Joo Won And Moon Chae Won’s First Script Reading For “Good Doctor”

Fans eager to see the return of Joo Won and Moon Chae Won to the small screen won’t have to wait much longer. The actors for KBS’s new Monday and Tuesday drama “Good Doctor” had their first script reading on June 9th.
According to the reports, the actors and staff gathered at KBS’s Yeoido Drama Practice Annex to undergo their first group script reading session. Present that was a star studded lineup of actors and actress including names such as Joo Won, Moon Chae Won, Joo Sang Wook, Kim Min Suh, Chun Ho Jin, Kwak Do Won, Na Yong Hee, Jung Man Suk, Uhm Hyun Kyun and Yoon Bong Gil.

The practice session ran for over 3 hours yet the crew didn’t show any signs of tiredness, clearly demonstrating the passion these actors and actresses have for the project. The actors also appeared to be extremely well prepared with Joo Won, Moon Chae Won and Joo Sang Wook dealing effortlessly with the large quantity of medical terms contained within their scripts. Everyone present also treated this practice run like an actual recording and there was no shortage of passionate acting being delivered during the session.  The atmosphere was also very friendly with the crew clearly seen enjoying themselves and having a good laugh throughout the session.
“Good Doctor’s” main producer Ki Min Soo PD, previously responsible for the hit weekend drama “Ojakgyo Brothers,” showed his resolve by telling the crew that “I hope we make a drama that warms the hearts of everyone and is of a completely different nature to prior medical dramas.” This statement was met with a round of applause from the rest of the crew.
The drama “Good Doctor” will be based around the pediatric department of a university hospital, telling the story of Park Shi On (Joo Won), who overcomes his Savant syndrome in the hopes of becoming a pediatrician. The story will also feature the highly talented associate Professor Kim Do Han (Joo Sang Wook), who is hiding some wounds of his own and the easy going doctor Cha Yoon Suh (Moon Chae Won) that warms the hearts of both men. The drama will first air on August 5th after the end of “Shark.”

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Kim Hyung Jun transforms into a cute seller

Kim Hyung Jun who is currently filming for MBC weekend drama ‘Gold, Come Quickly’, shared a set of photos via twitter.
He wrotes “MongKyu is becoming more sensible, there’s a reason for MongKyu’s change, please anticipate this week’s episodes.”
From the photos uploaded, Kim Hyung Jun was seen working hard to attract customers. He even wore yellow ribbon on his hair and promoting for his products with a loudspeaker. In some of the photos, he were seen doing a cute dance, generating huge interests from fans.
Drama ‘Gold, Come Quickly’ airs every Saturday and Sunday on MBC at 8:40pm. Tune in to find out what really happened!


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Kwon Sang Woo to return to the small screen as a surgeon for new drama 'Medical Top Team'

Actor Kwon Sang Woo is set to return to viewers with a new drama!

After playing double roles as twin brothers in his previous work 'Queen of Ambition', starring alongside Soo Ae and TVXQ's Yunho, the actor will return as a surgeon this time through 'Medical Top Team'.

He'll be playing the role of 'Park Tae Shin', who is a genius in the field of surgery, but is often misunderstood due to his rash comments and attitude. However, underneath the exterior lies a soft-hearted man.

The filming will begin in August, and the drama will premiere in October on MBC!

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Girls’ Generation Members Have a New Favorite Hangout Place?

The members of Girls’ Generation reminded the public why they’re so loved by fans and have a huge following- they are pretty down to earth.

On July 5, Taeyeon uploaded a picture on her Instagram along with the caption, in slang, “To the stairs- so hot.”

Inside the picture, all the girls are posing their own way on the stairway while in the midst of eating from bento boxes. Tiffany cutely poses with her chopsticks in her mouth while Taeyeon looks over her shoulder and gives the camera a slightly lost stare. Sunny puckers her lips and poses with a victory sign while Yuri is unaware (or is she?) and continues to eat.

Netizens who saw the picture posted various comments including “Nation’s girl group. Is it okay to be so easy going like this? Hahaha,” “So cute to see them sitting and eating like that,” “Taeyeon’s skin is really flawless,” “Girls’ Generation even makes eating on a staircase into a magazine ad.”

