By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter
Hallyu stars Park Yong-ha and Kwon Sang-woo are moving into the television spotlight where, until recently, pretty boys, shiny sports cars (``Boys Over Flowers'') and even a historic hero (``Iljimae Returns'') dominated.
The leading men of new dramas ``The Slingshot'' (KBS) and ``Cinderella Man'' (MBC), respectively, are expected to heat up the already star-studded drama casts, which include So Ji-sub, Kim Nam-ju and Jung Ryeo-won.
Written by Song Ji-na as the final piece of her trilogy ― the first two being ``Eye of Dawn'' (1991) and ``Hourglass'' (1997) ― ``The Slingshot'' is expected to capture the reality of today's money-driven world.
``We focused on the world of men and women who are willing to sacrifice their lives for money, a world where money dictates. But I still tried to make a lighter, enjoyable and somewhat touching series,'' Yoon Sung-sik, the producer, said at a press conference last week in northern Seoul.
Park, 31, plays Kim Shin, who chooses jail after realizing he has no way to pay back his debt. Inside, he is resigned to his fate, until he finds out about the stocks scandal that caused the suicide of his brother, which made him borrow the money in the first place. Furious, Kim prepares for revenge and founds a ``dream team,'' including actress Park Shi-yeon who plays his lover. The dark, cold-blooded Chae Do-woo, played by Kim Kang-woo, is his enemy in the drama. The actor was the winner of the Best Actor Award at the Torino Film Festival in 2007.
In a short preview clip, the three characters showed that they were serious in depicting their characters, which departed from their usual images. Park, who only recently revealed his manly side with the hit drama ``On-Air,'' played a tough inmate with eyes blazing with revenge, while Park Shi-yeon showed her softer side, far from the usual sexy and sultry characters she's been known for. Kim successfully transforms himself into the shadowy and cold-blooded villain Chae, perfectly matching his dark suits, sharp expressions and harsh words.
When asked if the choice of the tough guy role was deliberate, Park smiled and admitted it was about time.
``Yes, I felt I needed a change in the characters that I play. I also came to realize that these roles fit me better at my age, compared to the fragile and pretty characters I have been portraying,'' he said.