Upcoming Japanese skating movie and Korean skating TV drama!

A Japanese figure skating movie called "COACH" is in production now and slated for a January 2010 release (just in time for the Olympics)!

http://www.junior-dreamers.tv/movie/movie.html

Among the cast are Miwa Nishida (a pro skater), Minoru Sano (former skater; current skating commentator), Chika Suguri (Fumie Suguri's younger sister), and on one website, I saw Midori Ito's name, but it's not on the official website.

Translation of the intro on the website:
In the movie 'COACH,' a 40-year old single figure skating coach meets the only daughter of her former college boyfriend upon his death, and through their strange life together, she regains the dreams of her youth…on top of that, there is an emotional story that continues through the challenge of the Olympics. It powerfully sketches women's way of life, and is a work of entertainment for the "generation in their 40s."

[I'm not 40, but it sounds pretty interesting to me! ]

Translation of the note from the director, "'COACH' film production background"
The movie "COACH" is the world's only, and Japan's first, genuine figure skating movie for before the Vancouver Olympics. The story is completely fiction, but a pro skater plays the main character, and as the sub-cast, several skaters will appear, so it will be a work in which documentary and fiction mix, where you can see high level skating scenes and drama. This is something born of the heart that hopes that figure skating, which has been plagued with fears of declining people and practice grounds, and ice skating, will continue and develop.

Also, this work did not rely on big production houses or distribution webs, but started as an independent film, and while we have had interruptions during the filming, with the support of understanding companies like Xebio and Koosee (?), we have reached the filming of the final competition. This time, in this difficult environment, in order to create a movie that is at least a little bit real, and has power, we are recruiting extras. Everyone who loves figure skating or ice skating, and those who are unsatisfied with the current state of Japanese movies, we would be blessed to have your assistance with this chance.

[Wow! If I were in Japan, I'd totally volunteer to be an extra! Sounds cool! ]

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There's also going to be a Korean TV drama (miniseries) called 'Triple' starting on MBC on June 10th.

Here's the official website (with pics):
http://www.imbc.com/broad/tv/drama/triple/

Here's an English site with some pics/description from the filming.
http://www.allkpop.com/index.php/full_story/sneak_peek_at_triple/

Unfortunately, I can't translate stuff from the official website, but I think the basic story is that the main character (female) is a figure-skater, and she somehow gets involved with a bunch of (male) ad executives.

I'm not sure how much skating there will be or what level it will be at, but it sounds like fun. If they air this in Hawaii, I'll get my grandma to tape it for me.

I was kinda hoping that they could get Yu-Na Kim to do a cameo, not as a skater, but as a pop star (since she likes to sing). Since they've got a singer/actress playing a skater, it makes sense that they should get a skater to play a pop star, right?

On principle, I tend to steer away from Korean dramas. The ones my grandmother makes me watch with her usually involve some form of abuse towards the female protagonists and a whole load of chauvinism from the male leads. In the end, the female protagonist either gets cancer or gets pregnant and thrown out into the streets by her cruel in-laws. And then there's the one that my friend is watching where this girl can only find love after she undergoes plastic surgery.

At times I wonder to myself: what is wrong with the world?

The figure-skating movie from Japan sounds interesting, though

The majority of Japanese dramas and movies are in no way better, in all honesty. Thanks - or no thanks - to the "ikemen" movement and the fact that anything media-related is mainly presented to those under the age of 25 out of profitability, there seems to be a strong emphasis on actresses but even more so on actors to be "good-looking" rather than be "talented." It's like a requisite now for anyone interested in entering the geinoukai who aren't geinin (comedians) or work behind-the-scenes.

The number of magazine models-turned actors or boyband-members who take the lead role is just ridiculous... In Japan, that seems to be the standard rather than the exception (indeed, veteran actors and actresses are more often than not simply pushed aside to supporting roles) that I'm seriously disillusioned at the direction j-doroma and j-film is running towards. Or maybe I'm just too sarcastic today.

On-topic though! As someone thoroughly disgruntled with the state of Japanese cinema I'm going to definitely keep tabs on COACH. Triple also sounds interesting, but I'll have to wait for fansub groups (if there will be any) to pick it up...

ETA: Its really great of Kose - the cosmetics brand - to co-sponsor the project.

To clovera: Actually, that's the case with Chinese dramas as well. Too many pretty people getting hustled into the industry because of their rich boyfriends/parents. Thankfully, however, those people are still in the minority and you do see real talent like Gong Li and Zhang Ziyi. I'm not familiar with the Japanese entertainment industry so I can't comment on that.

Haha! I definitely would want to volunteer as an extra~!
(Could I be in one of the competition scenes and be holding a Mao Asada banner ?)

I'm glad that there's going to be a new movie based on figure skating that seems like it actually deals with skating itself, not just some cheesy romantic comedy. Because we all know those are few-and-far-between.

Well, it's something to look forward to next winter to help kick the boredom~

chineseteacup wrote:

In the end, the female protagonist either gets cancer or gets pregnant and thrown out into the streets by her cruel in-laws.

yep!
Something tells me this drama is going to end very similarly. Maybe with a few skating scenes thrown in here and there.

