Choi Kang-hee as Joo-won’s potential leading lady
by javabeans
We’ve finally got a potential co-star for Joo-won in the upcoming rom-com spy drama Secret Agent War, with the latest reports telling us that Choi Kang-hee (Protect the Boss) has been offered the role and is considering it favorably. As she’s currently filming a movie, according to her agency Keyeast, both sides are working out scheduling issues.
I mean this in the nicest way possible: Noooooooooo.
There are so many reasons this feels weird and off-putting to me, mostly because it’s an odd coupling. Individually, I can see both actors working. Choi can do feisty, and she had a pretty ballsy character in Protect the Boss, so she should fit in playing a secret agent who hides her work from her boyfriend. But together?
It’s not strictly the age difference, although that’s definitely a concern with Choi being a 1977-er and Joo-won a 1987-er. Or should I say the mere numbers aren’t the issue, because I’ve long since gotten used to drama heroines being noonas (that’s just a fact of life in an industry where your most eligible actor-bachelors have to take two years off in the army). Lee Min-ho and Kim Hee-sun have the same ten-year gap between them but I don’t really care about the age difference in Faith.
But Joo-won just seems like a baby, with his aegyo personality and little-boy ways, and Choi Kang-hee definitely has a more mature vibe. The whole fun of the source movie (Level 7 Civil Servant) was that they were on equal footing, both in love and in their spy confrontations. I want hot romance, not Adventures in Babysitting! (Must remind myself of Joo-won’s powerful on-screen transformations. Arg. But who can recall Gaksital’s fierceness when you’ve got images of Joo-won squealing over moths and bees running on an endless mental loop?)
Secret Agent War is being planned as a 20-episode drama and will air in January 2013.
RELATED POSTS
- Joo-won signs on to rom-com spy drama
- Joo-won interview: Ratings man and aegyo boy
- Joo-won offered Level 7 Civil Servant remake
- Kim Tae-hee to headline Level 7 Civil Servant remake?
- Protect the Boss posters and character stills
- Protect the Boss changes name, adds to cast
- Choi Kang-hee’s sexy assassin transformation
- Drama version of Civil Servant in the works
Tags: Choi Kang-hee, Joo-won
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151 kreollti
October 19, 2012 at 7:48 AM
Do in reality korean women like to date younger men?
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Ara
October 19, 2012 at 9:30 AM
Nope, not really. Men everywhere go for younger girls but in East Asia it's really frowned upon to date an older girl... these 'rules' are a little different in the entertainment circle where people are pretty unconventional to begin with but in general I think there are a ton of noona dramas not because it's normal but because it's so 'abnormal' and subversive... lol.
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152 ck1Oz
October 19, 2012 at 8:18 AM
245 comments later. I came back. Nope. Still don't agree with the pairing although separately love him, and like her.
Together though? The casting director must have been out of his/her blinking mind. It's not a cast of acting ability- it's the whole casting choice. Are they feeling all there Korea this week?
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153 jolli
October 19, 2012 at 8:23 AM
Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
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154 jolli
October 19, 2012 at 8:23 AM
Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
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155 chichiri
October 19, 2012 at 1:23 PM
LOL at the overwhelming response. We feelin' a bit overprotective of our resident aegyo machine, aren't we?
I don't have the patience to read all four pages of "NOOOOOOO", so I'll just go ahead and throw in a suggestion (pardon if she's been already mentioned):
Uhmmm.. Lee Chung ah, perhaps?
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Addyloveswood
October 19, 2012 at 4:11 PM
umm no. declined!! lol
i wonder if the directors ever read online rants and raves
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jyyjc
October 19, 2012 at 7:11 PM
Hmm I do like lee chungah, it could work with her.
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Enz
October 19, 2012 at 9:50 PM
Hah.. She was MY first choice too. I just really think she has great comic timing and good acting too. I so wished for this pairing but will have to trust that the producers know what they are doing . And if they get it wrong, then just don't watch . What's the big deal?
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AddyLovesBwood
October 19, 2012 at 11:02 PM
Big deal is that it'll ruin Joo Won's high rating reputation. Automatic disqualification from any best couple awards as he was also unlucky being paired with Oh Mok Dan in Bridal Mask. U get the gist?
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enz
October 19, 2012 at 11:51 PM
if its a drama that ppl enjoy and both act well, then the drama should do well. i dont know about these awards. if someone is a good actor, one bad drama shouldnt affect their whole career. until we watch the drama, how will we know this pairing wont work?
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156 Addyloveswood
October 19, 2012 at 4:01 PM
I have nothing against the age difference!! The lead actress is okay just not an OTP with JooWon.
