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May 21, 2013
TV's great outdoors
Korean survival shows hitting global circuit
By Jean Oh The Korea Herald
When KBS’ iconic “Two Days and One Night” segment hit the small screen in 2007, it pioneered the tough outdoor survival format.
By pitching comedians, actors and singers against each other in a sort-of Darwinian situation, where team members would have to battle one another for lodgings and grub, the show made waves.
It was hard. It was dirty, but it never got ugly. In fact, it was downright funny.
Ratings went through the roof. Not only did the show do well on home turf, the program was also exported to Japan, China and Thailand.
Nearly six years later, it looks like the outdoor program format is undergoing a revolution and, like its KBS predecessor, it looks like it may have some serious hallyu potential.
While “Two Days and One Night,” currently in its second season which kicked off in 2012, continues the tradition of filming within South Korea, the latest crop of shows is upping the ante by going international and making survival more than just a game.
SBS’ popular “Law of the Jungle” is one of the earliest shows to display this new format.
“Law of the Jungle” lead star Kim Byung-man feeds a trio of ring-tailed lemurs in Madagascar. (SBS)
From the start “Law of the Jungle” was bold and brash, kicking off in Namibia in 2011 and taking its lead star-and-comedian Kim Byung-man and a changing cast of celebrity adventurers to faraway locales like the Amazon and Vanuatu.
Far from a picnic, the cast fend for themselves in the wilderness, foraging and hunting for food, even dining on worms or insects to quell their hunger.
Gritty, rough and thrilling, the show is a viewer-ratings success and also seems to have a global appeal. According to an SBS Contents Hub representative, “Law of the Jungle” has been exported to Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia.
Another brand new SBS outdoor-style program that also might be on the verge of making waves abroad is “Barefoot Friends.”
The broadcaster unleashed the urban survival show in April, starting off in Vietnam and then moving on to Indonesia for the latest episodes.
Featuring high profile celebrities like hallyu stars Kim Hyun-joong, Yoon Si-yoon and U-ie, “Barefoot Friends” sends cast members into the city and to the great outdoors to tackle physically demanding jobs and earn much-needed cash.
Still in its infancy, nationwide viewer ratings remain in the low four percent range, but, according to the SBS Contents Hub representative, the program is currently available to viewers in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, hinting that “Barefoot Friends” might have growing global appeal regardless of how it performs on at home.
Meanwhile, MBC announced it will launch its own survival reality program this June.
Titled “Final Adventure,” the upcoming show features 14 celebrities including singer Jo Sung-mo, Tony An and ZEA’s Jung Hee-cheol.
“Fourteen members will be divided into groups of two for a total of seven teams,” an MBC representative explained. “This is a survival program where one team will be eliminated at a time and the final winner is given a cash prize. The show will kick off in Thailand.”
It is too early to tell whether or not international viewers will take interest in “Final Adventure.” If overseas audiences do take to the new program, it looks like a new Korean survival show trend might be able to take its place in the global circuit.
Considering that the latest batch of programs features popular Hallyu stars ― for instance 2AM’s Jeong Jin-woon and MBLAQ’s Mir guest-starred in “Law of the Jungle” ― this might not be such a surprising outcome. By combining a cast that has overseas appeal with action film thrills, these new outdoor programs seem to possess the elements needed to cast a wider global net. |
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May 21, 2013
Kim Hyun-joong donates 100 million won to China earthquake victims
By Suh Hye-rim The Korea Herald
Kim Hyun-joong, a former member of K-pop idol group SS501, has donated 100 million won for the victims of the Ya’an earthquake in China. The 2013 Lushsan earthquake left approximately 200 dead or missing and at least 13,000 injured.
The One Foundation, a private charity organization in China established by Chinese actor Jet Li, disclosed Kim’s donation and conveyed his good wishes to Ya’an citizens via Chinese social platform Weibo on Friday. In return, the charity promised to use the money wisely for the reconstruction efforts.
Kim Hyun-joong (Kim Hyun-joong Facebook)
Kim has made various donations for those in need throughout the past few years. That includes his donation to the victims of Japan’s earthquake and tsunami catastrophe in 2011 and an initially anonymous donation of 50 million won to the Korean Red Cross last year. Moreover, he is a member of World Vision, a child sponsorship program, and also helps Abierta’s House of Friendship in the Philippines.
