Kim Yoo-jung to be Park Bo-gum’s leading lady in Moonlight Drawn By Clouds
by girlfriday
We finally have a heroine for Moonlight Drawn By Clouds, the youthful fusion sageuk starring Park Bo-gum (Answer Me 1988) that went through so many rounds of casting rumors that it was impossible to tell who got real offers and who didn’t. Names like Kim Ji-won (Descended From the Sun), Kim Go-eun (Cheese in the Trap), and Seolhyun (Orange Marmalade) were in the mix, but in the end it was Kim Yoo-jung (Angry Mom) who landed the role.
It’s funny because the press is calling it Kim Yoo-jung’s first leading role, but have we all forgotten Secret Door and the debacle where they cast too young for the character and then replaced her mid-drama, thinking no one would notice? I just hope this time they intend to have high-school-age characters, because Park Bo-gum can certainly play younger and I’d feel better about that overall.
I like Kim Yoo-jung and I think image-wise they fit well together (it helps that he’s a baby in my mind), though in all honesty I was hoping for someone like Kim Ji-won to really sell the romance. With a heroine as young as Kim Yoo-jung (17), I feel like I have to readjust my expectations for sweet, innocent first love.
The Joseon-era palace romance will star Kim Yoo-jung as a young woman who crossdresses to give out love advice. In order to survive, she acts like she knows everything and has everything, and is a pro at acting like a man. She ends up becoming a eunuch in the palace, where she befriends the crown prince (Park Bo-gum) and his rival (which Yook Sung-jae is up to play), and friendship turns to love.
The drama comes from the team behind Who Are You—School 2015, and with Kim Yoo-jung signing on, it’s starting to feel like a sageuk School 2016. Maybe it’s best to think of it that way, because I love high school stories when they’re done well, and that’ll set my expectations up properly.
Moonlight Drawn By Clouds will be a Monday-Tuesday drama premiering in August on KBS.
Via DongA
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1 Chris
April 14, 2016 at 7:41 PM
I like this pairing better than Yoon Shi Yoon - Kim Sae Ron in Mirror of the Witch.
Beside, Kim Yoo Jung is sageuk veteran..
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thumbaLYNDA
April 14, 2016 at 7:44 PM
I'm still cringing thinking about a love line between YSY and KSR lol.
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Camille
April 15, 2016 at 1:58 PM
Yook Sung Jae is 2nd lead again?! When will you get the girl? This is the other teen queen Kim Yoo Jung, and not again? Guess am headed to another heartbreak, what else is new? Argh!
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pogo
April 14, 2016 at 7:48 PM
well, PBG is 23 to KJY's 17...... vs YSY being 30 years old to KSR's 16. Of course we're going to like them more!
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Chris
April 14, 2016 at 7:54 PM
Still depends on the writing..
If YSY - KSR written in more oppa - dongsaeng way, I will feel more comfortable than 23 yrs & 17 yrs in romantic relationship.
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kimchi
April 14, 2016 at 11:25 PM
6 years old difference is common in real life romance.
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crazyaboutit
April 15, 2016 at 5:55 AM
23yo & 17yo is not a huge difference. It happens a lot in real life
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weallwantpizza
April 16, 2016 at 1:16 PM
Great example: on Dream High, Kim Soohyun - Suzy are 6 years different. Both were 23yo and 17yo. And we shipped them for years.
Commentcomment
April 14, 2016 at 11:26 PM
Yoon shiyoon ismore than ten years older than saeron, bogum on the other hand is only 6 years older than yoojung.. soo....
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Tai
April 15, 2016 at 6:22 AM
lol the age diff was never the issue with ksr an ysy? its that she's a child and he's a grown ass man. the same age diff if she was in her 20s would be not that big a deal at all?
Also KYJ is a bit underaged but at least Sungjae and Bo gum are also quite young/in their early 20s. Honestly I still thought Sungjae was 19 lol. It's still not what I'd PREFER but at least it's not flt out disgusting. more like annoying. I love Yoojung and Bo gum tho so i'll probably still check this out and hope for the best. i mean its not like baro who was her sorta love interest in Angry Mom isnt ALSO older than her by a couple years or so.
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Adaobi
April 16, 2016 at 1:05 PM
This cross-dressing storyline is very similar to that of Splish Splash Love. But I'm certainly looking forward to it because of Bogummy!
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2 thumbaLYNDA
April 14, 2016 at 7:42 PM
My first thought was, "She's too young!" I'm trying not to be disappointed, but I truly am.. Hope the drama works out cuz I absolutely love PBG!
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Appelsin
April 15, 2016 at 5:44 AM
Same here. I am concerned about Bogummie.
I really wanted him to succeed in this, but this choice of leading lady makes me worry: what sort of love advice is she going to give, she looks like a child!
So sad that Kim Ji Won did not take the role... still I will watch for Bogum, maybe with his talent he is able to overcome even this difficulty, hehe! but not sure whether I will be onboard with the romance. :(
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Tai
April 15, 2016 at 6:27 AM
I'm kinda used to this sorta age diff since a few other dramas have had it happen and actually Page Turner for example. Since So Hyun is also 17 and Ji Soo is 23. It's not as big a deal imo eve if I'd wish that more age appropriate couplings could be chosen. but I'm not like grossed out at all. esp since lbr most kdrama romances are more chaste than steamy.
tbh this is only noteworthy cuz its coming so soon on the heels of the kim sae ron and yoon shi yoon debacle. which im still squicked out by. like yyyyyy
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Appelsin
April 15, 2016 at 8:00 AM
Well, it is not really the age difference, which I do not care about, but that she is too young and looks too young to this kind of setup: she is supposed to be a brave young woman that crossdresses and infiltrates in the palace, hiding like a "pro" while acting like a man and giving love advice... I would have liked more the vibe that a slightly older actress would have given it, and being kdramas so "chaste" if we add up a super-innocent looking child actress, the romance might definitely end up being too bland... hopefully I am mistaken, I love Bogummie and I am watching this.
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Soonie
April 15, 2016 at 2:41 PM
Totally agree! Wish we had someone from the two boys' age group but sadly there is a definite lack in quality actresses in the early twenties age. All the recognized ones are 25 and up! (I was shocked to fine that even BJH, PBY and Go Ara are both in that age category, so much older than they look!).
Rackin my brain, I could only think of Gong Seung Yeon(23) and Yoon So Hee(22) who are both beautiful actresses with decent acting chops but have unfortunely failed to attract the acclaim in looks or talent (odd considering that they are both with SME). Kim Go Eun is great but I think the character calls for more of the gorgeous in looks vs. the girl-next-door type of beauty. It's too bad that KBS can't be more like TVN and consider lesser known (or non at all) actors a chance at a breakthrough role. TVN has proved time and again that their formula works but no one else has seem to follow in their steps. Oh the pressures of being a public broadcasting company!
Krys101
April 15, 2016 at 10:42 AM
In the webtoon, Ra On was supposed to be in her late teens while the prince is around 20 years old so their age actually match the characters. Kim Ji Wom is too old and looks too old to be Ra On. She will only look like Bogum's noona which isn't suppose to be.
Kim Yoo Jung's name and star power is more than Kim Ji Won, Park Bo Gum and Sungjae so her being cast actually adds credibility to the drama. Look at the Knetz response to this drama now compared to before. After KYJ was cast all comments and response for this drama are now all positive and so many people are anticipating it already.
KYJ has her first TV kiss scene when she was 10 YEARS OLD and have paired up with people older than her so I see no issue on the romance department. Plus Bogun and Sungjae looks young as well so this might be more of teenage romance since Bogum's character supposedly died at the age of 21(?) or atleast early 20s in real history. He did become King for a short while though.
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Yuki
April 15, 2016 at 1:32 PM
Well, I wonder how far the TV station will dare to go regarding the romance. I think it was in her last drama Secret Door where they decided to replace her since they felt uncomfortable because of she was too young.
I am concerned that they will cut the romance side of the story and it will end up being a mess in general. It is not the first time I see a drama going downhill due to producers being scared of what people would think, like when they skipped the kiss in The Prime Minister and I because of the age gap, for example. I do not want to suffer this frustration again. :(
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Shuanacoo
April 15, 2016 at 6:40 PM
I totally agree! She's practically a veteran with more experience than we give her! They will do great, it's just the story and writers I'm concerned about....
