Original Trailer for Faith Released as The Great Doctor with Kang Ji Hwan

It’s so weird to see something that could have been, especially since what ended up being is airing right now. Faith is currently doing steady early teen ratings for SBS on Mon-Tues, but the drama was originally envisioned as something much different than the Lee Min Ho and Kim Hee Sun incarnation. The Korean title for the drama was always Shineui, but that pronunciation could be read as either Faith (信義) or The Great Doctor (神醫). When the drama was first announced in late 2009, the leading man was Lee Jun Ki. Jun Ki ended up getting shipped off to the army before the drama went into production, and in stepped in Kang Ji Hwan. During this time this drama was always known as The Great Doctor, and the leading lady was Kim Hee Sun from the start. The cast and crew actually gathered in Jeju for a few days in late 2010 to film scenes for the trailer that was going to be shown at a drama film festival, likely for distribution around Asia as a Hallyu product.

I’ve seen bits and pieces from this rather under-the-radar filming, but recently the official trailer that was shot has been released. Probably someone dug it out of storage for entertainment value and to see how much things have changed from the days of The Great Doctor to what is now Faith. The original incarnation was both more fantastical and darker. Like, way darker. I actually love Kim Hee Sun’s look and character for this version (probably as much as I dislike her look and character in Faith), and Kang Ji Hwan is pretty much the perfect leading man for this gig IMO. Playing the antagonist in The Great Doctor was supposed to be Kim Seung Soo, who also left the drama along with the majority of the original cast when filming stalled due to Kang Ji Hwan’s dispute with his management company. In the end, only Kim Hee Sun and Philip Lee remained attached to the project once it underwent its transformation both story and execution. The original concept looks so amazing I’m sad it wasn’t meant to be.

Trailer for The Great Doctor:


Comments

Original Trailer for Faith Released as The Great Doctor with Kang Ji Hwan — 61 Comments

  1. Its not that I don’t like the current Faith…. but thisss the Great Doctor that was meant to be has soooo much epic everything…. it is what we all thought the current one was going to be….

    • First of all what a find about Faith! I didn’t know about this, me being a KJH fan(Lee minho’s too). But what was the original plot? How did KJH end up from a warrior to a doctor? If this was covered before I greatly apologize. Maybe you can provide me with a link

    • Actually, I’m watching Faith right now and I can say that is not suuuuuuuuuper amazing, but for me is not suuuper bad either.

      My problem with Faith are not the character. I love them and, contrary to Miss Koala, I love Kim Hee Sun character. I prefer a quirky woman that won’t let people drag her around, involve herself in whats going on around her and have a backbone over another that sit still and play the harp looking like a damsel in distress… She is one of my favorite characters in this drama… the King being the other one.

      That being said, I do have problems with the writing and directing. The directing in that trailer was what I was expecting in Faith and I sometimes want to cry when I see a fighting scene or weird shots. So, in the end, I don’t really blame the actors, I blame the director and writer of the drama. Is like the had SO much time with the story that the though over and over how to and what to change… sometimes, when you over think, it can lead to no good!

    • They should just make a 3D movie with the original cast and story because this looks too awesome not to be shown. Title it The Great Doctor.

  2. This version has that the more “Epic” feeling that I had hoped for and KJH looks so freaking hot. Oh well… but I like the current version well enough. I wonder why it changed so much though.

    • I think I was expecting epic from the current version too. I actually like that it’s not, but I think in the last couple episodes they’re trying to go for epic and they really shouldn’t. Stick to the character interactions and make those small-scale epic, writers!

  3. what was the original character description for this “should have been” faith? it looks so much more fantastical which is fantastic plus it should have Kang Ji Hwan there 🙁

  4. It would be a crime for THIS not to be finished. It looks totally different from the Faith that we are now watching. More epic, more drama, more awesome! The producers should still go ahead and make this into a totally separate / different drama. Cast Kang Ji Hwan but change the female lead to Yoon Eun Hye and you will have my eternal gratitude!!!

    • agree agree agree! LMH somehow just didnt click with the character in “Faith” now showing. no chemistry too with the female main lead… no, I cant get myself to follow it.

  5. The production was probably trying to bank on Lee Min Ho’s popularity but needless to say, it failed miserably. This is a high budget drama and from what I have read they spent millions, hoping that it would be a huge hit.
    As each episode is progressing the story is not getting any better but getting worse, same as the ratings which also keeps on dropping.