Meanwhile, the singer will make an appearance as a special guest at UV’s concert May 24-25 at Interpark Art Center in Seoul. His new Japanese album will be released next month. |
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May 21, 2013
Jang Yoon-jung admits she is broke
By Lee Sun-min Korea JoongAng Daily
Jang Yoon-jung frankly shared details of her financial situation and the divorce of her parents on SBS talk show “Healing Camp” on Monday after rumors about the situation began spreading early this month.
“It is true that I have debt and my parents are currently in the middle of a divorce,” Jang said during the show.
She insisted, though, that financial problems were not the root of her parents’ breakup, though she declined to elaborate on the real cause.
She said she learned about her financial troubles after her dad collapsed and was paralyzed.
“I went to the bank to [get some money] only to find out that I had hundreds of thousands of won of debt,” Jang said. “I thought I might not have any money but didn’t think that I would have debt. I burst into tears at the bank.”
She said she only focused on making money but didn’t know much about savings.
Jang let her parents take care of all the finances for the past 10 years. |
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May 21, 2013
Song Il-guk appears in makgeolli ad
By Lee Sun-min Korea JoongAng Daily
Actor Song Il-guk appeared on the front page of the Wall Street Journal yesterday in an advertisement to promote Korea’s traditional alcoholic beverage makgeolli.
Song appears in a white hanbok, or traditional Korean garment, holding a bowl of makgeolli as if asking a companion to take a sip.
The ad is a follow-up to the one promoting bibimbap, or rice mixed with vegetables, in February.
Seo Kyung-duk of Sungshin Women’s University planned the advertisement to promote Korean cuisine abroad.
Yesterday’s advertisement even suggests how to best enjoy makgeolli.
“Pair it with kimchi to really bring out the flavors,” one line reads. “It’s a healthy way to drink. Head to the nearest Koreatown and enjoy.”
Song was chosen as the model for the ad as the MBC drama “Jumong,” in which he took a leading role, garnered much popularity across Asia, the Middle East and Europe, Seo said according to local media reports. |
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May 21, 2013
Bae Soo-bin to marry girlfriend in fall
By Lee Sun-min Korea JoongAng Daily
Actor Bae Soo-bin will marry his graduate student girlfriend in October.
The bride-to-be is eight years younger than Bae, and the couple met in February through mutual friends and started dating in March.
“The two recently made a promise to be lifelong partners,” said Bae’s agency BH Entertainment. “Their parents recently met and decided that the wedding should happen in the fall.”
However, other details on the wedding have not yet been set.
Bae, who made his debut on “The Proof of Memories” on Chinese channel CCTV in 2002, started to garner wider public recognition since his work in SBS drama “49 Days” in 2011. He also starred in film “26 Years” last year and in the upcoming film “Mai Ratima,” the first feature-length film directed by actor Yoo Ji-tae.
The movie, scheduled to be released in Korea on June 6, won the Panel Award at the 15th Deauville Asia Film Festival in March. It was also invited to the 37th Montreal World Film Festival, which will open in August. |
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May 22, 2013
Song Il-gook Takes Break from TV Dramas for WSJ Makgeolli Ad
The Chosun Ilbo
Actor Song Il-gook featured in a new advertisement for makgeolli, or Korean traditional wine, that appeared on the front page of the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday.
In the ad, he sports a traditional hanbok while holding up a bowl of the alcoholic beverage, as if to say, "How about giving it a try?"
"Makgeolli is Korea's favorite rice brew. Pair it with kimchi to really bring out the flavors. It's a healthy way to drink," the ad reads. |
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May 22, 2013
Woman Kills Herself in Celebrity's Car
The Chosun Ilbo
Son Ho-young
Police are investigating the apparent suicide of a woman in a car owned by a member of former boy band GOD.
Police in Gangnam said Tuesday that the woman was known to have been close to Son Ho-young, who is also an actor. The car was parked in front of an apartment complex in the trendy Apgujeong district of southern Seoul.