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princess
April 18, 2016 at 3:17 AM
I totally agree with you. I love Kim Ji Won (she's super duper awesome in acting), but I think she's too old for this drama. Yes, she's beautiful but she has this 'mature aura' that like you said, she would might look as PBG noona. And besides, this drama only catches my attention when I found out that KYJ is the main lead actress. I just hope that this drama would be successful. Hoping that their chemistry and romance will be natural.
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3 jazza
April 14, 2016 at 7:43 PM
I really want Kim Jiwon. Ooh well, But Kim Yoojung is a great actress and she's really pretty. She's one of my fave child actress along with Kim Sohyun...
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4 lemondoodle
April 14, 2016 at 7:48 PM
She's a good actress, but stop casting grown men with children.
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pogo
April 14, 2016 at 7:51 PM
They're 17 and 23 respectively, this isn't that different from casting Kim So-hyun (16) with Nam Joo-hyuk (21) for School 2016.
and it's a VERY far cry from casting a 30-year-old with a kid who's not yet 16.
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lemondoodle
April 14, 2016 at 8:05 PM
Google says she's 16 though. She's younger than my nephew, which weirds me out. Yes, it's not as bad as it could be... but still is that what we are going with regarding this. Still not good.
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alua
April 14, 2016 at 10:21 PM
Google seems to be giving you her Korean age.
Her birthday is July 31, 2000, so she's still 15 for a few more months.
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ia
April 14, 2016 at 10:58 PM
Nope. Her birthday is September 22, 1999. She's turning 17 this year (real age).
Commentcomment
April 14, 2016 at 11:29 PM
@ia yoojung is sep 1999, saeron is july 2000.. kim yoojung is partnered with 93-er bogum and saeron is partnered with a 86-er shiyoon..
Cafe
April 14, 2016 at 8:14 PM
Yes please.
Or men/women +10 or +17 years older than their counterparts??! ie: Ji Sung is 39 and Hyeri is 21 (18 yo apart!!!!), he is more fitting for a woman in her 30's, not a 21 yo... He looked very good w/the other female cast...
This is SO off puting.
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Chris
April 14, 2016 at 8:28 PM
I really wish the story put Ji Sung and Chae Jung-ahn as the main couple and focus his relationship with Hyeri as mentor - mentee.. >_<
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lemondoodle
April 14, 2016 at 9:17 PM
Hyeri is at least legal, though I agree she's too young for him.
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Commentcomment
April 14, 2016 at 11:31 PM
Umm, in here bogum is 93-er and yoojung is 99-er only 6 years difference and hyeri is legal adult..
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julia
April 15, 2016 at 12:58 AM
No matter how young they look their age stays the same...."all the casting directors" please mind the age difference its cringing to see kids playing adults...!!!!(when there are so many good actresses @ 20s & 30s)
6 years is bare able plz not beyond 10....!!!
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lemondoodle
April 15, 2016 at 8:30 PM
The age DIFFERENCE is not the problem! It's the fact that the girl is underage and 16 years old ffs. Seriously people.
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Table122000
April 15, 2016 at 6:16 AM
I agree with you Cafe. I find this trend of younger women with much older men really disturbing (in cases where they are underage girls) and off putting when there are 10+ years between them. How many shows is it now- at least 4 or 5 that are doing this? I thought Korea was a country that honored actresses at every age, but here they are sending the message that if you're over 30, you're over the hill. While middle aged men- well they are still in their prime. Just look at those young co-stars! It really is depressing and I hope it's a trend that doesn't continue.
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pigsnout
April 15, 2016 at 7:11 AM
Lol 30something actresses are the most loved in Korea, look at the drama leads in any year.
The women who are losing roles to underage teens are not the 30s actresses, it's the 20s actresses, and mainly the early 20-25 year old ones. If you want to complain, at least stick to facts.
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Table122000
April 15, 2016 at 7:48 PM
Respectfully, I am looking at the facts when responding to Cafe's post. Hyeri at 21 vs. Ji Sung's 39. Uee at 28 vs. Lee Seo-Jin at 45. Neither of these actresses are over 30, yet they are paired as love interests with much older men. I do hope that you are right and that this sort of thing is the exception rather than the rule as it is a trend I don't like.
pigsnout
April 15, 2016 at 9:44 PM
Hyeri and Uee are idols.
And idols are the ones who have been robbing the most roles from 20s actresses, they keep getting the public broadcast lead roles for that age group even when they can't act or their dramas do badly. While talented actresses like Kim Ji Won or Jo Bo Ah end up stuck as second leads because even though they have beauty and talent, pds prefer to cast an idol for a young lead.
The only 20s actresses who get lead roles are either child stars or movie actresses like Go Ah Sung who do one drama in 5 years.
Tai
April 15, 2016 at 6:30 AM
yep that was bugging me alot! but i didnt say anything in that thread cuz she's 21 so at least its not like pedophilia. the bar is low now you see. and i love ji sung enough that i'm willing to give it a TRY. even tho i rly dont go for romances where the girl is THAT much younger. like after 5 years of age diff it starts to bug me tbh.
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Requiem
April 15, 2016 at 9:43 AM
I hope that those of you up-in-arms about casting like ji sung-hyeri and jang hyuk-park so dam weren't also kang ja-bok dang shippers. It'd be kind of a double standard.
Fwiw, I'm not big on ji sung-hyeri either, but at least it seems to fit the story.
I'm more disturbed that Kim so Hyun, Kim sae ron, and Kim yoo jung are being cast as main love interests in romance dramas to men. I understand that they're good actresses, but I don't think this is something we should be promoting until they're at least legal age.
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anglvue
April 15, 2016 at 11:28 AM
I was a Kang Ja-Bok Dong shipper you can say cos his crush was cute but I didn't expect it to pan out cos that would have really made the drama go down hill for me: it would have made Kang ja creepy and a pedo. There is a difference between crush versus actual love interest. I don't mind the age gap between pbg and kyj very much but the ysy and ksr is pretty horrific. I think for many of us it's that she is still quite underage. A teenage crush like bok dong would be cute--which teenager hasn't had some sort of crush on an older person--but an actual love line is pretty icky.
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Requiem
April 15, 2016 at 1:16 PM
Having a crush is fine, but some of the shippers were actually fantasizing about and clamoring for Kang ja actually reciprocating bok dang's crush, and almost no one took them to task about it.
How is that not as icky, if not more, than a ji sung-hyeri pairing or even a park bo gum-Kim yoo Jung pairing?
Similar issue with the yeo jin goo-ha yeon soo. Almost exactly the same age gap, but there wasn't nearly the same outcry of "he's a minor" or age gap complaints. There's a serious double standard here.
If you have a problem with one underage casting in a romance-based drama, you should have a problem with all underage castings in a romance-based drama. And it shouldn't be biased by ideas that "oh, it's OK because he's cute or hot for his age or she's young looking enough" which is what most of the defenses amounted to.
Commentcomment
April 14, 2016 at 11:33 PM
Yoojung is 99-er and bogum is 93-er. If youre comparing to shiyoon who is 86-er and saeron who is 00-er.. its different.. vastly different
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Tai
April 15, 2016 at 6:33 AM
yeah she's almost 17? but yeah its not ideal at all. i would prefer she was older or he was younger. but its not a huge age diff and she's still a kid but tbh 23 imo is also a kid still i alot of ways. obv not comparable ut if he was like 26 and she was almost 18 instead of almost 17 that would tbh annoy me more.
anyway yeah So-Hyun just did a drama with Ji Soo with p much an identical age diff. So it's like, if that one turned out sweet and ok. I'm hoping this will too.
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weallwantpizza
April 16, 2016 at 1:20 PM
the way you put it... it's like, relieving to have PBG-KYJ are the same 90s kids, while YSY-KSR are in 2 decades apart.
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Table122000
April 15, 2016 at 6:01 AM
Totally agree! What is going on in dramaland lately? So many underage female leads with much older men. There are many wonderful actresses in their 20s-why do they have to go this route? I was so looking forward to this drama but I have to say my enthusiasm has dwindled with this casting news.
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youcallitwinter
April 15, 2016 at 9:43 AM
It's like the drama world literally cannot wait for Yoojung, Sohyun and Saeron to grow up, that they keep casting them in roles that should be played by older actresses. Can you imagine the rush of scripts when they all finally come of age. It's like there won't be a youth drama made without one of them in it.
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DoubleFault
April 15, 2016 at 10:58 AM
Probably because you don't really have a lot of choice when it comes to actresses in their early 20s that's why KYJ, KSH & KSR keep getting offered to star with actors a couple of years older than them. Also, there aren't really a lot of high profile actors in their late teens to choose from.
