Jackpot confirms Jang Geun-seok, courts supporting ladies

19 January 28, 2016February 3, 2016

Jackpot confirms Jang Geun-seok, courts supporting ladies

by javabeans

SBS’s gambling-centric sageuk Jackpot is busy casting, having secured Jang Geun-seok for its lead and adding a few more names to the casting pool with Yoon Jin-seo (Girl Who Sees Smells) and Choi Jung-yoon (Could We Love).

Initial news was released a few days ago that Jang Geun-seok was considering, and he has now officially confirmed, making this his first sageuk in eight years. The last was 2008’s Hong Gil Dong, and prior to that he also made a name for himself in 2006’s Hwang Jin-yi. His past experience may be playing high-born characters, but he’ll explore the other side as the drama’s central tazza (gambler), who turns to cards after losing everything and goes up against young King Yeongjo (a role that’s currently out to Yeo Jin-gu) in a fierce clash.

Yoon Jin-seo, meanwhile, is up for the role of Lady Choi, concubine to King Sukjong and mother of Yeongjo, a character modern drama-viewers may better know as Dong Yi. Jackpot is diverging from the origin story that’s most commonly accepted, which is that she was a low-born water maid in the palace before meeting King Sukjong, who took her as royal consort. (He’s the king who’d deposed his queen, Inhyeon, when his ambitious concubine, Jang heebin, plotted to take her place as queen.)

In this drama, her character is less of the pure-hearted heroine type we’ve come to know her as and is more along the lines of a femme fatale. She was born into the aristocracy but had the bad luck to marry a gambler, and endures a number of ups and downs as a result. She “holds Sukjong’s heart in her grasp” and infuses tension into the proceedings, which makes it sound like quite the reinterpretation. The drama is being called a fictionalized version of fact as opposed to a true sageuk, so we’d better just go into it expecting an entertaining story, not historical accuracy.

Choi Jung-yoon is also considering the drama, and the character she’s been offered is featured heavily in the early portions: She’s “wearied by poverty” and forced to swallow bitter tears, and becomes a woman of betrayal. Aside from Yeo Jin-gu for King Yeongjo, Im Ji-yeon (High Society) is also in consideration to play a lead role, as a woman determined to kill the king.

Jackpot comes from PD Nam Gun (Mask) and writer Kwon Soon-gyu (Goddess of Fire Jung-yi, Warrior Baek Dong-soo) and is being planned as a 24-episode drama. It’ll follow Six Flying Dragons on SBS on Mondays and Tuesdays, premiering in March.

Via E Daily, MBN,

Required fields are marked *

1 jazza

January 28, 2016 at 3:34 AM

I'll be looking forward to this. I like Jang Geunseok on sageuk roles.

Required fields are marked *

2 Chhavi

January 28, 2016 at 4:49 AM

JKS Oppa!!!!
I will surely watch it......

Required fields are marked *

3 Seo Joohana

January 28, 2016 at 4:50 AM

I'm excited for this!! Not really into sageuks, but will watch it coz of JGS!! ^_^

Required fields are marked *

ilikehim

January 28, 2016 at 8:54 PM

Yea, I don't watch Saeguk either but for the sake of Jang Geun Suk's career, I hope this drama will be good and do well.

Also here's to hoping that he's can avoid looking weird since it's a Saeguk.

Required fields are marked *

4 Kipa

January 28, 2016 at 5:01 AM

The writer of this though. I'll wait for the reviews.

Required fields are marked *

5 Sherca

January 28, 2016 at 6:10 AM

Whoa, the air is getting hotter. I do hope the story is good and all characters could bring the roles lively

Required fields are marked *

6 Gala

January 28, 2016 at 6:23 AM

I'm still hoping for a different lead girl.

Required fields are marked *

skelly

January 29, 2016 at 5:47 AM

I agree. This sounds like a fairly complicated character and one that would best be done sortof over-the-top. I like this actress but her energy level seems a little low for this. I can never really remember her roles because for me they are always pleasant but dull.

