Goodbye, My Beloved courts Lee Min-jung, Honey Lee, Choi Won-young

by javabeans

We have a whole slew of potential cast additions to the upcoming SBS drama Goodbye, My Beloved, a fantasy-afterlife drama about a man who dies, then is allowed to return to the land of the living in a different body to complete some unfinished business. It sounds like a cross between 49 Days and Who Are You (the 2008 series), called a comedy full of tears, where I’m assuming that those tears will come in addition to the laughter, rather than being tears of laughter.

Goodbye, My Beloved is a remake of the Japanese novel Mr. Tsubakiyama’s Seven Days, and early on cast Rain (She’s So Lovable) to headline, though he won’t be the newly dead and body-hopping ajusshi; that role will be played by Kim Su-ro (A Gentleman’s Dignity). The middle-aged main character is given the opportunity to possess a young woman’s body, and Rain’s character then falls for her. Er, him? Er, it’ll probably be really confusing in a comical way.

Kang So-ra had previously been offered the role of that woman, although a recent report states that she has already turned down the drama. Two actresses have now popped up as potential castings, though it sounds as though neither will be playing that role, based on the character descriptions. Lee Min-jung (Sly and Single Again) has been offered the role of the perfect housewife, always working hard to keep her home sparkling and household running, in addition to looking after her father-in-law as well. She’s frugal with the money her husband earns, but manages to pull off designer attitude and salon luxury vibes in cheap clothing and do-it-yourself dye jobs. She’s “young, beautiful, slim, affectionate, and also full of tears.” Is she also real? Because she sounds like a fantasy wife to me. Then again, maybe Lee Min-jung might enjoy the chance to play the perfect wife in a perfect home? (Too soon? Can we not make jokes about that now, or ever?)

Honey Lee (Shine or Go Crazy, Modern Farmer) is up for a different character, a former actress who retired upon marrying into a chaebol family ten years ago, who has spent the past decade suppressing her personality to suit her new position. She then makes her comeback… as an actress without a likable image who only returns to work out of necessity.

Then there’s the ever-busy Choi Won-young (Twenty Again, I Remember You), who’s described as a mid-thirties divorced man with a degree from a top-rate university, who’s been on the fast-track to promotion and success. I find it amusing that his would-be character’s name is Jung Ji-hoon, which is Rain’s real name. Can we have everyone slinging around character’s name in hilariously disrespectful ways, just to poke fun at the star?

Goodbye, My Beloved follows Remember as a Wednesday-Thursday drama on SBS, premiering in Feebruary.

Via DongA, IS Plus, Sports Seoul, My Daily

• Kang So-ra considers Goodbye My Beloved opposite Rain
• Rain offered new afterlife drama Goodbye My Beloved
• Thing vs. Thing: Image ruinations
• Twenty Again: Episode 1
• I Remember You: Episode 1
• Stars and fate prevail in fantasy romance Shine or Go Crazy
• Modern Farmer: Episode 1
• Sly and Single Again: Episode 1
• Posters for All About My Romance