Kang Ji-hwan gets back on Money train

90 January 3, 2013January 2, 2013

by girlfriday

…By which I mean his drama, Incarnation of Money. Though I guess if all goes well, he’ll get paid too. Kang Ji-hwan has been battling agency lawsuits for quite some time, but is reportedly in the clear and back to acting, and confirmed to star in the new weekend rom-com alongside Hwang Jung-eum, as planned. There are conflicting reports ranging from “still considering” to “confirmed,” but the better news is really that he’s back to being able to sign on at all.

The 24-episode series is the next project from the buzz team behind ratings hits and critical successes Giant and History of the Salaryman — PD Yoo In-shik and writers Jang Young-chul and Jung Kyung-soon. It’ll be the second time they’ve worked with Hwang Jung-eum who was in Giant, and needless to say, all eyes are on them to see if they can hit another one out of the park. With the premiere barely a month out, it’s about time they secured a hero, though they deserve credit for waiting faithfully instead of recasting at the first sign of trouble. Everyone gets a cookie.

The plot sounds even zanier than Salaryman, if you can believe that. Hwang Jung-eum stars as the vicious daughter of a loan shark who grows up knowing nothing but money, and will stop at nothing to collect what’s owed. Kang Ji-hwan is one such unlucky debtor, who for reasons unknown is locked away in a mental institution on an island. First of all, what’s with the Alcatraz for crazy people? Also, now I get why the producers would wait around for Kang Ji-hwan.

So then for reasons even MORE unfathomable, the heroine busts him out of the mental facility… with fake papers saying that they’re married. It’s… so wrong it’s right? Granted, if I had to make sense of Salaryman’s plot on paper without knowing its tone, I’d think it was crazeballs. So I’m not really worried that Money sounds completely insane. The drama promises to be a satire about lobbying, connections, and all the ways money has corrupted contemporary Korean society, all told with a biting wit. Badass.

Incarnation of Money follows Alice in Cheongdam-dong and premieres February 2 on SBS.

Via Star News

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Tags: Hwang Jung-eum, Kang Ji-hwan

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1 Ivoire

January 3, 2013 at 5:07 AM

Thank you for the news!

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pabo ceo reom

January 3, 2013 at 4:34 PM

I love me some Kang Ji-hwan but I really don't feel the same for Hwang Jung-eum. She's steadily improving but have yet to win me over. The story sounds great though lol.

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jt885

January 3, 2013 at 5:38 PM

I agree, I love Kang Ji- Hawn's acting, I can't say the same for Hwang Jung-eum. I'm afraid she might ruin the drama for me. I thought Full house 2 was a total disaster. I'm sure there will people who disagrees.

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2 damianna

January 3, 2013 at 5:08 AM

phew! about time i'd say. kang ji hwan your presence in dramaland is deeply missed. and let's hope hwang jung-eum's keeping that hair...

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3 browncoat78

January 3, 2013 at 5:11 AM

Great news! And I agree, it would be hard to imagine anyone other than Kang Ji Hwan pulling this character off. Sounds awesome!

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4 sponge

January 3, 2013 at 5:11 AM

Yes! Kang ji hwan please, history of a salaryman was awesome so i'm definitely looking forward to this, bring on the whacky fun

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5 V

January 3, 2013 at 5:13 AM

I've never seen him act in anything, but all this drama over him makes me curious about him.

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Moko

January 3, 2013 at 7:03 AM

that is sad V, he is one crazy fella :D
watch a movie with him and you might guess how zippy a drama can get inclusive his charm
...how about "My Girlfriend is an Agent" - that one gets an adaption now with Joo Won (from Gaksital)
enjoy!

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pipit

January 3, 2013 at 4:04 PM

And Coffee House where you'll meet one crazy writer ^-^

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Orion

January 3, 2013 at 4:58 PM

I would add 'Capital Scandal'. He's good with comedy, but that showed he can handle melo well too. I think he's a versatile actor, but he's been choosing a lot of the same types of characters. It might explain why he keeps having troubles with agencies. Maybe they just want him to take up such roles because it sells and he'd like to try different things.

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AAAA

February 27, 2014 at 7:52 AM

I would highly recommend "Be Strong Geum Soon" his first lead role, and one of his best. He acts really well in all of his dramas, but I prefer the scripts and costars of mostly these two. The other one ended up being Incarnation of Money!

