Jang Geun Seok Starts off 2018 as the Peacock Demon in Hwayugi and Signs on for SBS Drama Peacock King

I’m pretty lenient when it comes cameo appearances in dramas, it’s solely service and as long as it’s not a jarring schism in the narrative then it’s fine to do. The Hong Sisters are well known for their cameos in their dramas mostly from prior stars who have done their dramas in the past. Jang Geun Seok has done two Hong Sisters dramas, as the memorable second male lead in sageuk Hong Gil Dong and the even more memorable male lead in You’re Beautiful.

It’s been a decade since he worked on their dramas and I wish he did his cameo earlier than making an appearance in last weekend’s episode 3 of Hwayugi. He played a preening peacock demon who is an actor and boy was I underwhelmed with his appearance. All the charisma of his YB days are gone especially since he was styled as a throwback to Hwang Tae Kyung, Of course this was just a short 5 minute scene and for his fans there will be a long drama to follow forward as he;s signed on to be the titular Peacock King for the next SBS Wed-Thurs drama.


Comments

Jang Geun Seok Starts off 2018 as the Peacock Demon in Hwayugi and Signs on for SBS Drama Peacock King — 32 Comments

  1. Jang Guen Suk has been looking like Hwang Tae Kyung for 9 years already. He can’t give up that idol style (that too, outdated). Does he have trouble in shedding that style? He is kind of irrelevant now, unless he succeeds with his next drama. Will he go to army by the way?

    • I Thought he was going in the army in 2016…I am wondering if he may have a medical certificate at the moment…I am sorry but those still photos make me wonder if he is unwell.. this look seems to be an ongoing problem.

  2. Tbh, I used to like him since I found him a talented and promising actor. But these days, he is far from leading man material. He has lose all those sparks and idk what is he thinking that he still he can bank in on his long gone good looks. Anyway, lets see if his latest project will proven me wrong.

  3. His cameo was a little disappointing… and boring… CSW is way more charming to say the least… if he continues to look the same in Peacock King, I may pass… smh…

  4. in my opinion, he’s one of the really talented actors in his age group, and on top of that, he can also sing. however, he doesn’t seem to have much luck when it comes to projects. he has also aged a lot compared to his contemporaries, or might be his weight gain. hoping he gets back in shape both literally and figuratively. it would be a shame to waste his talent.

  5. O’k – let’s clear some things.

    First of all – Jang Keun Suk didn’t have long hair for 9 years. He cut his locks in 2013 for a drama and again in 2016 right after “Jackpot”. So obviously people comment without actually seeing his work recently.

    Second – The new SBS drama is not announced yet, the name is not confirmed too. It will be about criminals and prosecutors, so the image of JKS there will not be a pretty boy for sure.

    And one more thing – the Hong sisters invited him for the cameo and he did it with a little wink for his past roles. No, he wasn’t trying to be Hwang Tae Kyung. He was making fun of himself and the expectations people have about him, saying his shine is fading. How many actors would do the same?

    Let’s see what he will do soon and of course Koala will write about this again 🙂

    • ok. for the #1 JKS’s fan who always defends for him here, what do you think of his Cameo in Hwayugi? I am very curious to know… he looked so “aged” to me in this cameo that please don’t say “lets see what he will do soon”…. of coz the Hong sisters would invite him, what’s there to lose?

      • Aged? A normal looking guy who celebrated his 30 years in September.
        You ask about my opinion and the only thing you want to know is about his appearance? Didn’t you read #3?
        FYI, JKS fans were happy about his cameo. They admire his sense of humor, his wit and his ability to be honest with people even when they don’t understand him and call him names.
        As you see, superficial topics like his hair and some kg over his usual skinny figure are not a reason his fans to forget his talent and charisma.
        And what he will do next – I am not talking about the drama only. Jang Keun Suk is also an Olympics ambassador, a singer with 5 big concerts in the next few weeks and also a member of the cast of a movie, that Korea will call scandalous when it is released.