These three will be the female equivalents of Lee Minho, Kim Soo Hyun, Kim Woo Bin and Lee Jong Suk when they reach their early 20s.
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pogo
April 16, 2016 at 9:25 AM
as said above, the 20something actresses (those who weren't idols or child stars) were locked out of roles for years, and now the industry blames them for its own refusal to give the opportunities - so we get roles going to girls in their mid-teens.
(this is rather exacerbated by the fact that most of said idols and certain actresses who did end up getting lead roles, were mediocre to terrible at acting - and, quite unfairly imo, they were taken as a reflection of their entire age group of actresses instead of what they actually were i.e. mediocrities who weren't fit for lead roles and should really have been giving way to people who were better at it)
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5 Jayy
April 14, 2016 at 7:50 PM
She is too young so I am a bit taken back but I love her. Well I guess its a youth drama so there wont be a problem. Love PBG, I hope it will be successful~
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Leen
April 16, 2016 at 5:48 AM
The problem is for the people that wanted to see Bo Gum in more adult drama...I wish them success but most likely this is going to be too prudish and bland for my taste. At least Bogum and Hyeri could kiss (something that looked like a real kiss) in Reply 1988 with no one complaining, but I wonder how far they will dare to go with Yoo Jung.
Maybe I will skip it and consider after hearing the critics later...
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6 juniper
April 14, 2016 at 7:50 PM
I'm not expecting much from the drama itself, but if KYJ can get a positive experience acting in a sageuk out of it, I'll be happy.
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Kiara
April 14, 2016 at 9:05 PM
She'll probably do this in her sleep. I miss her in sageuks so I'm excited.
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juniper
April 14, 2016 at 10:30 PM
I'll probably watch, as long as it doesn't get too stupid. I'm a KYJ fan for life after Flames of Ambition, and PBG isn't a total wash as an actor (plus he was pretty adorable in AM88 lol).
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7 Annie
April 14, 2016 at 7:51 PM
Cringe... fab actress but I wish they could have gotten someone a bit older.
We're only going to be seeing more of these pairings in the future because of the glut of late 80s actors and the relative lack of late 80s - early 90s actresses.
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pogo
April 14, 2016 at 7:56 PM
I would have preferred someone slightly older too, but it's as you said - a lot of actresses born between '88-'94 ended up locked out of roles for their age group if they weren't child stars or idols, and we're seeing the impact of that now, when people are reluctant to really give them a shot at lead.
The exception is a small handful of '90ers (Baek Jin-hee, Kang Sora etc, and recently the rise of Kim Ji-won) but otherwise it's pretty bleak for that age group.
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kale
April 14, 2016 at 8:23 PM
This is very true. All the top actresses in their twenties, so PBY, PSH, SSK all started out as child actresses, and the rest that get cast in leads are basically idols. Kang Sora, Park So Dam, and Kim Go Eun really lucked out with getting some type of recognition through film, which landed them lead roles in dramas. And Go Ara/LYH lucked out by being in SM, which basically means they'll always get some type of work as a lead.
BJH and KJW have yet to be given a lead role in a national broadcast station drama yet. It seems like BJH is stuck doing random weekend dramas for now.
This will only get worse. As soon as older girl groups start disbanding, you're going to see an even bigger flood of female idols taking supporting and lead roles, than you already do.
It's going to be a mess. Kim Yoo Jung and Kim Soo Hyun were smart to start young like PSH and PBY did, they'll basically be carrying the drama scene in a few years.
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Annie
April 14, 2016 at 8:37 PM
Just a small correction but Baek Jin Hee was one of the main leads for Triangle and was the female lead for Pride and Prejudice.
But I totally agree re: the 'aging' idol girls who will be flooding the market in a few years. The worst part is that acting really is a young person's game (think teens) in the sense that people who start out early have more opportunities to learn and shine in an industry that prizes youth and beauty - so not only will these girls lock out newcomers who actually would have a shot at developing into credible actresses but their inevitable failure (let's face it, most people aren't born actors and they won't have enough time to really hone their skills after entering so late in the game) will only cause the industry to become even more reliant on known commodities. It is a vicious cycle.
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Annie
April 14, 2016 at 8:31 PM
The Baek Jin Hee, Kang Sora, Go Ara group didn't even really achieve leading lady legitimacy until the last 1-2 years or so arguably - and IMO the only actress in the age group that is legitimately considered a star in her own right (which I define as having the star power to lead vehicles on her own) is Park Shin Hye. Even Shin Se Kyung seems to be seen as little more than eye candy. I sincerely doubt she and any of the others besides PSH will achieve anything like the dominance of the Ha Ji Won - Son Ye Jin - Kim Haneul or Kim Tae Hee - Song Hye Kyo - Jeon Ji Hyun trifectas.
I predict that the late 90s actresses will take advantage of this imbalance and dominate the small screen just like the late 80s guys were able to take advantage of the relatively smaller pool of early 80s male stars. These cycles tend to repeat themselves.
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kale
April 14, 2016 at 8:49 PM
I mean yes, I would definitely agree with that. In terms of the popular star totem pole for actresses in their twenties, PSH will be at the top, and then you have PBY, but she rarely does dramas so it's difficult to place her. SSK, KSR, Go Ara, etc. have a way to go before reaching that level of star power, especially internationally.
I don't think any of these actresses, besides PSH, and PBY maybe, will reach the level of SYJ, JJH, HJW, etc.
But, at the same time, SYJ, JJH, HJW, SHG, didn't have to compete with a million and one random idols for roles when they were starting out. So they were able to dominate, create fanbases, and get public recognition. I can only think of Eugene and Sung Yuri who were legitimate idol actresses from that time.
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Annie
April 14, 2016 at 9:12 PM
I would argue that Hallyu more than any idol has killed the industry for young actresses.
People are so quick to forget that icons like Ha Ji Won and Jeon Ji Hyun were considered nothing special from a talent perspective when they started out. Only Son Ye Jin really seemed like an acting powerhouse from day 1. And yet they were given the opportunity to grow as actresses because Kdramas were still sufficiently domestic and could count on a captive home audience to not require only established stars as leading ladies.
However, with the advent of Hallyu, the casting of actresses seems to be dependent more on who's popular in China/Japan rather than on developing talent. Men have it so much easier in this system because dramas have largely always been written by women for women and it's easy enough to become a huge star on the basis of looking sufficiently handsome and lovelorn - meanwhile, it seems to be a requirement that any woman outside of the female lead has to be an ajhumma or a bitch.
paroles
April 14, 2016 at 10:32 PM
@Annie: I disgree. I don't see casting of actresses just because they are famous in China or Japan. The guys are the main draw when it comes to Hallyu. JGS's had a lot of domestic flops but he's still getting cast because of overseas sales. I don't think there are many actresses who are able to do the same.
I think the lack of opportunities for young actresses boils down to:
1. There are a lot of decent actresses in the age group above.
The '78-'84 group has literally tons of A-list actresses. Some of them may have dropped off a bit but they still have huge name value (domestically).
2. General image of young actresses.
Almost all of them are the friendly girl next door type. This just means that they are limited when it comes to roles. If MBC decides to produce another epic based on some legendary female historical figure (in the veins of Dae Jang Geum, The Great Queen Seondeok, Dong Yi, Empress Ki), I don't think any of them look like they can do the job. PSH included.
3. Scripts.
Every single young female lead is bright and kind-hearted. The roles they get are just boring.
pogo
April 16, 2016 at 9:30 AM
I think Annie is actually right - we've discussed this before, but for several years there were virtually NO under-25 female breakout actresses (as in, not idols) in Big 3 dramas, despite some incredible talent bubbling under.
And that was because the roles that would ordinarily have gone to them and could have provided their breakthroughs, were being handed out like candy to idols, irrespective of whether they could act or not. Which left a lot of talented actresses stuck at second lead level and unable to get themselves the leg up to lead. Those who could, stuck to doing movies - but when it came to tv, casting decisions for women were made with a strict eye to selling things for foreign rights, even though idol dramas kept flopping left and right.
8 stars4u
April 14, 2016 at 7:51 PM
Aww... I was really crossing my fingers for Kim Ji-won to take this drama. Hope she picks a good one for her next project. But I think with where this is headed, it's in teen drama territory. I still think Moon/Sun whenever I see Kim Yoo-jung in sageuk.
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9 Livii
April 14, 2016 at 7:52 PM
Wow my excitement of checking out bogum's turn in a romance just dropped. I dnt watch sagueks but I was willing to check this out for him. Is there really no actress available in the 20's range? Sigh.
Guess I have to make do with lucky romance.
