EXO’s Chanyeol in consideration for MBC’s Gaia
by javabeans
I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that a project backed by SM C&C would cast idols, so it makes sense for them to populate the project with their own stars: Gaia, the MBC drama in the works about an idol and an ordinary girl who crash-land on an uninhabited island, is courting EXO idol Chanyeol to join the project. Offers are already out to Kang Haneul (Misaeng) and Girls Generation idol Yuri (Neighborhood Hero) to star as the main couple; everyone’s in consideration phase, with nobody confirmed yet.
Kang Haneul’s character is described as a popular idol with a prickly personality, and Chanyeol is considering the role of his groupmate and cousin. It’s not specified who will be on the island other than the main pair (early reports mentioned a whole host of fellow passengers, including managers and support staff, but current reports make it sound like it’ll just be the two leads), so we’ll have to wait for clarification on if we’re getting Blue Lagoon scenario or something more like Lost.
I’ll be honest: This isn’t the casting direction I would have liked for the project, which initially drew my interest with Kang Haneul as the potential lead and Song Ji-nah attached to write (she also wrote Healer, Story of a Man and Sandglass, among others). I was less enthused when Yuri was mentioned as the love interest, and now that we’ve got another idol with little acting experience circling the project, I’m a little nervous about the show casting more for popularity than for acting. (It’s a Korean-Chinese co-production set to shoot in China and aiming specifically for a youthful demographic with its coming-of-age youth romance angle.) But to look at the glass half-full, I’m reminding myself that the story involves idols who get stranded, so fine, why not cast some idols to play the idols.
Gaia will air as a Monday-Tuesday drama on MBC after Monster wraps its run. *waits nervously for more casting info*
Via My Daily, Sports Chosun
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1 earthna
April 24, 2016 at 9:20 PM
I never trusted SM since To the Beautiful You.
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michelle
April 24, 2016 at 10:18 PM
the only thing i remember about that drama is lee hyun woo wrapped in his sleeping back inching his way across a field like a caterpillar
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silentkecik
April 25, 2016 at 1:05 AM
Hee..
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m92
April 25, 2016 at 6:47 AM
but they did produce well-made but underrated drama which is Miss Korea starring lee sun kyun, lee yeon hee and wonderful lee sung min. Only LYH are the only SM artist there and she did a wonderful job in potraying the leading character. Why don't SM just cast people based on their acting quality like they did in Miss Korea? I heard Kang Ha Neul and Song Jinah already drop out. Even you want to place some your idols SM, why you don't cast the talented one first( Sooyoung, Yoona, Krystal, D.O) ?? Plus, they still got talented actresses and actors. Why don't just cast them?? I never say that that i hate idol actors but please cast the talented one first please...
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2 NiaIpeh
April 24, 2016 at 9:23 PM
Prediction for the comments here : "Now I want HaNeul to drop this drama" ?
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Goodbye Miss
April 24, 2016 at 9:26 PM
Save Kang Haneul from this mess!
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Ryzch
April 24, 2016 at 9:30 PM
Now I want my maneul to drop this drama ^^;
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pogo
April 24, 2016 at 11:09 PM
accurate, I do want him to drop it like a hot potato.
He'll have to do all the acting for Yuri, Chanyeol & Co., SM should look into paying him extra for that.
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alua
April 24, 2016 at 11:24 PM
+1000
Because he is going to have to carry the drama more or less on his own.
Because he deserves to be cast as a lead in something with experienced actors he can play off and learn from. He's not going to be able to grow as an actor in this one with this sort of cast.
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Sera The Ms Temper
April 25, 2016 at 5:26 AM
He is deserve much better co-stars. I hope he drop this. I rather see him in movies.
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gadis
April 24, 2016 at 11:46 PM
Ikr? Save Haneul from this drama. He deserves better..
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3 Alinka
April 24, 2016 at 9:44 PM
Like there is no other actor or actress in SM C&C... *sigh
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skelly
April 25, 2016 at 7:07 PM
Backing away quickly.
Idol allergy coming on strong.
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4 bebeswtz
April 24, 2016 at 9:52 PM
Why am I not surprised? It's kind of boring, actually, how predictable everything regarding the casting news of this drama is going lol
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5 Kayla
April 24, 2016 at 10:11 PM
petition for KHN to say NO.
bless his soul if he signs on. dear lord, BLESS HIS SOUL.