      • @xyz – hahaha… agree with you! Cha Seung Won is 47 and he looks way better… imho 🙂
        @Royana – a “normal looking guy”? you are such a delulu… LOL…

  6. Such a comedian! Jang Keun Suk can really play everything, from funny things like this cameo, to more serious one like in the famous scene with the snake in Jackpot! He’s to me the most talented actor I have ever seen, and I think he’s really a good singer too. I cannot wait for the new project, and even more for the totally unexpected role he palyed in the movie The time of human by Kim Ki Duk (I hope it will be out soon!!)

  7. I was a fan of his in the early days when he did Hong Gil Dong (the second male lead syndrome was insanely strong) and You’re Beautiful and he was truly a very promising actor back then. But like with everything acting is a skill to be honed, and it makes me sad to see how dulled it has become in his case. In that cameo he came across as superawkward and I felt nothing of the spark that he used to have… It’s really too bad.

  8. He looks dull and aged. And his style is tired. I didn’t enjoy his cameo either. I hope he is well. It’s really strange that he hasn’t gone for MS when all his age mates and people younger than him are going, nor did he send out any press release regarding this issue. I assume the Korean public are fine with it, though they drag other people even younger than him, (LJS) or his contemporaries (SIG), for not serving yet, or not being healthy enough to continue MS.

    • They’re not fine with it actually. Whenever some male celeb is enlisting (usually even younger that Jang Guen Suk), k-netz always mention Jang Geun Sok and ask when he is enlisting. He is just so irrelevant nowadays that people aren’t mad about him not enlisting yet versus Yoo Ah In’s enlistment shenanigans and reactions to them.

      • O’k, not relevant?
        Then why we read about him on this blog every week?
        And you, @prettyauthemn is always there to speak bad things?
        Peole can check, you know 😉

        We all come to the blog to read news and to express opinions. Of course we can agree or disagree with miss Koala or between ourselves. But it is really tiring to see all the same complaints and mocking.
        I wish everyone enjoy life and doesn’t try to slander another person, no matter a celebrity or not, just to feel a little bit better himself.

    • I really cannot understand why even internationa fans care so much about MS. What is the problem with all of you? MS, hair, puffy face, more weight… are you really so superficial everytime to speak ONLY about these things when it comes to JKS (Okoala, please, at least, you have been a fan of him years ago… It’s Keun, not Geun… and not talk about romanization is the same, every official website and him too, write his name with K. Should I call you OCOALA?). Honestly speaking, this cameo was just a short hilarious moment… can you really see the talent of someone you don’t follow since ages? All of you are stopped back in 2009… almost 10 years ago. You surealy didn’t watch anything by him since 2013 at least. Pretty Man was a peculiar drama, not made for simply mouths searching for great love story. His acting of a growing inside man was excellent. And of course, many of you didn’t watch The royal gambler. So please, keep your superficial comments for you. There a re a couple of actor I am not particulary fan of, but I think is really stupid speaking bad of them under posts about them.

      • Now I am a bit mad at your comment on JKS’s history… As I am half-Japanese, I bought his first J-single Cry Baby Cry in Japan, it was good, I liked it, but then his music went sour, nothing interesting after that!! Can you name any of his best songs? I bet you can’t as you are just all plain talk for the sake of argument! I watched Jackpot, please don’t accuse people of not watching… his acting was at his level but the story was bad, nothing outstanding is my assessment … But the main thing is, what has he improved for the past 5 years besides “puffy face and more weight”? Whatever talent you are trying to treasure has been buried long time ago….

      • candycane are you serious? Who was the singer of cry baby cry? I suppose as his singer career started in 2011, too many years passed to remember that the single released was Let Me Cry… His best songs? To my judgment? I really love “Rain” from Just Crazy album. I love “Nature boy” and “Indian summer” from Nature boy album. I like very much “Kaze” and “Go back sweet home” from Monochrome. And I find “Voyage” “Graduation trip” and “Pride” from the album Voyage really good. But what I super love are almost all the songs in his team H album. I like so many of them that making a list would be too long.
        About Jackpot, ok you watched. How many of who is commenting here, talking always just about 10 years ago dramas, watched it? I would bet, just you.
        And, for an Artist that is an actor, a singer, an MC, a future director… well.. in the past 5 years you say? 2 dramas, 1 movie, 1 tv show, MC of a succesfull program (Produce 101) and of SBS awards, 1 short movie as director (that won several prices), 3 solo album and 2 Team H album, several charity events… and I really lost count on how many japanese show he was guest in. JKS is an Artist, not simply an actor. Just, if many of you (and I am not referring to you, who at least remember he is also a singer..) doesn’t know about some side of his career, you should not speak of failure just because he is not a robot working for a big company that make actors play on 2/3 drama in 1 year.

