Latest news with #DearHongrang
Pink Villa
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Our Unwritten Seoul's Park Bo Young tops buzzworthy actor list, here's how Son Suk Ku manages to appear twice
Our Unwritten Seoul debuted in the buzzworthy drama and actor list after the airing of its second week's episodes. Dear Hongrang also made it to the actor list, weeks after the conclusion of the multi-genre drama. Check out how the South Korean series fared in the domestic sphere, as per Good Data Corporation's latest report for the week spanning May 26 to June 1. Our Unwritten Seoul's Park Bo Young, who impressed as twin sisters Yoo Mi Rae and Yoo Mi Ji, debuted in the buzzworthy drama list at No. 1. She is followed by Heavenly Ever After's Kim Hye Ja. The series concluded last week with its highest recorded ratings, making it currently the most buzzed about drama. Its male lead Son Su Kyu made history by featuring in the actor list twice. He clinched both No. 4 and No. 5 spots with Heavenly Ever After and Nine Puzzles respectively. His Nine Puzzles co-star Kim Da Mi is one spot above him in the actor list. Among the debutants, we have Our Unwritten Seoul's Park Jinyoung and Dear Hongrang's Lee Jae Wook and Jo Bo Ah at 8th, 6th and 10th spots respectively. Among dramas, the new show A Head Coach's Turnover made its first appearance at No. 10. The Haunted Palace held its place in both the drama and actor list ahead of its finale's premiere. Tastefully Yours and GOOD BOY rounded off the top 5 of drama list. Check out the top 10 lists below. Top 10 most buzzworthy K-dramas of this week: JTBC's Heavenly Ever After tvN's Our Unwritten Seoul SBS's The Haunted Palace ENA's Tastefully Yours JTBC's GOOD BOY tvN's Second Shot at Love KBS2's For Eagle Brothers KBS2's Pump Up the Healthy Love SBS's Spring of Youth MBC's A Head Coach's Turnover Top 10 most buzzworthy K-drama actors of this week: Park Bo Young (Our Unwritten Seoul) Kim Hye Ja (Heavenly Ever After) Kim Da Mi (Nine Puzzles) Son Suk Ku (Heavenly Ever After Son Suk Ku (Nine Puzzles) Lee Jae Wook (Dear Hongrang) Yook Sungjae (The Haunted Palace) Jinyoung (Our Unwritten Seoul) Han Ji Min (Heavenly Ever After) Jo Bo Ah (Dear Hongrang)
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Dear Hongrang star Lee Jae Wook reveals his ‘jealous personality,' says Park Ji Hoon's Weak Hero made him envious: ‘It could become poison'
Actor Lee Jae Wook, riding high on a streak of historical fantasies and sword-swinging roles in K-dramas like The Alchemy of Souls and the new Netflix hit Dear Hongrang, opened up about his work ethic and how he picks projects. The actor who debuted in 2018 with Memories of the Alhambra sat down with Dispatch Korea to talk about his latest drama alongside Jo Bo Ah, drawing parallels between the show's title, Tangeum, and his own life. The series's title, based on Jang Da Hye's original novel, translates to an ancient Qing Dynasty punishment, swallowing gold until death. Lee shared what that 'gold' symbolises for him. The 27-year-old has tasted success in very little time and earned the title of Netflix's son from fans, thanks to his multiple hits on the OTT platform. His new K-drama Dear Hongrang, written by Kim Jin Ah and directed by Kim Hong Sun, is a tragic tale of people crushed by status, power, desire, and revenge. Here, gold stands for the ideal everyone chases. When asked what gold means to him, Lee said, 'I think it's a lack or deficiency. I really enjoy meeting people and working. When I'm alone, I just get jealous of hit dramas. Like the series title says, it could become poison.' Also read: Dear Hongrang ending explained: 7 burning questions answered in Lee Jae Wook and Jo Bo Ah story finale Lee explained that when he's alone, he often binges on new shows and pictures himself in their shoes, wondering how he would have performed. 'I always think about how I'd act in those roles. Then I get jealous, thinking, 'Why didn't that script come to me?' That's probably why I keep working without rest,' he laughed. For Lee, he completed Tangeum fueled by that same power of jealousy, determined to show his acting skills so well that no one would think of anyone but Lee Jae-wook as 'Hongrang', and maybe even spark a little envy. Also read: Dear Hongrang star Jo Bo Ah reveals nickname she gave to Lee Jae Wook, shares why she keeps distance from male co-stars In Dear Hongrang, Lee Jae Wook plays the long-lost son of Joseon's wealthiest merchant family. He returns after a decade with no memories. Opposite him is Jo Bo Ah as Jae Yi, his half-sister, who suspects this newly returned family member and is convinced he's not her brother. In a talk with Dispatch, Lee revealed he initially turned down Hongrang's script because he had already done two historical hits, Alchemy of Souls and Alchemy of Souls: Light and Shadow. But what changed his mind was a handwritten note from writer Kim Jin-ah. Lee said the letter was five or six pages long, where the writer carefully described Hongrang's onscreen personality and his character arc. 'She explained Hongrang's character and gave detailed feedback on my acting. I read that letter overseas and cried my heart out,' he said. 