correction, I meant second lead - Lee, not second leads.

I agree with you. I don't think he's completely overrated but sometimes i don't get what all the fuss is all about.

LJH is a decent good actor.
Hara is really young and pretty but let's see how her acting is.

After watching the series so far do you still think so?

Omg me too! I was like, I didn't know he was second leading...

I thought the same thing also! Not quite as physically built though, so I had a sneaky suspicion it wasn't him.

LOL! me too! but then, it wouldn't be so bad..viewers like us will benefit from it..hehehe. talking about hotness
overload (*.*)

lol, The Jetsons - you know, the old cartoon that was set in the future? She's saying the outfit looks futuristic and kinda silly.

Here's the intro, if you've never heard of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyinD6ZDqeg

Um, who are you? That's my username. jb and gf, I think what we have here is a case of stolen identity. And what moron doesn't know what the Jetsons are? Deprived childhood anyone?

I'm NOT envy of their legs, AT ALL!!

NO shhhhit Sherlock! Can those skirts hike any shorter before their broadcast commissioner ban the show from airing?

I better see her do some Step Up moves in that episode, not just some Shirley Temple curtsies.

I cant not figure out if its a long shirt or a really really tiny skirt. I hope lee min ho outfits are also tiny

The purpose of becoming an idol is to become actors in most cases. Unless an idol can succeed as a solo artist, there is a huge difference in earnings power. A star actress would make (on acting only) just as much as some girl groups make (on albums sales only) in a year with one drama. That's 2~3 months of work that's equivalent to a year of album sales. But the groups must also divide their profits among its members and actress doesn't.

It wasn't always easy for idols to get acting gigs. It's only been recently that idol agencies began investing in dramas and movies with the condition of using their idols. Adding that to the fact that idols are usually cheaper and they bring some fans at this low cost.

Most idols will say that they have dreams of acting.

Idol nowadays have a much easier time becoming actors. Years ago, it was much looked down upon to have idols acting in dramas. Now, more idols are getting acting gigs while the real actors (mostly
newbies) are having a tough time getting gigs.

A lot contribute the success of idols turned actors to Yoon Eun Hye. But when she first started acting, there were strikes and petitions trying to get her out of the production. Even Gong Yoo himself had to be convinced to try acting with her in Coffee Prince because he hd the perception of her just being an idol, not an actress. And now she is like the highest paid and most sought- after actress in Korea. Now, idols don't see strikes and petitions like that anymore, so they should be thankful.

It does bother me a lot when idols who can't act get leads or some supporting part in a drama. I don't think it's fair. If they have a cameo, that's fine but that should be it if they can't act. If they can act, then go to an audition and they shouldn't use their idol power to get a part if they can really act.

Some idol stars are just like newbie actors to me. They sign onto an agency with dreams of acting but then their agency puts them in an idol group and so they learn a little singing and dancing, and they're usually the less talented ones of the group. And then with their idol status they earn popularity and so it gets easier to get acting gigs.

"So basically you’ll get a better chance getting into acting if you become an idol star first?."

Starting out as an idol is a good way to become an entertainer of some sort. You may end up hosting variety shows, acting in banjun dramas, having small parts in sitcoms, etc. You might even become a lead actor some day.

However, the chances of somebody successfully debuting as an idol is extreme low. Even if you get accepted into a company, only a very small number end up every debuting. Among those who debut, only handful of members from popular groups will ever get a shot at any acting gig. And so on.

HOWEVER, this is a good way for a teenager to learn the craft and network. So even though you never debut, you do get acting lessons and singing lessons and you get to know people who may end up actors. THEN, you can become a theater major (many K-drama leads have some kind of acting degree) or enter the MBC/KBS/SBS acting schools.

So that explains the hooker apparel....

(in the voice of the Oracle)

There is no skirt.

Too funny, I did not notice the sparklies...so stripper-esque.

The blue part of her dress reminds me of the bags that they put rice in, but colored blue of course.

Too bad they only took the zipper... A little extra fabric on that skirt couldn't make it any uglier.

I thought MSOAN had the weirdest styling ever...

They ran out of budget hiring MGY and JGS that they ran out of budget for man-clothes and man-hairdressers.

JGS had to share stylists and costumes with MGY.

Most of the drama and movie investors hold shares in idol groups and agency.

For example, CJ group owns Mnet, Core (T-ara) and is a shareholder of YG (Big Bang) This explains how these idols can easily get certain CFs and acting roles. There are many other agencies that are invested by groups under many different names.

Ehhh not really . . . Korea's nowhere like Taiwan or Japan in the idol-actor department.

It's a reflection of the shows being made. Since Boys Before Flowers, there's been more youth dramas being made, thus you've seen more young idols in support and lead roles. A lot of these youth dramas are also keyed to the Hallyu market, in particular Japan and Taiwan (thus remaking Hana Yori Dango, City Hunter, It Started with a Kiss), and so it makes sense for them to try casting a member of Kara, who's aggressively hitting the Japanese market.

I feel these youth dramas are kinda being made in the same kind of market vacuum that the previous melodramas. Most of them will do very poorly in Korea, but they're being made for the Hallyu market. The fact that Korean pop culture is starting to reach Japanese girls in addition to their mums presents a big shift in the business model.

Will Korea ever follow the rest of Asia and turn much primetime drama into a marketing wing for SM, YG, and the other idol companies? Probably not, but these youth dramas are growing.