Seo Kang-joon offered leading role in MBC melo Monster
by javabeans
Seo Kang-joon’s current drama has barely begun airing — tvN’s hit-in-the-making Cheese in the Trap is in its second week, but you knew that, since the drama is already a sensation — but already he’s looking toward his next drama, with latest reports pegging the 22-year-old rising star as a potential lead in MBC’s Monster. Perhaps you’ll remember it better as the melodrama hoping to star Hwang Jung-eum that used to be titled Tyrant.
The offer has been extended to Seo, according to his management, though he is only considering it and hasn’t made any decisions. The show sounds as grand and sprawling as the dramas its writer, Jang Young-chul, has written before (Giant, Empress Ki, History of the Salaryman), beginning in IMF-crisis-stricken Korea in 1997. It spans 20 years, following the growth of a man who faces off against greed and the top 0.001% of society’s most powerful members, wanting to reveal their true faces, and overcomes all sorts of adversity and also finds love.
If you’d asked me what I thought of this casting two weeks ago, I’d probably have laughed and called it absurd, because Seo Kang-joon is still very new on the scene, doesn’t have much experience in serious roles, and hasn’t proven himself yet to be leading material. Well, those things are still true, but I will concede that I like him a lot better after Cheese in the Trap than I thought I ever would, because at least now I believe he can emote and tug at the heartstrings, given the right character and story and director.
But even if you look on his acting favorably, I don’t think he’s ready to be a leading man carrying a weightier, 50-episode drama. I prefer him playing characters that fit his age, though his management seems intent on pushing him forward in roles that are more mature than his image. He doesn’t have the gravitas or the experience or the natural acting talent to jump into that deep a pool, and I think he’d be better served wading in more gradually. Give him five years — or, better yet, eight years and army duty. Then we’ll talk.
If it seems too early for Seo Kang-joon to be picking up more work, it helps that Monster is set to follow Dazzling Temptation, which is a 50-episode drama that still has 21 episodes left. And Cheese in the Trap is quite far ahead of the game; the script for its final episode is reportedly on the cusp of completion, with shoots well ahead of its airing schedule. Monster premieres in April.
Via Osen
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1 kayf
January 15, 2016 at 3:12 AM
didn't love him on SSA & What happen to the family but totally falling head over heels for him in Cheese in the Trap ..
but why melo ?... and why 50 episodes ?!!!!!
gonna have to decide later whether I'm going to watch it or not . lol
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2 poliwag
January 15, 2016 at 3:14 AM
He's too young for this. Bring me the old meat, or I'll pass, loathe as I love the previous dramas of the writers.
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3 Orion
January 15, 2016 at 3:19 AM
Oh look, is that my faith in Jang Yeong Cheol and Jeong Kyeong Soon lying dead on the floor? Why yes, it is!
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juniper
January 15, 2016 at 6:41 AM
lol +1000
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4 genkibaka
January 15, 2016 at 3:24 AM
He cant do melo. He's better in comedy. Good luck to the drama if they are determine to cast him.
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5 V
January 15, 2016 at 3:26 AM
Love him in Cheese in the Trap! We'll see if he accepts the role and how does. I think he can pull it off, but like you said, more experience would benefit him. Side note, that face is ???.
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6 graey
January 15, 2016 at 4:15 AM
Is the male lead supposed to be young? I know it's improbable but.... Joo Sang Wook! Or Jo Seung Woo? Would he do it? Yoon Kye Sang? Or maybe Joong Ki since DoTS already wrapped up?
I like Seo Kang Joon though I have not seen him act(unless you count Roommate). And going by his track record and what other have said, I don't think he can carry 20 eps much less 50 eps just yet.
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7 lemondoodle
January 15, 2016 at 4:32 AM
He's way too young, and I don't think can lead a drama just yet.. I guess Lee Seung Gi turned it down for the army. Even he seemed too young, but this guy...
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8 Everyonedeservesachance
January 15, 2016 at 4:50 AM
Oh yes. I am super glad to know kang joon offered as the main lead because that means joo won won't join the drama-that-have-to-be-played-by-veteran-actor-only like the rumor said (koala's blog). It's super long and I don't want to hear ppl say bad things about him anymore after the not-well-deserved-award (like it was his own fault).
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9 Cafe
January 15, 2016 at 4:52 AM
Maybe he would be the younger version of the lead, and then after those 20 years of 20 years of struggle. the writters would put another actor to play the role.
Even so, I don't mind some noona romance. :P
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kanz
January 15, 2016 at 5:18 AM
Yes, it would be understandable to have him as the younger version of the lead.. Kinda like Nam Joo Hyuk as the younger version of Joo Sang Wook in Glorious Temptation.