1. I wasn't crazy about Joo won + Uee pair in OJAK brothers..but they were kinda cute
2. Joo Won had zero chemistry with Jin Se Yun in Bridal Mask.
3. Now they wanna pair him with this soon to be ahjumma?? arrrggghhhhhhh j/k... I'd prefer Kim Tae Hee.
4. I just want to see Joo Won paired with a heroine that actually compliments him!!
I suggest:
1. Hwang Jung Eum (CYHMH) (alto shes not an action figure)
2. Lee Yoon Ji ( I wud kill to see her as lead )
3. Han Chae Ah (Gaksital) She n Joo won are perfect 2gether!!! omgggggggg
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157 Arhazivory
October 19, 2012 at 5:35 PM
Wow....this thread has ballooned into a 'NO' chorus.
I'm still singing the same tune.
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158 SYR
October 19, 2012 at 7:01 PM
Oh dear...Please no. They don't look good together.
I love them both but I just cant imagine them together. The combo just looks too weird. :/
They should try casting a younger lead female. Tho I'm not sure of any young female actresses who can be sweet yet fierce at the same time.
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159 Joy
October 19, 2012 at 10:37 PM
Just wishing what could have been if YEH had done this instead of the very dull sounding I Miss You...
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imyura
October 20, 2012 at 12:54 AM
she didn't wanna do another romcom.
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160 joykim
October 19, 2012 at 11:09 PM
CKH looked ok for me with Jaejoong in Protect The Boss. She's not pretty but cute enough to be likeable. She doesn't normally look as old as above posted pic. I think this pairing may work.
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161 imyura
October 20, 2012 at 12:52 AM
Taken from the original article posted on Dec. 14
here were the actresses that they wanted for this drama
The script-writing for this drama will be undertaken by Chun Sung Il, the original writer of the movie “My Girlfriend Is An Agent” and the drama “Chuno”. The male lead role of Han Gil Roo, will be picked from U-Know Yunho or Song Joong Ki, while the female lead role of Kim Seo Won, will be chosen from Park Shin Hye, Yoon Eun Hye, Han Hyo Joo, Shin Se Kyung or Shin Mina. It was also revealed that Joo Won (role of Gong Do Ha), Ryu Seung Ryong (role of Park Jong Joo), Sung Dong Il (role of Kim Won Suk) have already been scheduled to appear in the drama.
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162 Lilith
October 20, 2012 at 2:23 AM
Serves you right!
So many complained about Jin Se Yeon in Bridal Mask and hated on her so disgustingly. (You only have to read the comments on Viki.)
Now you get what you wanted - a experienced actress, but one you probably never wanted for Babyface-Joo Won. xD
I'm so happy! Thank you karma! <3
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163 glo
October 20, 2012 at 4:24 AM
I love Joo Won & CKH individually; as a couple - I'll reserve my judgement until I watch the first two episodes.
JW actually looked older in Gaksital, so this OTP can work. They just need to work even harder to "convince" us that they have chemistry.
I had my reservations for LMH & KHS, but now I'm enjoying Faith so much that I totally forgot that KHS is 10 years older than LMH. They do have chemistry too.
Fans have to be ready for our favorite actor/actress to be paired with someone much older / younger than him / her. There must be a very good reason why the production decided to send the script to CKH, so have faith in them.
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164 bee8334
October 20, 2012 at 7:41 AM
I would see Kim So Yeon with her IRIS style as lead actress
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165 vivivivivivi
October 20, 2012 at 8:12 AM
if they gonna cast an older actress , kim so yeon sung yuri or soo ae would be perfect ! but why her ? weiiii??? WEI????
this is potential so maybe we have a little hope that she will reject or he will drop out lol ??
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166 babi
October 20, 2012 at 8:28 AM
MBC dont believe and trust his capability like KBS did:
1-They cast him for leading in TMTETS then drop to second (recently heard)
2- offer him first secret lovers when he was shooting Gaksital
3- before officially announce the drama he keeps saying want to chalenge himself and act as his age in romantic comedy with sweet love(cuz he knew about the drama), so he thought of younger cast.
4- then the big shock is the most unattractive and annoying korean actress to be his leading lady.
5- she is from the same agency as KSH. what a Fate....
So she will have the bigger role (logical considering her age and experience) and he is the baby she raise(i hate it)
what his agency think considering his big role and succes he had in gaksital.
I cant get why people doubt his comedy acting, cast a younger actress and you will be surprised by his comedic side. He is just great in everything he do.I doubt he can put his all in romantic scene with ahjumma or he has to close his eyes.
I HATE MBC...
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Addylovesbwood
October 20, 2012 at 9:03 AM
yea... i heard he was cast as 2nd lead in TMTETS and he declined. didn't know he was dropped from lead... I'm glad he took on Gaksital instead...totally paid off!!
