Writer Choi Ho-chul of melodramas Mask and Secret is penning a new series for MBC called Time, and offers are currently out to Jeon So-min, who just wrapped on the tvN revenge drama Cross, and up-and-comer Kim Jung-hyun, who’s still headlining the JTBC coming-of-age comedy Woohoo Waikiki. It’s especially difficult to imagine Kim Jung-hyun taking on a serious role while he’s still bumbling about as one-third of the Waikiki manchild posse, but he also played a compelling villain in Rebel: Thief Who Stole the People not too long ago, so I know he’s capable of carrying a much heavier role.
The new drama will be about a man who’s living his final days, who uses his remaining time to sacrifice everything and fight on behalf of the woman whose life was ruined because of him. There aren’t many details available about the hero, but Jeon So-min has been offered the role of a woman who has been left all alone in stopped time (I don’t think this is literal, since nothing else indicates time stopping). Because of a mother who has terrible taste in men and doesn’t earn money, she becomes the breadwinner for her family, and has developed exceptional survival skills.
She’s described as bright, sociable, fearless, and unable to tolerate injustice. She believes that loyalty can get her through anything, and though she had to drop out of college to pay for her younger sibling’s college tuition, she has trade certifications in every field imaginable. If Jeon So-min signs on, it’ll be a reunion for her with PD Jang Jun-ho, who was the second director on Aurora Princess, and also worked on Hotel King and My Spring Days, among other projects.
This writer’s work can sometimes veer too melodramatic for my taste, but I like these two actors and am interested to see Kim Jung-hyun tackle a leading role in a dark and intense project.
Time is set to follow MBC Wednesday-Thursday dramas Let’s Hold Hands and Watch the Sunset and Come Here and Hug Me, which puts the premiere sometime in July.