The popular movie ‘Jeon Woo Chi’ will be made into a drama.
After much speculation the lead actors have been confirmed. As revealed last month U-ie received an offer to star in this promising drama. It has now been officially confirmed that U-ie will star in this drama as the lead female. Noted actor and singer Cha Tae-Hyun has been cast in the lead male role.
This story is based on a fantasy novel/folktale, so it’s not necessary an adaptation of the 2009 film bearing the same name. Same source material, similar aspects, but a different angle.
For those of you unfamiliar with the film, the plot revolves around a Taoist wizard (dosa) named Jeon Woo-chi who has been locked in a magic scroll for 500 years. Then the seal is broken and the impish Woo Chi is released into the modern world, where he fights goblins and monsters. And wreaks a little havoc of his own.
The drama sounds like it’s hewing closer to the original story, where Jeon Woo-chi is an inhabitant of Yuldo, a (fictional) ideal nation established by righteous bandit and Robin Hood, Hong Gil-dong. Woo-chi is a dosa who initially gains his powers by swallowing a gumiho fox bead. He travels to Joseon on a revenge mission, but when he sees the plight of the people there suffering under tyranny and famine, he develops into a hero. Sweet.
It’ll be a fusion sageuk, so no time-traveling or modern-day Seoul. Woo-chi’s character is trouble-making and mischievous, and the producers have stated their intention to include all kinds of colorful characters from the “bottom” of Joseon society: con artists, bandits, gisaengs, and more.
Attached are PD Kang Il-soo of Kingdom of the Wind and Emperor of the Sea; writer is Jo Myung-joo of King Gwanggaeto — so, lots of sageuk experience up in here. In any case, sounds like an interesting project with a fresh premise.
Jeon Woo Chi will start to air in November on KBS 2TV.
Confirmation via: sstv.hankyung & AS_UieFacts
info on movie via dramabeans