I’m confused but happy at the same time with this drama casting surprise. Yoon Kyun Sang, yes the Yoon Kyun Sang from Pinocchio who was just cast as the second male lead in The Time I Loved You, 7000 Days, is the latest addition to upcoming SBS sageuk Six Dragons Flying. Don’t ask me how he’s planning to film 7000 Days, which is in production now with a June air date, along with Six Dragons Flying which starts filming next month in June for a September air date. Maybe he can teleport or multiply himself.
SBS loves this boy clearly as much as I do, what with him landing two high profile drama roles one after the other for the network. It’s also the same network that aired his first memorable drama appearance in the time-traveling sageuk Faith. I have faith (har har) that he’ll do fine in both dramas despite the vastly different acting requirements of a modern romance and an epic serious sageuk. What’s confusing in his Six Dragons Flying casting is that he’s playing Muhyul, aka King Daemusin of Gorguyeo, the grandson of Jumong. That’s a good millennium earlier than the early Joseon dynasy that Six Dragons Flying is covering. Care to elaborate, SBS?
Aside from the inexplicable “huh?” around Yoon Kyun Sang’s role, Six Dragons Flying is shaping up to be pretty damn epic in casting along. So far the casting is bursting with talent including Kim Myung Min, Yoo Ah In, Byun Yo Han, Chun Ho Jin, Baek Jin Hee, and Jung Yumi. Keep this casting spree coming, SBS!
Maybe it’s just a guest appearance…judging from his character description
That’s what I thought but the articles make it seem like a supporting cast role.
It’s supporting roles in both dramas, he will probably have minimal screen time compared to Kim Myung Min and Yoo Ah In.
At least he confirmed for both before starting to film either one so writers and crew can adjust the schedules with enough advance notice.
Even if it were not a supporting role I wouldn’t be surprised if he pulls it off.
Lee Soo Kyung can attest to that: http://www.dramabeans.com/2011/11/lee-soo-kyung-juggles-two-cable-shows-simultaneously/
It’s not a common practice in the industry among main leads, and certainly not for actors who are not yet established the way Lee Soo Kyung was at the time.
There was a discussion thread regarding this back at dramabeans. Needless to say, Jang Shin Young, Shin Song Rok, and yes even less seasoned actresses such as Shin So Yul and Kim Ga Eun have all been leads and had overlapping dramas too.
It’s a common practice regardless of how big the role is. That is even truer with veteran actors (or I would call “senior” actors) that do 2-3 dramas simultaneously. Yes, they are not the “lead”, but the sheer juggling is that intense.
With both shows under SBS it shouldn’t be surprising that it’ll be an easier transition for him to go back and forth between productions. Lee Dong Wook was once in a drama and reality show simultaneously too, and even then he was doing two shows for both SBS and MBC, so I expect this to be an easier task.
Besides, almost every actor in Korea does this at least once in their career (not to mention idol-actors who have to juggle even more). It’s the price to pay if you’re a rising actor.
Lee Dong Wook had pretty minimal time on Roommate S1 though. That was the season that coincided with Hotel King, he was hardly in the Roommates house back then.
Idol actors usually end up being forced to choose one, if a drama clashes with their idol activities. Usually the drama takes priority. Im Siwan missed almost a full round of Ze:A comebacks and promo because he was working on Triangle at the time, Sooyoung and Yoona have missed SNSD concerts and public appearances while they were filming their dramas last year, MBLAQ performed in Peru without Lee Joon during Gapdongi, After School appeared without Uee while she was doing Golden Rainbow….much easier for a group to miss a member for one appearance than for a drama to lose a cast member.
Which just goes to show that juggling is indeed the norm of the industry. Of course there will be sacrifices and each production would have to work around each respective actor/idol’s schedules to make it happen. For the idols, it’s always a win-win anyway. They get to further their individual popularity, and in turn, this also aides in each group’s promotion. On the other hand, dramas can also benefit because of the promotion work of an idol-actor’s group. I remember SNSD performing in M-net awards (I think?) and the group went on to shout-out Sooyoung who was currently shooting a drama. Other instances such as reality shows (Jessica and Krystal for instance) have a heavy idol group promotion that is also happening in the background. Roommate is basically one big promotional show in which everyone in the show had something going on (especially season 2) and eventually landed projects, probably thanks in part to their rising popularity because of the show (Jo Se Ho is a prime example of this). WGM is another vehicle for most idols to promote and actors who currently have dramas (Kim So Eun comes immediately at mind).
Bottomline: Juggling is hustling. To succeed you need to hustle.
They’re not referring to the Goryeo king Muhyul lol. Muhyul was Sejong’s bodyguard in Tree With Deep Roots–this is just one of the character prologues/cameos they promised.
*Gogoryeo sorry
I was thinking the same thing. A TWDR crossover makes a lot more sense. Hope you are right. Otherwise, what the heck?
Agree, he is playing Mu Hyul from Tree With Deep Roots. Mu Hyul aka King Daemusin is from the early Goguryeo era.
i still remember his cute face from faith.
its good to see hes getting so many opportunities after the great job on pinocchio
You girls always happy if an unknown good looking guy got a bigger a role, but always criticize to the death when a decent beautiful girl get hired for her bigger role. Shame on you.