Seldom does casting news feel totally out-of-the-blue for me but this one certainly was unexpected and caught me off guard. I had to rub my eyes and check various news sources first before believing that KBS is really in talks with Yoo Yeon Seok as the leading man for the upcoming high profile Mon-Tues vampire drama Blood. Coming from the production team of the last KBS hit which was over a year ago with Good Doctor, this is probably the closest the network has for a ratings win.
The drama is slated to air in early 2015 following Healer with Yoo Ji Tae and Ji Chang Wook but for whatever reason Blood is charting a bit higher on the buzz meter than Healer. If Healer is a hit then KBS can look forward to a potential back-to-back streak. All the chatter around the Blood leading man has been an actor in his 30’s since the male lead is a 37 year old vampire surgeon at a hospital. Turns out KBS wants a baby-face, though Yoo Yeon Seok is 30 years old already despite only breaking out last year with Answer Me 1994.
I have nothing against Yoo Yeon Seok, he’s one of those actors where I really have a minimal impression of his acting. The only drama I’ve seen him in was as the second male lead in Gu Family Book, and he was basically like wallpaper for me in that I found him (and his character) a bore. Plus that drama was perpetual second lead Choi Jin Hyuk‘s breakout piece so Yoo Yeon Seok basically got lost with the spotlight elsewhere.
I missed his breakout turn in AM1994 because by the time I wanted to watch the drama the ship wars were in full force and there was no way I was going to wade in that muck. Plus none of the three leads were my thang anyways so it was no problem skipping it. Seeing his stills from that drama, I can see why fans would have liked him since he looks way better than he did in GFB. But still….am not seeing why that much fuss.
He’s neither conventionally handsome (for the eye candy factor) or has the killer acting and camera charisma like a Kim Woo Bin to compensate for the looks factor. Speaking of which, if the producers for Blood were to go for an up-and-coming young breakout male actor to headline Blood, I would have personally preferred Kim Woo Bin over Yoo Yeon Seok. But I’m not casting so for now, I’m a bit disappointed but will keep an open mind going in if Yoo Yeok Seok is cast. Happy to pass the time hearing why fans love him so and explain his allure for me.
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Have you seen any of the Na PD youth over flower show ? He was such a cutie. I was like you, not impressed by him in AM1994, but his great personality (and killer abs) from YOF totally won me.
I am actually looking forward to see him in his next project !
I found it cute in RM1994 but was not INTO him YET. I think many became his fans because of his character in the drama. Actually I was on the side of hoping he ended up with Go Ara. But alas.....But when I watched him in Youth Over Flowers...BAM !!! He's a MAMA in the group, and he has wits and intellect too!! I think I fell for him not because of his acting but his real life personality. Granted he's not conventionally handsome but he has a great body - shoulders and abs...Yes, I'm shallow.
Chilbongie!!!! ❤️
I thought it was Par Hae Jin getting courted?
That's a different drama -- Scholar Who Walks the Night (which i predict will be more popular than this vampire drama.) Vampire scholar vs vampire surgeon? I will take the former and i'm assuming those who are adverse to the medical genre will as well.
Looks like the vampire craze is going to start next year.
I thought it was going to be Ji Sung, which would be great.
Vampy Chilbongie? Are you kidding me? OMG Tell me they'll put a baseball hat on him JUST once and I will watch every episode hoping for it.
He seems to be way too scary to be a vampire. Can't we make him sweet and dumb again?
I'm not surprised yoo yeon seok was offered this role considering his sharp rise in popularity following AM94. Personally, I always thought acting-wise he always paled in comparison to Jung-Woo(though trash was a more complex character to begin with), but he won major points because he played the most beloved second lead in a long while. I think if chilbongie wasn't so popular amongst fans then ultimately he would have just been there. He's adorable though, and much better here than he was in GFB. He's does much better playing the warm type. He may be one of those actors who struggle a bit more with the cold type, and that baby face certainly doesn't help.
I feel bad for saying this but either the prospect of being on KBS has scared away more bankable (and, frankly, age appropriate) male leads or this one is a stinker. Park Hae Jin considering the other KBS vampire drama suggests to me that this may be a case of the former.
Disclaimer: I have no opinion, negative or otherwise, about either Yoo Yeon Seok or Park Hae Jin. Just calling it like I see it (which is hardly the gospel truth either...)
YYS and PHJ are quite bankable in Korea right now. PHJ's drama "Bad Guy" is doing good with rating is over 3.5%, and it s on cable. YYS's lasted movie got almost 2 million viewers last month.
I'm not saying they're Z listers but not exactly the kind of actors you think of as drama headliners. Leading cable shows doesn't mean much (for now).
Koala's reaction to YYS being considered for this role says it all imo... especially when fans were putting names like Lee Joon Ki and So Ji Sub in the mix.
I personally think Yoo Yeon Seok is a GREAT actor. If you have only watch Reply 1994 and only know him as Chilbong, then go ahead and watch him in Werewolf Boys and Architecture 101. He play evil roles well and his switch to a nice guy as Chilbong was also perfect. I hope he will get the role as a vampire surgeon...that will be interesting!
Agree with you. He adapts well to his characters. I hated him in warewolf boy and archi 101 but loved him in AM1994. So yeah...I look forward to his first major role.
And he's so adorbs in Youth Over Flowers! Personality is great and I think he's pretty smart. And yes...yummy abs.
Omg you have no idea what u r missing, have you seen this guy in the horror drama SOUL. He was freaking crazy there. His character was a crazy bad high school student he freaking scared me he was so good. I recommend that drama to you guys, lm ju eun was also in it its good.
I not a fan of him nor i like him,i don't also find him charismatic and handsome but i think its nice to see a not so popular actor in this big drama..It gives you a break from so overrated actors..