While the saying goes that there is no bad publicity, there is something called too much hype. Funnily enough, I don’t think either SBS, writer Kim Eun Sook, or any one of her cast members of the upcoming drama Heirs is trying to hype up the drama (yet). The hype is all fan generated, and we are probably all doing ourselves a major disservice if we want to critique this drama on its narrative merits in two months time without feeling like it was a let down. That’s the inevitable truth about hype. But if we wanted to have fun following along with its production, then keeping tabs on it is a must. I’ve being really rather smug that all my rumors about the drama are coming true one by one, at least I don’t have to go back and pinch a source for getting it all wrong. I said last month that the drama’s overseas location was written to be Australia (Sydney and the Gold Coast), but the production has decided to substitute and film the overseas scenes in California instead since its the tail end of Summer here and late Winter over there. The overseas shoots calls for lots of surfing scenes for male lead Lee Min Ho, and for all I know the other actors might have beach scenes as well. Think the cast heading to New Caledonia for Boys Before Flowers, gotta milk the location shoot, right? Today came confirmation that Lee Min Ho, Park Shin Hye, and Krystal are headed to Southern California on September 3rd for three weeks of location shoots.
From what I have heard, Kim Ji Won is actually playing the fiancee Rachel Ryu and from the leaked script pages she’s got location scenes with both Park Shin Hye and Lee Min Ho so she should be there as well. I’m not sure why Krystal is coming to LA, unless there has been a character switch between her and Kim Ji Won (anything is possible), or else her character Lee Bo Na also shows up overseas. The character description for Kang Min Hyuk‘s Yoon Chan Young has just been dropped and turns out he’s ALSO going to show up in Australia. The only lead not going might end up being Kim Woo Bin. This means the potential fan frenzy clusterfuck in the first three weeks of September around Malibu, Downtown LA, and Koreatown is going to be insane as folks try to stalk the production crew filming in order to spot their favorite idols or actors from this cast. I’m close enough to drive to those places anytime but having a material professional obligation (i.e. a job) plus having no desire to actually bring a camera and lurk around for a sighting, I’ll pass on the stalking. I’m sure it’ll be squeeworthy to actually see Lee Min Ho and Park Shin Hye in person but tons of fan snapped pictures will sure be popping up online during that time. For those fans of CNBlue or Kang Min Hyuk, his character sounds adorable and might be the one male lead in the cast we won’t be tempted to pistol whip the moment he shows up onscreen.
Yoon Chan Young:
Since elementary school, under his dad’s unique tutelage, if he wants something, he has to submit a requisition report. “Why I need a pocket monster card?” “What’s the pros of a Nintendo?” “Why buy a smart phone?”
Chan Young needs very little to make him happy. Even though his mother died young, he doesn’t even remember her face but he was raised with a very amusing father that he wouldn’t be bored living with even after 100 years. He doesn’t excel at studies but he has dreams, he’s not a chaebol heir but he’s happy. Since young he has been a very practical person, he’s happy with what he has. He’s a good boy who knows his goal and works hard to achieve it.
From elementary school until now, he’s submitted over 30 requisition reports. Thanks to it, he’s learned how critical analysis and relatability, so he’s become great at persuading people. But once he entered high school, the class differences between someone who submits a requisition report and someone who approves it becomes glaring. Even if his father works under the Chairman of Empire Group and high school and is higher up than most people, Chan Young attends on a scholarship and is in truth really poor.
Even with this, Chan Young doesn’t wilt. Armed with an optimistic and accepting attitude, his life at Empire high school starts to brighten up the other kids. Chan Young is used to using his sincerity and it touches even the arrogant Lee Bo Na and touches her heart. She and Chan Young are very different, yet very suited for each other.
Bo La likes everything about Chan Young, except for one thing. His friendship with Eun Sang. From elementary school through junior high, Eun Sang and Chan Young spent together. They are ideal platonic friends, but Bo Na doesn’t think so.
Chan Young is contacted by Eun Sang in America when she should have been in Korea. Even more absurd is the guy beside her, the younger son of the Chairman of the Empire Group Kim Tan! He’s only heard rumors about the mischievous Kim Tan, why he is around Eun Sang? Suddenly Chan Young feels enveloped in a sense of unease…………
omo! 3 weeks! I may get a chance to stalk eeeeeee
@ dramarathon –
If you get a chance to stalk, you are hereby obligated to share the photos. 😛 Especially if you get a good one of LMH. haha!
hmm it sounds more or less like his character in heartstring no? his love interest was an arrogant and bitchy girl too..
I’ll keep my expectation low, like that there’s chance i’ll be surprised. i really hope i’ll like it, cause hello, Kim Woo Bin!
Gosh I have to stop reading otherwise when episode 1 is shown there will be no surprises left. But it’s so hard…
Don’t worry. These are more of background stories for the character. Like you can see, the drama starts in the trip so the whole story before that is more of who are these people, where they stand when the drama starts… not really spoilers!