    The production lost so much money on this, but maybe this is a good lesson for them, that just because they have popular actors in their high budget drama, doesn’t mean it’s going to be a big hit. Nowadays, viewers are smarter and will only stick through the whole thing if the story is good. Gone were the days, where viewers would only watch it for popular actors.

    • I agree wholeheartedly with this comment. I’d like to know what the producers were smoking when they decided to cast LMH for the role of the general and mangle the storyline.

      • It didn’t help that Kim Hee Sun is also an awful actress and there is absolutely zero chemistry.

  6. Wow, the original with Kang Ji Hwan is fantastic. So sad that it didn’t work out. The trailer makes you want more.

    Maybe Kim Hee Sun wouldn’t have been so annoying if all she does is be pretty and play an musical instrument, instead of becoming the screeching and helpless doctor that she turned into.

    I’m only watching Faith for LMH and even that’s starting to become a poor reason to do so.

  7. I wonder why they changed from the original version, maybe in order to cast LMH? Kim Hee Sun’s character is so whiny. it’s starting to look like Dr. Jin k-version.

  8. wow , i want to see this version now but i dont think its the actor fault that drama now not like what should it be, i watching faith and i like it but what i meen anyone can see that the polt /story has change even the roles writen has change and its not the fault of actors if their role change . just from watching this teaser the drama chnage from dark and more action and bad era to be more comdey and more nice story that not strang to story to change from 2009 to 2012 maybe they thought it will be so much dark for us but i thing they did wrong and if they didnt chnage they was going to break all raiting till now i can even now right a full new story and roles after this teaser .

  9. Wow. I wasn’t expecting this. I love the production in this trailer. The show is a lot more visually impressive, and I take everyone a lot more seriously. Hey, it’s the difference between a male lead who’s a man and one who’s a pretty boy.

    I actually like Faith as it wound up, because it’s light and I need something light right now. I wish Philip Lee still had the powers he has in the trailer though. I think they took a lot of the fantasy away. But I’m glad they made the woman the doctor in the Lee Min Ho version. I’m sick of heroines who function as nothing but the love interest.

    • Yep, age and experience does not always equal quality. She’s simply an awful actress. I wonder what someone truly talented like Go Hyun Jung would have done with the role of Eun Soo.

    • Hi! What are you talking about? You mean you are the best person to cast in this drama. Make comment with respect, people!

    • Why? Why so hateful comment? In the contrary, from my point of view she was perfectly suitable for this character. I liked her a lot. It is the pitty that director, staff and cast probably could not do the drama in the way they wanted originally. I guess their budget was shortened…?

  10. This is totally up my alley. I would have like this much much much more than Faith. I’m kind of sad for what could’ve been now.

  11. If they were trying for another epic Legend dramas series, it should have been the KJH versions His acting is up there with BYJ imo.

    Le sighs. What should have been….

  12. I felt that this could be epic but it seem more like a film rather than a tv drama. But I would really love it if they did this version instead even though I love the current drama this one would be more awesome.

  13. It seems like I am the only one who is perfectly fine with our current Faith Drama o.o I love it so much, that I don’t even want to think about the possibility, that it wouldn’t have happened if they went through with the original one. Of course I probably would have liked the original one, too. And it is much overdue, that Kang Ji Hwan comes back to drama-land… but still…
    Maybe I am just not someone, who needs “epic”, but more two characters who slowly (and epically? xD) fall in love with each other xDDDDD; (Although I think Faith is also epic, just on another level as the original “The great doctor” would have been).

  14. I am so mad right now. This is what we could have had? This awesome, epic, dark fantasy? And instead we got that vanilla-pudding, plodding, Disney thing with Lee Min Ho…

  15. LMH & KHS look awesome…..separately! I would think KJH & KHS will have better screen chemistry. This trailer is dark & a very different feel from the present one.

  16. Holy Cow!

    Faith could have been the next Queen Seon Duk! Maybe since it’s so different, they’ll settle on a movie deal instead…..

  17. What! This was supposed to Faith?? Oohh, they should just do it, maybe into a film! I’d definitely watch it! I don’t really like the way the drama Faith is now. And I am not a big fan of Lee Min Ho.

  18. Gawd, what could have been! Dark, fantastical and epic. KJH would have been the perfect general.

    I watched 4 episodes of the current Faith but could not stomach the drama anymore. What were they thinking when they casted LMH?

  19. I feel depressed after watching this, knowing that it will never get made. I remember seeing a behind the scenes video from the Kang Ji Hwan version, back when Kang Ji Hwan was still the lead and being really impressed.

