Kim Hyun-joong "Naughty Kiss" to air in Japan starting Dec

SS501 member Kim Hyun-joong starrer "Naughty Kiss" will air in Japan starting December, according to the show's producer on Tuesday.

Park Rae-hyun, in charge of the PR & Promotions team at production company Group 8, told 10Asia over the phone that cable music channel Mnet Japan will broadcast the TV series twice a week in about three months time although additional details have yet to be set.

Park also added that several other countries in Asia are "actively showing interest" in the drama which has been garnering much hype since its casting stages due to its heartthrob male lead.

Kim, already famous as the leader of his popular five-man band and at the height of his career after starring in last year's hit drama "Boys Over Flowers," will play the role of Baek Sung-jo, the all-around Mr. Perfect-type character who ends up falling in love with a girl always getting into trouble, to be played by actress Jung So-min.

Famed director Hwang In-roi will helm the show based on Japanese comic series "Itazura na Kiss," which sold over 27 million copies in Japan and has been made into animation in Japan and a top-rated television drama in Taiwan.

Hwang, who previously directed "Goong" (MBC, 2006) and "The Return of Iljimae" (MBC, 2009), will team with noted television writer Go Eun-nim for the small screen adaptation of the comic.

The romantic comedy will premiere on public network MBC starting September.

Jessica Kim jesskim@