'I was grateful there was a writer who saw me so closely. That's when I reopened the script. I joined with the desire to express Hongrang's pain after unimaginable torture.' Lee's character Jang Uk from Alchemy of Souls is one of his most widely praised roles globally. So when news of him signing a new historical drama broke, fans naturally expected him to return in the same avatar. But the actor surprised them with a darker role. Comparing the two characters, he explained, 'Jang Uk was a growing character. Hongrang's story starts after he has already grown. I pushed through without confusion about the character's nature.' On the other hand, for Hongrang, he said, 'I tried to bring out Hongrang's sharpness. I had to convince viewers with minimal lines. I aimed to show restraint. And I added the detail that Jae Yi was always at the end of his gaze.' Lee Jae Wook took his first role at the age of 21. He's 27 now, with six leading roles already under his belt. The actor revealed he watched Weak Hero Class 1, led by Park Ji-hoon, and felt a twinge of jealousy, spending time thinking about what he would have done if he played that character. 'I think the reason I work without rest is also because of jealousy. Since I'm just watching other works and feeling jealous, I think I'm motivated to work quickly.' Lee is currently planning to enlist in the military and wants to belt out as many shows as he can.
Indian Express
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Will there be Dear Hongrang season 2 based on the original novel Tangeum's ending? Netflix keeps the possibility open
Lee Jae Wook and Jo Bo Ah's new historical mystery K-drama Dear Hongrang ended its 11-episode run on May 17 after debuting the same day on Netflix. If you've already watched it, you're probably aware of the bittersweet ending and may have even found yourself scrolling through a fan thread, trying to piece it all together. Now, fans are wondering if Dear Hongrang will follow in the footsteps of Lee Jae Wook's previous historical fantasy Alchemy of Souls and return with a Part 2 to continue the story. While there's no official word from the streamer yet, it's worth noting that the series is based on the 2021 novel Tangeum: Swallowing Gold, which also inspired a webtoon under the same name. So, whether the show expands or stops here depends a lot on how the novel wrapped things up. Also read: Dear Hongrang star Jo Bo Ah reveals nickname she gave to Lee Jae Wook, shares why she keeps distance from male co-stars Yes, the story is inspired by Tangeum by the renowned Korean author Jang Da Hye. Just as shown in the Netflix adaptation, the story is set in the late Joseon Dynasty, where a young boy, the only son of a powerful merchant guild, disappears on the very night he promises to pick red camellias for his little stepsister. Ten years later, he returns with the same habits and same scars but claims he remembers nothing about his past life. An ancient blood-mixing technique somehow proves he is the long-lost son of the family, but his sister, Jae Yi, isn't convinced. Jae Yi grows up searching for her brother her whole life while living in a suffocating home, filled with opium smoke and betrayal. Then there's Mu Jin, the adopted son of the Min family. He grew up with Jae Yi. Once, he may have seen her as a sister. Now, his feelings have twisted into love. Also read: Dear Hongrang ending explained: 7 burning questions answered in Lee Jae Wook and Jo Bo Ah story finale Why Tangeum? Tangeum translates to 'swallowing gold.' It's a poetic Korean phrase used to describe suicide, especially among 'noblewomen or courtesans driven by despair.' The story focuses less on uncovering Hong Rang's identity and more on the characters themselves, each broken in a different way, and how one incident fractures every bond — three people, caught in a web of memory, pain, desire, and guilt. The possibility of Dear Hongrang getting a renewal is quite low, or even a complete no, given the current series has wrapped up all the arcs written in the novel, and Hongrang's character met the same fate as Lee Jae Wook's: taking his last breath in the arms of Jae Yi. The series covered everything, including the brutal history of the soul reaper, how he was poisoned in childhood, which slowly led his body and organs to give up.. The villain meets a tragic end after Hongrang chops off the same arms that claimed the lives of so many innocent kids. According to author Jang Da Hye, she painstakingly rewrote her characters' emotional arcs multiple times before publishing. The book is drenched in symbolism and emotion. However, when adapted on screen, writer Kim Jin Ah (The Devil Judge) and director Kim Hong Sun (The Guest, The Witch's Diner) leaned harder into the political intrigue and suspense, though the story and character arcs largely stayed true to the source. What's surprising is that Netflix still hasn't marked the series as Limited, leaving the door slightly open. But if the story expands, it'll likely go beyond the book, into completely original fiction. If you can read Korean, or even if you're semi-fluent and willing to work through it with tools, Tangeum is 100% worth it. There's no official English translation yet, but the demand has skyrocketed. There's also a webtoon version on Ridibooks.
