Kim Sa Rang Drops Out of Mr. Sunshine and Kim Min Jung in Talks to Take Over Role
There’s a casting change this week in K-drama land that isn’t quite as explosive and intrusive to the drama filming as what happened with SBS hit thriller Return needing to replace its leading lady midway through airing. K-actress Park Sa Rang has dropped out of the upcoming Kim Eun Sook period drama Mr. Sunshine, with initial reports that it was due to her health but her agency later clarified that it was a scheduling conflict. Mr. Sunshine stars Lee Byung Hun and Kim Tae Ri as the leads, with Yoo Yeon Seok as the second male lead. Kim Sa Rang’s character is the second female lead and reportedly had a lot of scenes with Byun Yo Han‘s character. Filming has commenced for the pre-produced drama already but Kim Sa Rang had not started filming yet so switching her role now is not going to cause a delay to the filming. An offer is out to Kim Min Jung to take over and she’s considering it.
Good for Kim Minjung. She has been acting since she was very young but hasn’t managed to become popular. Perhaps this would be her ticket to fame.
Ugh.. Kim Min Jung ruined Man To Man. She’s not lead material. Her screen presence is irritating, her voice and her looks are annoying too. But above all, her acting is bad. I have no idea why Kim Eun Sook would cast her.. I suspect she has some kind of backing
She already confirmed.But frankly, her last performance in Man to Man left a lot to be desired.It was not good for someone with her level of experience.Hopefully she will improve on this new role.
@peach talking about a boost in popularity.If this production does to her like DOTS did for Kim Ji Won.Otherwise, i do think in the long term, Kim Eun Sook dramas benefit the male leads than the female supporting characters.Like Goblin, I dont think it did much for Yoo In Na or Kim Sarang in terms of popularity.Even the supporting males in KES like Kim Woo Bin, Jin Goo and Lee Dong Wook will have to rely on their acting skills and working consistently to sustain their popularity.
While the Gong Yoo, Song Joong Ki, Hyun Bin, etc are still enjoying the benefits from starring in KES production.This in my opinion is why they can afford to take long gaps from one drama project to the other.Even Lee Min Ho took two year gap between Heirs and LOTBS and no effect on popularity.
I don’t necessarily think that’s correct. KES doesn’t pick popular actors to star as second leads in her dramas in general. Of course there’s Lee Dong Wook and now Yoo Yeon Suk but in the past none of those actors were very popular. Kim Woo Bin never had a lead role until after Heirs. Jin Goo was hardly known and Yoon Sang-hyun is still not very popular.
Point is, KES made so many of these actors known on a much larger scale. And when she did cast someone as huge as Lee Dong Wook, he ended up overshadowing the female lead probably from Day 1. Because she writes her males so much better (not in a literal sense but in a “swoony” way).
So yes I do agree that Kim Sa Rang might not be benefitting to hugely for this, but BYH and YYS are gonna come out winners if this does well. I’m almost certain of that specially due to LBH being so unliked in RL.
I read your reply a few times.After the first time.I thought you were giving a dissenting opinion.But actually, we are saying the same thing.Just using different wording.Oh also about HB etc..I was not saying they were not popular before KES.That would be giving her too much credit.
GY already had coffee prince, train on busan etc
SJK had werewolf boy and innocent man.HB had My name is Kim Sam Soon.LMH had boys over flowers..and so on and so on before meeting her.I was just saying after the boost in popularity they get from starring in her dramas.The effects of that popularity lasts much much longer than the supporting leads.Thats how I see it.I am not writing this as fact.its just my own opinion based on what ive seen.
Also, LMH, GY, HB etc are all very popular before KES. She just boosted them, not made a name for them.
Ahhh I love kim sa rang ??
does it really matter who is the second female lead of a KES drama? Lee Santa will be in the spotlight regardless. It maybe smart for Kim Sa Rang to stay away from unnecessary scandals… lol…
Kim Min Jung is good, don’t understand the negative comment.
I just found out that Kim Sa Rang is 40 years old, and she doesn’t even look like it! Gosh, what is wrong with me these days… these Korean older actresses are so beautiful. Anyway, I’m so disappointed with how this turned out. I’m just shock with the new casting because it seems like they’re not even putting thought into character-making just like the writer’s previous dramas, again!
And I probably won’t be surprise if Lee Byung Hun get out too, because it seems like they didn’t even start filming yet.
I’m more appalled they haven’t start filming since casting was announced last June.
LBH getting out would be the best thing ever but we know it won’t happen.
Kim Sarang to Kim Minjung is such a downgrade. Kim Sarang might not be the strongest actress but she is gorgeous. Kim Minjung is lacking in both looks and acting, and she has 0 screen presence. I’m shocked she’s a child actress. No wonder she hasn’t gotten famous like other child actresses because she simply sucks. Kim Eunsook must be pressed for time to cast her. This role would have been better utilized if they gave it to some actresses like Jo Boah or Seo Yeji who are in need of a breakout role.
oh no no… SYJ should be a lead actress (with LJK hopefully) since she was already a lead in Save Me and she is good. Definitely not a supporting role in stupid KES drama who does not write well for female characters please… Especially with that Lee Santa, no no no thank you!
plus SYJ is too young for the character… seems like they are looking for one who is 30+. Lee Santa is old…
Oops I didn’t mean Seo Yeji. I was trying to say Seo Jihye. But yeah both deserve lead roles.