Jang Geuk Seok Done with Rom-coms After Pretty Boy and Headed to China to Film CF with Park Shin Hye
I have a mostly love relationship with Jang Geun Seok. Even his last few years of strange musical choices and a rather party heavy lifestyle has only rendered me disappointed that he’s not honing his acting craft and instead indulging his youthful predilections. Nothing wrong with that but without a great drama or character under his belt it’s hard to keep riding the wave of his previous popular projects. One can say he hasn’t had a hit since 2009’s You’re Beautiful, but those who watched it live like I did will remember that drama had terribly low ratings against the juggernaut that was IRIS and only gained a critical and cult hit online and overseas. I actually enjoyed his most recent drama Pretty Boy (Bel Ami) but it really wasn’t anything memorable when all’s said and done. Jang Geun Seok might even think his rom-com days are over because this one was a severe ratings disappointment. In a recent interview, he emphatically said that PB would be his last rom-com ever.
I loathe it when the words “ever” are appended to a declaration because it’s always too early to say ever, especially for a young actor like him. If he wants to focus on serious acting gigs then I’m all for it, but it’s once again his immaturity talking to brush aside an entire genre for the entirety of the rest of his acting career. I do wonder what would have happened had he not already agreed to do PB when the MBC folks came a-calling to ask him to play the role of the Yuan Emperor Ta Hwan in Empress Ki. He was offered the role and he turned it down because he was already signed on to PB. It would have reunited him with Ha Ji Won and man those two had serious chemistry despite the major age difference when they did Hwang Jin Yi. I would probably like Ta Hwan a lot better if Jang Geun Seok played him since I love him so much in sageuk form most memorably as Prince Chang Hwi in Hong Gil Dong. Coming up next for Jang Geun Seok will be a blast from the past as he’s heading to China this week to film a Chinese CF with his frequent collaborator Park Shin Hye. It would mark their third CF pairing together and I’m actually super curious what their chemistry is like now almost five years after their You’re Beautiful collaboration.
They really very super adorable together, and Jang Geun Seok mentioned in this most recent interview that she’s still a very close friend and he’s been super happy for all her recent career successes. I actually liked their CFs together and think they would have worked better had their drama characters been less cartoonish in You’re Beautiful.
ADORABLE PICS! 🙂
Imo, he will always be the one park shin hye had the most chemistry with until another comes along to prove that wrong.
The fact that he says that PB is the last rom-com he’ll do “ever” kind of shows how burned he was with PB which ended up being a dud commercially. I doubt it will be his last, but I can see how he’d strive for more serious roles in the future and try to shed the pretty boy image(like Kim Hyun Joong). Maybe the dismal ratings of PB was a wake up call for him — it’s easy to feel like your star power has declined when no one watches your drama. One can only hope that he’ll take on a role that i can love in the future since the guy can act.
Before PB was aired, he already said it will be his last rom-com. It has nothing to do with rating.
Yeah, like min pointed out, he already said it would be his last rom-com before PB even started airing.
An immature little boy. (This is a mom speaking as a mom, so fangirls just take a deep breath and bear with me.)
There are plenty of actors who take a nothing part in a nothing drama and make it interesting, make it worth watching. Sung Joon had to stand around in a bad wig and make Suzy look good. Yoo Yean Sook had to doggedly go after the girl, episode after long episode. Yet they both took what they had and made it more than worthwhile.
JGS has had his pick of projects, and hasn’t taken any of them anywhere – yet it is somehow everyone else’s fault, or the fault of the genre. I think he needs to take responsibility for his life, and for the direction of his career, and start paying some serious dues in terms of perfecting his craft. Barring that, I am more than ready to see him go off to the army, to get his hairstyles and his personality in for an attitude adjustment.
he’ll always be the one park shin hye had the most chemistry with
I’d say Yoon Shi-yoon gives him a good run for his money….plus unlike YAB, we got a good kiss scene out of their drama.
OMG.. Why always brought up the kiss scene?? Let it go!
