Boy meets Joseon mermaid in Legend of the Blue Sea
by javabeans
It doesn’t look like they’re letting up on promos over at Legend of the Blue Sea, which is continuing to release a steady stream of stills, teasers, and posters. You’d think this pace would be unsustainable, but two weeks in and they’re still going strong.
As gorgeous as Jeon Ji-hyun is as the mermaid heroine of our story, it’s the last set of images that has me most intrigued, with the two sets of child counterparts to our leads, giving us three timelines in which to play out their past connection. The present-day storyline takes place in modern Seoul, but I wouldn’t mind a fair bit of Joseon-era story; I found the Joseon-era segments in You From Another Star quite affecting and well-executed, establishing a more emotional framework for the couple before they moved on to the shenanigans of the present.
In the past timeline, their characters are called Mermaid and Dam-ryung, and the youngest versions are played by child actors Kal So-won and Jeon Jin-seo, both 10 years old. They’ve both got a number of credits under their belts: I recall Kal So-won most fondly as the adorable little girl in Miracle in Cell No. 7; her drama credits include Birth Secret, My Daughter Geum Sa-wol, and Dazzling Temptation. His dramas roles include Hwajung, My Daughter Geum Sa-wol, and All’s Well With a Happy Home.
The characters’ connection continues into their adolescent years, and the teenage Mermaid is played by 16-year-old rookie actress Shin Eun-soo, who’s been in the spotlight recently for another project, Kang Dong-won’s film Vanishing Time—which, coincidentally, releases on the same day that the drama premieres, November 16. Teenage Dam-ryung is played by 22-year-old Park Jin-young, also known as simply Jinyoung as part of idol group Got7.
We know that Lee Min-ho plays a master con artist in the modern-day timeline, but I’m curious to know what his Dam-ryung character is like, pictured here looking like a lofty nobleman’s son. And while there’s an undercurrent of wistfulness in some of the promo materials, I can’t wait for a return of comic Jeon Ji-hyun as the mermaid running around Seoul trying to fit in as a human. I hope she makes a terrible human!
Legend of the Blue Sea kicks off next week on SBS—as do its competitor shows on KBS and MBC, Oh My Geum-bi and Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-ju.
Via Ten Asia
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1 poko
November 6, 2016 at 8:39 PM
So the mermaid stopped aging after she reached Jun Jihyun stage? Maybe she attained immortality at that stage? I'm so curious about this!
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CrimeFighter
November 6, 2016 at 9:05 PM
Hmm I wonder too. So she grows up from childhood to teens to adulthood n stop ageing? How many of us wishes to be like her ???.
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paroles
November 6, 2016 at 9:57 PM
Perhaps she just ages really slowly, like a year in mermaid age is 20 years in human age or something.
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etrenelle
November 6, 2016 at 11:19 PM
But doesn't she keep meeting Lee Min Ho's character during her growth and they appear to be around the same age so I don't think that theory works...?
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poko
November 6, 2016 at 11:42 PM
But their childhood and teenage counterparts seems to be aging normally in parallel.
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tesshan
November 7, 2016 at 4:24 AM
Probably...when hitting adulthood they just age slowly compared to humans or there is some other reason behind it.
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2 ObsessedMuch
November 6, 2016 at 8:41 PM
So much prettiness! I hope this drama is as good as it looks?
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3 tellmewhy
November 6, 2016 at 8:45 PM
JJH looks so flawless and LMH looks handsome in every still cuts. Cant wait for this drama. From the trailers i can tell it'll be so exciting!
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4 mindy
November 6, 2016 at 8:46 PM
"I hope she makes a terrible human!"
Haha, same! I'm a sucker for fish-out-of-water shenanigans, so I'm really looking forward to these antics.
Also... Omg! Jeon Ji-hyun's child counterparts really look like her! I'm always so impressed when that happens because much of the time the child actors look nothing like the adults.
