Son Ye Jin and Kim Nam Gil Confirmed for Final Revenge Trilogy Drama Shark
Kim Nam Gil and Son Ye Jin are confirmed as the leads for upcoming revenge drama Shark, and there goes another notch in my little birdie says casting rumor mill. This pairing came out of left field when I heard about it three weeks ago, and it still hasn’t quite settled in with me yet. It’s not that I think Son Ye Jin can’t do a dark thriller (she was decent enough in K-version of Byakuyakyo), it’s just that she resembles Han Ga In and the latter was Kim Nam Gil’s last drama co-star. That was also a revenge thriller, so perhaps my issue isn’t with the leading ladies, it with Kim Nam Gil going off to the army and coming back and picking what sounds like the exact same drama on paper (minus some detail changes). Of course, Bad Guy was the wackiest revenge drama ever writing wise, whereas Shark comes from the talented hands of the PD-writer who did Resurrection (also known as Revenge or Rebirth) and Mawang (The Devil). In fact, Shark is being called the final drama chapter of this so-called revenge trilogy. The dramas won’t be related storywise but is instead sharing the revenge thematic narrative. I’m glad to see the team heading back to their bread and butter after going out of their comfort zone and doing Fermentation Family last year which didn’t work for me at all. Shark is slated to air on KBS Mon-Tues after God of the Workplace with Kim Hye Soo and Oh Ji Ho. That might mean Shark will butt up against the tail end of Gu Family Book and Jang Ok Jung, which by then ought to be clear which of those two fusion sageuks is the winner in that showdown. I’ve read the leaked plot synopsis for Shark which I’ve translated below, but be warned this is not confirmed so the story might change. There will be a rather long teenage sequence, based on the plot synopsis, which means one of those hot property teens will be back to grace our screens. Park Ji Bin was most recently in Incarnation of Money, so odds favor Yeo Jin Gu or Park Gun Tae. Kim So Hyun looks like a dead ringer for Son Ye Jin (and would have worked as well if Son Ye Jin had accepted Missing You), but Kim Yoo Jung is always a safe bet. Decisions, decisions. I think this producing team always picks great actors so I have no worries.
Purported plot for Shark:
Story starts in high school. Heroine is from a wealthy hotel-owning family. Her father is involved in an affair with a news anchor. He gets into a car accident and leaves the scene. Heroine’s grandfather appears to be benevolent and admired by all, but he is not what he seems. Hero is the son of the family chauffeur, and has a younger sister. His father takes the fall for the accident, but when he wants to come forth with the truth, he dies under mysterious circumstances. There is a historian who appears to be connected with the rich family and might know about the grandfather’s shady past. Hero’s father actually has a shady past, too, but his son does not know it. To find out the truth about his father’s murder, he puts a revenge plan in motion.
He makes it appear that he died in an accident. In truth he becomes the adopted son of a Korean living in Japan. That man is also plotting revenge against the Heroine’s grandfather and thus is using Hero. Heroine has been in love with Hero since she was small and is devastated when she thinks he died. She believes he didn’t die, but in the end she marries Guy 2. She becomes a prosecutor to find out the truth about his death and what happened to his dad. Guy 2 is the director of the hotel company and by marrying heroine he takes over running the company. Later on he becomes the opponent for the Hero. The hero’s sister has lived in Seoul since his disappearance under the shadow of their dad supposedly fleeing a deadly accident.
To get his revenge, Hero sets a trap to make the Heroine fall for him. She knows it, and despite being married, she cannot help but go with him because she still loves him. When Guy 2 finds out, he stops feeling sorry for what happened to Hero and becomes his adversary. Hero also becomes more tormented as he pursues his revenge because he learns his father was not the man he thought. Heroine also learns about her grandfather’s shady past. In this twisted triangle of love and pain, can the revenge finally stop?
I have a feeling I’m going to hate the lead female character… and again the idea that first love somehow trumps everything else. Sheesh.
I’m hating both lead characters here.. Whats up with revenge plots involving making the girl fall for him??? I find those plot twitsts really stupid!! I’m already on the side of 2nd lead!!
Resurection has been in my “to watch list” for a long time but i loved Mawang!!! This one sounds too twisted to believe.. + leaving sister behind for revenge!
Wow, this REALLY sounds just like Bad Guy. Kim Nam Gil why do you like playing tortured characters??
Because he does tortured so well. 😀
It sounds like Prosecutor Princess but with a much darker tone. Btw Is there a drama that doesn’t involve a wealthy family and some guy taking over the management of rich fiance’s hotel/corporate etc? I don’t get the obsession with chaebol heirs in kdramas.
The plot sounds a little twistier than Resurrection and Mawang, which I like for having fairly clear, uncluttered revenge plots. I wish it were just a bit simpler so I’m hoping it changes a little. However, all I see are Kim Nam Gil and Son Ye Jin and that makes me super happy!!! SYJ may look kinda like Han Ga In but her acting is on another planet. I can’t stand HGI and have seen better acting at local theatres, but SYJ I love. Can’t wait! 🙂
Kim nam Gil!!!!!! Oh yes please! Yuum
Maybe he is doing this for the fans who were so disappointed in BG
I think so too! He may compensate us fans for the bad bad ending of bad guy, I’ll be looking forward to this drama Shark! Really missed KNG’s acting, don’t care if it’s a dark plot, revenge, chaebol loussy stories as long as KNG’s character won’t die in the end! *crossfinger on that*
Thanks for the info! Great leads, and I loved the previous works of this writer-director combo, including Fermentation Family, which was wonderful IMO.
Agree w you on FF.Too bad it was so underrated.
Son yejin may look like han gain but there’s no way the latter’s acting skills can match up. I’m excited for this(Resurrection!Mawang!Son Yejin! Need I say more?) but I’m a little disappointed Uhmforce couldn’t come back and make a kickass pairing with Son Yejin, cos that would be like a dream come true for me.
Well, Son Ye Jin is a better actor then Han Ga In so at least there’s that.
I’m happy about seeing Son Ye Jin in something then a movie even though her movies tend to be better then her roles on tv.
I love SYJ.
I wonder if KNG curse will happen here too? he and sjs love tortured guys role huh?
oozing with chemistry already…!
Love te actress ! Te actor don’t even know. Him haa
Well I can assure that he’s a very capable actor,he blew my mind in QSD(Awesome drama btw) you surely will not be disappointed by the acting from the male lead 🙂
side note:Yeah I think KNG chose this project as an apology for BG’s ending LOL the plot&story sound very similar plus son ye jin has a striking resemblance with Han ga in although she’s a way better actress.I just wonder who the second leads are gonna be?hmm.
Ooh! I can totally see these two together…but yes, she does have the same look as HGI though acting wise SYJ is far superior ofc, plus images from Bad Guy kept flashing through my head as I read the synopsis…so these two factors bother me a little, but I’m just going to put faith in this production team and see what come out…must do another marathon of Devil and then Rebirth before this show airs
Ah, KNG. It’s good to see him back, and hopefully in a role that will make up for the Drama that Shall Not Be Named. As long as they don’t kill a puppy in the first episode, I’ll be happy.
The plot sounds like Glory Jane at first and Bad Guy comes later at the end.
When I saw Son Ye Jin and Kim Nam Gil’s names on the title, I squeal because I love these actors. But, when I read the script it seems like I’m watching a rerun of Glory Jane. I wish the script could be more original and interesting. I hope that’s not the real script.