I agree. I started noticing PSH because of her chemistry with
JGS. I do like his hair now. PB was a bust for me. I stopped watching after episode 3. This is sad because I usually sit through dramas
for a fave actor but then, my drama list was full an a lot more interesting dramas need to be viewed. Good luck to one of my
favorite actors, hope he does another film.
Am really sorry that JGS wasted his time on Bel Ami. It did start off fairly well with enough to entice you to watch the next episode but after he left his first lover and moved on to the con-shama, it went downhill from there. There wasnt really a focus to the story at all and it was like watching ants walking aimlessly round a perti dish.
I hope he gets a good drama soon.
Awwwww… They are adOrable. They are better off as friends.
I also wonder how they will be as well. Can’t wait.
Koala, u have got to give us more info when they do work 2gether on the commercial.
Lovely photos. I would love to see them together in the future in melodrama. But I guess since they are still very young, a right melodrama script for their age would be hard to find. I wish Hong sisters would think of writing special scripts with both of them in their minds. You’re Beautiful was written by them specially for Jang Geun Suk. Did Jang Geun Suk really say “last rom-com ever”? I have to listen to it again. Looking forward to their new CF.
Ms koala this is what JKS said according to the translation, “it might be early for me to say, but this could be my last rom-com” but i never read the word ever. He did not swear on it or something like that as some fans have misunderstood it again as usual.
awwww! my ever favorite love team!!! thanks to both of them I started watching KDRAMA.. my very first KDRAMA you’re beautiful… 🙂
Yup, he must do for a long time, after You’re beautiful.
I had been his fan, but i ‘m tire of his current image. Plz GS, come back a menly style
I became a huge fan of him after watching you’re beautiful and have watched all his dramas and movies ever since. Then I slowly realized that he became weirder and weirder…he also makes really bad choices on projects…i always loved him for his acting and singing abilities so i really want to see him in a good (hopefully hit) drama, preferably a sageuk, or just a great drama where his acting skills aren’t wasted!
Also love to see him with park shin hye!
Thanks for this post!
I don’t get why he needs to swear of rom-com when there the genre itself has a very lovable niche… I think he needs to pick better character and synopsis than the usually Handsome/pretty guy being idolized/loved by the heroine cause frankly speaking that has been his pick for the past years now, which is just getting boring… the boy can act.. really really well but I think everyone knows he can act that character even with his eyes closed. He needs to diversify his character and synopsis drama picks.. I think saguek would be the best pick for him but also a melo would be a good pick with his caliber.
Still hoping he can bounce back from his funk in the kdrama scene…
It’s obvious he’s upset because PM didn’t do well, but I didn’t expect him to expect it to do well in the first place. I think about 80% of us felt it wouldn’t attract ratings and the only reason he did it was to hopefully imitate what YB did. Anyway, I think he’s great with rom-coms, just that he needs to select a script that isn’t silly fluff.
I really think he’s a great actor. He just has this knack of picking some really bad drama projects – along the lines of Yoo Ah-in. Hopefully he does a good one soon before he enlists. Or maybe when he goes to military, he can finally shed some attitude and the flowery image. I’d like to see him do something manly.
JGS is a good actor that have been picking really bad projects. I still think he has the best chemistry with MGY and the only time I think he looked/act normal was when he attended the award with her. He’s really becoming a strange guy.
“the ONLY TIME I think he looked/act normal was when he attended the award…” wow this is unbelievable, please who will believe this??? As Park Shin Hye once reacted on a news about her… I shall say the same on this one. ‘Am I going to cry or laugh…?”
Yeah, he’s too good an actor to have peaked at 22 (he’s been playing assorted versions of his YAB character ever since, even if YAB itself was a fantastic performance from him), I hope he’ll do more diverse roles in the future – he did them before 2009, he can definitely do them again.
And this will actually be his 4th CF with Park Shin-hye, he’s done 3 already – Etude House, Garden 5, and that Codes Combine thing up there. They have great chemistry, their Etude kiss CF is one of my faves.
