Skip Beat! (TV series)

Skip Beat! (Chinese: 華麗的挑戰) is a Taiwanese television drama based on the Japanese shōjo manga of the same name by Yoshiki Nakamura. It premiered on December 18, 2011 on the free-to-air channel FTV and December 24, 2011 on the cable channel GTV Variety Show. Skip Beat! is a joint production between Taiwan and Japan, and is primarily produced by Gala Television under executive producer Doze Niu.

Development of Skip Beat! began in early 2008 after the casting of Ariel Lin and Jerry Yan in the main roles. In January 2009, Gala Television had to indefinitely postpone the production due to several financial setbacks and script re-writes, causing Yan to drop out of the project. Skip Beat! was brought back into production following the signing of Super Junior members Siwon and Donghae in the main roles in May 2010. In February 2011, one month before filming, Ivy Chen replaced Lin, who had already signed to film another production when Skip Beat! was languishing in development hell. Filming officially began in April 2011 with locations in Taiwan and Japan. It entered post-production at the conclusion of filming in July 2011.

Synopsis

High school graduate Gong Xi gives up her chances for university in order to support her childhood friend and romantic goal, Bu Po Shang, in his pop idol career. Upon arriving in Taipei, Gong Xi starts working on multiple jobs in order to support Shang, whose popularity quickly rises, eventually becoming one of the top idols in Taiwan. One day, Gong Xi catches Shang flirting with his manager, and learns that he only used her so she can help him with his living expenses. Heart-broken and betrayed, Gong Xi vows to get revenge by becoming a bigger star than he. Gong Xi auditions for L.M.E., Taiwan's largest talent agency, and joins L.M.E.'s new-found department "Love Me" with Jiang Nanqin, also a new recruit. At L.M.E. famous actor Dun Helian, disgusted by Gong Xi's reasons for joining the show business, consistently finds ways to annoy and taunt her. As Gong Xi's acting career starts to take off, she begins to discover a new sense of identity and purpose, separate from her initial plans of revenge. Lian also eventually warms up to her, and although at first in denial, he finds himself falling more and more in love with her.

Cast and characters

Main characters

• Ivy Chen as Gong Xi (宮囍), based on the manga character Kyoko Mogami:

A bright and intelligent high school graduate who gives up her chances for university to support her childhood friend and love interest, Bu Po Shang, in his pop idol career. She later finds out that Shang only used her for his own selfish reasons and had no intentions to spend the rest of his life with her. Devastated and vengeful, Gong Xi vows that she will exact revenge. Shang tells her that the only way to do this is to join the entertainment industry and defeat him. After much begging and pleading, she is finally accepted into L.M.E., Taiwan's largest talent agency, and joins the company's new-found department, Love Me (Chinese: 愛我吧部).

• Siwon as Dun Helian (敦賀蓮), based on the manga character Ren Tsuruga:

A famous young actor who takes his profession very seriously. One of Taiwan's biggest stars, he is under the same talent agency as Gong Xi. Although he maintains a perfect public image, he is disgusted by Gong Xi's reasons for joining the show business and frequently finds ways to annoy and taunt her. He soon realizes Gong Xi's talent in acting and begins to support her endeavors. He eventually develops romantic feelings for Gong Xi, but she is too concentrated on her motives to notice his pursuits.

• Donghae as Bu Po Shang (不破尚; lit. "Unbreakable Shang"), based on the manga character Shō Fuwa:

Born Shang Jieyong (尚介勇), Bu Po Shang is Gong Xi's childhood friend and love interest. Although egotistical and arrogant, he is an extremely talented musician. Fully aware of Gong Xi's romantic feelings for him, he successfully convinces Gong Xi to travel with him to Taipei to support him financially while he focuses on developing his singing career. Ruthless and ambitious, Shang decides to abandon Gong Xi to get together with his manager, which leads to Gong Xi to join the entertainment industry for revenge. Upon seeing Gong Xi's transformation, Shang realizes that he had more feelings for her than he originally thought. He holds great animosity towards Dun Helian because of his popularity and his close relationship with Gong Xi.

