Fusion sageuk Warrior Baek Dong-soo has its hero

68 April 25, 2011

by javabeans

This means Kim Bum is out of the running; Ji Chang-wook is taking the lead role in upcoming manhwa-adapted action sageuk drama Warrior Baek Dong-soo (formerly called Honorable Baek Dong-soo).

Kim Bum may have had the mane-of-glory-in-training, but it’ll be Ji Chang-wook who gets to flaunt his in the drama, all while flashing some serious martial arts moves as the titular hero. Baek Dong-soo was a real-life figure who created a martial arts guide in the Joseon era, though this drama takes much of its inspiration from the manhwa.

I’m definitely looking forward to this, not only because it stars two very solid actors: the veteran, Choi Min-soo (Sandglass, Father’s House), and the talented up-and-comer, Nam Ji-hyun, who’s starting to transition from child roles into adolescent ones (she’s 16). She notably played young Queen Seon-deok, and had strong performances playing childhood parts in Will It Snow For Christmas and Giant, but now she’ll take on a more mature role as the recipient of Crown Prince Sado’s love. Aw, someone’s all growed up.

In addition to that, Ji Chang-wook is a serious cutie, and I’d wondered when he’d get his breakout. You could say he already got it with the daily drama Smile, Dong-hae, after first coming onto the scene as the adorable youngest brother in Sons of Sol Pharmacy. I loved him in the latter, playing a guy with an unabashed love of craft projects that were sneered upon as sissy-ish by the men around him, and by all reports Dong-hae is performing strongly in the ratings. But it takes something more dynamic, a character with strong screen presence, to take him to the next level into leading man territory. We’ll see if Warrior Baek Dong-soo is that project.

This drama is a fusion martial-arts sageuk set in the Joseon era, with Baek Dong-soo being the noble warrior at its center. Key players involve Crown Prince Sado, son of king Yeongjo who advocated for the abolishment of the aristocratic class system. (He’s also the man at the center of much speculation and conspiracy-theorizing, some of which we saw in Sungkyunkwan Scandal, as he died when he was locked up in a chest for days under his father’s orders. There were rumors that he was mentally ill, but others believe those were falsified claims. Sungkyunkwan‘s Geumdeungjisa was supposedly a crucial document incriminating his father, which was sought out by Prince Sado’s son, King Jeongjo.)

Lee Jia was reportedly a leading possibility for the lead female role, but has since been dropped from contention, which isn’t surprising given the massive scandal still raging about her secret marriage and divorce to Seo Taiji. Something tells me she’s not done losing roles yet. According to drama reps, the field has been narrowed to three actresses, and will probably be decided very soon.

The series will be a Monday-Tuesday show on SBS to premiere in July, and comes from the directors of Tazza and OB-GYN. It begins shooting at the end of the month.

Via Segye, E Daily

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1 ohemgee

April 25, 2011 at 9:27 PM

awww no kim bum and his MOG, but this guy's cute too! ;)

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MJP

April 26, 2011 at 12:16 AM

Bummer... or should I say no Bummie?

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muggledor^^

April 26, 2011 at 2:18 AM

I got my heart set out on BUM :(

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nadia

April 26, 2011 at 2:53 PM

Bum was starting to gross me out, with his seriously girly and feminine looks, while protesting I-can-look-manly-I-swear! I agree with something javabeans said in one of her many recaps: he's a man-boy.

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:D

April 27, 2011 at 9:21 PM

i think kim bum's smile (when he's acting) looks a little phony...

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2 Ruby

April 25, 2011 at 9:30 PM

good for Ji Chang Wook! this guy is seriously underrated, and i'm glad he's getting recognition! i loved him in Sons of Sol Pharmacy too!! he was super cute as Mi-Poong :D

fighting, Wookie!!

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3 he

April 25, 2011 at 9:32 PM

Choi min su is great. looking forward him playing another great role.

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4 Jessie

April 25, 2011 at 9:36 PM

I'm okay if it's not Kim Bum. That guy over there looks HOT himself.
Okay count me in. :)

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5 danna

April 25, 2011 at 9:39 PM

YAY !!!!!...I love Ji Chang Wook...especially 'cuz I'm watching SOSPH right now and loving it and his Mi Piung...I'm a little sad it's not Bummie but since Bummie is showing some serious mane-of-glory in training as you said I think he maybe looking at some sageuk project or (he's just going through some weird hair growing fetish)...also am seriously glad Lee Jia's out of the running and Nam Ji Hyun is such a cutie and glad that she's transitioning into mature roles....so is she like second lead here??....also if she's Sado's love then that cant end well right?!..also please can we have Kim So Eun for lead (or Park Bo Young though the likelihood for that is low since she's doing that movie)

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oh yes

April 25, 2011 at 10:47 PM

Yeah. I have a blind love for Kim So Eun, anything about her I'm so totally in.

