Skip Beat! (TV series)
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| SKIP・BEAT! |
Skip Beat! FTV intertitle |
| Also known as |
Extravagant Challenge
Glamorous Challenge |
| Genre |
Teen drama |
| Format |
Serial |
| Developed by |
Doze Niu |
| Written by |
Yoshiki Nakamura (manga)
Tseng Li-ting
Wen Yu-fang
Huang Shin-kao
Peng Sheng-ching
Fang Ching-i
Ouyang Pai-lin |
| Directed by |
Jerry Feng |
| Starring |
Ivy Chen
Siwon
Donghae
Allen Chao
Bianca Bai
Charge Pu
King Chin |
| Opening theme |
"S.O.L.O." by Super Junior-M |
| Ending theme |
"That's Love" by Donghae with Henry |
| Country of origin |
Republic of China (Taiwan) |
| Language(s) |
Mandarin |
| No. of episodes |
15[1] |
| Production |
| Executive producer(s) |
Doze Niu
Chiu Shan-i
Tsai Jo-chin
Chen Chih-hao
Fang Ko-jen |
| Producer(s) |
Jerry Feng
Kuo Tzu-chi
Fang Hsiao-jen
Kikuko Miyauchi |
| Location(s) |
Taiwan, Japan |
| Running time |
70 mins. |
| Production company(s) |
Gala Television
Comic Int'l Productions
Honto Productions
Formosa Television |
| Broadcast |
| Original channel |
FTV
GTV |
| Picture format |
480i (SDTV) |
| Original run |
December 18, 2011 – April 1, 2012[a] |
| Chronology |
| Preceded by |
In Time with You |
| Followed by |
Absolute Boyfriend |
Skip Beat! (
Chinese:
華麗的挑戰) is a
Taiwanese television drama based on the
Japanese shōjo manga of the same name by
Yoshiki Nakamura. It premiered on December 18, 2011 on the
free-to-air channel
FTV and December 24, 2011 on the cable channel
GTV Variety Show.
Skip Beat! is a joint production between
Taiwan and
Japan, and is primarily produced by
Gala Television under executive producer
Doze Niu.
Development of
Skip Beat! began in early 2008 after the casting of
Ariel Lin and
Jerry Yan
in the main roles. In January 2009, Gala Television had to indefinitely
postpone the production due to several financial setbacks and script
re-writes, causing Yan to drop out of the project.
Skip Beat! was brought back into production following the signing of
Super Junior members
Siwon and
Donghae in the main roles in May 2010. In February 2011, one month before filming,
Ivy Chen replaced Lin, who had already signed to film another production when
Skip Beat! was languishing in
development hell. Filming officially began in April 2011 with locations in
Taiwan and
Japan. It entered
post-production at the conclusion of filming in July 2011.
Synopsis
High school graduate Gong Xi gives up her chances for university in
order to support her childhood friend and romantic goal, Bu Po Shang, in
his pop idol career. Upon arriving in
Taipei,
Gong Xi starts working on multiple jobs in order to support Shang,
whose popularity quickly rises, eventually becoming one of the top idols
in Taiwan. One day, Gong Xi catches Shang flirting with his manager,
and learns that he only used her so she can help him with his living
expenses. Heart-broken and betrayed, Gong Xi vows to get revenge by
becoming a bigger star. Gong Xi auditions for L.M.E., Taiwan's largest
talent agency, and joins L.M.E.'s new-found department "Love Me" with
Jiang Nanqin, also a new recruit. At L.M.E. famous actor Dun Helian,
disgusted by Gong Xi's reasons for joining the show business,
consistently finds ways to annoy and taunt her. As Gong Xi's acting
career starts to take off, she begins to discover a new sense of
identity and purpose, separate from her initial plans of revenge. Lian
also eventually warms up to her, and although at first in denial, he
finds himself falling more and more in love with her.
