Kang Min-hyuk to star opposite Ha Ji-won in MBC’s Hospital Ship
by girlfriday
MBC’s upcoming medical drama Hospital Ship has found its leads in Ha Ji-won (The Time I’ve Loved You) and CN Blue’s Kang Min-hyuk (Entertainer), who are in final negotiations to headline. Ha Ji-won was attached to the project early on while the search was a bit longer to find her leading man; an offer went out to Choi Jin-hyuk, but he ended up declining. It seems like a big jump in age and image for the hero to go from Choi Jin-hyuk to Kang Min-hyuk, especially since they were co-stars in Heirs where Choi Jin-hyuk played the older brother and Kang Min-hyuk was one of the high school kids. But I suppose now they could age the character down to be more of the puppy rookie doctor? I would believe that.
The warm human drama is about a medical ship that travels around to service tiny rural islands where there are no hospitals, and will focus on the growth of the young doctors who work there. Ha Ji-won has been cast to play a surgeon who boards the ship to run away from her life after her family faces public ruin. Kang Min-hyuk will play a doctor of internal medicine with a warm heart and a particularly strong sense of empathy—he’s able to read how others feel before they tell him, and knows how to comfort them.
I generally like Kang Min-hyuk and have liked his previous characters, though that’s when he’s usually playing idols or students, which fits with the image I have of him in my head. I wonder how he’ll do as an adult in a leading role, and whether this drama intends to have a noona romance between the leads. I can see him pulling off romance—heck, I rooted for him and Hyeri in Entertainer—but the show will have to do some convincing if he’s going to play a doctor who’s not still an intern.
Hospital Ship will be directed by PD Park Jae-bum of daily drama Begin Again and legal drama A New Leaf, and written by Yoon Seon-joo of Secret Door and Hwang Jin-yi. It’s scheduled to air on Wednesdays and Thursdays in August following Man Who Dies to Live, which comes after Ruler–Master of the Mask.
Via DongA
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Tags: Ha Ji-won, Hospital Ship, Kang Min-hyuk
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51 gerry13
June 15, 2017 at 6:26 PM
Just read another idol joining this cast. Looks like I am giving this a miss
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52 Jolly
June 15, 2017 at 7:29 PM
And this becomes a pass. I mean, this has to be a joke, right? We go possibly getting Choi Jin-hyuk to this? This is a huge downgrade.
Kang Min-hyuk is a terrible lead. He was pretty dreadful in Entertainer. Everyone was, except Ji Sung who basically carried that show. At best, he's a supporting actor who isn't a major role.
Casting matters. This drama is bound to suck.
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53 salt N pepper
June 15, 2017 at 7:53 PM
Okay, I was definitely not expecting this pairing. The premise of the drama itself already bored me and now they added this pairing to top that off. Uhmm... what?? Is it possible for Min Hyuk to be the lead but for there to be zero romance between both? I hope they add a more mature-looking (and convincing) second lead and have him be her love interest instead. Not meaning to be a Negative Nancy here but I just don't see it working at the moment.
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54 Ruilala
June 15, 2017 at 8:20 PM
O.o this is a weird pairing to me... I can't see myself shipping them together (haaa see what I did there)
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55 hiheel
June 15, 2017 at 8:42 PM
Both of them stand well alone but them together is the part that im not sure about! Sure Kang Min Hyuk has more or less taken on bubbly roles but his turn in entertainer has me put my faith in him for this drama mainly because in terms of plot entertainer wasn't the best but it has alot of heart too it and i personally think it was because of the cast!
And Ha Ji Won is of course awesome! No words needed for her but the 2 of them together is what has got me worried i mean min hyuk is an adult in real life so it shouldn't be that hard for him, he just looks young ( he's 26 guys) but his age gap with ha ji won is what has me worried im just hoping maybe this drama won't go too heavy on the romance but just a teensy weensy bit maybe like romantic doctor?
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56 dramaworldfan
June 15, 2017 at 9:18 PM
Wait, what?? Can they cast another senior actor that can match up Ha Ji Won level's of acting skills? Well, unless Kang Min Hyuk level up and nail the character. So yeah, I'm not so sure about this pairing.
