 The cast of the drama “The Way Home” greet reporters at the press conference. The drama is expected to relate with the viewers with its down-to-earth plots and relations among family members. / Courtesy of KBS |
By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter
While other networks are busy with dramas about young trendy teen stars and affairs between spouses and celebrities, KBS is beckoning fans with warm and comical stories of families.
Dramas ``The Way Home'' and ``Gyeongsook, Gyeongsook's Father'' are both about families, and are anticipated to be a breath of fresh air among the other trendy and provocative plots and characters.
``The Way Home'' asks a simple question. After spending a hectic day in the competitive world, to where would you finally want to head? The drama's answer is home, and so it depicts the simple yet heartwarming story of a three-generation family.
``I tried to make dramas that would make our children proud in the past, but with this drama, I tried to make it fit for our parents. It will be more about the people who live their life to the fullest, from their work to emotional breakdowns, instead of dramatic plots like revenge,'' Mun Bo-hyun, the producer, said at a recent press conference for the drama.
Starring veteran actors like Park Geun-hyung, Ban Hyo-jung, Jang Yong and Yun Yeo-jung, the drama will explore the lives of the grown-up children who each have their own problems to solve, and the way they cope with their aging parents.
Choi Min-hwan, a member of the pop group FT Island, is set to greet fans as an actor, while Japanese model-turned-actor Otani Ryohei will also be coupled with Korean actor Park Hae-won, being the first Korean and Japanese couple to appear in a local drama.
``The Way Home'' airs Monday through Friday at 8:25 on KBS1.
Meanwhile, the four-episode drama ``Gyeongsook, Gyeongsook's Father'' will take viewers back to the 1950s, during the devastating times of war and its aftermath.
Gyeong-sook, played by the young actress Shim Eun-gyeong who appeared in a cell phone commercial with pop singer Seo Tai-ji, hates her father, played by veteran actor Jung Bo-suk. A ``janggu'' (Korean drum) player, he mingles with ladies and spends his time drinking instead of taking care of his mother, wife and two young daughters. When the war finally breaks out, the ruthless father runs away, leaving his young daughter to look after the rest of the family.
Despite the devastating situation, the drama sticks to humor, as difficult times can be endured with love, wit and composure. The short clip of the drama was indeed more comical than heartbreaking, possessing hints of the movie ``Welcome to Dongmakgol.''
``This work was originally a play. The story of the father and daughter relationship was what made it popular, and I also enjoyed the storyline where the family never loses hope and tries to think positive despite the devastating times,'' producer Hong Seok-gu said.
He added that one of the objectives was to show the viewers how poor people survived the war.
``The father character is not the typical, paternal and scary image, but someone who actually seeks his own world, which in this case is his longing to learn more about music as a janggu player,'' Hong said.
After leaving his family, the father returns after realizing his position, only to find that his family has already moved on without him.
``The story is about a family, but overall, the idea is to remind viewers with admiration of life. It's interesting how the drama fits right into current society. We are living in difficult times, but if you think about it, we have been through much more, and we survived,'' he said.
``Gyeongsook, Gyeongsook's Father'' will start airing tonight at 10 p.m. on KBS2.
sanghee@koreatimes.co.kr
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