Uhm Tae Woong must be in a sageuk mood, because he’s trading one for another just to satisfy that craving. He’s been attached to the SBS remake of the biography of Admiral Yi Soon Shin for what feels like forever, and clearly something was up with that drama because the production was definitely taking forever. Uhm Tae Woong may be a newlywed and a soon-to-be daddy in real life but he’s not letting nesting slow him down. He’s just signed on as the lead in the upcoming KBS sageuk Sword and Flower. This one is being called the reverse The Princess’s Man, with the daughter of the King of Goguryeo having a revenge filled love story with the man who assassinated her father. Casting calls for this drama have been going out for awhile, with both Song Seung Heon and Kim Nam Gil rumored to have been interested, but both decided on modern melodramas with When a Man Loves and Shark. On the female lead side Park Shin Hye officially did receive the script but in the end she was lured away by the chance to go back to high school with Lee Min Ho in Heirs. Now that Uhm Tae Woong is onboard (the official confirmation is not out but consider it inked) I expect the project to start rolling in earnest, though it has some wiggle room since it airs in July after The Fugitive of Joseon. This comes from the PD of The Equator Man and the screenwriter of Mom is Pretty, Too. I’m not the biggest fan of Uhm Tae Woong in sageuks, and I actually think this one screams MISCAST all around. In fact, he and Kim Nam Gil need to switch dramas ASAP, he goes back for a trifecta with Shark reuniting with the production duo who did Resurrection and Mawang (both starring him), while Kim Nam Gil returns to his badassary Bidam ways. What’s kicking my brain six-ways to Sunday is that the two ladies rumored for the lead role both suck at acting so badly I get hives when I see them – Yoona from SNSD and Son Dam Bi. What has the drama world come to?
First off, it’s not confirmed yet who will be the leading lady, but apparently Yoona is the frontrunner and might even be unofficially onboard already. There is also talk that if she turns it down it might end up in Son Dam Bi’s hands. Whatever, it’s like asking me which hand I prefer to be slapped with. I’m not surprised about the age of the potential leading actress, since Park Shin Hye was the producer’s choice therefore the character must be written in her early twenties. But then the casting of Uhm Tae Woong makes it all sorts of squicky for me. I LOVE Uhmforce, but I do not need to see him pretend romancing either Yoona (he looks like her dad) or Son Dam Bi (he looks like her uncle). As for acting, to be honest I thought Uhm Tae Woong did his worst acting in Queen Seon Deok where he literally faded into the woodwork (while Kim Nam Gil took over as the second half male lead), but even then I’m not happy he’s potentially getting a leading lady that (1) has never done a sageuk before, and (2) generally sucks at acting. The casting calls coming out of Korea have been hit-or-miss this year, but if he pairs up with either of these two, Sword and Flower will immediately become the craziest pairing of the year so far.
Yoon or Son Dambi? Lol! There are a bunch of actresses who can actually act who would look better with UTW but they settle for wooden idols? Hasn’t the idol brings ratings been debunked already?
Just….no. Has fail written all over it. I want shows to get burned, and burned badly, for their greedy use of idols instead of actors. I want this show to go down in flames. That’s the only way to slap back those producers who keep thinking that idols are going to bring in the viewers.
Please choose Son Dam Bi instead of yoona. Otherwise it would be a waste to UTW talent. Heck i wish i will never see Yoona in dramaland because her acting so sucked it sore my eyes.
dude yoona may be a crappy actress but son dambi is way worse.
son dambi is worse
Yoona is better ok.. u just jelous..everybody know yoona can act..
Is the casting director (or whatever the Korean equivalent is) on crack?! That is the worst idea ever! I was really looking forward to this drama especially when I heard Uhmforce would be in it. But if either of these talentless children get cast as the leading lady, I’m out. Neither can act their way out of a paperbag and that is IF you can even get past the massive (and very obvious) age difference. NO. NO. NO. JUST NO! April Fools was weeks ago, right?! Argh, this makes me mad! If Uhmforce has any sense he’ll back out of the project if they cast one of these children.
I have no problem with the age difference – it feels more authentic in a way.
But I have to disagree that Son Dambi is untalented. IMHO, I think she has some potential. If she focused on acting, I think she could become very good a la Park Si Yeon pre-propofol.
Please don’t compare Park Shin Yeon with Son Dam Bi.
I think it’s disrespectful to PSY
OMG!!!what’s wrong with the casting team of this drama..its seems like Korea lack some good actress that they opted to choose… never mind
Am I dreaming? What’s an odd paring. But when UTW smile he looks younger so it may work if either Yoona or SDB has a miracle improvement in acting.
