Kim Jae Wook Quits Age of Feeling with Final Appearance Being Last Week’s Episode 8
Well I certainly can’t say I didn’t see this coming once Age of Feeling (Inspiring Generation) starting getting more buzz for its behind the scene shuffles than anything happening onscreen for viewers to nosh over. The cast of the period drama currently airing on KBS Wed-Thurs is quite large even for a prime time network show, and now the drama will have to go one main lead short in addition to changing screenwriters. Kim Jae Wook has quit the drama, effectively today when the official announcement came out but in truth as of last week’s episode 8 which was his last appearance. I’ve been watching AoF since the beginning and it’s been the weirdest thing ever that renders me really rather devoid of anything to discuss about it. I haven’t caught with this week’s two episodes so I have no clue how the drama wrote him out of the story, or will even bother explaining his absence since his character was so very peripheral to the main conflict anyways. All he ever did was have scenes with second female lead Jin Se Yeon, and as cute as they were together it felt rather pointless since she was even cuter with Kim Hyun Joong‘s character.
AoF is a drama which fulfilled some dire predictions of woe but not for any reasons people initially pointed to. Male lead Kim Hyun Joong was actually good. No, really, he wasn’t bad at all, and has enough screen charisma to carry the show on his shoulders as the male lead. It’s instead that female lead Im Soo Hyang‘s character and performance that sucks balls (god I can’t stand Gaya, she should be written off the show, her and her revenge blah blah blah, cry me a river). Conversely Jin Se Yeon is also good (who woulda thunk it?) and her character is endearing and ought to have been the female lead. The directing is interesting and easy to watch but the writing is abysmally bad. The writing is devoid of logical steps and instead makes detours, flying leaps, random bounces, and whatever explanation works to explain a scene away. I’m glad Kim Jae Wook is out so that means I can stop following along, other than checking in to watch cute scenes of Jung Tae and Ok Ryeon but based on the narrative trajectory those will be fewer and further between. An actor quitting a drama isn’t anything shocking, I’ve seen enough to know both the actor and the drama will survive the “oh my god, what happened?” water cooler gossiping. So long, Kim Soo Ok, below is a stills montage to your presence in the drama being a breath of fresh air in between all the fist punching and slicing and dicing.
I was thinking trying the drama out but yeah…nevermind. Is there a specific reason as to why he dropped it?
Eye candies! A lot and a lot. What with Kim Hyun Joong, Yoon Hyun Min, Song Jae Rim, and yeah, Kim Jae Wook was there too. Plus the cinematography is beautiful, and oh, kim hyun joong finally act.
But seriously, what happen? First with the writer change and now Kim Jae Wook quiting. Is this because the small rating? But what you can expect when You From Another Star is so popular when Age of Feeling started.
Kim Jae Wook’s not really a ratings chaser. I suspect unhappiness with the direction of his role, or abandoning ship since the writer has been changed.
First a writer switch and now kim jae wook leaves…Sad we had to lose such a charming character, but frankly it was hard to see where he would have been more central to the storyline except for serving as ok ryuns lover/protector. I guess he felt like his departure wouldn’t make a difference since there’s such a large cast that carries the show with many of the side characters having a meaty role.
Can’t say I’m terribly sad because I think kim jae wook deserves a lead role, so here’s to hoping maybe he’s eyeing a lead role or got offered one. Vampire saeguk anyone?
Lol nowadays I’ve been keeping my eyes on casting news for that show.
Aside from that, aof is turning out to be a decent watching and even managed to get me with the dobi gang. Kim hyun joon’s acting is hardly taking away the viewing experience for me since he’s improved loads. His relationship with ok ryun is refreshingly cute and seeing them together immediately lights up my screen. I don’t loathe Gaya as much as everyone does, I just don’t quite understand her yet.
I pity the male lead. Am not a fan of his but I think he has really improved a lot as compared to his BOF days. He seems to hv bad luck with his dramas after BOF… There was this city thingy drama that stop halfway, now this drama behind the scene …
Bad luck? this drama increase this week and now it is on 11%, that is a great achievement with that competition at SBS. This drama is pretty amazing, and “Playfull Kiss” was very popular in the rest of world, Kim Hyun Joong was on the peak of his popularity, but in that time there was a drama on 40% ratings. So, no other drama was competition in these time. I feel pity about Jae Wook, because he is a very good actor and I don’t know why don’t give him a lead role for him ever.
I’m not sure the ratings raising a couple points (mostly due to scheduling issues with Miss Korea, which dropped a lot this week) makes up for all the issues he’s had with dramas. He does seem to have bad luck. Nobody wants BTS drama, a canceled drama and a drama with ratings below 5%.
