Song Il-kook and Park Jin-hee in Fermentation Family

51 October 31, 2011October 31, 2011

Song Il-kook and Park Jin-hee in Fermentation Family

by javabeans

Fermentation Family (aka Balhyo Gajok), starring Song Il-kook and Park Jin-hee, may have an awkward-sounding title (at least in English), but the stills from the upcoming cable drama are quite easy on the eyes.

Pictured together here are series stars Song Il-kook (A Man Called God) and Park Jin-hee (Giant) from the drama’s open set day, and already the chemistry is crackling between them. Take the above shot: They look like they’re either about to bite each other’s heads off or start making out, or maybe both.

Normally I’d find the drama’s unwieldy title off-putting (even if it’s apt given the traditional (fermented) Korean cuisine milieu), but in this case I don’t even care, since what has my attention is the credentials of the producers: Writer Kim Ji-woo and Park Chan-hong have paired twice before, and both Devil and Resurrection were standouts — tightly written, dark, and gritty.

This drama is aiming lighter than those previous projects, though, so I’m expecting less in the way of dark crime material and more of the heartwarming variety. The drama is centered around a family that runs a Korean restaurant who bumble through life, as well as the oddball characters who gather there, and promises to tell a “cheerful, touching story.”

The romance between the leads described as one of those bickering relationships that graduates to friendship, mutual helpfulness, and then a “family-like, warm romance.” Now, that’s an ill-thought-out simile: Familial is just about the last quality I look for in a romance, myself. (I’m going to write this one off as a promotional foot-in-mouth moment rather than an actual faux-incest motif.)

The broadcaster, jTBC, is another of the new cable channels that has yet to premiere. It is preparing an impressive drama lineup with which to launch: Fermentation Family joins the list along with others like Padam Padam: The Sound of His and Her Heartbeats and sageuk drama Queen Insu starring Chae Shi-ra.

Fermentation Family premieres on December 7.

Via TV Report

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1 danna

October 31, 2011 at 12:13 PM

Song Il Gook finally got a decent look...after 2 dramas where he was either over the top or frumpy looking....drama sounds interesting...yay for more variety in kdramaland

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Jinjoo

October 31, 2011 at 1:24 PM

i agree, i like his looks in here compared to his last drama AMCG!

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Yourstruly

November 2, 2011 at 11:13 AM

I third that. He looked like he packed on a little too much weight in Crime Squad (as well as looking scruffy). But he looked dangerously skinny in Man called God. His best looks were in his sageuks I think (Emperor of the Sea, Jumong, Kingdom of the Wind). I'm glad to see him looking clean cut and attractive in a modern kdrama for once.

As for Park Jin hee, she's been in the industry for so long but I didn't discover her charms until The Woman who still wants to marry where she was great as a multi-faceted modern woman, both independent and vulnerable. And of course, she was awesome in my favorite kdrama from last year, Giant. She's talented enough of an actress to make her roles and interactions with others convincing even if she doesn't have great chemistry with her co-stars (case in point: both Kim Bum and Lee Bum soo) so I am psyched to see she has great chemistry with Song Il gook from these promos. I'm in! (Who cares about insignificant things like finals, right?)

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2 Q16

October 31, 2011 at 12:15 PM

Seems interesting :)
Hope it would be a good one.
Seems current airing dramas aren't capturing my taste..
Miss the oldies drama
"oldies are the goodies" :)

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3 Kaleido

October 31, 2011 at 12:22 PM

will definitely check out this one... like the writers and the PD.. and love both leads... my expectation for this drama is pretty high since i love 'the devil' so much... but this is not the usual suspect and dark type of dramas like the other 2... so i am very much curious about this.

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4 Ani

October 31, 2011 at 12:23 PM

<3 Song Il Gook! Song Il Gook! Song Il Gook! Song Il Gook! Song Il Gook! Song Il Gook! Song Il Gook! Song Il Gook! Song Il Gook! <3

I've only seen one of his dramas, the very much flawed Crime Squad, but boy did I fall for him and badly. I even enjoyed his "frumpy" look from Crime Squad, as danna above (1st comment) put it, but that's because it was such a cute opposite from the even cuter (and awesome) Song Ji-hyo. I look forward to this kdrama wholeheartedly.

