# Monstar

Monstar (Korean: 몬스타; RR: Monseuta) is a 2013 South Korean television series starring Yong Jun-hyung, Ha Yeon-soo, and Kang Ha-neul. It aired on music channel Mnet (and simultaneously on tvN) from May 17 to August 2, 2013, every Friday at 21:50 for 12 episodes. The drama is about how a group of teenagers are healed through the power of music.

## Plot

Seol-chan, a member of Korea's most popular K-pop boy band Men in Black (Korean: 맨인블랙; RR: Maenin Beullaeg), is provoked into pushing one of his crazy fans, and when that goes viral, his reputation plummets. As damage control, his agency tells him to quietly attend school for a while. Meanwhile, Se-yi, a new transfer student from New Zealand, draws attention in the school for both her talent and oddness. Misunderstandings occur between Seol-chan, Se-yi, and their other classmates. But in the midst of all the chaos, these students find a common interest which connects them to each other: music. Every character has his or her own untold stories, which have had significant impact in their lives. But as they gather together to sing and play the music they love, they learn to soothe the pain inside them, and to open each of their souls.

## Cast
### Main cast

* Yong Jun-hyung as Yoon Seol-chan
** Park Ji-woo as young Seol-chan
* Ha Yeon-soo as Min Se-yi
** Kim Cho-eun as young Se-yi
* Kang Ha-neul as Jung Sun-woo
** Yoon Chan-young as young Sun-woo
* Ahn Nae-sang as Han Ji-woong
** Jung Joon-young as young Han Ji-woong

### Color Bar members

* Dahee as Kim Na-na
* Kim Min-young as Shim Eun-ha
** Ivy as adult Eun-ha
* Park Kyu-sun as Cha Do-nam
* Kang Eui-sik as Park Kyu-dong
** Lee Eun-sung as young Kyu-dong

### All For One members

* Moon Yong-suk as Ma Joon-hee
* Kim Yoo-hyun as Ma Hyo-rin
* Yoon Jong-hoon as Shin Jae-rok

### Supporting cast

* Kim Sun-kyung as Choi Kyung
** Lim Kim as young Choi Kyung
* Lee Hee-jin as Dokgo Soon
* Kim San-ho as Choi Joon-goo
* Jo Jae-yoon as Manager Hong
* Kim Hee-won as CEO Go
* Kim Jae-heung as math teacher
* Kim Young-hee as language teacher
* Lee Dal-hyung as head teacher
* Nat Thewphaingam as Nawin Thammarat
* Kim Min-young as Shim Eun-ha
* Kim Young-ho as Min Gwang-ho
* Kim Young-jae as PD Byun Hee-sool
* Im Hyun-sik as Men In Black member (ep. 2, 6, 9, and 12)
* Lee Min-hyuk as Men In Black member (ep. 2, 6, 9, and 12)
* Yook Sung-jae as Arnold, Men In Black member (ep. 2, 6, 9, and 12)
* Lee Chang-sub as Men In Black member (ep. 2, 6, 9, and 12)

### Cameo appearances

* Ryu Hye-rin as Seol-chan's fan
* Lee Joo-yeon as Ah-ri, actress in opening scene with Seol-chan (ep. 1)
* Lee Sung-min as Kwon Tae-hyun, movie director (ep. 1)
* Ko Chang-seok as Do-nam's judo master (ep. 5)
* Park Ga-ram as waiter (ep. 6)
* Kim Ji-soo as performer (ep. 10)
* Jo Moon-geun as performer (ep. 10)
* Nam Ji-hyun as Stella (ep. 12)
* No Min-woo as Daniel Park (ep. 12)
* Kim Min-kyu

## Production
### Casting

Monstar 12 episodes music drama that tells the story of ordinary teenagers who are hurt and grow as they heal through music, was directed by Kim Won-seok. Kim joined hands with Korea's representative music channel Mnet. The fact that it is the first work that director Kim Won-seok did after transferring to CJ E&M made the expectations are high.
On February 18, 2013, CJ E&M announced that The music drama 'Monstar' will be aired in early April. They also confirmed Yong Jun-hyung as the male lead. On February 28, 2013, Kang Ha-neul was confirmed as second male lead.