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rlg07
November 7, 2016 at 6:51 AM
I know! I did a double take when I saw her child counterparts in the picture. Great casting there.
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5 Jjh love
November 6, 2016 at 9:03 PM
Shin eun soo is next jyp star.. See her aura..
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6 CrimeFighter
November 6, 2016 at 9:04 PM
Previous lives again. Isn't the storyplot too smiliar to You Who Came From The Star ? But changes to You Who Came From The Sea (a mermaid instead of an alien).....
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7 ayen
November 6, 2016 at 9:09 PM
To be honest, I never enjoyed joseon era scenes of MLFTS. I found it so boring, the reason why I dropped it. So Im kinda worried. I love Lee Min Ho so much so Legend of the Blue Sea please be good. ><
PS. Jun Ji Hyun is so gorgeous! ^^
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Delurker
November 7, 2016 at 12:23 AM
You might give it another try then; the Joseon part wasn't my favourite either, but it was only done for the first few episodes, and at one point again in the middle. It was not prominent at all. I am not a diehard fan of the drama, but I did enjoy it a lot. I am even thinking of rewatching it at some point, when the backlog of current shows clears up a little.
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8 Sancheezy
November 6, 2016 at 9:23 PM
I am curious on how she get the foot,
and how it will ends, like is the foot stay?
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Martin J Simwaba
November 6, 2016 at 10:29 PM
Maybe like 'Ariel' you know? The little mermaid.......?
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CrimeFighter
November 7, 2016 at 2:38 AM
Me too...I've watched an older kdrama which is also about lead gal as the mermaid, she got her legs cos she got a special lotion to drink from an older mer-man or smth like tat....but same as the fairy tale, she must find real love or else she will disappear into bubbles within a few months or so...so now I wonder in Legend of the Blue Sea, will it be the same as to how the mermaid got her legs???
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tesshan
November 7, 2016 at 4:29 AM
Maybe they just have them? And they just use them when out of the water but they cannot stay on shore for too long? I hope they are not following the original Danish version of the little mermaid story...could not stand for her to end up as bubbles. lol
She already met her true love in Joseon era, right? I assume it will be interesting to see how her relationship with the Joseon lover ended. Did he die saving her? Is that the reason why she is looking for him in present time? Is this the first reincarnation of him she meets?
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junny
November 7, 2016 at 2:10 PM
It would be hilarious if he kept dying just to get away from her - like she plagued his life or something, and he thought dying would put an end to things - but then he keeps getting reincarnated and keeps meeting her like some wretched fate.
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CrimeFighter
November 7, 2016 at 6:25 PM
lol....that sounds really funny....that damn wretched fate....
Nutini
November 7, 2016 at 6:42 PM
Agree, looks like her tail turns to legs when she is on land or like she can do it whenever she wishes, I have a feeling this drama will slay all other competitors just looking at the leads
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9 yana
November 6, 2016 at 9:25 PM
i just cant wait for this drama to unfold...no worries. this drama will be so much loved..
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10 Nika94
November 6, 2016 at 9:27 PM
????? could JJH and LMH get any prettier?? ❤❤❤
Love the storyline. Although they have released many stills, I have many questions about the drama, the characters and how the story is gonna unfold. It is one of those unpredictable dramas. How they meet and fall in love, I wanna know alllll about it. :))
I know it's too soon 2 talk abt ending, but a mermaid story could be written in a very heartbreaking way. Have u guys seen the stills of LMH on the rock starring at the sea?? It is so beautiful yet has a touch of sadness and missing emotion in it.
PS The comedy Kdrama are usually light and comedy for the first half of drama and the second half is kinda different and a bit sad. I am wondering if LBS is gonna have similar pace. Im also curious about the roles of the cameos!!
Have u guys heard that partner of JJH in "my sassy girl" is gonna cameo in LBS?? ☺☺☺☺ I wish Goo Hye Sun(Jan Di) would cameo too. because Lee Min Ho and Goo Hye Sun had such amazing chemistry and the drama was a mega hit.
