Hidetoshi Nishijima is cast for the lead role in TV Asahi drama special “Meitantei Akechi Kogoro.” The drama special consists of two episodes. Also cast in supporting roles are Atsushi Ito, Yuriko Ishida, Yukino Kishii and Teruyuki Kagawa. The two episodes will have different stories. For the drama special Hidetoshi Nishijima will play main character Akechi Kogoro.
“Meitantei Akechi Kogoro” airs sometime next year in Japan.
Yang Se-Jong is cast in new JTBC drama series “My Country” (literal title). For the drama series, Yang Se-Jong will play lead male character Seo Hwi. The drama series is set during the end of the Goryeo period and at the start of Joseon period. Actor Woo Do-Hwan has been offered the second lead male character role of Nam Sun-Ho and he is currently “positively considering” the offer.
“My Country” will air sometime during the second half of 2019 in South Korea.
Joo Jin-Mo is cast in upcoming SBS drama series “Big Issue” co-starring Han Ye-Seul. For drama series “Big Issue,” Joo Jin-Mo will play lead male character Han Seok-Joo. He was once an elite photo journalist for the biggest newspaper in Korea. His career and personal life was ruined because of a photograph. He then meets Ji Soo-Hyun (Han Ye-Seul) and becomes a paparazzi photographer.
“Big Issue” first airs February, 2019 in South Korea (takes over SBS’ Wednesday and Thursday 10PM time slot after “The Last Empress“).
Mai Fukagawa & Kazuya Takahashi are cast for lead roles in TV Tokyo drama series “Nihon Boro Yado Kiko.” The drama series is based on 2011 novel “Nihon Boro Yado Kiko” by Akira Kamiakito. The amusing premise has Mai Fukagawa playing 27-year-old Haruka Shinomiya. She inherits a management company after her father suddenly passes away. The company only has a 48-year-old unpopular singer played by Kazuya Takahashi as a client. The two go on a tour to promote the singer.
Main poster added for Netflix drama series “Kingdom” starring Ju Ji-Hoon, Bae Doo-Na & Ryoo Seung-Ryong. Caption on the poster states in Korean “Conspiracy became an epidemic and spread.” Meanwhile, below are new still images from the period-zombie themed drama series. The still images are of (top to bottom) Lee Chang (Ju Ji-Hoon), Seo-Bi (Bae Doo-Na), Jo Hak-Joo (Ryoo Seung-Ryong), Moo-Young (Kim Sang-Ho), Lee Chang (Ju Ji-Hoon) and Young-Shin (Kim Sung-Kyu).
“Kingdom” will be available to stream from January 25, 2019.
Park Hee-Soon, Choo Ja-Hyun, Oh Man-Seok and Cho Yeo-Jeong are cast in JTBC drama series “Beautiful World” (literal title). Park Hee-Soon and Choo Ja-Hyun will play a married couple whose son is seriously injured at school due to violence. Oh Man-Seok and Cho Yeo-Jeong will play a wealthy married couple. Their son is a troublemaker.
“Beautiful World” first airs April, 2019 (takes over JTBC’s Friday and Saturday 11pm time slot after “Legal High“).
Teaser trailer and poster added for movie “The Fable” starring Junichi Okada, Fumino Kimura and Koichi Sato. The film has Junichi Okada playing a killer for hire named Fable. He gets to live a year as a regular person. Movie is based on manga “The Fable” by Katsuhisa Minami and directed by Kan Eguchi.
“The Fable” will be released June 21, 2019 in Japan.
The first script reading for upcoming tvN drama series “Touch Your Heart” (English title), starring Lee Dong-Wook & Yoo In-Na, took place November 27, 2018. The first script reading included main cast members Lee Dong-Wook, Yoo In-Na, Shin Dong-Wook, Shim Hyung-Tak, Lee Joon-Hyuk, Son Sung-Yoon and Jang So-Yeon all in attendance. The screenplay features actress Oh Yoon-Seo (Yoo In-Na) wanting to land an acting role and she begins to work as the secretary for Lawyer Kwon Jung-Rok’s (Lee Dong-Wook) secretary to prepare for that role.
“Touch Your Heart” first airs January, 2019 in South Korea (takes over tvN’s Wednesday and Thursday 9:30 PM time slot after “Encounter“).
L (aka Kim Myung-Soo) from boy band ‘INFINITE’ is now cast in SBS drama series “Dan, Only Love” (literal title) co-starring Shin Hye-Sun. For the drama series, L will play an angel named Dan. He is a bit of a troublemaker. He. needs to go back to heaven and he takes up the role of a cupid for Lee Yeon-Seo’s (Shin Hye-Sun), but he falls in love with her.
“Dan, Only Love” first airs May, 2019 in South Korea.
Ryosuke Yamada (‘Hey! Say! JUMP’) is cast for the lead role in horror-mystery film “Kiokuya.” The film is based on 2015 novel “Kiokuya” by Kyoya Origami and directed by Yuichiro Hirakawa (“Erased“). Also cast in major supporting character roles are Kyoko Yoshine, Misako Renbutsu and Kuranosuke Sasaki. The film follows a young man played by Ryosuke Yamada who finds his missing fiance played by Misako Renbutsu. But she does not remember him at all. Is her memory loss related to the urban legend “Kiokuya?”
Filming begins December, 2018 and finishes January, 2019. “Kiokuya” will be released sometime during 2020 in Japan.