T-ara's Ham Eun-jung cast in new TV series

Korean singer Ham Eun-jung of girl band T-ara has been cast in a new SBS TV series tentatively titled "Coffee House", according to her agency Core Contents Media on Monday.

Core Contents explained in a press release that the singer, a former child actor, will be playing the daughter of a coffee shop owner who becomes an assistant for a novelist.

Ham is said to have been present at the first script reading session on Friday, which was also attended by the show's crew members and lead actors including Kang Ji-hwan, Park Si-yeon and Kim Ji-young.

The romantic comedy will be helmed by noted television producer Pyo Min-soo, who has directed many hit dramas including "Full House" (KBS, 2004) and "The World That They Live In" (KBS2, 2008)

Pyo is known for casting girl band Baby V.O.X. member Yoon Eun-hye in 2007 drama "The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince", which became a smash hit and turned then-singer Yoon into a household name as an actress.

Ham, 21, is a member of female idol group T-ara who debuted in July 2009 with the single "Lie" and "Wanna Play".

They gained popularity as their collaboration project "TTL (Time to Love)" with Korean boy band Choshinsung topped various music charts later in the year, and released their first studio album "Absolute First Album" in December 2009.

"House", which starts shooting on Wednesday, will air after "Oh! My Lady" ends its run.

Reporter : Lynn Kim lynn2878@
Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@