Eom Ki-joon headlines new OCN series The Virus

41 January 15, 2013January 15, 2013

by girlfriday

A new OCN series and Eom Ki-joon (Ghost, Scent of a Woman) as the show’s leading man? It’s a double-plus-good news day. He’s been announced as the star of a new franchise for the cable network called The Virus, due out in March, about a deadly mutant viral infection and the Special Contagious Disease Crisis Team formed in order to stop it. ‘Cause yunno, in dramaland you can’t get anything done without a Special Team. I wonder if they’ll get creative and cobble it together with two CDC scientists, a cop, and a hacker. On the one hand, a medical-contagion drama sounds awesome. On the other, it sounds just like this drama. How about we just let you two sort out your own chicken-egg issues?

OCN is another cable network that’s built up a nice little niche in original programming over the last few years — the dark crime thriller cousin to tvN’s rom-com flower boy set. Shows like Vampire Prosecutor, God’s Quiz, and TEN are the network’s flagship multi-season shows that all have a few things in common: high style, blood ‘n’ guts, and a crime procedural backbone. The Virus will be a mystery thriller (so right at home then) and a likely candidate for multiple seasons if it performs as well as the other shows.

It’ll be a 10-episode series helmed by a newbie PD-writer team — PD Choi Young-soo and writer Lee Myung-sook. Eom Ki-joon stars as Lee Myung-hyun, leader of Team Kill Mutant Virus, a workaholic thrill-seeker who’s prickly, but plunges himself into his work like no one else. He’s the type to do anything to get at the answer, at the cost of alienating his colleagues. Sounds like your average tv scientist/doctor hero, give or take a cane or a messy love life.

The drama will be a conspiracy mystery from the outset, as the hero discovers that what the deadly mutant virus is, is less important than where it came from. I think 12 Monkeys/Contagion/Outbreak and the like is a great drama setup — instant tension, high stakes, a world thrown into chaos, and potential for all sorts of episodic storylines. And you can’t get a team as deserving of white hats as one trying to save the entire population from deadly infection. Who knows, maybe infectious disease scientist is the hero to be in 2013.

The Virus premieres in March on OCN.

Via Joy News

RELATED POSTS

Tags: cable programs, Eom Ki-joon

Required fields are marked *

1 Miica

January 15, 2013 at 5:09 AM

I read Lee Ki Woo will be also starring in this drama ^^

Required fields are marked *

kfangurl

January 15, 2013 at 7:26 AM

OMG really?? I love both Eom Ki Joon and Lee Ki Woo!! If they're both in it, I think I have to watch this!

Required fields are marked *

Aqidah

January 15, 2013 at 5:26 PM

Lee Ki Woo..???

Ohh my hottie *drool..

Required fields are marked *

2 MsB

January 15, 2013 at 5:11 AM

I would love to see this! Loved his character in Ghost and especially Scent of a Woman. I will be looking for this, hopefully someone will sub it!!

Required fields are marked *

jєѕѕα™ 주원사랑 (@jung_kYro)

January 15, 2013 at 7:08 AM

I first saw him in Dream High. This guy is a versatile actor. He can be funny, romantic, and evil. I'm happy he got a leading role finally. :-)

Required fields are marked *

3 cg

January 15, 2013 at 5:13 AM

wow.....Eom Ki Joon is such a good actor :)
might give this drama a try bcoz of him....

Required fields are marked *

Mystisith

January 15, 2013 at 2:29 PM

Good actor + ajussi crush + a good story, hopefully. I'm in too!

Required fields are marked *

4 Rashell

January 15, 2013 at 5:20 AM

I love this guy! So happy he's lead, but I do wish it was a fluffy rom/com. He's adorable when he's all awkward and sweet. But I'll take what I can get.

Required fields are marked *

5 sajatokki

January 15, 2013 at 5:46 AM

Bloody Monday! With just 10 episodes it won't hurt to watch it...

Required fields are marked *

Ennayra

January 15, 2013 at 1:52 PM

Haha. I was thinking about Bloody Monday too. I only made it through about 3 episodes of that show, but I know they made a sequel so it must have been pretty good, right?

Required fields are marked *

6 Orion

January 15, 2013 at 5:54 AM

I haven't noticed the actor before, but OCN hasn't disappointed me with its leads yet. I hope they get a good team for the gentleman. Can't wait.

Required fields are marked *

7 cherkell

January 15, 2013 at 5:56 AM

Welcome back to DramaLand, Eom Ki Joon!!! This has WIN written all over it! Thank goodness one of our local Korean stations picked up OCN and tvN programming at the beginning of the year, so I can finally relax on the couch and watch... without a laptop balanced on my tummy for a change. :)

Required fields are marked *

Ivoire

January 15, 2013 at 5:59 AM

Good morning Cherkell, which station is it?

Required fields are marked *

8 Ivoire

January 15, 2013 at 5:57 AM

I am so happy for him! I would love to see him in a show as the lead...

Required fields are marked *

9 Tru2u

January 15, 2013 at 6:18 AM

YYYYYYAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love him to pieces!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Required fields are marked *

Elina

January 15, 2013 at 8:28 AM

I join: yeeeeeeessssssss!!!!

