Hwang In-roi (황인뢰)

Se7en fails to impress viewers

2007/01/25 | Source | Permalink |

"Gung (Princess Hours)" was a major hit television drama last year, propelling Yoon Eun-hye and Joo Ji-hoon into stardom. This time, it is K-pop star Se7en's turn to cash in on the popularity of the romantic comedy period drama, but early signs are ominous - at least for now.

Last Thursday, "Gung S" ("Prince Hours") featuring Se7en recorded an 11.7 percent viewer rating, according to TNS Media. The figure means the ambitious television drama of MBC is stuck with the lowest ranking while its competitors from rival stations sprinted ahead.

"Gung S" posted a 15.3 percent rating on its debut on Jan. 10, thanks largely to the attention of viewers who remember the innovative storyline and entertaining characters in its original drama series.

But rating quickly began to decline, with viewers and critics pointing to the not-so-innovative plot and poor acting performances of the main characters including Se7en.

Se7en's drama debut drew keen interest from his fans and television view...| More

Se7en Evolves as Actor in New TV Drama

2007/01/08 | Source | Permalink |

From left, Se7en, Heo I-jae, Kang Doo and Park Sin-hye pose for the camera during a news conference at the Imperial Palace Hotel in Seoul, Thursday. They star in new television drama "Kung S" ("Prince Hours"), a sequel to last year's hit drama "Princess Hours".
/ Korea Times Photo by Park Chul-joong

By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter

K-pop star Se7en, with his signature upside-number-seven dance move, has proven that he can sing and dance. He now faces a daunting question: Can he act? He has taken on the daunting task of playing the new lead role of the television drama "Kung (Palace) S" ("Prince Hours"), a sequel to the widely popular original that aired last year on MBC.

The 22-year-old is his usual cheerful and positive self, when he talks about his hopes for the new drama.

"I really enjoyed watching the `Kung' ("Princess Hours") series _ its interesting story, the beautiful scenes. But because it was such a huge success, I felt a lot of pressure in the beginning", Se7en s...| More

"The Palace" Season II gets a new name

2006/11/21 | Source | Permalink |

The new drama by Director Hwang In-Roi, "The Palace II" ("Princess Hours 2")got itself a new name: "The Palace S" ("Prince Hours").

"To put the copyrights issue out of our way, we need a new title for our drama, which will also have a new cast and a new story", said GROUP 8, the producer of "The Palace S" ("Prince Hours"), whose separation from Eight Peaks generated a copyrights issue because of the similarity of its new drama's title and cast to those of the original. To resolve the issue, GROUP 8 decided to come up with another drama, which will only use "The Palace" as a backdrop but will still showcase Korea as a constitutional monarchy.

"The Palace S" ("Prince Hours") means "a new start, a special story, a spin-off (the content of the new drama will be different from that of the original), and the secret surrounding the bloodline of the hero, who will be played by Se7en.

The new drama does not only boast an explosive cast (Se7en, Heo I-Jae, Kang Doo, and Park Sin-Hye); it...| More

Korean popstar Se7en, a jack of all trades

2006/10/26 | Source | Permalink |

Singing, dancing and now acting: Is there anything that Korean pop idol Se7en cannot do?

Since his debut in 2003, Se7en's vocal and choreographic talents have been celebrated across Asia. The first male solo under YG Entertainment to break into the Japanese market in 2004, Se7en won enormous popularity in Japan and Thailand with remarkable album sales and successful promotion tours.

Not satisfied with resting on his regional laurels, Se7en is planning to take his special talents across the Pacific to the United States as well as finding time to promote his upcoming album and take acting lessons for an upcoming TV drama.

l Making inroads into the U.S. music industry

Se7en's agency YG Entertainment said on its website this week that "Se7en went to Washington to record his first single, which is scheduled to be released in the spring next year in the United States".

Se7en
The agency said it signed a contract with Mark Shimmel Music to jointly produce Se7en's single and sup...| More

American Variety Magazine Gives Acclaim to TV Drama "Princess Hours"

2006/04/19 | Source | Permalink |

Variety, an American film and pop art magazine, has attracted public attention by giving critical acclaim to MBC TV's drama "Princess Hours", also known as "The Palace", calling it a production that has shown the future of Korea's TV drama industry.

In its latest edition, Variety said, "The 24-episode drama 'Princess Hours' is a production that shows the future of Korea's TV drama industry, while enjoying high viewer ratings of nearly 30 percent".

Variety also said, "More than 230,000 dollars (230 million won) per episode was spent on making elaborately built sets, such as traditional houses and Western interior decorations. If such a trend continues, Korean TV drama producers will spend more and more on expenses".

The magazine introduced the drama's set, food, and traditional costume designers. It said, "These designers enhanced the aesthetic levels of the drama, ultimately succeeding in luring young viewers".

Variety added, "The Korean film industry also played a big role...| More