I admit that the pairing with Yoona would be weird but I don’t understand why we’re supposed to accept leading ladies being 10+ years older than leading men but when it’s in reverse it’s somehow supposed to be inherently squicky.
For what it’s worth, I don’t like leading ladies being way older either (7th Level Secret Servant – *shudder*). Sometimes it works though and sometimes the reverse (older man, younger woman) works too – see IRIS, where LBH and KTH had great chemistry, IMO.
My problem is that UTW isn’t the type I can believably see romancing a dewy innocent, and also the type of love story this sets out to be screams a male lead who is relatively young, not one who won’t see 35 again.
I think there will be the young love interest! I think Uhm TaeWong will play the role of the general who kills heroins father!
It’s not the actual years, it’s the maturity. Some actors and actresses can play older/younger and so the real years don’t matter. But in the case of UTW and Yoona, he looks every bit of his age and cannot pull off younger and she looks like a little baby and has the acting maturity to match. It’s for the same reason that the reverse didn’t work at all in Level 7 – Joo Won looks like a baby and Kang Hee looks every bit of her years.
What?! This has gone from most anticipated to ‘avoid at all costs.’ UTW has the market cornered on angsty hot cops, but he should never ever do a sageuk, is too old to believably pull off a love story with Yoona or Son Dambi, is too old for a romance-centric sageuk in general etc etc etc.
As to Yoona or SDB? I liked Yoona in Love Rain (I was probably one of 5 people who liked Love Rain, period), and SDB makes a rock look emotive, so while I am not a huge fan of either, I’d vote for Yoona. But, tbh, it doesn’t even matter – UTW/Yoona in a romantic sageuk is not a pairing I ever thought I’d see except in my wildest nightmares.
I agree. Everyone here is so miscast. I feel so disappointed…. The excitement I built up is gone. I was initially looking forward to this when the rumors Park Shin Hye might be paired with Song Joong Ki. Now look at the mess this might become.
Oh God, please no….please.
Yoona can’t act. I’ve seen some of her drama before and i think her acting was not good. i will never ever imagine she act in a sageuk. just don’t…
i never see SDB acting before so i won’t comment about her.
OMGSH!!!! Whhhhhhy????
Good lord. Neither of them are anywhere near good enough or experienced enough to do a sageuk, especially opposite UTW. What on earth is this casting. Yoona and UTW? Romancing each other? You can’t be serious……. :/
Oh dear god no! I’d take Son Dam Bi over Yoona anyday though! If Yoona gets cast I will be soooo conflicted because I have watched all of UTW’s dramas and am a big fan of his but I can’t stand Yoona!!! If she’s in this i’m afraid i won’t watch it at all. sorry UTW
Oh please not Yoona. I don’t like her acting, and even if I did, I’m not sure what I would think of a seventeen year age difference…
what the heck? please not yoona because it will ruined everything!
Oh man, don’t let this happening again here…They are so many actress out there.. Why do they like to choose an idol? Yoona maybe popular but she’s suck as an actress.
I would rather see Son Dam Bi over Yoona. Yoona look too friendly as she smile way too much. I think the cast director lose bet as he/she have these two ladies as the main lead actress. I would I rather see rookie actress or another actress. Anyone else is available right now.
I would actually choose Yoona over Son Dam Bi! And i would think there would be younger man who will play their love interest, i think Uhm Tae Woong might play the role of general Yeon Gaesumun ! The love interest is Yeong Chung whom is generals left hand and his personal writer!
So i think the roles Kim Nam Gil and Song Joon Ki were up for were of the love interest!
Jongki will not considering drama since he is near to his enlist time and he considering for movie right now. Kim Nam Gil already confirm to play Shark so no way he is gonna join this drama.
And actually both Dam Bi and Yoona not a good option but if I must, I go with Dam Bi. Yoona just blah …. her acting was soooo bad and not worth to watch at all. I forever feel pity to her male costar in her past project.
Song Joong Ki wasn’t even considering this drama.
It just a speculations by fans and not even a rumor.
NOOOOOOOO! Those are just terrible choices, pick a real actress someone who can actually act. Son Ye Jin would have been perfect and she can act.
Neither Yoona or Danbi can act at all.
Can’t agree more!! Poor tae wong if he really gets one of them…in the drama department.. they are hoobaes.. esp in saeguk.. I wonder whether there is a crisis in leading lady for saeguk this time.. from uee to suzy.. and now yoona and son dam bi.. what a degradation.