In all honesty, I’m might be the only one actually expecting this drama to be a hot mess… and I don’t care. It’s Lee Min Ho and Kim Woo Bin… and Shin Hye too. As long as it is a hot mess BoF style, I’ll watch. I’m not even praying to the Drama Gods for Heirs to be good.
Frankly, I’m just happy when it was described that he lives with an amusing father and won’t be bothered to live with him even after 100 years but it’s because I thought he was part of the whole chaebol gang because I can’t stand anymore the whole “cold rich parents” vs “poor but very happy family”. I don’t know, it’s used and over used. That’s why I loved Protect the Boss’s dad because he had cute interactions with his son, the same with FBRS where the father loves his son sooo much (even though I gave up on the drama because of the main couple XD)
Anyway, I feel like I have to watch the drama. Not just for the hype but to see if producers, writers alike are that “stupid and uncreative” to produced a BOF version 2. Money wise, it’s not stupid because BOF was a great success but seeing how in dramaland, the trend seems to be “heartwarming and deep drama”, if they go with the Gossip Girl’s kind of storyline concept, I don’t think that the drama will live up to the expectations but like you said, that’s the problem with hype.
Omg!!!! So Min Hyuk’s character used to like Shin Hye’s??? Daebak XD thank you for the update. 😀
So he will be nice like Ji-hoo from BOF.
I am most excited to see relationship between Lee Min-ho and Kim Woo-bin as frenemies. It will be a powerful showdown of egos.
I’m already imagining a fight scene with both throwing punches at each other 🙂
this drama sounds like BOF 2.o…. it sounds more like the taiwanese version than the manga….
It does ahaha
Weeeeeee! Really?!!!
Wow-can’t wait. The fans are excited because they can see this masterpiece, trendsetting drama ready to unfold right before our eyes. All I can say is
get ready get ready-here they come.
LOL! a ‘masterpiece, trendsetting drama’ – really? The mind reels.
I dislike almost everything about this drama and have no single interest to watch it or even to follow the news but then Min Hyuk decided to join and now his character seems major and adorable and now I am torn between hating this drama and loving Min Hyuk in it. I think I’ll end up watching it for the sake of the adorable Min Hyuk
Gahhhhhhh. Why, Min Hyuk.. WHY…
Chozzz!
I’m on the wrong coast… :))
Actually, the more I hear about him, the more he reminds me of the Kazuya character from the Hana Yori Dango series. He did not appear in any live version, I think, and Lee Bona kind of reminds me of Sakuraro, while Shigeru could be Rachel… Am I the only one who thinks so…?
Yes, I believe there was a past post on here about how the writer of Heirs is borrowing heavily from HYD and thus BOF but I’m not too sure…
Woooo! You really a smart aleck!!!
Actually the taiwanese version was the only one that had Kazuya or Ching He as he was called in MG.
Does any body know any forums or websites where I can find out exactly where they will be? They will be close to me and stalking sounds fun! LOL
You can try soompi forum =)
thanks!!
I am close to bit not that really close (an hour plus traffic will be 1 1/2 hours). However, I have two young boys. Therefore, pass…..
Wait W..T..F am I reading this right?? Krystal and Minhyuk are supposed to be a couple yet theyre BOTH not over Minho and Shinhye, respectively? Now we have 3 girls in love with Minho? Obviously Shin hye, Rachel, and Krystal. and 3 boys in love with Shinhye, obv Minho, Woobin, and Minhyuk…… Is this like a love decagon or smth??? I’m not really interested in seeing everyone and their mothers pining over the two main leads but ok.
Don’t watch!!! For sure you are the first one to watch!!!! 100%!!!!
I can feel that Min Hyuk’s character is like the action director in Secret Garden. Secretly liking the female lead. Protecting and helping her secretly but I think he will not be a total rival of Lee Min Ho. XD And then Krystal will pop up on his life and they will fall in love with each other. Partially?, hahaha not completely because Krystal still has feelings for MinHo. :))))) I got more interested and excited whenever I read updates from you Koala!!! XD <3 Love your site very much! Thanks for the updates! :**
I’m going to stalk since I’m still on summer break! If anyone know the filming locations please reveal! Gonna share my photos
omg!!!!!! can’t wait this drama..lee min ho looks so good looking.. rather than in faith!!!! park shin hye looks mature either…they are all look so gorgeous!!!!!!!!!
I wouldn’t have watched this Drama at all, but then Kim Woo Bin and THEN Kang Min Hyuk had to go and enter… If only for those two. I’m looking forward to an enjoyable showdown between Lee Min Ho (who I don’t follow) and Kim Woo Bin (who I do follow.) Aaack! I hope the writer has given some salve to Kang Min Hyuk’s character. Or even given him a hurt that will have him going after Lee Min Ho’s character of some kind. I hate stories where the nice guy ends up getting Nada!
I’m in the wrong part of Cali, but I’d rather have been in Australia anyway!