I may loathe Secret Garden despite it starring two of my all-time fave actors as the leads, but I acknowledge how wildly popular it was all around Asia. China has been planning to do a remake for the last year, and the planning stages dragged on as the project went from a drama to a movie. Now it’s definitely happening since the cast was introduced yesterday to the media at the filming launch ceremony. Wallace Chung, who is currently hotcakes due to his inexplicably ridiculous turn as Fu Hong Xue in The Magic Blade which aired recently to unbelievably high ratings, takes on the role Hyun Bin made famous as the hotel president with personality and boundary issues. Songstress Tan Wei Wei, who is a relative newbie to acting, parlays her already short locks to tackle Ha Ji Won‘s character as the stunt woman who is outwardly kickass but inwardly passive. I smell a hot mess from thousands of mile away, and I don’t even have a scratch and sniff computer monitor.
Wallace has expressed confidence that he can take a role made so memorable by Hyun Bin and do it justice. I dunno what to think, I’m so numb right now I could say it doesn’t matter, the role of Kim Joo Won needs to be buried six-feet under and never resurrected is my opinion but what I do know. Some women might like men who refuse to take no for an answer, has respect and space issues, and comes equipped with a lifetime’s worth of shrink-ready traumas. Tan Wei Wei is an unknown for me since I’ve only heard her sing. But she looks suitably androgynous, though if my beloved Ha Ji Won can’t sell Gil Ra Im to me, I doubt anyone else can either. Sigh, what did I say about SG being the zombie that just won’t die. Each time I thwack it with my shovel, it keeps coming right back lurching towards me, screaming for me to accept all its shortcomings and embrace its thoroughly repugnant concepts of love with a side of “no means yes” accompanied by fantasy underpinnings that refuses to adhere to its own self-constructed mythology. At least this time the C-version of SG is just 2 hours long as opposed to 20 hours.
A remake of my beloved Secret Garden? A Chinese movie? Should I cry or laugh?
Geeezus Christmas!
I actually enjoyed this drama a lot (i have my opinions, u pple have urs) so seeing that its popularity is grown makes me happy but this idea is beyond horrendous. I’m currently preparing myself to go crazy while watching the movie when it comes out- let’s see how China recreates Secret Garden…
“I smell a hot mess from thousands of mile away, and I don’t even have a scratch and sniff computer monitor.” –> MAJOR LOLZ!!
KJW was such an unlikable and bipolar character! Initially I thought he was hysterical but by Ep 10 I was done with him and the show.
Never enjoyed Secret Garden, doubt I will like the remake either…
In the C-Movie/Drama world, to me no one can act as a stuntwoman since Michelle Yeoh (she was one in fact), and she has no successor.
In K-Movie/Drama world, only Ha Ji Won, a second possible one could be Han Groo (though some distance away).
Funny how you mention the “no means yes” lunacy. We’re see a lot of that in Gentleman’s Dignity.
****************SPOILER**********************************************
Yoon rebuffs MI countless times, even encouraging her (rightfully, I think) to follow her real dreams and then admits he loved her all along, stopping her from leaving the country with that infamous wrist-grab. And I thought he was the most sensible of all the characters.
Even the main couple play the “no means yes” game. So do TS and Sera. And even Jung-Rok’s cheating is supposed to be endearing. It’s like there can be no other way to have a relationship.
Ehhh, I adored Secret Garden and I love Wallace Chung, so this is win-win for me.
*won’t get into KJW character debate because already spent too much time doing it at the time of airing*
Hey,
The picture below Wallace across Songstress Tan Wei Wei and to the right is that Kang Ta from jTBC drama tiled “Happy Ending” who played Koo Seung Jae?
What is Kangta doing in this??? Is he going to be Oska or the stunt guy?
I thought I might be the only person that didn’t care for Secret Garden. Nice to know I’m not alone.
Heh heh, reading all these comments about SG makes me feel a bit ashamed to admit that I enjoyed it and cackled through all the political incorrectness and inanity. It was the first time I had seen Binnie and at first I thought he looked ridiculous in those garish outfits. I must confess that he grew on me and I did find the series entertaining and addictive.
my points exactly. I even got SG syndrome. I rewatched it for the nth time.
And by the way, Wallace Chung ain’t no Hyun Bin. Have you seen him in Late Autmn? Man that goodbye kiss!
Urgh, Secret Garden.. :/ My friends practically exploded when I told them I didn’t like it lol
I’m still gonna check this out though, if only because I want to see how the cast interprets their roles
Why remake again? why it’s always remakes? where’s our creativeness? New materials please!
I also love SG. For me it is the best drama.Very popular and has gathered awards.Love all the characters especially the OTP and OST. I’m interested to see the remake movie.
I’m looking forward for this movie. I really love secret garden and I can really connect to its main characters. I don’t know why, SG just gets me every time. It even started my endless fangirling to Ha Ji Won.