I still like Gaya…and personally I ship her with Leader Mo…I guess their fight scenes have drawn me in
I actually enjoy the drama and the main lead’s acting. Can’t stand kaya, and really have no idea where this story is heading but I find it fascinating how there are three Asian culture mixed into one drama with three types of different wardrobes. Perhaps it’s because it’s gritty not all bright and candy like that we are use to. It’s also a plus that the male actors actually resembles their gender – no lip gloss or pearly white skin! All sweat and bloody 🙂
God I can’t stand it when people complain about Gaya, just because she’s a bit complex and isn’t 2 dimensional like Ok Ryeon, people hate her. What, is it so wrong to see a female lead that can fight for herself? No, instead people prefer the girl-next door who is no help at all is just there to be saved by the male lead. Seriously, I can understand hating Gaya’s character because she made some stupid decisions, but that doesn’t mean her “revenge” motive is useless. I wouldn’t be surprised if it were the male lead getting revenge on his father, no one would even bat an eye.
I thought the main problem is the acting level required for a cipher like Kaya is beyond Im Soo Hyang’s current ability.
ohh pleaaase !! people mostly complain about the character and how they want her character killed. So ANNOYING !
Thank you I love Gaya also, she can fight, she is cold, and mooooooost important her character is not determined by male lead around and she does not cling to any man – unlike someone insecure who goes around slapping and threatning another because of a boy ewww !-
I am in team Gaya but I still like Ok Ryeon which she is cute. It is rare to see a female lead who is a villian and she fight in a kimono!. Bad girls rocks!. All I can say that Gaya’s character is the most difficult one in this show. She has to do a lot of fighting with men. Yeah, at some point she is loosing touch of Gaya’s emotion that makes her look like a robot. No matter what, I am rooting for Gaya.
I think we’re so used to bubbly man-crazy “oppa” girls as female leads that any woman who does not solely exist for her romance and has other goals and motivations and unrelated to it emotions somehow feels weird to viewers. But this isn’t a romcom, so I don’t see the problem. The male lead is not a genius chaebol either, but I don’t hear anyone finding him too cold or minding Kim’s acting (which has thankfully improved a lot and I like now myself).
Nooooo!He is so lovely to watch.
I loove Gaya and I find the other cute girl very boring.Anyway I decided to quit the drama when I saw the kiss scene between JT-OR.Why to go thru an average series-IMO- when I do not even have the OTP I want?
I feel like a more charismatic actress could’ve pulled of Gaya (maybe Han Chae Ah lol, Gaksital reunion, anyone?) I don’t think Im Soo Hyang is a bad actress but her Gaya is kinda zombified…or… mechanical… I don’t know. The child actress made the character more alive imo. Surprisingly I find Ok Ryeon more endearing, I wouldn’t have minded her with either of the male leads (I don’t know if Kim Jae Wook qualified as ‘lead’ though lol)
It’s a shame we’re losing him, he was my fave and I don’t know if I want to continue watching. I like the Dobi gang too… maybe I’ll check out the recaps.
Oh and seconding the comment above, Kim Jae Wook for the vampire sageuk please, drama gods!
Kim Jae Wook for the vampire sageuk?.. good thinking!!! At first I had Kim Woo Bin in my mind but Kim Jae Wook would be too perfect!!! Oh… please…please..
Rumor is that after the writer changed, KJW couldn’t get along with new writer, because she/he wanted to change the story and his character a lot and he did not sign for this and was not satisfied.
Well,rating goes up to double digit for both episodes this week. 10% for ep9 and 11.4% for ep10
No Inspiring Generation for me.
I can’t keep watching Inspiring Generation anymore. This show has disappointed me on so many levels And you know something? Nobody gets excited about the same old tale of love triangle. We all know that the male lead choose to the female lead. End of story I thought this show would be different but apparently is the same as always… But what made me decide was that Shin Jung Tae is a fucking hypocrite. Jung Tae is a crappy crappy men/friend/lover… Whatever… When he woke up on the last episode never asked about Ok Ryeon or where is she. He doesn’t nothing to find her. Completely unfair and illogical. She is your friend…. Anyway. I’m done with this k-drama.
@mayiya118 dont be disappointed..he wanted to go back coz he knws there are people who waits for him and for me thats include OR but leader mo cuts him telling him they dont exist anymore..thats why on ep 10 he was shock to see OR and unfortunately losses his balance and gets beaten up.
I think you misunderstood why he asked about Gaya. He’d just been in a fight against Shinichi for the sake of Dobi gang as well as Gaya’s freedom from the Yakuza because he thinks she was forced to join. He realizes he lost so he’s concerned about her. He had no idea that OR was in danger or had left town, so no reason to ask about her. In his mind, only Dobi and Gaya are in danger, and OR should be home.
