The OCDrama Digest 10th – 16th Feb

Hi everyone! Did dramaland treat you well this past week? I’ve been somewhat adrift in the currents with nothing to latch onto in terms of a marathon. Except for Coffee Prince, but that is a different kind of marathon. I’m glad In a Good Way returned after the New Year break, and did so with a vengeance. It keeps on getting better and better, and it’s turning out to be far more of an ensemble drama than I ever expected. This is a drama after my own heart but more on that another day. Over to what we’re here for:

1. HAWT DAAYYUM, PEOPLE!  This is a screencap from a behind the scenes clip of Secret Love Affair‘s poster shoot which was released this week. And if this isn’t enough heat for you, then let me direct you to this gifset. I warn you, do not look unless you are ready to get singed by some epic sizzle. And I really do mean epic–there are puckering lips involved. 

I don’t like to put too much stock into promos, but when it comes to this drama, I’ve long thrown caution to the wind. At this point, I have my arms wide open and ready to embrace some deep, dark, dramatic noona-romance goodness if not GREATNESS. And why not? It’s by Ahn Pan Seok! It has Kim Hee Ae! And Yoo Ah In! And please please let this be subbed, or I do not know how I will cope. Watch the full clip here, and more screencaps are here.

2. And speaking of noona romances, any fans of T-drama My Queen? The Ethan Ruan-Cheryl Yang 2009 hit is due for a Korean remake by the same folks responsible for Pretty Man and Boys Over Flowers. Incidentally, the same production company is also planning to remake the classic J-dorama classic Nodame Cantabile, both scheduled for this year. No casting news yet, but surely the fate of previous remakes in the hands of these folks and the point of remaking classics in the first place, will give some pause for many.

 3. Famed director Park Chan Wook returns to the screen, albeit on a much smaller scale. The Oldboy director and his brother Park Chan Kyong were commissioned by the Seoul Metropolitan Government to helm a promotional film for the city. The result is Bitter, Sweet, Seoul, a film released on Youtube this week. The one-hour film was made from crowd-sourced footage from people all over the world and then stitched together with additional archival footage and interviews. The result is a far cry from the boring tourist promo documentary that we’d expect. It’s more a series of vignettes about Seoul told through it’s people, places, and seasons. It’s a fascinating watch, not least because it’s not interested in the gleaming towers and success stories of modern Seoul. You do see the bitter, and the sweet side of Seoul. 

4.  Over at Sochi, sponsors of Kim Yu Na were in a tizzy when the star skater was forced not wear her trademark earrings in competition. The earrings became a sensation in Korea when she competed in the last Olympics in 2010. This new ruling was put in place at the London summer Olympics by the IOC in a bid to placate Olympics’ corporate sponsors, which bans athletes from promoting or wearing anything not sanctioned by official sponsors. Which means that other, smaller brands who have supported athletes throughout year cannot be promoted by them at the biggest sporting event of their careers. Makes any sense? 

5. Lastly, congratulations to Hjlyon from Heidi’s KDrama 52 week Challenge, you’ve won Mywebfoot’s eBook That Far Gone giveaway! The winner was chosen at random (which means my hubs picked a number out of a hat) but it’s great knowing that the book will go to a rabid shipper and fan of The Master’s Sun! The eBook will arrive in your inbox courtesy of the lovely Mywebfoot soon. Enjoy the fabulous read my dear!

Signing off…and have a great week ahead everyone 🙂

 

 

• Ahn Pan-seok
• Kim Hee Ae
• My Queen
• Nodame Cantabile
• Park Chan Wook
• Secret Love Affair
• Yoo Ah In