Empress Ki writer returns with new series for MBC
by girlfriday
Hit drama writer Jang Young-chul of the epics Empress Ki and Giant (also Incarnation of Money and the hilarious History of a Salaryman) is headed back to MBC for his next series, another 50-episode epic called Tyrant. It’ll still deal with history, as is his style, but this one is a contemporary drama that goes back to the IMF crisis in 1997, and follows the characters to the present day.
Jang co-writes with his wife Jung Kyung-soon, who is credited on all his series; she isn’t mentioned in the press releases for this new drama, but I think it’s likely she’ll be onboard as well. Directing is PD Joo Sung-woo of MBC weekend dramas Legendary Witch and Hundred Year Inheritance, which… does not excite me in the least. But I’m pretty sure that the writing was the problem in the makjang-fest that was Hundred Year Inheritance. Or so I hear.
Tyrant will be the story of a man who fights against greed, and experiences every hardship and adversity known to man in order to make something of himself and find love. It’ll begin in 1997 and span twenty years’ time.
I’m sure the MBC execs are happy campers. The writer’s last drama Empress Ki was a 30% ratings hit (numbers like that are a rarity on weeknights nowadays), and this sounds like the kind of series that could be a gripping human drama, a critical success, and a ratings leader. I guess it’s just up to the casting now to seal its fate.
Tyrant is tentatively scheduled to follow Dazzling Temptation on Mondays and Tuesdays beginning in April.
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- Ha Ji-won’s action-filled first shoot for Empress Ki
- Empress Ki casts Ha Ji-won’s rivals
- Empress Ki gathers its cast for script rehearsals
- Ji Chang-wook courted to romance Ha Ji-won in Empress Ki
- Jin Yi-han and Jung Woong-in join sageuk epic Hwatu
- Joo Jin-mo joins Hwatu to romance Ha Ji-won
- Ha Ji-won returns to dramaland
Tags: Dark Hole
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1 Arhazivory
October 26, 2015 at 2:52 PM
Sighs. This just reminds me that I haven't watched Empress Ki and Giant as yet, although I so madly loved Salaryman and loved Incarnation of Money. Maybe I should try and jump in on this one while it's currently airing. The premise sounds interesting although it reminds me of Empire of Gold that I'm currently watching.
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Ia
October 26, 2015 at 3:48 PM
GIANT is a very well-made drama..That was my favorite in all long dramas I've seen..No episode is boring!
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Pipit
October 26, 2015 at 4:57 PM
Haven't watched Empress Ki either and not planning to. But Giant is definitely a must for a kdrama lover. You want regret it.
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Pipit
October 26, 2015 at 4:58 PM
Sigh. Won't regret it.
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little-muffin
October 26, 2015 at 7:26 PM
Yes! Giant is really one of the best out there. I still rewatch some of the episodes from time to time.
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Arhazivory
October 26, 2015 at 9:41 PM
Thanks guys~ I downloaded Giant 3 years ago and it's still waiting to be watched. Because I know it's gonna suck me in I want to watch it when I'm not so busy. :( Sighs.
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Sera The Ms Temper
October 27, 2015 at 12:14 AM
Ohh Empire of Gold was among my favourite.;)
Anyway, I'm going start download Giant today, and start marathon it soon.
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niKai
October 27, 2015 at 4:24 AM
i wouldn't recommend empress ki. in fact, stay away. couldn't finish it myself. but giant and salaryman is a must watch.incarnation of money, is so-so. but that's my personal preference, of course.
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2 Ek Ladhki Thi is Kim Eun-sooks no 1 fan
October 26, 2015 at 2:53 PM
I loved Empress Ki and Incarnation of Money but I need to see the casting before I can commit. 50 episodes is a long time.
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3 eny
October 26, 2015 at 3:42 PM
the role sound perfect for joo jin mo,say no to pretty boy
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Weebles
October 26, 2015 at 5:02 PM
jealous someone better stole all his thunder? hahahahahaha
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eny
October 26, 2015 at 7:34 PM
ha ha ha....so you thought i'm jealouse about jcw n joo jin mo in empress ki, i said no, i like empress ki nothings againts jcw in the role, i'm not person who watch drama with thinking who should be with who, i like drama who cast the right person for the role, i'm not watch this drama because of romance we know from the beginning empress ki is emperor wife, yes wy is my favorite charracter n i never think jcw steal his thunder, for older actor who doesn't have much fanbase anymore, he getting more popular after empress ki n getting big project like blockbuster musical n still getting drama offer is good thing,i knoe him after empress ki
i recommend him because this drama seem need older actor, i don't think young actor suit this role
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Sera The Ms Temper
October 26, 2015 at 8:49 PM
Agreed.
