Lee Won-geun joins The Good Wife as Jeon Do-yeon’s rival
by girlfriday
Aw, I feel like Lee Won-geun is graduating to the big leagues now. Despite the fact that his first big leading role (in KBS’s youth drama Sassy Go Go) wasn’t a commercial success, he left a good impression as a solid young actor, and now he gets to go toe-to-toe with Jeon Do-yeon in tvN’s remake of the The Good Wife. Lee has signed on to play her main rival at the law firm, Matt Czuchry’s character in the original.
It’s definitely an odd match-up, but that’s kind of the point — Jeon Do-yeon’s character returns to her career as a lawyer after spending 13 years as a stay-at-home mom, so when she has to start over at the bottom of the food chain, her colleagues and rivals are bound to be young attorneys fresh out of law school. In the original series, the heroine and the sharp Harvard-educated rival both start out as first-year associates at the firm and discover that there’s only one permanent job opening, which pits them against one another.
The series will be about Jeon Do-yeon’s return to the workforce after her prosecutor husband Yoo Ji-tae (Healer) is disgraced in a public scandal. In order to provide for her family, she’ll go to work at a firm run by an old law school friend and love interest Yoon Kye-sang (Last) and his co-CEO Kim Seo-hyung (Assembly). After School’s Nana has also been cast as Jeon Do-yeon’s investigator/assistant.
I still kind of see Lee Won-geun as a kid because of Sassy Go Go, but he’s 25, and the young image is probably a good thing to really play up the contrast in ages. I can’t imagine starting over in a career and being rivals with a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed graduate, but the ajumma’s sure to one-up him with her life skills and general ajumma badassery, right?
The Good Wife will be a Monday-Tuesday drama premiering in June.
Via Osen
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Tags: Lee Won-geun, The Good Wife
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1 silv3rfeist
April 12, 2016 at 10:17 AM
Lee Won Geun is one lucky dude to be sharing screen space with such amazing actors.... This could really prove to be a great stepping stone for him. I just want this drama to be really good now because you do not waste such a wonderful cast..
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2 pastmidnite
April 12, 2016 at 10:18 AM
25??? Really? He looks 18!!
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3 Mikanjjj
April 12, 2016 at 10:19 AM
I'm so happy for lee won geun.
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4 Michelle
April 12, 2016 at 10:28 AM
This is going to be amazing.
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5 Miky
April 12, 2016 at 10:28 AM
Wooa,he's so lucky to have such amazing cast around him to learn and polish his skills,learning from the best indeed...on the other hand i'm anticipating the show but i somehow think i might be the only soul out here that didn't see the original so i'm going totally fresh in it
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pogo
April 12, 2016 at 11:11 AM
Same here, I didn't watch the original. Hope the remake turns out decent...
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6 silentkecik
April 12, 2016 at 10:37 AM
Aww~~ Mr. Crinkle.. He was playing as "detective/Conan" in some of scenes in Sassy Go Go against the certain unfair or corruption situation so I can already imagine him being a lawyer. I'm not familiar with the original drama so... his character is a baddie or nice lawyer?
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eunchans
April 12, 2016 at 12:03 PM
He's neither tbh! Cary (Lee Won Geun) and Alicia (Jeon Do Yeon) are rivals and vying for the same job. They do clash but I think grudgingly respect each other (underneath all the competitiveness, they want to prove themselves to the law firm's partners so that they'll get hired). He's smart and very ambitious from what I remember (I did watch the first season about 6 years ago). He is a good lawyer. But Cary's not really "nice" (although he is generally very charming), especially not towards Alicia at the beginning of the show.
He changes alot over the course of the series and his relationship with Alicia fluctuates (he hates her guts at one point and in later seasons they become friends).
The "villain" of the show is really her husband, who is a bastard through and through.
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silentkecik
April 12, 2016 at 12:23 PM
Thank you for the summary~ Now I can't wait to watch this drama! I love see actors in nice and baddie characters so we can watch how well they can acting as good or evil person. Cheering for the drama to do well~~
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7 kanz
April 12, 2016 at 10:40 AM
LWG is young enough to be Jeon Do Yeon's son.. heh. So that's maybe the point.
