I'd say it's good that she left...and I really like her!! Her role was horrible...what's up with the writers?! They didn't give her anything to work with at all. She was supposed to be have a pivotal role in the drama and she ends up being a side character with nothing to do with the main storyline. It would've been nice to see a love triangle between the Lee brothers and her...but that's not gonna happen anymore :(

Good luck Lee Da Hae! Take the rest you need and come back in a good role!!!

She's used to the person I admired
But, now totally be disappointed with her saying leave EOE
Something is irresponsible
Something is unprofessional
:(

Anyhows, I'm counting down the ways they'll write her off... Maybe to further her studies, or an elopement, or suicide by explosion (bwahahaha!)
Anything for a grand exit! Though I think she'll probably leave the show discreetly...
I don't watch EOE so I can't really judge how good or bad the show is but I wasn't interested with the description anyway... LDH might have a tough time after this...

wel...i haven't watched this show. and nor do I plan to

But i think the reason why LDH quit is simply because she expected this to be the role to send her flying up...and it didn't!!

Cuz she had a couple of flops....

there was Hello Miss! and Robber...which were both SUCKY..........in fact...she hasn't done anything memorable since My Girl..which was the drama that made her an A-lister.....she hasn't been able to stay at the top, drama-wise, though

and so....the beautiful Ms. Lee Da Hae thought that it would be better to weather the criticism for a couple of weeks instead of having another FLOP to her name

plus i don't think this will hurt her career that badly....because ppl are as faithful to actors as they are to brands........ppl WILL watch something if LDH is in it......of course, if it sucks, they won't keep watching....but if its a good drama with LDH in it...it will get lots of ratings......

so...as long as she is VERY selective about her next project....i think she will be okay career-wise

Well as a part of an actress-- ACTING is what LDH is supposed to do. No matter what kind of roles she gets, being a good actress means ACTING and ADAPTING to the role as much as possible. Regardless. It could be true that MBC changed her character, so on and so forth, but she should be able to play it out to be labeled as a GOOD actress. She should adapt. ..persevere and overcome. Maybe improvise. Negotiate. NOT QUIT!!!

This decision shows that she is truely mediocre or even less talented than I'd expected.

Obviously, she fails the challenge.

I understand why LDH quit the show. i was following the show mainly because of her. i think she is a good actress in comparison with the other female leads. Even I was confused as to what role she was playing given the hype that accompanied the show. I thought she was the lead and the brothers would both fall in love with her. but when I saw the episode where the male lead confessed his love for Grace, I knew I had been duped . Now that she is leaving the show, I won't be watching EOE anymore . I support her move to leave the show .

To hear LDH is leaving the series is disastrous because she was supposedly be the main female lead. I have watched up to ep 35 and her role so far has very little significance to the plot. The PD should have concentrated more on the main
lead actors and actresses instead of bringing all these unnecessary characters in to the show such as LDH sister & supposedly fiancee, corrupt politician and etc. All this is really irrelavant to the series. Furthermore, the series has no directions and I could not understand. I will definitely discontinue to watch this series . It is a pointless plot.

She is not irresponsible! She had made the right decision. She needs to understand the plot b4 she can act. Go LDH!

MBC mislead not only her, it also mislead the audience. We were expecting the love triangle between the leads, but it stuck on the other characters. Sorry to all YR and DC lovers...They should have killed YR off in the earlier episodes, so that DC and HR love can develop. They made a mistake continuing the DC/YR relationship. I don't blame LDH at all for leaving this drama.

Well, I kinda support Lee Da Hae's decision.

That's because I realised that the plot isn't developing like what the promotional information released. I seriously feel Lee Da Hae's role is not important (as yet, and probably in the future too, 'cos that would be why she's quitting) and just like what someone above said: Park Hye Jin and Han Ji Hye are under-used.

And it's really unfortunate that other actors with roles related to Hye-rin are implicated.

But I'll continue to watch this drama for Park Hye Jin.

Let's stop criticising Lee Da Hae, alright? Focus on the plot instead.

Gosh, i just finished watching ON AIR, and the plot of said KDrama seems to be line what's happening to EAST OF EDEN. I begun to understandand how a Kdrama is developed because of this very successful drama (On Air). If all of those who commented against MBC has no idea that a TV station can't ever self-destruct their network by pissing off (pardon my french) any of the cast/artist involved in the production. It was also because of that kdrama that i understand why there are budget cuts happening (not withstandiing the present economy). With so many big names involve in East of Eden, these problems are bound to rise.