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57 Sunny
June 15, 2017 at 9:32 PM
I really like Ha Ji Won. I feel she shines the brightest when she's playing strong historical drama characters.
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Jazz
June 16, 2017 at 1:42 AM
i think so, saguek must be ha ji won kind of genre, and the way of romance in saguek is her style which makes her not awkward too.
She is just not good in modern romance, or cheesy style. strong characters is what fits her.
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58 Nnae
June 16, 2017 at 4:05 AM
Let's wait and see and pray Hope this drama will be good drama, I don't mind about age gap between both of them.
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59 saph
June 16, 2017 at 6:53 AM
I liked the chemistry between hjw and jcw in empress ki and I was sooooo amazed to find out that she was older than him with 9 years. At least, jcw looked manly enough. I dont really mind age difference especially when the couple is cute like in I haer your voice but I think 13 years is too much for the main leads as kmh is 26 and hjw is 39 even though she looks younger. Moreover, he looks soooo young for her. MBC should look for someone who is suitable enough for her or find a way to make him look mature enough for the role. Of course, I am just expressing my thoughts
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60 nayour
June 16, 2017 at 9:27 AM
Actually age shouldn't and wouldn't be a big issue if the characters are written that way, as in purposefully with a big age gap that serves the plot. As long as they don't try to age him up or her down, and acknowledge that it is a noona romance, I don't see it being much of a problem. It'll just be how they portray them and their chemistry with each other that is the deciding factor, which is something I am admittedly doubtful for but let's stay hopeful.
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61 jenn
June 16, 2017 at 9:41 AM
SMH at all of you criticising that another "idol" has just been handed a lead role. The guy has been acting consistently since he debuted with his band 7 years ago and has done supporting roles in 5 dramas already. That's a whole lot more than some idols from bigger agencies or even some model-turned-actors who land lead roles almost straight away. How many supporting roles must he take until he's "qualified" enough to go for a bigger role? Or is he suppose to always do supporting roles just because he's an "idol"? Give the guy a chance and then only criticise his performance if he sucks, don't hand out judgements before actually having the chance to judge.
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Jolly
June 16, 2017 at 9:34 PM
How about until he learns to act well? We've seen enough of him to know he's poor as a lead. We don't need to wait to see anything to pass judgment. He was in a lead role next to Ji Sung in Entertainer and he was terrible.
It doesn't matter if other idols have gotten lead roles quicker. There's no magical number of roles you take before you deserve a lead role. If they suck, they suck. They shouldn't be given lead roles. And he sucks.
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penny
June 25, 2017 at 6:10 AM
Lol chill bro. I thought the general consensus in the dramasphere was that he was pretty decent in Entertainer, and overall he's one of the only idol-actors I don't hate. If he auditioned and was then given the role, I see no reason not to give him a chance. Nonetheless, the premise does not interest me and Ha Ji Won is a hit or miss sometimes, so I don't have high expectations of this anyway.
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62 maddymappo
June 16, 2017 at 3:58 PM
I guess they can age him. There was big age difference in Faith, Lee Min Ho's costar was ten years older (it made me uncomfortable but they made her act much younger although it kind of didn't work for me) in this case Ha Ji Won is 13 years older. I hate to see her trying to act much younger, it seems so undignified.
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63 dramaprincess
June 17, 2017 at 8:05 AM
So excited to see Min-hyuk in another drama, but this pairing is... errr... I don't even know the right words to describe this.
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64 Kdramanut
June 21, 2017 at 9:29 AM
I was really impressed by Kang Min-Hyuk in Entertainer. His acting has improved at a faster rate than many other idols, so I'm very much looking forward to this pairing. I think it'll work well since Ha Ji Won looks WAY young for her age (and if her character is looking to escape a bad family situation, he's a great person to escape to). I mean, what noona could resist Kang Min-Hyuk?!? lol
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65 Reene
August 29, 2017 at 7:17 PM
Not much for originality are they. This is a remake of Clinic on the Sea.
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66 kes
September 1, 2017 at 1:46 PM
They're born on the same day
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67 Mahya
September 15, 2017 at 8:09 AM
It"s great.I love this movie.
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