Spotlight

Director

Cast

Son Ye-jin

Ji Jin-hee

Jin Goo

Kim Bo-kyeong

Jo Yoon-hee

Lee Ki-yeol

Ahn Seok-hwan

Jeong Gyoo-soo

Lee Dae-yeon

Lim Seung-dae

Kim Jeong-wook

Viewer rating of Iljimae Surpasses 20 Percent

The viewer rating of the SBS TV drama “Iljimae,” starring Lee Jun-ki, has surpassed 20 percent for its 7th episode, cementing the show's position as the most popular Mon/Tues TV drama. According to AGB Nelson Media Research on Thursday, the average viewer rating of Iljimae’s Wednesday episode was higher than 20 percent. MBC’s “Spotlight” and KBS 2TV’s “Sisters in Love,” which also aired in the same slot, recorded viewer ratings of 10.1 percent and 10.5 percent, respectively. Iljimae’s Wednesday episode showed hero Yong-ee’s attempts to transform into Iljimae. Yong-ee, who falls into despair as he witnesses his long-lost sister being executed, vows to avenge his father’s death. There has been another change in the dynamics of the Wed/Thur TV dramas along with Iljimae's soaring popularity. “Women in the Sun” has begun to move ahead of Spotlight, albeit by small margins. Women in the Sun, starring Kim Ji-su and Lee Ha-na, is the newest drama among the three TV dramas. Although it has a typical story centered on the secret of a birth and good vs. evil, it has beaten Spotlight, starring Son Ye-jin, in its fifth episode. Spotlight, which revolves around the lives of news reporters, has been losing ground due to a number of complicated issues such as changes in writers and poor storyline and directing.

Drama 'Iljimae' has tough act to follow

New historical drama "Iljimae," airing tonight on SBS, will be hard pressed to live up to its predecessor, "On Air." "On Air," featuring Kim Ha-neul and Park Yong-ha, topped viewer ratings last Thursday, when its final episode was broadcast. A strong script and four top-notch actors carried this miniseries to success. The new drama also must compete with MBC's "Spotlight." With big stars Son Ye-jin and Ji Jin-hee playing reporters and talented screenwriter Lee Ki-won at the helm, "Spotlight" may nab viewer ratings for the Wednesday and Thursday night slot, leaving "Iljimae" out in the cold. But the verdict isn't out yet. Based on an ancient Korean hero of the same name, the historical drama "Iljimae" revolves around the good deeds of a Korean Robin Hood. However unlike Hong Gil-dong, a Korean hero who also stole from the rich and gave to the poor, Iljimae is primarily motivated by revenge. Hallyu star Lee Jun-ki will be taking on the complex role of this hero. And with a less than lackluster cast of potentially talented but relatively minor actors, this drama is expected to rely heavily on actor Lee's star power. Lee may just be able to pull off this one-man show. At the press conference held last week, hoards of reporters and fans vied for Lee's attention as he posed for cameras. "When I saw 'Iljimae' I had to do it," said Lee, 26, at the press conference, over the din of screaming fans. Lee, who shot to stardom when he starred in the blockbuster "King and the Clown" (2005), acknowledged the challenges that he and his character faces. "Everyone says Hong Gil-dong, Hong Gil-dong, so I want to portray Iljimae accurately," he said, aware that Iljimae is not as popular as fellow hero Hong. "The impression that I left with 'King and the Clown' was strong," he admitted. But that didn't stop Lee from taking on yet another period piece. "I always had an image of Iljimae in my mind," he said, excited to tackle the challenging role of a national hero that is a petty thief by day and a gallant rogue by night. A strong rival isn't the only challenge that "Iljimae" faces. Good stories have a habit of getting around, and MBC is slated to air its own version of the classic tale in November. According to MBC, their drama will be based on the original hit comic series by Ko Woo-yung with singer/actor Lee Seung-ki, 21, playing the lead. But SBS "Iljimae" producer Lee Yong-suk remains confident that their miniseries has an edge. "The 'Iljimae' we are making is purely Korean," he said at the press conference, confirming that the SBS drama is not based on the comic series. According to producer Lee, while the comic book's hero picked up his martial arts skills in China and Japan and is more effeminate, their Iljimae stayed in Korea and grew into a man's man. "We focused on highlighting Lee Jun-ki's and 'costar' Park Shi-hoo's masculinity," he said. "We tried to give it a very contemporary feel." But producer Lee shied away from calling "Iljimae" a fusion drama. "If you say fusion drama, it comes across as frivolous and light," he said. "But this drama is earnest. It is more like a traditional historical drama." Exactly how SBS "Iljimae" screenwriter Choi Ran will revamp this classic legend to suit modern Korean tastes remains to be seen. But judging from the preview, this drama will be action-packed and will remain true to the ancient Joseon dynasty hero, who swooped down in the night to steal from corrupt government officials, leaving behind a single branch of blood-red plum blossoms. Actor Park Shi-hoo, 30, who debuted in KBS' "Sassy Girl, Choon-hyang" (2005) plays Iljimae's rival. Actresses Han Hyo-joo, 21, who starred in MBC's sitcom "Nonstop 5" and Lee Young-ah, 23, who recently starred in SBS' "Golden Bride" (2007) play Lee Jun-ki's love interests. "Iljimae" will begin airing tonight at 9:55 p.m. on SBS.

