There aren’t just casting problems with K-dramas lately, this week comes a one-two punch of production issues hitting two high profile dramas. I’ll start with the unknown horse in the pack, namely the KBS variety department produced drama Producer. The drama premieres Friday night on May 8th and has been filming for a few weeks now but there might be some tonal shifts in the first episodes with news from the network that the drama is changing PDs. Out will be variety PD Yoon Sung Ho, who will remain a producer (har har) on the drama, and in is veteran KBS drama PD Pyo Min Soo. Shit, my sorta nemesis!
The official line from KBS for the switch is to bring in a PD familiar with the rigors of drama filming since PD Yoon is a variety and movie director, but keep PD Yoon on as a producer to retain the concept of this drama being produced by the KBS variety team. Can we just say ringer and be done with it. Since the drama hasn’t aired yet, the PD switch might not be noticeable, but over at SBS there is a bigger fracas that went down on the production of currently airing Mon-Tues drama Heard it Through the Grapevine. Midway through airing, Grapevine has abruptly changed production companies behind the scenes with no official explanation for why.
There are always rumored swirling around abrupt or unexpected changes from a drama production and the gossip behind the Grapevine production company change was that the original production company can’t and hasn’t paid any of the salaries for the cast and crew. SBS is denying that is the reason why, only saying that there were internal issues that can’t be divulged, but is definitely not a salary problem. Oooookay, that sounds totally believable. Not. Grapevine has been holding steady with ratings slightly above 10%, a decent showing but no sign of the legs to go much higher.
It’s a 30-episode drama so there is still a lot of episodes remaining, but a change in production company appears merely administrative at this point as the PD, screenwriter, and cast remains the same. Producer may have filmed some footage already with PD Yoon but I can see PD Pyo editing the existing footage in his style to make the flow appear seamless. Neither of the shakeups at these two dramas seem all that dire in the grand scheme of things but it is always fascinating to get a peek into the inner workings of drama production. For Producer, this PD change already seems so meta LOL.
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*googles Pyo Min Soo*
Why is he your nemesis? :D I mean, what drama in particular? He seems to have some hits and misses in his resume. Can I guess? Is it Iris2?
Heartstrings made me nauseous with his camera whizzing, he was the sucky half of World's Within, and IRIS 2 was such a self-congratulatory job I can't even.
and those dramas you mentioned didnt really make a hit! they spent a lot of money for the actors, sooo.. hope, it will not be a mess. big names, good casting, emm.. hope it turns good..
Which half of Worlds Within did he direct? The first half? The drama is consistently good for me from the beginning to the end though.
but, didn't he directed Ho Goo Love ? That drama turned out well. I know I hate him for Heartstrings and Iris 2, but i blame it to suck script writing. Hmmm ...
Korean Entertainment is going through just like Hong Kong movie and drama past glory, when the so called mafia is slowly controlling them.
Sorry to be off topic, but I just found out about Seo In Gook in Hello Monster... is anyone else as deflated as I am? He's ok, Jang Na Ra is ok, but I can't imagine any chemistry whatsoever between them. Yet another drama bites the dust for me :-(
Biggest UGH in recent memory. From Lee Sang Yoon to Seo In Guk is such a major downgrade.
I think SIG is probably a better actor but visually he and JNR are such a no-no... ugh.
I can think of bigger UGHs and prospective UGHs that got prevented and at least Seo In Gook is a good actor, but SIG/Jang Nara.....they'll have to rewrite it as a noona romance.
You're not alone. I feel the same way too. I love both JNR and SIG but as you've said... the chemistry. It's just... ugh I can't even begin to describe it. T~T
They should have stuck with JNR-LSY pairing. It has more potential.
Damn. They seriously need a real life Anthony Kim.
The change of PD made me worried. WHY, KBS?!? W H Y?!?
Grapevine is one of the best dramas of the year, but it sucks that the production company has been slacking on paying the cast and crew. Not that you would know it, by the quality of the work they put out. And they can't even blame the ratings since all ratings are so low these days.
Koala, why no news from you with regards to let's eat season 2? Are you enjoying it? Coz am loving it!,
Okay, but wasn't the point of Producers basically that it was going to be a variety PD bringing something new a fresh with it's new special time-slot. It's just basically turning into a normal drama now. Which is fine I suppose, but okay!
It's probably a lure..bait the actors and actresses with the refreshing idea of a variety pd then switched once they bitten the bait!
I mean I'm sure one of the reason why Cha The Hyun signed on was because of the variety pd since she's also in charge of 2d1n
What is the reason behind for you dancing differently between to decently average shows in the splendid politics and heard it through the grapevine.. all over the other one but this dismissive to the other one.. expertise are personal and lack of judgement is common with you..
It's an embarrassment reading thru hypocrisy and contradicting articles.
I will also add that you come off aggressively silly which means your not the one watching the shows for the people back home in there comfortably living rooms.. take that in notice before you start screaming allover the place next time.
@Sasha, your comments are so funny, since Koala was full of praise for both Splendid Politics and Grapevine in the previous article. And where in this article is she dismissive of Grapevine? All this article is about is that Grapevine recently changed production companies!
And this is a blog and Koala's opinion is her opinion, just as mine is mine and yours is yours.
And who's acting aggressively and doing the screaming here? LOL!
I agree this is a highly controversial blog and has no credibility and it seems mostly like fanfics when fantasy meets reality or something.
This blogger has for sure issues and the contradicting is out of this world which comes with personal emotions after all and plzzz whatever your doing its beyond amateurish and embarrasing.
I would definitely agree with you on the fanfics comparison since all facts is sadly lost in the article infos..
I see no difference between this place and Asianfanfics.com period
Urmmm it's called an opinion. Every blogger has that unless if she's writing to get many hits then it won't matter. Sure, she doesn't always have the facts but I think the main reason people visit this blog is to read HER takes on all things dramas. I don't necessarily agree on everything she says, sometimes I hated it but I do enjoy reading her thoughts. If u want legit & informative blogs then by all means, go find it yourself. There's plenty to choose from. If you don't like her opinion then why are you even here?
Agree with you. This is her blog. She's definitely entitled to her opinions and whatever she would like to say about drama. BTW, I didn't see anything seriously wrong about what Koala said. Can't people have their personal taste and preference in whatever entertainment is concerned?
So many haters on this blog, especially after the not so favorable articles on some actresses.