Love Uhm Tae Woong but I am pretty allergic to Yoona’s acting so I’m out if she is cast. I don’t hate the girl, I actually find her hilarious, but by god is she dull onscreen. She should of improved by now, but it seems with every drama she stays the same. I really hope SNSD’s japanese promotions prevents her from signing on. Also this is a sageuk for godsakes and sageuks eat the incapable actor alive and both son dam bi and yoona are mediocre or just plain bad in modern dramas which is easier to do than a sageuk.
Sorry to disappoint you but SNSD promotion in Japan ends on 21st of this month! So she will probably take this role and people will have to deal!
just get UEE
Because she so much better? Lol better get some actual actress, to me Uee and Yoona are on the same level, mediocre idol actresses with a big company behind them! It makes me laugh people believe Uee is better than other idol actors! No she is not, don`t be delusional!
nah, UEE is slightly better than Yoona, she’s one of the good idol turned actresses. very natural and knows how to emote very well. she was good in ojakgyo family.
i only suggested UEE because Joo Won and Cha Tae Hyun worked with her and i want uhm tae woong to work with her too… so i can see the 1n2d members teasing joo won since i am 90% sure they dated/are currently dating.
i think you jump to conclusions to quickly… really pathetic 🙁
@jango It’s not jumping to conclusions when it’s right in front of your face. And you’re incredibly rude for immediately jumping to call someone pathetic because they don’t agree with your opinion.
no, you thought i chose uee because you thought i was thinking that she is so much better than yoona blah blah blah but i just wanted uee because she worked with 1n2d season 2 cast members (cha tae hyun + joo won) and i wanted another 1n2d member to work with her so they can tease cute joo won.
idk, you called me delusional, i think pathetic is just right for you.
@jango, I think you mistaken Bakachild for karo, haha…
Good suggestion. I loved Uee in OB and thought she did alright in her first sageuk drama with CTH. If they have to choose an idol, I wouldn’t mind Uee being casted… or even Eunjung. Both are good, imo.
And hahaha, I like the way you think. I really want JW/Uee to be real, they had so much chemistry in OB and they even said if there were no restrictions and one of them made an advance, they would totally go out with each other. When Uee landed a role with CTH, I wanted CTH to mention Uee being his partner now to JW in 1N2DS2 but the only mention of Uee as CTH asking JW about her number, sigh.
Yes please! I would totally watch this if Uee’s in it!
I’m not sure what casting teams in Korea take into consideration for drama leads.It can’t be closeness in age — this year we’ve had When a Man Loves; JOJ, Live In Love; Faith; and 7th level whatever. A friend of mine who works in Hollywood once told me that movie producers there — often men in their 50’s and 60’s –kept casting ever younger starlets for aging lead actors because that’s the fantasy they wanted to see on the screen and often lived in their own lives — young women at least a generation younger “falling” for them. Perhaps it’s the same for this drama’s casting team. While I haven’t seen SDB, I did watch Yoona in Love Rain for a number of episodes until I couldn’t endure it any longer. Just out of snarkiness I hope she is cast. Then we can have a competition for the wooden idol award – sageuk division. Both Yoona and Suzy as nominees and with 8 more months and more dramas to be cast, there could be other competitors as well.
This is way worse than I imagined this casting would go…I mean what happened to actresses around his age or a little younger who have some experience in this genre like say Jung Ryu Won or Lee Yoon Ji?? Who in their right minds would even consider either of the aforementioned ladies to be good contenders for a sageuk of all things?? I have seen both of them in contemporaries and while I think Son Dam Bi is somewhat better than Yoona and her bland performances…still horrible choices for this show….now I want them to bring Park Shin Hye back though I initially thought she was miscast for this
Well PSH was their 1st choice ( or 2nd after LMJ) but she rejected to be in KES’s drama so… it’s not in their ability to bring them back…
well duh
“Whatever,It’s like asking me which hand I prefer to be slapped with”.I LOL at your sentence! I couldn’t agree more with you, these two ladies know nothing in acting. As for Yoona,I just can’t stand her acting, everytime I watch her onscreen acting,I feel like she just always try to look beautiful no matter what scene it is.The level of her suckness in acting is beyond words.
i think the only time yoona did not try to look beautiful was in 9 end 2 outs but that’s because she had little to no make up on lol
Eww, gross.