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10 Kaylie
April 14, 2016 at 7:52 PM
Park Bo-gum looks really young, so this pairing could really work. I watched some clips of Secret Door because of Lee Je-hoon and I cringe to think that they tried to pair a 30-year-old man with a 16-year-old girl.
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pogo
April 14, 2016 at 7:57 PM
She wasn't even 16 in Secret Door, she was turning 15! I wonder what the producers were drinking, to think putting a middle school student in a love line with a 30-year-old man was appropriate.
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Kaylie
April 14, 2016 at 8:30 PM
Ohh I got her age wrong, that's even worse. Lee Je-hoon was double her age! Argh. I know in Joseon times it's common for women to get married at that age, but do they seriously have to cast a actress so young for a drama?
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11 Zia
April 14, 2016 at 7:52 PM
Ugh, so many of my faves have upcoming dramas but they're all sageuks which I have no interest in.
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12 pogo
April 14, 2016 at 7:53 PM
I'm glad they got her - she's a good actress and I think she'll do great in a sageuk. Just as long as you don't give her any creepy age-inappropriate love lines like intending to make her play the love interest of a guy literally twice her age *coughSecretDoorcough*
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13 Cheliwel
April 14, 2016 at 7:54 PM
Who knew Wikipedia would be legit. I saw this casting news on wiki like 3 weeks ago and I thought it was just someone's wishful thinking. I like KYJ. I'm not sure about her pairing with PBG though. It must be a trend to cast older guys with younger females. She's awesome in saeguk roles so I'm not worried about that. I'm more concerned with how she'll appear on screen with PBG. It's KBS year it seems for me. It seems like I'm watching more KBS drama than any other stations this year. Normally it would be SBS.
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14 Samantha Reed
April 14, 2016 at 7:55 PM
In real life, they are not that different in age.... he's six years older but looks a lot younger... he could easily pass up as 17, 18 year old.
The thing that worries me is not their chemistry or even their acting skills because all 3 (PBG, YSJ and Kim Yoo-jung) have more than demostrated their acting chops, what worries me is that with her being underage, the romance can only go so far.
We won't have any kisses and I dread that because PBG has shown how good of a kisser he is, and I want more of that. I feel sort of cheated of the romance part already.
I am sure I will like it still, but I will be "what if-ing" the whole time while I watch. ?
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Kaylie
April 14, 2016 at 8:32 PM
Hahaha romance without kiss scenes is like having a chocolate cake without chocolate!!
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sweetsour
April 14, 2016 at 9:14 PM
Comment was deleted
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mashimomo
April 14, 2016 at 10:28 PM
I think that is my main issue with this and the fact that they started hinting At Kim Ji won as a possible lead. Was hoping for a more "mature" role for him with lots of romance per the source material, at least from what I was reading online. Not necessarily their age gap but more so because she is 17, so as you mentioned the romance part will be toned down. I don't doubt their acting skills so I know this will be at least a well-acted drama, expecting a lot of cute moments between them. Plus the costumes - both of them would be so beautiful in them!
I'll still watch, but I would be what-iffing with you as well.
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15 Nathan
April 14, 2016 at 8:03 PM
Yes! I was hoping for either Kim So Hyun or Kim Yoo Jung.
I like it more than Kim Jiwon/KGE because I always thought that they gonna look like noona to those two guys.
BPG is 93-liner
Sungjae is 95-liner
Kim Yoo Jung is 99-liner
The line-up age-range kinda same with School 2015. So I don't see any problem here..
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pigtookie
April 14, 2016 at 10:26 PM
I always thought Kim Ji Won had a baby face, which would fit right with Park Bo Gum.
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Krys101
April 15, 2016 at 10:58 AM
Really?! When my family watch DOTS together they thought she was same age as SJK in real life. And that she was only 2-3 years younger than SHK. When I told then they were wrong and she was 94er they were shock and blatantly says I'm lying. They still don't believe me till now. Haha They did not even brother researching it.
I don't personally think she looks old but she looks way older than PBG and Sungjae atleast which will be the 2 guys fighting for the girl. So I personally hope they don't pick her and she get a more mature role like Myeong Ju.
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16 Kayla
April 14, 2016 at 8:04 PM
i love KYJ but this casting just strikes me as weird. the recent trend of casting super young actresses (they're talented, i get it) with older actors is just odd imo. they act like there're no other actresses around the actor's age range around??
these young actresses are talented BUT there's ample time for them to be leads without their companies pushing it so fast. (& like girlfriday said, we all know what happened with KYJ in secret door--shit didn't work out).
tbh, i just wish they would've had KJW on lock-down, i think she would have been great opposite PBG. (honestly, i'm just salty af atm LOL). KYG's casting basically confirms hat this is gonna be a candy drama and i wanted more than that--especially for PBG. i can't help but feel they kinda screwed him over with KYJ as his lead (although she's lovely and ppl adore her.) there are just so much that can't be done with someone as young as her without the "ick" factor coming into play.
ALSO, i can't bring myself to believe that she can pass as male for one second. she's just way too cute! KJW could've pulled that off much better.
regardless, i guess i should just be thanking the kdrama gods that it's KYJ and not anyone else (god forbid it was seolhyun or KGE--idk just never liked her) so i'm just gonna stfu cuz regardless, i'll be watching for PBG, sungjae (isn't he confirmed???) and KYJ (whose actually my fav child teen actress)
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fay17
April 15, 2016 at 12:52 AM
Sadly yes,this would be at most a teen drama now,any possibility of this getting bigger is not there anymore.For Park Bo Gum'\s sake I was hoping he would not have to compete with teen actors like nam jo hyuk or ji soo,but now as he'd be paired up against a minus 18 yrs old and sorts,there won't be the expectation of a matured drama.I reealy really want PBG to get big as he has lots of potentials in his bag,after IRY and Reply,so a bit disappointed that this won't be too much buzz worthy.At least someone close enough to hyeri's age group would have been better.I was solely hoping for KGE,but if not her even KJW could be great as this won't be just a 'teen' drama then.But now we have another one in the row of School 2015,orange marmalade or sassy go go,also this coming from KBS makes it another stereotypes.Anyway hope PBG selects his dramas with more caution next time around.
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rhienz
April 15, 2016 at 8:32 AM
Yeah, but I'm really hoping that this is just our present concern and then it'll actually turn out to be good and buzz-worthy.
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17 Chu
April 14, 2016 at 8:06 PM
Kim Yoojung is a really good actress, and I hope that in this drama, she'll be able to show more of her mature side! I loved her in The Moon Embraces the Sun, and I hope she'll be able to do an equally stellar job here, and receive lots of recognition.
The age difference is a bit weird, but I think it could work. The most they'd do is probably kiss. And, I mean, Bogum could pass for someone younger, and Yoojung for someone older. So I'm sure things will turn out alright.
Yoojung is always so elegant and pretty... I wonder how they'll crossdress her? Out of all the kdramas I've seen, never has a crossdressing girl actually been convincing...
Well, hopefully the script's good! I can't wait until August. Hopefully this will be a breakthrough role for Yoojung, and she'll get many more lead roles after this~
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Mini Roo
April 14, 2016 at 8:57 PM
She's underage so that kiss is only gonna be a kiss on the cheek AT MOST. Like Sungjae and Kim So Hyun in School 2015
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Kiara
April 14, 2016 at 9:41 PM
She was 10yrs old when she had her first onscreen kiss on the lips with the younger Lee Min Ho. He was 16 back then.
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damianna
April 15, 2016 at 3:39 AM
Well they were both minors at that time but in this drama it'll be between an adult and a minor. Is it that hard not to cast a minor?
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pigsnout
April 15, 2016 at 7:14 AM
....you think there is less creepy factor between a freaking 12 year old and a 19 year old guy, than 17 years old with 23?
12 years old is a freaking child, at least 16-17 years old is old enough to date and have relationships in many countries. But 12??
pogo
April 16, 2016 at 9:34 AM
I hate to say it because I know LMH junior has a lot of fans but a ten-year-old getting kissed by a seventeen-year-old has way, way more ick factor than 16 and 22.
LMH jr. was technically still a minor but on the brink of adulthood, while KYJ was literally still a child. If I were her mother or agent, I'd have some blistering words for the PD who made the decision to shoot that scene.
Chu
April 15, 2016 at 6:19 AM
Kim So Hyun and D.O. kissed in Pure Love, and their age gap is the same as Yoojung and Bogum's. So I don't see why this drama would just limit themselves to a kiss on the cheek.
