[Update: as of midnight Sunday night, Han Ye Seul was still a no-show for the entire day’s filming, and representatives from both sides have been in a closed door meeting that ended with no agreement. Tomorrow’s episode may be replaced with something else in the worst case scenario that filming can’t resume on Monday morning.]
This is not good. In fact, the behind-the-scenes insanity with Spy Myung Wol (already pretty crazy with the writer additions) just went from bad to Defcon 5 level production crises emergency. Once the media is actually being informed via public announcements about issues going on that normally only come out via whispered rumors, you know shit is bad. On August 14th, lead actress Han Ye Seul missed a 7:30 a.m. filming call, leaving the entire cast and crew waiting for her until 11 a.m. and still unable to commence filming. Because, you know, she is the main character and needed for pretty much every scene. Apparently only 40% of the broadcast footage has been shot for the upcoming two episodes and a representative for KBS stated that they might not have enough to air on Monday.
What makes this story even more salacious is that earlier on August 12th, Han Ye Seul also didn’t show up for a filming call scheduled for 6:30 a.m., instead showing up 9 hours later at 3:30 p.m. What tha? SMW has been confirmed to be an 18 episode drama so a public spat between Sidus HQ (Han Ye Seul’s agency) and KBS really throws this already beleaguered production into even more of a mess. And if anyone claims the added two episodes is not to give it’s follow-up drama Poseidon more time to film then I will eat my shorts, and your shorts, too, because the ratings for SMW are so low it would never merit an episode length longer than the standard 16 eps for rom-coms.
I honestly feel bad for the entire cast and crew, Han Ye Seul included, because SMW is clearly turning out to be not what they signed up for. Sidus HQ released a statement that she was sick (but obviously didn’t bother to call the production since KBS professed not to know why she didn’t show up), and since the filming for the previous day went until 5 a.m., clearly she would not be able to make a 7:30 a.m. filming call (but the other cast and crew which filmed until 5 a.m. as well somehow could make it). See, doesn’t that explain it all?
Apparently Sidus HQ and KBS has been in a stand-off for days now over the production being unable (or unwilling) to accommodate Han Ye Seul’s schedule for other engagements during the filming of SMW. Rumor has it Han Ye Seul did in fact inform the PD she was NOT showing up the first time she didn’t show up on the 12th. Which doesn’t make it any better, but at least she was upfront about it. Sigh. Could it get any messier? We have 8 episodes left to see. But I reckon the cast and crew will likely be very pissed with Han Ye Seul, regardless of her reasons, because this impacts them as well. Which makes me worried about the upcoming plot and chemistry between the leads.
My thoughts? I dunno. I think Sidus HQ is playing hardball, leaving Han Ye Seul looking mighty unprofessional, and leaving every other cast and crew member of SMW screwed by conflicts unrelated to them. As for Han Ye Seul’s other engagements? When she accepted the drama, she should expect the normal (insane) Korean drama production schedule. I’m not sure where it was stipulated the production would accommodate her other engagements, when everyone else pulls all nighters and lives and breathes the drama for 8-10 weeks straight. Nevertheless, I hope this issue is resolved because there are four more weeks of filming left.
[Credit: Nate news]
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Given Sidus HQ's 'impressive' background, it's such a shame, really. Spy Myung Wol did well to put me to sleep, I pity Eric for getting caught in this mess after Poseidon. And the fact that poseidon is back, makes me pity him more ;(
She even has her character name for drama title but look what she did for the production:(. Too bad since I like this drama but it's really unprofessional move from her and I wonder if other production will want to cast her in future.
I so agree with you!
really such an irresponsible person ! how funny she game an interview when the spy started saying that she was very serious about her work and that was something what made her scare true shit it makes you scary that you leave everyone hanging thinking that the world evolves around you and to think i had such respect for her work! Erick is a star no matter if she is irresponsible she wont blurt him its not his fault! its really fascinating watching him act so well i really enjoy his work!!
Irresponsible?
If she was exhausted and could not work, it's her call.
She had been warning the production for some time, so it's not like it's out of the blue.
Sidus playing hardball? Nah. You can play hardball with up-and-coming stars who need the exposure and would face problems if they didn't follow management's diktats, but not with A-list stars who bring in over a billion a year in CF contracts and other paraphernalia. Han has pretty much carte blanche. She's playing the diva, that's what. The bitching about the production environment would sound a little more plausible if it had come from someone with a better track record, but this is not the first time she misses shoots or acts batty on the set. Set aside the fact 이김프로 should be kicked off the business (look at the list of productions they've been involved with, and the endless accidents on set and with the press), and that the production environment DOES need to change, fault here is pretty much 99.9% on Han's side. And this is from talking with reputable sources about it, not allKpap. ㅋㅋ
Actually you can only play hardball when you have a top name actress. If you play hardball with with an up and comer actor the PD's won't really care about your actor and just do what they want. Now if you play hard ball with and A-lister, the PD's would try anything possible to get that A-lister back. Also while its possible Han's playing the diva, I think the real issue is between the production company and Sidus HQ. I think its completely possible that Sidus is telling Han to not show up.
he he, hapacalgirl defending HYS, I was lol looking at your comments at Javabeans -ehmmm Lee Da Hae? Ring a bell?