This story is about so much more than the “love story.” It’s about SJT’s journey through life, overcoming obstacles and people to become a great fighter who will help the less fortunate. That’s why I love this drama btw, it’s very different from other shows and I don’t mind that the love story is secondary in this case.
It’s sad that people are dropping it because they’re not happy with the direction of the love story….And we still do not know who he will end up with, if either one at all.
I share the same thoughts as you. The story is very interesting and unpredictable. With the new writers, we will be watching some changes, how much I dont know. But SJT’s character has been true to the story, Loyal, kind, hates his dad, women defender, hardworking, talented and just cool. I do not know the direction of the love story, I wonder how can anyone be certain where it is heading?
When main lead fighting with gaya &her tugs same time send lead lady get attack that he not know what happen
Well that makes me happy.. somehow. Because obviously Kim Jae-Wook is smart enough to realize when a drama is fighting a fight it can’t win. And I knew that they would waste Kim Jae-Wook’s talent in this for the sake of an idol actor. *sigh*
Now I can concentrate on him choosing his first very own leading role. Maybe in this manhwa adaption “Scholar of the Night”. I would die to see him in a sageuk. Although I would also like to see Yoon Shi Yoon in this. 😀
Yes, you are right. He is too good to have his talents wasted. I really hope he can get a lead role. I will be looking forward to it
Ugh, no! This can’t be happening. Kim Jae Wook was one of the main reasons as to why I decided to watch this drama and his character is just so lovable. I’m so sad he’s leaving the drama, but at the same time I still really like ‘Inspiring Generation’ and want to continue watching it. *sigh* I wonder what the future episodes are going to be like without Soo-ok and how the drama is planning to get rid of his character..:(
So long, Soo-ok 🙁
Me too. He was the main reason for me to watch the drama, and even if I also find Leader Mo so fascinating, I lost interest when the reason for watching the drama is moot. He is a superb actor. I wish him the best.
no!!!!!!!
oh oh i am about to start watching it, but ..nevermind
It just so sad since it has been two times idol actor who not on his par take the lead.
He is very talented, i just can imagine him as Jung Tae.
I just watched and so in to this drams yesterday and very very dissapointed of this news. I have come to this drama with zero expectaction and this drama has made me obsessed despite my lack of intrest of gaya acting. But i love everything else mostly Kim Jae-Wook.
Good for him. He is too talented to play that poorly written role. Writers are killing this drama! I, too, have no idea from week to week where the drama is trying to take the audience. You can’t sustain a drama on just fight scenes and shallow character development. Also, the part of the adult Gaya character is written to make her cold and wicked compared to the part of the child Gaya character without any valid explanation as to why she made that big jump. The actress plays it like a robot. So, I’m continue to painfully watch this drama to see Kim Hyun Joong’s acting which is much improved from his previous works. Good for him! The new head writer had better be extremely talented for this show to improve. Crossing my fingers!
Gaya carries this show in my opinion! Its Ok Ryeon who bores me to death. Frankly im quite happy we get to see a badass female lead for once!
Ditto. There’s just something about Gaya that draws me in. For some reason, Ok Ryeon’s sweet as saccharin personality sickens me.
I like Gaya, the girl acts Gaya is just so good. A lot of people complaints that she acts like a robot but I think it is how the character is, Gaya is not a kind girl but she is not inhumanity, she has to act cold/robot with no feeling to survive and to lead people, otherwise the organization probably get rid of her.
I so want to follow this drama because of Kim Hyun Joong, I really do. I watched the first two episodes and while they weren’t bad, this drama just doesn’t seem to be my cup of tea. (I’m a romance/rom-com/sageuk kind of girl)
Watching the screen caps with Kim Jae Wook though makes me want to watch up to episode 8 at least though. It’s more than I was willing to do than in Marry Me, Mary (and that was a rom-com and I didn’t even want to watch it and I only skimmed and watched KJW’s scenes because let’s all admit that he’s a great actor and gorgeous.)
I only watch this drama because of KIM HYUN JOONG. I love the period setting. They’ve obviously spent a lot of money on costume and props, and the sets! I’m only in episode 13, and noticed that they’ve written off that actor who quit when Ok Ryeon told Jung Tae that he died during their river trip when they were fleeing the hunter and she’s had to bury him with her own hands. I thought that was a smart way to incorporate the actor’s quitting into the storyline. It was clean, subtle, no fuss. …Anyway, I LOVELOVELOVE Kim Hyun Joong! He’s like a chameleon with the physical changes he’s been going through all these years. He’s multi-talented too! The whole package.