I’m sure all of you have heard the casting news, that Lee Min Ho (henceforth known as LMHMG – please consult the glossary section of AKP for the definition) has been cast as the lead in the K-drama adaptation of famed 90s-era Japanese manga City Hunter.
I can’t say I am a City Hunter expert, but I did read the entire manga in real time (i.e. as it was published during its 6-year run in the 90s). I have also read author Tsukasa Hojo’s earlier art thief caper Cat’s Eye (love), and his City Hunter spin-off Angel Heart (loathe). I guess this makes me a tad more qualified to talk about the casting then people who simply love or hate LMHMG.
This is just my 2 cents – I find this entire City Hunter K-drama project really weird, from the casting of LMHMG (too young, and conceptually I have a hard time picturing how its going to play out) to the forum (a drama as opposed to a movie?). I’m not saying it’s not going to work, or that I don’t like it, per se. I’m just getting a really strange vibe is all.
City Hunter is a story about a former military mercenary with deadly fighting skills and an even deadlier aim, who abdicates his former life and now resides in Tokyo as a private eye. His current partner/girlfriday is the younger sister of his now-deceased former partner. Together they solve crime, render aid, and have a love/hate relationship with each other. Clients leave the crytic XYZ note at a posting board in Shinjuku train station (OMG, so dated now!) and Ryo decides on whether to take the case based on how hot the chick is (if it is a woman to begin with).
Like I implied, the protagonist, Ryo Saeba, our private eye? He’s a manwhore. Yup, his other claim to fame, other than his military prowess, is his male prowess. The manga involves him constantly getting an erection when he meets hot ladies, and 99% of his clientele are hot ladies, as are the other secondary characters.
So…..LMHMG is playing a crack-shot ex-mercenary current manwhore. Yup, I can see this ending somewhere…… quite interesting. Either the K-drama will be vastly revised, and become more like “inspired by City Hunter”, or we’ll be getting a lot of blacked out scenes. Because the manga definitely was R-rated.
The story alternated between jokey scenes and uber-serious moments as the characters dealt with life and death situations, and how to do the right thing. Plus, Ryo has several serious flirtations that could have derailed the OTP (and I so wish it did, as this was one story where I actively hated the OTP and couldn’t stand the holier-than-thou female lead). I think I will keep a close eye on this drama development, in a rubber-necking way if for any reason.
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If the manga is the way you say it is, I cannot imagine it ever making it even halfway intact onto Korean TV, unless it's a cable channel, and even then.
Also, Lee Min Ho makes me instantly wary. He's one of those actors whom I really like but who has the WORST taste in projects (both BOF and PT were disasters). He makes me tink of Kim Rae Won - an actor I adore but most of whose dramas I cannot stand.
Honestly, the protagonist, Ryo, can be soooooo crass, which is why the manga was hilarious and very suitable for young hot-blooded teeange boys. Let me put it this way, a running gag is a hot woman thinking Ryo has a gun to her back, only to notice his hands are both in his trenchcoat pocket.......
Another running gag is his massive erection being used for utilitarian purposes, bc it's so very handy! Like I said, works in a manga, in a K-drama, with LMH......my mind has a hard time computing.
Does Ryo Saeba end up with Kaori? I read the manga only in the first few years.
LMHMG, I'll follow you everywhere. Including your reincarnation as City Hunter. It may be awkward, it may be great, it may be the most cringe-worthy show of the year, I will just follow.
knowing k dramas, i doubt if they would follow the manga having some kind of r rating scenes, but if LMH is in it, i don't care if they follow the manga or not.
hi lee min ho i want to share you my photos.if you like see my photo send me an email.bye
hi lee min ho i want to share you my photos.if you like see my photo send me an email.bye
i love you
ah a bit late at this piece, but the new post of CH got me curious about your synopsis...
i have to say i only saw the anime when i was little.. and although it was apparent that this animation is not suitable for young children... kekeke i don't remember seeing the running gags ockoala explained to dangermoussie... hehe maybe the anime was a bit censored...
or maybe i was tooo young to even get the joke buahahahha.
I might give this drama a try, but unless LMH is really up in his game... i don't think i'll be really following this one...
Totally truthful. But hey, if he's a manwhore, he better go the hard way. You know, the female might get the lead part in this story.
Plus, Ryo has several serious flirtations that could have derailed the OTP (and I so wish it did, as this was one story where I actively hated the OTP and couldn’t stand the holier-than-thou female lead).
wait I'm a little confused here. Are you saying you did not like Kaori in the manga? That is a first because I don't think I've ever come across anyone that couldn't stand Kaori or found her personality "holier-than-thou" like. That suprises me most of all because I know Kaori could be violent and tempermental (which did get tired after awhile) but I never saw her in that light.