I pity the scriptwriters. Maybe one of the leads started complaining about their role that they have to change it affecting the original story. Could it be when the viewers started criticizing the acting of one of the actress (i forgot her name, is she SSH?), and i read from dramabeans how MBC protected her. Maybe they asked again the scripwriter to make her role much meatier, again affecting the original script, specifically LDH's role?

Again because of the kdrama ON AIR, i can not understand why the actresses are complaining just now. Didn't they read the storyline befoe they accepted the role? Wth just the plot, they should know already that East of Eden are about brothers and moreover a comeback of SSH. Therefore, they should not have accepted the role in the first place because this is bound to happen (of maybe they didn't thought of it because of the big money waved at their face?).

IN acting, actors should always remember that there are no small or big roles. It is how they play or act the role that matters. That's why i admire Meryl Streep, if she believes in the role and the movie, no matter how small or even just being a supporting actress, she tackles them with gusto. Same with our veteran actor here in my country, Eddie Garcia, who's still a great actor even at his 80s. He doesn't mind how small the role is, but he always gives his. He also doesn't mind about name billings, they can put it anywhere or not at all and you won't hear anything from him. He is such a great actor that he's already hall of famer as a lead actor as well as a Supporting actor. Another veteran actress who's already in her 70's or 80's was critically acclaimed recently because of her just 5-mins (or less) appearance in one movie.

In short, roles maybe made for an actress or actor, but i think it's their role to give life to said roles, not matter how small it is. As what Manager Jang said in ON AIR, i may regret my decision later, but it's my decision (and he stucked to it). So, LDH should have stuck to the role till the end even though she regretted accepting it. Even though you only have 8 minutes per episode, always give your best and you would definitely be noticed by the viewers

watch ON AIR and be enlightened with what's happening to EAST OF EDEN

Suprisingly, I stayed up all night to read all 163 comments just because it was interesting to get everyone's point of view and reasonings.

A lot of people criticized her for not sticking it out and thus branding her as unprofessional. It's interesting because how do we suppose an actress to act when she doesn't know her character? It's not acting when one just simply regurgitates from the script. How can we put life into something we simply cannot let our minds immerse in its history and past, understand its feelings and emotions to act as if we are that person? I think this is what she had admitted to herself, that she can't be HR because she is not HR anymore.

I don't think it's unprofessional, I think it's shows her integrity and value for her craft. It shows that she has a lot left to learn in her craft but she owned up to it.

on another note, I wonder if the rumor about SSH interference with the script is true.

I disagree with whoever who calls LDH unprofessional for leaving the production. On the contrary, I feel that LDH's decision is a representation of her professionalism. She is professional enough to know that she has to stop or else if she continues, whatever she produces would not be her best. Yes, it might have affected the whole drama but at least she is honest with her feelings. Why would she want to make a decision like that when it is obvious that her career will be affected and that people will definitely be unhappy? It is only because she cares a lot about her performance. And i respect her for that.

I support LDH's decision and i hope all her fans will continue to do so too! :)

I totally support LDH's decision to quit. I have watched a large section of the drama and was also wondering why LDH is playing like a supporting role. She is a marketable and reputable actress who is supposed to be the main driver and attraction of the drama. However, I was very disappointed that the main focus has been diverted to Lee Yeon Hee who is still not experienced enough to carry the load of a main actress. What attracted the audience to the drama was to watch the two big stars. Song Seung Hun and Lee Da Hee and not Lee Yeon Hee. If I were LDH, I will also quit the show. It is not about irresponsibility but principle and the commitment to her fans and the audience. She wants to bring to her fans and audience the best of her acting and dramas and would not in any way wants to jeopardize her acting career with such an unsuitable drama. There is nothing in the drama to show off her acting skills. I think it is very unfair to her to play second fiddle to LYH.

@ spring

I totally agree with you!
What really made the audiences attracted, excited and anticipicated for this drama is because of these two great actor and actress!!

The production confirmed that LDH will be the main lead and will be paired to SSH!! She felt used and deceived!
I think it's not LDH fault if she decided to depart from the drama!!
It's the production's messed!!

