(Left to right) The production crew sets up a scene for the new Korean drama along Tumon Bay;. Actor Song Seung Heon, best known for his starring role in the 2013 drama, When A Man Falls in Love, was selected as a Korean Ambassador of Guam; Cast and crew for the new Korean drama “Man Who Sets the Table" set up a scene at the Beach Bar in Tumon.
The Guam Visitors Bureau say the upcoming Korean drama TV series, “Man Who Sets the Table,” shot four episodes on-island earlier this month. And GVB's Tumon offices provided the backdrop for one of the scenes.
The new drama series stars K-pop singer from Girls’ Generation Choi Soo-Young and renowned actor On Joo-Wan who is known for leading roles in The Peter Pan Formula and My Mighty Princess. The cast also includes award-winning actors Kim Gap-soo, Kim Mi-sook, Park Jin-woo, Seo Hyo-rim and Shim Hyung-tak. The drama depicts a family on the brink of collapse because of a conflict of beliefs and will air in Korea on MBC, the number one channel for a weekend TV series. It will run 50 episodes over the course of six months. It is anticipated that this series will provide $12 million in media exposure for Guam. “We’re excited the production team of this Korean drama series decided to choose our island paradise as the backdrop for a few of their episodes,” said GVB President and CEO Nathan Denight. “We thank Director Joo Sung-woo and his team, as well as the local volunteers that played as extras for this TV series. We look forward to seeing the upcoming episodes on the small screen soon.” The production featured different locations around Guam. GVB said assistance with the filming came from: A.B. Won Pat International Airport, Guam Police Department, Net Enterprise, Crust Pizzeria Napoletana, Encore! Magic Show, Korean Air, The Beach Bar, Pacific Islands Club, Puntan Dos Amantes (Two Lovers Point), Onward Beach Resort, and Fish Eye Marine Park. "Man Who Sets the Table" was produced by Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation, South Korea’s leading television and radio network company. MBC has a great relationship shooting in Guam having featured the island in past dramas, most notably "When A Man Falls in Love," which aired in 2013, starring Song Seung-Heon. With the increased popularity of the TV drama, GVB selected Mr. Song Seung Heon as this year’s Korean Ambassador of Guam. “The relationships we’ve built with our friends in Korea are another great example of how tourism works for Guam,” said Denight. “With different dramas filmed here and the selection of Mr. Song as an ambassador of Guam, it’s no wonder our island has become the top U.S. destination of choice for Korean travelers. It shows how the hard work of our industry is paying off in different ways.” Travel to the U.S. has been steadily increasing according to the U.S. Commercial Service’s 2016 Korean Market Update Report, with over 1.9 million Korean visitors traveling to the U.S. Guam was ranked as the top U.S. destination for Korean travelers last year, surpassing arrivals to California and Hawaii.