Ji Chang-wook, Choi Sung-eun & Hwang In-Youp

1. Meaningful Message Behind the Magic

Director Kim was moved by how the original story depicted characters who wavered between their dreams and reality – and how in the thick of things, their belief in “magic” alleviated their hardships. Beyond the glitz and glitter, The Sound of Magic is a story about rediscovering childhood wonders and what it means to be a “good” grown up.

2. A Multi-Talented Cast

Ji Chang-wook with his ever-commanding presence is joined by two exceptional up and coming actors, Choi Sung-eun and Hwang In-youp, in this fantastical series. Ji Chang-wook, who learned and practised magic tricks for three months in preparation for his role, will bring his charm as the mysterious magician Ri-eul who doesn’t want to become a grown-up.

3. Music that will live in your head rent-free!

Director Kim consulted renowned music director Kim Moon-jeong to achieve a perfectly balanced trifecta of story, acting and music. The musical element in the series was used to portray the emotions of the characters more effectively, weaving in words to create the right expressions to convey everything that needed to be said. The project was no small feat as the actors worked closely with the music team for over 18 months to learn, rehearse, and record the songs.

4. Moving to the motion

Choreography director Hong Se-jung is the man behind the movements in The Sound of Magic, determined to create natural, heartfelt movements that can elicit emotions even with the most minute gestures. “Throughout the series, music and lyrics serve as the lines for the actors, as their language in telling the story. I was responsible for the language of the body that accompanies those moments,” he said.

5. Captivating Visuals

The series’ visuals proved to be one of the most important elements in portraying the crisscrossing of reality and fantasy in the world of The Sound of Magic. With the help of art director Kim So-yeong, the team wanted to create a backdrop that “isn’t too far removed from reality but so captivating that you forget about everything else when you’re there”. It took three months to scout locations with a good balance of fantasy and reality, and transitional spaces that allow one location to seamlessly segue into another.

6. Making the Magic Happen

Korean magician and illusionist Lee Eun-gyeol was tasked with putting together a FX team for its special effects, ensuring that they fit the characters and overall tone of the series. The director intended for the magic to come in as an overarching concept within the series rather than a gimmick. Thus, Lee strove to present magic as something far greater than a sleight of hand, allowing it to serve as the key expression that carries the underlying message of the work.

VIVIZ is ready to start their journey into the US market. 

BPM Entertainment announces that VIVIZ will be releasing a remix version of the title track 'BOP BOP!' of their first mini-album featuring famous American DJ, Yves V on 28 April. 

Romance drama 'Shooting Stars' is now available on iQiyi - the episodes will be uploaded to iQiyi global site and mobile app concurrently with the show's airtime in South Korea. 

The cast and director and upcoming iQiyi Korean drama Shooting Stars held a press conference in South Korea earlier this week on 20 April to share about the new series that will premiere this Saturday on 23 April. 

Lee Sung Kyung plays Oh Han-Byeol, a PR lead at a management company which manages actor Gong Tae-Sung (played by Kim Young Dae). While he has a wonderful public image, he is actually bad-tempered outside of the public eye, and gets along poorly with Oh.

Speaking about the accuracy of Shooting Stars, which is set in the Korean entertainment industry, female lead Lee Sung Kyung shared that the script was almost 95% accurate in describing the reality of the scene. 

 “I found the script to be really realistic. So much that I was worried that people would start speculating who the show is trying to portray! Fortunately, the scriptwriter has handled this aspect really well.” - Lee Sung Kyung

Through her role as an artiste manager, Lee also found herself getting to know every role within showbiz better, and through her newfound understanding, has grown as a person. 

Adding on, director Lee Soo-Hyun added that scenes like management companies going into conflict with journalists, and managers having to apologise on behalf of their artistes after they get into trouble, are all things that happen in real life. 

This is Kim Young Dae’s first time in a lead role for a television series. The actor admits to feeling the pressure, and humbly added: 

“As I am not an A-list star in real life, I found it difficult initially to portray such a role. As I began looking for inspirations and references, I realised that they were around me all along, such as my seniors Lee Sung Kyung and Yoon Jong-Hoon, who are both in the show. I have gained a lot through learning from them as we film.” - Kim Young Dae

The stars were also asked if it would be possible for an artiste to fall in love with an employee in real life, just like in Shooting Stars. 

Kim Young Dae answered: “Love has no boundaries. I think it’s definitely possible!” 

 Lee Sung Kyung added: “If I really was a PR lead, and had to take care of so many artistes, I don’t think I would even have the time to fall in love! But the two characters in the show knew each other beforehand, so it might actually be possible in this case.” 

Shooting Stars marks the first time Kim Young Dae and Yoon Jong-Hoon are starring in the same show since the popular Penthouse, and they have more scenes together in this new series. Kim shared that the two are good friends outside of the shows. While Lee played his father-in-law previously, he is more like a “big brother” to Kim now. Lee also revealed that the two have visited each other’s homes as friends. 

Girl’s Day star Sojin plays an entertainment journalist in Shooting Stars. She confessed to not knowing much about the work of a journalist in the past, despite being interviewed so much. To prepare for her role, she spent three hours speaking to an entertainment journalist to find out about the realities of the job. Now, she finds herself being able to relate more about the thought process of a journalist while writing an article. 

CN Blue bassist Lee Jung-Shin plays the role of a lawyer who represents the management company in the series. He humorously exclaimed: “Throughout my showbiz career, I have not seen or spoken to a lawyer before. I hope it stays that way! The actors in this show are all very handsome, and it has spurred me to pay more attention to my own looks. I got a cleaner haircut, and have been exercising throughout the filming process to maintain a good figure.” 

He also added that the screenwriter gave him a book written by an entertainment lawyer to learn more about his character. 

Director Lee Soo-Hyun has previously directed other dramas such as The Witch’s Diner, Awaken and Find Me In Your Memory. Besides the main cast of the show, audiences can also look forward to many cameos from the likes of Choi Ji-woo, Park Jeong Min, Song Ji-hyo, Mun Ka-Young, Kim Dong-Wook, Chae Jong-hyeop, Lee Sang Woo and other actors who have previously worked with Lee Soo-Hyun.

Watch 'Shooting Stars' on iq.com.