The car was reported as being parked illegally and a towing truck was about to haul it away when the body was found, a police spokesman said.
Son has been called for questioning.
Police found three charcoal briquettes in the car along with a bottle of sleeping pills. They suspect the woman committed suicide and plan an autopsy.
A source close to Son said, "It's true the car belongs to him, but he has no idea what happened and is in shock."
The police official said a suicide note apparently written by the woman was found in the car in which she spoke of being heavily in debt.
Son's management agency in a press release on Wednesday morning said the woman had been dating Son for about an year but they recently saw less of each other as Son has been busy preparing for his new album. Son lent her his car "for driving practice," it added. |
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May 22, 2013
Actor to stand trial for putting tracking device on wife's car
YonhapNews
SEOUL, May 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korean actor-singer Ryu Si-won has been indicted on charges of secretly planting a GPS tracking device on his estranged wife's car, prosecutors said Wednesday.
The 41-year-old actor is accused of tracking his wife's GPS location for about eight months starting from May 2011, they said, adding that he allegedly installed a tracking app on her phone.
The actor is also under suspicion of slapping his wife in the face several times when she asked about his alleged behavior, prosecutors said.
The 32-year-old wife, only known by her surname Cho, sued Ryu in February while the two were going through divorce proceedings, claiming that the actor had threatened her. The wife filed for divorce last year and the couple is currently undergoing trial.
Ryu, who enjoys immense popularity in Japan, tied the knot with his wife in October 2010 after a year of dating. The couple has one daughter. |
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May 22, 2013
Korean filmmaker Bong to chair international jury at Edinburgh film fest
YonhapNews
SEOUL, May 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's award-winning director Bong Joon-ho will chair the international jury at this year's Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) set to open next month, the event's organizer said.
Bong, whose English-language debut, "Snowpiercer," is expected to open later this year, will choose the winner of the best film award in the international feature film competition category as the chief juror, the festival said in a news release posted on its Web site Tuesday.
The 67th edition of the festival runs from June 19-30.
He will be joined by "Game of Thrones" star Natalie Dormer and film critic Siobhan Synnot, it said.
"It's a huge honor for our Festival to have Bong Joon-ho, one of the greatest filmmakers, as the Chair of the Jury of our International Feature Film Competition," EIFF artistic director Chris Fujiwara was quoted as saying in the release.
Bong won the best director award at the San Sebastian Film Festival for "Memories of Murder" (2003) while "The Host" (2006) and "Mother" (2009) received much critical acclaim when they were screened at Cannes.
The EIFF has also announced that it will host two country focuses this year, showcasing work from Korea and Sweden.
The Korean films to be shown in "The Focus on Korea" section included director Ryoo Seung-wan's box office hit "The Berlin File," O Muel's debut "Jiseul" and "National Security" by master director Chung Ji-young. |
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May 22, 2013
Female body found in singer's car, suicide suspected
The Korea Herald
The death of a young woman is under investigation after her body was discovered inside a car owned by a pop singer, police said Wednesday.
The body was discovered around 3:00 p.m. Tuesday inside the vehicle parked near an apartment building in Gangnam-gu in southern Seoul, according to the Gangnam Police Station.
The car is owned by pop singer Son Ho-young, the police said, adding that an empty bottle of sleeping pills and a used briquette were found along with a suicide note.
"The deceased woman is not a celebrity but an ordinary person who had been dating Son steadily for the past year," the singer's agency, CJ E&M, said.
Son returned home after being quizzed by the police, officers said, adding that the investigation is ongoing.
Debuting as a member of the popular boy band G.O.D. in 1999, the 33-year-old Son released a solo album in 2006 as the band became inactive. The versatile singer is concurrently working as a TV and musical actor. (Yonhap News) |
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May 22, 2013
Cast and Crew celebrate "God of the Workplace"
By Lee Sun-min Korea JoongAng Daily
Actors and actresses from KBS drama “God of the Workplace” gathered together Tuesday in Yeouido, western Seoul, to celebrate the show’s successful run over the past two months. The drama, which had depicted common conflicts found in workplaces, aired its last episode on Tuesday. |
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May 22, 2013
Lee Hyo-ri finalizes fifth album release
By Lee Sun-min Korea JoongAng Daily
Lee Hyo-ri released all the songs included on her fifth album yesterday following her release of “Miss Korea” earlier this month.
