This will be an interesting K-drama to check out because the lead casting is so random, and to see whether certain drama selection choices end up being a smart move or a fallacy. Kang Sora and Park Shin Yang are the surprising leads for upcoming KBS Mon-Tues drama Neighborhood Lawyer Jo Deul Ho. The drama is an adaptation of a same name webtoon about a righteous lawyer who gives up a lucrative practice after butting heads with the rich and powerful and ends up being a neighborhood lawyer fighting for the little guys. Think the concept behind OCN‘s upcoming Neighborhood Hero but with legal acumen in place of fighting prowess.
When I heard Park Shin Yang was the male lead I seriously did a double take because it’s been forever since he was last in any acting gig, which was Sign in 2011, and before that was Painter of the Wind in 2009. I can’t stand him for the most part, and he still remains most known for Lovers in Paris, which was the insanely popular drama that put famed screenwriter Kim Eun Sook on the map back in 2004. I don’t know if Kang Sora is smart or silly for turning down Please Come Back Ahjusshi with Rain (the role eventually went to Oh Yeon Seo) for this drama, but the ratings and reception will provide the final verdict. Neighborhood Lawyer will air after Moorim School in late February.
Directing will be PD Lee Jung Sub who did Healer, Ohlala Couple, Man of Honor, Baker King Kim Tak Goo, Hong Gil Dong and Invincible Lee Pyung Gyung, and the screenwriter adapting the webtoon will be Lee Hyang Hee who wrote The King’s Face and War of Money (Money’s Warfare). Now I know where the Park Shin Yang connection came from since he was the lead in War of Money. I like the PD a lot but don’t like the screenwriter’s last two works at all. Sigh, not a promising sign for Kang Sora, who has been pretty inconsistent in picking projects. Dr. Stranger was an awful character for her, but Misaeng was excellent, and then she stumbled again with Warm and Cozy.
they are playing father and daughter right?
Haha. Please tell me that’s the case.
I adore both kang sora and oh yeon seo so who cares about rating. They are both great and kang sora’s drama is on the mon-tues slot of KBS which is always low and oh yeon seo’s drama is against kim Eun sook big budget drama.. Soooo…just wish them the best.
Huh why is beautiful Kang Sora being partnered with an ahjussi?
At first I thought Rain is like much older than KS but this actor looks even older. But I as told he is a good actor. I have never watch his previous works.
Ikr? Her 8-year age gap with Rain is nothing to the 22-year she has with this actor.
kang Sora is making the right choice because she fare better in this kind of drama. She is a bit awkward in Romantic acting department….
I just hope park shin yang and her don’t have a love line.
Anyhow, any drama is any drama is better than having lee min jung in it right? I just pity the casts for come back mister. Lee min jung acting always flops
She got romance down…you should check her out in:
‘Ugly Alert’, ‘Dr Stranger’ (she had more chemistry with Jong-seok than the flipping lead) and ‘Warm and Cozy’.
Oh please she was terrible in warm and cozy ,don’t be delusional because she’s your fav.
LOL you are always shading Kang Sora.
Well looks like its the trend now – older guys, younger gals.
Goo Soo + Se Yeon
Seo Jin +Uee
Shin Yang + Sora
All the guys are solid actors, will be good workng exprience for these younger actresses. Go for it!
I think the older guys have better chemistry with the younger actress, well to me ,I can’t stand those baby face actors ,I prefer them older ones ,so I would definitely check this one out !
I’m in for PSY with War of Money Script Writer
As an additional older guys – younger gals :
Lee Bum Soo – Yoona (Prime Minister and I), I super love love them, they have the chemistry 🙂
I honestly can’t say whether she made the right choice either, in terms of dramas. Only time will tell.
But perhaps she didn’t make the choice because of co-stars but more for genre. She’s just finished one rom-com, she may not want to do another one so soon. An action thriller might give her a chance to try something different.
Seriously? What an odd pairing…I tried watching Lovers in Paris but couldn’t connect with the otp, and this guy just doesn’t do it for me. I’m guessing there are no love-lines. I don’t like massive age gaps, with the exception of Unstoppable High Kick (Jung II-Woo!) and I can’t think of anymore right now. I couldn’t watch Prime Minister with Yoona because the love-line was too icky, they just did not match. Anyway, even sans love-line I don’t think I could watch it with this dude.
P.s. I love Sora and she is normally exceptional but wtf Dr Stranger? Can’t blame her for ‘Warm and Cozy’, you’d think you’re on to a winner with the Hong sisters…still, was cute in spite of the boring non existent plotline.
this man look old enough to be her father. hope there no romance in it.
There’s supposed to be a big age difference, the whole point is that the guy is a worn-out lawyer and the girl a college senior studying law. This is more of a hero-sidekick dynamic, not a love line.
That reminds me of Dr Frost and his understudy/assistan sidekick. Sounds good then!