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Nutini
November 7, 2016 at 6:44 PM
Oh no, hope Jan Di stays away, really hate her acting and yay to Cha Tae Hyun guest-starring
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11 ayen
November 6, 2016 at 9:29 PM
To be honest, I never enjoyed joseon era scenes of My Love from the Star. I found it so boring, the reason why I dropped it. So I'm kinda worried. I love Lee Min Ho so much that I dont want my 3 years of waiting be wasted. :(
Anyway, Jun Ji Hyun is so gorgeous! Can't wait to see her with Lee Min Ho oppa. Fighting Legend of the Blue Sea!!!!!
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12 Gabby :)
November 6, 2016 at 9:34 PM
JINYOUNG FIGHTING <3 <3
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13 bambi
November 6, 2016 at 9:36 PM
Jinyoung!!!! Omg I'm so happy about this. He's been wanting to get acting roles for so long and has had so many instances of self-doubt, I'm so excited for this opportunity that he's getting :)
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Alice
November 7, 2016 at 7:17 AM
Me too. Jinyoung is a hard worker, but beyond that, he's a thinker. He can give his roles depth. He's changed a lot since JJP days. I never expected him to go this far in pursuing acting but he has, and needs an outlet and opportunities to show how much he's learned, just as you say. Only then will his confidence return and his skills improve.
I so so so hope he gets recognition through this role. I so so so hope he doesn't get too tired for this project, though.
In general, I am just so happy we get to see his handsome face.
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14 saranga
November 6, 2016 at 9:41 PM
the second child actress (not the little girl one) looked so pretty (and such a dead ringer for a younger jeon ji-hyun) that i went and looked her up.
from the pics that come up, she actually looks a lot like the child actress who played jeon ji-hyun's younger counterpart in my love from another star. that actress' name was something hyun-soo. (i remember thinking that she had a boy's name). only i didn't think that actress looked much like jeon, but she was very pretty anyway.
a bit ironic that the two child actresses actually resemble each other?
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15 Martin J Simwaba
November 6, 2016 at 9:51 PM
So the aging of the mermaid is limited? Wait a minute! This sounds fam..ili...ar.........,oh got it, its like the "Justin Timberlake" movie "In Time" where,; when the characters reach 25yrs or somewhere there, they stop aging but gain a countdown time print on their forearms. I think it is the same with the mermaid, she's going to stop aging when she reaches Gianna Jung's age.
Just saying
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16 Zah
November 6, 2016 at 10:17 PM
Jinyoung is so pretty.
Jinyoung slayyy
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17 transient
November 6, 2016 at 10:26 PM
This is the first time I fangirl on the female lead more than the male laed. I can't wait to see more of JJH's charm after Cheon Song Yi swayed me
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KrisS
November 7, 2016 at 3:10 AM
I actually did that with a couple of kdramas: YFAS -- loved JJH over KSH, and also My Girlfrind os a Gumiho -- fangirled over Shin Min Ah. This time I think I will love both leads equally. I am hoping for good plot and chemistry between the two.
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18 Coco
November 7, 2016 at 2:10 AM
I remembered being enttralled with all the hermes / chanel outfits in the love from another star...wonder how those fashion houses are hoping to fit their clothes on a mermaid...ah yes mustn't forget about lipsticks...hopefully nothing in blue...
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19 agoodheart
November 7, 2016 at 2:59 AM
Oh Park Jin-young Jr! :D He was good in My Love Eun-dong, nice to see him again in this ^_^
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20 cinnamon
November 7, 2016 at 5:09 AM
Never been her fan and I didn't watch You from Another Star too, but here she looks soooo gorgeous. And the drama itself looks promising. Well, it should be on my list then...
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Kiara
November 7, 2016 at 5:24 AM
Not a fan either but she is fun to watch because she dominates the pretty boys of drama land.