The title track “Bad Girls,” which was released with a teaser video, topped all six local music charts immediately after the release at noon.
The song refrained from using electronic sound but did use a repeating chorus and melody with a fast beat to add a bouncy touch.
In the video which copied the format of a documentary film, a narrator’s voice raises a question about why Lee has to become a bad girl, saying that she is not inherently bad. Supermodel Jang Yoon-jung also made an appearance as a policewoman while Lee is presented as a criminal brought in for a mug shot.
In her album “Monochrome,” she released a total of 16 songs which is a lot more than how many local artists typically put in one album.
She has previously said that she puts many tracks in her albums and wants fans to listen to all the songs. |
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May 22, 2013
Son Ho-young's girlfriend found dead
By Lee Sun-min Korea JoongAng Daily
Singer and actor Son Ho-young’s girlfriend was found dead in a car registered in the star’s name.
The woman was found in the car as it was being towed after being illegally parked since May 15.
The tow truck operator reported the dead body to local police.
The police have speculated that she committed suicide as it had found a letter, a bottle of sleeping pills, briquettes and a brazier.
Son was under police investigation from 10 p.m. to midnight on Tuesday according to his agency.
It also confirmed that Son was in a romantic relationship with the deceased for about a year.
“They recently fought as Son has been busy working on his album, but such fights were not serious enough to entail such tragic accident,” said the agency. “Son is shocked as he didn’t see such incident coming.”
The agency also explained that the deceased had often borrowed Son’s car to practice driving.
Due to the incident, Son will step down from all television and radio programs in which he has taken part. |
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May 22, 2013
Actor Lee Min-ho releases 1st album
By Lee Sun-min Korea JoongAng Daily
Actor Lee Min-ho, who rose to international stardom after his appearance in TV drama “Boys Over Flowers” in 2009, released his first album “My Everything” yesterday.
It contains seven songs including the title track “Love Motion” and others such as “Without You,” “My Little Princess” and “You, Me, and Us.”
Some of the songs in the album have been performed by Lee during his fan meets. As many have wanted to have another listen to the tunes, the agency decided to put songs together into an album as a gesture of gratitude for the love fans have shown.
The album garnered much attention after the agency released a 20-second teaser video of Lee posing on a sofa and lying down on the floor one day before yesterday’s album release.
“We chose the concept of the album in an attempt to show more [natural] character,” the agency said.
Lee will have a fan meeting named “Lee Min-ho Global Tour In Seoul” in Korea this Saturday and then will take off to promote his new album overseas.
By Lee Sun-min Korea JoongAng Daily |
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May 22, 2013
Ryu Si-won indicted for tracking wife
By Lee Sun-min Korea JoongAng Daily
Actor Ryu Si-won has been indicted for installing a GPS tracker on his wife’s car without telling her. He was also accused of domestic violence.
However, he denied that he ever hit his wife.
“I’m very surprised and perplexed,” said Ryu. “In any case, violence is not acceptable and the accusations are absolutely not true.”
Ryu said he will actively respond to the legal charges against him to reveal the truth.
He said his wife is accusing him in criminal cases to make things favorable for her in civil court where a divorce suit is currently pending.
“So far, I thought it was unnecessary [to respond to such accusations,] but for my daughter, me and other friends, I will get to the truth,” he said.
Before this indictment, Ryu’s wife, surnamed Cho, filed a suit against Ryu on charges of blackmail in February. Cho alleged that Ryu threatened her during a fight.
The two were married in October 2010 and have one daughter. |
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May 22, 2013
H.O.T heartthrob finds his place as judge and mentor
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
The four judges of “The Voice of Korea” also act as coaches for contestants on the popular reality television program. Provided by M-net
As singing-audition shows continue to flood the market, it is not just the viewers who’ve had to adjust their tastes. The method of unearthing new talent is changing too, and along with it, the role of renowned singers.
