Song hopes to sweep Asia off its feet again with "Birdie"

Group Eight CEO Song Byung-joon has high expectations for his new TV series "Birdie Buddy," saying he hopes the show becomes as big as his mega-hit production "Boys Over Flowers" from early last year.

"I have the desire to shake up Asia again with this drama, our first production of the year," Song said during a press conference held at High1 Resort in the Gangwon Province of South Korea on Wednesday.

"Boys," based on Japanese comic series "Hana Yori Dango," took Asia by storm last year during and after its airing in Korea. The show recorded average ratings of 30 percent while selling to over 10 countries in the region.

"Birdie" is also based on a comic -- this time by famed Korean cartoonist Lee Hyun-sae -- who received a presidential award for his golf series of the same name.

"Female Koreans are the best golfers in the world. I started wondering what it would be like, growing up as a female golfer, and decided I wanted to focus on that through a drama," Song explained, adding the show will express what golf is in detail and also contain educational information about the sport.

"I also want to tell the story of our [Korean] mothers throughout Asia and these factors combined will serve as the basis to the drama's success," Song stated.

"Birdie," starring female idol group After School member Uee and dancer-turned-actor Lee Yong-woo, is set to go into shoot starting March.

Reporter : Lim Hye-seon lhsro@asiae.co.kr
Photographer : Lee Ki-bum metro83@asiae.co.kr
Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@asiae.co.kr