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6 Orion

January 3, 2013 at 5:21 AM

Also, now I get why the producers would wait around for Kang Ji-hwan.

He's a special kind of crazy and I expect this team to use him well. I can't wait!

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damianna

January 3, 2013 at 5:26 AM

lol. his kind of crazy almost doesn't suit his mean good looks.

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Orion

January 3, 2013 at 5:44 AM

I know. I love actors and actresses who are good-looking, but not afraid to look like idiots. Anyone can be a pretty doll, but being a good sport and making fun of yourself is something people can respect.

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damianna

January 3, 2013 at 6:02 AM

yeap. it takes someone with insane amount of confidence to let their pretty selves look silly. people like him, jung ryeo won and such are like a breath of fresh air.

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7 Denali

January 3, 2013 at 5:25 AM

Wooot!!! So glad that he will be back on our screen.

*anxiously awaiting the recap on KoD's ep 17*

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8 rainbow

January 3, 2013 at 5:26 AM

wow....Kang Ji Hwan is simply awesome :)
waiting for this.....

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9 inf92

January 3, 2013 at 6:01 AM

so no extension for cheongdamdong Alice? Damn it!!!!

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luiz

January 3, 2013 at 6:07 PM

Me too! I was hoping for CCDA extension!!

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10 nynaeve

January 3, 2013 at 6:01 AM

With this synopsis, my interest-meter for this drama has gone from 2 to 10 :)

Kang Ji-hwan playing an oddball is really fun to watch, and I'm really anticipating his return to the small screen. Also, ditto on @peachyogurt's comment about Hwang Jung-eum's hair. Give the poor girl a break, she's been sporting really terrible hairstyles from her past dramas.

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damianna

January 3, 2013 at 6:18 AM

what's with k dramas almost always end up uglifying their pretty female actress. its like we viewers couldn't focus or appreciate their acting if they are pretty or something? even worse is when they prettify the second lead bitchy second lead characters. ughh! come on...

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damianna

January 3, 2013 at 6:20 AM

what's with k that sometimes end up uglifying their pretty female actresses? its like we viewers couldn't focus or appreciate their acting if they are pretty or something? even worse is when they prettify the bitchy second lead characters. ughh! come on...

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damianna

January 3, 2013 at 6:22 AM

what's with k that sometimes end up uglifying their pretty female actress? its like we viewers couldn't focus or appreciate their acting if they are pretty or something? even worse is when they prettify the bitchy second lead characters. ughh! come on...

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risa

January 3, 2013 at 9:27 AM

there's an echo in here...

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11 lili

January 3, 2013 at 6:02 AM

I'm so happy for Kang Ji Hwan but at the same it means no extension for Cheongdam dong Alice arghhhhhh

I hate you Ji Hwan shi but I love you too :D

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lili

January 3, 2013 at 6:04 AM

typo : at the same time

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12 mommai

January 3, 2013 at 6:07 AM

I'm excited. History of a Salaryman was pretty awesomely off the wall, and this one sounds like it will be, too.

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13 Meghan

January 3, 2013 at 6:07 AM

Some better news, if you weren't already excited about this drama, is that Park Ji Bin and Kim Yoo Jung are playing the younger versions of our two characters. May Queen child stars reunited! Lol. All around this is a fantastic cast, so I'm getting more and more excited about it as news comes out.

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akikisetsu

January 3, 2013 at 6:35 AM

It's not Kim Yoo Jung anymore. I was also psyche on Yoo Jung doing this drama, as previously speculated. But I guess her management accepted a different project. It's now gonna be Seo Shin Ae, one of the 2 child wonders from Gumiho: Tale of the Fox's Child (Yoo Jung being the other one). It's been awhile since I've seen Shin Ae in a drama. Looking forward to it.^^

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Meghan

January 3, 2013 at 9:17 AM

Oh really? I was all excited for the Yoo Jung/Ji Bin reunion. Lol. Ah well. I'm sure whatever project Yoo Jung picks, it will be good. I don't know who Seo Shin Ae is, I'll have to look her up. Thanks for the tip. :D

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canxi

January 3, 2013 at 11:39 AM

http://ganjjang.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/mbc044.jpg

Looks like it'll be a reunion for them too. T_T So precious.

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14 shin mi rae

January 3, 2013 at 6:08 AM

the escaping mental institution part sounds like eugene's new drama.

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risa

January 3, 2013 at 9:26 AM

Maybe using a fake marriage as a means to escape from a mental institution is replacing time travel as the new trend?