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Ani

October 31, 2011 at 12:25 PM

P.S. Hahaha. I love the various romanization of his name. I think from now on I'll just stick to the one being used at the current site, so DB's version: Song Il-kook!

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5 snow

October 31, 2011 at 12:27 PM

they do look good together. and song il kook's hair is much improved from the silliness in 'a man called god'.

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6 Rossi

October 31, 2011 at 12:37 PM

Jinhee is just so lovely. <3

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7 Cam

October 31, 2011 at 12:48 PM

Whooo for Park Jin Hee from Giant drama, yay! ^__^

Oooh, I am sure that this drama might be interesting & I don't mind to watch this, ofc. :D :D

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8 girlatsea

October 31, 2011 at 12:51 PM

I loveee Park Jin-hee. The Woman Who Still Wants To Marry is one of my favorite dramas ever. They really do have lots of chemistry. I think this means I'll be watching. I'm excited!

jTBC is looking really good so far.

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9 Bluefyre

October 31, 2011 at 12:55 PM

Still are REALLY pretty! I can't wait!

Gah, Park Jin-hee! I wanna watch WWSWTM again :D

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10 kellie

October 31, 2011 at 1:04 PM

Hope this one isn't dark. If it's a cheerful family-romance-with food thing it could be a good move for SIG. I'd like to see him lighten up a bit. I never liked him better than in the early unheroic part of Jumong, when he was the royal spoiled brat always getting into trouble.

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11 Jinjoo

October 31, 2011 at 1:12 PM

woah i luv this team up...they look good together, i hope we can watch this online :)

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12 jomo143

October 31, 2011 at 2:23 PM

Really like the leads, really hate the translation of the name.
It is the worst title, as much as I understand WHY this is a correct name.

Can't we get a "Pots of Love" or "Soy Heart"
"Someone's in the Kitchen with Kimchee"
"Little Soy Maid" "9 Pots 2 Tops"
"Hearts Jigae" "Slow Cook Fast Heart"
"Flames of Stovetop" "Soy Scandal"

Where's YY? ♥IZziE♥?

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trixicopper

October 31, 2011 at 4:07 PM

I vote for NOT translating the title. Jdoramas do it all the time. Because lets face it, Fermentation Family has to be one of the most gawd awful titles ever! :)

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Raine

October 31, 2011 at 8:19 PM

trixicopper - I agree, just leave it in Korean. We non-Korean speakers will get it. It's fine. I'm looking forward to it although I'm unfamiliar with the actors or the writers. But soon I will be!

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YY

October 31, 2011 at 8:50 PM

LOL! Love your titles!

Add these to the list of alternative titles:

Soysy Girl
Winter Soynata
Alone in Soy
Thousand Day Soy
Soy Over Flowers
Soymate
49 Bottles

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indigowine

October 31, 2011 at 11:15 PM

Alone in Soy.. ha!
what a depressed drama it would be *LOL*

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jomo143

November 1, 2011 at 5:11 AM

Miss Soygon?

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jomo143

November 1, 2011 at 5:10 AM

SOYMATE!!

I knew YYou could do it, YY!

This is a much better title. Someone tell Dramafever to have a contest, then we can end up with something even worse - like:
I Love You, Fermentation!
Fermentation Love
Yeast Heart

I am pretty sure they decided viewers will watch anything as long as Heart or Love is in the title. Sense be damned!

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YY

November 1, 2011 at 6:01 AM

I think 'fermentation' here means more like a kind of maturing love, a journey towards love? Trouble is I associate the word more with decay than with love LOL.

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jomo143

November 1, 2011 at 9:55 AM

I'm all outta soy
I'm soy lost without you...

Linda165

November 1, 2011 at 6:05 AM

Secret Orchard?

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jomo143

November 1, 2011 at 11:30 AM

As long as things ferment in your secret orchard...
Secret Soychard?

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13 Carinne

October 31, 2011 at 2:32 PM

Love~love~love the leads. Gawd, do they ever age?

SIK is looking spiffy w/ this new haircut on him; it makes his young soul match his outward appearance. You go decathlon man!

