Severe Disagreement with PD Shuts Down Filming on Return, Go Hyun Jung Leaves as SBS Switches Lead Actress

Oh my lord does the situation on the set of SBS Wed-Thurs ratings leading drama Return appear to be a veritable shit show, pardon my language. The drama hit 15% ratings already and is the first sign of a prime time K-drama doing well to start of 2018. SBS actually aired compilations of the first few episodes during this week’s Mon-Tues slot to drum up more interest. Then came a cascade of news today that filming has halted on the set due to a disagreement between leading actress Go Hyun Jung and PD Joo Dong Min.

It’s such a huge blowup that she left the set and refused to film for the last two days. There will be a new episode of Return this Wed but Thurs will not air its episode, with SBS saying that it was already scheduled to air an Olympic special on Thursday night and the preemption was not due to the filming walkout by Go Hyun Jung. After the news first broke came further details, including that the fight was so heated that Go Hyun Jung was alleged to have physically hit PD Joo, and now SBS is saying that there is no way to repair the working relationship between them and it will have to change the leading lady. Holy mother of %^&#$@, what the heck went down?

Go Hyun Jung’s agency released a statement confirming that a disagreement went down and that it has accepted SBS’s notice to change the leading actress, with Go Hyun Jung leaving the drama effectively immediately. Perhaps the timing works in SBS’s favor with South Korea to be dominated by Winter Olympics coverage the next two weeks as the host nation. I expect the fasted Return will return (pun intended) is after the Olympics ends and maybe even an extra week out from there depending on how quickly a new leading lady is found and filming can resume. I don’t know if the drama is planning on killing Go Hyun Jung off or just slotting in a new actress in the same role like in You Are Too Much.


Comments

Severe Disagreement with PD Shuts Down Filming on Return, Go Hyun Jung Leaves as SBS Switches Lead Actress — 49 Comments

  1. Go Hyunjung already did not have much screentime, no? Most of the screentime was given to the villian supporting characters; seems like they are just using GJH to gain attention for the drama.
    On a side note, I’m glad Knetz are on Go Hyunjung’s side. SBS seems to be be blaming everything on her.

    • Umm, we don’t know what actually happened tho. So the fact that there are claims of her being physical with the PD and her agency not exactly denying it… why would anyone just think it’s the PD or SBS’s fault. Just because she’s a known name means nothing to me. I’d rather find out the truth than play the blame game of her being so sort of victim or the culprit.

      • from the first article journalist already putting blame on her, her career is on the line, there must be a reason why she was so angry that she slapped this pd

      • @Puff
        I agree. She knew very well that her career is at stake here but there must be some solid reasons on what drove her to the edge till she physically attacked him. The thing I appreciate is that at least she did not deny the physical altercations at this stage and just announcing her departure. By not denying, it’s safe to say that she owned up to what she did – we just need to find out the reason eventually. Can’t say that the PD and SBS had no role to blame here.

      • @Butterfly People are taking GHJ’s side without knowing what actually happened behind the scenes. Blind celebrity worship? If it turns out, she had reacted over her lack of screen time, that’s very unprofessional.

      • Latest report mentioned that it was not due to the lack of screen time as she has already read the script up to episode 8 before she accepted the role. Something more must have happened.

      • GJH actually has a stellar reputation in in the industry and she owned up to her wrongdoings. So it’s not about her being a big name or what. She has enough credibility for people to believe that the other party did something wrong as well.

    • During QSD’s era, the character Deokman was completely overshadowed by Mishil’s character which was portrayed by Go Hyun Jun and yet, the actress endured until the very end.
      This is not the first time that a main character was overshadowed by other characters or doesn’t get enough screen time, but the actors playing them still endured till the end.
      There are many reports about the tough situation for a drama shoot and yet most of those actors and actress, endured it till the end.
      There are actors and actresses, talking about receiving harsh words from the directors or PD of the movies/dramas but they endure till the end.

      What Go Hyun Jung did, is very unprofessional.

      Also, most actors and actress can have their image protected – the staff who worked with the often have to stay quiet about what’s going on in the set so if more and more issues about her attitude came out. It just mean that those people just kept it inside and just blow it up when things like this happens.

  2. Oh wow. At least they actually have time to patch up the storyline given the 2 weeks. But even with the time I don’t think they’ll be able to write her out ‘realistically’ and by that I mean it would probably appear random and abrupt that the story wouldn’t flow as well?

    Another example of why live shooting is not a good idea. I can’t believe it got physical though…

  3. If I was to watch this drama blindly, I would not have guess this was her comeback and she was the lead. As the story progressed, her screen presence and character development decreased. It’s quite sad as I was enjoying the show but I did sense that the show was changing its initial direction. I don’t know if I should even continue with the show now that she’s gone.

  4. Who the heck is the PD trying to promote/push that he chose to neglect Go Hyun-jung of all people? Better not be some stupid actor/actress with sponsor.

    • Lee Jin Wook maybe?Maybe they think this will rinse off his tattered image and Go Hyun Jung was the sacrifice? go to soompi and see what the courts had to say about his “one night stand” issue..She won’t even be the first actress to do so.Park Shi Hoo has revived his career because of Shin Hye Sun.

      • sbs said she recommended him, production dont want him on the drama, villain have more screentime so its not really him.

      • Go hyun jung and lee jin wook are bestfriend. She is the one who encourages him

        Is the content of the drama degrading woman makes her mad??? Is

      • Nah like what many people said, it’s Go Hyun-jung that recommended Lee Jin-wook. She wouldn’t react like this if the production team is promoting him.

  5. I agree with the fact that she did have little screen presence . But if it’s the problem here , it’s unprofessionnal to leave for this reason . When Han Ye Seul left her drama due to work conditions, she suffered a lot from netizens and industry workers. I ‘m enjoying the drama and i don’t know where are they going to find a talented actress like her and about the same age .