  9. If the cameo isn’t anything spectacular, blame the Hong Sisters – they wrote it. I remember people having the same issue with Yoo Ah In’s cameo in DOTS. Second, he looks to be in his early 30ies…40 is ridiculous.

    I watched about 6 or so episodes of Jackpot before putting it on the backburner, and he definitely looked more in shape in the drama so he’s someone who holds weight in his face. I guess free speech and all, people can diss him for it but it seems kind of petty and superficial.

    I spent several years listening to international fans go crazy because Lee Min Ho hadn’t done his service. Oh my gosh, we’re international fans…do we have to care?! LMH is replaced by JGSnow. I have complete faith in the local Korean audience to make his life a living hell if he doesn’t do his thing. (Or like YAI and SIG we just won’t seem him for several years.)

    I’m waiting until the end of this drama to give it a go because of the production issues. I’m still not trusting everything is gonna go okay.

  10. Wow..mirtysoft really cut lose on candycane!!…she certainy won tha that round…her loyality as a fan cant be denied you have to give her that much lol.?

    • hahaha… JKS’s magic of blind-folding fans cannot be denied, no matter how weird and abnormal he looks and behaves, his fans will defend for him until the end of the universe calling him “a normal looking guy”… lolol…

      • More like Candycane won the Jang Guen Suk fangirls, making them butthurt 🙂

    • I can be blind considering him a normal human, and not a plastic doll who should be always perfect… But even if I am blind, I always check before speaking/writing things… Above all when I try to argument things… So, really… speaking even without checking which was at least the title of the single you even bought… well… no words really! XD

      • I am not saying you are blind, there is a difference between being blind-folded and blind. He does look plastic now that you mention it… lol… But anyhow, I regret buying that J-single (whatever the name it was that he kept singing Cry, Cry, Cry…) as I have lost it somewhere & not missing it… and trust me, that’s the last YEN I spent on this evolving weirdo 🙂

      • Then I really wonder why you keep on commenting (bad) about him, if you don’t care about this “weirdo”… It’s really true… haters gonna hate… I should stop spending my time to try to understand why haters spend their time to talk badly about people they don’t care… keyboard’s lions… ahahahha

      • I am not commenting bad about him. I am just writing how I feel about his looks, his music, his acting… I liked his acting in the past, I hope I can still enjoy his upcoming drama, but he looks the same as in the above pictures, then no thank you… Celebrities are public figures and are open to all sort of criticism. He shows his face and people with eyes can comment. This is not hate. This is called “dislike”. Why do you call everyone a hater when you disagree with their comments? I am not the only one who can see he has “aged” especially when he stands next to 47 y.o. CSW. Yes you should stop rebuking because my view on him has not changed.

  11. Im not a super fan of his but Im so proud of him for trying out different areas of the entertainment business. Not everyone can do what he does – modelling, CFs, MC, singing, dancing, dramas, movies, reality shows, to even directing.
    I dont care if or when he enlists and frankly I admire all men who has to endure that as Im sure that experience isnt as easy as some may think. How daunting will that be and worst its not an option (unless deemed medically unfit) for all Korean men.
    As for the weight and age issue- BLAH!! who cares. Let him enjoy his extra ramen, ice-cream, chocolates and he might as well enjoy more soju bombs. The man deserves it esp with all the hard work he puts into his career. Im actually glad he doesnt care about his image and we shouldnt either.. Sadly its these rude comments or expectations of a celebrity image that makes them go on crazy diet regimes and Im sure he will have to under go them if or when he accepts his next project.
    So until then enjoy your life JKS- eat up, drink up and be merry.

  12. Come on Candycane respond…you must have something left…we are waiting this is better than the current k dramas..loving it lol ?

  13. I was underwhelmed by the cameo but I blame the Hong sisters for it, not JGS. The writing of the scene was too clunky. It seemed to be tacked on there just for sake of having a cameo and added nothing to the story itself. Waste of a good actor.

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