First Look at the Upcoming K-Drama The Thorn Birds
They look really good together. That was the first thought going through my mind when I saw the first stills released by KBS for their upcoming Wed-Thurs drama The Thorn Birds (also referred to as Thorn Three Bird). Leads Han Hye Jin and Joo Sang Wook started filming three days ago, and the stills depict their first contentious meeting whereby Han Hye Jin slaps Joo Sang Wook when she mistakes him for a fraudster.
The Thorn Birds also co-stars Kim Min Jung (whom I adore) and Seo Do Young, and is scheduled to air after President wraps its twenty-four episode run. Because SBS has extended Sign by four episodes (making it a twenty-episode drama), The Thorn Birds is going to have a leg up on its rival 49 Days, which now has its airing date pushed back by two weeks.
The Thorn Birds will be set in the world of entertainment, as lead Han Hye Jin plays an orphan with an intense ambition to succeed, in hopes of finding her birth mother. She is a minor actress, and cross-paths with Kim Min Jung, who plays a PD. The two ladies become bitter rivals, in work and in love. To be honest, I’m not really excited about this drama, other than some actors I like, because the story and the vibe seems – So. Darn. Melodramatic. Don’t believe me, look at the picture below from the poster shoot.
When your leading man is embracing one lady in one hand, while his other hand is grabbing another, then I guarantee this drama is probably knee deep in makjang-ville, and probably got another foot in weepy-town. I’m actually even more interested in Ji Sung’s Royal Family than The Thorn Birds – but I am 100% devoted to 49 Days between these three competing dramas. Have a look at their first poster shoot if you’re interested.
No matter what the story is, at least the acting will be pretty top-notch here. Kim Min Jung can cry like nobody’s business, she cries with her entire body and soul. And Han Hye Jin does outwardly cold, inwardly shattered better than almost any of her counterparts. Joo Sang Wook almost stole the show amongst the younger generation actors in Giant, so he’s really perfectly cast for a melodrama male lead.
I’ll definitely peek at The Thorn Birds, and hopefully it’ll be more a modern-Fashion 70s and less a Stained Glass redux (which its reminding of based on the vibe and the genre of the story).
[Credit: all pictures from Baidu Joo Sang Wook bar]
Such a great cast, such a crap premise. Unfair. ㅠㅠ
Also, Smiley (Seo Do-young)!! I’ve only ever seen him in one thing and I’m already obsessed. *grabby hands*
Edward was perfect in ILPK, right? Probably THE perfect second male lead…..second to Bae Soo Bin as Jun Se-oppa in Shining Inheritance/Brilliant Legacy.
Just realized that both leads in The Thorn Birds, once played second male leads named Edward in other dramas. How random is that? And probably Joo Sang Wook wants to burn the tapes of his “Edward” – and his entrance riding a mechanical bull. T___T My eyes…they are a-burnin’ from watching PR.
Absolutely, I loved him. As you could totally tell by my fangirly tweets while I was watching it. XD
Oh god, you’re right about the Edward thing. D: Poor JSW,that mess of a drama will still be fresh in everyone’s minds when Thorn Birds airs. DX
I am very excited for Thornbirds but I love makjang, weepy melodramas to bits. Actually, 49 Days is the one I am least interested in because it sounds like Who Are You Mark 2 (and I loved WAY but one of it is enough) and also because Jo Hyun Jae never really did it for me (don’t kill me, koala!)
Not at all!
If Jo Hyun Jae wasn’t the first ever K-actor I ever watched, his Seodongyo being my first ever K-drama, I probably wouldn’t have such a soft spot for him. He’s not the most magnetic actor by a wide-margin, but his Seo Dong was just damn perfect a role for him. Swoonz.
I’ve discovered I only like certain weepy makjangs. Can’t describe it, but I’ll know it when I see it. I like the cast of Thorn Birds very much, so hope it’s my kind of intense weepiness.
I think JHJ’s awful Only You is too firmly burned in my eyeballs (what a nightmare drama!) but I did find him pretty appealing in Nine-Tailed Fox though I wanted the heroine with fox leader guy 🙂
Re: emo melodramas. I can’t stand when it’s too makjang (Flames of Ambition – oh my God!) but a bit of makjang with some delicious emo on top is just my thing.
I liked OY, but I’m totally in the minority, and it’s a crap drama I totally agree.
JHJ’s Seodongyo is one of my fave sageuks, because it is hands-down the most romantic, lovey-dovey sageuk I have ever seen. After Seodongyo, I expected all sageuks to be as epic love story, and found nothing like it.
Have an MV – official SBS release for the drama:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-IA_pouGUo
Neither JHJ or Lee Bo Young are very good actors, but they did quite well in this drama, and had wonderful chemistry. I mean, it’s got it all: childhood love, they elope, they get separated (he’s the Prince of Baekjae, she’s a Shilla princess), they carve couple rings for each other, she gets kicked out of the royal family, he reclaims the throne to be with her, it’s AWESOME!
Oh. Must get my hands on Seodongyo now! I wonder if there are subs. Off to look…
Oh, I’m sure there are subs galore! Seodongyo is a Lee Byung Hoon epic sageuk – you know, the PD who brought us Dae Jang Geum, Yi San, Dong Yi, etc.
I’ve only ever liked his Seodongyo – which was not a big hit in Korea, but was a smash hit in the rest of Asia. I think it aired like 3 times in a row on network TV in Taiwan.
We TW-nese love our wuxia/sageuk epic love stories of star-crossed lovers. Swoonz some more.
The childhood portion I remember spans about 6-7 eps, then the adults show up. Have fun watching if you jump in. I marathoned this baby when I just had my baby girl, and despite being bone-tired I pulled 3 all-nighters to finish it.
Isn’t Joo Sang Wook in Paradise Ranch as well? So he’ll be on TV 4 times a week? Haha.
Wow… never realized how much I missed Jo Hyun Jae until that Seodongyo MV!!!
Like you, JHJ was one of my 1st K-“crushes”…loved him in Love Letter & yes, Only You!!!
Glad to know he’s about to make a comeback!! will surely watch out for his new drama!!
Yup, joo sang wook also play in paradise ranch
ockoala I’m reading ur post at work and I can’t see any of the pix u posted but anyway I’m also waiting for ” 49 DAYS ” , I think it will be a good drama to watch , could u please temme in whcih date it’s gonna start ?
I am so excited and thrilled for this drama because Joo sang wook is the lead actor. He is such a great actor . I wish him all the best and great success in his life and career.
XOXOXO lot of love from your big #1 fan in Canada
Another Joo Sangwook’s great fan here in the US 🙂 Im looking forward to watching his new drama 🙂
After reading a more detailed synopsis provided by KBS World, the plot looks much more interesting. I think the only part that has me confused is the second line or so of the KBS World provided synopsis, here: http://kbsworld.kbs.co.kr/programs/programs_intro.html?no=742
Love Min Jung :X
I’m a fan of Jo Hyun Jae. He’s not that bad actor. Actually I first saw him in OY.
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I’m a fan of Han Hye Jin too! I’m so glad that she had a new drama. I’ve been waiting for her drama after Jejoongwon. I keep on updating her new drama. And I feel glad that she has one. I’m excited to see this drama. The cast seemed to be perfect for the drama. And I’m sure they’ll all give their best shot.
Let’s just see how it goes in the first day of airing. That’s not very far. I think it will be aired this coming 25th of Febuary. I’m hopeful that it would be a high rating drama.