Love in Heaven (Drama - 2005) - 하늘이시여 (Ha-neul-i-si-yeo)

Are family dramas' glory days over?

Source | 2008/10/09 | Permalink |

Gone are the days of Sunday night soaps and romantic comedies, as what appeared to be a blip in the SBS weekend drama line-up turns out to be something of a trend.

The highly popular family-oriented series "First Wives' Club" signaled a shift from the usual syrupy romances that SBS used to churn out. The result was a huge success.

Ending on a high note last Sunday with nationwide viewer ratings of 40.2 percent (AGB Nielsen Media Research), the hit SBS drama revealed an untapped market.

But will SBS' winning streak continue? The major broadcasting channel is willing to test the waters with yet another family drama. Starting tomorrow night, the new weekend series -- titled "Glory of the Family" -- explores the tangled and less than perfect lives of the illustrious Ha family. Centered on the filial granddaughter of the household Ha Dan-ah, played by Yoon Jeong-hee, and her twin brothers, this drama is significantly weightier and more traditional than its predecessor.

"I think ...| More

Youthful drama targets weekend audience

Source | 2008/10/02 | Permalink |

Rarely does a weekend family drama make the splash that KBS' "Mom's Dead Upset" did. The hit series ended with a bang last Sunday, garnering viewer ratings of 39.7 percent nationwide, according to AGB Nielsen Media research.

Hoping to continue their winning streak, KBS is following it up with a light and comic romance about a radio producer and a disc jockey.

Celebrities Kim Sung-soo and Lee Tae-ran will be playing the title roles. Actor Kim, 35, stars as a has-been pop singer who takes a job as a radio disc jockey. Actress Lee Tae-ran, 33, plays the domineering co-worker who bickers her way into his heart.

Co-star Park Hae-mi, however, expressed reservations about the decidedly more youthful bent of the upcoming family drama -- titled "My Precious You" -- at the press conference on Tuesday. "In the previous drama, 'Mom's Dead Upset', middle aged characters played the lead", said actress Park, 44. "But people still shy away from focusing on older characters. Why do we target y...| More

Lawyers vie for top spot in drama line-up

Source | 2008/07/09 | Permalink |

Though the tagline for MBC's new Wednesday and Thursday night miniseries "The Lawyers of The Great Republic Korea" is "Love versus money", with two superhero dramas out right now, it should really read, "superheroes versus lawyers".

Following on the heels of the abysmal drama on reporters, "Spotlight", which ended on a sour note last Thursday, this romantic comedy will need more than a few lawyers to compete SBS' with "Iljimae".

The star power of Lee Joon-ki as a Joseon Dynasty superhero in the hit SBS drama has swept viewer ratings nationwide. And celebrities Lee Seong-jae and Lee Soo-kyeong will need to showcase some stellar acting and flawless comic timing in order to nab audiences in "Daehanminguk Byeonhosa" ("The Lawyers of The Great Republic Korea").

Actor Lee, who made his mark playing ruthless businessmen in flicks like "Public Enemy" (2002) and "Shinsukki Blues" (2004), takes his turn on the small screen playing the head of a finance group slapped in the face with a w...| More

Yoon Jeong-hee Overcame Her Fears on Way to 'Blissful'

Source | 2007/03/09 | Permalink |

Actress Yoon Jeong-hee seems to have changed little since she rose to stardom last year with her leading role as Ja-kyung on the SBS drama "Love in Heaven", a huge hit that drew ratings of some 40 percent. That show secured for her a legion of middle-aged female fans who shed tears for her conflicted character: the daughter-in-law to her own biological mother who abandoned her as a baby.

Now she has returned with a role in KBS 2TV drama "A Happy Woman", playing another challenged woman. But her new character, Lee Jiyeon, is a cheerful, strong single mother who continues to smile even though her husband deserted her for another woman.

Yoon's character is one of the reasons the new show is increasingly popular. With its ratings passing 25 percent in two months, "A Happy Woman" is expected to top the drama chart soon now that MBC's mega-hit drama "Jumong" has concluded.

"Ja-kyung and Ji-yeon may seem similar but actually they're quite different. Ja-kyung had that deep-rooted grie...| More

Dramas Sweep the Top 10 Ratings List

Source | 2007/02/05 | Permalink |

According to AGB Nielsen Media Research, a TV ratings research company, dramas swept the top 10 list of highest rated TV programs.

The highest rating in 2006 was recorded by MBC's "Jumong", which posted 38.4% in average household ratings.

It was followed by "Famous Princesses" of KBS2 with ratings of 30.2%, the daily soap operas "Bizarre Bunch" and "Pure in Heart" ("Hearts of Nineteen") of KBS1 with 29.8% and 28.5%, respectively, and the SBS weekend drama "Love in Heaven" with 28.3%.

Among entertainment shows, "Imagination Plus" of KBS2 ranked the highest at 14th place overall with 19% in ratings, followed by "Gag Concert" on KBS2 at 16th with 17% and "What an Amazing World" on SBS with 16.9%.

"News 9" of KBS1 was the highest ranking news program at 19th place with 16.9% in ratings.

Meanwhile, the average TV viewing time of Korean households in 2006 stood at 7 hours and 7 minutes, unchanged from 2005.

By channel, people watched KBS1 the most, followed by SBS, MBC, and...| More