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Mystisith

January 3, 2013 at 10:17 AM

Exactly my thought. Let's hope one is sane and the other really crazy. Just to avoid confusing our minds.

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15 sogazelle

January 3, 2013 at 6:09 AM

Good news!

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16 dulcedeleche

January 3, 2013 at 6:11 AM

First of all..... *SWOOOON*

Now that that's out of the way.....

I'm in the middle of salaryman right now and I'm in love love love with this show. I think I'm hitting the slow part that everyone warned me about but hopefully it'll pick up at the end.

Kang Ji Hwan wears crazy like no one's business so I'm looking really forward to this. Hope they cast soon though....Feb 2 is mighty close....

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17 sumee

January 3, 2013 at 6:16 AM

oh wow..i am banana smilling !

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18 Miky

January 3, 2013 at 6:22 AM

Yeaaaaaaaaaaay such a fabulos news...such a good pair,i can't wait to see it

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19 petirrojo

January 3, 2013 at 6:25 AM

Y'know, when you mentioned his being worth waiting for (because he's so good at crazy) and the comments came in about how someone that good looking shouldn't be doing the crazy roles I immediately thought of Nagase Tomoya. They really are 2 peas in a pod; both are incredibly handsome and both do a lot of physical, broad comedy (I highly recommend Nagase in "Tiger & Dragon" or "My Boss My Hero" if you want to see what I mean). KJH has done more "straight" serious work than Nagase, but I guess the latter gets his serious work in performing for TOKIO. They're both so handsome it seems criminal that they should spend any time not being completely swoonworthy/deeply in love and maybe a little angsty, but when they make me laugh I don't mind one little bit!

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lenrasoon

January 3, 2013 at 6:49 AM

hahaha i love that you mentioned Nagase, he always picks some crazy roles (that he knows it suits him best) so it's not weird for me at all watching that gorgeous guys like him and KJH acting ~crazy.

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Sajen

January 3, 2013 at 7:15 AM

my problem with that comparison is Kang Ji Hwan is a fantastic actor whereas I've never seen Nagase Tomoya in a role or show I liked, er wait never mind there was one I can't remember what it was called but he was a detective and kept falling for the beautiful female criminals.

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nakai

January 3, 2013 at 7:37 AM

Unubore Deka ^^

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nakai

January 3, 2013 at 7:32 AM

My favourite from him is 90 Days' Time to Love. I must be the only one who likes him better in melo. ^^

But I'll watch this. Great team.

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nakai

January 3, 2013 at 7:36 AM

Opps sorry......I did a mistake on the reply.

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AAAA

February 27, 2014 at 7:58 AM

I actually don't think KJH is that handsome in a classical way. But it's his charisma, energy, charm, playfulness, intelligence, that captures my heart. And his lips. He has nice soft lips. And I like guys with a small scar by the eye (in real life I've also liked someone like that). And his eyes are not that big, or shapely, but they are attractive nonetheless to me. His nose is not refined, sometimes he looks like an ape. Sometimes he even looks ugly. But he's beautiful to me. Strange.

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20 lenrasoon

January 3, 2013 at 6:46 AM

omg YES! i love this plot and Kang Ji Hwan.

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21 fangirlofone

January 3, 2013 at 7:12 AM

I can't stop grinning like an idiot. >_________<

I'm so happy for Kang Ji Hwan! Awesome start this year!!! I have a feeling that 2013 is indeed his year. Looking forward to this drama and I hope he bags an award come year-end. LOL talk about thinking advance!

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22 Katie

January 3, 2013 at 7:28 AM

Yay! I was just re-reading your Dec. post about his agency problem yesterday. Glad there are updates! He's been off our screens for way too long. I'm excited that he's having a come back. The plot sounds crazy but really interesting.

Also...Kim Yoo Jung was supposed to be the young female lead? Aw! I adore her, she's so cute and bubbly in interviews! I hope she gets to be in more and more things, esp. with Yeo Jin Goo!

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23 kfangurl

January 3, 2013 at 7:54 AM

Yay to KJH's lawsuit woes getting cleared up! And what a bonus, that this show sounds wacky intriguing! Definitely going to check this out :)

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24 jomo143

January 3, 2013 at 8:24 AM

It sounds like something I would like.
Despite BOTH of them usually sporting really unfortunate hair styles, I like them in these roles.

