Now this is what I call an interesting casting consideration, both for the production and for the actors in question. Jang Geun Seok has been offered the leading role in upcoming SBS Mon-Tues sageuk drama Daebak. The drama is slated to air in April following Six Flying Dragons, which remains the ratings leader for that time slot. If Jang Geun Seok accepts, it’ll be his first sageuk in 8 years since he did Hong Gil Dong in 2008, and also marks a return to the genre that really put him on the map when he did a memorable supporting turn in Hwang Jin Yi opposite Ha Ji Won. It will also be the first time that Jang Geuk Seok headlined a sageuk project.
I want him to have a successful acting comeback in Korea, even if I’m nowhere near as enthused over him as I was a few years ago during his You’re Beautiful peak. A sageuk project screams serious and sincere rather than flirting with more flower boy roles, which he really did a near caricature of when he acted in his last K-drama Pretty Boy. My only concern is the screenwriter of Daebak, who wrote Goddess of Fire and Warrior Baek Dong Soo. The former is such a turd of a drama even starring Moon Geun Young I would rather poke my eyes with hot sticks than rewatch a second of it. Directing will be the PD of Mask who also directed Jang Geun Seok in You’re Beautiful and did sageuk Jang Ok Jung, Live in Love.
Daebak is being described as the sageuk version of classic Hallyu drama All In with Lee Byung Hun and Song Hye Kyo. The role Jang Geun Seok is up for is the leading man, who is Joseon’s number one con artist. The story revolves around the duel of wits between the leading man and his rival. That rival will be played by Yeo Jin Goo, in his first real adult leading man role. LOL that is sooooo awesome, the two big name grown up child actors of K-dramas facing off in adult roles. Love it! I hope this happens, and that the screenwriter has magically learned to write in the last three years.
Miss Koala, Im Ji Yeon has been offered the female lead role… I’m digging this casting as I liked her a lot in High Society but I’m hoping that Yeo Jin Goo has his own gal to romance too.
Im Ji Yeon is not that good actress, she needs improve many more.
i hope that she can make a good job now, because her acting is horrible and so fake.
Goddess of Fire was terrible and made they female lead look like she didn’t even know what she was doing .
so true
The*
The plot was boring and a waste of the talents of the cast.
Please let this be true. I miss a JGS that I can take seriously. And definitely miss him in sageuk.
And YJG, awesome, enough said.
WHY JKS / JGS ??? theres a lot of better male korean actors than him,
I will watch this kdrama for all those actors except for JGS..Sorry
Don’t like JGS’s acting, don’t like his dramas, especially his overrated drama –> you’re beautiful, because the plot is so predictable, trite and dumb. and Don’t like his more flop drama –> pretty man.
Why LMH? Why KSH? Why JCW?
Because I think JGS is a good actor who’s lost his way for a while and I liked him before YB aired.
Why with this writer? JGS please!
Wow.. This is good news.
Never like him since You’re beautiful but i know that he is a great actor.
If he starts focusing on his acting career and do more challenging roles i really hope he can be back in the map with those young talented actors
Omg please lets not have Im Ji Yeon be lead female. No offense to her fans but I don’t think she’s ready to do sageuks. She’s ok in candy roles but still a lacking actress overall.
I love JGS and I hope they’ll pick a good actress if he accepts this projectt. He needs a good comeback.
To be honest, I was surprised to find out she’s way younger than song jihyo after her guesting running man I didn’t know a decade separates them. I also thought she was a gag woman. So I had to check her out and no, I don’t find her a potentially good actress.
They need someone who’s on the same level of acting as these two. Because when needed, jgs can really deliver.
But IJY has been in a period film last year… What these two fine actors need is a female lead who can accept the possibility of a more of a supporting role as it usually happens in cinema (the leading lady may have a minor role compared to the protagonis’s duo). That automatically excludes big names but leaves us with the possibility of a female actor who can really, really act, just like Im Ji Yeon. So, I hope for a very good production instead (a meaningful story line, good directing and a fully pre-production series. I hate the downhill the shows often go when poor ratings kick in, especially script-wise).
@Alyssia,I don’t want her either.I mean I loved her on HS..but that role was of a sweet bubbly character,which does not need much of acting props tbh.While a period drama needs more than just a sweet face.Hope the production cast the female lead wisely.
Either that or he should wait for a better drama. IJY is still not lead material yet.
i guess you might talking about Lm ji yeon on bases of her role in HS,but she is really very versatile actress and she have shown her mature acting in movies.She study from Korea National University of Arts and major in Acting.. and she have received many awards regarding her acting…so i guess we need to give her chance to prove her mature acting in dramas as well.
I agree with you. I watched HS and imho, she’s the only factor keeping me staying through the end of the drama series. I also watched his exotic movie with Song Seung Heon. She’s able to make the role alive and convincing. Perhaps she appeared to be too bubbly (and overacting in some viewers’ eyes). But I think she’s got that calibe to take on a variety of roles. I’ll reserve my judgement until the drama is out and I get to watch her more on the show.
*her exotic movie
Can we have Jung So Min as female lead. I miss her already…
With these two, i dont mind with not so popular or so not so talented actress as a female lead. Because looks like it will focus on male part, so i dont want my fav actressess to be wasted in here.
I am ok with Im Ji Yeon though, she was just debuted but already got some recognition. She is not really good, but her talent can be polished i think.
It is better than another sageuk drama, which is female centre, but the lead actress choosen is talentless and not improving even after be a lead for some dramas and work with some good actors.
Wow, my two favorite and brilliant child actors in Korea! Daebak! Take it on Jang Geun Suk, I wish you would have a good drama before leaving to fulfill your military service. We missed you in a drama!
Jang Keun Suk said in a radio show two weeks ago that he already chose his next drama. Maybe the other actors are still considering. I am sure he will show his talant and in the end of the day everybody will recognize the real actor!
DON’T LIKE JGS, he is too overrated actor. his acting is not that good.
don’t like JGS’s acting, his acting is too exaggerated and forced. I don’t like JGS as person. he is too arrogant and conceited.
don’t like history k-dramas. i prefer history C-dramas or J-dramas. but I will watch this kdrama because of Yeo Jin-gu. he is a good actor.
“My only concern is the screenwriter of Daebak, who wrote Goddess of Fire and Warrior Baek Dong Soo. ” So much agree with you, Ms Koala. These two dramas are so boring. I yawned through several episodes of GoF and finally quit before I got to finish up the series. Similarly for WBDS, I watched the drama to see Ji Chang Wook but found from the very start the plot was so out of focus and the stylist did a horrid job on the cast. JGS is an actor of natural talent. Not his fan, but I’m impressed by his performance in You Are Beautiful and Mary Stayed Out All Night. Sageuk could be a challenge to him. He didn’t look good in Hwang Jini in all my honesty. But that’s almost 10 years back and he was still a child actor back then (?) playing a supporting role. Besides, he should need a really good stylist for him to look good in sageuk. His physique looks too delicate to be taken manly in hanbok. He looked so girly in Hwang Jini. Just saying.
Oh yes please! I miss the JKS’ “smolder” when he is really into his character. Sageuk is the way to go to bring back the smolder and slay them all ??. I so miss the acting JGS, it’s been awhile ☺
Jang Geun Suk is a good actor. I don’t understand why people can’t see it. hopefully this drama will be a good project to make people understand him.
Agree with you
JANG GEUN SUK IS REALLY GOOD IN ALL ASPECTS!WE REALLY LOVE HIM HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES!