[PREVIEWS] Slave Hunter

K-DRAMA PREVIEWS

추노 (追奴, Slave Hunter)
Part 1 of 5: CASTING

One of the most deceptively simple things about approaching a Korean drama is expectations. And I don't mean of the cheerleading kind, based on how high up the hotness meter any production can go. What I was thinking about are rather simple notions like who is directing it, who is the writer, and how good an ensemble the casting director was able to gather. Those are generally the first things anyone well versed in this industry's wild shenanigans will look out for. Once you start doing that, you'll also notice how rarely you are blessed with a combination of talented people behind and in front of the camera, but that's just the first step of this unnerving waiting period.

Take, for instance, the upcoming SBS sageuk 제중원 (Jejungwon): on paper, it looks terrific. PD Hong Chang-Wook is the best (OK, nearly the only) talent SBS has produced over the last decade. He started slow with a few journeyman gigs, and then settled down with a very, very solid double header of quality little dramas like 강남엄마 따라잡기 (Gangnam Mom) and last year's 신의 저울 (The Scale of Providence). Hong showed a good handle of completely different material (satirical romcom and revenge courtroom drama) with admirable technique and even a little cinematic flair, which always helps. But then there's the writer, Lee Gi-Won of 하얀거탑 (The White Tower) and 스포트라이트 (Spotlight), accused of unprofessional conduct in regards to the mid-flight switcheroo tactics of his latest work, but I honestly would have done the same, in front of MBC's disarmingly cheap and misguided populism. Lee has a great eye for detail (which is needed in a sageuk), solid technique and... well, the right sensibilities for the job (let's just say that bleeding heart nationalists never make for good television, let alone in subjects as touchy as semi-modern history). If you add a great protagonist in Park Yong-Woo, despite the rather vanilla co-leading choices (Han Hye-Jin and Yeon Jung-Hoon. Ouch), then this looks as much of a surefire bet as you're likely to find in the next six months. So, it's pen to paper, quality guaranteed.

....afraid not.

This is SBS, for whom the bottom line is always the bottom line. For them, dramas have always been little toys to play around with, something whose limbs you can extend or completely cut off depending on your latest whim - a sort of narrative Plasticine, if you will. They really couldn't give a flying squirrel's behind if adding 10 episodes here and cutting off 20 episodes there can send writers into an abyss of damnation, a place where they're forced to bastardize their original story because of mere ratings. But this trend is particularly serious when you consider SBS' track record in the sageuk field. Care for a list of recent crimes?

2001 - 여인천하 (Ladies of the Palace)
Planned for 50 episodes. Scores big in the ratings against KBS' 겨울연가 (Winter Sonata) and MBC's 상도 (Sang Do). Result? 100 episode extension. And assorted blasphemous utterances from yours truly.

2002 - 대망 (Dae Mang)
First planned for 24 episodes, later extended to 26. I'll leave out the hoopla between Son Ye-Jin leaving early (after previously announcing it) and Song Ji-Na not knowing about it until she was about to write the final few scripts, since it'd probably be better to save all the "wtf was Song Ji-Na thinking" accolades for the year end awards thingy and her latest, delirious mess.

2003 - 왕의 여자 (The King's Woman)
Notorious clusterjohn tesh of gigantic proportions. First planned for 80 episodes, but since the hanbok-wearing Martha Stewart biopic on MBC was destroying it in the ratings, it was cut almost in half to 42 episodes, making story flow utterly laughable. Or, well, more than it already was.

2004 - 장길산 (Jang Gil-San)
The final, wretched installment of what was a pretty successful "chivalrous robber" series, including the masterpiece 임꺽정 (Im Kkeok-Jeong) from 1997, and the goofy, corny but infinitely watchable 홍길동 (Hong Gil-Dong) from 1998. Drama was not surprisingly pants, but they managed to cut it from 80 to 50 episodes - at least they had the decency to do that before it started.

2005 - 서동요 (The Ballad of Seo Dong)
Was first set to end at 54 episodes, but due to rising ratings, one episode was added, after a rather annoying bout of press manipulation. Production values were so high, netizens called Baekje the "Smurfs village."

2007 - 왕과 나 (The King & I)
This was like ping pong wearing hanbok. One week they would announce an extension, the other a reduction, then an extension, and... what the hell, another reduction - not to mention airing all the behind the scenes dirty laundry in public, including the boxing match between Yoo "De La Hoya" Dong-Geun and a bunch of whiny SBS producers. Miraculously ended on its feet at 63, but the table tennis in between pretty much sent overall quality to kingdom come.

