First Look at "Warrior Baek Dong Soo"

Jun 01, 2011

Here’s our first look at upcoming fusion sageuk Warrior Baek Dong Soo, the comic book adaptation which stars Ji Chang Wook as our righteous hero Baek Dong Soo and Yoo Seung Ho as the (seemingly Mi-shil-esque) villain/rival Yeo Woon.

To be honest, I can’t tell from these images whether the drama’s going to be awesomely action-and-thrills-packed fusion fare, or campy Peter Pan-y stuff. The plain photos make it look like the latter but I’m hoping for the former, since I’m always drawn to Robin Hood-like setups; they’re the ultimate underdog stories, aren’t they? Maybe all they need is a good Photoshop job.

Plus, I’m already looking forward to the good-versus-evil-hotness rivalry between our boys Dong Soo and Yeo Woon, which will undoubtedly be heightened by the fact that these two train together in secret practice sessions as children (as you can see in the stills below). Dong Soo becomes known as an expert swordsman, perhaps the best around — but you can bet your bottom dollar Yeo Woon’s a close second and will be challenging him in no time.

Their graduation from boyhood friends to enemies will be key to building the tension between their adult selves, as Dong Soo joins the king’s guard and Yeo Woon becomes part of a group planning to assassinate him. It’s kind of like City Hunter, now that I think of it, only the conflict is bromance rather than romance — both strong setups, both things I am an utter sucker for.

Aside from the boys, the drama also stars Yoon So Yi (Hero), who plays Jin Ju, who’s dressed in male garb below. (She’s kind of got the Peter Pan vibe going, no?)

Jin Ju has grown up as part of a gang of righteous bandits, the kind of people who are technically breaking the law but do so in the name of the greater good. She has a bright personality, who confronts the world fearlessly and with a strong sense of justice. Her feelings for Dong Soo are described as noble and pure, and their love of the “fateful” variety. (Let’s just hope that the invocation of fate doesn’t point to a tragic end! It always makes me nervous, since these Korean dramas sure love their angsty, dramatic twists of fate.)

Warrior Baek Dong Soo began filming at the end of April, and is set for a July 4 premiere (it’ll follow Lie To Me on SBS).