    • I can’t blame Go Hyun Jung from walking out. If they really could not see eye to eye, what’s the point of her staying? Do you think the PD would want her on the set as well? If it’s really true that she got physical on him, things could got even worse if she stayed longer. Based on the little screentimes that she had, surely the argument could have been there for quite sometimes until finally erupted, so that’s probably the reason why she was shown less in this drama though “Return” itself being marketed as GHJ’s comeback drama.

    • Yes, when Han Ye Seul left due to being overworked, everyone blamed her. I don’t support this either way because it really doesn’t show that they are professional. If a pilot on a flight got angry with the co-pilot of the airline, can he just walk away from a cockpit mid flight?

    • In this case, HYS left halfway because it was promised that she was to have some days off but they fell back on the promise.

    • maybe its better to make the second leading actress the leading actress instead of adding someone new half way through the show

      • Yea. I rather they do this instead. I already like the second leading actress and I think she’s capable of carrying the show. I don’t want them to replace Go Hyun Jung. Drama is already halfway and it’s pointless to replace her.

      • That’s actually a pretty good idea (though ofc it would’ve been better if she stayed)! It would feel a hell of a lot more natural than some random new actress appearing out of nowhere lol

      • i so agree, as a woman herself too, and to come behind GHJ?? no woman worth her salt will agree especially if it was a demeaning reason towards women in general. Also, m belief is that GHJ has been around a long time, i don’t believe i have heard she’s a diva with that kind of attitude, she works because she loves to, she does NOT need the money, so my personal opinion is that it was something demeaning.

  6. Would replacing the actress really work? The show has already aired 7 out of 16 episodes. This is not like a 50 episode weekend drama where viewers have time to get used to a new actress.

    • Why not replacing her by an actor ? SCRIPT : GHJ character is murdered ( car accident , or whatever…) by SSROK. A former husband or lover appear to find the truth about her death and gets invoved in the 1st case. After all , this drama is(in my opinion) male centeric since the debut. So why not ? Simple and plausible.

  7. Drama in Kdramaland. SBS is playing dirty and too bad no one is buying it.You think if SBS was guilty?They would throw the PD and production team under the bus?Of course not.Its easier to scapegoat the actress.It better not be there was some sexual assault and they are trying to twist events and make her into the bad bitch..Its not too far fetched.But I am curious to hear what she has to say about this matter.

    This reminds me a litte bit of Lee Tae Im and Ye Won situation.The media was painting Lee Tae Im as the bad sunbae bitch and the other one as the poor little innocent hoobae.With time, things turned out, it wasnt really like that.Supposing there is more than what is being told so far, which ever actress will take her place will receive alot of hate.

  8. I wonder what is the disagreement, I don’t think it just about screen time,
    perhaps she did something wrong, perhaps it’s the director,
    I am more inclined to believe that both do something wrong and then they just can’t make up

  9. Damn! Something must have gone down more than what was reported. She has always known to be professional and respected. She is so good, no other actress of her calibre except maybe Kim Hye Soo.

  10. She is a veteran actor who has already had a big scandal after the divorce. I have been following her for quite sometime and she is someone who is very careful about her image. I won’t blame the PD just yet as I wait for more details because unles if SHe suddenly became alcoholic I can’t see her putting her career at risk to a point of not apologizing and refusing to return.

  11. HER SSR are the only one worth watching. now that she leave only one left is SSR. LJW char to boring for him take over the spot light. the viewer will fall asleep if he get more then 20min screentime. he had that sad face no matter what happen in the scene. GHJ SSR are the one the view want to watch not a man with a sad face on him all the time.
    feel bad for SSR now he will have to carry the drama harder. before he could rely on GHJ to carry the drama with him.

    • What? LJW is not charismatic? He’s the reason I tuned into Return. Did you not see him in I Need Romance 2 and Nine: Nine Times Travel? And other productions? I am disappointed his role in Return isn’t bigger!

  12. Geez…latest news report is that SBS may even ban GHJ from appearing in future programs. The station is pushing all the blame onto her.

  13. I think the pd n go hyun jung fight because what written in the script , the actress doesn’t like the way it written but the pd insist to direct base on the script, both insist on their opinion,so for the sake of the drama the one who didn’t agree must leave, i like the drama untill now just hope they just kill her charracter, n go hyun jung get the role like she want soon, i think it’s like lee da hae case

    • no no no, gohyunjung is in this drama because she LOVES how the drama and her character are written, the writer is new in the industry, and her rep said that director change the direction of the script and gohyunjung doesn’t like that

  14. It will be a bigger bang if GHJ appears in another drama however long it may take…. viewers actually miss her more now that she left this abruptly which used her popularity to promote & obtain high ratings. SBS is stupid to let go of a veteran star! SBS is now denying the ban because they know she is still in high demand ?

  15. I know GHJ has a great rep for her acting skills. But it seems to me that in the recent episodes she didn’t have much to do other then rearrange her hair while listening to the other characters. It was really focusing on SSR’s & BTK’s characters.

  16. Did RETURN was in controversy few days ago for calling women as a toilet for sexual purposes? It was said the drama is under evaluation by the Korean Communications Standard Commission.

  17. AH, I really liked this drama! Whatever it happened (only the inside party know that) I feel sad that set disagreements and stuff ruined a very good drama…

  18. So according to SBS an actress who has a reputation for being hard working and getting along with all the cast and crews of the dramas she`s done suddenly loses it with a PD so much she hits him???? …my real question would be what did that jerk of a PD do/say for it to happen,is it a simple argument or is it something orchestrated by her ex in-laws(i`m only paranoid if i`m wrong)

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