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PETA marks theater comeback with Batang Rizal

After Philippine Educational Theater Association’s (PETA) big digital breakthrough during the pandemic: a string of successful online show streams and virtual workshops, the pioneering Filipino theater company is making a big theater comeback for its 55th Theater Season!

The return to the theater features no less than a PETA classic, Christine Bellen’s Batang Rizal! First to launch online via streaming from October 14-16, the well-loved musical will be the first show to open PETA’s theater stage in November.

Co-written, directed for stage, and choreographed by Dudz Teraña, with musical direction, arrangement, and composition by Vincent de Jesus, Batang Rizal is a remarkable piece because of its ability to resonate with audiences across generations. Its power rests in its simplicity and relatability, while carrying a deep challenge for audiences to become everyday heroes.

Even after a decade and a half, the magic of Batang Rizal has not wavered. PETA artistic director, and Batang Rizal video director, Maribel Legarda, says that one of the most powerful aspects of the show is “how Rizal’s story is told not through the eyes of an adult but that of a child’s.”

“We hope to inspire children and young people to imagine a world where they can participate and contribute in a healthy way. We want them to be conscious of not only their own reality but also of the world around them,” she adds.

First staged in 2007, Batang Rizal won the hearts of critics and audiences because of its imaginative storytelling, together with timeless songs, including the well-known PETA classic “Pag-asa Ng Bayan,” which originated from the show.

It is for this reason that the story of Batang Rizal lives on, always remaining fresh for new, young audiences. However, older audiences are still able to enjoy the show, as it serves as a reminder of a Filipino’s duty to family, friends, and country.

Perhaps, Legarda continues, it is also because of how the social realities during Rizal’s time are not too far from the issues and problems our society faces today. “Batang Rizal is timeless and it will always be able to speak to any generation and inspire them to believe in and be part of that heroism.”

After fifteen years since its original run, the 2022 staging now features a new cast, new set, and new animations. The cast features Tim Mabalot, Yhuan Gatbunton, Gold Villar-Lim, Norbs Portales, Carlon Matobato, John Moran, Teetin Villanueva, Jovy Vieja, Raven Relavo, and Marynor Madamesila.

Watch Batang Rizal’s online streaming via KTX.ph from October 14-16, 2022, and the limited run at the PETA Theater Center on November 25 and December 2 (9:00 AM and 3:30 PM).

For ticket inquiries and touring packages, contact Mitch Go at 0917-539-1112.

For streaming tickets, go to www.ktx.ph/category/batang-rizal.

Batang Rizal is also part of PETA’s Hero Vision creative campaign, which aims to trigger conversations and reflections on heroism – and to inspire Filipinos to choose to live heroically every day.

September 5, 2022
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Attracts More than 25 Million Global Viewers on its First Day, Marking Prime Video’s Biggest Premiere Ever

Last September 3, Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) announced The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power attracted more than 25 million global viewers on its first day, breaking all previous records, marking the biggest premiere in the history of Prime Video. The serieslaunched exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon Studios, said: “It is somehow fitting that Tolkien’s stories – among the most popular of all time, and what many consider to be the true origin of the fantasy genre – have led us to this proud moment. I am so grateful to the Tolkien Estate – and to our showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay, executive producer Lindsey Weber, cast and crew – for their tireless collaborative efforts and boundless creative energy. And it is the tens of millions of fans watching – clearly as passionate about Middle-earth as we are – who are our true measure of success.”

Episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will launch weekly through the October 14 season finale on Prime Video.

Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power brings to screens for the very first time the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth’s history. This epic drama is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and will take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and one of the greatest villains that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness. Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared reemergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the farthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone.

The series is led by showrunners and executive producers J.D. Payne & Patrick McKay. They are joined by executive producers Lindsey Weber, Callum Greene, J.A. Bayona, Belén Atienza, Justin Doble, Jason Cahill, Gennifer Hutchison, Bruce Richmond, and Sharon Tal Yguado, and producers Ron Ames and Christopher Newman. Wayne Che Yip is co-executive producer and directs along with J.A. Bayona and Charlotte Brändström.

