December brings an unwelcome wave of stars with DUI and drug convictions returning to both big and small screens. Kwak Do-won is set to return to the silver screen with the movie “Firefighters”, while Bae Seong-woo will appear in “Light Shop”, and T.O.P in “Squid Game” Season 2, all part of impressive lineups.
In particular, on October 17th, BY4M STUDIO announced that the film “Firefighters” is confirmed for theatrical release this December. Based on the 2001 arson case in Hongje-dong, the movie portrays the situation of firefighters who, despite challenging conditions, were deployed with the sole objective of extinguishing the fire and rescuing everyone.
The film had already completed filming in 2020 and was poised for release. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and lead actor Kwak Do-won’s DUI incident, which led to his hiatus, the release was delayed. Now, after four years, it’s finally seeing the light of day.
Director Kwak Kyung-taek, known for infusing his works with the authenticity of true stories, is presenting this long-awaited new project. The film, which deals with 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 buzz for its reported high quality.
However, the unforeseen pandemic and the lead actor’s irresponsible behavior caused significant damage, drawing sympathetic looks from the industry. As it finally meets its audience, questions arise about whether an actor with a drunk driving record can effectively convey a “hero” narrative, and if viewers can fully separate the actor’s personal history from the character.
With the release of “Firefighters”, there’s growing interest in whether Kwak Do-won’s other completed project, the TVING drama “Villains”, will also see the light of day.
Bae Seong-woo, who has already fired his comeback shot with the Netflix series “The 8 Show”, is also ramping up his activities. His next project is “Light Shop”, a new work by “Moving” webtoon creator Kang Full.
However, the reception for Bae Seong-woo is even colder. This is due to the perception that he was cast through “connections” after his DUI incident, rather than being cast before causing trouble.
In November 2020, Bae Seong-woo was caught driving under the influence in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, after drinking with an acquaintance. At the time, his blood alcohol level was over 0.08%, high enough for license revocation.
As a result, he withdrew from all projects he was involved in and returned after four years with “The 8 Show”. Although a pre-filmed movie (“Road To Boston”, similar to “Firefighter”) was released earlier, he didn’t participate in any promotional activities, and the film ultimately failed at the box office.
Previously, regarding Bae Seong-woo’s casting, “The 8 Show” director Han Jae-rim stated, “It was the director’s judgment that Bae Seong-woo fits this role extremely well.” He added, “Personally, I have a close relationship with Bae Seong-woo, and I’ve seen how deeply sorry and troubled he was (after the DUI incident). I hope his apology is well received. In reality, he’s a diligent and sincere person, which I thought made him suitable for this role. Also, since there’s mime involved, I thought his strengths would be a good fit.”
This statement, which seemed to take a somewhat casual view of “DUI crime” often referred to as potential murder, was not free from criticism and was seen by some as “just covering up for one of their own”.
Amidst this, his next project is also for an OTT platform, Disney Plus. “Light Shop” is a story about mysterious customers with secrets visiting the “Light Shop”, the only place illuminating the end of a dark alley. It’s the fifth work in Kang Full’s “Mystery Psychological Anecdote” series and is based on the popular webtoon of the same name, which has surpassed 150 million cumulative views and has received praise and love from many readers.
Actor Kim Hee-won is taking on his first series directorial challenge, with a cast including 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. As it’s the writer’s follow-up to “Moving”, which told a superhero story, it seems this project won’t escape uncomfortable scrutiny either.
“Light Shop” consists of 8 episodes in total, with 4 episodes to be released on December 4th, followed by 2 episodes each week for the next two weeks.
In addition, the globally anticipated “Squid Game” is finally unveiling itself. Earlier, controversy arose when former BIGBANG member T.O.P, who had suspended his activities due to drug charges, joined Season 2, but he will appear as cast without any changes.
In October 2016, Choi Seung-hyun (T.O.P) was charged with smoking marijuana twice in cigarette form and twice in liquid form at his home, which came to light while he was serving as a conscripted 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 saying, “Reflect on yourself. Don’t make a comeback” with “Alright! God! I have no intention of doing so. Just look at animal pictures.” In a live broadcast, he also hinted at retirement, saying, “I won’t make a comeback in Korea, and I don’t want to make a comeback at all.”
Later, to a comment asking if he had left BIGBANG, he replied, “I’ve already said I’m leaving. Since last year, I’ve been facing a new chapter in my life,” announcing his departure from BIGBANG. His exclusive contract with YG Entertainment had expired in February.
The public was outraged by the news of his appearance in “Squid Game 2”. Beyond 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 in the choice made by 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 charges while keeping T.O.P was also criticized, and various suspicions about the casting process were raised. Given that it’s a globally anticipated work, it seemed these concerns were disregarded.
Eventually, on August 1st, Netflix announced that “Squid Game” Season 2 will be released on December 26th, along with a letter from director Hwang Dong-hyuk. They also added that Season 3 is in production and will be released next year.
“Squid Game”, released as a 9-episode series in September 2021, captivated viewers worldwide, ranking first in Netflix’s all-time viewership, watch time, and household viewing rankings. The records set by Netflix remain unbroken even after three years. Through “Squid Game”, director Hwang Dong-hyuk and Lee Jung-jae also won Emmy Awards for Outstanding Directing and Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series, respectively.
Season 2 begins with the 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 once again appear in the new season. Additionally, many actors including T.O.P, 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 have newly joined the cast.
Source: Nate