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25 Kiara

January 3, 2013 at 8:29 AM

Damn I would have loved "Faith" if they were able to keep him as Choi Young and the original story. I hope this is for real.

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26 Liz lee

January 3, 2013 at 8:29 AM

Wonderful to see him back. Is he cleared just for this one drama or did he reconcile with his management group and thus allowing him to pursue other roles when this drama ends?

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27 bluemoon

January 3, 2013 at 9:00 AM

Wonderful. Can't Wait. It's going to be awesome.

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28 Nallali

January 3, 2013 at 9:15 AM

Took me too long to finally check out what the fuss is all about My GF is an Agent and am so glad i did! This guy can make u piss ur pants laughing cuz when he's funny, he's like crazy funny! And if he's anything along the lines of Lee Beom Soo's character in Salaryman then this is gonna be huge!

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29 risa

January 3, 2013 at 9:32 AM

I say bring on the cray cray!

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30 Trina

January 3, 2013 at 9:44 AM

From what I read is that Eunjung will be the other lead. 0.0 I read it from Koala unni blog. I thought SBS fire her from Five Fingers and now she is on this drama...

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Annie

January 3, 2013 at 1:44 PM

Nope, it's going to be Oh Yoon Ah.

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Trina

January 3, 2013 at 2:36 PM

Thanks. Um.. is that good news or bad news....

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Annie

January 3, 2013 at 3:31 PM

Good, I guess. She's pretty harmless.

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hapacalgirl

January 3, 2013 at 4:51 PM

But can she act? So far most of her roles have been pretty small. I think Kang Ji Hwan and Eunjung have really good chemistry, kind of disappointed that she's not a part of this project.

Annie

January 3, 2013 at 4:58 PM

@ hapacalgirl, I was a fan of KJH/Eun Jung in Coffee House so I get where you're coming from. From Eun Jung's perspective, though, it'd probably be a good idea to let whatever resentment from the bullying scandal that still lingers boil over before she returns to dramas.

Re: Oh Yoon Ah's acting abilities, she's competent at the very least. I don't like her storyline in Childless Good Fortune but she's doing pretty well in that drama.

31 iam

January 3, 2013 at 9:55 AM

KJH taking on a cray cray role? Why, THANK YOU, dramagods!

It's a happy new year indeed! ^_^

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iam

January 3, 2013 at 10:04 AM

Btw, GF, how's JB? Spazzing, I suppose? ^_^

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32 kopytko

January 3, 2013 at 9:58 AM

Finally a drama with an off the wall plot, without time travel, magic, mythical creatures, shoe or fashion designers, and more importantly, without idols in main cast. Looks like I am interested. Yay!

BTW: I don't care if HJE sports a perm again ;P. It's ok with me, as long as she portrays her feisty character well.

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33 Mystisith

January 3, 2013 at 10:23 AM

I must be one of the few who didn't succumb to KJH's charm yet: I think he's OK but that's it. For once I will come purely for the crazy story.

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kopytko

January 3, 2013 at 10:47 AM

There are two of us. Yay for the insane plot!

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carolies541

January 3, 2013 at 11:25 AM

There's 3. I liked him most in Coffee House but I wished him to end with Eunjung instead of PSY. I'm always meh about PSY though I can't deny her acting improved vastly over the years...

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milkmustache

January 3, 2013 at 11:02 PM

Okay, for some reason, when you typed, "PSY", I literally thought of PSY who sang Gangnam Style and I was like, "when was PSY casted in Coffee House?" Then I realized you were talking about Park Shi Yeon. Woops. ^^"

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34 Noelle

January 3, 2013 at 11:23 AM

Good for him. Now bring on the drama! I want fun and zany.

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35 KZ

January 3, 2013 at 12:05 PM

I will always be a fan of Kang Ji-Hwan, Sung Yuri and Jang Geun-Suk because the first Korean drama I ever really truly watched was Hong Gil Dong. Great drama that was even though the ending sent me to a spiraling depression haha.

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36 bimbobunny

January 3, 2013 at 12:40 PM

Omo. I think I died a little inside.

Give me a moment please

/moment

SQUUUUUUUUUUUUE <3

Okay, done. ^^

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37 WM

January 3, 2013 at 12:49 PM

I am so ready for this show. I'm going to have to start a countdown calendar.

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38 iamdeb

January 3, 2013 at 12:57 PM

Kang Ji Hwan could get it!

