News bites: April 16, 2022

MBC’s supernatural comedy Showtime Begins! premieres in just one week and I love Jin Ki-joo’s (Oh! Samkwang Villa) look in the newly released still. Also starring Park Hae-jin (Old School Intern and Jung Jun-ho (True Beauty), scripts were penned by Ha Yoon-ah (Mystic Pop-up Bar) with directing done collaboratively by PD Jung Sang-hee and PD Lee Hyung-min (My Dangerous Wife, Chocolate). [MBC]

Kim Hye-yoon (Snowdrop) is in talks for a new webtoon adaptation called Us at 29 (roughly translated). The rom-com is still in the planning stages and is expected to release on one of the streaming services. In the meantime, Kim will begin filming in May for a new movie remake called Ditto alongside Yeo Jin-gu (Beyond Evil), Jo Yi-hyun (All of Us Are Dead), and Na In-woo (River Where the Moon Rises). [JTBC, Osen]
tvN’s Drama Stage is returning this year under a new name: O’PENing. Still focusing on shorter stories, the new title alludes to their goal to stay open and creative, continuing to experiment with different genres and storytelling formats. O’PENing’s 2022 lineup is already in production and Han Sun-hwa (Work Later, Drink Now) announced she will be starring in film director Kim Hyun-tak’s (I) vignette, First Glance. [Newsen, YTN]

Actors Kim Mu-yeol (Grid) and Kim Sae-ron (The Great Shaman Ga Doo-shim) have been added to SBS’s upcoming drama Trolley, joining Kim Hyun-joo (Hellbound) and Park Hee-soon (My Name). Airing later this year, PD Kim Moon-gyo is at the helm with writing done by Ryu Bo-ra (Do You Like Brahms). [Newsen]
On KBS, Kim Seul-gi (Find Me in Your Memory) has joined the cast of Love According to Law. Her character is a tough police officer named Han Se-yeon and is childhood friends with both Lee Seung-gi (Mouse) and Le Se-young (The Red Sleeve Cuff). Written by Im Ji-eun (One Night) and directed by PD Lee Eun-jin (Chief Kim), the air date is currently set for August 29. [MBC]
Rising star Lee Se-hee (Young Lady and Gentleman) is becoming a prosecutor for KBS, playing opposite D.O. (100 Days My Prince) in True Sword Battle. Penned by Im Young-bin (Sketch) with PD Kim Sung-ho (Move to Heaven) behind the camera, the drama is aiming to broadcast later this year. [KBS]

Lee Se-hee, Kim Seul-gi

The melodrama Eve has finally been slotted into tvN’s schedule and is set to premiere in May, following Murderer’s Shopping List. The drama stars Seo Ye-ji (It’s Okay to Not Be Okay), Park Byung-eun (Human Disqualification), Yoo Sun (Hush), and Lee Sang-yub (On the Verge of Insanity); production is led by writer Yoon Young-mi (Nice Witch, Birth of a Beauty) and director Park Bong-seop (Steal My Heart). [Osen]
Speaking of Murderer’s Shopping List, promos have been ramping up ahead of the drama’s premiere on April 27. Featuring leads Lee Kwang-soo (Live), Seolhyun (Awaken), and Jin Hee-kyung (Was It Love), the newest teasers can be found here and here. [Newsen]