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rhienz
April 15, 2016 at 8:37 AM
Was there really a kiss between them on Pure Love? I only remembered DO kissing So-hyun through her umbrella. Or maybe I missed it ?
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wow
April 15, 2016 at 8:44 AM
Nope, they didn't kiss.
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18 redbean
April 14, 2016 at 8:08 PM
The heroine in the novel is 17 years old, so Kim Yoo Jung is the right age (and Kim So Hyun too, if only...)
I'm just happy it's not any one who cannot act. That's the most important thing than being too young or too old. In that, I'll say KAMSADAAAAA~
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sskuwair
April 15, 2016 at 12:45 AM
LOL at KAMSADAAAAA~
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19 little-muffin
April 14, 2016 at 8:11 PM
I like this pairing! KYJ may be young (and too pretty to pretend to be a boy) but she's a good actress.
And it helps that PBG looks young too so I think the pairing works. Honestly, I thought Kim Ji-won looks a bit too old for PBG.
They can focus more on young innocent love now since the age goes down. So looking forward.
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Kaylie
April 14, 2016 at 8:34 PM
I agree, if Kim Ji-won was cast, it'll turn into a noona romance.
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paroles
April 14, 2016 at 10:06 PM
This is exactly what i meant when I wrote about double standards in the other thread. Kim Ji-won is only 1 year older than PBG and she's too old?
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pogo
April 14, 2016 at 11:42 PM
forget one year, she's not even six months older! (born in October 1992 to Park Bo-gum's March 1993)
they are literally the same age. The 'this will become a noona romance' logic is beyond nonsensical.
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pogo
April 14, 2016 at 11:46 PM
oop, my mistake, she's eight months older than Bogum, not six.
Still, the point remains that it is utterly ridiculous to be going 'but she's too old for him!' when they are not even a year apart in age. In several countries, they'd be high school classmates.
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Sera The Ms Temper
April 14, 2016 at 11:48 PM
Lol I agreed. It is ridiculous to say Kim Ji Won will be like a noona for him, KJW also does not look elder than PBG.
Kaylie
April 15, 2016 at 2:04 AM
Lol before everyone attacks me for my comment, let me clarify that I meant in terms of looks, Kim Ji-won looks a lot more mature. I think her pairing with Jin Gu in DOTS was very nice. She suits the older, mature men because she has a mature woman aura herself.
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mooses
April 14, 2016 at 10:13 PM
She's literally only one year older.. Srsly? @ this concept of a 23 yr old being too old for a 22 yr old? And a grown man with a minor is somehow more acceptable?
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pogo
April 14, 2016 at 11:47 PM
you know the best part? If he'd taken this role, they would BOTH be 23 years old by the time the drama began airing.
And yet we want to say she's 'too old' for him...
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pogo
April 14, 2016 at 11:48 PM
- correction - if *she'd* taken the role.
lolus
April 15, 2016 at 6:49 AM
When DotS was announced, everyone complained how she look too much like a baby, but now, a year later, she's suddenly too mature for a guy 8 months younger than her? sigh instead of RME at these people, I better just applaud this KJW's talent because she truly managed to fool everyone into believing she's way older than she actually is.
Adal
April 15, 2016 at 8:09 AM
Really?!
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kawaiidrama
April 14, 2016 at 11:19 PM
Given that Yook Sung Jae was up for the second lead role, next to Kim Ji Won, imho I think it would have been slightly awkward.
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Sera The Ms Temper
April 14, 2016 at 11:47 PM
Kim Ji Won is a baby face type, and I cannot find she looks older than PBG in anyway. Is my eyes not correct?
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loveRIN
August 24, 2016 at 12:55 PM
KJW looks 30 with that nose of hers
so no, your eyes are not correct lol
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20 kale
April 14, 2016 at 8:13 PM
I don't really get all the pearl clutching in regard to the age difference. This has always been marketed as a saeguk youth romance, not some erotic, passionate love story heavy on the skinship.
I mean, didn't yeo jin goo, when he was a minor have a love line with han yeon soo and a pretty intense, for kdramas that is, kiss scene?
I'm more amused by the fact that there are tons of actresses in their early twenties that have basically played nothing but second leads for years, and the production team still decided to go for a teenager.
I mean, business wise, I can't blame them, why not use the more popular actresses if you can get them, as opposed to taking a risk? This just sucks for rookies and less known actresses.
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Mia
April 14, 2016 at 9:38 PM
I've noticed that they do go for name value with female leads. It's probably because the majority of the viewers are female that shows get cast the way they do. The producers usually want a female lead that's a star. That basically leaves established older actresses, former (and now current child stars), and idols. The popular older male actors wind up kissing dramas goodbye to do movies or they're enlisted. It's easier for unknown young male actors to grow because they get the female viewers buzzing. When they have their breakthroughs they're enormous compared to younger female actors.
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Requiem
April 15, 2016 at 10:32 AM
Heh, good point. Totally forgot about yeo jin goo and his baby face and how people were saying it's OK since his love interest looks so young. *rollseyes*
Fwiw, I have the same protest here that I did when yeo Jin goo was casted.
Stop casting under-age kids with legal adults.
But you're also right in that production companies would rather go with the "less risky" casting of a big name and hope that the audience is not too squicked out by it than go with casting a "risky" no-name and not be able to draw that audience in the first place.
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Purrpal
April 15, 2016 at 12:32 PM
+infinity
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21 chalsoe
April 14, 2016 at 8:14 PM
idk i mean the story itself wasn't very exciting or interesting to me particularly and i was planning to watch this just for PBG but now that I know that the female lead is KYJ , my interest level just dropped. I mean, they are both great actors but with KYJ's age, the romance can't go very far and the setup basically sound like romance is the main attraction to it and I just hope it isn't going to get awkward
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22 jheart
April 14, 2016 at 8:16 PM
I like Kim Yoo Jung. She is one of my favourite child actor along with Kim So Hyun.
But for this role acting alongside Park Bo Gum?
I cant help but disappointed.
Her acting ability is good. Despite her age , she is acting veteran and she has done many saeguk dramas/movies
But she is still too young !
It would be really awkward if they push the passionate romance between her and Bo Gum
They so look quite cute though
But still .....
My potential couple Bo Gum - Ji Wonnie
I was so hoping for Kim Jin Won for this role
Imagine they are burning the screen with their beauty and explosive chemistry
what a waste
I guess there will always be next time since they both hottest rising stars. And eventually get pair up together for a project.
Suddenly the target audiences will narrow down to much younger ones too
Anyway wish u the best bogum for your first leading role and the saeguk challenge you have been waiting for so long
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23 Jennalyn Zul
April 14, 2016 at 8:21 PM
ummm..i dont know about this..but definitely gonna check it
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24 NamNavi
April 14, 2016 at 8:28 PM
First of all it's a youth romance / coming-of-age drama. Why did people make it sound like they're gonna shoot some kind of erotic drama...
She's capable to play this role. And she don't even need to look like a guy because the character originally describe as "peerless beauty" and she indeed gorgeous.
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kale
April 14, 2016 at 8:51 PM
Same here. I don't understand why people are talking about "selling a romance" when it was almost always going to be a more pure, puppy love kind of relationship.
Also, if I want something heavier on the physical romance or skinship side of a show, I'm not going to pick a kdrama to watch lmao.
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NamNavi
April 14, 2016 at 9:37 PM
I think I'm ok with no skinship type of love mainly because all the dramas/movies from my country don't even have kiss scenes or heavy physical touch because of religious constrain. Well, I still believe that they are in love even though they don't touch each other...
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angieya
April 15, 2016 at 1:41 AM
I guess because people saw Bo Gum's kissing scenes in Reply, they want to see him making out with the female lead in his first lead role. But since it's a youth romance, on top of that a sageuk I actually didn't expect major kissing or steamy scenes from the get go. And like girlfriday PBG is also a baby in my mind, so this pairing works for me. At least we don't have to worry about their acting skills.
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mmeuh
April 15, 2016 at 4:53 AM
well if you read a little of the web novel, or just the illustrated arts, there are kisses and more intimate scenes. You can't blame the web novel fans to be disappointed, or maybe not really, just taken aback because YJ is still underrated and if following kdrama code, those scenes are no-no. But i guess, this drama being on a main broadcast station like KBS meant those scenes wouldn't be included from the start.
I like YJ acting, but i'm still on reserved how she'd look next to BG. The age gap isn't big but the risk is that chemistry turns into sibling kind and for a story with romance centered like this one hm... Again who knows, the writer may do some changes to the story.
