The first stills of the upcoming weekend K-drama The Best Lee Soon Shin are out. The drama is scheduled to premiere on March 9th taking over the time slot from the ratings juggernaut My Daughter Seo Young so this sounds just about right. Starring IU in her first lead role (and just her second drama), Jo Jung Seok (also his first lead role but he’s long overdue), Yoo In Na, Go Joo Won, Lee Mi Sook, Son Tae Young, and Lee Ji Hoon, I’m actually looking forward to this. I haven’t watched a weekend drama in months, not since the nightmare insanity of plot contrivances that was May Queen, and I checked out MDSY but found it so predicable and boring. Weekend dramas can be entertaining despite its general family-oriented topics. I was addicted to Gloria a few years ago and I’m sure there are plenty of weekend fare that hooked me in the beginning that I’ve now forgotten about. I’m extremely eager to check this out for the cast alone, even if the story sounds all sorts of cliched. Youngest daughter Lee Soon Shin finds her family in dire straits after the death of her dad so she travels to Seoul to make it as a star and earn money. Jo Jung Seok plays the director of a management agency who is cold and arrogant and through meeting cheerful plucky Lee Soon Shin and falling in love, he realizes the error of his ways. LOL, I did not make this up. Lee Mi Sook is also a huge draw for me, and here she plays a former top starlet who takes Soon Shin under her wing and mentors her, and turns out she has a secret connection with Soon Shin’s mom. Double LOL, I bet I know what that is. Yoo In Na as the second sister also has her own cute love line with Go Joo Won, who plays her classmate but initially has a crush on youngest sister Soon Shin but these two later bicker their way to love.
The cast of Lee Soon Shin actually didn’t take the typical days off last week during Lunar New Year celebrations and instead all gathered in a mountain resort to bond and study the script together. I’m hoping this dedication and professionalism yields tangible results and the cast chemistry will be excellent. Like I said, this isn’t anything new but with the right cast, deft writing that doesn’t dumb down the viewers, and a capable PD, it might be watchable and hopefully will be more than that and be surprisingly entertaining.
I seriously can’t wait for this drama! I am especially excited for Jo Jung Suk since it’s his first lead role (and right, he’s long overdue, but it’s never too late). I like him a lot and I would love to see him shine in this one.
What about Cheongdamdong Alice? lol Are you trying to forget the whole thing? ;D Anyway I’m eagerly waiting too (after all I’ve watched Shining Inheritance, and almost all Ojakgyo Brothers and Smile You) so I guess I can do this..? 🙂
I was referring to those long family weekend dramas like this and MDSY and May Queen. CA was a 16-episoder and really just a random prime time drama that happened to air on the weekend.
Got it.. And now that I think about it Shining Inheritance was just 28 episodes (against the 45-50 of the other two that I’ve abandoned), so yeah it will be difficult, but I’m willing to try 🙂 *crossing fingers*
I might watch this because of the cast but weekend dramas are so long… the one only one I can remember off at the top of my head that I actually watched through the whole thing was Smile, You.
If it’s anything like that then I’ll give it a try mmm.
I am so watching this drama just for the cast. In fact of the whole lot only IU worries me. Just so eeked out that JJS will be kissing her. There goes my hope of an intense romance.
I loved her in DH but my JJS love surpasses her so am glad he has such a good cast in his first leading role. Fighting!!
i’ll watch this just for the cast alone…..can’t wait 🙂
I’m still iffy with IU already doing a lead on just her second drama and visually there’s a certain disparity with her and JJS, she just comes across as a junior/high schooler. But with it’s time slot, it’s still gonna rake in the ratings. I hope so, specially with JJS as the lead. And I also love Yoo In Na, Lee Mi Seok and Kim Gab Soo.^^
Yeah, that visual disparity is because she’s still 19 and he’s in his 30s. I love JJS (and Yoo In Na!) and I’m glad IU’s idol status means this thing’ll get subbed, but they’re gonna have to work really really REALLY hard to sell me on that pairing.
I would have much preferred a Yoo In Na – Jo Jung Seok pairing. IU was adorable in Dream High, and she is talented…in singing lolol Her role in Dream High did not require all that much and she looks oh so young :/ I know Jo Jung Seok will own the screen, so I’ll probably tune in for him (and Yoo In Na). However, I am always open to my opinions being changed so… IU, bring it on! (Please) 😀
Looking forward to this now for the Yoo In Na couple, which sounds adorable. I didn’t realize this was starting so soon.
story sounds a little bit like Skip Beat. I hope the plot will be as splendid!
Wow. They didn’t take the Lunar New Year off?? That’s a big sacrifice I think? With that kind of dedication – and time taken for bonding – I’m feeling quite positive about this show! I really like the sound of it, and a good weekend drama is always such a nice sort of comfort food ^^
I don’t know what to think about this drama. I only watched IU in “Dream High” and even if her acting was not bad,i don’t know if she has the qualities for to play a main role. Moreover,i think the script of this drama is not very original,it seems like many other scripts,it’s why I do not know if I would watch this drama or not.
Ps : Sorry for the mistakes, I do not speak English very well
You conveyed your thoughts eloquently. For someone who do not speak English well you write better than some native English speakers.
Thank you for the heads up Ms Koala. I might just check this drama out. It is a bit of a change from the older female-younger male leads out there. This time the male lead is quite older. Hoping IU can do justice to being the main lead here and not just being carried by the veteran Jo Jung Seok. I’m also hoping there’s cohesiveness of the script, acting, and good directing which will make for an enjoyable viewing.