2009 - 자명고 (Princess Jamyung)
Latest, infamous travesty, with SBS cutting it short by a whole 11 episodes, even though it was on its way to becoming their best sageuk in 12 years - or the first potentially great one after Im Kkeok-Jeong, if you prefer. Still a worthy production, but a flat second half lacking verve and the sudden switcheroo tactics by SBS pretty much sealed its fate.

What this means in simple terms is.... don't ever trust SBS. Jejungwon might later be filled with the best cast this side of The White Tower, but it's going to air on Monday and Tuesday. That means it will compete with 선덕여왕 (Queen Seondeok) for at least a couple of months, and then Lee Byung-Hoon's upcoming 동이 (Dong-Yi). If its ratings don't justify the budget (so at least a 20%), it's going to get cut down mercilessly, and the script will suffer as a result - becoming the incipit of a domino effect, since on the fly script changes will lead to live shooting, and inevitable drop in quality. This is just one set of examples showing you how the simple combination of a talented cast and crew can't guarantee quality a priori. The production also needs luck on its side, including a broadcaster which trusts the product -- in that sense, KBS is the safest place in Korea -- approachable competition (our little jewel is airing on Wednesdays and Thursdays, so it's pretty much anyone's ball game), no accidents along the way, and of course those fickle little numbers the broadcasters kill each other for, our good old ratings.

With all that in mind, if there is any drama airing in the next six to twelve months for which I don't harbor a single worry in the world, that is certainly KBS' upcoming fusion sageuk 추노 (追奴, Slave Hunter) - this is just the closest translation to the original and not an official title, but I'm sure they'll choose something much tastier along the way. Yes, writer Cheon Seong-Il has never written a TV drama, and the closest thing to a sageuk he's dealt with -- the period blockbuster 원스 어폰 어 타임  (Once Upon a Time) --  had so many holes, it felt like Swiss cheese. But he does have a rather significant talent for snappy, catchy dialogue, and a good sense of narrative pacing, which always help in a sageuk setting. Also, if you still haven't discovered the magic that is Kwak Jung-Hwan, I'd suggest you call 911 and ask them to lift that rock you're living under. To make a long story short, he's the most talented producer Korea has... ahem, produced in the last 25 years, along with Kim Jin-Min. The best thing? His 한성별곡-正 (Conspiracy in the Court) was yes one of the best Korean dramas of all time, but it felt only like the tip of this madly talented producer's creative iceberg. This will likely reveal a little bit more of what lies under the waters, this time with a significantly more mainstream touch. Wow... I wrote the "M" word without cursing up a storm right after. Now that's a novelty.

We start with our first of five previews (one per month, more or less), with a look at the cast. On the next installments, we will talk about PD and writer, characters and some juicy bits about the historical context of the show. Although the drama is already shooting, very little details about each character have been revealed, so we'll have to work based on assumptions. Shall we begin?

- 장혁 (Jang Hyuk)
SAGEUK EXPERIENCE: 대망 (Dae Mang, 2003 SBS)
TECHNIQUE: ***
RAW TALENT: ***1/2
UPSIDE: ****
CHOICE OF PROJECTS: ***
SCREEN PRESENCE: ****

Dae Mang is really not going to help him that much, not necessarily because it aired a long time ago, but because it was more of an action costume drama than a real sageuk, with all the differences which come with it - Kwak might call his shows "fusion" sageuk, but they're more historically relevant than the majority of what passes on as sageuk nowadays. When I first heard Chorokbaem Media - of 주몽 (Jumong) fame - was producing this, I instantly grew worried that some Korean Wave star would get top billing, but all in all it could have gone much worse. Jang has potential and tremendous charisma, but he's both never been able to contain it effectively, and neither has he worked with anyone who could channel all that raw power in the right direction. Weeeell, Kwak Jung-Hwan is the kind of man who can. Ask Lee Cheon-Hee.

In theory, the key would be whether he can adapt to a serious sageuk setting in terms of technique. He certainly looks the part, and has enough screen presence to get out of most touchy situations (not to mention any action scene), but the key is how he'll handle the quieter, more dialogue based scenes where stance, delivery and reaction acting become more important - being technique, they're all things you can learn, so it all depends on how quickly Jang adapts to Kwak's instructions. Another important factor is whether Kwak will manage to control his bursts of machismo, which hurt his performance in 고맙습니다 (Thank You) -- but that was more because of Lee Kyung-Hee's narrative tendencies than anything else. Just as long as he doesn't fall in 정글 쥬스 (Jungle Juice) mode, he should be fine, particularly considering the fact Kwak always tends to walk that fine line between raging machismo and charismatic panache, as perfectly exemplified by Han Jung-Soo and Lee Cheon-Hee's characters in Conspiracy in the Court.