A world-renowned literary work, and winner of the International Fantasy Award and Prometheus Hall of Fame Award, The Lord of the Rings was named Amazon customers’ favorite book of the millennium in 1999 and Britain’s best-loved novel of all time in BBC’s “The Big Read” in 2003.The Lord of the Rings books have been translated into over 38 languages and have sold more than 150 million copies.

September 5, 2022
Tilda Swinton, Idris Elba Together in the Extraordinary Epic Adventure Film “Three Thousand Years of Longing”

Helmed by George Miller (blockbuster director of countless iconic films such as Babe, Pig in The City, Happy Feet, and the mind-blowing franchise films Mad Max: The Road Warrior & Mad Max: Fury Road) Three Thousand Years of Longing is adapted from the highly beloved short story The Djinn in the Nightingale’s Eye by A.S. Byatt.

Starring Tilda Swinton and Idris Elba, 3000 Years of Longing whisks the audience away on a mystical and epic adventure. The magical tale begins where Dr. Alithea Binnie (Swinton) travels to Istanbul to present at a conference. While looking for a souvenir, she finds herself strangely drawn to a file of trinkets and accidentally found a beautiful memento… unaware that this relic will change her life forever.

A mythical Djinn (Elba) reveals that he has been trapped in the relic, and offers Dr. Binne three wishes in exchange for his freedom. As a solitary academic and creature of reason, Dr. Binnie doubts if he is real and reminds the Djinn of numerous cautionary tales of wishes gone wrong. Desperate for his freedom, Djinn pleads his case to the skeptical Dr. Binnie, who ultimately makes a wish that neither could have expected.

Moviegoers can expect a dazzling spectacle and adventure of a lifetime in the must-see film of 2022. Hailed as a “visual feast” at this year’s Cannes international film festival, and earned a standing ovation that lasted 6 minutes, 3000 Years of Longinghas garnered rave reactions across the globe. Slashfilm.com proclaims: “this movie reaffirms George Miller as one of the great magicians of cinema working today.” Awards Daily’s calls this film: “a mythical extravaganza that packs an unexpected humanistic punch.” And IGN.com describes how: “Miller revitalizes the Arabian Nights with a technological twist… while Tilda Swinton and Idris Elba give it their all.”

Both lead actors are eager for audiences to finally see the movie on the big screen, with all its unprecedented spectacle and engaging narrative.

“I think the biggest challenge was always [being] conscious that the audience has seen some version of this character, albeit a cartoon version or some comical version,” Idris said in an interview with Yahoo News. “I was really conscious for this character to be believable and relatable and interesting to watch. It’s got to be less than that [comical style] and something unique.”

Swinton likewise shared her thoughts, “We were actually talking about this film for several years before we started shooting. The more time went by, the more relevant I thought this film was going to be,” she said. “People know more about being locked in a bottle for three thousand years than they might have three years ago,” she said. “They also know what it’s like to be locked down in your own homes.”

From Go Asia Entertainment, 3000 Years of Longing will open in cinemas nationwide on September 14.

September 2, 2022
It’s the Battle of Batons as the PPO Searches for its New Maestro

After two years of online performances during the pandemic, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) is all set to return to the concert hall for live performances and begin the search for its new Music Director.

Entitled Metamorphosis, PPO’s 38th season, which starts this September, features an outstanding roster of eight conductors will take the podium, five of whom are shortlisted for the Music Director and Principal Conductor position.

Spanish conductor Maestro David Gomez-Ramirez opens the season on September 16. Ramirez has worked with many professional orchestras around the world. He has been chief conductor of the Sagunto Symphony Orchestra, and guest conductor in important orchestras as València, Seville, Madrid, Oviedo and outside of Spain, in France, Portugal, United Kingdom, Mexico, Russia, Romania, Italy, and Vietnam. In 2018, he was guest conductor of the PPO.

Maestro Grzegorz Nowak conducts the second concert of the series on October 7. Nowak is the permanent Associate Conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London, UK. He was Music Director of the Polish National Opera, Warsaw, Poland from 2017-2020 and other orchestras in Poland, Germany, Switzerland, and the USA. He has conducted orchestral music recorded in over 80 CDs that have received awards and 5-star ratings.