• Bianca Bai as Jiang Nanqin (江南琴), based on the manga character Kanae Kotonami:

A young rising star who attends the same auditions as Gong Xi. She is desperate for a successful acting career and initially despises Gong Xi for standing in her way. Similar to Gong Xi, she joins the "Love Me" department of L.M.E. to touch up on her acting ability. After working together in various projects, Gong Xi and Nanqin develop a deep friendship.

Supporting characters

• Charge Pu as Shen Deyuan (椹德元), L.M.E.'s casting director.
• King Chin as Du Jin (杜金), Dun Helian's manager.
• Ada Pan as Yangyang (鴦鴦), Bu Po Shang's manager and implied lover.
• Allen Chao as Luo Li (羅利), the director of L.M.E. who likes to make appearances in glamorous and extravagant attire.
• Chen Bozheng as Boss (老板), Gong Xi's boss when she was working at a Japanese sushi restaurant called Bu Dao Weng (不倒翁).
• Frances as Maria (瑪麗亞), Lou Li's granddaughter.
• Ko Yu-luen as Director Xin Huan (新垣導演), the competent director of Dun Helian's new film.
• Lo Bei-an as Director Hei Long (黑龍導演), a famous commercial director.
• Egin Lee as Liuli'er (琉璃兒), a popular young singer who attempts to sabotage Gong Xi's career.
• Angus Chang as Fei Lihua (費梨花), Jiang Nanqin's high school classmate.
• Cindy Sung as Kuang Meishen (鄺美森), a featured actress who co-starred in one of Bu Po Shang's music videos with Gong Xi.
• Jessie Zhang as Xu Yongchun (徐永春), the producer of Bu Po Shang's debut album.
• Chang Shao-huai as Director Xu Fang (旭方導演), the director of Dark Moon.
• Ke Shu-qin as Qing Jie (晴姐), an experienced actress.
• Cherry Hsia as Yi Mei (逸美), the female lead in the television drama Dark Moon.
• Willy Tsai as Sapphire (藍寶石), one of Lihua's servants.
• Xiao Bing as Emerald (綠寶石), one of Lihua's servants.
• Liu Guoshao as Ruby (紅寶石), one of Lihua's servants.
• Fu Xiancheng as Lin Ying (林鷹), a child actor.
• Wu Min as Shangguan Junzi (上官君子), Dun Helian's co-star.
• Ge Lei as Boss' wife (老板娘), who also owns Bu Dao Weng.
• Tsai Yi-chen as Wanzi (丸子), Gong Xi's Bu Dao Went co-worker and friend.
• Tang Zhi-wei as Shang Pengtang (尚朋棠), Shang's father.
• Kobayashi Yumi as Shang's mother.

Production

Development and pre-production

Gala Television announced their development of Skip Beat! in early 2008, and invited producer Kikuko Miyauchi from Japan to produce and Jyu You-ning to direct. In April 2008 Ariel Lin, Jerry Yan, and Joe Cheng were cast to portray Gong Xi, Dun Helian, and Bu Po Shang respectively. However, Yan and Cheng could not come to an agreement with the script and Cheng dropped out of the project in July 2008. Following Cheng's withdrawal, Doze Niu replaced Jyu as director and producer.^[1] In November 2008, Niu, Lin, and Yan held a press conference for Skip Beat! in Tokyo, Japan, announcing that they would begin filming as soon as they find another actor to replace Cheng.^[2] Following the press conference, the script had to undergo a rewrite, and the drama's Japanese developers suffered a financial breakdown due to the restructuring of their joint venture company.^[3] Lai Congbi, Deputy General Manager of Gala Television, announced that filming will be pushed back. Yan, who already signed to film a Mainland Chinese drama in March 2009, was forced to withdraw.^[2] Niu wanted to replace Yan with Wu Chun, but Gala Television postponed the production indefinitely in January 2009 due to persistent financial problems.

