Park Ki-woong back on television as nobleman-turned-slave

54 October 17, 2013October 17, 2013

Park Ki-woong back on television as nobleman-turned-slave

by javabeans

Park Ki-woong is back in a drama! Even if it’s only an episode, it’s better than no episodes, so you can look forward to the Drama Festival installment he’ll be headlining titled Escaping Slavery. (MBC recently launched the Drama Festival anthology drama series, which is similar to the Drama Special and Drama City series that put out short, often single-episode dramas and gave young PDs and writers a platform to gain experience.)

Park Ki-woong is something of a get for the series, which given its low-key production is more likely to attract smaller-name stars. PD Oh Hyun-jong admitted to being surprised that Park accepted the offer, having extended it only half-hoping he might be interested.

Escaping Slavery is a Joseon-era story where Park Ki-woong plays the aristocratic son to the prime minister; he has has a bright mind but no fear of the world outside his privilege, and lives as he pleases. One day he finds himself the victim of a conspiracy plot and is thrown into slavery, and from there he embarks on a mission to prove his real identity and free himself. The sageuk story also purports to use its Joseon-era setting as a mirror for modern-day issues in human relations. Sounds meaty—but bite-sized, at one hour long. We’ve all got an hour for Park Ki-woong, right?

Also starring is Seo Dong-won (King of Dramas), pictured below in slave’s clothing; Lee El (Level 7 Civil Servant), playing a top gisaeng in love with Park Ki-woong; and new(ish) actress Yeo-ji as the magistrate’s warm-hearted daughter.

I do have some bad news for you. PD Oh previously worked on A Thousand Kisses (meh), Dr. Jin (eek), and Level 7 Civil Servant (OYYY). The silver lining, possibly: He’s also at work on the currently airing Medical Top Team, which doesn’t seem hugely deficient in the directing department. Y…ay?

Escaping Slavery will air on Thursday, October 31, at 11 pm on MBC.

Via My Daily, SBS E

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Tags: Park Ki-woong

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1 queencircles

October 17, 2013 at 12:22 PM

Oh, I have an hour to spare for him alright.

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Julili

October 17, 2013 at 2:08 PM

Guuuuuuurrrrrrlllll and hour and then some....

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mary

October 17, 2013 at 6:38 PM

A lifetime.

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catsen

October 18, 2013 at 9:47 AM

And the lifetime after that.

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2 chane

October 17, 2013 at 12:32 PM

I love PKW. I might be wrong but that selfie is from his new variety show and not from the drama. Atleast that was from what I understood when I google translated his tweet.

I was so excited about this because he's back in dramaland, only to find out that it's only one episode.....We need a longer project for him, the army is already calling!!!!

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Javabeans

October 17, 2013 at 12:40 PM

Ha, your comment made me momentarily wonder if I'd just gotten too excited and assumed the selca was related. But news says that it's from the drama.

http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=106&oid=311&aid=0000265266

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chane

October 17, 2013 at 12:52 PM

Ah! I really shouldn't rely on Google translate that much! Yeah, the selfie alone had me all kinds of excited :)

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3 kdramapedia

October 17, 2013 at 12:35 PM

I love when big-name actors do small projects like this.

I doubt it will be subbed relatively quickly, but it's something to keep my eye out for!

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4 redfox

October 17, 2013 at 12:36 PM

what are you doing, Dramabeans, you kill me. I was thrilled for more news on Jung Il Woo who I just respect as actor but Park Ki Woong? happiness!

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redfox

October 17, 2013 at 12:39 PM

not happiness for the PD though

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5 lacnade

October 17, 2013 at 12:38 PM

"We’ve all got an hour for Park Ki-woong, right?"

I have all my time just for him ♥

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6 Juniper

October 17, 2013 at 12:43 PM

Dr. Jin and Level 7's PD? Eeek! I wanna stay away from this, but I have such an intense admiration and love for Ki Woong....scratch that! I am a huge fangirl so definitely excited for this.

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redfox

October 17, 2013 at 12:45 PM

"scratch this" - teehee. it is like the AA circle " I am X...and I am a fangirl!" LOL

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readlead

October 18, 2013 at 12:21 AM

You said what exactly I wanna say.

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7 bebeswtz

October 17, 2013 at 12:54 PM

first thing that came to mind: Russell Crowe and the movie "Gladiator" XD
A definite plus for this is the creds for Medical Top Team and having Park Ki Woong oppa =)

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8 oedipus

October 17, 2013 at 12:57 PM

My favorite actor!

I always love him in historical pieces. Chuno, War of the arrows, ILPK and the epicly awesome Gaksitaaaaaal! (Sorry, couldn't resist!)

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Arhazivory

October 17, 2013 at 5:32 PM

Gaksitaaaaaaaaal is where I fell in love with him too. That and War of the Arrows. He really plays the villain well.

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9 Lilly

October 17, 2013 at 1:02 PM

he is always good

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10 Soyb

October 17, 2013 at 1:09 PM

I would not have thought the PD for MTT is the same one from Dr. Jin... perhaps he does better when the script and the lead actors are better, they help to elevate him? B/c MTT directing isn't bad, at least for now, crossing my fingers.

I never realized that PKW has such a versatile look. I would never have pictured him looking so good in sageuk clothes after the look he had in Full House 2, but he looks good!

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kuxi

October 17, 2013 at 3:55 PM

I don't like the brightness and color they use in MTT. It makes my eyes hurt so I don't keep watching MTT again

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11 Kiara

October 17, 2013 at 1:33 PM

That's too many x for a PD lol.

