Cable music network Mnet’s first original drama Monstar
by girlfriday
We’ve got another cable network trying its hand at incorporating original dramas into its niche programming — music-centric network Mnet is launching a new scripted drama about idols, which seems like the right kind of story to capitalize on for its audience. It’s called Monstar, which kind of makes me cringe (okay, it makes me cringe a lot), but the misspelling is intentional: monster + star = monstar. Geddit? Geddit? Sigh.
It stars idol Yong Jun-hyung of Beast as the hero and rookie model/actress Ha Yeon-soo as his girlfriend. They’re both newbie actors, so I have no idea what to expect of them. But I do have an opinion on the creative team, which consists of PD Kim Won-seok of Sungkyunkwan Scandal and writer Jung Yoon-jung of Arang and the Magistrate. And it’s: Yay. With those people behind the scenes, there might be something there, underneath the surfacey teen idol setup.
The hero starts out as the lead singer of the top idol group around, called Men in Black, and carries a deep emotional scar (as drama heroes do). His biggest weakness is his flaring temper, and an incident makes him fly off the handle, causing a big ruckus and forcing his agency to shunt him aside and stick him back in school.
So he goes from top idol to regular high school student, and there he joins a band, which is where the main focus of the story lies. Sounds like Shut Up Flower Boy Band’s trajectory in reverse, but more in a Dream High 2-esque world. Could be cute, if it’s more about story and heart, and less about flash. We’ll have to wait and see.
Monstar will be 12 episodes long, and it starts filming this month for an April premiere.
Via Xports News, Oh My News
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1 scircus
February 18, 2013 at 3:08 PM
Omo~ I really hope this is going to be more story and heart. Please, please, please :>
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Dominique
February 18, 2013 at 3:23 PM
Story and heart? Tedious. Boring.
Non-stop flash? Now we are talking.
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2 Ennayra
February 18, 2013 at 3:09 PM
I have to say I'm impressed by the print of Yong Jun-hyung's vest/pants. Is that print cheetah-lipstick-black panther? And there's even fringe! And is the whole thing covered in or made of sequins? Yes. I am impressed.
About the drama, I think it'll be cute. Don't know if I'll watch it.
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trotwood
February 19, 2013 at 2:31 AM
I did not pay attention to his clothes ( I just ignore them after being force by my teenage daughter to watch far too many boyband videos), but I went back to look after reading this. You are so correct! I couldn't have described it better. I laughed so much I choked on my breakfast smoothie.
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seyhan
February 19, 2013 at 3:30 AM
LOL
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3 Orion
February 18, 2013 at 3:10 PM
They had 'In Love Like Them' too, but that was a mini-drama. It was quite an interesting and entertaining one though. It had a lot of soul and didn't focus on music only. This might just be very good.
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shukmeister
February 18, 2013 at 7:27 PM
There was a Taiwanese version starring Jiro Wang of the band Fahrenheit, and Rainie Yang. He goes back to school, and she ends up being his classmate and his landlord. And his love interest. It's called ToGetHer, and it's pretty amusing and lighthearted, so maybe this one will be too
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4 foulou
February 18, 2013 at 3:26 PM
SISTAR, MONSTAR..what's next? GANGSTAR?
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Geneva
February 18, 2013 at 3:39 PM
Gangster boss ~fighting his way to the top of the idol charts? I'd watch that. :P
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Russe12
February 18, 2013 at 3:55 PM
Oh, wow, hahaha. I would watch it, too!
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myweithisway
February 18, 2013 at 4:27 PM
Not a bad concept! I'd watch it too!
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Rashell
February 18, 2013 at 7:03 PM
Ummm, isn't that the movie coming out with Lee Ji-Hoon? Too bad they're calling it Paparatti. Gangster may have been a missed opportunity. http://www.dramabeans.com/2013/02/lee-je-hoon-and-han-seok-kyu-in-paparotti/
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Rashell
February 18, 2013 at 7:04 PM
Dang auto correct...Gangstar is the word I wanted.
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Daisy
February 18, 2013 at 5:04 PM
There's Fiestar too XD
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moosie
February 19, 2013 at 1:41 PM
Well, there's that U-KISS single, "Gangstar Boy"... :3
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Kangson
May 1, 2016 at 5:51 AM
That's what I was thinking!!!
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5 ladystar
February 18, 2013 at 3:48 PM
I hope they do good.
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6 Russe12
February 18, 2013 at 3:56 PM
This looks pretty interesting. I do really hope that it's good...so I'll be keeping an eye out for it!
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7 giggles
February 18, 2013 at 4:03 PM
Am I the only one who thought of the aliens in Space Jam when reading Monstar? And the band name is Men in Black...
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8 hana
February 18, 2013 at 4:29 PM
OK ..this kind of dramas might be the answer to all the idol casting ...put them in such production for their fans and anyone interested to watch ... then when some of them show Potential in acting , have them in other dramas as serious roles . no more Complaints about idols sucking or taking the place of " real actors" and whatever .
but I have to say I hate Mnet as much as MTV .
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Mystisith
February 18, 2013 at 5:11 PM
Agree.
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ilikemangos
February 18, 2013 at 5:26 PM
amen sistuh
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Abbie
February 18, 2013 at 7:43 PM
I agree. This type of casting is perfect for idols. Start them in environments their used to, then weed out the ones with potential for more serious dramas.