### Interlude music

The series features numerous song covers sung onscreen by the characters.
| Episode | Song Title | Original Performer |
| 01 | Past Days (지난날) | Ryu Jae-ha |
| 01 | After Time Passes (시간이 흐른 뒤엔) | Postino |
| 01 | Libertango | Astor Piazzolla |
| 01 | It's alcohol (술이야) | Vibe |
| 01 | Don't Be Sad (슬퍼하지 말아요) | Kim Hyun-sik |
| 01 | Mr. | KARA |
| 01 | The Wind is Blowing (바람이 분다) | Lee So-ra |
| 02 | If we are to speak (말하자면) | Kim Sung-jae |
| 02 | After Time Passes (시간이 흐른 뒤엔) | Postino |
| 02 | Symphony No. 25 in G minor | Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart |
| 02 | A nap (선잠) | -- |
| 02 | Trouble Maker | Trouble Maker |
| 02 | River Flows in You | Yiruma |
| 02 | A Nocturne (야상곡) | Kim Yoon-ah |
| 03 | A nap (선잠) | -- |
| 03 | Atlantis Princess (아틀란티스 소녀) | BoA |
| 03 | Like a Child (아이처럼) | Kim Dong-ryool |
| 03 | Rainism | Rain |
| 03 | Abracadabra | Brown Eyed Girls |
| 03 | Replay (누난 너무 예뻐) | SHINee |
| 03 | HeartBeat | 2PM |
| 03 | Nobody | Wonder Girls |
| 03 | A Nocturne (야상곡) | Kim Yoon-ah |
| 03 | You were born to be love (당신은 사랑받기위해 태어난 사람) | Lee Soo-young |
| 04 | Firefly (개똥벌레) | Shin Hyung-won |
| 04 | Sweet Little Kitty (낭만고양이) | Cherry Filter |
| 04 | Whale hunting (고래사냥) | Song Chang-sik |
| 04 | Snail (달팽이) | Panic |
| 04 | Goose dream (거위의꿈) | Insooni |
| 04 | I'm Your Girl | S.E.S |
| 04 | Ma Boy | Sistar19 |
| 04 | You Raise Me Up | Secret Garden |
| 04 | Pachelbel's Canon | -- |
| 05 | Single Ladies | Beyoncé |
| 05 | I'm The Best (내가제일잘나가) | 2NE1 |
| 05 | The moon is rising, let's go (달이 차오른다, 가자) | Jang Kiha and the Faces |
| 05 | Sonata of Temptation | Ivy |
| 06 | Like an Indian doll (인디언 인형처럼) | Nami |
| 06 | A nap (선잠) | -- |
| 06 | I'm Sorry | Beast |
| 06 | A marsh (늪) | Jo Kwanwoo |
| 06 | I will love you (널 사랑하겠어) | Dongmulwon |
| 07 | If I Leave (나가거든) | Sumi Jo |
| 07 | Person, Love (사람, 사랑) | Lena Park, Kim Bum-soo |
| 07 | Amazing Grace | -- |
| 07 | Don't Let me Cry (날 울리지마) | Shin Seung-hun |
| 08 | You Wouldn't Answer My Calls (전활 받지 않는 너에게) | 2AM |
| 08 | Your Meaning (너의 의미) | Sanulrim |
| 08 | To You Who Hopes for My Despair (나의 절망을 바라는 당신에게) | MoT |
| 09 | Departure (출발) | 어떤날 |
| 09 | Only The Words I Love You (사랑해 이말밖엔) | Rich |
| 09 | Let's run (말 달리자) | Crying Nut |
| 09 | When It Comes Tomorrow (내일이 찾아오면) | Oh Jang-bak |
| 10 | First Love (첫사랑) | Busker Busker |
| 10 | Is This Love (이게 사랑일까) | Coffee Boy |
| 10 | If we are to speak (말하자면) | Kim Sung-jae |
| 10 | 10 Minutes | Lee Hyori |
| 10 | My Song (나의노래) | Moonlight Fairy Reversal Grandslam |
| 11 | Wind, Please Stop Blowing (바람아멈추어다오) | Lee Ji-yeon |
| 11 | You loved your friend's girlfriend (친구의 친구를 사랑했네) | Lee Seung-chul |
| 11 | Wind, From Where Are You Blowing (바람, 어디에서 부는지) | Lucid Fall |
| 11 | Leaving (떠나가네) | Kim Young-ho |
| 11 | Scattered Days (흩어진 나날들) | Kang Soo-jee |
| 12 | Scattered Days (흩어진 나날들) | Kang Soo-jee |
| 12 | One work two (일과 이분의 일) | Two Two |
| 12 | Lefthander (왼손잡이) | Panic |
| 12 | After Love Gone (사랑이지나가면) | Lee Moon-sae |
| 12 | Youth era (청춘시대) | Cho Yong-pil |
| 12 | Only That Is My World (그것만이내세상) | Deulgukhwa |
| 12 | March (행진) | Deulgukhwa |
| 12 | My Song (나의노래) | Moonlight Fairy Reversal Grandslam |

