Jo Boa cast as Kim Kang-woo's leading lady in Missing Persons Task Force

29 January 28, 2015April 8, 2017

Jo Boa cast as Kim Kang-woo’s leading lady in Missing Persons Task Force

by girlfriday

This is quite the departure for Jo Boa — the relative newbie who starred in Shut Up: Flower Boy Band and Surplus Princess is tackling a much grittier project in the new year. She’ll be joining OCN’s upcoming crime procedural Special Missing Persons Task Force M, opposite the antagonistic detective duo played by Kim Kang-woo (Golden Cross) and Park Hee-soon (All About My Romance).

The new 10-episode detective thriller comes from the producers behind the TEN franchise, and stars Kim Kang-woo as a genius elite detective from the FBI. He’s good-looking and good-natured to boot, but has a closet full of deep dark secrets that he’d like to keep hidden. He returns to Korea after a long time away, and becomes the head of a special task force designed to solve the toughest missing persons cases that can’t be cracked by others. The show promises added suspense that comes from the urgency of working missing persons cases, though naturally it’ll depend more on the execution than that mere plot element.

Park Hee-soon plays Kim Kang-woo’s new partner (and source of constant ire, though I think the feeling is mutual). He’s a veteran cop with twenty years on the force under his belt, and only a high school equivalency exam on his resume. But he’s street-smart where Kim Kang-woo is book-smart, and acts on instinct. He’s also a stodgy letter-of-the-law type who follows every rule almost obsessively, though his one exception is that he’s a shockingly good liar.

Jo Boa will play a cop who’s assigned to the task force, and that’s all we’re told about her at this point. She’ll help the boys, no doubt getting stuck in the middle of their bickering, begrudging teamwork. I dunno, this may change once we find out more about her character, but so far I’m more into Kim Kang-woo’s bromance with Park Hee-soon.

Jo Boa is quickly becoming a cable darling, with a series of leading roles on tvN and now OCN. I have to say, the dark thriller opposite two fierce male actors doesn’t exactly seem like a match made in heaven for her — she’s gotten better as an actress, but is a great deal more likable when she’s being bubbly and cute (and a little weird) a la Surplus Princess’s pervy mermaid. I think they should at least make her a rookie detective, if they want to sell the transformation.

Special Missing Persons Task Force M plans to air in March.

Via TV Report

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1 riya

January 28, 2015 at 7:14 AM

I wonder why we want the actors to get typecast in a role? Why can't she take on different roles...if she played bubbly once, it's great for her to play a serious role next....

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nomad

January 28, 2015 at 7:55 AM

I agree...we may never know, maybe she'll turn out like Han Groo who was bad ass in Girl K and sooooo funny in marriage without dating.

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eunchans

January 28, 2015 at 9:12 AM

Yeah, exactly. Not sure how she's supposed to develop any range as an actress while doing only bubbly, cute roles. Sounds like a potentially meaty role for her. :')

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2 piggy68gal

January 28, 2015 at 7:16 AM

Another OCN show! I may just be putting this into my to-watch list, have been loving their crime shows~ (still waiting for my Vampire Prosecutor 3, but my guess is that it won't be coming out any time soon :( )

I enjoyed watching Jo Boa in Surplus Princess, and although this character/drama may be different from her usual roles/dramas I guess I am rather looking forward to the drama as a whole. Plus I really enjoyed the TEN series ~

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3 mary

January 28, 2015 at 7:30 AM

Hahaha looks like TEN3 is not gonna happen soon. ^^

Still, it's good to have a new universe/story set by the same writer.

(Don't tell me KKW's secret is he's a mermaid? :P)

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quirkstine

January 28, 2015 at 7:40 AM

Lol Mary! That would be the best secret ever for a detective thriller. No one will see THAT plot twist coming.

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museofmanymasks

January 28, 2015 at 10:14 AM

hehe that would be awesome! It could be like Swan Lake but with a fish-head: after hours he turns into a mermaid, but it helps him locate the missing people because he uses his sonar (which isn't technically mermaid lore but half fish half human counts as an aquatic mammal right?) He just has to be kept well-watered. Like the broody blood-bar in Vampire Prosecutor but with salt water! It shall be called....Surplus Detective! HAHA I'm dying here.

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nomad

January 28, 2015 at 7:07 PM

LOL!!!!!!

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4 Delie

January 28, 2015 at 7:39 AM

Nooooo my hopes for TEN 3!!!! :(
Well at least the producers are back. I will watch anything they do that's how much I loved TEN.

Wouldn't mind me some Vampire Prosecutor either.

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5 sogazelle

January 28, 2015 at 7:51 AM

I wish she will get more exposure...she's a much better actress than some of the girls her age that are getting leading ladies roles on the big networks.

I'm thinking of the likes of Jin Se Yeon, Ko Sun Hee(diary of a night watchman and the the current SPY with Jaejoong) and so forth.

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pogo

January 28, 2015 at 8:52 AM

I couldn't agree more.

It's utterly bizarre how prime time public broadcast dramas fill their 20something leading lady roles with either

a) actresses who have been established for close on a decade/were well-known child actors (understandable)

b) idols

c) the worst actresses possible, as if to say "hey, we really can't find any non-idol actresses who can act"....despite the fact that the actually talented ones remain stuck in supporting roles forever.