Pink Villa
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Knock-Off delay: Disney addresses hold on Jo Bo Ah starrer as Kim Soo Hyun-Kim Sae Ron scandal intensifies
The fate of Kim Soo Hyun' s much-anticipated series Knock-Off remains uncertain amid ongoing controversy surrounding his rumored dating scandal with actress Kim Sae Ron. Speculation intensified on May 2, when a set of promotional posters for the show unexpectedly appeared on IMDb, sparking renewed debate about the project's release. However, to address all other growing speculation, Choi Yeon Woo, Head of Local Content at Walt Disney Company Korea, has spoken out. When asked about the status of Knock-Off, Choi reiterated Disney+'s official stance: 'The release has been postponed following an internal review. There have been no further updates since then.' When questioned about the financial penalties being imposed on Kim Soo Hyun due to the delay, Choi declined to comment, stating, 'It is difficult to provide an answer.' Previously, rumors circulated suggesting that Disney+ might impose a significant penalty on Kim Soo Hyun due to the series' indefinite postponement, and the controversy surrounding his personal life affected the series. While some industry insiders claimed a large fine was inevitable, others denied any such action. As of now, no official decision has been confirmed, and the situation remains unresolved. The scandal has had broader ramifications for the cast and production. Actress Jo Bo Ah, who stars opposite Kim Soo Hyun, has distanced herself from Knock-Off and committed to a different project - Dear Hongrang. If things were on track, Knock-Off would have been her first screen appearance after her marriage. Had Knock-Off proceeded as planned, it would have served as her comeback role. Further complicating matters is the ongoing legal conflict reportedly involving Kim Sae Ron's family, which has added another layer of uncertainty to the show's future. In short, the release of Knock-Off is mired in controversy and uncertainty, with no clear resolution in sight. As the scandal continues to unfold, viewers are left wondering whether the series will ever see the light of day.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
‘Dear Hongrang' star Lee Jae Wook hints at enlistment again, says he will keep working until he goes into the military
The popular actor who is recently going viral for his latest role in the online Korean drama ' Dear Hongrang ' has been time and time again hinting at officially starting his mandatory enlistment. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now During a press conference held at Samcheong-dong, Seoul, the actor said something that worried fans a little and made them speculate that Jae Wook's enlistment date may be nearer than they thought. Lee Jae Wook talks about working until his military enlistment The actor, during his press conference in Seoul, shared details about his new show, subtly addressed rumours surrounding Aespa's Karina and even indirectly hinted at his enlistment news. As per Allkpop, the actor said that 'I've reached the final deadline. I wasn't diligent enough to pursue graduate school or other options. Even if I enlist, I want people to be able to find a lot of my work and writings. So I plan to keep working as much as possible until the moment I leave." Previous hints at enlistment The 'Alchemy of Souls' actor has time and time again hinted at the fact that he may soon be going off to finish his mandatory enlistment service, although nothing official has been shared with the public. The actor, during his time as a guest on the popular variety show 'The Seasons: Artist', talked about something similar. The actor featured on the show alongside ZICO and shared how there is not much time left for him. In a statement he made during the show, he shared how 'There is not much time left until I leave for the military. I'm thinking about going next year, but I'll try to do a lot of activities before I leave." The constant comments about his enlistment time have pointed fans towards speculating that the date may be coming a lot sooner than they initially thought and the actor will soon be leaving for his mandatory military service .