Lee da hae made the right decision. The direction and base of the development of her character was totally confusing and it is hard to carry on things when u loose faith in it. It is better to quit and not make urself look a fool. It is more about loving the work u r doing, getting deep into the character and enjoyin it...Keeping up with the role would have led her to frustation and low self esteem....

East of Eden SUCKS!!!!Lee Da Hae did right in quitting a series that undermined her and her role right from the start...we,ardent fans of hers are insulted and outraged at the minute and almost inconspicuous role accorded to her!We have been grossly misled!The series is a disaster n torturous to watch becoz of the ludicruous,haphazard script!Why SSH took on the role is anybody's guess...m sure it hasn't done anything to jumpstart his career.MBC should be more careful in its choice of scripts and advertising!
BRAVO,LDH,for your intergrity and for being true to yourself.We await your next series where u get top billing with bated breath.

So many things to be considered in accepting and rejecting a thing. But one thing I can share with you may be Lee Dae Hae is no longer enjoying playing her role. I appreciate a person who could express her side in a very difficult situation. Lee dae hae is just a woman who uses her right to express her decision.

imagine_af comments

I don’t know how to react to the rumors floating about, it’s hard to avoid them because it is in every media outlet right now.

I am just very heartbroken right now and if there is some truth to it (more on the management ), I cannot even imagine how much pain LDH went through being in a project that pushed her away because of the powers that be. The media, by the way is feasting on this. Pitting LDH and SSH against each other. I don’t know what to think, really because I don’t even have the energy to think anymore. It’s a David vs. Goliath thing. I don’t want to play the blame game.

If ever outside sources did make LDH go and she walks out taking flack for it, my admiration for her just shot up even more. She stuck through her principles and no person deserves that kind of treatment. Especially an AWARD-WINNING (I cannot stress this enough) and successful actress like her.

I ask people, why Lee Da Hae ran away in 75% complete production? Now that her character may get her focus, now that she is getting some sort of story… I ask why she suddenly ran away?

If we are going to talk egos here, Lee Da Hae could have left a 4% rating drama or another drama that portrayed her as a fragile leading lady that only showed her crying in melancholy.

If we are going to talk lack of screentime why not leave as early as Episode 12 when she didn’t even come out at all? Why not leave earlier?

Does she have an unprofessional streak? Tell that to the young woman who took off from the hospital in high fever and pneumonia, against the doctor’s orders to finish her cold scenes in “Robbers”. Her reason? She didn’t want the crew to suffer of losing their paycheck because she cannot shoot that day.
Tell that to her multitudes of co-stars and directors who have only the best things to say about her work ethic, tell that to the crew of My Girl and Robbers who were so touched that she knew every little one of them by name and considers them friends. From the camera man to the person who prepares their tea and plum wine. Tell that to someone who had a genuine friendship with the crew in EoE. Who had allies in this. Who patiently explained to her fans to wait for her. Why? why now?

LDH knew of her consequences something pushed her to do this and for her it has pained her so much, it was well worth the risk and gamble — being tagged as that woman who ran away from production. Being the unprofessional one. It was too much to bear that she is going out scathed with this label.

Does one really think that an actress who built her name for seven years without one scandal in her name left just for ego and pride?

There are two sides to every story. And maybe, this one… will never be heard. If she is going to be judged for this, over her past work, her past sacrifices… that’s sad, but for me she know she just jumped on a gamble. Maybe companies will rethink to hire her again, maybe this will affect her career for years to come. She is taking that gamble. That to me speaks volumes

I didn't like her at first when My Girl aired, nor did I'm her fan. But I understand her situation and her hard decision. She know what her stake is going to offer with this unpopular decision and she even admit she as an actress should stayed and committed to the very final. She know and understand that BETTER than any of us here.

But when we have been discussed and think throughly and our mental and physical can't bear the stress and depression did we need to PULL through till the last of our breath? Our mental and physical state is different and we can't bear it after TRYING VERY HARD then, we can't push ourself anymore. She is not that healthy. She is sick
It is not about screen time. Three minutes screen time did it filmed with three minutes. NO. It may be filmed hours or days.