I still see him as high-schooler.. and now he's a lawyer! Omo, professionals in kdramas surely start young!
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pogo
April 12, 2016 at 11:08 AM
He'll be 25 this year, which is pretty much the same age as a lot of US law school graduates, and a lot of newly-qualified lawyers in Asian countries (people in mine can start as young as 22).
It's young but not like Doogie Howser young.
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blnmom
April 12, 2016 at 12:10 PM
Ah, Doogie Howser. Great show. How old are we...?
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pogo
April 12, 2016 at 12:26 PM
I actually watched it for the first time in reruns about a decade ago, but yes, it's quite the oldie reference :)
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jessi
April 12, 2016 at 2:43 PM
Actually, law school is weird in that most people who attend in the US do it after working for a few years after college, so the average age at graduation is around 27, I think.
But I like the idea of Lee Won Geun being one of those super focused, goal-oriented, and ambitious people who are two years ahead of the game! (assuming his character's age matches his actual age)
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pogo
April 12, 2016 at 7:49 PM
yeah but he's not (I suppose) from a US law school. Like I said, people in several Asian countries can start legal careers as young as 22-23, depending on what kind of college they went to. Throw in two years of military service, and 25 sounds just the right age for a new graduate to start working.
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jessi
April 12, 2016 at 11:30 PM
Oh, I was just responding to the US law school graduates age part (and extrapolating on the character's attributes from that angle). Not, like, debating you or anything...hope that was clear.
Sera The Ms Temper
April 12, 2016 at 4:24 PM
He just look so young. But he is 25 y.o this year, so I think he suits to be the young lawyer. I was also officially became a lawyer at the age of 25. ☺
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pogo
April 12, 2016 at 7:51 PM
Same, I got my law degree at 25 and I was actually a couple of years behind schedule. I don't know why people think no one under 30 can be a lawyer lol.
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Sera The Ms Temper
April 12, 2016 at 8:41 PM
I know right. I got my law degree when I was 23 y.o.
During my early years of working, ppl didn't believe me is a lawyer because I was so young. sigh. So sad. lol.
Even now, ppl also don't think i am a lawyer since I am working in a corporation because they think lawyer only works at law firm. I also do have a young look, which has its disadvantage; ppl especially clients don't really convinced I am a lawyer at the first sight. Ha.
Anyway, sorry for blabbering. :D
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youcallitwinter
April 15, 2016 at 9:12 AM
Same, I got my law degree at 23 as well, and that was after an undergrad degree, so I don't think it's too young to be a lawyer at all! And Cary's character in the original initially was this ambitious, newly-minted, fast-talking Harvard grad. I know a lot of those kinds, so I can well imagine Lee Won Geun in the role. He's really cute, but even in Sassy Go Go he had scenes where he was not above board a little arrogance.
fabdrama
April 14, 2016 at 5:26 AM
Maybe it's the resources? Students in Europe start at the age of 17 with law school.
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8 Adal
April 12, 2016 at 10:45 AM
Now I have to check out this drama. Because of him. Wasn't planning to before...
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loveuwongeunie
April 12, 2016 at 3:01 PM
I am second to this! That smiley eyes.................
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9 Irochka
April 12, 2016 at 10:50 AM
You know he wouldn't have come to mind originally for Matt Czuchry’s character but I actually think he will do really well in this role. They have something in common but can't put my finger on it - similar sort of charm maybe?
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youcallitwinter
April 15, 2016 at 9:14 AM
Yeah, I'd say it's the charm, Cary (initially) had this borderline insolent sort of charm, which was actually pretty engaging. He went on to be one of my absolute favorite characters on the original, but he started off as (seemingly) privileged and smooth and smart.
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10 news
April 12, 2016 at 10:57 AM
I didn't expect Lee Won Geun to play Cary, but I can see this work: charming, humorous, mischievous and competitive. If LWG adds the edge and bite, he'll definitely raise his career to the next level.
I'm still *sad face* that YJT is the husband.