## Ratings

In this table, the blue numbers represent the lowest ratings and the red numbers represent the highest ratings.
| Ep. | Original broadcast date | Average audience share |
| Ep. | Original broadcast date | AGB Nielsen |
| Ep. | Original broadcast date | Nationwide |
| 1 | May 17, 2013 | 1.60% |
| 2 | May 24, 2013 | 2.60% |
| 3 | May 31, 2013 | 2.40% |
| 4 | June 7, 2013 | 2.80% |
| 5 | June 14, 2013 | 2.20% |
| 6 | June 21, 2013 | 2.80% |
| 7 | June 28, 2013 | 2.30% |
| 8 | July 5, 2013 | 3.10% |
| 9 | July 12, 2013 | 2.80% |
| 10 | July 19, 2013 | 2.50% |
| 11 | July 26, 2013 | 1.11% |
| 12 | August 2, 2013 | 0.80% |
| Average | Average | 2.25% |
* This drama airs on a cable channel/pay TV which normally has a relatively smaller audience compared to free-to-air TV/public broadcasters (KBS, SBS, MBC and EBS).

## International broadcast

* Japan - It aired on DATV beginning April 30, 2014, followed by reruns on KNTV on May 17 to August 2, 2014.
* Hong Kong: NOW 101 and Channel M
* Singapore: Channel U
* Malaysia: 8TV
* Taiwan: Channel M
* Philippines: Channel M
* Indonesia: RTV
* Thailand: Workpoint TV

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
| 2013 | 7th Mnet 20's Choice Awards | 20's Booming Star - Male | Yong Jun-hyung | Nominated |
| 2013 | 7th Mnet 20's Choice Awards | 20's Booming Star - Female | Ha Yeon-soo | Won |
| 2013 | 7th Mnet 20's Choice Awards | 20's Hot Cover Music | "Past Days" - Yong Jun-hyung | Nominated |
| 2013 | 6th Korea Drama Awards | Best New Actor | Yong Jun-hyung | Won |
| 2013 | 6th Korea Drama Awards | Best New Actress | Ha Yeon-soo | Nominated |
| 2013 | 6th Korea Drama Awards | Best Couple Award | Yong Jun-hyung and Ha Yeon-soo | Nominated |
| 2013 | 2nd APAN Star Awards | Best New Actress | Ha Yeon-soo | Nominated |
| 2014 | 16th Seoul International Youth Film Festival | Best Young Actress | Ha Yeon-soo | Nominated |