News bites: December 26, 2015

40 December 26, 2015December 25, 2015

by awcoconuts

Jung Woo, Seolhyun

With the Gods has successfully signed Ha Jung-woo, Cha Tae-hyun and Joo Ji-hoon, and the casting team is now courting Jung Woo (The Himalayas) and AOA’s Seolhyun (Orange Marmalade) to join in unspecified roles. The duo of reaper films based on the webtoon by Joo Ho-min and directed by Kim Yong-hwa (Take Off, 200-Pound Beauty) will begin filming next year. [Star News, Osen]

Veteran actor Choi Min-shik is finalizing details to play the mayor of Seoul in the film Special Citizen. His character will fight for a third term while the other candidates do their best to give him a run for his money. The political thriller will be directed by Park In-je (Moby Dick). [News 1]
Remember the movie Father’s War? Han Seok-kyu has since accepted the role of a man grieving the loss of his soldier son, and now Im Seul-ong (Ho-gu’s Love) is positively considering a role alongside the veteran actor. No word yet on the character he’s been offered, but good for him (assuming he’s going to take it, but he will, right?!). [Joongang]
Congratulations to Kim Jung-eun (Make a Woman Cry), who’s getting married in the U.S. in March. The actress released a statement to her fans, saying, “To all the fans and parties who’ve looked on me favorably and loved me, I want to send a heartfelt message of gratitude. I’m a bit shy to announce that I’m marrying the man I’ve been dating for three years.” [DongA]

Kim Jung-eun, Jung Jun-ho

A recent episode of MBC’s Happy Time flashbacked on Jung Jun-ho (Sweet Savage Family) describing his early years as an actor, when he had earned the nickname Jung Early [Cancellation]. “Strangely, all of the dramas I had been in hadn’t done well. Even my parents would constantly nag at me and ask why all of my dramas had been cut short. So I told them that they had been planned as shorter series,” the actor joked. [Newsen]
As the article notes, it’s the golden age of webtoons: The popular romance comic Their Situation is coming to life and being turned into a film for those 19 and over. While the webtoon is in its second season, the movie will draw from the first season and feature sexy and comedic tales about women in their twenties. Their Situation begins filming in January for a release in the first half of 2016. [Joongang]
This show just got more interesting: Comedian/writer/actor Yoo Byung-jae (of SNL Korea, The Superman Age) has joined tvN’s upcoming variety program Actor School (a working title), which recruits five or six B-list celebrities and entertainers for intensive acting lessons taught by veteran Park Shin-yang (Sign). Actor School airs in early 2016. [Sports Chosun]
Park Gyuri (of KARA) has reunited with director Jo Sung-kyu (Two Rooms Two Nights) for his eighth film, How Shall We Break Up. She’s a woman who lives alone with her cat since her mother’s death, and Seo Joon-young (Secret Door) is the sushi-chef-next-door who has the ability to communicate with her feline companion. The sweet romance (because of course they fall in love, he understands kitty!) has just wrapped filming and is targeting a release in early 2016. [Star News]

Park Gyuri, Seo Joon-young

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1 lostinacloud

December 26, 2015 at 12:19 PM

Yay for all my loves getting movies trash oppa and coffe prince ajjushi get that love!!! They both give me life I tell you!

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2 Kween Ramyeon

December 26, 2015 at 12:21 PM

Cats truly are the rage.

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3 pogo

December 26, 2015 at 12:24 PM

Cats >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

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4 Kiara

December 26, 2015 at 12:29 PM

What the....? How can they go from Park Bo-young all the way down to Seolhyun? Good thing there is enough talents and star power with Ha Jung Woo alone to carry her.

Excited to hear about Choi Min-shik's new project. I wonder how his new movie is doing box-office wise.

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I wish Kim Kyung Min didn't drop "The Himalayas." It would have been a much better project than the rest of the dramas that he has done in the last 8yrs.
Oh well, I'm never going to complain about Hwang Jung-Min! I hope it's doing well in the theatre. Can't wait to see it.

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pogo

December 27, 2015 at 3:40 AM

The Himalayas is a smash hit at the box office, but Choi Min-shik's The Tiger isn't doing that great. They've got well over a million viewers so it's not a total flop, but it's just too squeezed by the other holiday releases.

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Kiara

December 27, 2015 at 8:38 AM

Thank you :).

Hwang Jung Min continues to tear up Korea's box office. Three big hits back to back Ode To My Father , Veteran, The Himalayas...He is unstoppable!
Looking forward to "Azura" next year where he plays a villain. Love the rest of the cast too Kwak Do-Won,Yoon Je-Moon,Jung Woo-Sung. Awesomeness!

