When the casting news first broke Wednesday morning about Kim So Eun joining the upcoming MBC vampire fantasy sageuk Scholar Who Walks the Night, the details were unclear as to whether she was up for the leading lady role or a leading lady role. That’s a huge distinction since the former means she’s the heroine of the tale and the latter she will be the second female lead. I’m glad I held off on posting about her casting until all the confusing and conflicting news reports have shaken out.
Kim So Eun is in talks as one of the female leads of Scholar, alongside still unconfirmed leading lady Jin Se Yeon. That makes sense because MBC hasn’t said Jin Se Yeon declined or refuted the reports last week about her being in talks for the female lead. When The Girl Who Sees Smells was going through reported leading ladies from Suzy to Kim Ji Won to Jin Se Yeon before ending with Shin Se Kyung, all the previous casting reports were concluded by SBS saying the actress declined or wasn’t ever in talks. If both actresses accept their roles in Scholar, they will both have romantic feelings for leading man Lee Jun Ki. Lucky girls.
In addition to Kim So Eun potentially joining the drama, Lee Soo Hyuk is also in talks to play an antagonist character in Scholar. The manhwa is quite bloated with characters and my gut feeling says some of the characters might be eliminated or even combined together for plot purposes. I’m not sure which antagonist character Lee Soo Hyuk will be playing, maybe the super evil vampire that lives in the royal palace and has it out for Lee Jun Ki’s vampire scholar. If he does play that character, then his character will have a lot of scenes later on with Kim So Eun’s character.
Kim So Eun’s second female lead is an orphaned girl adopted by Lee Jun Ki and she grows up to become the top gisaeng in Hanyang, She has idolized and loved the vampire scholar all her life and grows vengeful and jealous when he never returns her romantic feelings and instead falls for Jin Se Yeon’s fallen noblewoman cross-dressing as a male bookseller. Currently only Lee Jun Ki has been confirmed as the titular scholar who walks the night while Changmin of DBSK is up for the role of the crown prince. I hope this drama confirms the entire main cast soon and explains the different roles clearly so I can start really picturing everyone in their parts.
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Oh No. Kim So Eun and Lee Jun Ki what did you do in the last life to meet this unfortunate accidental casting?
I know!!! What is with the rest of the names attached to this project?
i hope kim so eun is the lead role in this drama
Shit!! I really hate MBC and I do hope Kim So Eun is not stupid in doing supporting role in this drama
KSE and her agency should not be that stupid to play a second female lead along with an actress like JSY. Because she already did the lead roles in dramas. I really like LJK, LSH and KSE. Both JSY and CM are annoying. KSE is much better in acting and more famous than JSY. KSE should be female lead.
This is just so wrong....Kim So Eun should be the lead, or at the very least should not have to play second lead to someone like Jin Se Yeon. She's the better actress and better liked/more public recogition in Korea too despite her WGM scandals.
I think MBC hz gn crazy, Kim s un as second lead over jin se yn ,feel lyk dying plz don let me see DAT girls face in ljk drama plz she is gn ruin it.plz god help doz crazy sponsors
Can they not cast Jin Se Yeon? I cannot understand why they keep on casting her when people obviously don't like her.. She's neither a ratings magnet or good in acting. I just don't get it...
It will be really painful to watch if Kim So Eun has to be the second female lead to Jin Se Yeon, even Lee jun Ki's presence wouldn't be able to smooth the hurt :/
I want Kim So Eun to reject! It's stupid for her to go from the female lead in Liar Game to being second to Jin Se Yeon who can't emote!
Objectively speaking and acting skills aside, KSE was lead in a drama that was aired on a cable channel. On the other hand, JSY already headlined dramas in major networks (e.g. Gaksital, Doctor Stranger). I believe this is a factor that is heavily considered.
This doesn`t make sense.Kim So Eun is not only much better actress but arguably much more popular right now than Jin Se Yeon. Why would they cast her as a second lead? Only explanation is that KSE willingly wanted to play second lead, as it looks like it`s more challenging role than the lead. In that case i can`t wait for her to steel all the spotlight form JSY.
That's essentailly my take on the issue, too: from what I've read of the manhwa, the second lead requires a much more nuanced performance. As far as I understood she was parrly raised by vampyboy, so she would have t portray real _love_ (romantic and the kind you would have for your real oppa?) and not just some kind of youthful infatuation. And when she turns, she becomes all that plus crazy monster, right? So, a very conflicted lady. The lead, by comparison, doesn't do much: I mean, she's mostly cute and hapless and get's saved by vampscholar from pink dude and other evil vamps. She seemed a bit... cliché? (But I haven't read that far, so maybe that changes?) *hm* It's essentially Rie and MokDan all over again. :P