She knows her limit and I think that's why she doesn't do sageuk. The sageuk part of the drama is usually done by child actors.
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Sera The Ms Temper
November 7, 2016 at 5:50 PM
Yes, she was the one carried YFAS and without her, I don't know if that drama will be fun to watch. I am not her fan either but she is enjoyable to watch. She own her roles and none other can do as good as her in her roles.
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21 YellowEyes
November 7, 2016 at 5:12 AM
The promotion is doing a great job! This is getting more and more interesting! I cant understand people already complaining about the plot. We dont know anything yet! that is what makes me more excited! I want to know how they met, what happened to him after he saved her in the joseon era, why she doesnt age anymore, how did she got legs, does his present time incarnation share memories with his past, does he knows she is a mermaid, there will be more comedy or drama, what is going to happen to them now? Im really looking forward to all of these and more! I cant wait for Legend of the Blue Sea to premiere!
Oh, and, of course, Im totally captivated by Lee Min Ho's looks and Im also excited to see him play different roles in this drama. He is the main reason for me to be interested in LotBS.
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22 dollstar
November 7, 2016 at 5:26 AM
Am I the only one who's sick to death of this "childhood/past lives connection" trope in dramaland? It's starting to be as annoying as the noble idiot syndrome which is my all time biggest pet peeve. Not everything needs to be telegraphed as meant-to-be, fate, cosmic will. A present strong bond is not made any more significant by having a past connection.
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CrimeFighter
November 7, 2016 at 7:17 AM
Now that you mention it, yeah I wonder why it is such an overused cliche plot. If there's really fate and meant-to-be stuff I guess I am not having any good fate then. Sigh.....
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Arhazivory
November 7, 2016 at 8:55 AM
It would be hilarious if real life was like that. That boy I slapped in Primary School might be my husband. Or that other one I arranged to fight after school....or the other one I punched in his face (after trying to walk away but he persisted) or the other one I was about to throwdown before my sister came and stopped me.
Whew...I wonder which of those four will suddenly appear before me. Pity I don't remember their names.
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dollstar
November 7, 2016 at 9:18 AM
Maybe you haven't perfected your Candy girl act yet. At least a few part-time jobs are in order before you should dare to dream! What if you meet all 4? If he's rich with a nasty attitude, you'll know he's the one.
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agoodheart
November 7, 2016 at 11:44 AM
LOL!! :D :D :D
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CrimeFighter
November 7, 2016 at 6:28 PM
I don't want to complain about the poor-gal-meet-rich-guy overused plot....cos I like the kind of poor gal becomes cinderella kinda of story....haha ....imagine when you are poor and suffering and one day one rich guy who loves you comes to your rescue (and of cos the love must be mutual too).... <3
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Nutini
November 7, 2016 at 6:51 PM
Never thought of it but yes, you are right, most of those phantasy based stories get that love from other lives tha ended tragically and still needs to get it's happy ending thing, I get it gives that eternal love and intensity but yes, it is overused
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Hobgoblin
November 25, 2016 at 4:33 PM
I strongly disagree with Blue and others who are aginst the childhood love plot, especially with the statement that "a present strong bond is not made any more significant by having a past connection". I think IT IS made more significant, especially if this bond is formed as children, even before teenage years, this kind of love is especially pure and sublime, children and generally more innocent then adults after all. I don't know, I don't think this plot is over-used in fiction, at least in its "perfect" form, with happy endings and characters never cheating on each other. It is quite difficult to find a childhood love story without annoying love triangles, where the obstacles and problems for the characters are "external" and don't "corrode" their relationship from inside. And, by the way, even though here the discussion is civilized, but I have seen many sites, blogs, forums about different kinds of fiction, where PLENTY of people were bashing the stereotype of "being forever faithful to the first love" in an extremely offensive way, even calling it "immature" and "childish"..... :-( In my opinion, if there is something immature and childish (and even plain evil), it's when people genuinely hate something as tender, cute and sublime as the love formed in the innocent age of childhood, especially if it lasts forever. It is extremely rare in real life, so I am always happy that it exists at least in fiction, even though such books and films are hard to find.