PJH looks so much like Brigitte Lin I want to give her a Mother Teresa hug if she didn't feel I'm any bit creepy. I can't help it, Brigitte Lin is one of my idols, so PJH gives me a better impression instantaneously.

I hope this new cable show will be easily accessible for overseas fans in Dec. Woohoo~ I have this and Extravagant Challenge to look forward to in Dec.

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anais

October 31, 2011 at 3:26 PM

Totally Brigitte Lin!

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14 ar

October 31, 2011 at 3:00 PM

Their chemistry is leaping off the picture! I totally went "I have to check this drama out" on the basis of that first pic!

Song Il Kook looks younger every time I see him!

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15 Ora

October 31, 2011 at 3:39 PM

Very sad :( It doesn't sound like it will be my type of drama. I had hoped for something like The Devil or Resurrection, but alas it will be my least favorite show. *Sighs*

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16 bd

October 31, 2011 at 3:44 PM

It's kinda weird seeing SIK w/ short hair; he's one of those K-actors who looks better w/ the long hair.

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17 d

October 31, 2011 at 4:42 PM

Park Jin-hee, one of my girls crush..

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18 Noelle

October 31, 2011 at 5:37 PM

So is it safe to say it's like a Harry and Sally relationship where they dislike each other and then that forms into a friendship that eventually turns romantic? Well I'm in. They look wonderful together. Plus, wasn't she in War of Money?

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19 Lauren

October 31, 2011 at 5:49 PM

I thought they were going to be of humble background, harvesting vegetables or something then BAM! Who needs farming when you can be a gourmet chef or a hot hopefully-not-a-chaebol???

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20 Clorox321

October 31, 2011 at 6:05 PM

This does look interesting, and it looks like the leads have a good chemistry :)

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21 kukkoo

October 31, 2011 at 6:28 PM

Song Il Gook is supposed to be a gangster?? The description of his character is very vague, but I appreciate surprises since Song Il Gook is the man who can pull off variety of characters.

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22 Steamy Bun

October 31, 2011 at 8:00 PM

I'm so looking forward to this! Anything food- or restaurant-related and I'm in. Plus the leads are both mature, cool and sexay.

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23 Joy

October 31, 2011 at 9:00 PM

I will watch anything with Park Jin Hee in it. 'Nuff said.

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24 Banu

November 1, 2011 at 12:14 AM

YAY.. one of my fav together in a drama..love it ^__^

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25 aicy

November 1, 2011 at 12:15 AM

oh yeah!i will look forward to watching this drama starred song il gook.i miss him since his drama crime squad which i believe did rate average only.i hope that this upcoming drama will make it to no.1.

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26 Linda165

November 1, 2011 at 6:07 AM

For this one I'm going to be fangirling for the girl.

♥ Park Jin-hee

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27 halom

November 1, 2011 at 8:01 AM

PERFECT
2 FAVORIT SUPER WAW

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28 Fatemeh

November 1, 2011 at 9:12 AM

so looking forward to this drama.

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29 YBisTOP

November 1, 2011 at 9:25 AM

When will this drama air? I am totally going to watch it because of Song Il Gook, my husband. :)

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30 Jini Neutron

November 4, 2011 at 6:45 AM

You Go Girl!
So waiting for her comeback, and if this one is a light comedy/romance drama.
Bang! PJH is on the roll, as it is her finest.

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31 rory

November 9, 2011 at 12:48 PM

I perfectly agree to the 1st comment (donna, dated oct.31st)! Finally Song Il Gook looks closer to his real and normal look! No fancy hairstyle( See AMCG), no wigs, ...just the common SIG we all (fans) love.Look forward to watching the movie!

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32 SIGleigh

November 12, 2011 at 10:02 AM

yes this time SIG is neat looking but whatever looks or style I still looking through his handsome face! ever and ever number one fans! SIG Goodluck!

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33 chike chidinma

March 12, 2012 at 4:07 AM

SIG looked gud in AMCG though he was skinny.I love his looks better in jumong,emperor of the sea and kingdom of the winds.his looks in crime squard depicts the character he played.but in all,he is still the same handsome song il gook.he is my best and favourite actor.