Cast and characters
Main characters
A bright and intelligent high school graduate who gives up her
chances for university to support her childhood friend and love
interest, Bu Po Shang, in his pop idol career. She later finds out that
Shang only used her for his own selfish reasons and had no intentions to
spend the rest of his life with her. Devastated and vengeful, Gong Xi
vows that she will exact revenge. Shang tells her that the only way to
do this is to join the entertainment industry and defeat him. After much
begging and pleading, she is finally accepted into L.M.E., Taiwan's
largest talent agency, and joins the company's new-found department,
Love Me (Chinese: 愛我吧部).
A famous young actor who takes his profession very seriously. One of
Taiwan's biggest stars, he is under the same talent agency as Gong Xi.
Although he maintains a perfect public image, he is disgusted by Gong
Xi's reasons for joining the show business and frequently finds ways to
annoy and taunt her. He soon realizes Gong Xi's talent in acting and
begins to support her endeavors. He eventually develops romantic
feelings for Gong Xi, but she is too concentrated on her motives to
notice his pursuits.
Born
Shang Jieyong (尚介勇), Bu Po Shang is Gong Xi's childhood
friend and love interest. Although egotistical and arrogant, he is an
extremely talented musician. Fully aware of Gong Xi's romantic feelings
for him, he successfully convinces Gong Xi to travel with him to Taipei
to support him financially while he focuses on developing his singing
career. Ruthless and ambitious, Shang decides to abandon Gong Xi to get
together with his manager, which leads to Gong Xi to join the
entertainment industry for revenge. Upon seeing Gong Xi's
transformation, Shang realizes that he had more feelings for her than he
originally thought. He holds great animosity towards Dun Helian because
of his popularity and his close relationship with Gong Xi.
A young rising star who attends the same auditions as Gong Xi. She is
desperate for a successful acting career and initially despises Gong Xi
for standing in her way. Similar to Gong Xi, she joins the "Love Me"
department of L.M.E. to touch up on her acting ability. After working
together in various projects, Gong Xi and Nanqin develop a deep
friendship.
Supporting characters
- Charge Pu as Shen Deyuan (椹德元), L.M.E.'s casting director.
- King Chin as Du Jin (杜金), Dun Helian's manager.
- Ada Pan as Yangyang (鴦鴦), Bu Po Shang's manager and implied lover.
- Allen Chao as Luo Li (羅利), the director of L.M.E. who makes appearances in glamorous and extravagant attire.
- Chen Bozheng as Boss (老板), Gong Xi's boss when she was working at a Japanese sushi restaurant called Bu Dao Weng (不倒翁).
- Frances as Maria (瑪麗亞), Lou Li's granddaughter.
- Ko Yu-luen as Director Xin Huan (新垣導演), the competent director of Dun Helian's new film.
- Lo Bei-an as Director Hei Long (黑龍導演), a famous commercial director.
- Li Yi Jin as Liuli'er (琉璃兒), a popular young singer who attempts to sabotage Gong Xi's career.
- Angus Chang as Fei Lihua (費梨花), Jiang Nanqin's high school classmate.
- Cindy Sung as Kuang Meishen (鄺美森), a featured actress who co-starred in one of Bu Po Shang's music videos with Gong Xi.
- Jessie Zhang as Xu Yongchun (徐永春), the producer of Bu Po Shang's debut album.
- Chang Shao-huai as Director Xu Fang (旭方導演), the director of Dark Moon.
- Ke Shu-qin as Qing Jie (晴姐), an experienced actress.
- Cherry Hsia as Yi Mei (逸美), the female lead in the television drama Dark Moon.
- Willy Tsai as Sapphire (藍寶石), one of Lihua's servants.
- Xiao Bing as Emerald (綠寶石), one of Lihua's servants.
- Liu Guoshao as Ruby (紅寶石), one of Lihua's servants.
- Fu Xiancheng as Lin Ying (林鷹), a child actor.
- Wu Min as Shangguan Junzi (上官君子), Dun Helian's co-star.