In the wake of such changes in show business, former idol singer Kangta found a chair that suits him just fine on “The Voice of Korea.”
Ahead of two final episodes of Season 2, the former H.O.T member talked about his role as one of four coaches alongside singers Shin Seung-hoon, Baek Ji-young and Gil.
“It’s great to see there are so many ways that a singer can enter into the industry now, and it shows that K-pop is evolving and becoming more professional, and audition shows obviously play a big part in that,” said the Hallyu singer.
“Our contestants are musicians who’ve been doing music for a long time before the show,” explained the 33-year-old, who emphasized that apart from having a lineup of professional musicians, the show’s other appeal was trading in the role of judges for coaches.
“Of course the coaches do select their recruits, but in some ways they are being scrutinized too, in their role as mentors.
“There is greater emphasis on the relationships and communication process between coaches and their contestants as they work together to put on a great show,” Kangta said.
And as a product of an entertainment agency himself, the star said there was still something that only an agency can fulfill in the life of a young, aspiring singer.
“Those who appear on ‘The Voice of Korea’ are singers who know exactly what kind of music they want to pursue. And from the agency’s perspective, they know exactly what they’re getting through watching the singers on the shows.
“But when a singer is young and needs long-term training, then I think it’s better for them to go to an agency. There, they’ll be able to receive the professional help and training,” he said.
But pros and cons aside, Kangta emphasized that the singer must have personal goals.
“I think what’s most important is deciding as a singer what kind of music you want to pursue,” he said.
But he admits that if he were a young performer today, he would have been tempted to try out for one of the shows.
“I probably would have, but because I wanted to be a singer from a young age [he debuted at 16], I think an agency was the right choice for me,” he said.
And because he’s been such a successful coach and he’s still a big deal in China, many have wondered if he’d take part in audition shows there.
“There were proposals, but my Chinese is not at a level where I can dispense insightful tips to aspiring singers. Also because I’m committed to this show I didn’t think I’d have time to go abroad,” he explained.
Having invested so much into “The Voice of Korea,” Kangta admits that there are times when emotions get the best of him.
Kangta, second from right, stands with the final three members of his team from “The Voice of Korea.”
At a taping early in the month, Kangta was caught on TV crying while saying goodbye to two contestants, making him one of the most-searched keywords coupled with the words “tears” on that day.
“I never imagined that I’d cry like that on TV. When I was in H.O.T I cried a lot, but after that, I didn’t really. But the other night, I couldn’t help it,” he said.
And he admits that saying goodbye doesn’t get any easier with time.
“Eliminating a team member is heartbreaking. As a coach, you know how hard they worked and also the fact that they’ve come so far to drop them,” said Kangta adding that as the finals come around, it makes him feel uneasy.
“But I guess in the end, the best singer will win.”
And because there can only be one winner, Kangta admits that the future of those who are eliminated is something he is mindful of.
“I think it’s my job, as a judge, to look after those who don’t make it too.
“I hope to provide them with lucrative opportunities, especially the top three. They won’t be unemployed if I can help it,” he said.
For the time they’ve had together so far, Kangta’s remaining trainees Lee Ye-joon and Shin Yoon-mi say they are grateful.
“We ate a lot of delicious food,” said Lee Ye-joon, adding that of the four teams, she was sure that they spent the most time together with their coach. That’s not exactly a tiring feat for the two who admit that they’ve spent their childhood obsessing over H.O.T and listening to their songs on loop.
And when it’s all over, despite the outcome, they are hoping to follow in the stead of contestants from last season.
“I keep in contact with contestants from the previous show. When they get approached with contracts, they’ll contact me. I can’t say that I’ve been a huge help, but you know I’ve been in this industry for a long time and I may know something about the agency that will help them make their decision,” Kangta said.
And because last time was his first, Kangta said that the recruits in season two probably got a better deal.
“This season, because I have a little more experience in coaching, I think the team got more out of the experience,” he said.
“I can’t really predict who will make it,” Kangta said, referring to the two girls still standing, but until the end, he said he’d focus on boosting their morale regardless of the outcome.
