News bites: September 13, 2015

by awcoconuts

Gong Hyo-jin

• She’s been christened Loyal Woman of Chungmuro, and Gong Hyo-jin (The Producers) is upholding her reputation as she teams up again with director Lee Geun-woo in his upcoming film, Project Spirit (spirit as in vigor and rah-rah, not ghost). She was in his 2012 movie 577 Project, and she accepted the offer to guest appear without a moment’s hesitation and without a guarantee. Project Spirit is a faux documentary about an idol group that will expose the inner workings of the entertainment world (ha, maybe Gong will cameo as Tak Ye-jin), and filming is currently underway. [TV Report]


Jung Woo-sung, Hwang Jung-min, Joo Ji-hoon

• Investigative thriller Asura has lined up quite the cast: Jung Woo-sung (Madam Bbaeng-deok), Hwang Jung-min (Veteran), and Joo Ji-hoon (Mask) have all joined the movie. It must be a happy reunion for Jung, who’s starred in three of director Kim Sung-soo’s previous films–Musa, City of the Rising Sun, and Beat. This time he’ll play a detective who begins to get mired in corrupt activities as he tries everything to save his terminally-ill, cancer-stricken wife. After receiving political pressure himself, he’ll set out to arrest a notoriously corrupt town mayor, played by Hwang. Joo is a junior investigator who thinks of Jung as an older brother, and Jung will send him to work as a detective under the villainous Hwang. Filming for Asura begins before the end of the month. [Star News]


Kim Seul-gi, Han Ye-ri

• Ooh, seems like everyone’s favorite ghostess Kim Seul-gi will be back sooner than we thought. She’s currently in negotiations to take the lead in the drama special Splish Splash Love as the love interest of Yoon Doo-joon. In the Joseon-era comic fantasy special, Yoon’s been cast as King Yi Do while Kim will play a third-year high school student and the object of the king’s affections. While sad it’s only two episodes, I’ll take any Kim Seul-gi I can get. Splish Splash Love airs in October on MBC. [Osen]
• Sounds like this movie will give Han Ye-ri (Kundo: Age of the Rampant) an actor’s workout, but no doubt she’ll rise to the challenge. She’s been cast as the lead in The Worst Woman, and she’ll play a chameleon who changes her personality with every guy she’s with. The film will cover what happens when she meets three men in one day, and Iwase Ryo will play a hot Japanese novelist she’s dating, Lee Hee-joon (they worked together in Sea Fog) will play a divorced cafe owner and Kwon Yul (Let’s Eat 2) will complete the trio of men. The Worst Woman is targeting a 2016 premiere. [Joongang]


Thieves, Veteran

• Is a sequel to director Choi Dong-hoon’s The Thieves in the works? While at a publicity event for Assassin (which he also directed) in China on September 9, Choi confirmed, “We’re not ready to film right this minute, but we are planning a [Thieves 2].” Just thinking about a Jeon Ji-hyun–Kim Soo-hyun reunion makes me happy! [TV Report]
• Given the success of Veteran, which recently hit over 12 million admissions, it comes as no surprise that a sequel has already been confirmed. While the script hasn’t been written yet, director Ryu Seung-wan believes Hwang Jung-min‘s return is essential to the story. Producer Kang Hye-jung indicated that the movie will come out in the next two to three years. [Sports Worldi, Kyunghyang]


Three Meals a Day

• Those mourning the end of Three Meals a Day, take hope. While the project was only meant to last a year from the onset, the show could come back–just in a new location. A tvN source confirmed the end of the show’s run in Jeongseon, but didn’t close the door on the variety program completely, saying, “If we do bring back the farming village version of the show, it won’t be in Oksoonbong but in a different region.” The final episode of Three Meals a Day in Jeongseon aired this past Friday. [Joongang]

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