On the upside the casting for the leads of the upcoming tvN cable drama Valid Love is complete. On the downside there won’t be a reunion of two time costars Uhm Tae Woong and Han Ji Min for a third go around. Bummer. Instead Uhm Tae Woong will be pairing up with Lee Shi Young as a married couple that has overcome one taboo only to be tempted with another. Uhm Tae Woong plays a professor who married his former student from when he was teaching high school and she was his pupil. The age difference and teacher-student taboo is overcome when the drama begins, but soon his much younger wife finds herself tempted into an affair with a handsome young man played by Lee Soo Hyuk. I’ll glide over the Lee Soo Hyuk deserves a leading role and/or is perfect to play a vampire comments and just say that he’s never done anything for me so far in terms of either acting or appeal. But conversely he’s also not rubbed me the wrong way so that’s a plus already.
Same goes for Lee Shi Young, she’s always just serviceable but I’m never spurred to watch a drama or movie just because she’s in it. I feel the same way about Jung Ryeo Won, solid but uninspiring leading ladies. Sadly I really can’t stand second female lead Choi Yeo Jin but she’s not really playing a third wheel in the OTP marriage since her character is Uhm Tae Woong’s character’s younger sister. I like to see her fall for the second male lead and then try and break up the affair that’s threatening her older brother’s marriage. Valid Love is getting a major head start as the drama airs on tvN Mon-Tues following Liar Game with Kim So Eun, Lee Sang Yoon, and Shin Sung Rok, which itself will following the currently airing My Secret Hotel. Valid Love is described as a warm cheerful story despite the story synopsis sounding like a total downer. Go ahead and surprise me, drama.
Valid Love has some serious screenwriting credentials behind it, coming from writer Kim Do Woo who wrote My Name is Kim Sam Soon, What’s Up, Fox?, and Me Too, Flower! All of those dramas have their diehard fans and I’ve enjoyed each to varying degrees for a mature and sensitive take on adult romance.
Yeah I have enjoyed the writer’s previous dramas but the synopsis is a bit…
Wasn’t Choi Yeon Jin the female second lead in “Biscuit teacher”, having a long-time unrequited crush on Gong Yoo?
Will we get to see Lee Shi Young’s boxing skills in a drama someday?
As for Jung Ryeo-Woon, she might be renowned with her spunky roles but she displayed a whole wider range of emotions and acting skills in “Castaway on the moon”. She was SOOOO impressive in her role as a reclusive woman not stepping outside her bedroom in her parents’ appartment. Highly recommended!
I really didn’t like Lee Shi Young in the drama Wild Romance or Poseidon… So I’m not excited but I liked the dramas of this writer 🙂
I disagree about Lee Shi Young, she is one of the better actresses out there in my opinion. It is just her drama choice is somewhat questionable. Han Ji Min on another hand is as bland as bland gets.
Yeah agree with that! I just love her acting! She was good in wild romance but the plot was meh! I also loved her acting in the birth of the rich man! Hope she gets what she deserves!!
Lee Si Young has amazing comedic timing. I adore her; I just wish she chooses better projects.
Looking forward to this because of writer Kim Do-woo and director Han Ji-seung (of Alone in Love).
I love Uhm Tae-woong, ’nuff said. Lee Shi-young is talented, but she’s been in some unfortunate dramas. She needs a director who can keep her OTT tendencies in check.
The second leads? Meh.