 

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2PM’s Junho Sheds Trademark Smile in “High Cut”

2PM member Junho, who can now be called actor Lee Junho, shed his trademark brilliant smile for a more serious turn in the latest issue of the fashion and celebrity paperzine “High Cut.”
In the featured image above, Junho is topless, showcasing his toned abs. In the second picture below, Junho puts on a colorfully printed shirt matched with patterned shorts. In both these pictures, there is no trace of a smile with Junho emitting a serious force.

In related news, Junho stars in the recently premiered movie “Cold Eyes” along with Jung Woo Sung and Han Hyo Joo.

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South Korean Army Says Rain Is Cleared Of Any Wrongdoing In PR Agent Probe: Singer To Complete Military Service On Wednesday

South Korea's Ministry of National Defense has cleared K-pop singer Rain of any wrongdoing stemming from footage aired on the June 21 episode of the news program "Scene 21" that appeared to show army public relations officers wandering the streets out of uniform and consuming alcohol freely after performing at an army-sanctioned concert.
On Thursday, a representative from the military body reported that Rain, whose real name is Jung Ji Hoon, will officially complete his mandatory military enlistment next week.
"We've come to the conclusion that Sergeant Jung [Rain] was not in the wrong for his actions on the day of the incident," the representative said, according to the publication CJ E&M enewsWorld.
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"He will be relieved of his duties on July 10."
According to a representative for the singer, Rain is using the rest of his allotted leave time to complete his last 10 days serving in the South Korean army as a public relations officer for the Defense Media Agency.
"Rain recently turned in his last leave to show he′s determined to work hard in his services until the end," a source close to the singer explained on Monday. "His last leave was to last for 10 days."
All eligible males between the ages of 18 and 35 currently must enroll for between 21 and 24 months of army service in South Korea (the length of mandatory enrollment changes by several months depending on which branch of the military that they serve in) in a practice known as conscription.
The "Scene 21" camera crew also captured footage of singers Se7en and Sangchu of the group Mighty Mouth, both public relations officers, entering an erotic massage parlor on the same evening.
The footage rocked the Ministry of National Defense, who ordered a full investigation of the public relations officer program, a longtime bastion for celebrity soldiers serving out their mandatory enlistment terms.
"The special investigation on the operation system of Defense Media Agency will continue into next week as there are still many things to confirm," the Ministry of National Defense representative said.
Last month a South Korean Army spokesperson promised that the famous servicemen wouldn't get special treatment.
"Celebrity recruits aren't different from regular soldiers," the Ministry of Defense spokesperson said.
"They'll be punished the same way. We can only know how severe the punishment will be after the detailed investigation concludes."
On Monday, a representative for Rain denied that his decision to spend his last days as an enlisted officer on leave was motivated by the high-profile investigation of the Defense Media Agency.
"He didn′t choose this way because of the recent controversy surrounding PR agents," the rep said.


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10 Prototypical characters you'll usually find in K-Dramas

Though the tried and true pattern of Korean dramas wasn't nearly as conspicuous for me when I was younger, things have since changed. Perhaps I've matured (hardly likely), or maybe all scriptwriters are issued some kind of drama-writing-for-dummies manual that lists all the standard corners that are to be covered (more reasonable).

Regardless of the how's and why's, the fact still stands that K-dramas coincide with a pace that approaches hysteria. The overlap can happen in underlying plot lines, backdrops, or cliche scenes, to name only a few. But mind you, that's not to say I'm complaining. There's only so much scriptwriters can do with the human experience. In fact, I'll go so far as to say I applaud them for stretching their imaginations with some of these dramas.

But for the purpose of this article, let's appreciate what happens when the tank runs dangerously low on creative inspiration for characters. Here are some of of the archetypical characters that faithfully stick with us through the years and span across dramas:

1) The Chaebol 
(Lee Min Ho as Goo Jun Pyo - 'Boys Over Flowers')

Going off a whim here, you already saw this coming, didn't you?