Required fields are marked *

10 iheartyogurt

January 15, 2013 at 6:19 AM

he can turn the dork off and turn the evil on so well it's scary. can't wait.

Required fields are marked *

kfangurl

January 15, 2013 at 7:29 AM

So true! Very well said! I've loved him equally in every role that I've seen him in, he's so versatile!

Required fields are marked *

11 Ruth

January 15, 2013 at 6:32 AM

Oh man, I'm all over this. Sounds like a great plot (if not terribly original...but what is anymore?) and Eom Ki Joon as a real good guy (maybe?)? Excellent.

Required fields are marked *

12 trotwood

January 15, 2013 at 7:05 AM

I with everyone here. I'll watch Eom Ki Joon as lead in whatever the networks are willing to dish out. His time has come people! Move out of the way! I was actually rubbing my hands together in glee and cackling (in a fairly creepy way) when I read this. I am SOO in.

I wonder if deadly contagion will be this year's time travel trope.

Required fields are marked *

Anduril

January 15, 2013 at 5:39 PM

can AnyThing ever be last years time travel trope?

Required fields are marked *

mary

January 15, 2013 at 8:29 PM

This guy can do *anything* and I'm glad he's got his own show now.

EOM KI JOON ALL THE THINGS!!

I wish Kim Sun Ah would cameo as a tango-dancing patient hehehe

Required fields are marked *

13 InSu

January 15, 2013 at 7:07 AM

Me too. I LOVE 'Poopy Doc'

Required fields are marked *

14 mysterious

January 15, 2013 at 8:20 AM

Liked him in Scent of a Woman. Loooooved him in Ghost. Will definitely watch; especially since he is the lead.

Required fields are marked *

15 aquarianunicorn

January 15, 2013 at 9:12 AM

I cannot wait for this drama to air. I like all of OCN's dramas to date.

Required fields are marked *

16 VB

January 15, 2013 at 9:18 AM

This sounds awesome! Guess I'll be busy in both February (End of the World) AND March. The medical nerdy in me is going to be very happy come this spring!

Required fields are marked *

17 Bengbeng

January 15, 2013 at 9:36 AM

i thought The Virus is the same as the End of the World, until i clicked the link. they are really similar. how come kdrama are always like that?

Required fields are marked *

18 lovin it

January 15, 2013 at 9:37 AM

yay eom ki joon

Required fields are marked *

19 King Kazuma

January 15, 2013 at 9:46 AM

YES YES YES!!!

Required fields are marked *

20 mariazzang

January 15, 2013 at 9:52 AM

Uh oh.. What would this mean now for his musical The 3 Musketeers in Korea? Been waiting for the 2nd schedule to be published..... *sobs forever*

Required fields are marked *

21 Arhazivory

January 15, 2013 at 11:36 AM

OCN is hands-down my favourite cable channel. I am forever grateful to them for the masterpiece that was God's Quiz. And of course the gritty and engaging VP and TEN.

I'll watch this for you OCN.

Required fields are marked *

King Kazuma

January 16, 2013 at 2:20 AM

This, every word a 100%.
OCN have some of my favorite dramas.

Required fields are marked *

22 Noelle

January 15, 2013 at 12:30 PM

I am soooooo happy for him! Bring on the pathogens!

Required fields are marked *

23 Quiet Thought

January 15, 2013 at 3:06 PM

Obviously there will be a need for a post-apocalypse sequel to both of these thrillers, possibly involving zombies battling gumihos and time-traveling doctors. All of them, including the zombies, looking for their lost loves.

Required fields are marked *

Anduril

January 15, 2013 at 5:48 PM

I love the way you mind is thinking. But that would mean our heros would have to fail. But can you imagine the twist that would be. If it were popular enough for a sequel the writer/producer/everyone-else-important might just have the guts for it.

Oh, and I am firmly on the Eom Ki-joon train since Ghost. The only creepier acting I've seen would be Kim Kang-woo (Story of a man). EKJ can bring such finesse to a role.

Required fields are marked *

24 canxi

January 15, 2013 at 3:48 PM

Ah, hell yeah!!!

I love Eom Ki Joon and have been waiting for him to score a lead role since Dream High (he's still the best musical teacher). I really think OCN is good at the whole procedural thing. Especially if there is humor mixed in, it's always engaging and smart. Even though sometimes, I have to fight to keep up, it's always satisfying and fast paced.

I need to watch Hero and the rest of God's Quiz, and now this is definitely on the list.

Required fields are marked *

25 anicheung

January 15, 2013 at 5:22 PM

It's Eom Ki Joon and a viral epidemic. I need no more. I'm in!

Required fields are marked *

26 Amy

January 15, 2013 at 6:56 PM

He might not be the best looking actor but he's definitely one of the best....love how versatile this guy is.

Required fields are marked *

27 Conny

January 15, 2013 at 7:41 PM

OMG.. I've died and gone to heaven!!!

Required fields are marked *

28 Lilly

January 15, 2013 at 8:13 PM

Definitely will keep a look out for when this starts.

Required fields are marked *

29 SuziQ

January 15, 2013 at 9:31 PM

I can't wait. Finally, he's the lead!

Required fields are marked *