Casting is on a spree for Mr. Sunshine, hit screenwriter Kim Eun Sook‘s next drama following last year’s double hits Descendants of the Sun and Goblin. Filming doesn’t start until late fall but a big name drama like this always starts casting early and on the heels of confirming leads Lee Byung Hun and Kim Tae Ri there’s now a second male lead joining the cast. Yoo Yeon Seok has signed on for the drama in the male supporting role that is almost always memorable in Kim Eun Sook dramas, be it Kim Woo Bin, Lee Dong Wook, or Jin Goo, playing second fiddle has its own rewards. Mr. Sunshine is set during 1900-1905 centering around the soldiers fighting for independence and a romance that blossoms during this tumultuous era.
The casting for Mr. Sunshine is the first time Kim Eun Sook’s drama comes across as aiming for a movie feel, starting from movie stars Lee Byung Hun and Kim Tae Ri as the leads. Yoo Yeon Seok has been in more movies than dramas actually so he’s a solid pick and eclectic pick to join this project.
And now I’m torn… I wasn’t planning to watch this because of Lee Byung Heon, but now Yoo Yeon Sook is in it, and I’m suddenly interested. Damn it drama! Why do you have to play with my heart?!
Still need to think long and hard if my love for Chilbongie outweighs my ill feelings towards Lee Byung Heon. I also need to think if I’m ready to get my heart broken again for Yoo Yeon Seok’s character.
Aargh! Why couldn’t he have been cast as the lead of the OCN drama with Go Ara instead. 🙁 Would have been ecstatic to see them paired in a drama. Sorry, I’m still salty (and probably will be for a long time) over Chilbongie.
So you prefer see an actor you like with a “bad” actress without scandal than a great actor who had scandals…
Personaly, even I find that Go Ara a beautiful eyes, I never have been convinced by her acting.
I just find Lee Byung Heon really, really sleazy, even prior to his scandal with Da Hee and the model.
As for the bad actress, I don’t think she’s that bad. She’s usually passable/okay to good, depending on the script and her co actors. She was horrible in Hwarang (I know). But then, I’m mostly blaming that on the script and how the character was written. Sort of similar to Lee Yubi’s Yang Sun from Scholar Who Walks the Night, everyone, literally had a better written character than hers and she did the best she could, but she still received most of the hate. Go Ara’s Ah Ro on the other hand served no real purpose in the narrative except be there for the love triangle and be the main “prop.” I think she was really good in Reply 1994, ok in You Are All Surrounded, and once again, good in the movie The Joseon Magician, just not so sold on the chemistry with Yoo Seung Ho.
I feel you.. You not the only one..
Those lips..
The best casting choice in Mr. Sunshine so far. Too bad I hate relationship triangles and KES writing style in general. Maybe through this drama, his status will finally be propelled to the level he belongs to talent-wise. He is far better actor than Lee Jon Suk or Lee Min Ho, but his popularity is moderate compared to these two..
True… He’s really an excellent actor. I can already see it now, a lot of the viewers will once again be boarding the doomed second lead ship (doomed if KES decided to do a love triangle, which I hope not). He’s still my worst case of SLS and I never recovered from it. LOL
I can never forgive Reply 94 for trolling us with Chilbong. How could that writer do this to the viewers? I mean now that I’ve re-watched it I get why he was a SL, he was trying to be too perfect in front of Na Jung, but still, I liked him more. And yes he is a really good actor and I kinda wish he was the male lead. I definitely think I’ll have a SLS if I end up watching Mr. Sunshine anyway. That is if he has a great chemistry with the FL. But I’m happy that maybe this is YYS’s chance in getting that public recognition he deserves.
I’m afraid KES will create another Choi Young Do, but it will be more tragic haha
Even with his addition to the cast doesn’t makes me want to watch this new drama. For now I will wait for previews and maybe a few episodes in to see if I will watch it.
