With critically acclaimed young actress Shim Eun Kyung declining the leading lady role for the upcoming Fall K-adaptation of Nodame Cantabile, the plum role was up for grabs and I’ve even postulated a handful of young actresses that are either suitable or likely to fall on the network’s radar when it comes time to cast. Joo Won has already been confirmed as the leading man for the last two months and the drama doesn’t air until October, but this story is so quirky and endearing if done right it definitely could use a head start. Plus the chemistry between the two leads needs to be electrifying to sell their mutually eccentric personalities sparking with each other. Joo Won is playing the of Chiaki Shinichi, and how his Noda Megumi (aka Nodame) has been cast with SNSD‘s very own Yoona! She was on my shit list for the longest time and I decided to give her a chance in Prime Minister & I because I love her male lead Lee Bum Soo and I was so desperate for a rom-com.
I ended up loving the drama and loving her even more in it. So her casting as Nodame is a thumbs up choice for me, but I’m sure there are still folks who haven’t yet warmed up to her and will worry whether she can handle a very difficult multifaceted character to bring to life. Both the Japanese leads Tamaki Hiroshi and Ueno Juri are hard acts to follow so even if I love Yoona it’s not a given that she can improve on playing a straight up heroine in PM&I to a piano-playing girl with her head in the clouds and a severe cleanliness issue. Both leads have low EQ and high musical IQ, but in different but complementary ways. With the two leads cast, plus two supporting roles already filled by Do Hee of Tiny-G and veteran Baek Yoon Shik, this drama will likely start cranking out the large cast consisting of actors and actresses playing the students and teachers at the musical arts university where the two leads are students.
The K-version of Nodame will be adapted from the original manga of the same name, rather than copying the J-dorama which stands on its own and honestly can’t be matched. Better to go to the source and do something unique.
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Oh God No. I was really hoping they'd manage to cast Im Joo Eun x_x
Will still give this a go though I have some serious reservation about Yoona. Not so much about her acting, just that she'll look too "pretty" to make a proper Nodame.
Was Im Joo Eun up for this too?? That could have been great. Hopefully she'll land herself a good drama soon. I still haven't seen the original Jdrama Nodame Cantabile, so thankfully have zero expectations, nor any particular feelings regarding Joo Won and Yoona - haven't sat through a full drama for either.
I think she did well in PMI but in a, she's gotten so much better now she's at least serviceable way, not a wow now she's a A+ actress kind of well. The character Nodame requires a lot of depth, something which Yoona did not show for me in her past endeavours. As people have pointed out her image is also very different, though I think that's less of an issue. It's confirmed now so we'll see how the drama goes. Production also has huge shoes to fill.
I think go ara will be the better choice.
I was thinking the same.
But Ara will be playing the same role all over again, after Answer Me and YAAS.
And if KBS run out of option, they will 911 Jin Seyeon! Hah.
Errr I'm not against her, I like her but not a fan of her, but it will be funny it that happens. And all the K-dramafan will be very very angry. And owh, that girl can play a piano very well.
One thing for sure, I will watch it for Joo Won!
Oh no. I was so looking forward to the K-version of Nodame Cantabile. I still think Joo Won is sure to do a standout job as Chiaki, but I'm not sure Yoona can handle Nodame's nuanced character. She did credible job in PMaI, but I don't think it was a challenging role to begin with, and her performance still wasn't stellar. She's not the worst actress around, but she just doesn't have much range. And as mentioned above, I'm a little worried that concern for her pretty celebrity image will be at odds with the messy, unshowered oddness of the original Nodame. I have a sentimental attachment to Nodame Cantabile and while I'll likely still watch this new version for that reason, my expectations have seriously dropped.
Is it just me or the picture of Yoona at the top is odd? The photoshopping has gone wrong.
Her face is facing a different way than her body.
No, LOL, she's just wearing the clothes backwards. I dunno if it's a fashion style....
I'm glad my eyes weren't seeing the wrong stuff. Thanks for clearing things up lols
The more I look at it the creepier it is! Even Yoona can't pull off the back to front clothes look (if that even is a look whaaat?)
Please think about this again.
the decision is not final! since they still need the approval from the mangaka, Ninomiya Tomoko.
I put all my ducks in one basket and say that there is no way KBS will allow the mangaka to veto Yoona publicly and embarrass her. KBS either already got her rubber stamp approval or will convince her to agree to it. Once the news is out now, she's pretty much set unless SHE decides not to do it.
kbs will do a "look the mangaka approves so you can't complain!". she's cast for sure.
wow KBS wow! I've got nothing else to say.
(；￣Д￣）
The author have nothing to do the Korean drama. I read it in koreaboo. I don't have the link. Sorry.
when i saw this news, i thought i could hear you scream from miles away koala. I just momentarily forgot you like PMI.
Im still very cold toward Yoona. She did well in PMI but that role is also very befitting to her personality. I can almost imagine how Yoona going to play Megumi. She had a sweet face so she probably going to play that cute puppy dog thing as Megumi. I donno, I'm probably just very negative right now. I hope Yoona sit down and study this character, and Go Ahra give her a lesson on thrashing her image then I might change my opinion.
Yoona is just very aware of her image. She doesn't act pretty, but most of her unpretty acts are still very pretty-ish.
I watched PMI up until the last few episodes, when the conventionality of her personality, the dullness of her portrayal, and the weakness of the storyline did me in. I find her an ordinarily pretty idol with an average acting ability, with the sort of every-hair-in-place, I-know-the-cameras-are-on-me side-eye that you get from nearly every female idol. There is no way she is going to be able to crack Nodame. It's going to be a watered-down version of the original, with lots of cute and a bit of very self-conscious "weirdness"... not really Nodame Cantabile, at all. It will probably be wildly successful, because it will be so bland and inoffensive. Pass.
This nightmare o.O
Well, seeing as this is a lock for Yoona, I am guessing a few things -
1) the character Nodame will be written slightly different from the original or she will just act her a little differently
2) I just can't see the Korean version being like the Japanese version.
I am sure she will improve and I will keep my expectations low. Pm&i was good but like others have said, the role was fitting of her personality. Look pretty, is pretty. I will wait and see the drama and then make a better judgement. At least we always have the dorama to fall back on.