SKJ is handsome and cute but his acting right now is no way able to carry 50 ep melodrama. (Just watch him in Hwajung to prove this). Heck, I would even be nervous if one of my faves got cast in this.
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fanwho
January 15, 2016 at 6:43 AM
+1 Hope he turns it down if he is the lead for whole 50 eps. He could get in same situation when he was so afraid that he didn't want to get off from the car while filming Hwajung because of criticism on his acting.
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Alessar
January 18, 2016 at 11:22 AM
That's what I thought too, it's a 20 year spread of story, right? So the younger version seems likely.
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10 kamee
January 15, 2016 at 4:56 AM
This news makes me cringe a little bit. As much of a cutie as he is, he is not leading man material yet. He has soooo much more growing to do before he can even do justice to a leading man role in a regular drama, much less an epic 50 episoder.
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11 Adal
January 15, 2016 at 5:04 AM
If he takes this, I am afraid it may end up as badly for him as it did for Ahn Jae Hyun in Blood. Seo Kang Joon for all his charm is not ready for a lead role of that magnitude, more so that it's 50 episodes. That's pulling some serious weight there. Unless of course he plays the younger version for the first few episodes, then it's understandable.
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Alessar
January 18, 2016 at 11:23 AM
I honestly think he would have done better than Ah Jae Hyun did. Better, put him in a wig and have him play Rita. :)
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12 sharkie
January 15, 2016 at 5:18 AM
if they really need a young looking actor who can deliver depth, I think they can do a lot better than seo kang joon. My top of mind would be the bleak night boys, or choi woo shik, park bo gum, or what's kim bum doing nowadays? There's a number of baby faced actors who can turn dark in a snap as needed. Seo kang joon just relied on his pretty face until his turn in Cheese in the Trap. I hope he goes for a lighter project first to sustain his progression. He's really doing quite well in cheese, a 50-episode melo may be too much pressure.
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13 kanz
January 15, 2016 at 5:20 AM
I would take Kim Jae Won (MBC darling) to be the lead and reunite with Hwang Jung Eum (another MBC darling)..
They look so good together in CYHMH.
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gem28
January 16, 2016 at 6:55 AM
Kim Jae Won, its been on my mind since forever. He had great chemistry with Hwang Jung Eum, this could work. MBC, are you listening?? I don't know but is the lead supposed to be young even so a melo from the writers of Empress Ki and Giant need somebody with experience.
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14 redfox
January 15, 2016 at 5:36 AM
he is ok in CitT but still has a LOOOT of room to develop.
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15 Mintylilly
January 15, 2016 at 5:55 AM
Is it just me or the picture above made seo kang jung look a little bit like ji sung
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16 canxi
January 15, 2016 at 6:28 AM
Well, it says "a" lead and not theeee lead so they must have a specific type they are going for with this character. But, I agree not quite yet though I've always liked him. If his management are intent on pushing him forward before he is ready, I say there is a good chance he will accept but I am hoping he will turn it down and wait for later and in something shorter!
Loved History of the Salaryman, liked some of Empress Ki, and never finished Giant...I think that I will check this show out. O:
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17 juniper
January 15, 2016 at 6:40 AM
Noooooooo. No no no no no. No.
From Lee Beom-soo to this!?!?!?!
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18 BA
January 15, 2016 at 7:06 AM
Is it a noona romance melo? HJE is well suited for mature leading men. I even found her and PSJ odd in She was pretty so her in SKJ pairing will be even harder to take...
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Annie
January 15, 2016 at 7:41 AM
Nope, they would have mentioned it if it were... the more likely explanation is that the production couldn't rope in anyone more suitable.
Like you, I think this is a horrible pairing.
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19 Annie
January 15, 2016 at 7:46 AM
LBR, the only reason he's being considered is because the most suitable actors are too cool for dramas (plus who would want to waste time with a bloated 50 episoder, Jang Young Chul be damned) and even the 1987ers who are arguably too young to play the character as well are leaving for the army sooner or later.
Still, this kid is an execrable actor and is a shining example of the double standard that favors "hot" actors who are somehow able to get away with a distinct lack of talent if their characters are bone-able.
My question is this: who is this kid sleeping with or whose palms are daddy and mommy greasing to get him these roles? I wasn't going to watch this drama anyways but news like this just gets my goat.
