Erm, is anyone else worried that Who Are You: School 2015 having casting troubles may portend bigger problems behind the scenes, beyond the general casting roulette that goes on with almost every single drama production whether the public hears about it or not. While recent hard-to-cast DID drama Kill Me Heal Me proved that nothing was wrong with the script, similarly hard-to-cast vampire medical drama Blood confirmed that the script smelled to high heaven and multiple leading men ran away for good reason.
KBS was looking to School 2015 to revive the dead Mon-Tues time slot where Blood is currently getting slaughtered in ratings by two well-received competitors in MBC‘s Shine or Go Crazy and the continuing to increase in ratings Heard it Through the Grapevine over on SBS. School 2015 was supposed to start filming by the end of March and right now that’s not happening because there are no confirmed leads, and the two of the most high profile names in talks just took themselves out of the running. Luckily there is a new name in the mix as growing up child actress Kim So Hyun has been approached for her biggest leading lady offer to date.
This has been a bad news day for the School 2015 production, regardless of the news that Kim So Hyun is considering the drama. The school series needs an ensemble so it’s not like she can carry the drama on her shoulders if she does accept. She’s not getting any help from Kang Min Hyuk or Lee Yoo Bi, that’s for sure. Kang Min Hyuk turns down the male lead followed hours later by Lee Yoo Bi also stating that she will not be doing this drama. What’s going on?
Apparently Lee Yoo Bi was supposed to play both main characters twins but declined the offer without giving any explanation. Now with Lee Yoo Bi out, the production is saying that the same role has been offered to Kim So Hyun who will need to play both female leads if she accepts. I have full faith in Kim So Hyun’s acting ability and know without a doubt with her talent and looks she will be a full blown leading lady in K-ent soon enough. But right now she’s 15 years old and there is really no need to rush her into prime time leading lady roles even if said role is a high school student. Sigh, once again a reminder not to get too excited about casting news until it’s confirmed.
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It's not even a matter of rushing her into leading roles for me (which I agree with BTW) but the fact that it's yet another production taking the easy way out by not actually casting a rookie actress. It's hilarious that the show's makers toot their own horns by saying that Ha Ji Won and Gong Hyo Jin and Bae Doona etc etc all got their breaks through the show and then they end up casting someone who not only is too young for the role but is already pretty famous (and deservedly so) actress in her own right. I should learn not to get my hopes up...
@Rina all your comments are 100 % on point. This drama is not actually giving breaks to young actors but taking the short cut of trying to cast already well known names.
Kim So Hyun is very talented and she just entered high school (turning 16 this June) so her agw is ok to play a highschool kid since she is one. But like Koala I think this drama has script problrms.
anyway even if it flops it won't hurt Kim.So Hyun, she is too popular. Just like Secret Door flopping never hurt Kim Yoo Jung's popularity or future star status.
Well, the script problem did not stop School 2015 to become a hallyu hit, and the only installment with the biggest hallyu following. Thanks to the loveline of the TaeBi couple which catapulted KSH and YSJ to hallyu stardom.
What is going on indeed. Isn't she already in that drama that Shin Se Kyung will probably ruin? I really like this girl's acting, but I think she's stronger in villain roles. Also, although she's a talented kid, she's still a kid. What if they cast a 25 year old for the male lead? I really don't want to see romantic scenes between a kid and a man. There's enough of that in GoT.
Anyway, I'm starting to think the scripts are really bad for these kdramas in the making if actors keep rejecting them left and right.
She is very good but it is way too soon. Remember the mess that was Secret Door.
Her role in Girl Who Sees Smells is just a cameo of sorts.
Yoochun's kid sister who... (spoiler redacted?)
I have no doubts in her acting talent but if she accepts i hope that the script is strong. If the ratings or the script isn't good, it's going to put a huge pressure on a 15 year old girl. they should get Kwak Dong Yeon to play the lead male since he would be only two years older. He's in FNC too so it would make sense to cast him. And he has been saying that he likes KSH on different variety shows:)
Ha! That's cute. :) I was very sad that LYB turned this one down. It's very suspect since if I were her agency, I'd take this leading role which LYB has been deserving for a looooong time.
KSH is great too but I kinda worry there's something about the script that's making everyone approached so far walk away.
Yup I thought about that too! Imagine these two being cp in a high school drama~~ Cuteness overload xDD Srr I'm just fangirling ~ About the script, I hope it's not the reason that previous actors/actress turned down the offer T.T
Why not cast Shannon William. She's indeed a talented idol and fresh looks in drama industry. Or Kim Sae Ron also very talented one.
I'm glad cutie pie Minhyuk passed on the role since he felt the script or the role is not suitable for him. Unlike that guy in Blood who jumped to leading man status and looks what's happening to him.
She's maybe a bit young to shoulder the whole drama but of course she has years of acting experience. But why not go for a new face, audition some rookies with potential.
"too young for the role?" She's IN high school! If having to play a year or two older make her too young, then what about all the 20-somethings playing ridiculously implausible high schoolers? Like Kim Woo Bin 2013?
How casting a high schooler to play a high schooler is “taking the easy way out” is beyond me. I am VERY happy for her, and hope it works out. It will be great to see her in an age-appropriate lead role and one in which she doesn’t have to die or get raped. For a change.
she's not too young for the role.. she's too young to lead a prime time drama. the expectation and the pressure will be high, especially for a drama that's expected to increase ratings
My comment was a quote, hence the speech marks. The person I was replying to specifically said KSY is "too young for the role".
My bad; for some reason I thought she was a bit younger than she actually is.
But I will say casting people who won't be full fledged leads for many moons is also counterproductive. I'd be down with casting someone older who could pass for a high schooler because that person could step into another production afterwards and be a tangible contribution to the industry.
I agree at least the girl is playing a character with the same age as her.
The worry with these things is usually the lead male now has to be age appropriate as well. But I didn't really want any romance in this anyway, so I don't particularly care if the lead is the right age.
And she's supremely talented.
Just give the lead male role to Kwak Dong-Yeon with kim so hyun as a female lead. It's the perfect combination. We don't need big names\ages for school 2015, surely!
Kwak Dong Yeon is a very likely candidate, he works with the director and scriptwriter before in kbs drama special middle school student A, they should know how good he is
Not to mention his company is also producing this show... so maybe he'll get a role or an appearance?
I don't want Kim So Hyun. She's a good actress but when they choose young actress, they must protect her image and finaly finish to play a cute love story but not really realistic... Or it will like another school dramas, no love story. (yeah because showing violence it's really better than showing love between teens)
Kwak Dong Yeon would be great ! He was so good in Adolescent Medley (i watched this mini dramas a lot of times !) and Inspiring Generation.
School 2013 had no loveline, and nor did Kim So Hyun's first real lead role, Reset. So there's no reason why they can't do likewise here, and have no loveline at all.
I don't really think that they would have yo preserve her image because she has played some dark roles in the past. Her character in I miss you was sexually abused, she played a delinquent in reset and she's had antagonistic roles before. So I doubt that KSH herself would really care about playing a dark role
I don't think it's a problem of dark image. It's more a problem of korean ethic. I guess they would have the impression to give bad ideas to teens if they talk seriously about a true love story between teens.
Yeiii! I hope she accepts!