City Conquest

 

City Conquest  was a cancelled South Korean television series.

Adapted from the comic book of the same title by Shin Hyung-bin, the action series was originally budgeted at ₩4 billion. Starring Kim Hyun-joong, Jeong Yu-mi and Namkoong Min, it began filming in Japan in July 2012. Due to Kim's Korean Wave fanbase, international broadcasting rights were pre-sold to Japan, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

But in February 2013, prospective broadcaster KBS denied it a slot in their 2013 drama lineup, because network officials found the series "too violent" and its quality not up to their standards. Unable to secure a slot with the other two major channels in Korea, MBC and SBS, filming was halted and the project cancelled.

Japanese satellite/digital terrestrial channel DATV was one of the show's investors, and in July 2013, it aired the one-hour TV special City Conquest: Episode Zero, showing existing footage shot on location in Nikko, Utsunomiya and Kinugawa, as well as behind-the-scenes clips. The special was uploaded on YouTube and was also released on a Japan-only Blu-ray/DVD.

 

Plot

A young man named Baek Mi-reu blames his father for abandoning him and his mother, which sets him on the path of revenge upon the evils of society.

Main Roles

·         Kim Hyun-joong - Baek Miru

·         Jeong Yu-mi - Lee Dan-bi

·         Namkoong Min - Cha Ji-ryong

·         Kim Seung-woo - Baek Seung-hyun, Mi-reu's father

·         Park Hyo-jun - Park Gwang-ya

·         Kim Hee-won - Choi Yeong-soo

·         Kim Young-ho - Cha Seong-gwang

·         Choi Cheol-ho

 

City Conquest was supposed to be the second project of Baek Jin-dong's "Media 100" production company, after the 2012 TV Chosun drama Ji Woon-soo's Stroke of Luck.

      Based on the comic book "City Conquest" ("Doshijungbeol") by Shin Hyung-Bin and illustrated by Kim Jong-Seok (first published June 9, 1997).

      Filming began July 10, 2012 at Nikko Edomura (Edo Wonderland) theme park in Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Filming will also take place in Tokyo and the countries of U.S.A, Japan, China, Singapore, Switzerland & South Korea.

      According to Kim Hyun-Joong's management company, KeyEast, on February 6, 2013, lead actor Kim Hyun-Joong has quit the drama series "City Conquest". He will now focus on touring for his music career in Japan and worldwide and in the 2nd half of 2013 will concentrate on a new drama series.

      Production company Media Baek attempted to get the drama series to air on KBS2 sometime during the first half of 2013, but failed. Media Baek announced that the failure to air "City Conquest" was the "tyranny of broadcasting company by political reason," but KBS responded that drama series was too violent and not good enough to air.