These days the K-drama world really doesn’t get viewers solely on stars as much anymore. In the heyday of Hallyu, I’m sure Bae Yong Joon can star in a sageuk about a monk and viewers would tune in. These days plenty of star vehicles have tanked, but there is still the outlier success of You From the Stars to show us an A-list actress with star power and acting chops like Jeon Ji Hyun can actually bring in the audience. The upcoming MBC weekend melodrama Hotel King might not garner viewers from either the star power of Lee Da Hae and Lee Dong Wook, but they might bring in a good chunk of viewers nostalgic for their My Girl days and curious about what a reunion between then 9 years later feels like. I for one am super curious and quite pleased they chose a melodrama to do rather than a rom-com trying to recapture the effervescence of MG. MBC’s Section TV visited the set during a poster shoot and managed to sit down with the two leads and chat about this opportunity to work together again. Lee Dong Wook revealed that he called up Lee Da Hae personally to ask her to star and she said yes. LOL, that was easy, why couldn’t they have done this sooner after My Girl? In addition to the two leads, this one boasts a pretty deep cast in Lee Deok Hwa and Kim Hae Sook as the elders, Wang Ji Hye, Im Seulong, Gong Hyun Joo, Alex, and Kim Ye Won. Writing is the screenwriter who did Feast of the Gods and Golden Fish while the PD directed Just Like Today and Life is Good. Hotel King premieres the last weekend of March after Golden Rainbow wraps up and is slated for a 32-episode run.
What happened to her face? She looks different now. Surgery? I thought I read that somewhere. She looked better before…IMO.
I agree. When I was watching My Girl, I thought she was so beautiful like perfect. Then I saw her in East of Eden, she look like she had lost a lot of weight. Still I look forward to this drama.
Botox, I wish she hadn’t though. Her face is so weird now.
No it’s not weird. She’s just got skinnier and a bit older. And she can be so comfortable wearing these kind of dresses. Good to see.
mariyes, she doesnt stop remodelling her face til she got uglier again.
yes, she’s more simple and cute in my girl. Hope she will stop her surgery, I like her before than her looks today.
She remodeled her face since Chuno, and that’s quite sometime back already.
it’s her eyes and nose. Seems like she can’t even blink. look at the comparison of the old and new photo. I liked her in Chuno.
And her chin, makes her whole face longer…she list weight too, but the PS is also very obvious… especially when you compare side by side with the old pic
Wow, called her personally to work with him again. I hope other actors will do the same to their favorite costars.
haha… am already seeing some first wave hallyu fans wanting bae yong jun to call up choi ji woo. and them doing solid hijinx romcom, that would have people curioser an checking it out…
but as for me, my ultimate wish for re-team would be ha jiwon an jo in sung… and romcom would be epic!!!
Oh I thought it was 50 episodes thanks for the info … I guess I’m the only one who thinks she looks the same I mean her face looks skinnier and I would guess Botox since she doesnt look like she aged at all but I don’t see anything major different
Same here….I don’t see much difference in her face…Yes, she has become A LOT skinnier in all these years but her face looks almost the same..
Totally agree, same looks just a bit more mature looking…
Jeon Ji Hyun also called up Kim Soo Hyun to star in My Love From The Stars as well. They were both offered the roles at the same time.
Wasnt it kim soo hyun who called up jeon ji hyun though? But thankful for him cos we got to see one of the most entertaining performances ever from goddess JJH.
nah there was a talk like this but JJH told it was her that did.
@karecity
There were articles saying that KSH called up his noona and then afterwards there were articles saying JJH called up KSH.
We learn that both were chatting and keeping in contact after thieves. First it was just friendly updates, but then they started discussing which projects they were offered and should star in, with talk that they should collaborate again. Naturally, both arrived at YFAS because they were offered the roles, and then his JJH noona said “lets do this together”. And so they did.
(This came out of KSH’s mouth btw)
Okay Da Hae’s plastic surgery aside why in the promo pics does a black guy have to be beating up the kid? Seriously? Racism much? I swear kdramaland does this all the time in perpetuating stupid stereotypes (like in Big). This upsets me. >:(
I agree, as a black person I think i’m a bit disappointed with our representation in Asian media. Not to say that they all racist but it’s just upsetting to see them play the typical stereotypes.
And then in Hollywood Asian men are almost always the bad guy too… We need to stop this kind of racism everywhere, NO MORE STEREOTYPING…
Jang Hyuk also suggest LDH name in Chuno after Han Hyo Joo turned down the offer. Looks like she always have a good relationship with her main actor.