Oh well, a must see for Park Ki-woong regardless even though I hated his guts in " War of the Arrows." I so wanted Moon Chae Won to stick the hot iron rod in his eye and let him die slowly.

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le. jin.

October 17, 2013 at 1:40 PM

Yeah. In the movie, he was so hot and hot...hot...hot..until he became crispy hot.

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Kiara

October 17, 2013 at 1:50 PM

Haha crispy hot <3. BBQed by Park Hae-Il. Love that movie I wanna watch it again.

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12 ppyong

October 17, 2013 at 1:33 PM

Yay! I miss PKW!

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13 sally_b

October 17, 2013 at 1:58 PM

RE: "PD Oh previously worked on A Thousand Kisses (meh), Dr. Jin (eek), and Level 7 Civil Servant (OYYY)"

Wow...that's a triple-shot of BAD. Perhaps the name should be PD Uh-Oh.

but, but it's Park Ki-woong -- so I'm in. :)

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Joy

October 17, 2013 at 4:02 PM

"PD Uh-Oh" HAH. That made me chuckle.

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Lux

October 17, 2013 at 5:12 PM

Reading about "PD Uh-oh" at 3 in the morning is baaaad. Couldn't stop laughing omg

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Alinka

October 17, 2013 at 6:58 PM

Laughing out loud when you're in a wide, cubicled, office room is no good either *hiding from the questioning stare of the coworkers, thank god for cubicles

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14 ys

October 17, 2013 at 2:12 PM

That's a lot of story to pack into one hour. Let's hope it gets subbed. Just last night I was listening to Park Ki Woong's wonderfully soothing voice as he hosted a radio show. His costar from Sefcretly, Greatly, Lee Hyun Woo called in and PKW"s voice was even more gentle because he was talking to a beloved dongsaeng. Sigh. (It's on youtube as 130925 심심타파 - 이현우 CUT. All Korean, though.)

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15 Quiet Thought

October 17, 2013 at 2:31 PM

Someday, one day, there will be featured on a Kdrama a Gisaeng who isn't a "top" beauty and performer. And someone will win an acting award for it.

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Annie

October 17, 2013 at 3:27 PM

... weren't gisaengs chosen for their beauty and talent? There's nothing really nonsensical about choosing beautiful actresses to play gisaengs - unless you're talking about an modern ugly duckling tale transplanted into Joseon times?

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mary

October 17, 2013 at 6:42 PM

Hehe she meant a gisaeng character who isn't "the most talented and beautiful in the land".

Come to think of it, that's the gisaeng equivalent of Genius Doctor and Genius Chef. "Most Beautiful Gisaeng" indeed! :D

Ah, isn't Yoon Wol(?) from QIHM just a normal-ish gisaeng? Or was she still the best in gayageum?

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Alinka

October 17, 2013 at 7:00 PM

She's the best in gayageum, i think. The Min minister's favorite.

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Quiet Thought

October 18, 2013 at 1:32 PM

. . . And, for once, logically so, because she had been a well-brought-up servant's daughter in one of the wealthiest households in the kingdom.

Fundamentally, the "best gisaeng" is like the "princess" and "chaebol princess" and "actress/model romantic rival characters." They are an excuse for what used to be called "the ingenue" role on Broadway. While all the drama is going on, you want to give the people in the audience a pretty girl to look at. And it gives a young actress a chance to show off in pretty clothes.

Quiet Thought

October 18, 2013 at 12:52 PM

Gisaengs are basically a sophisticated class of prostitute, so, while some of them may have been chosen for beauty and talent, mostly at the high end, for the most part, they got "chosen" because their families were broken or bankrupt.

That's a tradition in American flicks, also, of course. Hookers tend to look like out-of-work actresses: attactive, bright, slim, fit, and well made up.

As opposed to real-life prostitutes everywhere in the world, who are usually emotionally and physically damaged, of low to middling intelligence, out of shape, impoverished, and world-weary. All by the time they get out of their teens, and there are a lot of them in their thirties and forties.

But, as Mary notes, the gisaengs in dramas tend to be fantasy characters, like male gangsters and such. Less like real gisaengs than some middle-class college girl dressed up like one for a party.

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16 dreaming....

October 17, 2013 at 3:35 PM

Love Park Ki-Woong! :)

That last photo of the girl, her nose makes her look like Pinocchio.

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17 Lee

October 17, 2013 at 4:00 PM

Damn...Park Ki Woong looks mighty fine in his noble joseon garb...I can stare all day...

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18 Aimee

October 17, 2013 at 4:13 PM

Yeo Ji....???? Hmmm she does look like Han Ga-in.. don't you think guys? But I am looking forward to this one... One hour looking at Park Ki-woong's face is just heaven ahhahaha

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19 cvang010

October 17, 2013 at 5:04 PM

one hour is not enough! he need his own drama! lol

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20 Ennayra

October 17, 2013 at 6:00 PM

Yay for more Park Ki-woong! That tiny cameo of his in Good Doctor wasn't enough. :-)

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21 Mar

October 17, 2013 at 7:25 PM

I love this guy, he's such a great actor.

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22 Cheryl

October 17, 2013 at 7:48 PM

For PKW, I have many, many hours that can be all his. ;)

If Escaping Slavery isn't good, it's only an hour. We can handle an hour of bad saeguk! Fighting!

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23 stars4u

October 17, 2013 at 7:58 PM

And even that short cameo from Good Doctor had me on cloud nine and now this!!!

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24 Abbie

October 17, 2013 at 8:44 PM

I love Park Ki-woong ever since I saw him in (I think) My Student Teacher 2. I love him to pieces so I'm happy he's gonna be back on the small screen. Any ideas where I can watch this with English Subs?