I liked JCW and JJM in Empress Ki equally. For JCW, i really liked him there but Healer on the other hand was not my favourite. I was quite perplexed why many fans bragged about JCW in Healer, when he already did an excellent job in Empress Ki. Empress Ki may not be the everyone's favourite especially for those who a real fan of sageuk, but Empress Ki is still one of my fav sageuk.
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4 Mandy
October 26, 2015 at 3:52 PM
I don't remember Empress Ki reaching 30% - in fact, I thought that number wasn't reached since 2012 - but I'm probably wrong. Regardless, I love the writer and was a huge fan of all those dramas excluding Incarnation of Money. Hopefully the casting is well done because I'm really looking forward to this!
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rosaline
October 26, 2015 at 5:03 PM
no it didn't reach 30% but was somewhere in the mid 20s
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Kiara
October 26, 2015 at 5:12 PM
It's highest episode (37) was at 29.2% AGB Nationwide. Very close to 30%.
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cherkell
October 26, 2015 at 9:34 PM
Several episodes rated 1st in the timeslot with low-to-mid 30's, depending on if it was a TmNS or AGB Nielsen number reported at that time. Since only the AGB Nationwide numbers are the ones reported to the press, EK just missed 30% by a hair's breadth. But it's true that the Monday-Tuesday dramas have not reached those lofty numbers ever since EK's finale aired.
And here's another plea to DITCH THOSE ANTIQUATED RATING SYSTEMS that do not reflect today's electronically-connected viewers. Pretty please with Persimmo-yummies on top? :D
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kalel
October 27, 2015 at 12:15 AM
You're right about the rating systems but what about the advertising ones? Products that aim at TV viewers cannot be advertised on-line and that's an absolute fact. Even in the US, channels (even the cable ones) still count viewership for television-originated products.
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Kiara
October 27, 2015 at 5:57 AM
AGB covers more households than TmNS. I think TmNS was accused a few years back for manipulating the ratings and that's probably why AGB is more reliable.
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5 Sophia
October 26, 2015 at 4:50 PM
Yes. Definitely need a season actor such as eny suggested like Jo Jin Mo, or Jang Dong Gun. Casting a flower/pretty boy won't be believable. Gong Yoo can definitely pull it off. He's pretty, HOT & definitely well seasoned. Medium rare please....lol ?
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sumee
October 26, 2015 at 5:21 PM
+1
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6 Kiara
October 26, 2015 at 5:28 PM
"Giant" is one of my favorite period/action/romance and these writer's best work imo. It had one of the best villain I've ever seen in dramaland (Jo Pil-Yeon played by Jung Bo-Suk).
Two writers and two directors seems to work well with 40+ eps dramas. I was so happy when it reached 40.1%national drama status on it's final episode. Well deserved after a direct competition with Dong Yi for most of it's run.
Looking forward to this new project but this director *sigh*. I wish they would double him up with another director. It's too bad PD Lee Chang-Min is so loyal to SBS and he is directing Remember.
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7 kellie
October 26, 2015 at 5:59 PM
Disappointed the Incarnation of Money team won't be together again (PD Yoo In-sik & that great cameraman of theirs) but I do like Jang & Jung's writing, with the exception of Empress Ki, which I dropped early in its run. They're very good on the modern stuff. It's been a long hiatus for them since Empress Ki. I've been wondering when they'd be back.
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Kiara
October 26, 2015 at 7:01 PM
They were very good with their modern period drama. Traditional sageuks like Dae Jo Young was ok and I didn't bother with Empress Ki. I'm not a fan of Empress Ki or Ha Ji-won. Empress Ki has been portrayed before by Kim Hye-Ri and that was good enough for me.
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8 Sera The Ms Temper
October 26, 2015 at 6:08 PM
I loved Empress Ki. Still not able to watch Giant but will do so, when there is a time. Anyway looking forward to this. I would love to see Joo Sang Wook in here, but he is already in GT right now, and I don't think it is possible. I also want Jang Hyuk but I dont think it is possible, since he is in a drama now. Joo Jin Mo or Go Soo might be one of the great choices.
If only this drama able to bring back Jang Dong Gun or maybe Kang Dong Won to dramaland, I welcome it wholeheartedly! err. since it is the same writer of Empress Ki, can we hope to see other actors in Empress Ki reunite here? I meanthe supporting casts like Jin Yi Han, Kim Young Ho and Kim Jung-Hyun. I think they will be amazing casts. Kim Young Ho & Kim Jung Hyun can simply be awesome as a villain.