Is it gonna be love triangle?? Cos she has avoided the usual drama troupe in her past 2 successful dramas. Frankly, love triangles and love squares are so lame and predictable. I prefer 2 separate otps to get invested in. YYS should be the lead instead. At least the otp will be age appropriate. Now it’s uncle and Niece pairing….probably the huge age gap is due to her narrative. Still…… sigh…., Lee Seo Jin would have been a more suitable lead than LBH. I can’t unsee his sleaze and differentiate between real and reel.
+1 on Lee Seo Jin. He would have been perfect for this.
well i really like him. he is abit miss and hit for me. he really need a good char to make him appear not dull. but he might be gave a better performances than kim woo bin in heirs and lee dong wook in goblin. But i doubt about KES ability to get the best of him. even jin go is so waste in DOTS.
I don’t think he will be able to give a better second lead performance than Kim Woo Bin in Heirs. First of all, KWB’s character there was the most interesting character written for a while and every other character was so bad in Heirs that KWB managed to come out clean. Also, he had an amazing chemistry with the FL and SFL there and his character had a redemption, so it helped a lot to bring sympathy to his character. This is why KWB got his hallyu status and it’s hard to replicate that.
well, okay .. that’s okay. I respect your opinion. But I just think that year he was making a breakthrough based on popularity. He make it BIG with his project in 2013. But I just don’t think he is waking up yet. I’m not saying he is bad. But since Yo Yeon Seok has more experience when he is doing a Kim Eun Suk drama than Kim Woo Bin. It’s make sense I will expecting a better performances. KWB’s real acting start post UF. He is just has that fire in him can control it since then. I just remember his cringe worthy acting in The great legacy alongside Yo Oh Seung his father in UF, and it’s amazed how far Kim Woo Bin has improved since and act again opposite Yu Oh Seung with a far better performances. .
@missjb That’s true actually, KWB used to be so awkward. He comes of strong but his delivery is awkward. Even though I couldn’t feel his acting in UF, it was still better there than in Heirs. YYS on the other hand is really good. I’m not too optimistic that he’ll be able to do a ’Chillbong’ again. I like that YYS and KWB have challenged themselves with different types of characters though, something that for example LMH and LJS haven’t done..
Well… Since I admit I’m so bias when it comes value acting. I confess absolutely in love with KWB’s performances in UF. He is my fave Lee Kyung Hee’s leading male performances after Song Joong Ki. Noted I only watched MISA, Sangdoo, WISFC, Nice Guy and UF.
Back to Yo Yeun Suk. Hopefully, his char won’t be another Choi Young Do since no matter how look at it, I really loath Choi Young Do.
Why are you so obsessed over LMH and LJS? In every comment you always mention them, lol
@Wienya, I mention LJS and LMH as reference in regards of popularity and stardom versus acting range and skills, when I talk about same age male actors 🙂
Oh KES, please write a good role for YYS otherwise LBH will out-act him by a mile.
Hmm, thank God none of my favs get cast on this drama so i could skip this.
I don’t like KES’s writing style, but I love the bromances of her drama.
YYS is a good actor, I just hope he will be my reason to watch this drama…
I love this actor ! He has fantastic chemistry with all his co stars .But playing a tragic lover again ! NOooo. This writer wants my death for sure!
YYS is younger and much taller, and he looks good… let’s wait and see for what reason the female lead will choose LBH over YYS (assuming there will be a love triangle)… still not planning to watch this drama unless I am very bored 🙂
I find him lack of charisma. He’s somehow like Lee Joon, Im Shi Wan or Lee Jin Wook. They are good actors but lack of the star power or typically weak screen presence.
LBH is still there! Wish he’ll drop out ! Too sleezy to be genuine in love dramas.
KES is really stretching her luck!
I may be a fan of KES but this time, I’ll let go. I’m not rooting for her new drama becos can’t stomach LBH
The guy is not bad, but he doesn’t have enough charisma to pull off a lead character, which is why PDs avoid casting him as one. The guy is bland and even if he weren’t, LBH, as sleazy as he might be, will always act circles around him.