Ok, can Nana act? Because Kalinda is a complex and layered character who is loved by many people.
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Irochka
April 12, 2016 at 1:23 PM
I was hoping that she was going to be cast as her assistant, not Kalinda - is that confirmed? Because...that ruins it a bit for me.
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news
April 12, 2016 at 2:04 PM
You just gave me a little bit of hope b/c I hope she's just Alicia and Carey's assistant.
girlfriday wrote 'After School’s Nana has also been cast as Jeon Do-yeon’s investigator/assistant', so I just assumed it's Kalinda since she's the only in-house female private investigator. Kalinda is such an important role; they need to cast a strong actress.
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jessi
April 12, 2016 at 2:47 PM
I love NaNa, but I have the same reservations. Kalinda is gold. Fans loved her so much that her departure from the show was blamed on the lead actor's personality. People actually threw the titular Good Wife under the bus for Kalinda. Big shoes to fill for NaNa.
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news
April 12, 2016 at 5:31 PM
I'm not surprised. I started watching The Good Wife b/c of the Korean drama remake and found Alicia to be the least interesting character. I know Kalinda is younger, but I think Jeon Do-yeon would be perfect as Kalinda.
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Adal
April 13, 2016 at 8:08 AM
Kalinda and Will are the best things about the show. The actress playing Kalinda's role had better be good. And who is going to take the role of Will, her at work love interest?
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news
April 13, 2016 at 10:16 AM
Don't forget Eli Gold! I love him too!
Yoon Kye-sang plays Will.
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Adal
April 15, 2016 at 10:32 AM
Oh yes!
Eli Gold rocks!
And his daughter is a hoot!! lol
Hmmm.... Yoon Kye-sang might actually make a good Will. I wonder if he can do dapper, polished and sophisticated as well as the original actor?
Oh... and who plays Diane? You can't knock that character. Some of my favorite scenes are Diane and Will waltzing in the office, and their fights are so epic!
Irochka
April 12, 2016 at 3:15 PM
I read one article that used the word "비서" for her role (which would put her as the secretary) but another article used "조사원" which makes it seem that she could have been cast in the Kalina role...so maybe things have not been confirmed yet? Going to hang on to every bit of hope I can...
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salt n' pepper
April 12, 2016 at 5:10 PM
I have faith that the rest of the cast will do well, especially JDY, but Nana as possibly Kalinda??? Noooo! I hope she's just the secretary and not Kalinda because Archie Panjabi was badass on so many levels.
And, yes, I would have preferred Yoo Ji Tae as Will, too. :'(
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dooleygongshil
April 12, 2016 at 7:24 PM
I think LWG can pull it off. He seems like a promising young actor from what I've seen so far. I feel like he can deliver young ambitious, smart, charming lawyer. -crosses fingers-
I'm not sure about Nana. Like most fans of the Good Wife, I loved Kalinda. While I actually really like Nana from variety shows, I have doubts that her acting will be strong enough to pull off Kalinda. Hopefully she can surprise us. Not sure how they're writing the show, but I can't see the show being as good without a good Kalinda.
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11 pogo
April 12, 2016 at 11:06 AM
CRINKLES !!!! <33333333333
I'm so happy he's getting work again, and with Jeon Do-yeon no less (even if the usual Korean drama narrative compression reduces him to, like, third lead or something..... hope that isn't the case).
And yes, it's going to be a trip to finally see him onscreen as an adult and not a high school kid but I think he'll do just fine - I mean, Kim Yeol was a rather adultlike teenager himself ;).
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Sera The Ms Temper
April 12, 2016 at 9:00 PM
This kind of opportunity is rare, and definitely good for him. Working with JDY is like dream comes true especially for a young actor like him.
I hope Pounding Spike hopefully will be the last one for him to a high school kid (hopefully the last one for Kim So Eun too).
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12 wackycashew
April 12, 2016 at 11:07 AM
Wow!! Wongeunie with the big leagues! Excited for him to pick up this role. Could be reason for me to catch this series. XD
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pogo
April 14, 2016 at 12:23 PM
He's just landed a role in Kim Ki-duk's next movie!