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juniper
January 15, 2016 at 9:38 AM
Plenty of great actors have starred in 50 episode dramas, and for many greats, that's where they've delivered their best performances. You don't even need to look far to find an example in this case--Giant had an amazing cast--Jung Bo-seok, Lee Beom-soo, Park Sang-min, and Lee Deok-hwa are all good-great actors, and all were brilliant in it.
This isn't really directed at you so much as a general comment, but sometimes I wonder if anyone on this site has actually sat down and watched a legitimately well-produced long drama, because they get consigned to makjang fests and disparaged out of hand so much it's ridiculous. Many of the greatest dramas of all time are 50 episodes or more, stuff like Shin Don, Cruel Palace, Flames of Ambition, Sangdo, even Giant.
Anyway, my point is that as with short dramas, the determining factor is the people involved, and in this case we seem to agree that this kid is a big fat negative. :)
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Annie
January 15, 2016 at 10:10 AM
Don't mistake me, I've watched plenty of the 50 episoders - the appropriate actors I meant who wouldn't touch a huge drama like this one are big stars like Lee Jung Jae, Jung Woo Sung, Kang Dong Won, et al rather than the great but less popular actors you mentioned in your post.... which makes Go Soo's choice a shocking one in retrospect.
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pogo
January 15, 2016 at 10:23 AM
Lee Jung-jae, Jung Woo-sung, Ha Jung-woo, Kang Dong-won et al wouldn't touch ANY drama, it's not about the length, they just prefer working in Chungmuro and there is no material on tv at any length that's compelling enough to bring them back.
But there are PLENTY of better actors, even young ones, who would be better candidates to carry a 50-episoder than this kid. Unless the script very specifically calls for a young lead, this doesn't sound like his wheelhouse and even if it does, there are better actors out there for the job - I'm surprised he's getting to be a lead role candidate on MBC after the mess he made of Hwajung.
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Annie
January 15, 2016 at 10:49 AM
I dunno, Jang Young Chul is a big name and I wouldn't have been super surprised to see him lure someone really big for say a 16 or 20 episoder. But 50? No freaking way. I assume that the script was offered to more reasonable choices like Kim Rae Won, Kim Jae Won, etc. and they passed because only someone truly clueless would have Seo Kang Joon come to mind for a suave thirty something.
Do you think there's any chance that they'll get someone good for the later years?
juniper
January 15, 2016 at 11:19 AM
I literally could not watch another minute after he and Lee Yeon-hee shared the screen for the first time in Hwajung. It was too painful lol.
Unfortunately a lot of the good ones in their thirties are off doing...less meaty...projects.
*waiting for the day when Song Joong-ki is liberated*
juniper
January 15, 2016 at 11:09 AM
Ah okay, I guess I interpreted "appropriate" as good. I'd rather have someone capable of doing the job than someone who'd bring a lot of attention to it, but that's just me. It would be nice if people like Ha Jung-woo or Song Kang-ho would do dramas (as long as they were very very veeeery picky about who they worked with), but as Pogo and you have both said, it's not going to happen for a variety of reasons.
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Annie
January 15, 2016 at 11:19 AM
I hear you - I would much rather have someone good regardless of name value but that's not how the business works :-/
Kiara
January 16, 2016 at 10:38 PM
Kim Rae-won, Kim Mu-Yeol, Jung Kyung-Ho or give Im Ju Hwan a freaking chance to lead a drama.
MissCanuck
January 15, 2016 at 9:32 PM
Giant was the drama that made me truly fall in love with Korean drama. I have tried to find something similar, but unfortunately ended up with duds, but I don't have an issue with the length if it is well done
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juniper
January 16, 2016 at 6:58 AM
If it was the period aspect that attracted you, you might like Sandglass? But yeah, it's a pity that there aren't more good shows like it. It's the ones like Giant that give me hope and make me stick around :)
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kanz
January 15, 2016 at 4:00 PM
They're plenty of actors in the 30s or almost 40 who I could easily see fit the character of revenge-driven male lead seeking for justice.
Jo In Sung, So Ji Sub, Ji Sung, Yoon Kye Sang, Hyun Bin, Kim Rae Won, Kim Jae Won (who used to work with MBC), Jang Hyuk etc.
Just not Seo Kang Joon please....
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kanz
January 15, 2016 at 4:00 PM
*there are
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20 Sera The Ms Temper
January 15, 2016 at 7:51 AM
Still surprise on this news! I am sorry SKJ i like u as Baek In Ho, but please turn down this. If it not main leads it will be okey, but as a lead hmmm ?
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21 whitewire
January 15, 2016 at 8:09 AM
I have nothing against Seo Kang-joon. In fact, he's better than most of the young artists nowadays.