Thanks for the low down, Kitteh. Sigh, just what I figured it was. I didn't want to call her a diva, but where there has been lots of smoke (from all her previous projects), there is bound to be a fire.
While I don't think Sidus is calling the shots, doesn't the agency have to a duty not to let things escalate to this point?
And the demand on her side to FIRE PD Hwang? o___O WTF? Just finish the damn drama, then write a tell all and sue the production company for contract breaches.
As I said above, that's beyond their spectrum when it comes to huge stars like Han. She's got free reign, more or less. I mean, yes, stars like her do have concurrent activities which require careful planning and a certain amount of multitasking, but it's pretty much clear that if one of your "clients" is shooting a drama, that always takes the precedence. Any CF shoots and appearances are worked around the show (as they are planned months ahead, so it's not like you can use the "something urgent came up" excuse). Management itself would actually push for her to show up, because they make more money out of her drama shoots (on average) than any other appearance.
The "5 day a week" thing was an excuse to placate the fire online, as she knew it would stir the proverbial hornet's nest (you know the press has a field day whenever that argument is brought up), but it's not exactly the top stars who suffer in this environment. 15-hour shoot days usually involve 3 hours of waiting in the trailer, 30 minutes of shooting, rewind and repeat. Exhausting mentally, but it's the staff and assorted minions who do the real work, she's polishing her nails inside a van while they do the dirty work so it's hypocritical to bring that up. I wonder what she would have said if she was shooting a sageuk, where people spend 3 hours alone in the make-up room, and wear 20 kilos of armor under the scorching sun...
Earlier today I had a Twatter-chat with someone from the assistant producer's team (the ones who do the real work ㅎㅎ), and basically all I can say is... temper tantrum? Atmosphere on the set is tense as hell because of the ratings and the pressure from KBS (scared shitless because Poseidon is up next and nowhere near ready), so I guess sparks were flying to begin with, something ignited, shit hit the fan. PD Hwang is like the last person you'd think would start acting like an ass, and he might have raised his voice after two late arrivals in a week (and we're talking five to nine hours, not 20 minutes), but I seriously doubt he'd do anything so extreme as to create a situation. He likely went "I ain't taking shit from this bimbo anymore," and she went "O.M.G. I am a star and you should bow down before me~" and shit. Then she suddenly find herself assaulted by mortal throes that force her not to show up. Hence the replacement request.
Basically everyone on the set (including the cast) thinks she had a Liz Taylor moment for whatever reason, and since LeeKim are clueless and actually have little power, KBS stepped in and won't take anymore shit. I suppose they might do some brainstorming to save face, she could come back tomorrow, cock up some fake apology of sorts, and the show will go on with everyone hiding their knives until it is finally over. But it's a mess, really, because Poseidon is gasping for air (not exactly a daily drama in terms of logistics and shooting schedule, too), KBS is in trouble, and the only other solution is throwing some mini drama in the mix. But that would mean losing face.
Any argument about the shooting schedules, live shoots and whatnot is beside the point. Every drama shoots in the same conditions - it's actually the few ones that don't which truly stand out. Like Kim Jin-Min's shows. Every actor has it hard. I don't see them complaining.
IDK what is going on between her agency and KBS but for she to let herself look unprofessional due to their conflict shows how irresponsible she is as a person
It's so lame...I remember Yoon eun hye did wait for *Love song* almost One year Or Park Shin hye attend on the set of her drama one day after her horrible accident (My god!! I saw the viedo on Youtube,The care was completely wrecked) Though she collapsed and had to back to the hospital
but responsibility is responsibility...don't know ,maybe it's her agency's fault.
I should be watching this drama just to support Han Ye Seul, because I read that she had negotiated for a 5 day a week workschedule and that the PD, etc had accepted her condition.
I watched Spy Myung Wol episode one and couldn't move on. Eric is good but she.........arrrhhhhh
awww....such a bad news..
I just hope all the best for the SMW team and of course to Ms. HYS..
errm I would like to tell that everyone else says : that she should do what everyone else does, but
1 SidusHQ already didn't resolved her previous problems in a reasonable manner, so even this time doesn't look to care that much, their star image is suffering and they kinda try to fix it... or not
2.she already feels unappreciated(her acting being criticized , her contract isn't respected while everyone else except Eric has less than 15 min/ episode while she has to be in every scene ( I don't get the writers though). When she already asked to act while conscious and not half asleep ( I don't think is too much to ask from them) coz again we will criticize her acting if she telephones us the lines and not the schedule
3. When the director was announced that she can't make it the next day I don't get it why he didn't cancel the filming of scenes with her? why make all the crew to wait for someone who isn't coming? just to make rumors? Just to force her hand? I understand why she is so pissed off. Here SidusHQ shares the guilt that didn't make it clear that she won't come
4.I think they try to make her the scapegoat for the mistakes in the production line: like late script delivery(Thursday?), wacky schedule and of course after the flop in ratings drama became 90% of the scenes only with her - even though she is the main char ( this time like jdrama level main char) I don't get why 90% of the scenes. So the suggestion is "if the drama fails it is just because the actress doesn't live up to her name" or let's punish her because we have abysmal ratings ... or both... so I understand her riot
I agree with you. The production company is trying to make her a scapegoat even though their problem is really with the management company and not HYS.