Seo Kang Joon in Talks for the Second Male Lead of Cheese in the Trap

Upcoming tvN drama Cheese in the Trap better be the best thing since sliced cheese with how much the casting has been the subject of media scrutiny and fervent fan opinions. Now that the leads are locked up in Park Hae Jin and Kim Go Eun (everyone satisfied?), it might be fine that the supporting cast isn’t nearly as impressive in acting talents. The first name to join the leads was rising young model-actor Nam Joo Hyuk, who totally fits that bill based on his most recent drama performance in Who Are You: School 2015.

With that said, I do like Nam Joo Hyuk for his potential and because he’s pleasant to watch but I’m not feeling the same optimism anymore for this new name being mentioned for the drama. Seo Kang Joon is reportedly in final talks for the second male lead role in Cheese, a character called Baek In Ho that forms the love triangle with the leads. I really liked Seo Kang Joon when he was starting out with bit parts like in The Suspicious Housekeeper, and even his rise to second lead of the younger generation in What’s With My Family was decently entertaining. But he took on too much too fast because all his limitations and weaknesses are laid bare now in Splendid Politics (Hwajung) and now the rose is off the bloom.

I do see a commonality with the three male actors tapped for this drama, all three are as good looking as manga and manhwa male leads are drawn, in that un-real way that means no real life actor could ever be as good looking as the drawing version. So maybe the goal is to get as close to the drawing as possible, and acting talents are a bonus but not necessarily? Cheese in the Trap will now be mostly pre-filmed and not air until December, with tvN readying Bubble Gum with Lee Dong Wook and Jung Ryeo Won for the October air dating. Maybe pre-filming with the luxury to do more takes will help both Seo Kang Joon and Nam Joo Hyuk step up their game?


Comments

Seo Kang Joon in Talks for the Second Male Lead of Cheese in the Trap — 26 Comments

  1. This guy’s acting is beyond bad in Hawajung. Whoever thought to give such a lead role to an inexperienced new actor is crazy. His poor acting has been bringing the whole show down. I hope he is not going to be in CITT. If he wants to act, – let him learn with small roles he can do, and not with leads or 2nd leads. He is not equipped to do that.

  2. Yeah I kinda feel they cast based on looks. Even for Park Hae Jin, despite his good acting, it was mostly because he’s so similar with the manga version. Suzy was the first choice and Kim Go Eun actually look alike szy imo. Though I have no complain for both of them because they’re great actor. I’m dissapointed honestly with the last 2 cast because I think Acting ability should be more into consideration than just look alike the manga version.

    • True and I loathed him in SaSA. His character went from “oh pretty” to “boy you need to stop, homegirl has never been into you” real quick. He was decent in his five minutes of screen time in Housekeeper but he’s been given too much to do way too soon.

  3. Definitely a huge mess in the making. I understand that they want a good looking cast, but there are beautiful people with actual talent out there. Yet this production company seems to choose the worst of the worst.

      • Did you forget that wanted to cast Suzy before settling on Kim Go Eun after a public outcry?

    • I agree no second lead syndrome for sure. Seo Kang Joon is pretty wooden in my opinion. Wrong pick for an important character like Baek In Ho. There are a dozen better actors who are equally good looking.

  4. for the love of god, please no seo kang joon…i don’t understand what the production team is thinking. there are many good, lesser known actors out there, why do they insist on looks/popularity? it seems like they’re relying heavily on visuals since the writing for this drama is probably going to be very weak, given the writer’s previous works and the structure of the source material. i really hope they reconsider inho’s actor since his relationship with jung will be key, but from all the drama this drama has kicked up so far, i don’t think it’s going to go smoothly.

    • Who’s writing this? Oh man since I like the PD and I know the two leads can act (Jung is my favorite character second being Seol and I know Hae Jin and Go Eun can act so ain’t worried about them and will watch so long as both remain attached) I was really hoping they get a good writer cause I cannot take another Nodame (I quit after 5 minutes), talented actors wasted away through horrible writing.

  5. I was really hoping Ji Chang Wook would have been considered. I think it would have been a good chance to broaden his acting with a different kind of role, and I think he looks the most like the second male lead.

    • lol, i dun think JCW is at the level to become a second lead anymore. with his status now as a Halyu Star, i dun think he wud considering to become a second lead, even tbh his acting is not that great.

  6. Dear K-drama gods, PLEASE NO, NO, NO, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO…..NO NO NO!!! I am just starting to read the magna now (in season 2) and while I do think the fans are way to hyped and extra with it (I think the story is pretty straight forward slice of life and I don’t see the big mystery around Jung. The whole thing is a nice slice of life story with a typical Romeo/Juliette, Elizabeth/Darcy esqe romance. The characters make the story but the whole fuss of needing Blue Dragon worthy actor/actresses was not needed) and while I don’t think you need oscar worthy actors and actresses to fill the role, you do need people who can act well because the characters and not the plot (nothing much happens) make the story. Seo Kang Joo is fine to look at and good in really small limited role, but Baek In-ho is too much of a character that is important to the story to be played by such a limited actor. In my mind Lee Min-ki (oh if only he were not on military duty and too big for this) would be the perfect In-Ho. His Byun from Shut Up Flower Boy Band is basically In-ho to me.

    tl;dr, Please No to Seo Kang Joo. Knowing my luck he has the role, but kdrama lawds work your fated miracles and let it not happen.

  7. i do think sungjae is better than seo kang joon… but it must be awkward to nam joo hyuk if sungjae been offered. Sungjae stole his thunder in Who Are You:School 2015. But hey, there are a lot of rookies actor out there. Why don’t they hold audition like they do in Reply Series?

  8. Seo Kang Joon is not only a bad actor but also he doesn’t match the image of Baek In Ho. And I am not talking about his physique only but his vibe. Also how on the earth is he going to be any competition against Park Hae Jin? I was hoping that they would cast someone who has strong screen presence and look a bit older. How are we suppose to believe that he and Park Hae Jin are the same age? They are 10 years apart not 4 or 5…sigh

  9. Regardless of acting talent, he’s just not a good fit! I’m not one to nitpick but this so obviously wrong. Look at him. How can he pass as a 24 years old bad ass ex-gangster. The same age as Park Hae-jin and older than Sul. There’s just no way. If at least he could act but he can’t and has 0 onscreen charisma.

  10. He was a cutie in WWTF? though I haven’t seen Splendid Politics. Hopefully it’s just a problem with sageuks, and he’ll be able to bring the charm back in the modern era.

  11. I think of all the actors people proposed for Bek In Ho, Seo Kang Joon really feels like the best one so far for me. I don’t have higher expectations for this drama given how most webtoon-drama adaptations have ended up. Having said that I am very excited to watch this series! The main leads seem promising. I hope SKJ has worked on his acting skills and will do a good job, I will be rooting for him.

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