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rhienz

January 28, 2015 at 11:38 AM

The like of Suzy, don't forget .

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anneakemi

January 28, 2015 at 12:42 PM

Ditto for me too.

Glad cable dramas are giving a chance for these actresses/actors. I liked Jo Boa and Kim So Eun in Horse Doctor and it's finally nice to see them taking some leading roles.

I'm tried of seeing actresses/idols who are described as "getting better". As viewers, we shouldn't settle for idols/newbies that are "getting better" when there are actresses in the same age range that are already good.

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skelly

January 28, 2015 at 6:35 PM

I am really looking forward to this. I was amazed at how well she did right out of the gate, with Shut Up FBB, and Surplus Mermaid showed that she could do comedy as well as "sweet young thing." I don't think we have seen her full range yet, I think she is a very promising young actress.

As far as her being in a "bubbly" rut, I really don't see it; her role in SUFBB was a girl suddenly alone, attempting to hide her family situation from all of her friends, and juggling an old flame with a new-found romance. She had a few bubbly moments, but overall it was a more muted role.

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6 bbstl

January 28, 2015 at 8:38 AM

Gosh, she was sooooo great in Surplus Princess, I can't wait to see her in another comedy either. But she will do well here! I just want to see more of her, period.

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7 pogo

January 28, 2015 at 8:46 AM

Frankly, she's a hidden gem among the current crop of under-25 Korean actresses, it sucks that Surplus Princess flopped but she carried that show so effortlessly, I was impressed by her acting chops. And I definitely think she deserves better than being pigeonholed in roles like those, so if this new show and role is darker, it's a good chance for her to branch out more.

I hope this new show is good and a hit, because it really does hurt to see how many promising young actresses are being pointedly ignored for public broadcast drama leads, in favour of people who can't act to save their lives.

(I'm going to steal a comparison from a comment section I saw earlier today and say, it's like choosing to pass up a lovingly prepared feast in favour of stale McDonald's. Repeatedly.)

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8 Kimmy

January 28, 2015 at 9:43 AM

oooh, nice choice of drama, cos cable means you can show some crazy range in acting given script liberties. looking for a good, gritty drama from OCN after Bad Guys (sorry, Dr Frost didn't cut it), hoping this will be it.

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9 museofmanymasks

January 28, 2015 at 10:09 AM

I think it will be a good stretch for her as an actress, but only if she is well written: not inconsistent or a damsel in distress. Lady Cop in Bad Guys fell into the former, which lessened the impact of the needed estrogen in the mostly male cast. The latter would just be annoying esp if it's just for a love line since if they bother making her a cop too she should be competent.

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10 Cocoboo

January 28, 2015 at 10:23 AM

Yay, another crime mystery drama! I liked the TEN series and the recent Bad Guys on OCN was excellent. I will probably check out this new show. Nice and short at 10 eps.

I've only seen Boa in SUFBB, but she was likable. It's good that she's going to try a different, tougher role. Hope she can handle it and her character is a well-written one.

I recognized Park Hee Soon's name from his role in Evasive Inquiry Agency! /squee/ I'd like to see more of him. :D

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11 Amber

January 28, 2015 at 10:40 AM

It sounds like a mix of Boss and Tokyo Dogs, both of which I love dearly.

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12 Chloë

January 28, 2015 at 11:19 AM

I loved her in SUFBB (what didnt i love about that drama though...) She's so adorable and pretty. Hopefully the drama will be a great opportunity for her.

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13 anastassia

January 28, 2015 at 11:33 AM

She is very very talented. Her movie and her acting in movie with Jang Hyuk is bring out her talent even more even tough the movie is nothing to mention about.

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emily

January 28, 2015 at 1:16 PM

yeah, I immediately thought of that movie when I read this. She can pull off dark and twisted very well. In fact her cuteness made her character there all the more creepy. I think she will pull this role off.

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14 coffeenlucia

January 28, 2015 at 6:45 PM

YAY! I love Jo Boa so much. Been supporting her since SUFBB, and loved her in Surplus Princess as well.

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15 PennyRoyalTea

January 28, 2015 at 9:14 PM

good for her to land another acting project after her stint in Surplus Princess. I wish that she and applebutt will star in another drama and will end up together. XD

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16 annnsow

January 29, 2015 at 12:40 AM

I didn't like her much in Surplus Princess. I think her casting is kind of making KKW's new drama less attractive. I might check it out if I hear good stuffs and once my mood cooled down about TEN3 lol

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17 Spi

January 29, 2015 at 4:45 AM

Yayyy!! She's a good actress, I really liked her already in Shut Up Flower Boyband and I loved her so much as the mermaid. Looking forward to this!

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18 dramapotatoe

January 29, 2015 at 6:52 AM

I would really love to see Jo Boa nab a leading role on one of the big three just so that she gets more fame but whatever. I'll take what I can get.

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19 HQuinn

April 4, 2015 at 11:16 AM

How happy I am that your *prescient* comments about this drama are so far from the reality!!

Readers who have found the best thing to hit the screen since "Misaeng", need only read your recap of the first episode to see how this drama is great.

So glad you were wrong. I don't want to see a *fluffy* female lead, keystone cops or bickering detectives. This drama is smart and unlike most Kdramas, they all contribute and COMMUNICATE with each other. Total shocker from most crime dramas.

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Missing Noir M