Sorry for the very long post and if I sound somehow harsh and maybe even belligerent, it's just after all those insults towards the "childhood sweetheart" trope on various forums, I became ultra-defensive towards these stories. I even take insults directed at me as a person more lightly than an insult towards the rare trope of childhood love.
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23 Alice
November 7, 2016 at 7:27 AM
Jinyoungieeeeee
What a role and drama to have landed! I hope he knocks everyone's socks off with his performance. Even if it doesn't end up being a breakout performance, what a powerful entry on his portfolio just from the fellow casting.
But Jinyoung's acting style is quite different from LMH's...as Yugyeom said in their Got2day recently, Jinyoung seems to have two "moods" that suit him best--or that he delivers best--sarcastic playfulness and serious sincerety. I wonder how it will all play out.
Regardless, Nyeong fighting!!
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24 sweettangerine
November 7, 2016 at 7:29 AM
You are not alone, my friend. Where' s the creativity, right? It's like we're being presented with a fancy sandwich that's layered with the freshest ingredients possible. Only...the fancy bread it's sitting on is stale (childhood/past life connection trope) and dry (noble idiocy trope)!
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sweettangerine
November 7, 2016 at 7:32 AM
My comment was in reply to Blue @22
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dollstar
November 7, 2016 at 9:04 AM
That's a very apt analogy! I've tolerated this trope even in some of my favorite dramas, I'll concede sometimes it's executed better and sometimes it's shoehorned into the last episode or two, but I think I finally had it with this K-drama obsession with fated love. I know I may seem like a negative nancy, but it's been bugging me for years, some venting was in order!
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Sojuboy
November 7, 2016 at 8:27 PM
My Spidey sense is tingling... I just get this bad feeling that show will be a dud. It looks like this writer is just repeating a well trodden formula.
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sweettangerine
November 7, 2016 at 11:03 PM
@Blue
Nah, you're not being negative. Like most beanies visiting this site, we're just intelligent viewers looking forward to a new drama that will steer clear of the overused tropes, one that will give us an interesting storyline, substantial plot with creative content and twists, a strong ending that will not leave questions unanswered. :)
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gem28
November 7, 2016 at 10:22 AM
Amen, this could work just fine without the childhood element and joseon cross-over.
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WishfulToki
November 7, 2016 at 11:20 AM
As long as the Truck of Doom doesn't make an appearance in the form of a Runaway Boat I'm fine.
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25 leila
November 7, 2016 at 7:46 AM
damn JJH is so pretty!
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26 Gidget
November 7, 2016 at 9:18 AM
Ooh. This makes me even more excited about the show. Love how this team layers and interweaves their storylines.
And a broody Joseon LMH.... *grabby hands*
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27 Gidget
November 7, 2016 at 9:24 AM
Ooh. This makes it even more interesting. I love this teams capacity for seamlessly layering and interweaving genres and storylines.
And... broody Joseon LMH.... *grabby hands*
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Gidget
November 7, 2016 at 2:58 PM
Oops, it showed up after all. Saw-wee.
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28 wackycashew
November 8, 2016 at 7:49 AM
Excited about this show and the casting is great for all three ages... SES looks like a dead ringer for younger JJH in that pic!!
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29 Nadz Lee
December 31, 2016 at 9:32 PM
Noo... the mermaid is not immortal, in the series the mermaid is not immortal. The mermaid and Kim Dam Ryeong died together during Joseon Period. They were both reborn and met each other in a different time and place but the same villain were reborn in the present times. The story is really unique and nice. I love the movie so much. Nakakaspoil. HAHAHAHA Filipino here.
#FilipinoFanOfLMH #MinozPH
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