The second big K-drama remake of a TW-drama has started filming and this one I’m way more interested in. Currently the remake of My Queen is airing on cable network tvN as Witch’s Romance with Uhm Jung Hwa and Park Seo Joon. I checked out the first episode and found it inoffensive and had its own flavor but there wasn’t anything to keep me hooked since I already knew the story. I found MQ worth watching for Ethan Ruan and Cheryl Yang and their chemistry, less for the story so the remake is a pass for me. The Fated to Love You remake is calling itself the same name but upping the age bracket of the leads. Jang Hyuk takes on the role that made Ethan famous while Jang Nara puts on her spectacles to become the post-it girl that cemented Chen Qiao En as the A-list drama queen in Taiwan.
I thought the second leads in the TW-original Baron Chen and Bianca Bai were on the weaker side and never made me care about them. I hope Choi Jin Hyuk and Wang Ji Won can make the love quadrangle more interesting since the inherent angst in the story is built in. MBC released script reading stills and it’s such a walk down memory lane to see Jang Hyuk and Jang Nara together a good twelve years after Successful Story of a Bright Girl. The K-version will be taking over the Wed-Thurs time slot from A New Leaf and going up against Joseon Gunman with Lee Jun Ki and Nam Sang Mi on KBS and It’s Okay, It’s Love with Jo In Sung and Gong Hyo Jin on SBS. What a killer combination with those three promising dramas duking it out. Check out the first filming pictures below with Jang Nara looking adorable as the dowdy office drudge and Jang Hyuk transformed into a chaebol.
My reaction to the lead chemistry in Witch’s Romance Episode 1 was the same as yours, but the series has sort of grown on me. I think MQ, which overall I loved, was too long, and in some ways the Korean remake is a bit too short. A 20 episode series would have been perfect, but certainly the OTP have grown on me in their own right, though not in the same way as the MQ pair. For FTL, I’m just hoping for great chemistry without the neanderthal chauvinism and passive enabling of the lead characters in the original
Oh dear and oh my goodness, it’s lucky I am not living in Korea. Cos’ trust me I am watching all 3. There is no way I can choose between the 3 stories with those OTP in all 3 of them.
If there was a “like” function here, I would have used it – I am with you 100% on this!
I love Witch’s romance to pieces. I have NEVER cried watching kdrama even though I have watched my share of melos but ep 9 of Witch’s romance almost made it. Almost. If the next one is as painful as that one, I will be a mess…
Chemistry is really over the roof here and the thing is that emotions feel so REAL. huh.
In E10 there’s gut-wrenching sobs and puppy involved!! Unfortunately, it doesn’t get better for both puppy and us! :/
It was really bad at first. But I think he started to learn a lot from UJW. PSJ is really stepping up. You can give it another shot. I’m glad there weren’t any other rom coms so I had no choice but to check this one out.
Witch’s Romance was recommended by many. Save for the first episode I’m thoroughly enjoying the show. UJH’s always been good but PSJ’s a pleasure to watch. Great new talent!!^^
saeguk lovers will choose Lee Junki
melo lovers will choose Jo Insung
romcom (?) lovers will choose Jang Hyuk
so which one are you? ^^
Not much of a saeguk lover here so i might skip Lee Jun Ki. As for Jo In Sung, I’m a big fan of Gong Hyo Jin and loved almost everything she’s done. I heard that it’s also going to be a rom-com, no? But I definitely be tuning in for Jang Hyuk and Jang Nara, since Successful Story of a Bright Girl was one of the dramas that got me hooked with K-dramas. I’ve watched the original Fated to love you, didn’t really quite enjoy the story line as it dragged at the end, so I’m really looking forward to how they’ll adapt the story. Overall, very very excited for the coming months!!! *wheeeeee
i watch everything saeguk, rom-com or melo. only if it has Jang Hyuk in that. so, for me there’s clear winner. hehehehehe
Lee Jun Ki + Saeguk + Action + The PD of Princess man = Best combination ever!!! So its clearly Joseon Gunman for me. 😀
Ah, I’m not sure what to feel about this.
FTLY was one of my favourite TW dramas and I generally have bad experiences with drama remakes, so I’m not sure I’ll watch this 😐
(Anw I really liked Baron Chen in the original FTLY lol, but the Ethan/Qiaoen pairing was just unbeatable)
I marathoned Successful Story of A Bright Girl yesterday, and it proves that Jang Nara does NOT age. she must live in one of htos time traveling worm hole things or perhaps she really is an alien (aka YFAS) and is already several hundred years old. I cannot wait for this to come out. I actually think that Jang Hyuk gets better looking as he gets older.
I really love FTLY.. with Choi Jin Hyuk in the korean remake… i will definitely watch this! I love jin hyuk in emergency couple and i know he can give justice to the role played by baron in the oroginal version. My heart is “fluttering”.. i can’t wait! Thanks! I am a big fan of your blog for a while now!