The character is certainly fascinating (we'll talk more in depth about them in a later preview), so if he gives his 110% and lets Kwak guide him, I don't think there's that much to be concerned about. He'll do just fine.

- 오지호 (Oh Ji-Ho)
SAGEUK EXPERIENCE: None
TECHNIQUE: **
RAW TALENT: **
UPSIDE: ***
CHOICE OF PROJECTS: **1/2
SCREEN PRESENCE: ***1/2

Call it the weak link, if you will. Then again, he might actually become this drama's dark horse. Oh shows all the quintessential elements of the also-ran: he doesn't have much in the way of innate talent, his technique is still very much lacking, and he so far hasn't really shown any spark suggesting he might become someone a la Yoo Ji-Tae (whose hard work and good career choices have often overcome his shortcomings as an actor). But if there is a reason why I never felt any negativity about his acting (like a, say, Kim Min-Joon) is that he seems to "know his place," he doesn't overstep his boundaries. His turning down a role in The Ballad of Seo Dong was not just an honest, heartfelt move, but a smart one, because he was nowhere near the level required to act in a sageuk at the time, and he clearly realized it. But the guy never seems to fall into embarrassing levels, always more or less delivering despite all his flaws. That's a good starting point.

He was rather watchable in 두번째 프로포즈 (The Second Proposal), 신입사원 (Super Rookie) and 환상의 커플 (The Perfect Couple), and although his dramatic acting is still not satisfactory by a long shot, he's making progress in that area. What is even more important is that he always oozed this rather down-to-earth, endearing aura, which makes him a good fit for the character he's going to play. As long as he's not given hugely complex dialogue and emoting that is too subtle for his own good, he might actually pull it off. And let's be honest: Kwak has done wonders with lesser actors like Park Sun-Young before, so there's no reason why he shouldn't repeat himself here. After all, he was the one who chose him, when he worked as line producer for 싱글파파는 열애중 (Single Papa in Love).

- 이다해 (Lee Da-Hae)
SAGEUK EXPERIENCE: 어사 박문수 (Royal Emissary Park Moon-Soo, 2002 MBC) - 30 second cameo
TECHNIQUE: ****
RAW TALENT: ****
UPSIDE: *****
CHOICE OF PROJECTS: *
SCREEN PRESENCE: ****

Potentially? The best Korean actress under 30, and that means surpassing current "titleholders" Son Ye-Jin, Cha Su-Yeon and Gong Hyo-Jin, not a small feat. Technique can always be improved upon, but Lee was already very good in her early days, on Im Sung-Han's idiotic 왕꽃 선녀님 (Lotus Flower Fairy) and particularly 그린로즈 (Green Rose). Her talent and nearly limitless upside are hard to debate, not to mention her range, considering she can go from girl next door to sophisticated woman (need I explain the difference, particularly when it comes to acting? That's something you can't learn) with disarming ease. But getting to the top of the mountain is quite a difficult journey, particularly when you don't seem to know what is best for your career. That has been the biggest deterrent of Lee's young legacy as an actress so far, until she made this choice.

The issue wasn't really some of her horribly misguided choices like 헬로! 애기씨 (Hello! Baby). It's as if Lee didn't realize her potential, and considered herself not to be worthy of meatier, more challenging projects, hence the array of lightweight romcoms and hackneyed melodramas. The other issue, which is harder to notice but related to the aforementioned matters, is the fact that her talent often outshines her technique. It's like a river itching to flood a valley, barely contained by a dam. And that's where a talented director able to somewhat constrain, limit all that raw power is needed. Think of 불한당 (Robber) and her crying scenes, wonderful for the first few minutes, and then exploding into over the top madness, as PD Yoo In-Shik fails to contain her power. It's just a matter of technique (controlling your emotional releases is part of the game, and something you can clearly learn to perfect), and something Kwak will likely help her with. Whatever happens to this drama popularity wise, her decision in itself will change her career forever exactly because of that: she will finally work with someone who knows how to deal with talented people. Whether this role will open a second chapter of Lee's career is yet to be seen, but I could envision her waking up to the joys of real acting, and maybe venturing into more serious roles (perhaps even in Chungmuro, where leading ladies her age are not exactly falling from the sky) in the future.

More than believing in Lee, I believe in Kwak's potential ability to get the best out of her, but she made the first move. She accepted the most challenging and important role of her career, and that's already one step in the right direction, on the way to the top, up high where only the best are accepted.