Required fields are marked *

7 juniper

January 28, 2016 at 7:27 AM

lol how can Choi Sukbin be married to a gambler if she's Sukjong's concubine? If she's widowed that's one thing (I'm sure there were ways to rig the virginity tests, but didn't maids enter the palace very young?). idk, the idea of looking at her as a character with complex motives and desires would be cool (she was kicked out of the palace at some point--is it so hard to believe that a maid would covet the throne for her son, even if she had no idea how to maneuver it?), but this seems a bit...silly. And considering Yeongjo's complexes and political difficulty over his mixed blood it feels counter-intuitive.

Required fields are marked *

strider

January 28, 2016 at 8:55 AM

To see a low-born concubine "grasp the king's heart" you're better off watching Nirvana in Fire. Consort Jing played the emperor like a fiddle and maneuvered her son to the throne; albeit with a lot of help from a Count of Monte Cristo kinda guy.

Required fields are marked *

Kiara

January 28, 2016 at 9:31 AM

I'm not surprised considering that this is the same writer of the disaster sageuk called Goddess of Fire. I'm hoping Yeo Jin-gu will decline this.

Even if she was a widow she wouldn't have been qualified to enter the palace period. If I remember correctly they weren't allowed to remarry like the Goryeo widows especially with the king of all people who takes no left overs.
So they are not only changing historical facts but the traditions that makes Joseon, Joseon.

I'd love to see Queen Inhyeon having an affair with Kim Boong-Do while we are at it. So sick of Sukjong and his women.

Required fields are marked *

Commentcomment

January 28, 2016 at 3:31 PM

I think they are going to make the king a gambler. Considering he marries gals from different factions for politcal stuff, kinda makes him sort of a gambler(?) Or they meant mother rather than wife since she's yeongjo's mom and yeongjo's characteristic here is sort of gambler..

Required fields are marked *

Commentcomment

January 28, 2016 at 3:29 PM

I think they are going to make the king a gambler. Considering he marries gals from different factions for politcal stuff, kinda makes him sort of a gambler(?), or they meant mother rather than wife?????

Required fields are marked *

8 Mandy

January 28, 2016 at 8:37 AM

They're really taking liberties in their interpretation of history and while I I'm not the type to care for accuracy, it would've been a much better idea if they just went with a fictional world in general. I wouldn't nit pick on details though, considering I am yet to see even a second of the drama.

Tbh, I'm much more worried about the writer and his/her (in)ability to write anything cohesive and/or entertaining. The plot does sound interesting and I love the actors being courted, I just wish the screenplay hold up or everything is moot.

Required fields are marked *

9 korfan

January 28, 2016 at 8:37 AM

I'm so enthralled by Six Flying Dragons at the moment, that I can't even imagine diving right into another sageuk immediately after SFD ends. ...... Add to this, the fact that, for reasons I'm still trying to figure out, Jang Geun-seok has always bored me.

Then again, all dramas deserve a chance, so I may just tune in to check it out. Who knows what'll happen.

Required fields are marked *

10 maldita

January 28, 2016 at 10:30 AM

For the sake of Jang Geunsuk's career, I hope this drama won't be a stinker. He has legit acting talent underneath all the ridiculous Hallyu star fever. And I did love seeing him in Hong Gildong and Hwang Jinyi.

Required fields are marked *

ilikehim

January 28, 2016 at 8:57 PM

Wow, practically said the same thing before reading your comment. That's some weird shit. Lol

Required fields are marked *

11 henri

January 28, 2016 at 4:44 PM

with Yoon Jin Seo and Lim Ji Yeon, I expect something sexy. But if it wont be sexy, please no.

Required fields are marked *

12 anna

January 28, 2016 at 6:49 PM

Will definitely check this out. My husband love this kind of drama so much might watch it together with him.

Required fields are marked *

Jackpot