    It’s really not Lee Min Ho’s fault. Guess they ran out of money and the production seemed unlucky (LJK leaving and KJH with his management troubles) enough to make investors wary. And it would have cost a fortune to turn out 20 hours of the trailer. It was even more epic than Legend, which I already thought was super epic. We’ve had quite a few fantasy series recently, but nothing that approaches a high fantasy epicness like this trailer.

  20. is this for real? it could’ve been so epic…now it just turned into a joke…ahh what a waste…at least i got to see JiHwanee in his smokin hot saeguk outfit again! ^___^

  21. I adore LMH but he doesn’t have chemistry with his female lead and he lack the intensity to come off as a true warrior in the present Faith series. I hate the female lead’s character also. She comes off as shallow and whiny and reckless. KJH would have been perfect for this role.

  22. I actually am really enjoying Faith, I do think this version looks very cool though. I find Lee Min Ho lackluster in Faith, I actually really liked him in City Hunter. As for KHS unlike most I love her character, she’s funny, not a push over and actually has intelligence. Truthfully she is one of my favorite female characters I have watched in a drama recently. Guess everyone is different but I look forward to Faith every week and a big part of that is her character.

  23. Mannn I think a movie titled FAITH will be good to compensate the loss of EPIC-ness starring KJH and the original cast! Loving KHS looks in this version more than the one airing right now~ Oh LOVING KJH’s hair in this~ badass to the max

  24. I’m never going to get over this. Such a waste. My poor JiHwan oppa. Thi could be ‘THE’ drama for him. Guess it’s just not meant to be.

  25. to be honest Im not happy with the production of the current Faith, it certainly does not live up to the hard work the characters are putting in.

  26. It’s a bit sad to see what it could have been, though I’m partly disappointedly and relieved that Kim Seung-soo dropped. I would love to see him in a drama other than a daily. However, compared to his original role in the drama, I feel like if he stayed, he’d be relegated to a bland and odd role so maybe it’s a blessing in disguise.
    The trailer looks like they spent a lot of money and time which makes it even more of a shame that they had to chuck everything out the window.

  27. Wow!!!! KJW looks like a million bucks here…I like LMH, but I couldn’t get pass the 1st episode of the current Faith. I’m not even gonna try watching it again. I’ll wait for another one of his drama.

    I hope they do something with this material…it’s beyond epic!!!!! KJW is the man!!!!

  28. I have stopped watching Faith drama due to I was really boring.. I probably finish watching it marathon style later on… However, if that trailer was the real drama. I would totally watch it in a heartbeat from the beginning to the end.. Soo awesome…

  29. wow…. they should have followed this concept, or they should have pushed this through.. either lee jun ki and kang ji hwan will do a very good job for the character. i also agree that kim hee sun’s character for this trailer is more captivating compared to the bland one the she does now,

  30. This trailer can easily pass off as a movie trailer. They need to make a movie on that!

    Now I can never watch Faith with normal feelings anymore…

  31. Wow,fabulous trailer of what could have been! I do like LMH, but I think he was miscast. The lead actress is too annoying for me. There is no chemistry between the two. The truly interesting characters are the King and the antagonist, Gi Cheol. Yoo Oh-Seong seems to be really enjoying his character! I will probably finish this drama as a marathon watch.

  32. Woow,,this trailer is really awesome!!! i guess the crew should continue this into a movie. and I will watch it for sure!it’s sooooo epic. I Love KHS character in this trailer 🙂 But i’m enjoying watching the current drama with LMH as the lead man..although KJH looks more manly than him 🙂

  33. I want to watch this version so badly!! Even if they didn’t incorporate time travel, the fantasy aspect with the powers and medicine coupled with the characters make for a really intriguing story! This version looks like it’d have been 100x better than the version they came out with. They should’ve waited until they could get the right actors and do proper filming before releasing the drama. They had something really special in the works.

  34. I like Faith just the way it is. It’s actually my favorite drama ever and i would’ve cried waterfalls if it ended up like this one. Young doesn’t seem as lovable in this and the whole plot seems too twisted. And LMH is perfect playing the general because he breathes in life to his character. I love that he is not extravagant in his portrayal because it makes Young feel more like a person than just historical figure. I love faith just the way it is, choppy editing and directing and the rest of it’s multitude of flaws because there was something so magical and beautiful about it. It may not have been everybody’s cup of tea but faith spoke to me on so many levels and taught me that there is no point just existing in life. You have to live and you have to keep the faith!

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