| Hero / Heroes | |
|---|---|
Promotional Poster |
|
| Genre | Comedy, Action, Drama |
| Written by | Kwon Ki Young Park Ji Suk (박지숙) |
| Directed by | Kim Kyung Hee Lee Dong Yoon (이동윤) |
| Starring | Lee Jun Ki Yoon So Yi Um Ki Joon Baek Yoon Shik |
| Country of origin | South Korea |
| Language(s) | Korean |
| No. of episodes | 16 |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Lee Jae Dong |
| Location(s) | South Korea |
| Running time | Wednesdays & Thursdays 21:55 |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | MBC |
| Original run | November 18, 2009 – January, 2010 |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | Heading to the Ground |
| External links | |
| Website | |
Hero / Heroes (Hieoro, 히어로; Unseen Warfare, 보이지 않는 전쟁; Strange Heroes, 수상한 히어로즈) is a South Korean comedic-action drama [1] about Korea's top reporters and ordinary citizens fighting against the inequalities between society’s masses and its very elite. It is loosely based on a comic by Park Ji Suk and produced by Lee Jae Dong. It was reported that Heading to the Ground had ended early which allowed Hero to switch from the November 18-11, beginning a week earlier than planned to give MBC more to work with in the Wednesday-Thursday ratings battle. But due to the female leads unexpected injury it was pushed back a week later and will officially premiere November 18, 2009.[2] The female pop group, Kara will appear in the first episode of MBC Hero, where originally the two main characters of the drama Lee Jun Ki and Yoon So Yi would be cheering for Kara at the concert. However, the scene was later altered.[3] October 20, a ceremony took place to wish the staff of Hero success at the Yang Ju Gyung-Gi-Do MBC Culture Village. Lee Jun Ki's fans had also arrived on location bringing with them 100 sets of lunch packs to share with everyone giving the staff/actors strength and determination.[4]
Contents |
Jin Do Hyuk [5] (Lee Jun Ki) works as a journalist for a third-rate newspaper. He lost his parents at an early age, after they were involved in a fatal hit and run car accident and Do Hyuk was left alone with his older sister Do Hee (Jang Young Nam). Although Do Hee is older than Do Hyuk she is quite immature, impulsive and whenever Do Hyuk had money she would take his money. He had always dreamed of becoming a journalist like his father, attending the prestigious “Dae Sae Ilbo,” but because of his poor financial situation Do Hyuk was unable to attend college, which created a temporary roadblock for him. So instead Do Hyuk ends up working for the third rate news rag "Monday Seoul". Although the "Monday Seoul" is lower than the "Dae Sae Ilbo," Do Hyuk works with passion and uses any means necessary to cover a story. Joo Jae In (Yoon So Yi) lost her father at an early age. Her father, a police officer, died while on duty. Since then, she has wanted to follow in her father's footsteps to become a police officer. Jae In eventually graduated at the top of her class in the police academy. She likes Kang Hae Sung (Um Ki Joon), who interviewed her for the "Dae Sae Ilbo." Jae In was also interviewed by Do Hyuk for the "Monday Seoul," but she doesn't know what to make of Do Hyuk. Kang Hae Sung, a highly respected Dae Sae Ilbo journalist, currently dates Choi Ho Kyung (Shin Ju Ah), the daughter of Choi Il Doo (Choi Jyung Woo), the president of parent company Dae Sae Corporation. Choi Il Doo views Ho Kyung somewhat like his right hand man. Often, Ho Kyung will spin news stories to favor Il Doo and the Dae Sae Corporation. Il Doo hopes Hae Syung will one day become his son-in-law. But, Hae Syung notices Jae In and Do Hyuk becoming closer and becomes jealous. One day, Do Hyuk awaits outside of a prison to interview former mobster Jo Yong Deok, a leader of the Twin Ax gang prior to his 15 year jail sentence. On the day of his release the only persons awaiting for him are journalist Do Hyuk and a former underling. Yong Deok then decides to start his own newspaper with Do Hyuk named the "Yong Deok Ilbo".