Maestro Noam Zur takes the helm of the PPO on November 11. Since 2017, he was the principal conductor and artistic director of the State Symphony Orchestra of Salta, Argentina. He has over 20 years of professional and conducting experience during which he developed an expansive repertoire in opera, ballet and symphony. He is also a composer and arranger, having recorded his own works in “Funkhausorchester des WDR Köln” in August 2016 which he conducted as well.

Maestro Mark Anthony Carpio will steer the PPO on December 16. Carpio was personally handpicked by National Artist for Music Andrea O. Veneracion to succeed her as choirmaster of the Philippine Madrigal Singers, the award winning choral group she founded. Carpio is one of the most respected figures in choral music and a sought after choral clinician who has given extensive and in-depth workshops all nationally and internationally.

Japanese-American Maestro Shizuo Kuwahara wields the baton on January 27, 2023. Kuwahara is the First Prize winner of the prestigious Georg Solti International Conductors’ Competition in Frankfurt, Germany and Principal Guest Conductor of The Mariinsky Theatre, Russia. Kuwahara has led performances throughout Europe, North and South America, and Asia. He was also an Assistant and Cover Conductor with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony and Orchestra de Paris.

Award winning young conductor Haoran Li steps on the dais on February 24, 2023. Li was Assistant Conductor of China Philharmonic Orchestra from 2019-2020 and the National Center for the Performing Arts Beijing, China in 2018. For the 2022-2023 season, he led concerts with La Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini, Romanian Radio National Orchestra, Lasi Philharmonic Orchestra, Banatul Philharmonie Orchestra of Timișoara, Beijing Symphony Orchestra, and the Sichuan Symphony Orchestra.

The PPO will conclude its 38th season with two more concerts slated on March 17 and April 28, 2023.

Except for the November 11 concert at the Manila Metropolitan Theater, the PPO will be performing at its home at the CCP Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo for the rest of 2022.

In 2023, PPO will move over to the Manila Metropolitan Theater when the CCP Main Building is closed for rehabilitation.

For more information, visit the CCP (www.culturalcenter.gov.ph) and follow the official CCP social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest updates.

September 2, 2022
Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo to Direct CCP’s 53rd Anniversary Gala

Musical theater artist Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo returns to directing live shows with Musikal II, the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ 53rd anniversary gala on September 10, 8:00 p.m. at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo.

Yulo envisioned Musikal II to herald the return of the Filipino musicals, after the two years of the pandemic.

“Every artist has a story to tell on how they survived during the pandemic. As you very well know, it hit our industry the hardest. But a lot of artists found ways to survive,” Yulo said.

“Streaming performances, selling food they baked or cooked themselves, teaching online, and even selling recording devices, ring lights, etc. We artists know how to improvise when pushed into a corner. Musikal II is my return to directing a live show. So I am very excited.”

Musikal II consists of songs from original Filipino musicals from 2015 to 2021.

It will feature songs from Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!, Kanser the Musical, Felix Starro, Ang Larawan, LapuLapu, ang Datu ng Mactan, Guadalupe, Awitin Mo at Isasayaw Ko, F(r)iction, Changing Partners, Ang Huling El Bimbo the Musical, Binondo, A Tsinoy Musical, Dekada ‘70, A Game of Trolls, Mabining Mandirigma A Steampunk Musical, Aurelio Sedisyoso A Rock Sarswela, The Quest for the Adarna, Ding Ang Bato, Kung Paano Ako Naging Leading Lady, Himala, Isang Musikal, and Daluyong ng Diwa.

Stephen Sondheim’s Follies was Yulo’s inspiration for Musikal II.

“The premise of Follies is they all return to a theater that has run its course and is about to be demolished. And as you see them you also see the “ghosts” of their younger selves roaming the theater,” Yulo explained.

“So Musikal II is a reunion in a theater abandoned when the pandemic hit. They reminisce about performances of the past and recreated them using items they find from the shows. Some are seen from the memory of a particular individual and some are re-enacted. So in essence there are realms. Reality and Memory.”

