Categories: K-dramas

Park Shi Hoo Confirmed as the Male Lead of PD Kwak Jung Hwan’s OCN Drama Neighborhood Hero

This is interesting news regardless of whether ones likes or dislikes Park Shi Hoo. It confirms that his comeback time has arrived, and checking the calendar indicates that three years seems to be the time a disgraced star gets a second chance in K-ent. Park Shi Hoo will be the male lead of upcoming cable network OCN‘s vigilante drama Neighborhood Hero. Downtrodden heroes is a familiar subject matter for PD Kwak Jung Hwan, who is helming this drama almost two years since his last drama Basketball for tvN. PD Kwak’s Basketball was an abysmal failure in terms of ratings and critical panning but he’s still in my good graces thanks to Chuno (The Slave Hunters) and underrated sageuk masterpiece Conspiracy in the Court. Neighborhood Hero will complete casting soon and start filming with an eye towards an October 2015 premiere.

In Neighborhood Hero, Park Shi Hoo plays the male lead who is a former highly trained secret agent. He’s since retired to run a little shop in a small neighborhood and hears about the crimes going on that isn’t being addressed by official law enforcement. He ends up crossing paths with a youngster who dreams of becoming a crime fighter so he trains the young man in his all agent skills and sends him out to fight crime in the neighborhood. Park Shi Hoo’s comeback will likely stick this time, last year he tried to star in Golden Cross but had to bow out because the public fervor was so strong against him still. This year the response seems more muted, and with the drama airing on cable it’s the audience choice whether to watch him or not. It’s a smart role choice for him, choosing a non-romance driven drama and role to further distance himself from the rape allegations scandal of three years ago which tarnished his image and left many seeing him as a sleazy smarmy actor.

ockoala

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  • The only comment I will make is that I disagree VEHEMENTLY that "it's a smart role choice for him". I think it's a spectacularly bone-headed casting decision, to cast someone with his particular cloud as a "crime fighter" or "fighter for justice". A stupid call from the casting people and a middle finger from PSH to the justice system, I think.

    • Ia. It's laughable for him to play a role like this. It's just going to make people remember what he did. He's the last person who should play someone who fights for justice.

    • That's exactly what I was thinking when I read the title of the article - no way is it believable for him to play a "neighborhood hero." The irony will overshadow the drama.

    • SO agree. A Hero??? A mentor for a younger man who wanted to be a policeman? That's some sick humor there, OCN. He always was a spoiled, mama's boy middling actor and now he's a SMBMA who bought his way out of a rape charge. Yeah, that's my idea of a neighborhood hero, every day of the week.

    • Interesting you say that - I watched Prosecutor Princess as one of my first ever K Dramas and his sleazy oily ickiness was VERY offputting to me. It was AFTER that I learned about his scandal, to which my reaction was "yep, I can see that"

      • oh watch him in family honor. stick till the end and you would love him. i started loving him from then. it is sad he committed such a crime but, we can never be sure what really happened. they took the drunk girl home? what should they have done then, leave her in the club?That is only what people judge him for he took her home even when she was drunk. afterwords we don't know what happened, its not on film. the girl could have sobered up or not. So though i am not quick to forgive his sins, i am open to the benefit of doubt

    • Prior to his allegations, I always found him a poor actor and cringe-worthy especially when it comes to sad/crying scenes. I'm not sure how I feel about this. I haven't forgotten about his case.

  • People can hate him however they want but I am super happy he is back and I can't wait! Romantic comedy drama land absolutely sucked without him. Hopefully his next role after this is a romantic comedy.

    • Ew really, romcom sucked without him ? I have Joo Sang Wook, Jang Hyuk and more who are pretty good in romcom ? oh maybe because you only watch him.. I see I see

      • Moo Sang work hasn't picked up a good project this year. The first 6 ep of birth of a beauty were good but the rest became a mess. He was adorable in single cunning lady but he doesn't beat PSH in Alice in wonderland. Jung Hyuk's acting was stagnant this year. Although I did adore him in drunken to love you Korean version

    • I love Si hoo I don't care what anyone else he's to say about him my golden life was a terrific series

  • Hurray park si hoo you are back! We've been waiting for so long to see you Korean dramaland. We as fans from overseas are looking forward to see you. Fighting!

  • 3 years? And a character that fights justice!
    Come on I'm sure there are more than qualified other names that can take up this role.
    I'm sorry, the girl was so drunk she couldn't walk, much less give consent. And the circus that played afterwards was screaming power play.
    I'll pass. Thanks

  • I've never been a fan of Kwak Jung Hwan's dramas and now that it's been announced that Park Shi Hoo is going to star this is an easy skip.

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