They look so good together
Well, I wasn’t surprised at the low ratings of ‘Pretty Boy’. It practically screams ‘low ratings’ and it sure did deliver that. JGS can act and sing but his choices are poorly that it just makes me less of a fan. Honestly, the last drama that I’ve watched of him was in Hwang Jin Yin.
pretty man was indeed a very nice drama. I like the whole story not just because I love JKS but also because everything that happened in the story has a purpose. I’ve learned many lessons 🙂 )))) Some parts of the drama were shocking… “OMG, i thought he’s the blah blah & blah” , “HUH?! What’s the meaning of this!?” . This drama is so unique. It’s not one of those dramas where the happenings are predictable, like duuuuuh? That’s so common. And sometimes, common is boring Hahahahaha. , because if you really watched this drama wholeheartedly without being forced by anybody and try to understand each situation, GOSH! Trust me…. you’ll like JKS more more more and more. I really salute the scriptwriters for writing such wonderful lines. I don’t agree that the movie was being rushed. The ending was good. Hahahaha I thought IU really ate the ring. XD Hahahaha and oh, I don’t also understand why Bel Ami got low ratings in K, like.. OMG! If only I live in Korea, gosh! I would really watch it on time haha. Too bad I’m from the Phil. and I just have to wait for gooddrama to upload the new episodes. I had to refresh and refresh and refresh this page to check if the new episodes were uploaded already. Hahahaha ♥ THANKS GOODDRAMA FOR THIS! Although I don’t live in Korea, I was able to watch this Splendid Movie. My sister was like… “Don’t worry, Bel Ami might have Low Ratings in K, but always remember that JKS have many fans all over the world, he has many fans that watch his works through online.” ♥ Weeeee. I laughed and cried. *sniff sniff sniff* on the last 2 episodes Hahahaha. So HORAAAAY that i watched it alone. My sister would probably laugh at me if she saw me crying Hahahaha and Oh! I feel sorry for my handkerchief XD I hope more projects will come to JKS. He deserve to be awarded for this movie, only if the *award-givers* have a good taste Hahahaha. Aren’t you seek of those mala-cinderella type dramas? Hehehe. I’m so sick of it. This drama is a really good example of change in KDrama. Many lessons to be learned, not just in love but also in business. If you’re in love or starting your own business, this drama really suite youuu TRUST ME ♥ XD I’m here just to share my insights/comments. I know, even if we all have two eyes, we’ll all have different perspective.. like how we see things. I just hope that those who said that the first 1-4 episodes were boring and stopped watching it would try to watch the next episodes. ♥ HAPPY NEW YEAR AND GOD BLESS EVERYONE! Fighting MATTTTEEE OPPPPPPPA. You have many fans here in the Philippines, hope to see you personally soon ^O
@alex. you nail it! i read your long comments and everything you said here is true. i really love watching bel ami and in fact i’m really excited for the next episode everytime i watch the current episode shown. you know what, i already finished 3rounds of watching from epi 1 to 16. no dull moments at all. plus JKS is awesomely handsome in bel ami. i really love his hairstyle and all his outfits. he looks so manly and neat. i never felt tired watching his face. i downloaded many pics of him from bel ami for me not to missed him. i am also a filipino but i love all of jks. from his songs, acting even his commercials, i’ve watch it all. saranghe JKS…
Yah I agree with u,they critized sukkie just like that as if that they know everything in acting, BEL AMI is a unique and good story and had a twist, sukkie is a outstanding actor so real… I like all of his dramas, movies, and choice of music for me its unique not just like imitating others he has his own style, as what he always say he wants to be different about his style and to show the real Jang Keun Suk… Thats why I love him very much… He is one of the billionares in korea in showbiz, he is so popular in japan and other asian countries,Keep fighting oppa! All of your eels here in the PHILS loves you…
Nope. Nope. I’m very glad Ji Chang Wook is Ta Hwan. If Chang Wook wasn’t Ta Hwan, I would have never known of him and that would be a shameful loss of eye candy.
Personally, I’m not a fan of Jang Geun Seok. I liked YB and Hwang Jin Yi but the years have not been kind to him. He has a pretty face and decent talent but he needs to start giving himself a challenge with some of the roles he’s played. So far, he’s done mostly pretty boy roles. He says he’s done with rom-coms but despite his recent failed dramas, he’s pretty good in them. I haven’t seen him in anything else besides rom-coms so who knows; maybe this could be good for him.