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6 ditdut

April 25, 2011 at 9:41 PM

I am IN IN IN!!!! My Mipung in something I can follow again! Can't Kim Bum be in it too??? Like be his sidekick or something? Bromance with these two would be so giggle inducing!

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7 Alvina

April 25, 2011 at 9:54 PM

Ahh, I love him! He had very solid parts in Smile, Dong-hae and Sol Pharmacy and I'm sure he'll be equally as great in this! :D

Cant wait. I'm not much into saeguks but it'll be worth look lol

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8 Bellamafia

April 25, 2011 at 10:05 PM

Don't know who he is.. but he's very handsome! :)

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9 Dux

April 25, 2011 at 10:07 PM

Tears. I was so looking forward to Bummie with Mane of Glory

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10 diorama

April 25, 2011 at 10:18 PM

Egad, Nam JiHyun really looks like a younger version of Lee Yo Won (who played adult Queen Seon Duk). That surprised me - most often the younger actors don't resemble their adult counterparts at all.

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11 natureii

April 25, 2011 at 10:18 PM

T_T No Kim Bum..ok Ill re-watch Lie to Me teaser....http://youtu.be/IuubmyK5o5I

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12 funnylittlefishy

April 25, 2011 at 10:25 PM

but..butbubtbut... BUMMIE???!!! no bummie? but...I wanted to see him in 16 straight episodes of glorious mane-ness :...(
I wanted to see him in ANYTHING! *sniff sniff*....kim bummie I miss you!! come back to the drama world so I can swoon at you every time you come on screen! 그리워요!

This Ji Chang-wook better have some mane of glory >.<

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13 joZD

April 25, 2011 at 11:00 PM

nam ji hyun?!!! I'm innnnnnnnnnnnnn!

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Cam

April 26, 2011 at 4:54 PM

FEEEEEEEEEEL YOU!!!! =D =D =D

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14 crazedlu

April 25, 2011 at 11:22 PM

thank goodness lee jia is NOT up for leading lady. o_0;

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15 Selli

April 26, 2011 at 12:19 AM

He doesn't look very bad-ass either, but I can see him kind of pulling off the martial arts thing, so let's see!!!! ^^

And she really is a cutie =D

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16 Arhazivory

April 26, 2011 at 12:24 AM

Man! I wanna watch this! :D

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17 Yo

April 26, 2011 at 2:55 AM

Is it just me or you guys also think that he resembles Lee Min Ho + Kim Sung Oh (Hyun Bin's secretary in SG)?? :D

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18 roms

April 26, 2011 at 3:17 AM

i like his acting in SOSP...he's so adorable and also in Smile..Donghae.This guy here will come a long way.Keep it up!!

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19 jomo143

April 26, 2011 at 4:51 AM

I love Nam Ji-hyun, I honestly love her.
She has killed me at least 3 times, and I was always sad to see her character grow up.

As far as the mane-of-glory training, it is not for the weak of follicle. Whle the average anchoring strengths for normal anagen (growing) and telogen (resting) hair is 71g and 70g respectively with variation up to +/- 16g, Mane of Glory hair needs to treble that in order to qualify.

It appears Ji Chang-wook's telogen has joined JGS, JIW, LJK, YAI in the ranks of 210g. I am astounded!

BTW, he's got a nice devilish grin. Let's hope they focus on the fun parts of poor Sado's life, rather than the horrifying end...

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20 sb

April 26, 2011 at 4:53 AM

Nam Ji Hyun is so adorable and great QSD. Can't wait to see her in this! And Ji Chang Wook I only saw in Hero, but he's a bona fide cutie. :P

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21 diy

April 26, 2011 at 5:03 AM

yeah for ji chang wook! totally adores him in smile, again! such an underrated actor! looking forward for this.

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22 YY

April 26, 2011 at 5:06 AM

So cute. I love him already. But not as much as my kang-ah.

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jomo143

April 26, 2011 at 5:21 AM

If I am not mistaken, your Kang-ah isn't your Kang-ah either...
Be careful, girl! There are nut-jobs out there ready to cut you for saying less.