Leading artists from various theater companies will perform in the show. Among them are Bituin Escalante, Bayang Barrios, Arman Ferrer, Shiela Valderrama-Martinez, Carla Guevara Laforteza, Sandino Martin, Reb Atadero, Delphine Buencamino, Topper Fabregas, Upeng Fernandez, Vic Robinson, Ricci Chan and Juliene Mendoza.

One of the challenges they faced in mounting the show was the availability of material and original cast. “Remember no theater company had really done any shows the last 2 years,” Yulo pointed out.

With Yulo on Musikal II’s creative and production team are Ejay Yatco and Vince De Jesus, musical directors/arrangers, choreographers Daniel Cabrera and PJ Rebullida, Lights Designer John Batalla, Sound Engineer Aji Manalo, Set Designer Ricardo Eric Cruz, Technical Director Dong Calingacion, and Stage Manager Ed Murillo.

According to Yulo, the two new compositions of Vince De Jesus, specially commissioned for Musikal II will highlight the production. Entitled Muling Gisingin and Nandito Pa Rin Ako, these will be performed by the all-star cast.

This event is invitational but certain sections are free and open to the public. Tickets for the public will be released at the CCP Main Ramp two hours before the performance on a first-come, first-served basis.

The show will be live streamed on the CCP Facebook page.

Please check the health and safety protocols at https://bit.ly/staysafeatCCP. For more information, visit the CCP (www.culturalcenter.gov.ph) and follow the official CCP social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest updates.

September 2, 2022
Panda Express® Original Orange Chicken Turns 35, Treats Fans with Deals, Promos

The Original Orange Chicken® turns 35! The Original Orange Chicken of Panda Express®, the largest Asian dining concept in the world, is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, and what better way to celebrate its birthday than to gift its fans with deals to fill their tummies.

From now until September 30, 2022, fans of this culinary creation can enjoy special deals and other surprises on their dine-in, web app, and delivery purchases.

“For 35 years, The Original Orange Chicken has been a quintessential American Chinese dish that stood the test of time and remains Panda’s best-selling menu item,” said Jimmy Wang, Executive Director of Culinary Innovation at Panda Express. “This iconic dish has revolutionized the concept of American Chinese cuisine – a timeless cuisine that takes a hybrid approach of bridging cultures, ingredients, and flavors while respecting its roots.”

Origin of the Original

Panda Express was founded by husband-and-wife tandem, co-CEO and co-founders Andrew and Peggy Cherng in 1983. They popularized American Chinese cuisine by using authentic Chinese recipes adapted to global tastes, which successfully established the brand as the largest Asian dining concept in the US and the largest American Chinese concept in the world.

Since the opening of the first Panda Express® location in the Philippines in late 2019, the bestselling Original Orange Chicken, a wok-tossed crispy chicken entree coated in sweet, tangy sauce, has drawn strong support from Filipino foodies. The dish was inspired by Panda’s co-founder Andrew Cherng’s hometown flavors of Yangzhou, China.

The Original Orange Chicken is Panda’s most popular dish and represents about a third of the entire business. In 2021, Panda Express® served over 117 million pounds of Orange Chicken worldwide!

Anniversary Deal

Starting August 15th through September 30th, dine-in guests may enjoy P35 off coupons for their Original Orange Chicken bowl, plate, and bigger plate orders. For those who are using the web app to purchase their Panda favorites, there will be a free medium pail of Orange Chicken on minimum order value of P750. For more information about the offers, visit order.pandaexpress.com.ph; offers cannot be combined with other promotions and discounts.

Meanwhile, take P135 off on Original Orange Chicken large ala carte orders via GrabFood available from September 1st through September 30th.

To date, Panda Express has eleven stores in the whole of Metro Manila that are open for dine-in, take-out, and delivery through order.pandaexpress.com.ph, GrabFood, and foodpanda. Delivery locations include select areas in Manila, Pasay, Makati, and Quezon City.

These stores are located in Don Antonio, Quezon City; SM Megamall; SM North EDSA; SM Grand Central; SM Southmall; Robinsons Place Manila; Shell SLT, SLEX Southbound; Double Dragon Meridian Park; SM Mall of Asia; Greenmeadows and Betterliving, Parañaque.