It's a supporting role against Ryu Seung-bum but I feel like a bad fan for not knowing this earlier, our baby boy really is moving up in the world :)
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13 Manpreet Kaur Sidhu
April 12, 2016 at 11:12 AM
yeeeah! <3
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14 snailshell
April 12, 2016 at 11:26 AM
Yay! Now I will probably watch this show.
I think he'll do fine acting his age -- he's done murderer, after all, so lawyer shouldn't be a stretch! Plus he was a bit lawyerly in Sassy anyhow!
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silentkecik
April 12, 2016 at 12:34 PM
"He's done murderer..."
Could you please tell me which drama/film that he acted as a murderer? I likely want to find and watch it. Hee..
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snailshell
April 12, 2016 at 1:05 PM
It's 2012's Ghost (유령, also known as Phantom). I kept thinking I recognised him and then it suddenly hit me! Do watch it, it's very good, same writer as Signal!
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silentkecik
April 12, 2016 at 7:11 PM
Thank you so much~~ now I have to search that drama...even though I didn't like some of the cast. Heh. Anyway.. thank you~
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mumie
April 13, 2016 at 8:27 AM
Wow.. Lee won geun and scriptwriter of Signal? Why did I miss this drama? I should try to watch it.
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15 eunchans
April 12, 2016 at 11:50 AM
I wouldn't have pegged him for the role but I think he could suit it quite well. He does give me a Carey vibe, he's got the mischievous charm (with an edge) down.
Nana as Kalinda though??? That's a weird choice. I do think this version of Kalinda will be really different from the original anyway (sadly). I guess they had to stick an idol in there somewhere but it is a bit disappointing tbh. Nana has alot to live up to. I know she has been in a few chinese productions but I haven't seen her act so I don't know what to expect...
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16 am1993
April 12, 2016 at 12:17 PM
I wasn't planning to watch this drama since the American version never manage to catch my interest but now that Lee Wongeun signed on!!! The description of his character got me even more excited! I think he could do really great and I can't wait to see how he does! I missed his smiley face on my screen!
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17 kaybee
April 12, 2016 at 12:20 PM
Considering the fact that Matt Czuchry has such a baby face, I think that at least looks-wise he seems to be a good fit for the role. Haven't seen Sassy Go Go yet though, so don't know how he is otherwise, but now I kind of want to go watch SGG and see for myself.
I think it's going to be really interesting to see how this is going to differ in tone from the original. After discovering kdrama I find it hard to watch American TV. Kdrama in general has such a unique tone and quality to it - one that I dearly miss when trying to watch American shows, which often makes them feel kind of flat as a result. The Good Wife was one of those shows for me, I never could get into it, despite my love for Matt Czuchry, so fingers crossed this remake will bring that amazing Korean flair to the story (:
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18 gorrjess
April 12, 2016 at 12:27 PM
I've never watched the original The Good Wife so I wasn't planning on watching this...but with each cast reveal, my interest is growing. V. excited to see Lee Won Geun getting such a great role and hopefully the end-product lives up to the hype.
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19 smh
April 12, 2016 at 12:35 PM
Is Nana really going to be the Korean version's Kalinda as the investigator? Or is she going to play Alicia's assistant, Courtney Wells?
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20 pulsar
April 12, 2016 at 1:57 PM
I've been wondering when I'll see him in a drama again. Kim Yeol is now an attorney! Hahaha
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21 sorrynotsorry
April 12, 2016 at 2:46 PM
25 is the perfect age for a recent law school graduate to start on as an associate at a law firm. I won't watch unless I hear the drama is really good as the US version wasn't my cup of tea. They have lined up a pretty good group though so I hope it works out well.
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22 Solarmoonmoo
April 12, 2016 at 4:29 PM
I just finished Sassy Go Go this weekend and I have been having Lee Won-geun withdrawal all week. At least he returns to us in June.
So far, I'm keeping my expectations low because The Good Wife was one of the best shows CBS has ever given us. I still haven't forgiven them for a lot of things. But I hope that this version does the original justice. We have Korean Good Wife to look forward as well as Korean Entourage from tvN so maybe everything will end up a okay. Now if a Criminal Minds type show was designed or a Korean version of 24...
