Hallyu sees new turn as more K-pop stars dominate TV drama and performing arts scene

Hello pretty EEL's

Not only are they going to see their favorite hallyu singers on YouTube music videos and K-pop shows, but they are also going to find the girls on the small screen, as TV drama actresses.

Four members of the group -- Yoona, Jessica, Yoori, and Sooyoung -- have recently announced their upcoming foray into the TV drama scene, each participating in different shows for different broadcasters. Among the four, Yoona, who made her TV debut through KBS1 daily drama “You Are My Sunshine” back in 2007, is teamed up with rising K-pop hallyu star Jang Keun-suk for “Winter Sonata” director Yoon Suk-ho’s upcoming show “Loverain.”

“I am so excited,” said Cho Hyung-jin, a 24-year-old male fan of Yoona. “She’s a proven star. She’s got the looks, knows how to entertain, and showed off her acting skills with ‘You Are My Sunshine’ already. I don’t see this as a sloppy idol star being forced to act for the sake of popularizing the show. These days, idol stars are not what people used think. They are all trained hard-core to be solid multi-players.”

Speaking of multi-players, Girls’ Generation isn’t alone. Countless K-pop idol stars are making their way into the TV drama scene this year, blurring the boundary between hallyu drama stars and K-pop singers.

KBS’ upcoming dance-and-music teen drama “Dream High 2” features popular girl group T-ara’s Jiyeon, boy band 2AM’s Jin-woon, SISTAR’s Hyo-rin and After School’s Kahi. The show is produced by Holym, a joint venture between JYP Entertainment and “Winter Sonata” heartthrob Bae Yong-joon’s agency Keyeast along with CJ E&M.

Cable channel tvN’s upcoming band-drama “Shut Up Flower Boy Band” stars K-pop boy group Infinite’s L, and Superstar K3 star Kim Min-suk. Boy band ZE:A member Siwan currently appears on MBC’s epic drama series “The Moon Embracing the Sun.”

“I’m very cautious to say this, but I’d say there hasn’t been many successful hallyu dramas after the 2003 epic “Dae Jang Guem,”” said Yoon Suk-ho, director of the 2002’s ‘hallyu-pioneering’ drama “Winter Sonata.” He is currently shooting his upcoming drama “Loverain.”

“K-pop, on the other hand, has its dynamic and energetic side. Jang Keun-suk, who stars in my upcoming drama ‘Loverain,’ and is a rising hallyu star in Japan, is in fact very different from Bae Yong-joon. He’s very one-of-a-kind, isn’t afraid of being himself, and doesn’t have that ‘mysterious’ quality which Bae used to charm his fans in Japan. Jang’s fans in Japan are much younger than the ones of Bae. I think K-pop stars bring energy to the TV drama scene, and attract young people worldwide.”
By Claire Lee (dyc@heraldm.com)
Credit: www.koreaherald.com
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