KOREA: Here are some of the latest casting announcements in South Korea’s drama scene, according to the South China Morning Post.
Photo: Instagram/Jun Ji Hyun
1. Human X Gumiho
This upcoming fantasy drama Human X Gumiho will star Jun Ji Hyun and Ji Chang Wook. Gumiho is a mythological “nine-tailed fox” who takes on human form as a beautiful woman to seduce men.
Jun Ji Hyun is known for K-drama classics such as My Sassy Girl and My Love from the Star. Jirisan was her most recent work and she is next seen in the big-budget Disney+ series, Tempest, opposite Gang Dong-won.
As for Ji Chang Wook, he has been occupied recently with Welcome to Samdal-ri, Queen Woo and Gangnam B-Side. He will also appear in the Disney K-drama The Manipulated.
He will be seen together with Son Ye-jin in the Netflix period drama Scandals, airing next year. The series is being written by Doom at Your Service scribe, Im Meari who is a former assistant to iconic K-drama writer Kim Eun-sook of Descendants of the Sun.
2. Efficient Dating for Singles
Efficient Dating for Singles is based on a webtoon of the same name. Park Sung Hoon and Han Ji Min are said to be starring in this drama. This series is about “efficient dating”, where love by itself is not enough but relationships based solely on conditions are unfulfilling.
Park reached stardom by playing a bad guy in The Glory and also continued his fame as the secondary love interest in Queen of Tears. He is also one of the new characters in Squid Game 2 where he had a minor social media scandal during its promotion and had to step away from the spotlight. He will be starring as well in season three this summer.
As for Han, she was in Behind Your Touch and Love Scout and will be back too in Heavenly Ever After. Lee Jae Hoon of Run On will direct the drama.
3. Honour
Honour is a K-drama remake of the Swedish mystery thriller of the same name (original title Heder). Lee Na Young and Jung Eun Chae are apparently circling the lead roles in the drama. In 2019, the original series, which is about a group of female lawyers who tackle cases concerning violence against women, ran for three seasons.
Kang Shin Jae, the head of the firm, is said to be played by Jung, while lawyer Yoon Ra Young, who works at L&J Law Firm, is said to be portrayed by Lee. Since her marriage to fellow actor Won Bin a decade ago, Lee has reduced her screen work. She was a major star in the 2000s who appeared in Beautiful Days, Romance is a Bonus Playbook and One Day Off.
Jung is famous for her roles in Pachinko, Anna, and also Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born.
Park Gun-ho, who is known for Dongjae, the Good or the Bastard, will direct the drama.
4. Hong sisters’ drama
Lee Do Hyun may join a new series by the Hong sisters, writers of Hotel Del Luna and Alchemy of Souls. If Lee signs on, he will reunite with Go Min Si, his co-star in Youth of May and Sweet Home. Recently, Go appeared in the Netflix thriller The Frog.
It was reported that Cha Eun Woo was supposed to sign on for the role, but the actor passed up the opportunity. Lee has previously worked with the Hong sisters on Hotel Del Luna before his success with Sweet Home and The Glory. He also appeared in Exhuma last year.
Following his obligatory service in the South Korean military, the project will mark his return to work. On May 13, he will be discharged from the Air Force.