Hey television stations. Call me. I can help you make an American show Korean easily. I have a list of actors who I know can fill in the shoes of their character counterpart. Hire me!
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23 mindy
April 12, 2016 at 4:57 PM
I also have reservations about Nana but who knows. I read that she went through a very large and long audition process to land the role, so I have some hope.
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24 Kayla
April 12, 2016 at 5:09 PM
DAMN, all i gotta say is i'm in love with this puppy ^_^
i didn't watch sassy go go (wasn't my cup of tea) BUT fell so deeply in <3 with him in his web drama w ji eun, drawing spring.
he is PERFECTION there. pls if ya'll haven't watched and ya'll like him, give it a go. you won't be disappointed.
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rhienz
April 14, 2016 at 8:16 AM
where can I watch it ?
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25 hanie
April 12, 2016 at 5:44 PM
Hi cary agos! I only watch 2 seasons of GW but I like that character and i think LWG can carry such character~
I'm not that excited about kdrama version of good wife tbh so I mostly didnt read most of your post related to it. Having said that, Yoo ji tae is the cheating husband?? Totally missed that news. Wow... interest pique
And are we sure Nana will be kalinda tho? I mean, I totally like her & thought she is by far the prettiest idol imo but as kalinda??
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26 Kween Ramyeon
April 12, 2016 at 5:54 PM
Matt Czuchry looked just as baby-faced when he first started in Good Wife - I kept thinking of his Gilmore Girls character. LWG would be great I think - in Sassy he already showed he could play characters with high intelligence and strategic thinking behind the eyes. Looking forward to it.
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dooleygongshil
April 12, 2016 at 7:27 PM
Agreed about LWG. Side note: so hyped for Gilmore Girls revival. Although, let's be real--Logan was my least favorite guy. I mean I like Matt as Cary, but Logan...was not my favorite.
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aafa83
April 13, 2016 at 7:22 AM
When is the Gilmore Girls revival? Loved, loved that show! Always was impressed at how the actors can speak that fast!
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silentkecik
April 13, 2016 at 10:23 AM
I barely able to catch what the actors said especially when they were mad or shouting at each other. Forever feel grateful for the subtitles...
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aafa83
April 13, 2016 at 11:19 AM
Did they translate this show into another language? Didn't know it was that popular outside of USA.
dooleygongshil
April 13, 2016 at 7:56 PM
Yes, the dialogue was the best! Always so witty and snappy!
They're filming it right now, but not sure when it'll be released. It'll be on Netflix sometime next year, I assume. All of Rory's boyfriends are coming back!! EEEEK.
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27 ladida
April 12, 2016 at 7:17 PM
Here for it! I'm so excited for this!
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28 Fire and Ice
April 12, 2016 at 7:31 PM
oh young Woon from the moon that embraces the sun how you've grown and i see you tooIm Shi Wan young brother from moon they all grew so well sniffs
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29 Appy
April 12, 2016 at 8:26 PM
I have high hope for this drama, hopefully it won't be a let down.
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30 Dilys
April 13, 2016 at 1:45 AM
I was already sold from Jeon Do-yeon, but now I also can't wait to see a smug smirking genius Lee Won-geun!
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31 omomo
April 13, 2016 at 2:09 AM
If I was interested before because of YJT and JDY, then I'm surely onboard now! Do your best, Crinklesss~!
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32 Jeanie
April 13, 2016 at 2:47 AM
I have just finished season 6 of TGW, which is one of my fave shows, and I am sooo excited for this remake!! I approve of this casting. Can't wait!! :)
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aafa83
April 13, 2016 at 7:32 AM
The Good Wife is also my favorite show, especially when they have Carrie Preston as Elsbeth Tascioni!
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33 TrinPie
April 13, 2016 at 8:52 AM
Some of the age of these actors surprise me. Lee Won-geun, Kim Soo-Hyun, Ahn Jae-Hyeon, etc.. I think they are really young and then I see their age and realize I'm not a creepy pedophile like I thought.
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