The semifinal will air Friday and only one girl will go on to perform in the final show on May 31. |
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May 22, 2013
Ex-girlfriend of singer found dead in his car
By Bahk Eun-ji The Korea Times
Police are investigating the death of a girl who was found in the car of popular singer Son Ho-young, which was parked outside an apartment building in Gangnam, southern Seoul.
Officers said Wednesday that the woman, surnamed Ko, was found dead Tuesday afternoon in the car along with an empty bottle of sleeping pills and a burnt briquette. There was a suicide note inside the car.
In the note, the woman said she had been pressured by debt and had a hard time in her relationship with the singer.
She had been dating Son for the past year, said a spokesman of his agency, CJ E&M.
Police questioned Son on the day the body was found, officers said.
“Son was shocked by the woman’s death. He will stop all public engagements for a while,” said the spokesman of the agency.
The 33-year-old singer debuted as a member of the famous boy band g.o.d. in 1999. After the band became inactive in 2005, he released a solo album in 2006 and has appeared on many TV programs. |
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May 22, 2013
Kim Nam-gil back to being bad
'The Great Queen Seondeok' actor hopes to surpass last role
By Jean Oh The Korea Herald
Actor Kim Nam-gil is returning to the small screen in KBS’ “Don’t Look Back” after an almost three-year hiatus.
“Don’t Look Back” is Kim’s first television drama since completing mandatory military service last July.
“I am quite nervous,” Kim, 32, admitted at the series’ press conference in Seoul on Tuesday, adding that he was so jittery on the set that he had trouble keeping his hands steady while rehearsing.
“I felt that a lot would have changed during those three years, but while working on ‘Don’t Look Back’ I came to feel that not much had changed at all,” said Kim.
The cast of KBS’ “Don’t Look Back,” (from left) Ha Seok-jin, Son Ye-jin and Kim Nam-gil, attend the drama’s press conference in Seoul on Tuesday. (Park Hae-mook/The Korea Herald)
Of what he learned while away from the camera, Kim said, “You could say my work in ‘The Great Queen Seondeok’ made me famous and I think there was a moment when I could have let all that go to my head. But during those years of military service, I focused on finding happiness in the little things and returning to that initial feeling of joy of just being able to act.”
Kim confessed to being concerned about how he would differentiate his new character from that of his previous role.
In “Don’t Look Back,” Kim plays an anti-hero out to avenge his father’s murder, a role not unlike that of his work on SBS’ “Bad Boy,” where he played a stuntman determined to exact revenge on the family that ruined his life.
“You could draw similarities between the characters from ‘Bad Boy’ and ‘Don’t Look Back,’” Kim said.
“The biggest challenge I face is surpassing my role in ‘Bad Boy,’” he said. “At the moment, I am tackling my role with the goal of being up to par with the quality of work I did in ‘Bad Boy.’”
“In truth, I really do want to play lighthearted roles. I personally think I would be good in a romantic comedy and it is a genre that I like. However, I am drawn to characters that possess emotional scars and have traumatic pasts,” said Kim of his tendency to latch onto heroes with bad boy personas.
In his upcoming drama, Kim’s hero, Han Yi-soo, loses his father before narrowly avoiding death himself.
Scarred by his past, Han (Kim Nam-gil) carefully plots his revenge, amassing wealth and power as the adopted son of a wealthy and influential businessman in Japan before returning to Korea after 12 years of absence.
Co-star Son Ye-jin plays Han Yi-soo’s first love, Cho Hae-woo. Believing Han to be long-deceased, Cho, determined to uncover the truth behind his case, eschews her duties as a hotel heiress to become a prosecutor.
Like Kim, Son is returning to the small screen after nearly three years to star in the upcoming “mystery and melodrama.”
“This is our second time working together,” Son, 31, revealed, explaining that the first time she met Kim was when they starred in an advertisement together.
Co-star Lee Honey put in her two cents on Kim, saying that unlike his characters Kim was very playful and “really brings life to the set.”
“Kim Nam-gil is a real joker off duty,” said “Don’t Look Back” director Park Chan-hong. “You know, life is long and if you want to have a good time you need someone like him around.”
“Don’t Look Back” starts airing May 27 Mondays and Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on KBS 2 TV. |
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