TEH JOSEON MOD SQUAD
윤지민 (Yoon Ji-Min), 조미령 (Jo Mi-Ryung), 김민주 (Kim Min-Joo), 김하은 (Kim Ha-Eun), 송지은 (Song Ji-Eun)

Yoon is quite the interesting choice. She has explosive screen presence but rather spotty technique, although she can surprisingly tone it down when needed and still manage to ooze a certain "smell of people," which is what sorely lacked in a similar case, 파트너 (Partner)'s debutant Honey Lee (who did pretty well nevertheless). She plays a female warrior type here, so it'll be likely more action and charisma-oriented, but she'll likely do okay. She's done wire acting before and looks the part, so things look pretty good. Jo Mi-Ryung doesn't have extensive experience in the genre, but she generally does her job just fine, as she recently showed in 자명고 (Princess Jamyung). And then we come to Kim Min-Joo. Like other "invisible stars" like Jeon Ye-Seo and Yang Eun-Yong, Kim is amongst the most talented actresses of her generation, but the fact she is nearly unknown and doesn't even work that often can only hamper her status. Let's just say that she's responsible for top notch acting in three of the greatest short dramas in Korean TV history, the golden trio of Dramacity 제주도 푸른밤 (Blue Nights in Jeju Island), 장국영이 죽었다고 (Leslie Cheung is Dead) and 귀자 이야기 (Gwija's Story). She's a wonderfully gifted performer who's never really been given a real chance, so leave it to Kwak Jung-Hwan to pull surprises out of his hat. Give her a few roles, some visibility, and she'll have all the cards to start bothering the Son Ye-Jin of the world on top of the totem pole. She is THAT talented.

TESTOSTERONE BATTALION
이종혁 (Lee Jong-Hyuk), 김지석 (Kim Ji-Seok), 한정수 (Han Jung-Soo), 조성일 (Jo Sung-Il), 데니안 (Danny Ahn)

Some familiar and very welcome names here, namely Han Jung-Soo and Jo Sung-Il, who respectively played Jupil and Sangcheon in Conspiracy in the Court. Han lacks technique, but he's got Space Shuttle-sized truckloads of charisma, not to mention the fact he's one of the most talented action performers in the industry. As for Kim Ji-Seok and Jo Sung-Il, they do have serious shortcomings (particularly Kim), but given the right role and something that doesn't test them too much, they'll be just fine. Lee Jong-Hyuk is a very underrated performer whose career has been sort of stagnating as of late, thanks to a rather underwhelming choice of projects, but he could very well impress here. This is not his first sageuk, as he worked on the second season of 별순검 (Chosun Police), but the role will be much darker and complex here. Considering his past work as villain, good things are on the horizon.

THE (TWO) STOOGES?
공형진 (Gong Hyung-Jin), 성동일 (Seong Dong-Il)

If there is one, solitary thing I don't like about Kwak' work - it's tiny, almost insignificant - is that he's not too good with comedy. The comic bits in Conspiracy in the Court felt mostly out of place, particularly in the Director's Cut where they were enhanced by the added scenes, but that's because everything else is so perfect, the least imperfection tends to stand out. Thankfully, Seong and Gong will not play comic roles, the kind you'd find in a Lee Byung-Hoon or Kim Young-Hyeon drama. Seong, who acted in serious roles for ages before gaining popularity with his comic roles, will play a villain, somewhat reminiscing of his last sageuk role in the 1998 rendition of Hong Gil-Dong. The two can be really good when they want to, and are amongst the finest in Korea when it comes to ad-lib, so that's just about the perfect combination, considering who's writing this.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST
- 최철호 (Choi Cheol-Ho)

A bit rough around the edges but criminally underrated, Choi Cheol-Ho has finally found the fame he always deserved after a decade of paying dues, sometimes in nearly unknown gems like Jung Ha-Yeon's glorious EBS docudrama 지금도 마로니에는 (The Conker Tree). With three very different characters in very different dramas - 천추태후 (Empress Cheonchu) as the Shakespearean Emperor Gyeongjong, 파트너 (Partner) as a ruthless lawyer and 내조의 여왕 (My Wife is a Superwoman) as the icing on the cake - he's showcased his versatility, but also gained popularity, which was the final step he needed. He's only playing a short cameo here as Crown Prince Sohyeon, but from all accounts it looks like it was a pretty memorable one.

Is Slave Hunter's casting perfect? Not really. Considering that this is a mainstream sageuk produced by a major independent company, you always need to compromise. But what's nice about this group of actors is that even those showing some shortcomings have a chance to overcome them all, either by letting Kwak mask them, or by finding the will to let other elements shine over them. That's really what casting is all about. And if you add the usual familiar faces who tend to show up on most KBS sageuk (let's cast Kim Eung-Soo and Kim Gi-Hyeon, pronto), we're in pretty damn good hands. Now all we have to do is wait. Until the next preview, at least....