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cr soompi/rubie
March 30, 2010
Romantic comedies top TV line-up
浪漫喜劇攻占電視版面
Starting tonight (March 31), all three major broadcast networks are revamping their Wednesday and Thursday night primetime line-ups.
KBS places its bets on the tried-and-tested melodrama, looking to reel viewers in with a young and hip cast featuring former child star Moon Geun-young, boy band 2PM member Ok Taec-yeon, "Fashion 70's" hottie Chun Jung-myung and "Tamra, the Island" heroine Seo Woo.
Opting for the feel-good value of comedy, SBS takes their series to court. In the new drama, "IRIS" actress Kim So-yeon enters the realm of slapstick as a fashion-forward rich girl-turned-prosecutor.
But it is MBC that holds all the cards for this timeslot. When done wrong, rom-com can be overly saccharine. When done right, it is the perfect pick-me-up. "Personal Taste" is rom-com on a good day. Never mind the star-studded cast -- "Boys Over Flowers" heartthrob Lee Min-ho, top actress Son Ye-jin and boy band 2AM member Im Seul-ong -- the entire premise screams upbeat, funny and charming.
In this spring romance, talented yet steely architect Jin-ho (Lee Min-ho) ends up rooming with a messy tomboy of a girl, Gae-in (Son Ye-jin). Gae-in agrees to the new living situation under the mistaken belief that Jin-ho is homosexual. Therein lies the axis of comedy and stirrings of love around which the series will revolve. The two are doomed to fall for each other, thanks to their close proximity. The gender reversal, with Gae-in as the unkempt, boyish figure and Jin-ho as the put-together, metrosexual roomie, plays on a timeless "Twelfth Night"-type plotline, minus the cross-dressing of course.
Lee Min-ho, who perfected the art of being prickly yet endearing in the hit comic book remake "Boys Over Flowers," upheld his end of the romance in the highlight reel at last week's press conference. More known for her roles as a vixen ("The Art Of Seduction" (2005)) or a demure damsel ("Summer Scent" (2003)), Son, at first glance, cut an unlikely Gae-in. The highlight reel put an end to such concerns. Her portrayal of Gae-in was spot-on. Disheveled, goofy and downright lovable, Son's Gae-in conjured up a popular slang term for single, unmarried career women: "geoneomul" (Korean for "dried fish") girl.
For those who have not heard the latest moniker, a "geoneomul" girl is someone who is great on the job, put-together and talented. But once she gets home all she wants to do is slap on a pair of sweats, pull her bangs back with a rubber band, chug beer and chew on dried strips of squid. Hence, the expression "dried fish" girl.
The popular Japanese comic book series "Hotaru no Hikari" reportedly spawned the term, painting a comedic picture of a single career girl who finds herself living with her squeaky clean boss. In 2007, the comic book series was reworked into a Japanese TV drama. When asked whether or not she drew inspiration from the heroine of "Hotaru no Hikari" for Gae-in, Son answered that the director of "Personal Taste" mentioned the drama version's heroine. "But I haven't seen it," the 28-year old actress said at the recent press conference.
Instead, Son revealed that she was sparked by another popular Japanese comic book series "Nodame Cantabile," which was made into a Japanese television drama in 2006. The original charts the escapades of the musically gifted Nodame a.k.a. Noda Megumi, who, though adept at the piano, is not adept at personal hygiene. When asked if Gae-in will be as dirty as Nodame, Son answered: "She will be severely filthy ... There will be cups of ramen rolling around." "She is very easy-going and off-the-wall ... I think she is the most comical and absurd character that I have played yet."
Co-star Lee Min-ho, on the other hand, will be playing a chic, spick-and-span architect, a role he feared might overlap with his "Boys Over Flowers" persona. "The director told me to put emphasis on the character's touchy personality so I told him I wanted to focus on other aspects since I did cranky in 'Boys Over Flowers,'" said Lee.
If MBC is going for a light-hearted gender bender rom-com, then KBS is betting on the appeal of a melodramatic twist to the classic fairytale, Cinderella. The drama proposes a different take by turning the spotlight on Cinderella's sister. Though Gregory Maguire already did it in his book "Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister," the heroine of KBS' "A Sister of Cinderella" is an entirely different sibling from Maguire's Iris.
The story revolves around the romance between a cynical stepsister Eun-jo (Moon Geun-young) and her prince, Ki-hoon (Chun Jung-myung). The Cinderella of this tale, Hyo-seon (Seo Woo), covets the same prince. The highlight reel, however, did little to suggest that this was a new take on the beloved fable. Scowling and looking weepy in bedraggled clothes, Moon's stepsister seemed more like a modern version of Cinderella than an evil stepsister, while Seo Woo's Cinderella, beribboned and frilled, evoked the wicked sibling rather than the cinder-clad sweetheart.
The addition of a faithful suitor for Eun-jo, played by 2PM member Ok Taec-yeon, furthers the sensation that the stepsister is merely a Cinderella in disguise, with a grimace and attitude to boot. If there was a bit of sugar to the original, this version, said actor Chun Jung-myung at last week's press conference, "is not a sweet and cute romance."
Sweet and cute, however, are precisely what SBS' new series, "Prosecutor Princess" is going for. "IRIS" actress Kim So-yeon plays a luxury brand-loving rich girl who embarks on a brand new career as a prosecutor.
The concept of a primped and pampered girl taking the world of law by storm is a good one. After all, "Legally Blonde" was such a success that it even spawned its own musical. But "Prosecutor Princess" is up against some stiff competition and it will be interesting to see where the cards fall tonight.
"Prosecutor Princess" airs tonight on SBS at 9:55 p.m.
