When the Stars gossip

 Some people  are put off by science fiction, but they are missing some films that relate to our everyday living.  Science fiction can be an amazing piece of technology, but it can also be a tool to explore humanity.

"When the Stars Gossip" (2025) portrays a space station run by Koreans with one Spanish speaking scientist which means some of the dialogue is in English, a common language.  Their work deals with fertility in a zero gravity environment.  For that they use mice and fruit flies.  The series covers both in a space station, but also back on earth involving many of the characters on both locations.

One of the main characters is an obstetrician working on his own secret mission as a patron had spent enough money to allow him to travel as a "tourist".  There are a lot of dramatic and romantic complications that make this series very gripping.

This is a mammoth project with top professionals.  Here are only a few:

Park Shin-Woo was the director.  He has 10 credits including as the creator of "It's Okay Not to Be Okay" (2020).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2021/03/its-okay-not-to-be-okay.html

Seo-Sook Hyang wrote the script.  She has 5 credits for writing.

Nam Hye Seung wrote the music.  She has 77 composing credits including "Crash Landing on You" (2019), "Vagabond" (2020), "It's Okay Not to Be Okay" (2020) and "Queen of Tears" (2024).  See   http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2020/02/crash-landing-on-you-very-addicting.html  I confess I have bought a few of her songs.

Lee Min-ho plays Gong Rygong, the tourist and obstetrician.   He is very popular in not only Korea, but also Japan, Philippines, China, France and Latin America.  He has appeared on Chinese television.  In 2000 early in his career he was involved in an auto accident that killed two others in the same car and hospitalized both him and one other.  He has 26 acting credits.

Kong Hyo-jin  played Eve Kom, the commander.  As a teenager she went with her family to Australia for three years.  She has 41 acting credits.

 Kim Joo-Hun plays one of the astronauts.  He has over 20 plays acting on stage.  He has 31 film acting credits including "Train to Busan" (2016), "Designated Survivor: 60 days" (2019), "It's Okay Not Be Okay" (2020), "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" (2022) and "Castaway Diva" (2023).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2021/10/designated-survivor-60-days-remake-of.html and  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2022/08/extraordinary-attorney-woo.html

Oh Jung se plays another of the team.  He has 91 acting credits including  "It's Okay Not To Be Okay" (2020), "Little Women" (2022) and "Queen of Tears" (2024).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2024/05/queen-of-tears.html

 Alex Hafner played the Spanish speaking astronaut.  He is fluent in in German, Spanish, English and French.  He has 34 acting credits, 4 for producing and 2 for directing.

Lee El plays the ground crew captain.  She has 34 acting credits including "My Liberation Diary"(2022).

Paul Battle plays a family member to a key role.  He played a saxophone in a jazz band.  He is from Canada and first went to Korea to teach English (as did my son).   A second visit resulted in a film career speaking Korean with 22 acting credits, 2 for directing and 5 for producing including  "You Are my Spring" (2021), "Vincenzo" (2022) and "Melancholia" (2022).   See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2024/07/melancholia.html

"When the Stars Gossip" is now fully available subtitled and dubbed on Netflix.  Very engaging.

As usual I have bolded the first mention of films I have seen.  They are not necessarily a recommendation, but generally I found them worthy of my time.  If you follow the links you should be able to determine if a particular film is worth following up.

Castaway Diva

This is my third film blog with Park Eun-bin as the leading lady. She has had two successful series in her history and this one will add to her stardom. She can sing and she can take on versatile roles.  In "Castaway Diva" she plays a teenager, Seo Mok-ha who wins an audition for a singer, but soon after is stranded on an island for 15 years before being found.  

At the start we soon learn about two abusive fathers.  Seo Mok-ha is an aspiring singer who beats his daughter.  One brother helps Seo Mok-ha prepare for an audition and the other brother is supportive.  Their father beats both of them and his wife.

One momentous night is when Seo Mok-ha is set to go to Seoul as the top singer in a contest finds herself swept away and ends up on an deserted island and has to survive 15 years of isolation.  From time to time the film uses flashbacks to highlight some of her experiences.

 In the meantime the two brothers and their mother escape with the help of a government employee.  They all end up changing their names and starting a new life.  The police officer father is obsessed with tracking them down.  He is bent on revenge for his humiliation and proves he has not learned a lesson by beating one of his sons.

By coincidence (or as they claim fate) the two brothers find Seo Mok-ha and bring her back where she hooks up with an old singing star and tries to launch her career.  There is jealousy and corporate shenanigans as well as cat and mouse play with the abusive father.

The main character is mostly very cheerful and philosophical.  You just know there will be a happy ending, but along the way are a few tense moments.

Aside from listening to some beautiful music the film will be a pleasure to watch (except for tense moments).  Here are some of cast and crew that made it an enjoyable experience.

Choong Hwan Oh was the director with 7 film credits.

Park Hye-ryeon was the writer with 9 film credits.

Park Eun-bin plays the lead role, Seo Mok-Ha  She started out as a child actress.  She now has 24 film credits including "The King's Affection" (2021)and "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" (2022).  A popular award winner.   See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2022/08/extraordinary-attorney-woo.html

Lee Re plays the younger version of Seo-Mok  ha.  She has 17 film credits.  One of the most impressive was as a young child who violently sexually attached, "Hope" (2013.  Other films included  "How to Steal a Dog" (2013) and "Memories of Alhambra" (2018).  She also did dubbing for a Japanese animated film.  See   http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2016/11/hope-gut-wrenching-film-from-korea.html

Kim Hyo-Jin played Yoon Ran-ju, the former star who helps Seo Mok-ha with her career.  She started as a teen model and has been involved in theater.  She has 25 film credits.

Chae Jong-hyeop played Bo-geol, one of the brothers.  He has 10 film credits including "See you in my 19th Life" (2023).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/08/see-you-in-my-19th-life.html   

Hak-Yeon Cha played the other brother Woo-hak.  He is actually better known by his stage name of N  H was a member of boy band VIXX and went on to be a radio host.  Winner of several dancing awards.  He has 23 film credits.  

Kim Joo-hun played a talent executive.  He has been in theater and is in demand for tv. commercials.   He has 24 film credits including "Train to Busan" (2016), "Designated Survivor:  60 Days" (2019), "It's OKay  Not to be Okay" (2020), "Juvenile Justice" (2022) and "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" (2022).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2021/03/its-okay-not-to-be-okay.html   

Seo Jung-yeon plays the boys mother.   She has 43 film credits including "Live up to Your Name" (2017) "Black Dog" (2019) and "Trolley"  She also plays in "My Demon" just starting the series on Netflix.  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/02/the-trolley.html

Available subtitled on Netflix. If you are a Eun-bin Park fan you will be amazed at the width of her talent.  If you like music it will be a pleasure for you.

As usual I have bolded films that I have seen for the first mention.