• ‘Sponsor’ Original Writer Park Kye Hyung Claims He Was Replaced Due to Lee Ji Hoon’s Power Trip

    Actor Lee Ji-hoon's suspicions of power abuse are on the rise.

    Following the allegation that Lee Ji-hoon used force against the staff on the set of the drama 'Sponsor', there were also claims that he made the writer get fired without permission.

    Writer Park Gye-hyeong, who wrote the title 'Desire' before the change of IHQ's opening drama 'Sponsor', said in an interview with a media on November 4th, "Lee Ji-hoon complained to the production company that he is the main character, but he had a small proportion, and the writer and cinematographer , and half of the staff, including the lighting director, have been replaced."

    “The role played by Lee Ji Hoon is someone who secretly gets to the bottom of things for his revenge. So he doesn’t appear as much in the first few episodes. But Lee Ji Hoon said he’d quit (because of the small screen time). And the head of the production company fired me out of the blue,” Park shared.

    “I finished writing scripts up to episode 8, but they started changing my writing with another writer from episodes 3 and 4. I’ve worked on it with the director for more than a year,” he added. “Since then, I was so upset that I couldn’t sleep. I even got a prescription for sleeping pills. They stole my work, and there’s nothing I can do about it, and that really hurts my pride.”

    Writer Park Gye-hyeong, who wrote the drama 'Desire', which was scheduled to be released as the opening drama of Channel IHQ, revealed the power of actor Lee Ji-hoon. It is said that he complained about his quantity several times through the production company, and as a result, half of the staff, including himself, were replaced.

    Writer Park, who wrote 'Desire' as his next work after KBS' 'Move aside, Destiny', which aired in 2018, said, "It was so unfair that I couldn't sleep and was prescribed sleeping pills. It was an impossible situation, so it was hard and my pride hurt a lot."

    Regarding Park’s claims, iHQ responded, “We have requested him to change some parts, but it was per the production company’s opinion, not the actor’s. Lee Ji Hoon never mentioned the screen time.”

    “Rather, we’d like to ask if he thinks replacing half of the staff and the writer due to the actor’s power trip is really possible,” the network stated. “I hope he refrains from jumping to the conclusion that one actor has caused all this. We are sorry, but we hope there are no more misunderstandings.”

    Previously, the 'Sponsor' staff claimed that Lee Ji-hoon was late to the filming site and brought an acquaintance to the filming site to create an uncomfortable atmosphere, and claimed that he responded inappropriately, such as pushing or threatening some of the staff. The staff protested that Lee Ji-hoon also said 'Stop it' instead of stopping his acquaintance, and Lee Ji-hoon made an official apology.

    Meanwhile, Sponsor is iHQ’s new Monday-Tuesday drama about four men and women who go out to find a sponsor who will satisfy their desires. It will premiere on the 29th at 10:30 PM KST.

    Source(1)

  • BLACKPINK’s Jisoo Secretly Helped Her Friend Get a Role? Choi Hee Jin Reveals How Their Friendship Led to a Cameo in ‘Newtopia’

    Actress Choi Hee Jin, who impressed viewers with her performance in Motel California, opened up about her close friendship with BLACKPINK’s Jisoo — and how it led to her special cameo in Newtopia.

    Choi Hee Jin recently wrapped up her role as veterinarian Yoon Nan Woo in MBC’s Motel California, which ended on February 15th.

    The actress met with reporters on February 14 at her agency, Saram Entertainment, to talk about her busy schedule and her unexpected role in Newtopia.

    The actress revealed that her cameo in Newtopia happened because of her bond with Jisoo, who stars as the female lead in the drama.

    “Before I signed with my current agency, when I wasn’t with any company, I was offered the role of Jisoo unnie’s best friend in *Snowdrop. Even before the director contacted me, Jisoo unnie had already told me about it”, Choi Hee Jin shared.

    She added, “The director knew about the chemistry Jisoo unnie and I had in *Snowdrop*. Even though the role was very small, they asked if I would be willing to make a cameo in *Newtopia. It really is a tiny part”, she said, smiling shyly.

    The actress emphasized that the opportunity felt special because it reflected her real-life friendship with Jisoo. “There was really no one else but me who fit the role as her close friend, so they asked if I could do it. It’s a very small part, but I was happy to do it”, she said.

    Choi Hee Jin also shared how touched she was by the love she still receives for her past work with Jisoo.

    “Jisoo unnie personally reached out to me too, and we’re still very close. But more than anything, I was grateful that people still remember me from *Snowdrop. Since I made a special appearance this time, I’d love to ask Jisoo unnie to return the favor with a cameo in one of my future projects”, she said with a laugh.

    Fans are loving the sweet friendship between the two actresses — and many are already hoping to see them share the screen again in a bigger project!

    Source: [1]