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9 Onion
October 26, 2015 at 6:59 PM
I loved Empress Ki! Hopefully this one will be good too. I wonder how the casting is going to be if its a story spanning 20 years. Will they cast a younger actor for the first half and an older actor for the second half? Hmmm...
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10 Joano
October 26, 2015 at 7:18 PM
I loved Empress Ki. Haven't seen any of the other dramas. It seems like they only want to produce 50 episode dramas. Is there something going on that I don't know about? With three 50 episode dramas currently airing you would think they want a break? Anyway, I'll decide whether to watch this after they announce the cast
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11 whitewire
October 26, 2015 at 8:14 PM
Empress Ki looks like a filthy piece of rag compared to his Giant. 'Ki' is good on its own, but when 'Giant' enters the comparative picture -- written by the same writer, then we ain't talkin' 'bout no debates here. Giant is very incredibly written. I cannot believe I just finished an epic drama. Ahh-- just this article makes me wanna rewatch it again. Giant has the magic to turn the entire epic drama to seem like the entire series is just 30 freaking minutes. At first I was doubting the reviews, how could they be so immersed and absorbed in such a long, yesterday drama about construction companies... BUT boy ohhhh boy, I gave it a shot, and look am I in Cloud-9, having the best time of my life because of Giant!
[Giant is the ONLY work I liked from the writer. BUT you can believe me for saying that Giant is the most incredibly written K-drama, in my opinion, that will grip you every 3 minutes.]
[Whaaaaat?! PD of Hundred Year Legacy? Better not be bad man --- ]
If Tyrant will be, in any way, like Giant. I am soooooo in, baby. Part of me wants Kim Myung-min in this [Since KMM was the first pick of this writer to portray Lee Gang-mo. Lee Beom-soo got it instead because KMM declined it.] but we all know it is impossible because of his Six Flying Dragons.
Giant is the giant of dramas. A drama that knows my time's worth. Giant is gold. Characters Lee Seong-mo (Park Sang-min) and Hwang Tae-seop (Lee Duk-hwa) are my favorite. Mi-joo (Hwang Jung-eum) is my hatest. She's worse than Jo Pil-yeon (Jung Bo-seok). [Btw, Jo Pil-yeon is the greatest K-drama villain of all-time. Jung Bo-seok is soooo hot!]
I am so engulfed by the beauty of Giant. I think I will stop while I can. I cannot overemphasize the quality experience I've had with this drama. Thank you, Giant!
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Kiara
October 26, 2015 at 10:11 PM
The writers went with older actors with talents and that was part of it's success. I hope they'll do the same here and pick some solid veterans for both the protagonist and the antagonist.
Han Suk-Gyu - protagonist.
Choi Min-Soo - both.
Kim Young-Cheol would make a great villain.
Jo Jae-Hyun - protagonist.
Eom Gi-Joon - hate to typecast him but I love him as a villain.
Ryu Seung-Ryong - both.
Yoon Je-Moon - both.
etc....
I hope it'll be as good as Giant.
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12 kanz
October 26, 2015 at 8:57 PM
yes the highest ratings reach 29.2% and the drama has an average of 25%. The second highest rated weekday drama, only lose to YFAS.
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13 row.an
October 26, 2015 at 9:16 PM
Yikes. Has it really been almost 20 years since 1997 already? Goodness.
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kalel
October 27, 2015 at 10:51 AM
But the serious repercussions after an IMF crisis transcend many decades. And that's the bitter truth...
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14 Leila
October 26, 2015 at 9:35 PM
Really excited... I like the way they write revenge drama. Just can't wait to know who's the leads because I know the writers only cast good actors, regardless if they're lead or supporting.
I'm not yet over my Joo Won's obsession so I wanna see him in a 50-episode 90's theme drama. Or maybe they can work again with Kim Soo Hyun/Ji Chang Wook, I'm not gonna complain if that happens.
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15 Michiki
October 26, 2015 at 9:36 PM
I hope the writers will invite Ji Chang Wook to join this drama. Thanks to Empress Ki, JCW had a chance to shine, and I started to love him since that drama. It is a 50-ep drama. It is quite a long run, and I'm not sure if JCW will go to the military before his birthday in July next year. Anyway, if it spans over 20 years, I think they will probably choose an older actor, maybe Joo Jin Mo or Lee Bong Soo or Kang Ji Hwan???