To get more information on Panda Express, you may visit www.facebook.com/PandaExpressPH/ (Facebook) and @PandaExpressPH (Instagram).

September 2, 2022
CCP Celebrates 53rd Anniversary with Musikal II Featuring Songs from Filipino Musicals

In celebration of its 53rd anniversary, the Cultural Center of the Philippines will hold a one-night musical spectacle on September 10, 8:00 p.m. at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo.

Dubbed “Musikal II” the gala will provide a rousing start to the moving out and improving the CCP Main Building that will bring it up to par with the world’s best facilities. The CCP building will be closed beginning January 1, 2023, for rehabilitation for two years.

The “Hanggang sa Muli” show starts with a gala Musikal II which consists of songs from original Filipino musicals from 2015 to 2021.

It will feature songs from Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!, Kanser the Musical, Felix Starro, Ang Larawan, LapuLapu, ang Datu ng Mactan, Guadalupe, Awitin Mo at Isasayaw Ko, F(r)iction, Changing Partners, Ang Huling El Bimbo the Musical, Binondo, A Tsinoy Musical, Dekada ‘70, A Game of Trolls, Mabining Mandirigma A Steampunk Musical, Aurelio Sedisyoso A Rock Sarswela, The Quest for the Adarna, Ding Ang Bato, Kung Paano Ako Naging Leading Lady, Himala, Isang Musikal, and Daluyong ng Diwa.

Leading artists from various theater companies will perform in the show. Among them are Bituin Escalante, Bayang Barrios, Arman Ferrer, Shiela Valderrama-Martinez, Carla Guevara Laforteza, Sandino Martin, Reb Atadero, Delphine Buencamino, Topper Fabregas, Upeng Fernandez, Vic Robinson, Ricci Chan and Juliene Mendoza.

On the creative and production team are Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, director, Ejay Yatco and Vince De Jesus, musical directors/arrangers, choreographers Daniel Cabrera and PJ Rebullida, Lights Designer John Batalla, Sound Engineer Aji Manalo, Set Designer Ricardo Eric Cruz, Technical Director Dong Calingacion, and Stage Manager Ed Murillo.

The two new compositions of Vince De Jesus, specially commissioned for Musikal II will highlight the production. Entitled Muling Gisingin and Nandito Pa Rin Ako, these will be performed by the all-star cast.

Yulo envisioned Musikal II to herald the return of the Filipino musicals.

This event is invitational but certain sections are free and open to the public. Tickets for the public will be released at the CCP Main Ramp two hours before the performance on a first-come, first-served basis.

The show will be live streamed on the CCP Facebook page.

Please check the health and safety protocols at https://bit.ly/staysafeatCCP.

For more information, visit the CCP (www.culturalcenter.gov.ph) and follow the official CCP social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest updates.

September 2, 2022
The CCP Presents Their Special Concert Series 2022

The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) presents the SPECIAL CONCERT SERIES, a series of solo concerts by eminent Filipino musicians on September, October, and November 2022, 7:30 in the evening at the CCP Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez (Black Box Theater).

Stefanie Quintin, a soprano with “a voice with remarkable flexibility and a truly commanding musical presence”, starts the series off on September 7. She performs music from the Renaissance to the present day and includes several world premieres in her repertoire. Among her many accomplishments is the premier performance of works by such composers as Dr. Ramon Santos, the Philippine National Artist for Music, and the American composer Eli Marshall. She has given solo performances at the AsiaEurope New Music Festival in Vietnam, the Yilan International Arts Festival in Taiwan, the soundSCAPE Festival in Italy, the Baroque Festival in Singapore, and the International Bamboo Organ Festival in the United States (Philippines).

The second concert in the series features trombonist Ricson Poonin on October 12. As a soloist, Poonin is noted for exhibiting his signature musicality, sound technique, and adaptability. He graduated from the UST in 2009 with a Bachelor of Music, Trombone Performance Major. He won first place in the UST solo competition and the National Music Competition for Young Artists Solo Category C.

