News bites: January 21, 2017

by awcoconuts

Kim Tae-hee, Rain

• Them babies are gonna be beautiful: Congratulations to Rain and Kim Tae-hee, who first divulged to fans on January 17 that they were engaged, then made it official two days later by tying the knot in a small ceremony that included family and close friends (Kim’s BFF Honey Lee caught the bouquet). Both stars expressed gratitude to fans for their support via handwritten notes on social media. [Osen]
• How I’d love to be a fly on the wall when the cast of tvN’s The Lonely Shining Goblin congregates for their reward vacation in Phuket, Thailand beginning February 6. As of this writing, Gong Yoo is expected to be there, while Lee Dong-wook is attempting to rearrange his schedule in order to attend. Better yet, could Na PD please kidnap them for another installment of Over Flowers (Goblin/Reaper Over Flowers? Supernatural Beings Over Flowers?) and more bromantic shenanigans? I’d settle for a ladies trip with Yook Sung-jae as the luggage boy as well. [TV Report]


Joo Won, Boa

• Say hello to new celebrity couple Joo-won (Yong-pal) and Boa (This Week, My Wife Will Have an Affair). On January 18, their respective agencies confirmed the news (it’s official!) and the two are said to have bonded over mutual friends and an enjoyment of acting and golf. [Xports News]
• He’s been keeping busy: Jang Hyuk (Voice, Beautiful Mind) is finalizing negotiations to star in Swordsman as a blind swashbuckler. Set in the 17th century during the Qing conquest of the Ming dynasty, the action film will be about blind swordsman Tae-yool, his daughter, and Tae-yool’s opposition to the Qing. Filming will begin in April after Voice wraps. [TV Report]


Jang Hyuk, Go Hyun-jung, Yoon Kye-sang

• Screen queen Go Hyun-jung (Dear My Friends) has chosen a low-budget film for her next project, and in doing so will support director Lee Kwang-kook (a former AD for Hong Sang-soo), whom she’s worked with previously on the films Like You Know It All and Woman on the Beach. In his latest, Winter Guest Scarier Than a Tiger, Go’s been cast as a woman who became the novelist she always wanted to be, but she’s now crippled by writer’s block. She’ll run into her ex when he arrives as her designated driver one day, and having just been dumped himself, they’ll begin life anew. The male lead hasn’t been cast yet, but they’ll have to get cracking if cameras are to start rolling on schedule in February. [Joongang]
• Joining the all-star cast of Golden Slumber is Yoon Kye-sang (The Good Wife). In the film about an average deliveryman (Kang Dong-won) who is incorrectly fingered for assassinating the prime minister, Yoon will play Kang’s good friend, but he’ll be put between a rock and a hard place as he’s also an agent tasked with bringing Kang in. The movie based on an eponymous novel by Kotaro Isaka also stars Han Hyo-joo and Kim Eui-sung (reuniting after W–Two Worlds), Kim Sung-kyun and Yoo Jae-myung (reuniting after Answer Me 1988, the latter as a chief of investigations) and Kim Dae-myung (Misaeng) and will begin filming this year. [Sports Worldi]


Chansung, Lee Min-ho, Kim Ji-suk, Lee Hee-joon

• There’s been a confirmation and an addition to Housewife Detective, in which Jang Nara (One More Happy Ending) will star as a housewife who suddenly becomes a detective’s assistant. Her homemaker will support Chansung (Ms. Temper and Nam Jung-ki), confirmed as an assy detective comfortable staying a mere onlooker to other people’s problems or looking the other way when it comes to injustice. However, deep down he’s a pretty decent guy hiding a painful past. Lee Min-ho (Hwajeong) will play a pickpocket released from prison on parole after serving seven years of a 15-year sentence. Upon springing the cage, the ex-convict will be forced to make a choice to protect his cherished family. The pre-produced drama will begin filming this month and will be released simultaneously in Korea and abroad later this year. [Sports Chosun, TV Report]
• They were cute together in Oh Hae-young Again, and my fingers are crossed Kim Ji-suk’s forthcoming cameo in Introverted Boss reunites him with Yeh Ji-won. [News1]
• Lee Hee-joon (Legend of the Blue Sea) has scored the lead opposite Han Ji-min in Miss Baek. Loosely based on a true story, the movie will be about an unlikely friendship between a rough-and-tumble ex-con (Han) and a young girl who’s suffered from abuse. Lee’s a man who both sympathizes and cares for Han’s character, and in his own way, he’ll try to protect the former delinquent who’s now motivated to fight back against the world’s inequities. Filming will begin next month. [Xports News]


Lee Sang-yub, Jung Hae-in, Lee Dong-hwi, Han Sun-hwa

• While You Were Sleeping, the upcoming supernatural drama starring Suzy (Uncontrollably Fond) and Lee Jong-seok (W–Two Worlds), has added Lee Sang-yub (This Week My Wife Will Have an Affair) and Jung Hae-in (Tae-hee oppa in Goblin) as supporting leads. While their roles haven’t been described, both were present for the first script read held January 20. The latest from hit writer Park Hye-ryun and PD Oh Choong-hwan (Lee Sang-yub cameoed on Doctors and thus has worked with PD Oh before) begins filming next month and will air on Wednesdays and Thursdays later this year on SBS. [E Daily, Osen]
• The slice-of-life workplace drama Radiant Office has also added a pair to support leads Go Ah-sung (Heard It Through the Grapevine) and Ha Suk-jin (1% of Anything): Lee Dong-hwi (Entourage) and Han Sun-hwa (Rosy Lovers). Lee’s a newly hired contract worker, and when he fixates on something (with the exception of his studies, lol) he’ll accelerate at frightening speed. His potential is severely underestimated, but he’s also got hopelessly low specs. He has no real job, no connections, no future, and to top it off, he’s nursing a broken heart. (I guess we’ll have to tune in to find out how he got hired as a contract worker in the first place.) Han’s been cast as a catty assistant manager of the marketing team. She spends the bulk of her salary on skincare and clothes, and she’ll try to use aegyo to gloss over the things she doesn’t know at the office. Radiant Office will take over the spot vacated by Missing 9 on MBC when it concludes in mid-March. [E Daily, Joongang]

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