Yay Ms.Koala, pls spare JCW for playing Ta Hwan-Emperor, he’s actually portraying that role superbly, just give him the benefit of the doubt even if you dont like him. Actually agree JGS is a good actor, but we havent really seen him in a wide variety of acting capability, it seems he’s stuck w/ prettyboy/idol roles and this in turn is limiting for an actor, w/c will become disadvantageous for him.
I have to agree with Steph. Ji Chang Wook is doing a fabulous job as the Yuan Emperor. He’s really giving his all to this performance and it shows. There hasn’t been a scene in this drama where I felt his acting wasn’t up to par. Nowadays, I feel like Jang Geun Suk does more posing than acting. And I’m not a hater, I happen to like him very much earlier in his career. I just prefer actors who are still hungry and really dedicate themselves to their role. I can’t imagine anyone else doing justice to this role. And this is coming from a WY-SN shipper.
Immaturity , Responsibility , failures blah blah blah. I think JGS should stop giving any interviews to media or media should write properly of what he said and translators need to check n double check before translating. His words are ridiculously twisted and always taken in a offensive way. IDK whom to correct , as someone who heard what he said in his concert even before pm went on air that this would be his last Rom-com for few years to come. But he wanted to do pm because he chose it for himself n likes the character in it n thus will never regret his choice n feels responsible for his work in PM. Will not feel too bad even if the ratings are low nd will keep filming with a positive spirit. (I think the IU fans know this very well since they followed his news in past 2months. So I hope they don’t misunderstand him here)
Now to Ms.Koala and her followers calling him names like immature , ungrateful etc….I kindly request u ppl to read all the articles that are posted on Korean sites yesterday if u can understand hangul plz bother to read those too to what he said abt PM n his work COMPLETELY since u ppl are very judgmental then why not get all the facts straight n then state what he is. Immature are the ppl who are calling him with assumptions n twisting of his words in a other way wen he clearly stated PM is one of his works that he did with his heart n is happy about.
Who is twisting words when you just wrote that he said PM will be his last rom com, which is the same thing Koala wrote.
I think JGS should come to terms with his age. He’s talented, and it felt like he had a delayed rebellious stage. It’s just a matter of time he reports to army and I hope he’ll have a memorable project or two from now till he heads to army. This coming from a noona ex-fan.
I don’t think it’s romcoms, but the type of romcom roles he picks that is the problem. His comment about not wanting limit himself and get called the nation’s younger brother made me lol forever. Like he’s ever be the nation’s anything in the first place and it’s not like he didn’t limit himself with the projects he picked. Not to mention both current and former younger brothers have better acting careers than he does.
Saying he’ll never do something will just come back to bite him eventually. Just say you’ll try harder next time and leave it at that.
Actually he was called Nation’s Treasure or something during Hwang jin yi days. And the rest will wait and see if he will ever again do a rom-com or not.And who are the current and former younger brothers or whatever ???
Well that NATION’S TREASURE is far better than all other titles. 🙂 And the nation does acknowledged him as one who is ‘genius’ as an actor. source: enews These are all prior to the 2008 backlash on him. Eels though never change their perception of him. They love him & will continue to support him, I included.
If i’m not mistaken the current Nation’s Younger Brother is Lee Seungi.
LSG and Yoo Seung Ho.
It must not have stuck too much since nobody seems to remember it. I guess he got his wish there… But it doesn’t change the fact that he limited himself with his choice of projects and nothing else.
@j kriss
Do you know how long ago 2008 was? There are a lot of actors in that age group and he’s fallen very far behind nearly every one of them even with his talent.