But when we say that we have a Jang Young-chul script in our hands – Eg. GIANT which means heavy research, high budget, historically accurate, solid acting and powerhouse ensemble – I don't think he would fit JUST YET. But I would love to see him here as a supporting cast. Why not?
I appreciate him. As I said, better than the pool of celebrities his age. And I'm enjoying Cheese in the Trap.
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Sera The Ms Temper
January 15, 2016 at 9:14 AM
If as a supporting casts, i will allow it lol .
But agreed on everything u said. He is actually improved a lot, and i liked all his characters so far... Except Hwajung..
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22 Eny
January 15, 2016 at 9:00 AM
I guess he's not the main male lead in the drama, or he just the young cast for the main lead actor
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23 Abbie
January 15, 2016 at 10:26 AM
I adore Seo Kang-join. I think he's cute and adorable and has potential to be a good actor. But he's not ready for this kind of role. He's brilliant in comedies anyway. I agree with JB; give it 5-8 years plus army duty, then maybe he could do a 50-episode melo. But certainly not now. Jung Il-woo or Lee Jun-ki or even Kim Kang-woo would be perfect for this I think.
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24 teh ais
January 15, 2016 at 10:50 AM
Ji chang wook? Or yoon shi yoon. Since he will discharge anytime soon..
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25 Mandy
January 15, 2016 at 10:58 AM
Seo Kang-joon swims in charm, but like most, I don't think he's quite ready for such a high gravitas drama. If he is up for the younger version of the lead, however, I think he should definitely take it up. Challenging himself is not a bad thing and taking up smaller roles isn't either.
I don't really care for the age tbh, unless they really cast HJE. Ji Chang-wook was paired with Ha Ji-won last time and we saw the craze for his character over Joo Jin-mo. So rather than saying they need to cast someone older, I just think they need an actor who can act.
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kanz
January 15, 2016 at 3:56 PM
Even as huge Ji Chang Wook fans myself, I don't think I could take another 50 ep drama, watching him sad and tortured and with this writer again who kill him in the last episode in EK. Ha.. EK's ending still scarred me for life.
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26 TJ
January 15, 2016 at 5:47 PM
I have a soft spot for Seo Kang joon because of Roommate, but I'm not sold on his acting either. I also know from Roommate that the boy doesn't have a lot of personal charisma. He's a bit of a blank slate. I was hoping that would work in his favor as an actor because he is pretty. We shall see after Cheese. He has been fortunate that he's worked around so many good veterans and good younger actors.
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27 Jann
January 15, 2016 at 7:54 PM
He needs to do more time...uh I mean...more dramas before doing sthg like this...he can...but not now...
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28 blueribbon
January 15, 2016 at 8:22 PM
I absolutely love him now after Cheese in the Trap but I have to agree, I hope he turns this offer down and instead looks and gets an offer for a 16 or 18 episode Romantic comedy as his first leading role. He has potential but a 50 episode show won't be a smart move (of course though we have been wrong in the past so who knows) as he is a newbie actor.
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29 Fiona
January 16, 2016 at 3:02 AM
He's good in CITT, but he'll look like a child next to the main actress. Hell, he'll look like a child anywhere. I've always imagined male protagonists in dramas to be more manly, unless the drama is about teenagers.
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30 Gyuim
January 16, 2016 at 7:36 AM
Don't forget that he's horrible in Hwajung. He only suit the spoil brat charming second lead character. He did it in Cunning Single Lady then continue it in What Happen To The Family and now Cheese In Trap. Some said that he's improving so much, nah he's still the same. It's just he suit that role much more than heavy kind lead hero type of role.
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31 beng
January 16, 2016 at 7:08 PM
maybe he will just be in the younger gen episodes and will be replaced when he gets older.
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32 Kaylie
January 16, 2016 at 7:30 PM
Lol what's with the negative comments, yes he's young, yes he's very good looking, but that doesn't automatically translate to 'a pretty face who can't act'! His performance in What Happens to My Family was solid, I liked the way he acted in the serious emotional scenes, and I'm pretty sure he has continued to grow since then.
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33 koalacruz
January 17, 2016 at 4:16 AM
SKJ may be really to young to fit the mature main lead but he could be the young lead the way Nam Joo Hyuk grew up to be Joo Sang Wook in Glamorous Temptation.
Tyrant — or Monster — spans about 2-3 decades as based on some of the story write-ups and it would be foolish to use the same actor maturing to such time span.
Guys, GlamTempt backstory is 'believable' since the actors portraying the young generations gave effective acting. Tyrant may be rooting for the same trend…
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