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wow
April 15, 2016 at 8:50 AM
Web novels usually like that and they have to tone it down in almost every adaptation. Netizens are happy with casting so I'm assuming nobody expects to see those scenes and are okay with teen romance version.
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mmeuh
April 15, 2016 at 10:45 AM
yep. I got it after this casting. Maybe it's just me who expected sth different aka following the novel. oh well i should have known better, most drama adaptations don't follow the original work. which is unfortunate if you ask me. *thinks of Lucky romance and its changes and sighs*
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wow
April 15, 2016 at 12:10 PM
I know, I also have mixed feelings about adaptations if I like orjinal work better. I have no idea about this one but I guess it's quite long story and they're working on it since last year so either they will use exact same characterization with different story line or they will only change execution by chopping off inappropriate and unnecessary contents. I prefer latter what do you think?
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lolus
April 15, 2016 at 6:52 AM
The drawings of the webtoon literally shows them taking baths together. In what universe is that not erotic? Or do you think a woman and man take baths together to braid each other's hair?
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NamNavi
April 15, 2016 at 9:42 AM
Dude, the drama clearly fall under youth romance. Do you really expect to see those kind of scenes in youth drama? Like really??? And this is not even a cable drama where the regulation not that straight.
This drama gonna be air on freaking KBS. Those scenes are not gonna be in the drama to begin with…
It's so funny that I-fans so fussy about this age appropriate thingy when the Korean so happy about this casting. They are the one who read it and they don't even have any complain about this casting.
I don't know that I-fans are so into erotic sageuk. If they really want erotic sageuk they should watch sageuk movies not sageuk dramas. Well..Jo In Sung so beautiful in Frozen Flower. And Kim Kang Woo is freaking crazy in The Treacherous.
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25 globetrotter
April 14, 2016 at 8:33 PM
I wish I could be happier about this casting. This is Park Bogum's first male lead role and I was hoping he would be cast against an actress more in his age bracket.
I know the drama was touted as a 'youth sageuk' but according to the readers of the web novel (and the illustrations) there's a lot of heavy kiss scenes that probably will never happen, due to Kim Yoojung's age.
I agree with girlfriday that this now feels like School 2016 - I was hoping it would go more young 20's feels than a full on teen drama but sadly I don't see that happening anymore.
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Leen
April 16, 2016 at 6:02 AM
Exactly my feels. I was so looking forward to see PBG as a lead. Now I am a bit sad.
I was also waiting for something more in line with early 20s vibe and more passion, but it's going to be teen and chast romance. Anyway the real bad part is that given the record of kshows doing stupid things to look decent I am waiting for the same here: like when they replaced this girl Kim Yoo Jung in her last drama because they felt uncomfortable with her having a romance with the main lead. Hope I am wrong and this turns out to be a success for my beloved Bogummie, but I am not excited about it anymore.
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26 prettysup
April 14, 2016 at 8:39 PM
KBS will be airing a 4-episode drama after Neighbourhood Lawyer ends, then followed by Beautiful Mind and this. So barring any more scheduling changes this should premiere on Aug 15 !
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kawaiidrama
April 14, 2016 at 10:01 PM
That's so far (my fangirl self wants to see it as soon as possible)... but at the same time I hope they spend those days perfecting the script.
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27 Woojun
April 14, 2016 at 8:41 PM
I am sorry but I am deeply disappointed. I have been praying earnestly for Kim Ji Won to sign on... :'(
DAMN IT. I can't hide my sadness at all, I have completely braced myself for some wonderful romance between PBG and KJW :'(
Oh well, I will still anticipate this one :)
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초아
April 14, 2016 at 10:54 PM
ohh girl .. me too
kim yoo jung is underage ㅠㅠ cant hide sadness
from what i know,the original novel contains many kiss scene and it would be such an awkward
oh please she is just 17 ㅠㅠ
i really hope kim ji won takes the roleㅠㅠ
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28 Sera The Ms Temper
April 14, 2016 at 8:58 PM
OK at last, KJW and KGE at least saved and can reserve themselves for another drama. As much as I want to see KJW being a leading lady in a drama, I want her to land a really good role, and adult role.
KGE on the other hand should just focus on movies at the moment, until she find a really good role and drama which is worthy for her talent.
I will cheer for this drama and its casts, especially PBG because he is so talented. Youthful fusion sageuk normally not my cup of tea, except it really has my favourite actors.
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29 pastmidnite
April 14, 2016 at 9:14 PM
Finally!
Now we can look forward to some actual promo stuff for the drama.
Is this going to be at least partially pre-produced?
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30 allie2428
April 14, 2016 at 9:15 PM
Yes! At least it's someone I hoped to see with PBG and LSJ! The age gap bothers me too, but look at School 2015 and High School Love On. I'm not a very huge fan of both dramas but I loved the casts because of their efforts. Imagine working with a girl who isn't even legal yet! I'm a female but it isn't that hard to put myself in the male leads' shoes. And of course, to act lovey-dovey with someone waaay older than you is no easy feat.
I love all 3 child actresses, Yoojung, Saeron, and Sohyun for their abilities.
Anyway, I also wished for an older actress- Kim Jiwon. I'm a little disappointed but I guess she rejected the offer or something and the casting directors' second best choice is Yoojung? Yes, there are other good actresses in their 20s but Yoojung already has experience in historical dramas and she's also talented. It helps that she's also already popular among drama viewers.
I also wished for IU and Eunji. They're idol actors but both have proven that they could truly act. I think the role suits Eunji the most. She is (or was) known for being boyish. Her beauty isn't of Korea's standards either (she got bashed for being talented in both singing and acting but lacked in beauty. And she's 93-liner too. I think if she gets partnered with someone popular who she can have sizzling chemistry with, she'd also get that popularity back. I'm talking about her popularity back in 2012 when people acknowledged her acting talent despite being a rookie actress.
Well, it's ok, I guess. I'm still hoping to see her and Jisoo as a couple in a future drama. Besides, the girl's gonna be busy with her solo debut.
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Kayla
April 14, 2016 at 11:49 PM
Unfortunately for eun ji, I think Korea is waaaaaay too shallow to ever allow her to become leading lady status. Same goes for Kim go eun--I think Korea is ok with seeing her in films but I think they won't be able to stomach her with their oppas in a lengthier drama.
Just look at the backlash from knetizens when her name was thrown in as a possible casting. Ppl were all like "she's not pretty enough for PBG." She basically lucked out for CITT cuz the fan base was adamant that talent outweigh visuals when it came to casting Sul. I see KGE having a hard time finding her place in kdramaland cuz she isn't "pretty enough" and think she should just stick to films. That industry is much less shallow and she can actually take on roles that match her skill level--fuck all that shallow BS. But seriously, can you think of any leading kdrama actress that isn't considered as least attractive? This is why eunji will have a hard time getting leading roles in kdramas cuz she isn't conventionally pretty. She was riding off reply1997 wave so landed lead roles but u don't think she'll even be able to compete with other younger & conventionally pretty actresses and those around her age as well.
Seriously, it really sucks that looks play such a large role in finding success in kdramaland. Especially for females.
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pigsnout
April 15, 2016 at 7:19 AM
Gong Hyo Jin though.
But Eunji is really good. Viewers are losers if they prefer to see a 'pretty' face with no talent instead of a talented actress who does not fit narrow Korean beauty standards but has her own charm.
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Kayla
April 15, 2016 at 8:44 AM
I don't think GHJ is considered unattractive in korea tho? Granted, she's not known as a beauty but I think knetizens find her attractive. Plus, I would go so far as to say she WOULD be more popular if she fit more into korean standards of beauty. She'll surpass even KTH and SHK in popularity (since she has waaaaay more acting chops than them).
However, her popularity is about the same as theirs (even less, maybe?) even though (imo) she should be more popular. Regardless, GHJ has had to work hard to prove herself--harder than either KTH or SHK did because she actually had to rise to fame via her acting rather than her visuals (even tho I still don't think knetizens consider her unattractive--just not as beautiful as other actresses who are around her popularity level)
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IWannaHugBangJi
April 15, 2016 at 7:50 PM
I was also hoping for a pairing with Kim Go Eun- she is so beautiful and very talented. She's like Ryu Jun-yeol, they both look very natural with over flowing talent. I am not saying that I dont like Kim Yoo-jung - because she is very talented and beautiful too but I think she's too cute/beautiful to be a posing like a eunuch...