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skelly
February 19, 2013 at 2:23 PM
Totally agree. It's like the farm teams for baseball, and desperately needed. Please keep them off my screen, until they can both shave and emote - and for extra credit, both at the same time.
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9 EsME
February 18, 2013 at 5:03 PM
aianwiki said that Kristal is also in the cast
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10 Miky
February 18, 2013 at 5:05 PM
I'll watch this for sure if i have were jajjaja
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11 crazedlu
February 18, 2013 at 5:57 PM
He carries himself well when acting. And I lurve Beast, so I'm in. Ha.
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12 Caitlyn
February 18, 2013 at 6:34 PM
Well, i'm definitely watching this. Even if Junhyung wasn't in it, i'd be watching it. There's gonna be some bromance, some romance, some music. What else do we need?
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13 Bro
February 18, 2013 at 7:30 PM
Junhyung looks like he's a decent actor. I'll be watching this because I'm a fan of Beast. Hopefully this don't end up like Dream High 2, which was just horrible for me (watched because of Jinwoon from 2AM).
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14 Abbie
February 18, 2013 at 7:33 PM
This sounds interesting, so I'm looking forward to it!
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15 serenah451
February 18, 2013 at 7:41 PM
I heard Krystal was casted as the main female lead! But that was months ago.. Is this like another What's Up but with a twist?
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16 saranga
February 18, 2013 at 8:09 PM
lol i may be in the minority, but the name sounds sort of cute. i'm not completely averse to it. a bit pixar-ish, disneyish.
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17 Eulaliee
February 18, 2013 at 8:17 PM
My biased, foooooosho! I'm very in, as in as I can be.
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18 Viki
February 18, 2013 at 8:19 PM
Oh nice, nice. Please tell me they are casting Go Hara too. Now that's interesting.
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19 jinny
February 18, 2013 at 9:39 PM
Ah sounds interesting, I love Beast and Junhyung seems to do well enough in their MV's (he's always the one acting). Heh it would be cute if they could get Hara to do a cameo since they are currently dating! Hopefully it'll be more cute than angsty though because I really need a cute drama to watch. Too much melo and saeguk these days...
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20 Kim Hayan
February 19, 2013 at 12:41 AM
I hope this show is more like the ORIGINAL Dream High-esque, but a lot like SUFBB's unforgettable bromance! I prefer this drama to be similar to SUFBB. Of course I would REALLY hope that I'll see girls PLYING IN a rock band rather than they watch their boyfriends' playing in THE BAND.
Well, I'm a feminist you know. And I cross my fingers to whoever is acting in this drama will be as good to become the next actors. :)
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21 Richie Lyman
February 19, 2013 at 2:22 AM
Not to be biased, but I would love to see some rookie idols to act because these days it's hard to tell who's who, especially since so many of them debut in 2012 (it was really alot for me! That year supposedly to "end"..maybe that's why the CEO's of a music label schedule their new rookie idols on that year?).
Well at least a few caught my attention, including CROSS GENE and BtoB. CROSS GENE has a different aspect from the other idol boybands, that is 1 or 2 members are ACTORS. Well they (you'll know who I'm talking about) should be in this Monstar drama. At least a Korean member. If you think I'm talking about SHIN, think again because I kind of hoping for the other members to outshine themselves. They should get at least being a cameo for one episode.
Hopefully this drama will be great with emotions down and up, and life-changing lessons along the way.
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22 Lilian
February 19, 2013 at 10:37 AM
12 episodes? It will either be too short or too long. Haha! I would probably watch the first 2 episodes if subs are available. No comment about the cast though coz I don't know much about them.
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23 Boo
February 19, 2013 at 6:08 PM
I really liked Arang and the Magistrate so I hope writer Jung Yoon Jung will do a good job with this.
Haven't watched Shut Up Flower Boy Band yet or Dream High 2.
Totally didn't know Junhyung was in this til now. I'm a BEAST fan so I'll probably give this a shot. ^^
The idol group being called Men In Black though.... Wish it was more original.
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24 yee
February 19, 2013 at 7:48 PM
looks interesting enough.. I just wish they'd tone down romance in these type of dramas and focus on the subject itself. . . ahah, i'm just a sucker for dramas that focus on idols and stars but no soo much when they overwhelm the romance part. -.-
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Kim Hayan
February 20, 2013 at 10:43 PM
I know. This drama should have A LOT OF BROMANCE (SUFBB, School 2013). Don't you think so? Anyway, I just hope the cast has at least an-okay acting chops. I don't want to experience that Dream High 2 soppy plot. Still, FIGHTING to Joker! :)
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25 myrikai
February 24, 2013 at 7:52 AM
After hearing about the PD and writer I'm a bit relieved. Maybe it WILL do well, and not just be a Dream High 2 repeat. The girl looks adorable too, go rookie actresses =D
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26 Koizora
March 8, 2013 at 7:38 AM
I think the 'Men in Black' are btob members... I heard Minhyuk, Changsub, Hyunsik, and Sung Jae will be in the band too :)
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27 nuyun
May 5, 2013 at 6:09 PM
i think krystal will be the lead cast because of mnet news.. but what happened? where's krystal?
i just like waiting for nothing,, soojungieee huhuhuhu :'(
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