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Linda165

April 26, 2011 at 5:52 AM

And those "nut-jobs"are always in the look out! Just saying...

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YY

April 26, 2011 at 6:01 AM

Don't worry, I know how to protect my own....*oiling chainsaw*

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Linda165

April 26, 2011 at 5:16 PM

This girl and her killing machines, jongmal!!

I'M.NOT.SCARED.OF.YOU.

jomo143

April 26, 2011 at 6:37 AM

Linda165,

I hope the "165" does not refer to:

2011 Penal Code Section 165
CHAPTER 9. ASSAULT AND BATTERY

that I learned about on CSI:Kdrama?

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Linda165

April 26, 2011 at 5:20 PM

Man... I miss Grissom :( I couldn't recover from his loss :(

Anywho, I can't tell you about the 165 because the feds won't let me talk about my past... because of that witness protection program stuff.

23 jeri

April 26, 2011 at 5:08 AM

he is a cutie and i wanted to watch smile, dong hae but 169 eps?! couldnt so im really reeeeeeeally excited about this! BRING ON JULYYY!!!

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24 deeko

April 26, 2011 at 5:54 AM

Okay, now I'm interested.

Not that Kim Bum's not a good actor but there's just something very charming about Ji Chang-Wook. I was a bit disappointed by "Smile, Dong-hae", not because of him but some of his supporting cast and the dragging storyline. He tried his best but I just couldn't stick to it. :(

So, maybe he'll shine here. I'm looking forward to it. Bring it on! Thanks for the update, JB.

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25 Linda165

April 26, 2011 at 5:58 AM

Well, he's cute. Small hands, thou... Good for craft projects. Maybe I'll check Sons of Sol Pharmacy next.

Prince Sado's death is also portrait in Yi San.

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YY

April 26, 2011 at 6:02 AM

I like small hands.

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jomo143

April 26, 2011 at 6:39 AM

Small hands?
Pffffffffffff, then, I'm OUT!

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26 supah

April 26, 2011 at 6:05 AM

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSS!!!

itsnotkimbumitsnotkimbumitsnotkimbumitsnotkimbumitsnotkimbumitsnotkimbumitsnotkimbumitsnotkimbum

(Sorry Girlfriday. Hopefully he'll sport a mane of glory in something that ISN'T Honourable Baek Dong-soo. Ha!)

Eeeeeh! So excited! *giddy*

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27 rbrow32

April 26, 2011 at 7:40 AM

lee ji ah, I hope u can to be lead in this project

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gala

April 26, 2011 at 12:10 PM

im still muddled with the storyline. but if she becomes lead, would that mea as a partner for JCW? oh please no!
even with her "fabricated" age, she still looks miles and miles older than JCW.

but i do have to apologize for that, but i was never a LJA fan. the recent scandal isnt helping my negative biasedness towards her dissipate. her involvement in some dramas turn me off. [like my refusal to watch Beethoven Virus cause I cant stand to see her.] but this is just personal opinion, of course. still, for the sake of this project, i hope she's not casted.

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supah

April 26, 2011 at 3:56 PM

Word, gala. You've said it all.
No offense to fans of LJA, but meh... I'm honestly not open to the idea.
Scandals aside, her acting is weaksauce and I couldn't for the life of me continue with Beethoven's Virus and Legend, mostly because of her.

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28 mary

April 26, 2011 at 8:37 AM

If Lee Min Ho and Choi Si Won made babies, they'd grow up looking like this guy.

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29 EmoBunny

April 26, 2011 at 9:56 AM

Hmmm....he looks kinda cute :)
And Nam Ji-Hyun reminds me of Kim So Eun for some reason.....
they sorta have the same facial features ^_^

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30 glacierkn

April 26, 2011 at 12:48 PM

Whoahhh, I though it was Lee Min Ho at first! He's so hot! I'm definitely going to watch this...it sounds high action and amazing.

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31 da

April 26, 2011 at 12:57 PM

So sad Lee ji ah isn't in here. I like her a lot and still supporter her. I don't care about the news about her divorce to Seo Taiji.

Yeah Nam Ji-hyun is in this drama. I've been waiting for ever to see her again. I love her in Queen Seon-deok, Will It Snow For Christmas and Giant. She a good actress. Some day I wish to see her team up with her co-star Kim Soo Hyun again. I love them in "Will It Snow For Christmas" and in "Giant."

I hope Nam Ji-hyun can play the leading role someday.

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32 park hey young

April 26, 2011 at 1:27 PM

I like him in Dong-hae and that ramen commercial.