Grapes
April 16, 2016 at 8:16 AM
Stupid korean beuty standards i find Eun Ji beautiful plus very talented
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31 Mia
April 14, 2016 at 9:17 PM
This is an age gap that's much easier to accept than YSY and KSR's. Kim Yoo Jung will be 17 in the fall and Park Bo Gum will be 23 in a couple of months. Pretty much similar to the age gap a 16 year old Suzy had with Kim Soo Hyun in Dream High. He was only days away from being 23 when Dream High finished airing. Dream High was hard to accept in the beginning as well but I instantly loved Suzy's pairings with both Kim Soo Hyun and Taecyeon once the drama started.
Tbh I'd rather see teens paired with other teens. Teens paired with adults just puts limits on what an adult actor can do in a romantic storyline. You don't watch the drama and be weirded out (the Secret Door reaction was no surprise). If a teen gets paired with an adult, they should be at least 16 paired with an actor in their early 20s max.
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32 KYJ's #1 FANGIRL
April 14, 2016 at 9:39 PM
YAS QUEEN SLAY
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33 MaknaeLine__
April 14, 2016 at 9:39 PM
YaSS!!!
#KimYooJung and #ParkBoGum in one drama!!!
i can't be more happy...
#School2015 writer-nims.. you are half forgiven..
but Sungjae is in here too.... T_T
Kim Yoo Yung and Kim So Hyun are passing each other their leading mans... hahaha.....
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34 saranga
April 14, 2016 at 9:41 PM
is she really already 17? cliche, but time does fly.
i don't think 17 is too young, so long as the actress is talented. kim hee-sun was also 17 when she acted in chun-hyang. i've never seen it, but i've seen entertainment programs frequently referring to it whenever kim hee-sun's heyday is brought up. it's just that kim yoo-jung was very active as a child actress and that image is still so strong.
and aside from moon embracing the sun and angry mom (which i couldn't watch, too much violence), i feel like i can't really remember what else she's acted in. except that i have this impression of slightly frosty aura to her. whereas i feel like i've seen a lot more of kim so-hyun, and subsequently i'm really beginning to admire her work as an actress, which only seems to improve with each project she takes on. if they were aiming for an actress in the teen range, i'd have preferred kim so-hyun.
that said, kim yoo-jung was memorably good in moon/sun, so maybe she's well suited for sageuks. either way, it'll be interesting to see how it turns out!
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Krys101
April 15, 2016 at 11:19 AM
Kim Yoo Jung have lots of Sageuks in her belt (Knetz even dub her as goddess of Sageuks) while Kim So Hyun have more modern dramas. Kim Yoo Jung also have more films. She do lots of movies more than dramas this days.
A few of her Saegeuk dramas are Moon Embracing the Sun, Dong Yi, Iljimae, Painter of the Wind, Gyebaek, Secret Door, Gumiho etc. she is practically a Sageuk veteran. She also crossdresses as a man in Dong Yi before for 1 episode when she and her family goes wanted and being search by the police.
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35 kawaiidrama
April 14, 2016 at 9:51 PM
This news was so unexpected. But from the moment PBG signed on, I have been hoping and wishing so hard that my faves (Kim So Eun, Ha Yeon Soo, Chae Soo Bin and yes Kim Yoo Jung) to sign on. I didn't really get my hopes up though with all the casting news frenzy and not even one of my faves' names came up.
I am so happy for her. This IS her first REAL leading role (no, secret door doesn't count because she was replaced halfway -__-). This casting was spot on imho. She already has this mature aura around her. Plus, she does historical dramas best. Besides, I know for a fact that she's picky when it comes to choosing her dramas. So I'll be trusting the decision that she (and PBG as well) chose to be part of this drama. I think that in itself already says a lot about the story. Hoping for the best and wishing for success! I'm so excited for this.
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kawaiidrama
April 14, 2016 at 10:05 PM
August? Such a long wait but I guess summer is a good time. I can rewatch the episodes as much as I want XD
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pogo
April 14, 2016 at 11:50 PM
I hope Chae Soo-bin gets a break someday soon, girl is talented and has range. I was really impressed by her in Sassy Go Go.
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36 katshirou
April 14, 2016 at 10:24 PM
1) So, no kissing scene? Either that or Bogummie will be her first on-screen kiss partner.
2) As much as I lurve Sungjae, if they cast him, this will be School 2015 all over again... AND I CANNOT HANDLE THAT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3) If Sungjae does sign on, can I just point out the whole Yoojung-Sohyun leading males seemingly taking turns? First it was with leading men, now second leads as well. YJG-KYJ in Moon, then YJG-KSH in I Miss You. Then YSJ-KSH 2nd couple in School, and if Sungjae signs on YSJ-KYJ 2nd couple here -_-" SUNGJAE DESERVES THE GIRL, KDRAMALAND LEADERS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GIVE HIM A BREAK LIKE YOU DID WITH BOGUMMIE IN REPLY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CHAEBAL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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MaknaeLine__
April 14, 2016 at 10:45 PM
and let's not forget JiSoo from Angry Mom and Page Turner...
though JiSoo isn't in love line with Kim Yoo Jung.. haha..
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Krys101
April 15, 2016 at 11:23 AM
KYJ already have her first on screen kiss on the drama Gumiho. And yes it was kiss on the lips. So Bogum won't be her first on screen kiss.
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37 joie
April 14, 2016 at 10:25 PM
It's been such a long time since I last saw KYJ on the small screen. I have loved her since the Moon Embracing the Sun where she outshone her adult counterpart and have been steadily following her growth as an actress. I was so sad when she turned out Sassy Go Go and every time a teen drama comes up on the news I'd be anticipating to see if her name is there. She's been very careful about her projects (focusing mostly on movies and some web dramas). Her role for Angry Mom really showed her gravitas even though she was only one of the leads. But finally, after all the waiting, she's finally the leading lady. And rightfully so, this has long been overdue. She is one of the most (if not the most) talented actress in her age group, surpassing the performance of people older than her. I'll be watching this drama for her.
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38 chingu
April 14, 2016 at 10:32 PM
So I've literally been anxiously waiting for news of Kim Go-eun's confirmation ever since the last post about this drama. Been hoping for her to co-star along w/ Bogummy and make my wish come true. I was completely sold on the idea of them two being an awesome pair and her rocking the heck outta the eunuch role. That said, I'm extremely bummed to see this news. Where did Kim Yoo-jung come from and what happened with the rest of the gals--especially Kim Go-eun? Gah, I'm disappointed, but I'll get over it eventually. Don't get me wrong, I like Kim Yoo-jung and I can overlook the age gap, but this seems random and ugh, what could've been! *Shakes fists angrily in the air*
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heyfen306
April 14, 2016 at 11:06 PM
I'm sorry that your ship has sunk, dear. *throwing confetti in the air*
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chingu
April 14, 2016 at 11:25 PM
Thanks, but I'll get over it... btw, you're totally celebrating this news, aren't you? ??
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Krys101
April 15, 2016 at 11:29 AM
Well Knetz have almost 95% negative comments about all those possible leading ladies including KGE so I think the producers cross them all out. Because at the end of the day the Koreans are the one who is gonna give them ratings. Kim Yoo Jung is actually one the actress Knetz have been recommending. The most name I see that Knetz wants for the lead is Kim Yoo Jung and Park Bo Young. So I guess the producers listens to what the Korean fans want.
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39 Dilys
April 14, 2016 at 10:52 PM
Girl has starred with Ryu Jun Yeol (in a CF at least) AND Bogum. #reply1988goals
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40 Dilys
April 14, 2016 at 10:54 PM
Also I don't think it worked well for her that big names like Kim Ji Won and Kim Go Eun were thrown around before this announcement..
Anyway, she's good in what I've seen so far and I'm hoping for the best!
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kawaiidrama
April 14, 2016 at 11:33 PM
This! What is up with KBS casting news mishap? Kim Ji Won (and perhaps even Seolhyun) didn't even receive the offer. Now poor KYJ's casting is met with mixed reactions because it. Wish casting news were more accurate but *sigh*
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heyfen
April 15, 2016 at 12:11 AM
It's not KBS's fault. In fact, KBS has been very stern when the media kept talking about all the unconfirmed news.
Ilgan Sports has been stirring up with all those false accusations for the female lead casting all these while.
It's not really a poor casting.
Kim Ji Won may be choosing her next drama/movie cautiously because her of her rising popularity.
And perhaps the producers did not even consider Seolhyun because she's not suitable.
Kim Yoo Jung has a good reputation among Korean netizens.
She's far more popular in Korea than you imagined. It's just that she has yet to be a female lead in the 3 major broadcasting stations when she's already publicly recognized for her talents.