The chaebol is to a Korean drama what Iron Man is to the Avengers - both are indispensable. If you can proceed without incurring emotional trauma, try picturing the Avengers assembling without Tony Stark. Miserable, isn't it? Everything just goes dark. Where would the Avengers be without Stark's cryptic jests? Where would all the dry humor be sans this self-proclaimed genius, billionaire, playboy philanthropist?

Speaking of genius, billionaire, playboy philanthropist, it seems our K-drama chaebols aren't too far out of Stark's rank - understandably, we're looking past the glossy red, explosion-proof suit that can close alien portals, mind you.  

The chaebols are the unbelievably good-looking and self-righteous rich boys. They rarely see past their ego and they're escorted through their elite lives with a holier-than-thou smirk that make girls feel lightheaded. But looking past all the haughty arrogance, chaebols are  inseparable from all K-drama genres because they're your classic bad-boy-with-a-soft-heart-once-you-dig-deep-enough prototype. 
  
2) The girl who gets the fairytale ending (90% of the time)
(Han Hyo Joo as Go Eun Sung - 'Shining Inheritance') 

Or, if you really want to get technical, the female lead. These ladies anchor the drama and bear the bulk of the burden on their shoulders. We sympathize with their past and place our hopes in their futures. Their stories captivate us, their idiosyncrasies engross us, and their romantic escapades fluster us.  

The female leads are hard to dislike (for the most part). Despite people who might have wronged them in the past or present, they confront their situations with a childlike single-mindedness that we can't help but envy. 

Their personalities are as nuanced as it gets - we have some princesses, tomboys, get-rich-or-die-trying blue collared workers, stingy lawyers, and beloved queens. But that's only scratching the surface, of course. 

These women simultaneously make us fall in love with them and have us criticizing them for making the wrong string of decisions. But through it all, we find ourselves living out the drama vicariously through these heroines (or anti-heroines). 

(Jung So Min as Oh Ha-ni - 'Playful Kiss')

3) The best friend 
(Lee Kwang Soo as Park Jae Gil - 'Nice Guy')

As is the case in any K-drama, the main character simply must have a loyal sidekick or confidante - a "biffle," if you so kindly will.

Though they're certainly not positioned at the forefront of the drama, the best friend characters hold a special place in our hearts. With enough personality and sass, they can even catapult themselves to widespread fame.

I take a particular liking to the best friends who provide comic relief from the drama - that's right, Lee Kwang Soo, I'm looking at you. Take Kwang Soo's character in 'Nice Guy', for instance. Though the drama itself is rife with backstabbings galore, Park Jae Gil considerably cools down the mood of the drama, rendering the underlying tone a bit more playful.

But to be honest, it's Lee Kwang Soo, and such is the story of his life:
4) The Frenemy

(Joo Won as Lee Kang-to, Park Ki Woong as Kimura Shunji - 'Bridal Mask')

Where would K-dramas be without a healthy rivalry at the heart of the plot? It could very much be a love triangle, a sibling rivalry, or the classic best-friends-turned-mortal-enemies situation. The novelty is unheard of, I know.

The frenemy is the quintessential outsider. Though we often find ourselves hating his or her guts, a drama devoid of the antagonist is rather bleak. Without antagonists, our lead characters wouldn't have any highs or lows - instead, his or her feats would frankly plateau off without those electron-charged moments that make our hearts drop.

5) The ass-kickurz

(Lee Min Ho as Lee Yoon Sung - 'City Hunter')

Beautiful actors can seldom go wrong shooting fake guns on screen. That simply works against the laws governing good-looking people. The more I think about it, there's something about male and female leads wielding dangerous weapons and doing all kinds of stunts that unerringly jumpstart our adrenaline.

This applies to dramas as recent as 'Iris 2' or traditional dramas like 'Jumong', which was filled with abundant battle scenes. I can't be the only person with a soft spot for action sequences. Does anyone else get all weak in the knees or have butterflies in your stomach while watching war scenes? Or one-on-one combat? Ugh - I'm smitten.
(Lee Joon as Yoon Shi Hyuk - 'Iris 2')

6) The freaks extrasensory characters
(Lee Jong Suk as Park Soo-ha - 'I Hear Your Voice')

I'm wholeheartedly kidding. There's no way I can call them freaks given how well I know myself and how readily my friends could vouch for me.