Finally, guitarist Ivar Fojas will be featured on November 16. Ivar is a Fulbright scholar who, in 2011, earned a doctorate from the University of Arizona’s acclaimed Bolton Guitar Studies Program. Prior to beginning his Ph.D. studies, Ivar was a busy performer who gave solo recitals and was a featured soloist with orchestras such as the Manila Symphony Orchestra and Peace Philharmonic Philippines. He has participated in master workshops given by classical guitar greats.

For more information about the event, please follow the official CCP social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Beyond simply performing, each artist will share their skills and knowledge with selected participants in Master Classes. For those who want to be part of the Masterclass, please call the CCP Artist Training Division at 8832-1125 loc. 1605 or email artist.training@culturalcenter.gov.ph

September 2, 2022
Sarah Brigthman Celebrates The Holidays with ‘A Christmas Symphony’ Coming to Manila This December!

Last year, the world’s biggest-selling Soprano and legendary GRAMMY® Award-nominated artist Sarah Brightman entertained her first-ever Christmas tour Sarah Brightman: A Christmas Symphony … and it warmed hearts of both fans and critics alike, being named the ultimate holiday event! Given the overwhelming response, and in celebration of her favorite time of the year, Sarah begins a new Christmas tradition, by taking her A Christmas Symphony Tour internationally for the first time! The tour will be coming to Manila on December 7, 2022 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Presented by Wilbros Live and Smart Araneta Coliseum. Accompanied by orchestra and a choir, this beautiful holiday show will feature Sarah Brightman performing show-stopping renditions of classics from the Christmas canon, along with personal holiday favorites and many of her greatest hits.

Known as the world’s best-selling Soprano and UNESCO Artist for Peace Ambassador, Sarah Brightman has amassed sales of more than 30 million, receiving awards in over 40 countries. She originated the role of Christine Daaé in the world-renowned The Phantom of the Opera on both West End and Broadway stages and has performed at such prestigious events including the Concert for Diana, The Kennedy Center Honors and the Barcelona and Beijing Olympic Games. Sarah’s albums Eden, La Luna, Harem, Symphony and Dreamchaser were each chart-topping Billboard hits and were all accompanied by world tours. Her most recent full-length studio album HYMN was released in 2018 and debuted at #1 on the Classical and Classical crossover Billboard charts. The HYMN world tour began in South America in September 2018 and concluded in her hometown of London, England in November 2019. Brightman has been recognized for her outstanding contribution to music and theatre with a ‘STAR’ on the world-renowned, majestic Hollywood Walk of Fame, in addition to receiving an Honorary Doctor of Arts (Hon DArt).

Tickets to Sarah Brightman: A Christmas Symphony in Manila goes on-sale on Saturday, September 10 at 10AM via TicketNet.com.ph, TicketNet outlets nationwide or Call 8911-5555 for more information.

#SarahBrightmanMANILA2022
#AChristmasSymphonyAtSmartAranetaColiseum

September 2, 2022
5 Reasons Why the K-Drama ‘Little Women’ is Your Next Must-Watch Netflix Series

After the refreshing legal drama Extraordinary Attorney Woo and the action-packed heist film Seoul Vibe, Netflix is set to bring us yet another exciting title from South Korea, this time a thrilling drama that promises a lot of hard-hitting twists– Little Women.

Before its premiere this September 3, we’re giving you five reasons why you should catch the new series when it finally drops on Netflix this weekend.

1. The director of Vincenzo is back to bring us a new gripping mystery.

Vincenzo is one of the K-dramas that got us thrilled and entertained as we stayed at home in 2021. This year, Vincenzo‘s Kim Hee-won is back on the director’s chair to bring us yet another gripping mystery. For Little Women, Hee-won joins forces with writer Chung Seo Kyung, who is known for her works in the masterpiece The Handmaiden and Decision to Leave. Seo Kyung wrote this new tale where three sisters who live in poverty find themselves going against the richest and most influential family in Korea.

“Writer Chung Seo Kyung reimagined the novel Little Women, starting with the question ‘What if the sisters came to Korea?” explained director Hee-won at a recent press conference for the series. “The tightly-knit narrative is brought to life by the production designer Ryu Seong-hee and the powerful cast performances. It was a great experience to work with this dream team.”

