Hwang Jung-min and Kim Jung-eun to star in Peninsula
by girlfriday
Well it looks like this project is finally getting off the ground, after more than a year of stalled casting rumors. With everyone from Jang Dong-gun and Ha Ji-won to Park Shin-yang and Han Ga-in attached to the project at one time or another, upcoming cable blockbuster drama Korean Peninsula is back on, with leads Hwang Jung-min (Accidental Couple / That Fool) and Kim Jung-eun (I Am Legend) set to star.
And while I love both actors, it’s the story that really excites me — it’s a re-imagining of contemporary Korean history, where North and South are reunited in the present day. A massive struggle for limited natural resources turns the country upside-down, and in the midst of that, two people fall in love.
Both Hwang and Kim start out as scientists (she comes from the North), and then eventually Hwang’s character becomes the president of Korea — the unified one. I think I’d rather they stay scientists, but there’s a lot of interesting political ideology to get through, so I can see why they’d want to explore the presidency too. I just like my post-apocalyptic sci-fi to be down and dirty, street-level stuff.
Hwang said, “I read the script and was shocked by the well-woven plot. I have to portray such a range from a scientist to a president, but I think it’ll be fun. I want to express it as a character with depth.” Kim added, “Just being able to work with Hwang Jung-min sunbae alone is reason enough to do this drama. This role covers the spectrum, but I want to portray this character who deviates from the norm.”
It’s been a highly anticipated drama for a number of reasons, not just the stars attached. The budget is reportedly sky-high, making it one of the biggest inaugural programs to launch a cable network. It’ll be airing on the soon-to-be-launched TV Joseon (previously called CSTV in some reports, though it hasn’t come on the air yet, so who knows). And it’ll be helmed by PD Lee Hyung-min, who directed I’m Sorry I Love You, Snow Queen, and Bad Guy (which explains why Han Ga-in was once rumored to star) and writer Yoon Sun-joo of Hwang Jini and The Great King Sae-jong.
Korean Peninsula premieres in December on cable network TV Joseon. Wow, December seems to be D-Day for all the newbie networks. 2012’s going to be one interesting year for dramas, and the business of tv.
Via Sports Chosun
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Tags: Hwang Jung-min, Kim Jung-eun
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1 malta
October 15, 2011 at 5:22 AM
Sounds ambitious. Any idea how many episodes this will be?
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2 tara
October 15, 2011 at 6:04 AM
i hope just 16 or 20 eps coz i can't stand drama with long..long episode. i like hwang jung-min being dorky in that fool. it's a different role for him maybe i should try this one out. wah december full of new drama..i cannot wait.
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3 neena
October 15, 2011 at 6:20 AM
can't wait KJE's role
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4 jojo
October 15, 2011 at 6:23 AM
I like both of them as actors...hope it succeeds. Since the country is already united, I guess we're not going to explore how that happened. How far in the future is it supposed to be? The scientist to politics thing seems strange to me, but the unification premise is even more unbelievable. (What? Papa Kim and Baby Kim giving up the country?) Might give it a try, if it's not too long.
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5 dramafever
October 15, 2011 at 7:01 AM
Once I'm done with Su Ae's upcoming A Thousand Days' Promise, I am so shifting to cable. Too much awesomeness happening in December, first Lee Soo Kyung Korean Friends and Padam Padam and now THIS! Damn, cable is so gonna kick ass!
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6 just saying...
October 15, 2011 at 7:29 AM
I adore this actor. He's the real thing, in my opinion. And not for Accidental Couple, though without him it would've been pretty dismal. I've got all of his movies and can watch him again and again. But, freaking cable? Why? I'll have to watch it online.
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7 queencircles
October 15, 2011 at 7:39 AM
This sounds pretty sweet. I have a feeling it'll be one of the longer miniseries, like 24-30 episodes. There is so much that they could explore with this. I'll definitely be watching, lol ...hopefully, if some angels will sub it!
I've recently gotten into a few of the longer miniseries. They're not bad. Other than BOF and shining inheritance, I wouldn't go longer than 16. I tried Baker king (30) last year (or was it last year, I forget lol) and I enjoyed it, but I still was shying away from long ones... But then within this past month I watched Can you hear my heart (30) which was great, and started A thousand kisses (which is 50 eps! Ah!), and I just started Tree with deep roots (24) and Man of honor (24?). So I would definitely still tune into this if it was a longer miniseries.
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8 gingganggolli
October 15, 2011 at 7:46 AM
...no offense but never really like the actor. I've seen accidental fool but not impressed with him. Anyway the theme was better, Godly? dreaming for united Korea....wow complicated. I wish it brings justice to the real situation of north and south Korea.
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9 nynaeve
October 15, 2011 at 9:40 AM
Was it just me who noticed that Kim Jung-eun's name in the post's title is spelled as Kim Eun-jung?
LOL. I had no idea Kim Eun-jung is... and then I saw her picture, and realized. Btw, I'm not nitpicking, just a little amused. :)
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10 gaeinalee
October 15, 2011 at 10:28 AM
~ 2nd to Kim Jeung Eun stance of her involvement in this drama, for me: "Hwang Jung-min alone is reason enough to watch this drama"..
His acting is superb! Definitely, I'll watch this..
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11 estel
October 15, 2011 at 10:53 AM
One thing's for sure, this drama's going to be gorgeous. Bad Guy might have gone the way of a snowball on a sunny day, but it sure did it in style.
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12 Menci Ang
October 15, 2011 at 11:30 AM
Hwang Jung-min? Oh my, oh my... can't wait for this one.
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13 neener
October 15, 2011 at 12:04 PM
interesting.... I like the plot...
looking forward...
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14 Noelle
October 15, 2011 at 1:25 PM
YES! He's an amazing actor. Looking forward to watching it.
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15 Rita (Tarits)
October 15, 2011 at 1:34 PM
I like KJE so I am going to watch this drama.
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16 Sukispop
October 15, 2011 at 2:09 PM
Kim Jung-eun looks stunning in the first pic.
I really liked the character she played in 'I Am Legend'. That drama started out so well and had such great potential. What a shame the ending was so unsatisfying(on more than one level).
Thanks, girlfriday! :)
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17 jascelpb
October 15, 2011 at 2:42 PM
i am excited to watch this drama. I love KJE and I like Hwang Jung-min. I thought this will be in SBS or MBC or KBS, it turned out in a cable channel and I am not familiar with cable stations in Korea.
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18 glace
October 15, 2011 at 3:48 PM
OMG the plot sounds insane! So interesting that I can't help but anticipate this!
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19 jakebot
October 15, 2011 at 5:09 PM
imagine being PD Lee Hyung-min's junior...Hyung-min hyung-nim. what a tongue-twister. this could be an interesting show. we shall see
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20 Arhazivory
October 15, 2011 at 5:38 PM
Damn....the premise sounds incredibly drama. At first I thought it was a movie but I'm glad its coming to the small screen.
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