MaoMaoRevolution wrote:

chineseteacup wrote:

In the end, the female protagonist either gets cancer or gets pregnant and thrown out into the streets by her cruel in-laws.

yep!
Something tells me this drama is going to end very similarly. Maybe with a few skating scenes thrown in here and there.

Hahaha, that is true, the Korean dramas are awfully melodramatic, but they can be entertaining! (In fact, I've just come back from trying to hook one of my friends on 'Winter Ballad,' a classic example of the genre. )

But I'm guessing this one will be more along the fun/comical side rather than the super-melodramatic side...

Actually, I was thinking about this the other day (since ballet season has started) - most of the dramatic classical ballets end pretty darn badly for the heroine!!

Romeo & Juliet - well that ends badly, obviously.
Swan Lake - heroine is jilted and kills herself at the end.
Giselle - heroine is dead before Intermission.
La Bayadare - same, heroine is dead before Intermission.
Manon - she gets used and abused and dies at the end.

Of course, there are plenty of happy/light-hearted ballets too (Don Quixote, Le Corsaire, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Coppelia, etc.), but I feel like the more well-known ones are tragedies...

So I guess people love drama! Me included!

Awwww i want to see that movies too! I can not wait, hopefully they will be in the web, cause i have no chance to get it from japan >.<

I wonder, why Shizuka is not in the cast, since she made her acting debut a few years ago~~

Batsuchan wrote:

Actually, I was thinking about this the other day (since ballet season has started) - most of the dramatic classical ballets end pretty darn badly for the heroine!!

Romeo & Juliet - well that ends badly, obviously.
Swan Lake - heroine is jilted and kills herself at the end.
Giselle - heroine is dead before Intermission.
La Bayadare - same, heroine is dead before Intermission.
Manon - she gets used and abused and dies at the end.

That's a really good point....
Being a pretty big fan of ballet, too, myself, I'm surprised I didn't really think about the awful fate of most girls in them...
Even in the Nutcracker...poor Clara wakes up to find that everything was just a dream T__T (or was it)?

As cliche as it gets sometimes, I have to admit that drama is a pretty big hook for me too. There's nothing like "1 Liters of Tears" (if the name doesn't reveal enough xD) where you watch the female slowly degenerate from a progressive brain disease.

MaoMaoRevolution wrote:

There's nothing like "1 Liters of Tears" (if the name doesn't reveal enough xD) where you watch the female slowly degenerate from a progressive brain disease.

I must confess to rolling my eyes in the corner and snickering to myself whenever I see my grandma and mother sobbing over scenes where the female protagonist is on her deathbed and her beloved is begging her to hold onto life.

I like Japanese dramas the most... =D

here's my top list.. I watched them in mysoju...

1) Proposal Daisakusen
2) Zettai Kareshi
3) Nodame Cantabile

I have to see that movie! =D but there's gotta be some subs... usually teh SARS fansubs will do that job...

I used to like Korean Drama until I got fed up by Korean Dramas...

Here in the Philippines you can actually watch a lot of Korean drama dubbed in Filipino... (though I prefer watching the Japanese / Korean Version)

the only Japanese one that is currently aired is that 1 Litre of Tears...

anyway I love "Dae Jang Geum" and "Kim Sam Soon"

MaoMaoRevolution wrote:

As cliche as it gets sometimes, I have to admit that drama is a pretty big hook for me too. There's nothing like "1 Liters of Tears" (if the name doesn't reveal enough xD) where you watch the female slowly degenerate from a progressive brain disease.

Hmm, I may have to try to watch that sometime - ah, but then I'll be reminded of the unfortunate demise of Erika Sawajiri (thanks for ruining her career, Japanese media! ).

Maybe *I* should write a drama or movie about figure skating. It would go something like this - there is a star Japanese skater named Nao (Nao-chan), who is phenomenally talented and universally adored. She is childhood friends with a talented skater, Takahiro (Taka-chan), and they both go to the Olympics together...

BATSUCHAN, thanks again and again. I can't wait to see the movie. But, of course, if Batsuchan is the casting director, the lead actress will be Mao and the lead actor will be Taka and they live happily ever after.....

Batsuchan wrote:

Hmm, I may have to try to watch that sometime - ah, but then I'll be reminded of the unfortunate demise of Erika Sawajiri (thanks for ruining her career, Japanese media! ).

Maybe *I* should write a drama or movie about figure skating. It would go something like this - there is a star Japanese skater named Nao (Nao-chan), who is phenomenally talented and universally adored. She is childhood friends with a talented skater, Takahiro (Taka-chan), and they both go to the Olympics together...

I always did feel bad for Erika D: She was such a good actress, too!

LOL NAO-CHAN.

One season, however, Nao-chan wasn't feeling on top of her game, but with help from Taka-chan, and her world-renowned coach Yatiana (YAT), she emerges successful at the Olympics.