Photo courtesy of Netflix

2. The show is led by three strong women played by brilliant actresses.

Little Women is led by three sisters with diverging personalities, but love and protect each other nonetheless. Playing the eldest sister, Oh Injoo, is Kim Go-eun, who has exhibited her acting skills in titles like Yumi’s Cells, Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, and The King: Eternal Monarch.

“Injoo is a hardworking girl and always does her best, who seems to think it is the reason for her existence-she is complex and multifaceted, so I dived into the character from various angles,” said Go-eun about Injoo.

Photo from ‘Little Women’ trailer

The second sister is Oh Inkyung who is played by Nam Ji-hyun from 100 Days My Prince. Wiser than the eldest, In-kyung also loves her sisters but she does not want to be enslaved to money like Injoo. Finally, Park Ji-hu of All of Us Are Dead fame plays the youngest sister Oh Inhye, an art prodigy who feels that her sisters’ love are a little burdening.

Director Kim Hee-won stated, “The three actors have such a warm chemistry with their kind personalities and professional attitudes. They are supportive of each other, which makes them a perfect ensemble”.

Photo courtesy of Netflix

3. Wi Ha-Jun & more well-known actors complete the cast.

Also joining the cast of Little Women are more well-sought and veteran actors that will bring life to the characters surrounding the Oh Sisters’ lives. Wi Ha-joon of Squid Game and Bad and Crazy will play the mysterious character of Choi Do-il.

“The more I read into the script, the more I found him mysterious,” shared Ha-jun at the press conference. “’What was his upbringing like? How did he end up with such convictions and values? Why does he act that way? How does he feel about In-joo?’ I had endless questions about him, wanting to find out more about him. I found that appealing and wanted to flesh that out about him.”

Photo courtesy of Netflix

Also part of the cast are Kang Hoon (Into Your Time, Twenty Five Twenty One), Kim Mi-Sook (Artificial City, Man in the Kitchen), Uhm Ki-Joon (The Penthouse, Defendant), Uhm Ji-Won (The Cursed: Dead Man’s Prey), Jeon Chae-Eun (If You Wish Upon Me), and Jo Seung-Yeon (The Perfect Couple) to name a few.

Photo from ‘Little Women’ trailer

4. It’s a drama that “little women” can relate to.

Much like the novel that inspired the drama, Little Women aims to tell stories about the women of the world sunk in poverty and feeling powerless. “I dared to use the title Little Women with reverence and gratitude for the novel, and because the story is relatable to all girls in poverty in any place, any time,” said writer Chung Seo-kyung in a statement. “I wanted to add our story to the story of little women all around the world. I wanted to write a story where people in their teens to their 30s are the main characters.”

Director Hee-won also added that Little Women “contains both a reality relatable to all, and the mysterious workings of the imagination. Though it seems like a small and trifling story, there’s a large and deep implication underneath.”

Photo courtesy of Netflix

5. Expect a detailed mystery with beautiful mise-en-scène

Director Kim Hee-won is known for the amount of details she puts into her work, making the audiences coming back for more. In her latest drama, the director says that she wanted to “Overturn people’s expectation that Little Women is just a cozy and warm story,” and reflect the dark truth in our society through the issues each sibling is faced with.

Hee-won also expressed her admiration for the show’s writer, Chung Seo-kyung; production designer Ryu Seong-hee; and music composer Park Se-joon. “It is an honor to work with director Ryu on her first series who did a perfect job in painting the perfect picture,” stated Hee-won. “She created never-before-seen, elaborate sets that were all unique but under a unified theme. Music composer Park Se-joon who worked on Vincenzo with me, composed different genre tracks including classical music, which imbued power into the entire production.”

With such a powerhouse of creators paired with a talented cast, viewers can expect Little Women to be a work of art with a fast-paced storyline, compelling motive, and a beautifully put together mise-en-scène.

Photo courtesy of Netflix

The 12-episode drama, Little Women, starts streaming on Netflix this September 3. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to get the latest news on film, TV, and more updates around the city!

September 2, 2022