- Ge Lei as Boss' wife (老板娘), who also owns Bu Dao Weng.
- Tsai Yi-chen as Wanzi (丸子), Gong Xi's Bu Dao Went co-worker and friend.
- Tang Zhi-wei as Shang Pengtang (尚朋棠), Shang's father.
- Yumi Kobayashi as Shang's mother.
Production
Development and pre-production
Gala Television announced their development of
Skip Beat! in early 2008, and invited producer Kikuko Miyauchi from Japan to produce and Jyu You-ning to direct. In April 2008
Ariel Lin,
Jerry Yan, and
Joe Cheng
were cast to portray Gong Xi, Dun Helian, and Bu Po Shang respectively.
However, Yan and Cheng could not come to an agreement with the script
and Cheng dropped out of the project in July 2008. Following Cheng's
withdrawal,
Doze Niu replaced Jyu as director and producer.
[2] In November 2008, Niu, Lin, and Yan held a press conference for
Skip Beat! in
Tokyo, Japan, announcing that they would begin filming as soon as they find another actor to replace Cheng.
[3]
Following the press conference, the script had to undergo a rewrite,
and the drama's Japanese developers suffered a financial breakdown due
to the restructuring of their joint venture company.
[4]
Lai Congbi, Deputy General Manager of Gala Television, announced that
filming will be pushed back. Yan, who already signed to film a Mainland
Chinese drama in March 2009, was forced to withdraw.
[3] Niu wanted to replace Yan with
Wu Chun, but Gala Television postponed the production indefinitely in January 2009 due to persistent financial problems.
In April 2010, Niu and Gala Television brought
Skip Beat! back into production with Lin returning to star. In May 2010, it was reported that
Super Junior members
Siwon and
Donghae were cast to portray Dun Helian and Bu Po Shang respectively.
[5] In February 2011,
Ivy Chen was cast to replace Lin, who withdrew from the project because she was already booked to film
In Time with You when
Skip Beat! was to begin filming.
[6][7] On March 31, 2011, a press conference was held for
Skip Beat! in Taipei, attended by over 100 reporters and fans. Niu announced that Jerry Feng will take his place to direct.
[8] Niu praised the drama's "too brilliant" script and that he "didn't want to leave it behind."
[9]
On an estimated budget of over 80 million
TWD (2.6 million
USD),
[10] each episode cost about 4 million TWD (132,000 USD) to produce.
[11]
Filming and promotion
Filming commenced in April 2011 in Taiwan and took four months to
complete. The main cast filmed promotional photoshoots for the drama on
July 28, and attended a wrap-up banquet hosted by the production crew
afterwards. Post-production officially began on July 29. Because Siwon
and Donghae filmed most of their scenes speaking in
Korean instead of Mandarin, ex-
Energy member Kunda and Darren from The Drifters are hired to
dub their voices into Mandarin respectively.
[12] Nylon Chen was later hired to replace Kunda.
Gala Television spent 20 million TWD (659,000 USD) marketing the drama.
[13] Skip Beat!
was first promoted at the 17th Shanghai Television Festival, in which a
three-minute sales presentation trailer was aired to attract potential
Mainland Chinese distributors. A distributor bought the copyrights for
191,000
yuan (30,000
USD),
and online distributors bought the rights for 63,800 yuan (10,000 USD),
becoming the most expensive Taiwanese drama to broadcast in Mainland
China.
[14] As of August 2011, it was reported that foreign distribution rights totaled 3.7 million TWD (120,000 USD) per episode.
[11] The drama held its
world premiere on December 14 in the LUX Cineplex Theater in
Ximending, Taipei.
[12][15]
Viral marketing
was one of the marketing campaigns employed for the drama. In early
December 2011, the drama's official website revealed a poll of four
different promotional posters for the drama, and had fans choose an
official poster. 30 randomly-selected voters were given a free poster,
one was given a signed poster, and another was given a Bu Po Shang
pillow.
