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This week there was a drama production behind-the-scenes brouhaha and it surrounds upcoming revenge melodrama Sponsor and male lead Lee Ji Hoon. A production team member on the drama posted online that Lee Ji Hoon brought a friend to the set who seemed like a thug or gangster and that person then acted threatening towards him. He said Lee Ji Hoon appeared to intervene but then shot him a look like “Now you know not to mess with me” so it felt like the thug friend was brought to send a message. The staff member said that others witnessed the incident and can corroborate. Lee Ji Hoon’s agency swiftly responded that there was a misunderstanding, the friend came to celebrate Lee Ji Hoon’s birthday and behaved poorly and Lee Ji Hoon has been trying to reach the production staff member to personally apologize but cannot reach him.
The second allegation came a day later when the original screenwriter of the drama went public that he was fired and the PD and staff swapped after Lee Ji Hoon complained that as the male lead he had too few scenes and dialogue. His agency also quickly responded that the production crew changed was by mutual agreement. Two different allegations against Lee Ji Hoon certainly doesn’t look good. A positive reputation within the production staff is very important especially to still ascending actors and actresses, it’s never okay to behave unprofessionally but a super A-list probably can do so and get away with it but not so much rising stars. Regardless of whether the allegations are true on its face, somewhat true, or not accurate, Lee Ji Hoon will have to overcome both industry perception of him and now the public perception. He got a lot of praise for not taking a salary to re-shoot Moon Where the River Rises and this incident can reverse all the goodwill in a flash. Jury is still out on what K-netizens will think in the long run on this.
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this happened after he made one man agency right
Something’s fishy. Am I to believe that Lee Ji-hoon has enough pull to single-handedly cause the writer to get fired just because he felt he did not have enough lines? Even if it were true, it is a legitimate grievance and he will not be the first lead actor to make it an issue.
I also find it amusing that all these issues are taking place in a production on a minor channel that will likely not exceed 0.5% ratings. Wait, is that the explanation?
He may be an ass, I don’t know, but I agree that I would find it unlikely that he has that kind of sway. He’s been a second lead for a long time. Would he have that kind of power in his first role as male lead?
And I’m not saying anyone is lying. I just wonder if more was going on bts.
There definitely appear to be a lot of details missing because there’s no way he has this kind of clout. I think even calling him a B-list would be too generous.
He seems to be another celebrity whose company cultivates that “good boy” and “family man” image with how they media played him not taking a salary for RWTMR and his sibling bond on I Live Alone: kissing his sister, her endless praise of him, and so on. If the second allegations are true, then that image-making will backfire.
i don’t think the not taking salary issue is coming from him or his agency. i think it’s from victory content. coz if I’m not mistaken, he and his agency also confused and surprised with the news.
None of the actors involved in the drama took payment for the reshoot so it wouldn’t be an image exclusive to him.
The thug accusation sounds like a huge reach. The staff member was basically just profiling him because he didn’t like the way the friend looked. Even if the friend was rude that doesn’t make him a thug or a gangster!
The writer change was a bit odd. Normally it is because PD and writer could not reach an agreement with regards to script. Example was Uncanny Counter.