The most critically anticipated TW-drama of the year is premiering this Sunday on FTV and from all the promotional materials looks as good as the talented cast and production team assembled. Director Winnie (It Started with a Kiss, The Rose, In Time with You) is coming back with his biggest drama to date in terms of cost and pre-planning in the TW-acting industry expose-ish You Light Up My Star. He waited a year for Joe Cheng to get out of the army and then landed Joe immediately for his first post-military service project, making it their fourth time working together (two ISWAKs, The Rose). This is also the second time for Joe to act opposite Janine Chang and hopefully You Light Up My Star will give them a happy ending that didn’t happened in Honey and Clover. Star isn’t your typical frothy TW-drama and actually looks serious and solemn in both subject matter and execution as it deals with a leading man unraveling in his personal and professional life as he deals with depression.
A nearly 30-minute long preview was unveiled at last week’s press conference and gives away just enough of the central narrative without ruining the experience by revealing too much. I adore Joe and Janine and with the talented directorial guiding hand of Director Winnie this drama is a cannot miss for me. Director Winnie’s last TW-drama In Time with You cleaned up at the Golden Bells and if Joe really delivers what I already see in the trailers then he’s a shoo-in for a Best Actor nod in a few months. ITWY managed amazing ratings despite going up against the biggest drama juggernaut that year in Office Girls, whereas Star’s competition on Sunday night will be the pretty low-rated Fall in Love with Me and the even more low-rated Rock N’ Road. The theme songs are also getting lots of pre-airing buzz, with the opening rock theme “Rainbow Blackhole” by Magic Power already on my play rotation and the ending theme by Japanese superstar Fukuyama Masaharu singing in Chinese pretty darn well. Check out the drama stills, long preview, and official theme MVs below. Continue reading