'Spotlight' Shows Lives of Reporters

With MBC's new drama ``Spotlight,'' viewers will get a glimpse into the lives of broadcast news reporters covering the city beat. ``Spotlight'' depicts the journey toward success of a passionate city desk reporter Seo Woo-jin, played by top actress Son Ye-jin. Ji Jin-hee from the hit drama ``Jewel in the Palace'' will star as her strict, yet caring mentor, Oh Tae-seok. The drama will follow Seo's drudge through the grind to eventually become an anchorwoman. At the press conference held last week in southern Seoul, reporters and camera crews swarmed the room for a shot of Son. ``Spotlight'' is the first drama in two years for Son, 26, who has starred in movies like ``The Classic'' (2003) and ``The Art of Seduction'' (2005). ``I read the synopsis and had a strong impression. I especially liked the fact that (Seo) continues to strive to achieve her dreams. I was captivated by her passion and energy,'' Son said. A short clip of the drama drew laughter among reporters when Ji said ``You call yourself a reporter?'' hinting that the crew meant it when they said they were aiming for a ``real'' reporter drama. ``We tried to break away from the cliche love scenes this time. We focused more on their stress as human beings and reporters, not just their affections toward each other,'' said Lee Kee-won, the writer of the drama. Lee tasted success last year with his strong presentation of the political world of doctors through the medical drama, ``Behind the White Tower (2007).'' Producer Kim Do-hoon explained that reality was of foremost importance in ``Spotlight.'' ``We'll be showing episodes that might really happen in real life. I think this is hard because we never had a drama like this before. Being the first is always difficult because there isn't much to compare with.'' The actors also mentioned their share of reality, as many of them actually spent their days and nights with real reporters. ``I followed a reporter for a day. At first, I didn't believe it when they told me they didn't have time to bathe. But I realized they really didn't have the time to even wash their face,'' said Jin Gu who plays fellow reporter Lee Soon-cheol. As top celebrities, actors bump into reporters frequently, whether they enjoy it or not. When asked if their opinions toward them changed, Ji Jin-hee admitted that it was all about the choice of words. ``I realized the importance of my words. The right words can turn you into a hero but using the wrong words will have you fall. I told myself to be careful from now on,'' he laughed. ``I started to understand their struggle to capture the truth for the public. Now I feel very pressured,'' Son added. This is the first time for a television program to solely delve deep into the lives of broadcast news reporters, although there were some dramas and movies that briefly introduced the profession. In order to bring reality to the small screen, some scenes were shot at the real MBC News Desk set in Yeouido, Seoul, while MBC city desk news reporters will be adding reality by appearing as well. ``We'll introduce the dilemmas reporters face as people with feelings and also as people who have to dig out the truth. There is a symbiotic relationship between the two,'' Son said. ``Spotlight'' will be aired tonight 9:55 on MBC.