[16]
In addition to the poster voting campaign, a giveaway of many of the
drama's official products will be given to those who could locate
taxis painted with the drama's official art in Taipei.
[17]
Music
Super Junior-M performed the opening theme "S.O.L.O." (Chinese title: 華麗的獨秀;
lit.
"Glamorous Solo Show") written by Tim McEwan, Lars Halvor Jensen, and
Reed Vertelney, with lyrics penned by Zhou Weijie, who also helped write
in Super Junior-M's
EP Perfection. Donghae and Chance wrote the ending theme "That's Love" (Chinese title: 這是愛;
lit. "This is Love"), with lyrics penned by Huang Tsu-yin. Donghae and Super Junior-M member
Henry performed the ending.
[18] It is also reported that
A-Lin and Super Junior-M member
Zhou Mi also recorded solo songs in the drama's official soundtrack, which will be distributed by
Avex Taiwan. The soundtrack debuted in first place on Taiwan's Five Music's Mandarin charts
[19] and in fifth place on Taiwan's G-Music Mandarin charts.
[20]
Broadcast
Like most Gala Television productions,
Formosa TV bought the rights to premiere the drama on its
free-to-air channel on Sunday, December 18, 2011. The cable
GTV network will air the first episode on December 24, 2011.
Singapore's cable operator
StarHub TV bought the rights to premiere the drama on its complimentary channel
E City, simulcast with Formosa TV. In
Hong Kong,
TVB bought the rights to premiere the
Cantonese-
dubbed version on December 25, 2011.
Skip Beat! is the first Taiwanese drama to have simultaneous broadcasts in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore.
[21] TVB's J2 channel previously aired the Cantonese-dubbed
anime version of Skip Beat! from February to August 2010, and rebroadcast the anime again in 2011.
| Country/Region |
Channel |
Timeslot |
Episode premiere |
Episode finale |
Avg rating |
| Taiwan |
FTV |
Sundays 21:40 |
18 December 2011 |
1 April 2012 |
1.46 |
| GTV |
Saturdays 22:30 |
24 December 2011 |
7 April 2012 |
TBA |
| Singapore |
E City |
Sundays 22:00 |
18 December 2011 |
1 April 2012 |
TBA |
| Hong Kong |
J2 |
Sundays 20:30 |
25 December 2011 |
8 April 2012 |
TBA |
| Indonesia |
Indosiar |
Weekdays 16:30 |
25 April 2012 |
TBA |
TBA |
Reception
The first episode of
Skip Beat! received mixed reviews. Gala
Television received complaints concerning Dun Helian's voice actor
Kunda, whose boyish voice is unfit for Dun Helian's deep, steady tone
and proud demeanor.
[15] As a result, Nylon Chen was hired to replace Kunda.
Ratings
Formosa TV (FTV) (民視) Ratings[22]
| Episode |
Original Broadcast Date |
Average |
Rank |
Remarks |
| 1 |
18 December 2011 |
1.35 |
#2 |
|
| 2 |
25 December 2011 |
1.17 |
#2 |
|
| 3 |
1 January 2012 |
0.97 |
#2 |
|
| 4 |
8 January 2012 |
1.18 |
#2 |
|
| 5 |
15 January 2012 |
1.44 |
#2 |
|
| 6 |
29 January 2012 |
1.32 |
#2 |
|
| 7 |
5 February 2012 |
1.46 |
#2 |
|
| 8 |
12 February 2012 |
1.19 |
#2 |
|
| 9 |
19 February 2012 |
1.39 |
#2 |
|
| 10 |
26 February 2012 |
1.82 |
#2 |
|
| 11 |
4 March 2012 |
1.75 |
#2 |
|
| 12 |
11 March 2012 |
1.85 |
#2 |
|
| 13 |
18 March 2012 |
1.72 |
#2 |
|
| 14 |
25 March 2012 |
1.50 |
#2 |
|
| 15 |
1 April 2012 |
1.85 |
#2 |