Choi Min-shik’s The Tiger doesn't sound appealing to all. I know it was physically challenging for an actor his age.
I haven't read any reviews on it but it's on my watch list too.

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rori0711

December 28, 2015 at 4:49 AM

add up A Violent Prosecutor film with Hwang Jung Min + Kang Dong Won for another bombastic film success.

Kiara

December 28, 2015 at 7:06 AM

Rock on Hwang Jung Min! You deserve it!

Kiara

December 26, 2015 at 1:59 PM

*Kim Myung Min*

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pogo

December 27, 2015 at 3:34 AM

wait a minute, THIS was the role they offered Park Bo-young? And the second choice is this milquetoast idol?

Seriously, why is even Chungmuro behaving as if they've got no alternative to crappy idol actresses? Either the role was too small for Park Bo-young to feel that it was worth her time, or the producers have screwed up in a major way.

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Xxvxx

December 27, 2015 at 4:11 AM

I hate to say this but it's either agency power or sponsor. K netizens were raging over her debut MC at KBS Ent Awards and couldn't understand why she's the emcee

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bd5

December 27, 2015 at 4:51 AM

Seolhyun is the current "it-girl" so it's understandable why the PD and network would want to cast her.

PBY is one of the best actresses of her gen, but as idol turned actors go, Seolhyun isn't bad and has more potential for improvement than certain other idol turned actors.

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Kiara

December 27, 2015 at 8:23 AM

I thought this it girl had one facial expression in Orange Marmalade. The rest of the actors range from amazing to solid so no complain there.

Kiara

December 27, 2015 at 9:00 AM

Talking about the actors for "With the Gods."

pogo

December 27, 2015 at 9:20 AM

"as idol turned actors go"

I'm wondering how bad idol-turned-actors must be, if a performance like hers in Orange Marmalade is considered "not bad".

Or is it just one of those old chestnuts idol fans like to trot out to justify why their talentless faves book roles and projects far beyond their capabilities? Because people like Yoon Doo-joon, Jung Eunji, Im Shi-wan, Choi Soo-young, Lee Joon, IU and D.O. give the lie to the idea that idol actors can only be bad or mediocre performers. It's an insult to them to say someone like Seolhyun "isn't bad" for an idol-turned-actor.

bd5

December 27, 2015 at 10:19 PM

Not saying that Seolhyun's acting is anywhere good, but for an idol just starting out, it hasn't been as cringe-worthy as many others (granted, I'm just basing it on a small sample of what I have seen of Seolhyun's acting).

Of course, there have been idols who have been pretty talented actors from the start (or who quickly grew into acting), including a few who had actually started out in acting prior to joining an idol group.

IU's acting at the beginning wasn't good either, but she seemed to have turned a corner in "The Producers."

There was a lot of grief over the casting of Hyeri for AM88 due to her bad acting (never seen her prior so taking the word of others that it was bad), but she has done a great job in AM88 - better than either Go Ara or Eun-ji in their performances for the series (didn't see "Trot Lovers", so Eun-ji probably has improved).

pogo

December 28, 2015 at 2:20 AM

@bd5 - again, I wonder how bad rookie idol-actors in general must be, if even a performance like Orange Marmalade is considered 'not bad' for one.

All of the idol actors I named are people whose acting debuts I've watched, and every single one turned out better performances than anything Seolhyun has ever done. IU made her debut in a supporting role in Dream High but her second acting role in You're The Best Lee Soon-shin, earned her a lot of praise - she was never this bad.

Also, while Hyeri's doing well, I think it's vastly overstating matters to claim she's better than either Go Ara or Jung Eunji - especially since she doesn't even have to carry the show. And her previous acting was a different kind of bad than Seolhyun's - it seems to be far easier for a director to tone down overacting than get a convincing performance out of someone who comes across as so lifeless and careful of her camera angles.

Kiara

December 27, 2015 at 8:48 AM

pogo it says unspecified role so it could be the role that Park Bo Young turned down or maybe smaller. The fact that they haven't confirm the leading lady makes me nervous.

I'm watching the darn movie for Ha Jung Woo. It doesn't sound like a hit in the making. I think he is in it for director Kim Yong-Hwa.