@ Melissa And we know that You’re Beautiful airs 2009 that was after the backlash to a lot of those in showbiz he is still the same Jang Geun Suk, the rest happened he got his Hallyu star position (inspite all the ‘badmouthing’ of those antis in Korea. Things that he has accomplished in Hallyu stage is in fact undisputed up to now. He is not only talented but also very intelligent, he is one of those few actors in korea who is skilled in languages. He speaks japanese (without needing an interpreter), english (he’s trying his best). And has released albums/songs in different languages (japanese, english, chinese aside from his native tounge). In fact he is the first korean actor who became successful as a singer whose fan meetings became big concerts, has released 3 japanese albums all reached #1 in Oricon chart. He has made history as being always the first non-japanese (hallyu star) to achieve this & that! Jang Geun Suk became also the youngest deejay in the history of korean deejays & now fulfilling that talent through his Team H performances. Team H has also released 3 albums & reached #2 in Oricon Chart & its well received also in China, Taiwan, Hongkong, Thailand. Jang Geun Suk is the very first korean celebrity who is able to establish his very own brand Zikzin that has now branched out into different areas, 1)Collecte de Zikzin for brand merchandise(that sells clothing, accessories, shoes etc.), has launched 2)Zikzin festival (has never been done before in the field of entertainment, truly one of its kind. 3) Zikzin Radio 4)Zikzin Cafe & Dining 5)Zikzin Nail Salon & shop & who knows what else in the future.
you are correct. i’d love your comments for the haters to be informed as well.
he is really a trendsetter!
@j Kriss – Finally someone posted the real reason JGS is who he is and why, leave the ratings of dramas aside, leave how he’s changed his appearance aside, how he has fun is his business, what is not disputable is his talent, he didn’t get to where he is just by his looks alone. Everyone has their own personal tastes and their own dislikes and of course each one of is is entitled to our own opinion, but it would be the right thing to do, to respect the 20 years JGS has dedicated to the industry he is in, respect his contributions to the education of his country, no matter how good or bad his work does in ratings, don’t belittle his dedication, negative comments will not bring him down from the high place he stands, everything behind him defines the dedication and hard work he has put forth. I am absolutely a fan, but a human being who respects others first. I wish him nothing but continued success in whatever he decides to do, and with the support of his fan base, the negative comments are obsolete.
@ Melissa Jang Geun Suk is also the first Korean actor who is able to publish his own personal magazine Cri-J, now other sensations in hallyu copying that. He loves also to cook that led him to publish his own cooking book titled Love Recipe. He is the first actor in his generation that KBS followed for months in order to film a documentary (I AM JANG KEUN SUK) for korean & international viewers about his unprecedented achievement in Hallyu. He is the youngest (at 22 years) to establish his own ent agency that manages his own career. Can you please name other korean actor in his age/generation who have done all those things.
We know that Jang Geun Suk’s dramas when it comes to korean viewer ratings – all has single digit ratings but inspite of that producers’ offer to work with him never diminish, they know that he has huge followings in Asia, overseas sales of his dramas are always remarkable, sells for high prices, Love Rain has earned 115 billion won in total sales, not to mention dvd, ost’s sales, fan meetings for it ex: MMM has garnered 60,000 fans for its fan meetings, prior to Pretty Man airing year 2013 You’re Beautiful was aired in CCTV national network, there are always repeat airings for his dramas in some countries due to a lot of request Pretty Man did very well too in overseas sales. Other korean dramas that have failed in ratings in korea did not do well in terms of overseas sales, some of the producers could not even pay their leading stars & the rest of the staff.
Now this is from the latest article about him only today in terms of his acting career: “JGS is not a star who was formed within a short period of time, it is through a 17 years of non-stop acting experience that he is able to reach the position that he has today.” “JGS position in Asia is unique.”
Well..,no one knows for certain.he might change his mind in the future..just wait n see…by the way,what cf that JGN n pSh filming in china?
me to.you are beautiful is my first kdrama i had watched.now i am a great fan of park shin hye.i like jks to.
To all haters stop critizing or judging Jang Keun Suk, u don’t even know how successful he is in Korea or how popular he is in asia and beyond asia,he work so hard for what he is now… In Korea sukkie is a resfected multi talented actor,actually many dramas and movies directors want him to be their lead role but but he turned it down because of his full loaded schedule in touring in Asia and even other countries beyond Asia in cri-j,because he wants Korea to be known in other countries that’s how he love his country… All eels in the Phils loves u oppa! Keep fighting!