UTW is totally going to overshadow whichever actress they choose. There are so many other promising actresses such as Kim So Eun or Jo Bo Ah (both great in Horse Doctor), that it is really disappointing that idols seem to get preference just because of their Hallyu status. They should choose people who have made acting their focus and career and not idols that “have an opening in their schedule here and there.”
Kim so eun would’ve been such a good choice *sigh*
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO to Yoona. Girl ain’t got it. Son Dambi over Yoona ANYDAY.
Here’s hoping this drama crashes and burns. They need something to slap them out of this idol casting trend. Are there really no other good actresses in that age range? That’s two potentially good dramas soiled for me by bad actresses, if either gets casted. And both sageuks to boot. -sigh-
Maybe Yoona is a better actress than Son Dam Bi but I feel like SDB’s image/appearance fits with UTW more because she is gorgeous and has this actress sort of aura whereas Yoona looks like a plain idol. But… Yoona is better at acting than SDB, so…. I really don’t know who I want. I just hope they choose someone else. If they need a young girl, they might as well get Park Bo Young, Jung So Min or Han Groo. They can also cast Han Hyo Joo. I’m not a huge fan of Han Hyo Joo in sageuks but I think she will be better than the two mentioned above.
hello haters! sorry, but you really never have seen yoona act….her finest lead was in “You Are My Destiny” (2008). So before you start judging, watch that soap first before telling her how she sucks.
Yes you’re right! Judging Yoona is very delusional
Please stop bashing Yoona or Son Dam Bi. Well, Yoona is still young and she’s both an idol and actress. It’s not easy to focus on such important things like that. Why don’t you all give Yoona or any idols to try more? They’re all at their young age maybe they can improve who knows? If Yoona’s acting is so suck why would her first lead role drama “You are my destiny” got 40% of ratings . All korean almost watched it all over the country. Let them do the acting and support them instead of saying sth bad about it.
The rating is not indicator of acting talent! Best example of that is Han Ga In in Moon That embraces the Sun who was awful!
But i agree we should give Yoona and Dam Bi a chance to surprise us!
Please stop bashing or jugding Yoona….! Better say that she needs improvement not saying that she’s suck . It’s too sad when you keep using bad words to a young idols like this.
I love her acting because she’s already tried her best.
She’s never done any saguek before if she is chosen this will be her first drama so why don’t we all support her and wait for this movie instead of bashing her.
Give idol a chance…. I don’t know why you hate them so much. They’re young and they still have a lot of times to improve and gain experiences. Stop it Haters and wait for the new drama
yes,please give yoona a chance,her first debut drama you are my destiny aired in my country on 2011 ,,and i just want to tell you ,,my country love her so much,all of people love jang sae byuk..and then dont forget she takes 5 trophy for you are my destiny when she is 18th..please dont just if you dont know anything.idol try her/his best to can received by general publik..
yes,please give yoona a chance,her first debut drama you are my destiny aired in my country on 2011 ,,and i just want to tell you ,,my country love her so much,all of people love jang sae byuk..and then dont forget she takes 5 trophy for you are my destiny when she is 18th..please dont judge if you dont know anything.idol try her/his best to can received by general publik..
YOONA IS GOOD ACTRESS! I hope to see her next drama or movie!
YOONA has a lot potential acting! , You’re my destiny and love rain were amazing dramas.
I’d like to see another work with YoonA, this girl got me interested in her with Love Rain and Cinderella Man. I was surprised with her quite promising acting despite some hateful comments.
But at the same time it would be awkward to see such an age gap with the male lead. Son Dam Bi would look better. If only she could act al least at 80% of YoonA’s potential.
Well, Yoona is my bias but I don’t want her in this drama because the main lead is too old so SM please get Yoona another drama with a good lead and also good story plot SOON I really can’t wait anymore for her new drama!
I love yoona. Her acting has improved in love rain.
if yooonas acting sucks??????????????WHY SHE GOT THE HIGHEST RATING IN KOREA’S DRAMA DESPITE BEING NEW????????WHY SHE GOT AWARDS IN ACTING DESPITE BEING NEW?????????WHY SHE IS THE MOST POPULAR DESPITE BEING NEW?????????UNTIL HERE IN THE MIDDLE EAST WE LOVE HER…….SO BE HONEST AND FACTUAL INSTEAD OG BEING JEALOUS AND CUNNING……YOU SUCKS!!!!!!!!!
Yes..i agree with you.. they are jelous because yoona very popular and talented..
WE LOVE YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONA ONLY!!!!!!!!!!SHE’S A GOOD ACTRESS AND A PRETTY LADY