TV Dramas Gear Up for Post-Olympics Race

The Beijing Olympic Games will end Sunday, so what is worth seeing after the Olympic flame goes out? For TV fans, major networks are gearing up for a competition with their most anticipated dramas.

MBC will start the race off with ``East of Eden'' Monday. The drama has made headlines with its star-studded cast even before shooting, with big names like Song Seung-heon, Yeon Jung-hoon, Lee Da-hae and Han Ji-Hye and veteran actors Yoo Dong-kun and Lee Mi-sook.

The drama is the first for Song and Yeon since they got out of the Army.

The 50-part series cost 25 billion won and tells of the brothers Dong-chul (Song) and Dong-wook (Yeon). Their fates diverge after the murder of their coal miner father, with one joining the mob and the other becoming a successful lawyer.

Next is ``Beethoven Virus,'' a treat for classical music lovers. The drama depicts the world of musicians, from a charismatic conductor to a stubborn trumpet player and a pretty violinist. The first drama to feature an orchestra, ``Beethoven Virus'' will be a treat for the eyes and ears.

Starring actors Kim Myung-min, E Ji-ah and Jang Keun-suk, the drama will start Sept. 10.

SBS next month will offer ``Garden of the Wind (working title),'' with popular actress Moon Geun-young to play Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) artist Shin Yoon-bok. Based on the novel of the same name, the drama will take viewers on a mysterious journey with Shin and fellow artist Kim Hong-do, played by Park Shin-yang. Shin is an ill-fated girl who must live as a man to find how her father died.

History tells little of the famed artist Shin, unlike counterpart Kim who worked in the royal gallery and left many famous works. This makes Shin's story more intriguing, as writers and producers of the drama searched for even the smallest details and documents about the mysterious artist.

Also coming next month from SBS is ``Tazza,'' starring Jang Hyuk, Kim Min-jun and Han Ye-seul. Based on the successful movie of the same title, the drama will focus on the competition between two ambitious gamblers.

Before SBS announced the cast, a small incident occurred between actresses Sung Hyun-ah and Kang Sung-yeon, both of whom thought they would play the seductive yet charming Madame Jeong. To Sung's disappointment, Kang got the part.

KBS will premiere Sept. 10 the historical drama ``The Land of the Wind,'' featuring Song Il-kook's return to TV as King Daemushin of the Goguryeo Kingdom (37 B.C.-A.D. 668). The cast and production team recently returned from China after spending more than 40 days filming battle scenes.

The drama is also based on the popular historical cartoon by Kim Jin. ''Land of the Wind'' will also be Song's third historical drama, following ``Jumong ― Prince of Legend (2006)'' and ``Haeshin ― Emperor of the Sea (2004).