Yonsama lookalike in A Star’s Lover
by javabeans
When Choi Ji-woo‘s current drama, A Star’s Lover, was being planned, there was particular attention to the Japanese market, given her popularity there. Hopes were high that this series would be a hit with its two big-name leads (Choi and movie star Yoo Ji-tae), so I suppose the decision to cast a Bae Yong-joon lookalike actor as Choi’s character’s ex-lover was done in fun and maybe even some fan-service. After all, it’s on the basis of their drama Winter Sonata alone that Ji-woo-hime and Yonsama amassed such huge fanbases overseas, particularly in Japan.
Philip Choi (Soulmate), above, made his first “real-time” appearance on the drama this week (he’d been teased in flashbacks and memories thus far), and I think it’s hilarious how much effort they went through to make him look, seem, and act like Bae Yong-joon. The hair particularly makes me laugh.
Philip Choi and Bae Yong-joon
Yeah, Philip Choi (who is seven years younger than Bae) has been noted for the resemblance in the past, but I think their auras and styles are so different when Choi is doing his own thing that you wouldn’t really confuse one for the other. But that’s when he’s not being told to imitate Yonsama, of course.
I know Choi was part of the drama from the start, but given that the drama isn’t performing so well, his appearance unfortunately comes off kind of like a last-ditch casting stunt. (The ratings have been stuck consistently in the 7%-8% range, versus dramas Kingdom of the Wind and this weeks’ new entry, Return of Iljimae.)
Via TV Report
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Tags: A Star's Lover, Bae Yong-joon, Philip Choi
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1 Carmie
January 24, 2009 at 3:07 PM
Lol! They did try to make him look a lot like Yonsama but they still are different. Plus there's something about Phillip Choi that is better to me. Maybe because Yonsama needs to finally ditch the ponytail and opt for a better look.
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2 dae
January 24, 2009 at 4:34 PM
i'd say the closest i think that would look like yonsama so far in terms of masculinity is that new guy in the legend - Philip Lee... i literally got infatuated with him... and was hoping to see him more in the coming dramas... would you know by any chance if he was doing any at the moment? films maybe? am desperate!
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3 meh
January 24, 2009 at 5:10 PM
i found it painful watching him during that episode.. it was so obvious and irritating.. it doesn't help that his character is a complete tool.... what happened to this once captivating drama??? sigh
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4 Bellamafia
January 24, 2009 at 5:23 PM
@dae : Phillip Lee is going to be in a new drama "Guys Talk", replacing BOF.
You might wanna check on soompi forum.
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5 ed
January 24, 2009 at 5:54 PM
haha, "I was a male Yonsama impersonator." nice.
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6 Tushka
January 24, 2009 at 6:16 PM
I've been watching Star's Lover and I really like this drama. Yes, the ratings are low, which I don't understand. I did not notice the simularities. But, once it was pointed out, I must admit, they are very slight.
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7 DELE
January 24, 2009 at 7:21 PM
I was laughing so hard with the hair style..originality out the window:)
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8 coolsmurf
January 24, 2009 at 8:37 PM
i feel that the drama has lost its way and the certain charm that it held in the beginning. showing its fatique i guess. so no more recaps, javabeans?
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9 Devi
January 24, 2009 at 10:54 PM
i def. enjoy reading your re-caps of the series more than the actual series itself... especially after the draggy/repetitive fiasco that was episode 12. i'm not a fan of yonsama - he's got a bit of a michael jackson resemblance to him that doesn't sit well with me - so Philip Choi's final entrance into the drama really doesn't do much for me.
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10 zero2303
January 24, 2009 at 11:19 PM
LOL, what a lame attempt to get a BYJ lookalike to boost up the drama rating & for the japanese mkt.
Such a disappointing cheap mkting strategy will not work.
SBS donot need to do that if the script is powerful.
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11 pinklover
January 24, 2009 at 11:27 PM
I was thinking of dropping this drama as well, but I have decided to finish it (though, I'll probably end up fast forwarding half the time) since CJW and YJT have great chemistry.
