a
June 5, 2011 at 4:55 PM
I feel like she looks similar to an American actress but can't quite place a name..
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16 Lucille
June 5, 2011 at 6:59 PM
how about the 100 bound beauty lead actor, can't remember his name, he is hot !!.
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Mia
June 5, 2011 at 7:40 PM
I think you meant '200 Pounds of Beauty'. If we're thinking of the same movie I believe the plot would be vastly different if she was, in point of fact, 100 pounds.
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sandy80
June 6, 2011 at 5:12 AM
joo jin mo you gotta be kidding this is one of the most serious actors in korea he wont ever do anything trendy if he can help it
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17 tari
June 5, 2011 at 9:53 PM
I could tolerate the-chaebol-and-poor-heroine-romance probably because like most of us I still can't get Cinderella story out of my head *taking mental note: must distribute a copy of Politically Correct Bedtime Stories by James Finn Garner to all my nieces* but if the setting is a boss and his secretary, why I found it very very very very pfft, even almost creepy..
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18 Dara
June 5, 2011 at 11:39 PM
I want IT geek for a hero! Talk in 4GHZ 64 bits/s and of course Intel Core 5 processor hahaha.....
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Mia
June 6, 2011 at 7:42 AM
My heart would "dugun dugun" at someone who was savey with a hard drive - if you know what I mean.
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19 bjharm
June 6, 2011 at 12:45 AM
Talking of Baby Faced Beauty didn't Choi kang hee turn down that role, that why Jang Nara got offered it, pretty much out of the blue, though seeing the show now you wonder why JN wasn't first pick anyway she so perfect for the role..lol
I did like Rules of Love though, it was really the first k-drama I saw where the girl didnt in the end falling for the rich young jerk and picked the older 'second male' lead.
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20 Pooh
June 6, 2011 at 2:25 AM
Funny that you consider Cha Seung Won a serious actor who is doing a rom com, cos I always see him as a comedian who sometimes does serious character. He's one sexy funny ahjussi
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21 ahjummabunny
June 6, 2011 at 6:30 AM
wow! I was just watching my sweet city this weekend and wondering why choi kang hee looked so familiar ( it's the eyes she looks like an older moon geun young.) and simultaneously wishing her other dramas seemed appealing. I will look forward to this drama.
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22 hmm
June 6, 2011 at 7:18 AM
Cha Seung-won has actually done rom-com stuff before...tho maybe less recognized..coz he was in city hall and that definitely had some really cute over the top light hearted moments...so i wouldnt really say that Best Love is his first ever lightish drama...btw city hall was really good so if anyone missed it coz it was soo underrated i would really reccomend them to go watch it...
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ahjummabunny
June 6, 2011 at 11:14 AM
Jb is anti-cityhall. why, I can't recall so she won't know that cha seung won was a darling goof ball in that show. That being said city hall wasn't really a rom/com was it?
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A Cityhaller
June 6, 2011 at 7:18 PM
JB is anti-cityhall??? I thought she just missed it due to her schedule or something like that. It's not a romcom alright but JB loves that-Joseon-Xfile-thing why not try CH? The political thing is just a background of their love story. JB and GF please stop watching lie to me and watch CH instead, it has solid plot, very much different from SG and at the end you may not trust me now but you will find Cha Seung-won is way hotter than KHJ and Gong Yoo put together. I still love Gong Yoo though.
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23 Lee Park
June 7, 2011 at 3:14 PM
That is news!! I met Choi Hee before and she is the nicest person ever! I heard that she will be at Korean music festival in the next couple of weeks.
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