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meng
October 20, 2012 at 11:51 AM
He was cast as 2nd lead in TMETS from the get go but then Ojakyo Brothers was extended so he could not do it so he had to drop out of TMETS,but it was a blessing anyway cuz he got to do GAKSITAL instead.
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167 ar
October 20, 2012 at 9:09 PM
Wow so much hate for this casting! I can understand why people say that this is a miscast and the images of Choi Kang Hee and Joo-won don't seem to match well, but I feel like people are responding really negatively to Choi Kang Hee for looking old, in general, and for daring to even consider this role. And we don't even know for sure how old their characters are supposed to be. I'm guessing likely the 28-early 30s range- at which point, neither Joo-won or Choi Kang Hee, at a first glance, will look right for their parts and we'd need to recast with Nam Sang Mi and Lee Jin Wook. That's if they even choose the project. Remakes sound risky.
Like someone has said in one of these comments, if Joo-won's got the goods in terms of acting (and I think he does- Gaksital, anyone?), it's very possible he can make it work. I thought that Joo-won gave off the feeling sometimes of being 28-30 in Gaksital.
Yoon Shi Yoon and Lee Ji Ah made it work in Me Too Flower. And he was supposed to be older than her in that drama. Damn was the chemistry ON between those two.
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168 Bobo Gogo
October 21, 2012 at 2:00 AM
Interesting. Not my first choice. Infact she would be someone that is not on my top ten list. I would rather prefer someone else two. But then again I haven't really seen her act so I can't really say if this will work out. I mean with makeup and all that she may just be able to pull it of. For someone to take this part I expect the person to have 3 important things. 1. She can Act, 2. looks Pretty (Don't have ugly spies in Drama World), 3. Can Fight (like Lara Croft, Elektra etc...) So here is a list of actress I would have preferred some are done by what I have seen people would have preferred. What are your thoughts on them please let me know.
1. Sung Yuri
2. Han Ji Won (she can fight do stunts, doesn't mind even getting dirty and still look good while she does all that whats to complain. Only thing is that people want to see her in some other roles and feel that she is sterotyped as the action chick. She can even do Rom Comedies. Some credits, Secret Garden, Sector 7, The King 2 Hearts)[Huess she is the closest to a Korean version of Lara Croft]
3. Kim So-Yeon. From the Iris and Athena cast she was the most well K**k A** female in my opinion and the best looking. Sorry other Iris fans. Plus with a Sniper Rifle and heavy ordance Chi*k what more can guys want.
4. Lee So Young. She has done both Action Roles plus acted out in comedy so we know that she can do both plus she is also an amateur boxer so the action scenes wont be so bad/hard on her. credits in her favor, Wild/Aggressive Romance, Poseidon and Who wants to be a Billionaire/Birth of the Rich.
5. Han Chae-Ah. Was a great Rara and we also saw some of her fighting skills in the show called Hero (Didn't get to complete it unfortunately) In the looks department she is not so bad, her acting is okay. But her fighting skills are good for this kind of play. (due to her current show she might be hard to get.) (Will also be a good bridal mask reunion fans of that show will like it and all the Rara and Lee Gangto shippers will like that)
6. Shin Min Ah. She is not pretty but can look real cute especially when she give those killer smiles of hers at certain points. I have had high hopes for her since I just finished watching Arrang and loved her in the few episodes that I could watch of her in My Girlfriend is A Nine Tailed Fox.
7. Park Min Young. Have my doubts about her. She can look pretty at times, do comedies well but I haven't really seen her fight so I can't give a proper verdict but there are people who would like to see her so I added her over here.
8. Han Ye-Seul. She did a similar role in Spy Myeongwal so she might not want to repeat such a role. Though to be quite honest while we are speaking of said role I might not trust her to such an important role after what happened on the set that time. While I may feel for her that she may have been wronged I still feel that there might have been better ways to go about what she did.
9. Lee Ji-A. Okay remember when I said Option 3 was the best of the Iris cast I still stick to that but at times Lee Ji-A reminds me a lot in the resemblance department with the main actress of the film (maybe that is just me) So for that reason I wanted to add her to this list. Hope that she can fight. Have only seen her in Athena (couldn't finish the show unfortunately due to time and all) and in Me to Flower I think. She was good in both of them acting wise so I have no doubts that if selected she would have done a good job.
10. Uee. Finally I would like to end this list with a really big demand (atleast on the few sites that I went to) to see this ojjako reunion. her acting skills can use some work and can't say if she can fight though I think that she may just pull them of. Plus if for some reason she needs to go undercover and sing we all know that she can pull it of as she is a singer as well. But at the moment she is at the bottom of my selection list.