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16 night owl
October 27, 2015 at 1:45 AM
My favorite writer(s) before that mess of Empress Ki happened. I couldn't even finish it, because it became so cringeworthy towards the middle. They managed one way or another to make me hate and/or despise ALL the characters in the show, quite an achievement.:-))
But maybe I'll give Tyrant a try, it looks more like their old stuff based on the synopsis.
I see some of the posters rooting for Joo Jin Mo for the lead. But why on earth would he take another project of the writer(s) and on the same channel? After all the harm they did to him in Empress Ki? If I was him, I would stay forever away from JYC and MBC (and also his co-stars in EK, for that matter).
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Olive
October 27, 2015 at 2:46 AM
Joo Jin Mo said in a interview that the scenarist of Empress Ki promided to write a new drama with a leader's role for him.
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night owl
October 27, 2015 at 3:17 AM
Really? If this is the case, OK.
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Olive
October 27, 2015 at 5:23 AM
I read this on a forum about My love Eun Dong (drama with Joo Jin Mo) :
"At the end of August last year JJM told his fans at his birthday party that EK's writer promised him to writer a drama for him but he didn't know whether the wirter started yet."
That's all I know...
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night owl
October 27, 2015 at 7:17 AM
Thank you! Good to know that he remained friends with the writers after Empress Ki. But is Tyrant the promissed drama? I guess we'll know when the cast will be announced.
17 fab
October 27, 2015 at 3:12 AM
Giant is what discovered Kim So-Hyun(Producer), enough said!
The writing in EK was far from perfect, but it's gorgeous with great acting. Very few dramas are worth that many eps though.
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18 Miky
October 27, 2015 at 4:23 AM
Yesssss i adored Empress Ki and loved Giant,hope this show will be the same awesome fest..nw curious about the cast,will we see some previous actors that stared in their previous project as lead?
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19 Mykonos
October 27, 2015 at 6:39 AM
Never understood the hype over empress ki (suffered through all the episodes and all the possible saguek cliches thrown into that one loooong cauldron) but the rest of the dramas are exceptionally special so this will be interesting
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20 dfwkimchi
October 27, 2015 at 6:49 AM
A Hundred Year Inheritance !?!?! - makjang-fest indeed - i just finished marathoning that drama in the last 2 weeks after i saw that DB had classified it as the BEST WORST DRAMA for that year 2012/2013- and after going thru the 50 episodes - i know now why!! It was entertainingly bad!
Good thing I watched it on Viki and the comments by fellow viewers just made the viewing experience so much funnier!
That was a train-wreck that u cannot help but watch and shake your head. Chae-Won, the main female character played by Eugene has the WORST LUCK i have ever encountered.
If this new drama is going to be the male version of A Hundred Year Inheritance - i am not sure i can endure ...
Only have watched a History of the Salaryman from this writer and that was a good one - hilarious!
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Kiara
October 27, 2015 at 7:25 AM
These writers had nothing to do with "A Hundred Year Inheritance" thank goodness. They wrote "Giant" and I'm hoping it'll be as good as "Giant" despite having the director of that show that you are talking about.
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fabdrama
October 27, 2015 at 10:11 AM
I can't believe it got hella worse than the beginning. Add WORST MIL to WORST LUCK Eugene and it's a mad fest.
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21 natalie?
October 27, 2015 at 7:46 AM
This show will be on my radar ? I'm liking the title and summary . 50 ep is bearable if the casts got good chops of acting ?
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22 Nana
October 27, 2015 at 9:45 AM
Hahaha Joo Jin Mo (parkjintae) brought me here! Not the coffee caked face joo.
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23 4D
October 27, 2015 at 12:11 PM
I feel like this sounds really really good....but also like something that will be too painful for me to watch.
Then again I still haven't brought myself to watch Misaeng because I thought the same thing when it started. Winter is coming and I so t want to be all depressed (I know, I'm silly).
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24 kanz
October 27, 2015 at 4:19 PM
Let's see if it's in the same quality as Giant and HOTS or the same mess as EK and IOM.
As much as I love EK, I don't want 50 eps makjang fest with so many confusing plot and plot holes.
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25 julie
October 27, 2015 at 9:35 PM
i nominate lee jung jae
best actor ever, he just oozes charisma and steals every scene he's in . huge acting range also , i think he can rock this role
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Kiara
October 28, 2015 at 8:57 AM
Lee Jung Jae hasn't done a drama since 2009. He is having a lot of success in CHungmuro and I don't see him coming back to doing dramas anytime soon.
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