Upcoming K-Drama Casting Updates

In my first article for MDL I want to introduce some of the latest casting news and an update for one of the currently airing dramas. Let's get started with the casting updates for some upcoming dramas!


Casting Updates

Upcoming SBS weekend drama Angel Eyes is currently casting its main leads. Previously Lee Jun Ki (Two Weeks) and Han Ji Min (Rooftop Prince) were in talks as the leads, but now Koo Hye Sun (Take Care Of Us, Captain) as well as Lee Sang Yoon (Goddess Of Fire, Jeongi) are considering the roles.

Angel Eyes is described as a melodrama that tells the story of a pair of lovers, who were separated in the past due to family issues, but meet again after twelve years. The female lead used to be blind, but can recover her eyesight thanks to an eye donation and becomes an emergency rescue worker. The question is will she be able to recognize her first love, even though she wasn't able to see him before?

Choi Moon Suk (Will it Snow for Christmas?) will direct the drama, while writer Yoon Ji Ryun (Boys Before Flowers) might be reunited with Koo Hye Sun if the actress decides to sign on. Starring Kang Ha Neul (The Heirs) and Nam Ji Hyun, who played the teenage heroine in Will it Snow for Christmas?, as the leads' teenage counterparts, Angel Eyes will premiere in April after Thrice Married Woman ends.




Hopefully good news for fans of the drama My Girl: As previously reported, Lee Dong Wook will return as a cold and perfectionist hotelier in the drama Hotel King after having acted as a hotel chaebol in My Girl in 2005/2006. No information has been released about the character of the heroine yet, but Lee Da Hae is apparently considering the role. If she accepts the offer, it would be her second onscreen romance with Lee Dong Wook following My Girl. The casting has not yet been finalized though, because Lee Yoo Bi (Gu Family Book) is currently rumored to play the heroine as well.

Update: Lee Da Hae has been confirmed in the meantime! While Lee Dong Wook will be an executive of the hotel, Lee Da Hae's role will be the daughter of the hotel's CEO.

Hotel King is written by Jo Eun Jung (Feast of the Gods) and directed by Kim Dae Jin (Just Like Today). It will start airing in March after Golden Rainbow.




SBS drama God's Gift - 14 Days has finally cast Kim Yoo Bin (Heaven's Order) as the daughter whose murder Lee Bo Young (I Hear Your Voice) will try to prevent by travelling 14 days into the past. Additionally, No Min Woo (Knife and Flower) is in talks for the role of Kim Yoo Bin's favourite idol, after Lee Ki Kwang (Twenty Years Old) had to drop the role because of conflicting schedules. No Min Woo would play the leader of a rock band who gets involved in the case, when he finds some of the daughter's items in his van.

The drama will follow One Warm Word, but the exact date hasn't been confirmed yet because of the Olympics.

 

Drama Adaption of Manhwa "Scholar Who Walks the Night"

The manhwa "Scholar Who Walks the Night" has just been licensed to be made into a drama. The rights were bought by a subsidiary company of Kim Soo Hyun's agency, so rumors started that he might be taking the role of a vampire living as a scholar in the Joseon era. His portayal of a 400 year old alien in You Who Came From The Stars is currently so popular that it’s no surprise people would like to seen him in a similar role in this planned live action drama. However, his agency has immediately denied his participation in the drama as he's still too busy with You Who Came From The Stars to think about his next project.

In the manhwa the daughter of a nobleman has to disguise herself as a boy in order to be able to sell books, because her family has been unfairly ruined. She gets to know a mysterious scholar who is actually a vampire.

 

Some changes for „Inspiring Generation“

Currently airing drama Inspiring Generation will have a writer change starting with the 11th episode. The team consists of four rookie writers, but the previous head writer (who has the most experience with a couple of drama specials) will be replaced by Park Gye Ok, writer of Cain and Abel and Foolish Mom.

Moreover, the production team has also announced that they will show less violent scenes in future episodes because of complaints about excessive portrayal of violence and blood in the drama.

Another update: Apparently Kim Jae Wook suddenly quit the drama, possibly because of the writer change and episode 8 (from last week) was already his last one :(

 


What do you think about the casting updates? Was there anyone mentioned you'd love to see in a drama again?
And fellow Inspiring Generation watchers, what do you think about the upcoming changes to the drama?