There were 2 others that someone brought up over here they were Yoon Eun-Hye and Kang Sora. Okay for Yoon Eun-Hye sure she is a good singer done a few good comedies and all plus she also looks good whether she has dyed red hair, long or short hair she just doesn't feel right to me in this part. Don't take me the wrong way I certainly feel that she is a good actress and all and I do hope that she gets some good parts in the future but for this there seems to be something of for me. If I figure it out I will tell you. Please note this is just my view.
Kang Sora. I have no idea what the person who added her was thinking. Again she does look good but my biggest issue over here is that she is and looks way to young. As people said that this actress looks way to old for Lee Gangto in my opinon this would be the same case but in reverse for Kang Sora. Seeing these 2 pair of would feel so wrong on so many ways to me. Plus I think that she should improve a bit more before she gets my vote. No doubt that she is a hard worker and for that she gets my respect. Maybe I should watch the film Sunny as a friend recommended that she was really good in that. After that I may change my mind but the real issue is the matter of age in my opinion.
Well congrats on anyone who lasted this long reading my post. Sorry for all the things that I wanted to get of my chest. Will love to hear what you guys think on my views. not that any of it will matter since we really cant choose the final outcome but stil it would be nice to know who agress and disagres with me
till next time
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Bobo Gogo
October 21, 2012 at 2:04 AM
Forgot to add I rather like Lee So Young with her long hair. if selected long hair looks good on her. not what we got in Wild romance but that is just me
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169 bjharm
October 21, 2012 at 4:21 AM
all i can say way way too much fangirl over reaction going on here..lol I think it would be the same reaction to ANY actress who dared be paired the 'my Joo Won' lol.
On a serious note age and its not like she got grey hair and a face full of wrinkles, should not really be all that much of an issue if both leads 'act' well enough to make it believable. Though from the reaction above i think many here are so obsessing on the age thing they not give the actors a chance of acting!
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Bobo Gogo
October 22, 2012 at 2:02 AM
First of all lets get one fact straight I am not a Fan Girl.
Second I completely agree that she is not bad looking and as I stated earlier with make up these days as well as a bit of CGI Older people can look way younger and vice versa so that is not an issue either. My only point is that I have never seen this actress act so I can't say how good she will be therefore I placed the so called top ten in my list. They are after all actress that I have seen so I know what to expect from them. I clearly put down the big 3 requirements that have to go to an actor/actress to get a good role.
1. They need to act.
2. They need to look beautiful
3. They should be able to fight or do action sequences. (for this part that is)
I also agree with you that this may seem like a wrong choice on paper (or digi format) but unless we don't give them a chance we wont know what we are missing out. For instance when it was said that Heath Leadger would play the part of Joker in the last Batman film and I saw the pictures I said this guy is going to bomb and I think I saw a bit of him in the trailers and said Yeah finally a Batman film that is going to be terrible. But when the movie came out Heath Leadger did bomb out but this time in a good way. I certainly didn't see that coming and loved his portrayal of the Joker. Infact his Spirit even won an Academy award for his acting out said role (Spirit because he died before it came out)
Sorry my sense of humor is terrible.
So glad that I got all that of my chest. May this actress do well if she gets this role. Though I do tend to wonder why don't the people just get the original cast for the roles also they could just continue the show from where the movie left of. Something like the Korean Version of
Mr. and Mrs Smith (I am talking about the original series with Scott Backula in it. It was way better than the Brangaleina version we got to watch.)
Still lets see what happens in the end.
I guess mmy top ten aren't all that great.
:(
I would like to know where I went wrong in them though
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170 DTK
October 22, 2012 at 10:53 AM
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO When I saw her face. why can it be someone else.
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171 Carol
October 22, 2012 at 3:17 PM
I totally agree with you. I love the actress but, she and Joo Won (????), definitely NOT.
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172 k_addict
October 22, 2012 at 6:01 PM
Oh hell no. I initially didn't know their actual age gap but I could already see it was BIG. I know there's been a trend with noona-dongseng pairing in dramas but the PDs have gone too far with this one. It's no longer believable.
I agree with going for Lee Min Jung or Uee..and would even throw in Min Hyo Rin in the list. And just now, I thought of Suzy as well. These girls could pull off the badass character AND look age appropriate for Joowon.
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173 Silver Bullet
May 16, 2013 at 11:59 AM
Ah, i am speechless. It's just so weird to pair up Joo Won and Choi Kang Hee. Choi Kang Hee's face is just too old and weird, even if she is 36, she looks like in her 40's while Joo Won is only 25. And she is not even pretty, honestly i dont like her face. I like the entire story of this 7th Grade Civil movie, but the minus point is the leading lady. If they change the leading lady into a better one, it will be perfect.
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