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33 JAM

April 26, 2011 at 3:47 PM

Reminds one of Lee Min-ho, no?

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34 Marcy

April 26, 2011 at 4:57 PM

Whaaaaaaaaaat?! o___O my Kim Bummie is already out, THEN this guy, Baek Dong Soo is already IN this drama ??

Oh, aigggoooooooo..........>=O >=O (sad puppy pouts) I can't believe that........(shook my head) That's very sad, but I am still rooting for Kim Bum will be in ANOTHER drama SOOOOOON!!!!!!!!

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35 supah

April 26, 2011 at 4:58 PM

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGHHHH!!!!

*ecstatic*

Yeo Jin-gu has been cast too!

OMGGGG!!!!
OMGGG!!!
Can't breathe. Too happy.

I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight.

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Linda165

April 26, 2011 at 5:23 PM

Dugu?

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Linda165

April 26, 2011 at 5:24 PM

Never mind... I googled him.

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supah

April 27, 2011 at 3:24 PM

Ohhh... But google won't tell you he's a child prodigy who will Blow. Your. Mind.
And that he was totally, completely robbed of a Child Star Baeksang. *sobs*
Because for some unknown reason both the SBS Awards and the Baeksangs seem to have dropped the Child Star category lately.

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supah

April 27, 2011 at 3:25 PM

Star? I mean Actor. D'oh!

36 jandoe

April 26, 2011 at 5:59 PM

that girl-actress literally stole my breath away in her acting chops in WISFC when i watched it about a month back. first time since Moon Geun Young did this happen to me!

surprisingly, i might just check this out for her alone!

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37 Niam

April 26, 2011 at 6:47 PM

why is tht whn a scandal like Lee ji Ah or MC Mong airs out, the whole of S. Korea nation is nt so 4giving. I understand the case w MC Mong but w Lee Ji Ah and Seo Taji, I think it's their business wat happens in their life.

As a kpop-kdrama aficinado, pls tell me why are ppl judging without knowing the basis of their breakup. Look @ case of Tiger Woods with his crimes. He was forgiving but American haven't 4goten what he did 2 his family. All they want is for him to get his Game back.

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38 cathy

April 26, 2011 at 8:04 PM

Good , no LJA , i can not watch her acting , stiff , no expression , i really do not care regarding her english skill
nor her marriage life .

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39 DC

April 26, 2011 at 11:01 PM

Sad no Kim Bum, but definitely excited for Ji Chang Wook! He is great on Donghae and definitely deserves a big breakout role!

And yes, he's gorgeous. Hehe.

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40 Dara

April 27, 2011 at 2:00 AM

Meh not yet stirred!!

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41 estee

April 27, 2011 at 4:32 AM

Feel sorry that Ljia is not in...not that i am a great fan of her but i really hope she is able to take this blow on top of what is happening to her now. Getting married so young , i am sure she lives her life as guided by her older husband and yet she really paid the price for marrying young now.
Be strong Ljia.....do not wish to see another depress and suicide case...am sure you will be able to sail thro this ....be strong, fighting!!

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42 jessie

April 27, 2011 at 10:06 PM

Hey I heard Yoo Seung Ho is joining the cast too!! Excited for this one already!!

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43 DC

April 28, 2011 at 1:12 PM

Since this show will be full of action, they better get Ji Chang Wook shirtless and stuff because he's got an amazing body. ;) I can definitely see him doing action.

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44 fm

May 1, 2011 at 9:12 AM

I love him in Smile,Dong Hae because he'so great potraying Dong Hae character.I'm glad he get a new lead role.Like everyone said he's underrated...his smile just so bright and sweet...I can't wait to wach this drama especially both my favorite actors in it.(Ji Chang Wook,Yoo Seung Hoo)

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45 Angel

May 9, 2011 at 3:38 AM

aww. so sad, LJA was dropped with this role. I hope she can have a next drama even if she's been in the controversial situation right now. GO LJA !!

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46 JJ

June 2, 2011 at 11:41 AM

i luv ji chang wook he's grt in sons of sol pharm. & smile dong hae, i agree with one of the comments that he seems underrated but hope they recognize him more/more since he's one young grt actor these days! fighting!

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47 JJ

June 6, 2011 at 3:24 PM

JCW reminds me of Lee min ho but i think i like JCW more no offense LMH fans coz i like him too but just siting my opinion! i luv this actor in sons of sol pharm & now am watching dong hae & cldn't get enuf of his charm! i surely will watch this one coz of him!