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6 kidleader
April 24, 2016 at 10:15 PM
If sm will cast male idol can we get shinee instead, cause having a project with member from exo and snsd is not a good idea..
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7 michelle
April 24, 2016 at 10:17 PM
tbh not the direction i wanted the casting to go either... i watched exo next door when it aired and... like... yeah no
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brian
April 25, 2016 at 1:55 AM
I watched exo next door and finished it because I kept thinking it might go somewhere in spite of the acting. I was wrong.
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8 dramaaaaa
April 24, 2016 at 10:20 PM
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
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9 jana
April 24, 2016 at 10:30 PM
If they want or need to cast some idols, can they at least get the ones that have already established themselves as quite good in acting? Can't they get someone else like D.O instead of Chanyeol or Sooyoung instead of Yuri or something?
Really, SM. I know they are trying to give as much opportunities to the idols they are managing and I know that these idols do work hard at what they need to do but by now they should at least know who's got 'it' and who doesn't, no?
('it' being natural acting talent)
Chanyeol's acting is pretty bad and I'm saying this as an EXO fan.
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pogo
April 24, 2016 at 11:12 PM
yeah, Sooyoung was good in a role that was actually demanding - she's one of the few SM idols who seems to understand that there is more to acting than looking pretty in screencaps.
The best we can hope for is that Chanyeol here will do a Changmin (as of Scholar Who Walks the Night, he'd improved into actual watchability) but somehow I doubt it.
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Sancheezy
April 24, 2016 at 11:31 PM
I think I read D.O has movie with ha jung woo before so he maybe busy,
beside he just supporting rule, I don't think he's that important
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Sancheezy
April 24, 2016 at 11:53 PM
and sooyoung has that task force drama with seo in guk,
just info
beside chanyeol cast as idol, so ... it kinda fit
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Sera The Ms Temper
April 25, 2016 at 5:28 AM
This actually sound much more better castings. But both them are in another projects so they are not available.
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10 pogo
April 24, 2016 at 11:07 PM
Chanyeol couldn't even act in that Exo web drama of his and Moon Ga-young had to carry the whole thing. Just as Kang Haneul will have to do here.
Someone save him from being sacrificed to SM's latest lame-duck attempt to make its idols into actors, please.
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11 jichangwooklover
April 24, 2016 at 11:08 PM
Hope Kang Ha Neil drops out. I initially was looking forward to it but not anymore. First Yuri and now him :(
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12 dooleygongshil
April 24, 2016 at 11:24 PM
I was so excited to see Kang Haneul in a leading role. Not so much anymore. I'd hate this to end up a vapid vehicle to promote idols and make money off their undiscerning fans. My impression of Yuri and Chanyeol's acting has not been the best. The best word I can think of to describe their acting: meh. Which also describes the last SM drama I've seen, To The Beautiful You. I admit had its cute moments and was very pretty and shiny. It also had some of my favorite actors, including Kang Haneul, as well as, Kim Jiwon, Lee Hyunwoo, and Kim Woobin. But thats about it. The writing was shallow and the conflict...well, didn't feel like real conflict. The characters just did things for no apparent reason. I hoping that since the problem in this case was more so the writing than the idol acting (which could have been better but wasn't the absolute worst), that with writer Song Ji-ah we will get something worth watching.
But then again maybe not. ARGH. If they wanted to promote their label, why couldn't have SM casted someone else in SMTOWN or SM C&C who is better at acting? Sooyoung, D.O, Lee Yeonhee, Onew (who was surprisingly decent in Descendants of the Sun), Jung Somin, Song Jaerim...
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13 Sancheezy
April 24, 2016 at 11:38 PM
I watched Neighborhood Lawyer/ Dr jo and I surprise that it was produce by SM Co. It's good and entertaining, it's fun.
They even produce
- Jealousy Incarnate that cast gong hyo jin and jo jeung sook,
- 38 task force with seo in guk, ma dong seok and sooyoung
So I think they may run in the right track, years before they maybe can't cast good team for the project and put their idol in main role.
Now they put the idol mostly in supporting, didn't know about yuri though.