Is it just me, but Philip Choi resembles Lee Ji Hoon as well in that pic with his glasses on.
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12 Bolt
January 25, 2009 at 4:44 AM
Even the trench coast is like the one wore by BYJ in Winter Sonata.
I guess, like you said, I also thought it was a marketing gimmicks. Nevertheless, CJW acted well at the last scene of Episode 14.
The Tootsie of Korea really needs a haircut.
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13 merl
January 25, 2009 at 5:40 AM
I am enjoying this drama...it is much better than most Korean dramas the past year...it is realistic and closer to the truth than many of us realize. I think the cast and writers and directors are doing well...the flaws of the drama are negligible and does not damage the over-all story line. So in this site many may all rant and rave about why it sucks but on the other hand there are as much if not more people loving it...maybe not in Korea ( because frankly, this is not a typical K-drama) but the rest of the world (if you believe the different translations in Vikii) is watching. Most viewers are not script writers or critics, so they really don't focus on the style of acting or how inane some of the scenes can be...it's the over-all message of the drama that matters, and here it says that nothing is impossible if we are brave enough to love and fight for that love.
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14 Sveta
January 25, 2009 at 6:01 AM
Wow, he really looks like Yonsama in that picture! But I think Philip Choi looks more like Lee Ji Hoon :)
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15 Ovette
January 25, 2009 at 7:05 AM
when Choi Philip arrived from the airport... i just had to take a second look.. his HAIR (w/ the long bangs and ponytail) looks soooo much like BYJ.. waaahh.. convinced they're separated at birth..? :)
i love SL.. and STILL lovin it! i hope you continue your synopses for it..
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16 dae
January 25, 2009 at 9:11 AM
thanks much! BellaMafia ... i'll look it up
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17 Fel
January 25, 2009 at 12:38 PM
I'm never gonna look at Choi Philip with the same eyes again... the fact that it seems so easy to mimmick Bae Yong Joon, should be ha hint to at least ditch the ponytail.
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18 mimi
January 25, 2009 at 4:50 PM
oh my god they look a like hahahahha
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19 ar
January 25, 2009 at 5:24 PM
hilarious!
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20 belleza
January 25, 2009 at 8:03 PM
In the first picture, Philip Choi looks like an Asian Simon Baker. Korea is a magical, magical country.
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21 didi
January 27, 2009 at 5:54 PM
oh godd! i had to do a doubletake...wow!
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22 cathy
February 5, 2009 at 6:53 PM
He look manly than BYJ
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23 Ruthlene
March 4, 2009 at 11:22 PM
To me there's a very slight resemblance between Choi Philip & Bae Yong Joon.
Overall, I love Star's Lover because of its beautiful storyline, soundtrack, cinematography & most of all the two leading actors, Choi Ji woo & Yoo Ji Tae. Their chemistry on screen was the best of all the Korean dramas I ever seen. I had seen a lot of Korean dramas & I would rate Star's Lover #10 out of 10. It was perfectly done & it deserved to win more awards than just the Best new director award. This drama will be long remembered by its fans (a soompi forum was created for this great drama).
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24 kate09
March 14, 2009 at 2:02 AM
I like CJW...i mean, who dosen't like this megastar of korea?...but the drama is boring...She was probably paired to every major male stars of korea...so who's next..rain?? I'm getting tired of her always playing the roles of the cry baby. i mean, she's not young anymore..forget the winter sonata days...she needs to get into roles that have more substance, more challenging stuff...really off-beat roles..get into something really rotten. She has star value...but as an actress, she bores me to death.....i like her to do stuff that dosen't need male-in-demand-handsome-hunks as her leading men...something that she can pull it off by herself. I love to see her in the ACTRESS category and not some pretty babe in the magazine cover or commercials. After all, she should be offering much more dynamic performances being known all over asia and perhaps...even the world.
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