然而，甜美可愛，正是SBS的新剧“檢察官公主”所诉求的。 “IRIS”女演员金素妍扮演一個爱好奢侈品牌的富家女走上嶄新生涯成为檢察官。
這個讲述一个過分講究打扮和娇縱的女孩为法律界带来風暴的概念是不錯的。畢竟，“律政俏佳人”电影曾经這樣的成功，还甚至有了自己专属的音樂剧。（ps. “律政俏佳人”也是小説改编的。美国到现在还有这部电影的音乐剧，还可网上购票的）但是，“檢察官公主”遇到了某些激烈的競爭，非常有趣的是今晚就可以看到胜负揭晓。
“檢察官公主”在今晚9點 55分SBS播出。
"A Sister of Cinderella" airs tonight on KBS 2 TV at 9:55 p.m.
"Personal Taste" airs tonight on MBC at 9:55 p.m.
By Jean Oh (oh_jean@heraldm.com) / koreaherald.co.kr
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March 30, 2010
Younger Men, Power, Money Fill Dramas
充斥年下男，权力，金钱的戏剧
By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter
Actors Son Ye-jin and Lee Min-ho will star in the new soap "Personal Interest''
which airs tonight at 9:55 on MBC ./Courtesy of MBC
The interest in up-and-coming dramas is higher than ever in Korea as this week promises a couple of new shows aiming to catch the attention of viewers. Each boasts numerous stars and intriguing plotlines, but also seem to fall in line with recent trends found in television and society: younger men, women in power and rags-to-riches stories.
Younger Men
年下男
Women dating and marrying younger men has become a social trend here, whereas in the past the opposite configuration was more common. A total of 14.3 percent of couples who tied the knot last year lived up to this trend and it is now being featured in dramas as well.
"Personal Interest'' is one of the most anticipated new series, not only because of the star-studded cast, including Son Ye-jin and Lee Min-ho, but because the two actors seem to be the perfect fit to portray the trend. "It's my first time since my debut to work opposite a guy younger than me. I was worried how I would react since I was always the youngest on previous sets, but when I met Lee, he was very mature. I think I'll begin feeling younger as I work with him throughout the drama,'' Son said during a press conference.
Meanwhile, actress Chae Rim is also playing an older woman in the drama "Oh My Lady.'' Idol group Super Junior member Choi Si-won is the lucky man, playing a stubborn and snobbish top star, while Chae finds herself working as his agent for money. "Younger men are like a fantasy for women in their thirties. As thirty-something female viewers rise as the main audience for dramas, series depicting such couples are increasing,'' said Kim Min-sik, the producer of "Still Marry Me,'' a drama that depicted an older woman-younger man couple early this year.
"Personal Interest'' and "Oh My Lady'' air tonight at 9:55 p.m. on MBC and SBS, respectively.
Women in Power
权势女
In contrast to the past, women have become viable competitors to men looking for respectable jobs. With more women jumping into the professional scene, dramas have caught onto this trend, infusing their female characters with power. The drama "OB/GYN' depicted a successful gynecologist called upon whenever emergency emerged, while the new drama "Prosecutor Princess'' is set to present a Korean version of the hit American film "Legally Blonde.''
Kim So-yeon from the popular drama "IRIS'' plays prosecutor Ma Hae-ri, who is not only interested in her career but also in shopping and dating. The drama focuses on the love and life of the female prosecutor, and also the efforts of numerous students dreaming of becoming successful attorneys."If I were to become a prosecutor in real life, I would work to change laws regarding child abuse,'' Kim said during a press conference early this month.
金素妍在畅销劇“IRIS ''後扮演檢察官馬惠理，她不只關心她的工作，还对購物和約會感兴趣。該劇的重點是女性檢察官的愛情与生活，还有無數夢想成為成功律師的學生们的努力。金素妍在本月稍早的新聞發布會上这么説：“如果我在現實生活中成為一名檢察官，我会努力改變有關虐待兒童的法律。''
Korea's sweetheart, Moon Geun-young, is also expected to surprise fans with her transformation through the new drama "Cinderella's Stepsister.'' The 22-year-old actress has depicted sweet and innocent characters in the past, but this time she opted for a villain. "I didn't choose the character because I wanted to change my image. I simply wanted to test how versatile I could be,'' Moon said during a press conference last week.
Moon will act as the lonely, dark character Eun-jo, and start a journey to find her true identity as she lives with her so-called Cinderella sister, Hyo-seon, played by actress Seo Woo.
"Prosecutor Princess'' and "Cinderella's Stepsister'' air tonight at 10 p.m. on SBS and KBS, respectively.
Rags to Riches
贫到富
Dramas revolving around money have also caught viewers' attention. KBS is airing a series of dramas under the theme "noblisse oblige'' and the second installment of the series, "The Great Merchant,'' has captivated viewers not only with its strong storyline and impeccable acting, but also the main character's wisdom and prospects for making money. The drama deals with the life of female merchant and philanthropist Kim Man-deok and how she became one of the most successful merchants in the region despite her background as a gisaeng, or female entertainer.
Meanwhile, actor Ji Hyun-woo plays Choi Seok-bong in the drama "The Birth of the Rich,'' a bellboy who believes that in order to become a millionaire, you have to act like one. Funded by a commercial bank, the series not only depicts the dramatic methods characters employ to earn money, but also offers realistic investment tips for viewers.
"The Great Merchant'' airs every weekend at 9:40 p.m. on KBS, while "The Birth of the Rich'' airs every Monday and Tuesday at 9:55 p.m. on KBS.
Credits: sanghee@koreatimes.co.kr
[ 本帖最后由 laura1997 于 2010-3-31 06:08 编辑 ] |
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发表于 2010-3-31 01:06
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