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39 tapiocapearl

January 3, 2013 at 2:49 PM

Yes! Kang Ji-hwan and HOTS team?! If there ever was a perfect pairing, it's this. I'm just glad all that agency hoopla is done with and this man can do what he does best again.

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40 Kdramafan89

January 3, 2013 at 3:42 PM

I LOVE the writers who made Giant and Salaryman and I love hwang jun eum so I'm super excited. Kang ji hwan hasn't done a decent drama yet so I'm glad he picked a drama that guarantees him a hit cause he really is an amazing actor he just has problems with picking dramas

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41 Lukas

January 3, 2013 at 3:53 PM

Eunjung will be the other leader?

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42 Taiba

January 3, 2013 at 4:15 PM

the synopsis sounds great! this time the girl is rich; finally a change. and i looove crazy characters. cant wait!

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43 pipit

January 3, 2013 at 4:23 PM

Besides Kang Ji Hwan, what I love most in a drama is when it takes a different approach to what already almost stale story molds in kdrama land. So, I'm all for a crazyness.

Not saying that I don't love the old patterns we all familiar with - fot that what made us love kdrama in the first place - but sometimes the bandwagon thing is really too much. I love time travel but last year time travel stories were rather disappointing. I love fake marriages too but I can't seem to recall which drama with this plot that stands out.

I really wish that this Incarnation of Money will deliver something good. More like King of Drama in tone and atmosphere perhaps.

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Annie

January 3, 2013 at 5:00 PM

I'm a total sucker for fake marriage story plots but there have actually been precious few in Korean/Japanese/Chinese dramas of late. I get my fix from Thai lakorns but the drop in quality is jarring, to say the least.

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iatetoomuch

January 3, 2013 at 6:25 PM

Fellow lakorn watcher here. Sharing your frustation on lakorns. Great storyline on paper, very good looking actors, shitty execution 99% of the time, yet I keep on coming back in the hope of finding the 'one' that will melt my heart.

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44 Solyn

January 3, 2013 at 4:42 PM

KJH is crazy , watched Runway cop at work,from the first snort tolast muffled giggle I was asked to leave the office and at home my roommate asked to me watch it in my room
its funny and stupid but its KJH

I like you KJH to quote a line from the Runway cop

looking forward to this

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Orion

January 3, 2013 at 5:04 PM

The scene where he was high was a hoot. Probably one of the few parts I did enjoy, since it recycled a lot of humor from '7th Grade Civil Servant' and it felt embarrassing they didn't come up with new stuff.

But Kang Ji Hwan acts nuts when the character is relatively normal and if the drugs scene in this is any indication, someone certifiably insane and on psycho-meds is going to be the ultimate character for his type of crazy. And written by Jang and Jung? I can't wait...

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AAAA

February 27, 2014 at 8:05 AM

Movie screenwriters are mostly disappointing and less talented than drama screenwriters, in my experience watching Korean dramas and movies. They never get in depth, they don't deal with emotional depth, too many stereotypes instead of actual people, too much wanna be Hollywood action flick, too little creativity/uniqueness, and too much testosterone (e.g., girls are almost always boring, shallow, 2-D characters, short skirt, just for hot bed scenes)

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45 kilmenyanne

January 3, 2013 at 7:55 PM

Oh YEAH, Salaryman brought me back to drama-fold when I was just about to give it up.

Expectations are sky high now. Please be awesome.

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46 ar

January 3, 2013 at 9:21 PM

I'm crossing my fingers that Kang Ji Hwan will stay clear from lawsuit problems and we'd really get to see him in this drama through completion! The drama sounds awesome and I'm really excited that it's from the History of a Salaryman team!

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47 JD

January 3, 2013 at 9:24 PM

please give her good hair, please give her good hair, please give her good hair

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48 fab

January 4, 2013 at 5:03 AM

Eeeey I love KJH! Super happy for him getting back on the money train...

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49 Stephanie

January 4, 2013 at 9:35 AM

Usually I don't like him. Because he is meant to be crazy. When he's melo, he's boring. So I can't wait for this!

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50 leeylos

January 11, 2013 at 5:17 PM

i'm really happy for him come back in the drama,please change her hair style and improve her look...i think KHJ oppa really awesome in "lie to me" in terms of look,hair style and dressing...please,please,please...i love KJH oppa so much, keep fighting oppa! really eager to watch your new drama, i can't wait! surely this drama gonna be amazing!

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