I called this is her own decision which she has know the consequences and she knows better the REAL FACT and situation better than us. Did we never once made a life stake desicion which cause a STIR when ONLY US undertand WHY we DID that because they didn't be on our shoes.?

The irresponsible person IF they didn't talk, discuss, or try to solve it in every single possible way and the best that they can. LDH has tried the VERY BEST WAY that she can but at the end, her mental and physical stress just can't take it anymore. The other lay off from EoE is NOT merely because of her, but well, something DID happen when even WE tried VERY best to do THE VERY BEST WAY out of it. Then, the political thingy happen. MBC laid it and accused it because of LDH departures.

THE FACT: An assucation/perception should be based on FACT and WORK HISTORY and CONSISTENT PERFORMANCE

1) She has been acknowledge as a commited, responsible, thoughtful and admirable workers by ALL her previous collogeous.

2) In Robbers even she sick and can't act in cold season-her doctor advised but she still want to continue when thinking about others. With a very LOW rating drama Robber had that time, can you called THIS as a diva, egoistic MOVE?

3) She indeed has a perfect past performance of works ethic and commitment. Only EoE and God knows why did it happen. Even EoE allies admitted this. Her co-star, admitted as she being the most memorable person he ever worked with.

I can't believe, here WE those who always watched dramas etc, never realized THERE will always be two sided of a story. The story that left untold, unsaid and remain unknown or can't be revealed/fully revealed. The story that will misled us the outsiders. Here we repeated the same character that we criticized in the dramas. We are them, indeed.

lee da hae just a pretty actress...
she acting in east of eden make he more mature than in my girl...
but there is no reason she gave up east of eden...
or she might has problem with the guys...
who knows....
song seung hun or yeon jung hoon??
i will love her if she continue acting in east of eden until end....
but thank God the drama got daesang award...
ashamed lee da hae...
but i think she has her own reason...
i respect her so much....
i will support you....
hope you play your role in any drama as best as you can and not quit it....
FIGHTING!!!!
hope

Is it MBC that should apologies to LDH for having mislead her into EOE. If there is any changes to the roles then it should be discussed and agreed with her before they proceed to do the changes. This is basic respect and her right as a professional actress. Those who are not happy about this are just immature and it high time they grow up. Way to go LDH....we support your action! fighting!!!

I honestly can't fully blame Lee Da Hae for wanting to leave EOE. They writers didn't seem to know what to do with the character once they broke her up with Dong Wook.

Lee Da Hae's character appeared much later than the rest of the main cast members, at the beginning her character was the hopeful one, MHR was an intelligent, gifted and driven woman, and only in her scenes did i smile...that is until she started dating DW, was dumped, then randomly like 8 episodes later was supposed to start dating DC, who for some reason had never ever met her in all the time she had been interacting with the family and since his return (yes i know its the drama coincidence logic, but damn). Her character was lost the minute she got over her family issues, MHR lost interest, for the writers, the actress and for the fan's who could barely remember why she was there in the first place. I had no idea about the hype before the show, and expressly remember not being interested while the show was on, but once i did start to watch and get my hopes up, by was i in for a disappointment. The rest of the show should have bowed out when she bowed out, not that she was relevant a character enough to allow such actions, but one could only have clung to such hopes. Was LDH irresponsible, hell yes, did it really make a difference for her to bow out (too little too late), not at all, i mean seriously no one, and i mean no one on the show looked even slightly interested in her presence, other than the other female leads who sensed potential threat that never panned out. Could the writers have done more with her character, most definitely, the biggest mistake was trying to make her a romantic connection, had they given her more intelligence and made her the crusader for justice they had painted in the beginning i might have cared. EOE sucked, regardless of LDH, but at least for the last 8 episodes she was in more people tuned in to see how that ship was going to sail, only if i had known better and hopped along with her and not wasted more time in hope of something better to come. I also have to say I am an LDH anti-fan, the only time i ever liked her acting was in Sweet 18 with HJH and LDG where she was the evil other woman and boy did she pull that off, hoping she can bring back that bitchiness in Ripley, and maybe i'll reconsider her talent.

i like LDH.. I only watched East of Eden because she is the lead actress and a good one too. i trully understand how she felt when she try to express her feelings as she felt like a fool and couldn't act further in this type of situation......
try to be in her shoes and u can't really blame her for quitting....