Next up in this year’s trend of fantasy dramas is JTBC’s Two Tops Pocha, in which actors Hwang Jung-eum (Handsome Guy and Jung-eum) and Yook Sung-jae (The Lonely Shining Goblin) are both considering lead roles.
The drama is an adaptation of a popular webtoon by the same name, which was written and illustrated by Bae Hye-soo. It was awarded the Excellence Prize at the Korea Manhwa Contents Awards in 2017 and praised for its humorous take on young people and their challenges in life.
The story is set around a late-night pocha (food cart) which mysteriously appears in strange places, existing somewhere in-between the mortal and spiritual realms.
The name of the pocha comes from the owner’s business approach. Although customers often complain about her rudeness and peculiarity, her response is always the same. “In this place, there is no other. Everyone has equal status here. You are the top dog and I am at the top dog as well.”
Attracting all sorts of customers each night, they each share personal vignettes about their life’s struggles or day-to-day events. Together, these tales create an omnibus style story within the larger setting of the pocha. At its core, the drama is about the warmth and comfort that can be found with food and people.
It’s been a while since both Hwang Jung-eum and Yook Sung-jae last appeared in a drama, so it would be nice to see them both back in dramaland. I skimmed through some of the chapters of the webtoon and the illustration style is really striking, the use of color in particular. I’m curious to see how the director translates this into a drama format. It sounds like an interesting project so hopefully both actors accept!
