December brings an unwanted wave of stars with DUI and drug convictions returning to both the big and small screens. Kwak Do-won will return to the big screen with the film “Fire Brigade”while Bae Seong-woo will appear in “Light shop”and TOP inside “Squid Game” Season 2, all part of impressive lineups.
Specifically, on October 17, BY4M STUDIO announced that the film “Fire Brigade” is confirmed for theatrical release this December. Based on the 2001 Hongje-dong arson case, the film portrays the plight of firefighters who, despite the harsh conditions, were deployed with the sole objective of putting out the fire and saving everyone.
The film had already completed shooting in 2020 and was ready for release. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and lead actor Kwak Do-won’s DUI accident, which led to his hiatus, the release was delayed. Now, after four years, it finally sees the light.
Director Kwak Kyung-taek, known for infusing his works with the authenticity of true stories, presents this long-awaited new project. The film, which tells the story of the Western Fire Station that responded to the actual fire in the Hongje-dong area in 2001, has already garnered high expectations and positive enthusiasm due to its claimed high quality.
However, the unexpected pandemic and the lead actor’s irresponsible behavior have caused significant damage, attracting sympathetic glances from the industry. When he finally meets his audience, questions arise as to whether an actor with a record of drunk driving can actually convey to “hero” narrative and whether viewers can completely separate the actor’s personal story from that of the character.
With the release of “Firefighters,” there is growing interest in whether Kwak Do-won’s other completed project, the drama TVING “Bad”will also see the light.
Bae Seong-woo, who has already made his return with the Netflix series “The eighth show”it is also intensifying its activities. His next project is “Light shop”a new job by “Moving” webtoon creator Kang Full.
However, Bae Seong-woo’s reception is even colder. This is due to the perception through which it was projected “connections” after his DUI accident, rather than being singled out before causing problems.
In November 2020, Bae Seong-woo was caught driving while intoxicated in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, after drinking with an acquaintance. At the time, his blood alcohol content was above 0.08%, a level sufficient to revoke his license.
As a result, he withdrew from all projects he was involved in and returned after four years “The eighth show”. Although it is a pre-filmed film (“Road to Boston”similar to “Firemen”) was released early, did not participate in any promotional activities, and ultimately the film failed at the box office.
Previously, regarding Bae Seong-woo’s casting, “The eighth show” director Han Jae-rim said: “The director’s opinion is that Bae Seong-woo fits this role very well.” He added, “Personally, I have a close relationship with Bae Seong-woo and saw how deeply sorry and upset he was (after the DUI incident). I hope his apology is well received. He’s actually a diligent and sincere person, which I thought made him suitable for this role. Also, since there is mime involved, I thought his strengths would be a good fit.”
This statement, which seemed to have a somewhat casual view “DUI crime” often referred to as a potential murder, it was not free from criticism and was seen by some as such “Just to cover for one of them.”
Amidst all this, his next project is also for an OTT platform, Disney Plus. “Light shop” is a story of mysterious customers with secrets who visit the “Light shop”the only place that lights up the end of a dark alley. It is Kang Full’s fifth work “Mysterious psychological anecdote” series and is based on the popular webtoon of the same name, which has surpassed 150 million cumulative views and received praise and love from many readers.
Actor Kim Hee-won is taking on his first directorial challenge in a series, with a cast that includes Bae Seong-woo, Joo Ji-hoon, Park Bo-young, Kim Seol-hyun, Uhm Tae-goo, Lee Jung-eun, Kim Min -ha, Park Hyuk-kwon, Kim Dae-myung, Shin Eun-soo, Kim Sun-hwa and Kim Ki-hae. Since it is the writer’s sequel “Moving”which told a superhero story, it seems that this project will not escape uncomfortable scrutiny either.
“Light shop” consists of 8 episodes in total, with 4 episodes releasing on December 4th, followed by 2 episodes each week for the next two weeks.
Furthermore, the expected globally “Squid Game” is finally revealing itself. Previously, controversy arose when former BIGBANG member TOP, who had suspended his activities due to drug charges, joined the second season, but he will appear in the cast without any changes.
In October 2016, Choi Seung-hyun (TOP) was accused of smoking marijuana twice in cigarette form and twice in liquid form at his home, which came to light while he was serving as a conscript policeman the following year . He was sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for 2 years.
At the time, he responded to a netizen’s comment on his social media post by saying: “Reflect on yourself. Don’t come back” with “Good! God! I’m not going to do that. Just look at the pictures of the animals. In a live broadcast, he also hinted at retirement, saying: “I won’t go back to Korea, and I don’t want to at all.”
Later, to a comment asking if he had left BIGBANG, he responded, “I already said I’m leaving. Since last year I have been facing a new chapter in my life,” announcing his departure from BIGBANG. His exclusive contract with YG Entertainment expired in February.
The public was outraged by the news of his appearance in “Squid Game 2”. Regardless of his criminal record, from the public’s perspective, his attitude showed no signs of sincere reflection or remorse, which deepened the sense of betrayal. There was also great disappointment for the choice of director Hwang Dong-hyuk, who had received enthusiastic expectations and support from the public. Netflix’s double standard in deciding to remove Yoo Ah-in due to drug allegations while retaining TOP was also criticized, and various suspicions were raised about the casting process. Given that this is a globally anticipated job, it seemed like these concerns were being ignored.
Finally, on August 1st, Netflix announced it “Squid Game” The second season will be released on December 26, along with a letter from director Hwang Dong-hyuk. They also added that the third season is in production and will be released next year.
“Squid Game”released as a 9-episode series in September 2021, it captivated viewers around the world, ranking first on Netflix’s charts for all-time viewership, watch time and household viewing. The records set by Netflix remain intact even after three years. Through “Squid Game”director Hwang Dong-hyuk and Lee Jung-jae also won Emmy Awards for Outstanding Director and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series respectively.
Season 2 begins with protagonist Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) returning after abandoning his plans to go to America and participating in the Squid Game again. Lee Jung-jae, along with Wi Ha-joon, Gong Yoo and Lee Byung-hun, will appear once again in the new season. Furthermore, many actors including TOP, Im Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul, Park Sung-hoon, Yang Dong-geun, Jo Yu-ri, Lee Jin-wook, Park Gyu-young and Won Ji-an just joined united. the cast.
Source: Nate