In April 2010, Niu and Gala Television brought Skip Beat! back into production with Lin returning to star. In May 2010, it was reported that Super Junior members Siwon and Donghae were cast to portray Dun Helian and Bu Po Shang respectively.^[4] In February 2011, Ivy Chen was cast to replace Lin, who withdrew from the project because she was already booked to film In Time with You when Skip Beat! was to begin filming.^[5][6] On March 31, 2011, a press conference was held for Skip Beat! in Taipei, attended by over 100 reporters and fans. Niu announced that Jerry Feng will take his place to direct.^[7] Niu praised the drama's "too brilliant" script and that he "didn't want to leave it behind."^[8]

On an estimated budget of over 80 million TWD (2.6 million USD),^[9] each episode cost about 4 million TWD (132,000 USD) to produce.^[10]

Filming and promotion

Filming commenced in April 2011 in Taiwan and took four months to complete. The main cast filmed promotional photoshoots for the drama on July 28, and attended a wrap-up banquet hosted by the production crew afterwards. Post-production officially began on July 29. Because Siwon and Donghae filmed most of their scenes speaking in Korean instead of Mandarin, ex-Energy member Kunda and Darren from The Drifters are hired to dub their voices into Mandarin respectively.^[11] Nylon Chen was later hired to replace Kunda.

Gala Television spent 20 million TWD (659,000 USD) marketing the drama.^[12] Skip Beat! was first promoted at the 17th Shanghai Television Festival, in which a three-minute sales presentation trailer was aired to attract potential Mainland Chinese distributors. A distributor bought the copyrights for 191,000 yuan (30,000 USD), and online distributors bought the rights for 63,800 yuan (10,000 USD), becoming the most expensive Taiwanese drama to broadcast in Mainland China.^[13] As of August 2011, it was reported that foreign distribution rights totaled 3.7 million TWD (120,000 USD) per episode.^[10] The drama held its world premiere on December 14 in the LUX Cineplex Theater in Ximending, Taipei.^[11][14]

Viral marketing was one of the marketing campaigns employed for the drama. In early December 2011, the drama's official website revealed a poll of four different promotional posters for the drama, and had fans choose an official poster. 30 randomly-selected voters were given a free poster, one was given a signed poster, and another was given a Bu Po Shang pillow.^[15] In addition to the poster voting campaign, a giveaway of many of the drama's official products will be given to those who could locate taxis painted with the drama's official art in Taipei.^[16]

Music

Super Junior-M performed the opening theme "S.O.L.O." (Chinese title: 華麗的獨秀; lit. "Glamorous Solo Show") written by Tim McEwan, Lars Halvor Jensen, and Reed Vertelney, with lyrics penned by Zhou Weijie, who also helped write in Super Junior-M's EP Perfection. Donghae and Chance wrote the ending theme "That's Love" (Chinese title: 這是愛; lit. "This is Love"), with lyrics penned by Huang Tsu-yin. Donghae and Super Junior-M member Henry performed the ending.^[17] It is also reported that A-Lin and Super Junior-M member Zhou Mi also recorded solo songs in the drama's official soundtrack, which will be distributed by Avex Taiwan.

Broadcast

List most Gala Television productions, Formosa TV bought the rights to premiere the drama on its free-to-air channel on Sunday, December 18, 2011. The cable GTV network will air the first episode on December 24, 2011. Hong Kong's Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) bought the rights to premiere the Cantonese-dubbed version on December 25, 2011. Skip Beat! is the first Taiwanese drama to have simultaneous broadcasts in both Hong Kong and Taiwan.^[18] TVB's J2 channel previously aired the Cantonese-dubbed anime version of Skip Beat! from February to August 2010, and rebroadcast the anime again in 2011.

Reception

Ratings

The first episode of Skip Beat! received mixed reviews. Gala Television received complaints concerning Dun Helian's voice actor Kunda, whose boyish voice is unfit for Dun Helian's deep, steady tone and proud demeanor.^[14] As a result, Nylon Chen was hired to replace Kunda.

Notes

• a.^{^} See Broadcast.

References

External links

• Official GTV website
• Official FTV website