This role is a transitional role for her from a child actress to a full fledged adult actress.
Fighting! Park Bo Gum x Kim Yoo Jung!
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kawaiidrama
April 15, 2016 at 1:03 AM
whoops, might have worded that awkwardly. I didn't actually mean that it was poor casting (I actually think that her casting was spot on). More like poor Kim Yoo Jung (i.e. poor girl...such a pity) that the casting rumors undervalued such a great news.
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lolus
April 15, 2016 at 6:58 AM
It's not KBS' fault? lol please, they used those names to get attention for this drama. It's funny how people still believe networks are innocent when it comes to these articles about possible castings. they do it themselves to get the public talking.
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heyfen
April 18, 2016 at 6:23 PM
Not it's not KBS's fault. It has been Ilgan Sports that has been spreading the rubbish about this drama until KBS got fed up and had to curb those rubbish news. International fans act like they knew about the K World a lot, but many people don't know there's a lot of stuffs going on because it's not known to the English speaking fans.
41 MyLittleB
April 14, 2016 at 11:00 PM
Honestly, I feel dissapointed. Don't get me wrong, I like KYJ. She's def one of the talented young actress. I just feel she has more feminim aura than what the story tell us now. But who know what will turn out later? Sometimes Kdramaland gives us heart attack, in a good way (I hope).
The other note, I hope KJW next project will success. She is going to act in webdrama with Seo In Guk, right? At least, if the dongsaeng doesn't get the girl, let the hyung get her. LOL.
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erratic
April 15, 2016 at 12:14 AM
Lord. Gukkie's even older than Bogummy. The love line is with KYJ, too? O.O
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MyLittleB
April 15, 2016 at 12:56 AM
No, i mean is Kim Ji Won. I like KJW-SIG pairing already.
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42 Dina
April 14, 2016 at 11:12 PM
I'm so disappointed....
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43 purpleowl
April 14, 2016 at 11:17 PM
I haven't seen Kim Yoo-Jung act much (got 1 ep into Angry Mom but it was too violent for me). But I like the idea of her as an actress, especially because she's transitioning from child actress to adult. However....
I was really, really, REALLY excited about a potential PBG/KJW pairing. They are two of my fav actors in their age group and would have been amazing together. They can create chemistry out of thin air. I hope this pairing gets explored at some point.
I'll try to process PBG/KYJ and hope that KHN/KJW happens now that she's available
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44 Lola
April 14, 2016 at 11:18 PM
I don't know why a 10yr old can have a kiss scene but not a 17yr old. KYJ has had kiss scenes before. Wasn't Moon Geun Yeung around this age for My Little Bride and Innocent Steps? Both of those were romances with older men.
KYJ has really matured as an actress and I think, if the director gives her the chance, she could really fly. She was excellent in "Love Cells 2" and her darker movie rolls. I'm a fan of both leads and I hope they get to portray a greater depth than candy.
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saranga
April 14, 2016 at 11:31 PM
yeah, moon geun-young and kim rae-won had 6 years age difference too—same as park bo-gum and kim yoo-jung. which is an acceptable age gap, but it also very much depends. for example, 14 and 20 would be utterly inappropriate, but 22 and 28 is much more justifiable.
as i remember it, moon geun-young didn't have any kiss scenes in my little bride. she was still underage, so i believe they purposely went without.
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45 gyu
April 14, 2016 at 11:20 PM
I'm just happy to watch SungJae with YooJung <3
cant wait
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46 Jana
April 14, 2016 at 11:30 PM
Dont know if anyone else knows this but the age gap is pretty much the same as Kim Soohyun/ Taecyeon and Suzy during Dream High and she was a minor back then too. But there weren't any complaints then. So i dont see why this is a problem especially since this drama is being dubbed as a youth drama similar to Dream High. So yeah why not?
For those who wishes to see Bogum in a more adult role, i guess you would have to wait awhile. Because Bogum, himself, mentioned that he wishes to film youth dramas while he still can. Its probably the reason why he picked this drama actually. Because he did mention about wanting to be a prince in a Sageuk and also wanting to be in a youth drama. So i guess this is like killing 2 birds with 1 stone for him. Both his wishes came true in the form of this drama. Lol
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Mini Roo
April 14, 2016 at 11:53 PM
Oh! You're absolutely right! And Suzy had a brief kiss scene (or two?) in that drama. I see, I see. But I guess it also has to do with what someone said earlier, she's been so active as a child actress, that image is still strong.
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wow
April 15, 2016 at 12:55 AM
+1
I think it's really up to how viewers see it just like what girlfriday said. I understand all concern but I also believe once drama airs it won't be an issue anymore ^^
Ever since I've seen illustrations and casting news I was secretly disappointed because somewhere in my heart I didn't want PBG shed his youthful image this early and I also know he is aiming for character development and good story above romance. So I'm secretly happy with this cast news because it will add more desperation to his character and conflict or dilemma whatever it is will be greater than ever :D Did I just sound like I want to see him sad? Well... I also adore KYJ I read somewhere she wanted cross dressing role. I always find her charming more than feminine so feel like she will exceed expectations with this role.
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Krys101
April 15, 2016 at 11:47 AM
Honestly the only people upset are the international fans who already hope or started shipping PBG with KJW or KGE or other possible actresses. Koreans are all happy about this. If anything KYJ casting turn the opinions on this drama from negative to positive. She actually help this drama's image by being cast. The is no issue at all!!
I think the reaction from Knetz will be 10x more negative if it was those other actresses that get cast.
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wow
April 15, 2016 at 2:42 PM
Yeah I think partly because of that. I haven't heard of negative opinions on this drama why was that? But I've been reading instagram comments and glad to see KYJ fans also happy. Also it can't be just me have no problem with genre since outstanding story lines comes to drama land once in a blue moon so it's usually up to how it's executed and good cast. This IS good cast for palace youth seaguk romance and I have no complaint against WAY School 2015 directing editing. Crossing fingers for more subtle plot holes :D
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47 erratic
April 15, 2016 at 12:11 AM
I wonder if they cast her, seeing as Yeo Jin Goo is doing swimmingly in Daebak, pulling off a role that's pretty much equivalent to that of Jang Geun Seuk despite his grand old age of 18. But YJG appears, sounds, and acts older than his years. Kim Yoo Jung still looks like a teener. Granted, Bogummy looks young.
Eh. Maybe I'm just disappointed because they might tone down Taekkie the kissing pirate a notch. Lol.
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48 I Quit
April 15, 2016 at 12:37 AM
Comment was deleted
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Abby
April 16, 2016 at 6:20 AM
I think most of people here complain not because of the age itself, but because what it means to the tone that they are going to give to the drama, or even silly decisions that they might take while filming because of her age.
I am ok with her filming a romance and kissing, age gap is not a problem either, but will the drama producers be ok with it or they will turn the story a mess trying to not hurt sensitivities?
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49 kanz
April 15, 2016 at 12:54 AM
This might be a good pairing...
But otherwise I question the decision of casting directors and higher-ups. Sure, the likes of Kim Yoo Jung, Kim So Hyun and Kim Sae Ron are very good young actresses. But please, give them role that suit their age and please stop pairing them with several years older Oppa.
I wish they'll let them mature a bit and in the mean time, they can cast underrated actresses as the female leads, like Kim Ji Won, Jung So Min, Kim So Eun, etc. (It also applies to Yeo Jin Gu that is barely legal but already acted with older actresses)
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50 enkeys
April 15, 2016 at 1:02 AM
Oooh I like this pairing. Those who said that Kim Yoo Jung looks too feminine to cosplay as a guy should google her brother up. Her brother looks exactly like her, except he has a short hair.
I have not read the original webtoon so while I understand that fans of the webtoon might be upset that they can't see many kiss scenes but those who watched Moon that Embraces The Sun will agree with me that the romance between Yeo Jin Goo/Kim Yoo Jung back then, even with zero kiss scene, was much more sizzling and believable than their adult characters, no?
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chingu
April 15, 2016 at 4:22 AM
Haha, I'm glad you brought up her brother because I googled right after reading and omg, they DO look so much alike–practically twins! Now I can ~kinda~ imagine her in character. Thanks! I'm looking forward to this drama very much.
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pandafats
April 15, 2016 at 5:41 AM
OH YESSS!!! I loved Yeo Jin Goo/Kim Yoo Jung in Moon that Embraces the Sun. I still occasionally find episode 5 to watch that particular scene </3 ToT
And yeah! I like this pairing too ^^ I can already imagine them being cute together~
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