Over the last few years, K-dramas have increasingly started to tie up the loose ends of worn-out plot lines, like those of love and revenge, with a supernatural dimension. We're now seeing characters who are part mythical creatures on the small screen, or characters who have extraordinary powers.

But the supernatural isn't exclusively reserved for the characters. We can find such extraterrestrial instances embedded in the plot lines entirely, like time traveling through different eras.  

Though subjective, I appreciate how scriptwriters are leaning more and more towards the fantasy genre. There are certainly dramas that take the superhuman element to extremes, so much so that it becomes too cheesy. But like everything, when done with moderation and expert screenwriting, the drama proves to be worthwhile.

(Lee Seung Gi as Choi Kang-Chi - 'Book of the House of Gu')

7) The no-nonsense mother who needs to take extra doses of chill pills

(Park Joon-geum as Moon Boon-hong - 'Secret Garden')

She's the timeless figure in K-dramas. As a matter of fact, she's just as, if not more, iconic as her chaebol son. Though her eyes could very well burn holes through your clothes (even if they were made of metal) and make you feel guilty for reasons you cannot remember, at the end of the day she just wants what's best for her son. I promise if you choose to think of it like so, it'll be considerably easier to understand why it seems like she hates everything about the human race. 

Granted, these moms are fragile, menopause-ridden women with closets crammed with luxury furs. And so the curious newcomer might venture to wonder how dangerous they can possibly be.  

Dear friends, do not underestimate their overly-powdered faces - they can easily make Hannibal Lector look like Mr. Rogers.   

(Lee Hye Young as Kang Hee-soo - 'Boys over Flowers')

8) The gender bender
(Yoon Eun Hye as Go Eun-Chan - 'Coffee Prince')

For some strange reason, we tend to dote on the girl-pretends-to-be-boy drama genre. But given how frequently producers started to pick up these storylines after the success of 'Coffee Prince', I'd say the concept has lost a bit of flavor.

Though the freshness wanes, I don't think anything can take away from the hilarity and accuracy of some of the transformations of these top actresses. The hairstyles, the outfits, and the way they carry themselves across the screen are all so delightful to watch. Especially when their love interest (who, no doubt, was questioning his sexuality all those times he was around her) finds out she's a girl after all.

Finally. Because that didn't take you too long or anything, you handsome actor.
(Park Shin Hye as Go Mi-nam - 'You're Beautiful')

9) The mini-me's

(Kim Yoo Jung as Yeon Woo, Kim So Hyun as Bo Kyung - 'The Moon that Embraces the Sun')

Though their air time is sharply limited, child actors set the tone and standard for their older counterparts to follow. Considering how much capital is invested into each drama, that's quite a truckload to place on the shoulders of these prepubescent kids.

But it's always amazed me how well they perform under all that pressure. They're not only entertaining the domestic audience, but international viewers as well. I've yet to see a child actor lower the quality of the drama - and if it means anything, that says a lot considering how much we accomplished when we were their age.

(Park Ji Bin as Geum Kang San - 'Boys over Flowers')

We need to take a moment here: This is Geum Jan Di's beloved younger brother in the present day. Apparently, he hit some kind of magical puberty that skips over the awkward pimples-errwhere, pudginess that most of us are gifted with. This isn't even fair.


10) The bro fest(Jang Dong Gun, Kim Soo Ro, Kim Min Jong, Lee Jong Hyuk - 'Gentleman's Class')

It might be a hormonal thing - but there's something about gathering a group of fairly good-looking men together that pull our heartstrings. I'm certain it's the same situation given a group of beautiful women who conveniently happen to be close friends, no?

I'm so attracted to these kinds of tightly-knit friendships (where each friend is stunning in his or her own way) that we find in dramas. The reason being there aren't any dull moments. Each friend is as flawed and conflicted as the next friend, and so it usually ends up being the blind leading the blind.  

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