I don't think this negativity is needed just bc to the beautiful you cause what matter is not only the source funding, but the director, writers and actor,
Who knew if this turn good?
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14 fay17
April 24, 2016 at 11:41 PM
Is this really coming from healer's writer? I'm confused.
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15 Webfoot
April 24, 2016 at 11:42 PM
Two words: Gilligan's Island.
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16 Andrea
April 24, 2016 at 11:47 PM
I know EXO is popular but they all seem to be acting. I don't think that's something that's ever happened in an idol group before where ALL of the members are acting in dramas and movies, even the ones who left. So are they any good? I know Kyungsoo is good, but where would you put the rest?
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antigone
April 25, 2016 at 9:30 AM
Comment was deleted
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17 Dee
April 24, 2016 at 11:51 PM
Dear SM C&C,if next time you producing a drama, just please give us Jung So Min and Song Jae Rim as the leads. Thankyou!
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18 Best Idol Actor #1 Jung Yong Hwa
April 25, 2016 at 12:23 AM
The story it self not interesting, and now they put 2 idol in it, maybe next article will be adding 3, 4, 5 etc etc idol on this meh, Kang ha neul better stay away from thissss
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19 brian
April 25, 2016 at 1:53 AM
I like Soo Young and I like Yuri, and I think Soo Young is a better actress than Yuri, but I'm not even sure that she would work in this drama. Soo Young is really slender, and I would think if a girl is going to get stranded on an island, she better start out with some meat on her bones or she'll end up starved to death.
Anyway, even I, who is not an Ahjumma would suggest that Kang Ha Neul run as fast as he can away from this project if they're going to populate it with silly idols. Come to think of it though, he was in To the Beautiful You, LOL.
Hey, you know who might work out? If you really want to cast a female idol? That girl who got into produce 101 who was actually in an acting company. She's not too skinny, has great facial expressions, and acting was her first choice.
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20 Sera The Ms Temper
April 25, 2016 at 5:35 AM
Can we pray for KHN to stay away? I rather see him playing supporting characters with senior actors. If only he can do a sageuk like SFD for example, it will be good for him.
Even if he is to do this, and even it is a must for the idols, can it be at least a good female lead? I don't mind with idols. For example Eunji, So Young and even Uee in my list of favorite idols turn to actress. Yuri as a supporting character is OK but not the main one..
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21 Saba
April 25, 2016 at 1:31 PM
I am happy for Chanyeol's drama. Why everyone is judging before seeing it.
An idol can act as an idol… it would be great to see him.
I won't mind other cast if only chanyeol is there.
But I would like to see Yoona , suzy or kim so hyun with him ???
Excited for it!! Exo fighting!! Chanyeol fighting ❤ and hopefully he will leave you all shocked with his great performance and good ratings. ?
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22 ChocoFrog
April 25, 2016 at 8:32 PM
I'm a big Exo-L and Chanyeol fan but........
Maybe he's been taking acting classes and some pointers from D.O
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23 anna
April 27, 2016 at 11:35 AM
I have a soft spot for desert island plots, if they can turn it into a MacGyver adventure, then I'm in.
His movie trailer about an idol marrying his anti fan or something like that made me cringed. He's not that good. Then again, I'm just judging by a trailer.
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24 jane✈️
April 29, 2016 at 3:08 AM
In my opinion :) I think Chanyeol's acting has improved a lot from where he started! His upcoming chinese movie 'So I married an Anti-fan' eventhough he had the same personality as in 'Exo Next Door' it showed that his acting has improved and this time he was more into his role and not mention he's too hot.
As for Yuri in my opinion I don't think she improved at all and I think Soo young is a better actress
But that's all in my opinion :)) Chanyeol oppa Fighting! ❤️✊?
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25 Anonymous
June 28, 2016 at 5:36 PM
Honestly speaking, I hope they'll cast Eunji in this drama. Like, seriously, people would watch this just for Eunji's acting, since a lot of people are waiting for it. They would also, I guess, watch for her and Chanyeol's interactions. I know, I know, it's SM C&C. But, they could just pull some strings and get an actual A-list(?) idol actress even if she's not from SM. I don't know. But for me, if it were Eunji acting in this drama, I would immediately watch it.
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