Im Shi-wan chooses period film Thoughts of Oppa

24 March 19, 2015March 19, 2015

by girlfriday

It seems like everyone’s been waiting on pins and needles for Im Shi-wan to choose his follow-up project to last year’s hit drama Misaeng. For good reason too, since expectations are high for the idol-actor who turned heads in his big screen debut (The Attorney opposite Song Kang-ho) and then became the mascot of the Everyman as Misaeng’s Jang Geu-rae. For a while after the series ended, we just kept hearing about all the offers that were pouring in, but he’s finally picked one: a period movie called Thoughts of Oppa.

The new project comes from director Lee Han of Wandeuki and Elegant Lies, and will be an emotionally stirring human drama much in the same vein. This one is set in 1950 during the early Korean War, and tells the story of a children’s choir that really existed at the time. It’s about a group of children who have lost everything during the war and a soldier who wants to protect them, and the beautiful music that they create together.

Im Shi-wan has signed on to play the second lieutenant who’s scarred from his experiences in war but represses his pain and carries on, quietly and resolutely. He meets a group of children who have also suffered loss, and they begin to change him slowly, bringing out his warm and caring side. He conducts them in a choir, and together they become a “miracle sung in the middle of a battlefield.”

It’ll be a tearjerker for sure, but I never mind tears when they’re the uplifting kind. It won’t be a huge departure for Im Shi-wan to play the reserved hero who slowly opens up and lets others in, but I know he’ll be great at it. I’m excited for the director-actor collaboration, and to see Im Shi-wan ease out of being Jang Geu-rae. (Even though he’ll always be Jang Geu-rae, won’t he?)

Thoughts of Oppa plans to start shooting next month.

Via Hankook Ilbo

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Tags: Im Shi-wan

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1 Hwari

March 19, 2015 at 8:11 AM

He as the conductor why not. So we can see cute kids and him too. I wonder who will be the bad guy or A-list actor in this movie.

I hope the Youth Choir from KBS program Qualification of Men can appear as cameo. Maybe they can be the older version of this children choir

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2 pogo

March 19, 2015 at 8:26 AM

Our kid now becomes the kids' oppa?

I hope he continues to challenge himself and grow as an actor, he's one of the best in his age group and absolutely deserves all his success.

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3 Adal

March 19, 2015 at 8:28 AM

This movie sounds good, but I hope he doesn't get typecast as the quiet hero who wins despite all odds.... He must be under immense pressure after the success of Misaeng. I read an article where he claimed that the success of Misaeng was a heavy burden for him to bear and while he was shooting, he wished it were all over.

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united

March 19, 2015 at 11:37 AM

I agree the premise and plot seems interesting and I've never seen a period drama set in that time. I'm not sure Shiwan can avoid being typcasted because the Jang Gue-rae personality doesn't seem too different from his own.

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pogo

March 19, 2015 at 12:15 PM

It would be sad if he's typecast, considering the range of roles he's taken up to this point - he's done straight-up flower boy, villain, nerd, antagonist chaebol......way more than just the sweet struggler kind of characters he played in The Attorney and Misaeng.

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4 petirrojo

March 19, 2015 at 8:33 AM

I am looking forward to this collaboration -- I really enjoyed Wandeuki, and while the character description sounds like it will have Im Shi-wan reach into his repressed and soulful range once again, I cannot argue with the results we have seen to date.

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5 Kit

March 19, 2015 at 9:08 AM

Gosh is he old enough to take these roles already??? From rookie to mentor in one go. This kind of story will always make me think happily of 'Les Choristes'. Had such a crush on the protagonist when we watched it in high school music class.

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dimsumofallthings

March 19, 2015 at 9:55 AM

That's the first thing I also thought about. That movie remains one of my favorites to date, and the soundtrack is also to die for.

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Mia

March 19, 2015 at 1:02 PM

Don't let that baby face fool you. He'll be 27 this year.

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LJH

March 19, 2015 at 5:45 PM

I know right, both him and Ahn Jae Hyun look very very young for their age! I seriously thought that Im Siwan was only in his early 20s at max. Upon first impression, he looks 18/19. AJH looks about in his early 20s too.... I wonder what's their secret in looking so young...could it be Asian genes? :) I'm also Asian and a college student as well yet people often mistake me for a 15/16 year old...so I had to dress up & wear makeup sometimes just to look older. Yet the funny thing is towards other Asians (usually ahjummas/ahjussis) I look older than my age (like 26-28yrs).

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gg

March 21, 2015 at 12:04 AM

Yes I thought of Les Choristes immediately too!!!

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6 dimsumofallthings

March 19, 2015 at 9:56 AM

I can't wait to see ISW in something else, and I hope that he doesn't get typecast either.

He showed a lot of promise in Misaeng, but I am interested in seeing him do another kind of role.

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7 Nana

March 19, 2015 at 10:37 AM

Damn I need to watch Misaeng.

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united

March 19, 2015 at 11:38 AM

You so have to! Some people say it's the best Korean drama of all times.

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songsong

March 19, 2015 at 8:11 PM

Yup its still the best k-drama so far.

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8 Mia

March 19, 2015 at 1:00 PM

I already want to see it. I hope Siwan does well. I think this is a solid follow up to Misaeng. He's going to be just adorable with all those kids.

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9 blueribbon

March 19, 2015 at 4:01 PM

This movie sounds like Oscars' material if done right. Wasn't "Sea Fog" a possible contender for an Oscar nomination last year?

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10 alpha

March 19, 2015 at 5:21 PM

Am I the only one who havent watched Misaeng yet? Lol

(In my defense I watched about 3 episodes and stopped, dunno whether I will pick it up again)

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LJH

March 19, 2015 at 5:35 PM

Don't worry alpha, you are not the only one. I watched first episode and dropped it for awhile. Then went back to rewatching from the start after it find shed airing and had a lot of hype. I've managed to watch to episode 11 now but I've temporarily stopped for now because of real life & just read recaps for the rest of the drama. It definitely gets better past episode 6 for me. I usually don't keep up with a drama past episode 4 if it didn't hook me, but for Misaeng's popularity and the fact that ZE:A is my other favourite band I continued to watch. I'll definitely finish watching this series soon though :) Misaeng is not my type of drama but I grew to really love it because of the characters... I dunno, just somehow they grew on me and every step of their journey mattered to me. I ended up rooting for Jang Gu Rae.

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LJH

March 19, 2015 at 5:37 PM

Sorry autocorrect... I meant to say "I went back to rewatching from the start after it finished** airing and had a lot of hype. "

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11 Lilly

March 19, 2015 at 8:22 PM

This movie sounds interesting. I hope the story is well written.

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12 Jennalyn Zul

March 19, 2015 at 11:27 PM

I was hoping Si Wan doing drama playing cheeky/playful/bright character. He been doing almost the same role.
can't deny his ability as an actor. Just curious to see how well he playing different roles.

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13 sss

March 20, 2015 at 3:36 AM

Siwan and movie. i think he makes a good choice. if big screen is successful, it's good for his acting career. He's not typecast i believe and i hope he choose good roles.

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14 goldeng

March 20, 2015 at 6:04 PM

After watching Obsession and thinking how much I loathed SSH's -weak- character, the "soldier scarred from war experiences" rang a bell n my head but to see this character gets to open up about it sounds refreshing...even when it sounds quite different... I dont like tear-jerkers but this one sounds like it has context to want our tears...
Siwan must be having a hard time because its true everyone is watching his moves... Of course he's puppy Jang Geu Rae but I already saw him in Hope for Dating as a nerdy nerd before so I'm sure he'll do well if he tries new characters

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