Jin wants to become a reporter like his father, but he comes from a family which struggles from the rigors of life and he was not able to study of his own will due to his immature sister who financially worsens the situation. Jin barely gets into a third-rate newspaper but runs into a wall when the paper decides to cease publication. However, he grows with new dreams and expectations, when his interviewee, a former gang boss, proposes that they set up a new newspaper. Jin's optimism and aggressiveness could be taken as someone who is fun compared to Lee's previous roles where he was an undercover agent for the intelligence service or had to be a real hero carrying a heavy burden on his shoulders. Lee repeatedly emphasized that Jin is a character who is "less serious and more cheerful" than previous characters he has played. But Lee will not have a completely easy time with his role playing someone who transforms into a reporter with a strong sense of justice and speaks up for the lower middle class society.
Joo, a detective who graduated police academy with first honors, is a character who always plays by the book. At work, she is alike her father who died while on duty but in normal life, she is like her mother who is feminine and elegant yet a little immature. That is why she will sweep out criminals with various types of martial art fighting, but wears pink pajamas at home or will carefully sneak into a crime scene but turns shy in front of the ones she likes. That is where her appeal is and the reason why she will be confused over liking Jin and Kang. According to producer Kim, Jae In will "always quarrel with Jin who seems to be living a third-rate life, ignoring him and despising him until she gradually realizes his attractiveness and starts to mature."
Um concisely explained that Kang is one who is "full of ambition" and will "use any means possible to achieve his goal". While Kang is cold-hearted and nimble-witted, he is the typical character who gets engaged to the daughter of his newspaper Dae Sae Ilbo's chairman and secures his position as the mainstream reporter in the economic section of the paper. However, as he starts to grow feelings for detective Joo, he cannot stand her getting closer to Jin and agonizes from it.
Jo comes out into society after serving 15 years in a prison. He no longer has any followers except for Sang Chul (Jo Kyung Hoon), his wife has remarried with someone else and his daughter, who has become a college student, turns her back on him. He now has no-one to turn to, and ends up proposing that he and Jin, who was after him for an interview, set up a newspaper through which Cho tries to settle his hidden past with newspaper Dae Sae Ilbo. Baek, who always has considerable presence in his films or dramas, whether he protagonist or antagonist, refrained from answering most of the questions about his character and replaced them with his chuckles. "There weren't any difficulties. (chuckles) I just try to make it realistic." Despite his short responses, we can expect Baek, the master who has been accumulating on his experience over the years, to fulfill his role well.[6]
Extended Cast
On October 8, new stills were released of Lee Jun Ki in action on the set, which follows a previously released still of second lead Eom Ki Joon, who plays a rival reporter.
Announced October 9, was the series confirmed cameo of pop girl group Kara,[7] which will be featured in the first episode in a performance scene. The mini-concert marks the first meeting for Lee Jun Ki and Kim Min Jung. Driven by the star power of Lee Jun Ki, the drama has been licensed for a Japanese broadcast even before it airs in Korea. This is not that surprising considering Lee Jun Ki’s widespread popularity throughout Asia, but what is surprising is the recent admission that the licensing was prepared in advance of November 2008.
The staff of Hero had planned to air by November has conducted an online selection for 'Hero Supporters'. The supporters were selected from 10 Korean fans and 2 overseas fans from China and Taiwan. There are a total of 341 people that applied for the selection which lasted since September 30 - October 11, this is a tight fight of 1 out of 30. And the supporters selected were announced on October 13 and were invited to the drama shooting scene and sites of official activities, to be the supporters for the promotion of the drama. Although there are similar cases which utilizes UCC netizens for promotion, but conducting the selection in such an official way allowed them to receive an increasing amount of attention.[8]
Lee Jun Ki donned a white shirt with a glittering flower-print vest on top, briefly transforming into as a nightclub waiter. On set, Lee played the role of the nightclub waiter so well that the staff jokingly asked if he really had worked part-time at a nightclub before.[9]
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