Oh the power of good comraderie. The same thing happened in YFAS, contrary to previous rumors that KSH asked JJH to do the drama, it was actually Jeon Ji Hyun that personally asked Kim Soo Hyun to do the drama. if only more actors made personal phone calls, oh the OTP pairings would be endless (come on YEH call Joon Ji Hoon and do another drama together ).
Yes to YEH calling JJH! Would love to see the 2 doing a drama together again.
I am looking forward to Hotel King mainly due to the reunion of My Girl’s OTP. 🙂
Obviously there will always be star-helmed shows that will tank. But it is a little misleading to call YFAS an outlier. Apart from UFAS this winter’s two other ratings monsters have been The Heirs and Empress Ki. Both staring big stars. In fact, Empress Ki have destroyed all other competition on Monday-Tuesday for 4 months now. Of course, it is possible it would also have done so without Ha Ji Won as a headliner. But I am sure MBC think they have made a very sound investment getting an A-lister.
Hard to say really, Heirs was underperforming for most of its run despite the all-star cast (the last 8 episodes were where it picked up the 20+ % ratings).
Though obviously having experienced actors does seem to pay off for SBS, anyway – Lee Bo Young in I Hear Your Voice, So Ji Sub and Gong Hyo Jin in Master’s Sun, and Jeon Ji Hyun in YFAS.
Woah, who’s that little kid in last picture? He have an intense eyes.
Kim Hee Ae called Yoo Ah In to star in that noona-romance. 😀
You know who else needs to call whom for a new drama?
Gong Hyo Jin. So Ji Sub.
You know who else needs to call whom for a new drama?
Gong Hyo Jin. So Ji Sub.
YES! He openly admitted to getting on board Master’s Sun because of her, I wish they’d work together again soon even though I haven’t quite recovered from the MS swoons <33333333333333333333
I’m so distracted with her face. She was prettier way back then.
Lol seriously? A phone-call is what did it? Can’t wait, Lee Dong-wook and Lee Dae-hae remain one of my all time favorite couples.
It’s funny, despite the fact that I have low tolerance for makjang, I found myself really liking the writing in Feast of the Gods. I think I marathoned it in a weekend, maybe? I just remember being completely invested in the love triangle. Overall, it was surprisingly very fun watch (although, definitely eye-roll inducing here and there). I trust that I will be just as invested in Hotel King, especially with these two as the leads ^^
Lots of work were done to her face post-My Girl. She isn’t a case of weight loss and aging. I may not agree but that’s the reality in Korea. They have a different perception of what beauty is.
Seems like more and more korean celebrities nowadays are sending love calls to their former costars to star in the same project, or recommending costars. Why shouldn’t this be more prevalent?
JJH + KSH
LDW + LDH
Yoo Ah in + Kim Hee Ae
As for why it isn’t more prevalent, I guess some of them are afraid of scandals? Which is not an issue if one or both costars is married/taken, I guess.
My personal reunion wishlist:
Gong Hyo Jin/So Ji Sub
Shin Min Ah/Lee Jun Ki
Kim Woo Bin/Lee Yubi (he has a girlfriend, surely it’s not too much to hope they could do another project together)
Omg… I totally agree.
I absolutely love So Ji Sub and Gong Hyo Jin together, they have this great rapport when working together.
And I’m guessing the Lee Yubi/Kim Woo Bin pairing comes from vampire idol? Hehe.. I loved them together there. I think they fit well; visually.
Wow!!! Really anticipating for the drama.
What bothers me about LDH’s face is that it’s just not very expressive anymore. From the stills, it’s as if she can’t laugh, frown, or scrunch her face properly anymore. I wasn’t bothered about her restrained acting in Chuno because her character didn’t require much acting, but I think this will be a problem from here on out.
I will still check out Hotel King for the My Girl nostalgia.
She could not move her face in Iris – not good. It looks like she can no longer close her mouth too!
To much fillers , the new nose , eyes . She def added a bridge to the nose and shortened it.
I like her as a actress but the Ps obsession is really sad.
OMG, what happened to her face? It’s like, FROZEN.
tch.
I don’t understand what most people are talking about! Her face looks fine to me. I don’t think it’s “frozen” or “plastic looking” at all.
I loved her face in my girl..she was more beautiful than now but Iwish good thing to her life .
To be honest I like both movies My Girl and Hotel King that they starred together. I want to see them again in the coming dramas too.
Saya suka, Lee da he dan Lee dong Wong