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pogo

December 27, 2015 at 9:29 AM

Ugh. I'm sure she's considered very pretty in Korea but from what I've seen, she doesn't have a shred of acting talent, and the old "she has potential" line is being trotted out about her just as it was for other appallingly bad idol actors. The very idea of offering a Park Bo-young role to someone so one-note....

(fans excusing a bad actor by citing "potential for growth" nearly always translates to ----> they have shown zero talent so far, but think of all the talent they haven't shown, and assume they'll show it in the future!)

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Sera The Ms Temper

December 27, 2015 at 11:13 PM

Kiara & pogo,

No doubt she is pretty, and I don't know about her singing career, since im not following .. but as an actress... sigh.

Hope not as a lead girl, and just for smaller role.

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neener

December 27, 2015 at 4:01 AM

Totally agree with you about Seolhyun, she's way too overrated and I haven't watched her act but I'm pretty sure Park Bo Young is way way better than her.

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5 ujsid

December 26, 2015 at 1:31 PM

I am not too sure about Park Gyuri as an actress, but damn it, she is such a beautiful woman! Her picture is like a visual shock!

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mongoose

December 26, 2015 at 11:01 PM

I recommend looking up KARA's Weekly Idol appearances on Youtube. They're quite funny, and Gyuri is a good sport, particularly during their appearance in June.

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bd5

December 27, 2015 at 4:54 AM

While Gyuri has gotten some attention, never understood why idols such as Yoona and Uee have gotten more for their looks (they're not even the best looking members of their respective girl groups).

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6 milktea

December 26, 2015 at 1:52 PM

hm Actor School already sounded interesting to me, and now yoo byung jae indeed just made it more appealing. hope someone will sub it!

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7 ella

December 26, 2015 at 1:58 PM

I hope Seolhyun signs up for that movie, it looks like it will be a good movie.

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8 Stuckonyou

December 26, 2015 at 3:16 PM

I read on other site the news about Nam Ji hyun-Yeon Joon seok short 1 episode drama. I thought it would be covered here.

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sparks121

December 26, 2015 at 6:30 PM

Same. Anyways, it's actually 2 episodes. I'm so glad to hear that both leads are former child actors with strong acting.

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9 fan

December 26, 2015 at 5:28 PM

Kim Jung-eun looks different from what I can remember her but not in a good way. PS is nasty.

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KDaddict?JCW

December 26, 2015 at 6:39 PM

No, I think the photo looks just like her. It could be that grin, or the lighting.

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Quiet Thought

December 26, 2015 at 10:01 PM

Looks the same to me. In fact, her face was so familiar I looked her up to see what I was remembering, and she has that same knowing expression I remember from 'I Am Legend.' She was wonderful in that drama.

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10 KDaddict?JCW

December 26, 2015 at 6:40 PM

I'm happy for Kim Jung Eun finally finding her real love, after that nasty separation with Lee Seo Jin. Congrats!

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11 annflln

December 26, 2015 at 6:52 PM

Oppa-ya!! Love to see you again at the movie. I have to wait quite some time to this movie. I'll just set my target to nearest show then....YoF Iceland!!

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12 meowingme

December 26, 2015 at 8:34 PM

The new variety sounds interesting; still remembering Shinhwa Broadcast episode where they have to learn "villain acting", would definitely watch a whole show with that kind of hilarity!

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13 graey

December 27, 2015 at 4:44 AM

Actor School sounds interesting and a lot of fun. But it would be more interesting if subbers are interested lol(better go back to learning korean heh). And yay for Seo Jun Young! I'm not sure if Park Gyu Ri is any good. I watched two eps of the series with Kara(for Yeon Woo Jin and healer~ya). I don't think she was in one. But more importantly this means that the drama most likely will be subbed, right? Or is it a daily drama? T.T

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14 Sua

December 27, 2015 at 10:28 AM

Is it just me or does anyone else always get Seo Joon-young and Kang Ha-neul mixed up? Seriously!

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15 toss

December 29, 2015 at 12:08 PM

In all honesty,sell hymn did pretty well in orange marmalade,I honestly don't see why she gets so much hate. Sure she's almost on every advert in Korea but come on! That's not her fault,it's her agency that does all the promoting! Srsly I hate fan girls,they are just the epitome of jealousy. Give the 21 yr old girl a break.

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toss

December 29, 2015 at 12:09 PM

Seolhyun*

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Clinton Carter

December 29, 2015 at 8:49 PM

"In all honesty, seolhyun did pretty well in orange marmalade"

Come one there is no truth in that sentence.

She had one facial expression through out the whole drama.

Maybe in one light year she will improve but there is no need to lie.

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