Park Hyung Sik Indeed the Offered Male Lead of K-drama Adaptation of C-novel The Golden Hairpin Currently Being Adapted to C-drama with Yang Zi and Kris Wu

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• Yikes! Nam Ji Hyun will be Park Hyung Sik's perfect sidekick as Enola Holmes type. Seeing my beloved Da Bong with someone else will be sooo hard to swallow. Please drama gods, Soop boss and mama Mrs Nam, please persuade Ji Hyun to fight for this role. I always imagine JH to be playing a female detective whether it's modern or sageuk which is her specialty. I have missed Hyung Sik so much too, this is his perfect post MS comeback. Please please don't mess it up with a meh FL with zero chemistry like so many duds.

  • PHS & NJH detective duo??? I already see their chemistry

    • Yes, they chemistry in spades. My reply to you went way down below. Lol

• female centric drama, and they use phs for the hype?

  • Its going to follow the trajectory of the chinese drama adaptation. Boost up the male protagonist's role and play down the female to give them both equal footing as the dynamic investigative duo. My biggest concern is his co-star. All the top females actresses in the right age range are either filming a project or signed on for others. The female protagonist is supposed to be only 17 in the book i think but the china side also casted an actress in her late 20s so likely it will be the same for this case. Kim so hyun would have been perfect for this drama imo. My gut is they will either cast an actress with so-so fame or 30s A-list actress. Jin Se Yeon? #facepalm

    • I actually wouldn't mind Jin Se Yeon. She is really good in saeguks. Is Kim Tae Ri busy? She would also do really well.

    • It would be wonderful if Kim Tae Ri could be cast as the female lead, although I think she is leaning more towards making movies. She’s a great actress and they would be perfect together! Lee Se-Young would be my second choice, I was very impressed with her as the graceful Queen in “The Crowned Clown”. She and Park Hyung Sik are around the same age and they would make a great couple. However, I believe she has just signed up for another drama? And Jin Se Yeon would be my third choice.

    • Seems like the main female role requires a strong or charismatic actress, so I agree that Kim So Hyun would've been perfect if only she's not in another drama already.
      I agree also with Kim Tae Ri and Lee Se Young.
      And please not Jin Se Yeon. I don't mean to offend, but even though she's better in sageuks, she's always been a weak actress to me. Bridal Mask casting was almost perfect except for the casting of her in the female lead.

    • Jin Se Yeon one of the very few actresses who has not announced any projects yet. Hence my guess. Or maybe Shin Se Kyung who finished Run On sometime ago. Btw the two I guess the later is slightly better but I don't really like both. Theres also Moon Gayoung who does a few series a year but I am kinda tired of her. She's a bit overexposed at the moment. There's casting calls to a few Alist actresses but I doubt they will take it. If the actress ends up not up to par, he will have to do hard carrying. I would love to see a Park Boyoung reunion but she seems to avoid sageuks.

• I'm generally a realist when analysing which K-dramas will do well. When I saw the writer's name as the one who wrote Lovestruck in the City, my mind went straight to "What the heck?" I like the PD but it hinges on the chemistry & storyline which are the most crucial elements. PHS is my Oppa here so I'm willing to watch 16-20 hours of him reciting the analects or reading the phone book so be it.

• I’ve been waiting for Phs’ comeback and this is most like in the bag already as his agency has said they already had a meeting with the writer and director. What I am most likely wary is who will be the female lead as sageuk is a very difficult genre to pull off. Really hoping Kim Tae Ri or Moon Geun Young will be the female lead. I’m just glad that Hyungsik will be given a chance to make another sageuk to erase the disservice Hwarang gave to his character.

• All the comments above made me really worried over the casting choice of the FL. Kim Tae Ri would be super perfect but very unlikely. My second pick would be IU. Han So Hee already attached to some other project. But please, not Jin Se Yeon or Jin Ki Joo or Suzy. Please No.

  While I am so excited cos PHS is my ultimate bias but going up against a C-drama adaptation within the nearest time of airing is really not a good idea esp having Yang Zi as FL and not to mention China always do better than Korea when executing a period drama.

  Just praying the best for this comeback drama of my boy.

  Anyway, does anyone has any idea if the setting would be in Joseon or Goryeo?

  • Usually productions try to avoid pairing both leads from idol backgrounds. This is a well known taboo in the industry. So while PHS and IU will look perfect on paper, unfortunately its not gonna happen with top directors and scriptwriters. I would love IU as well. Kim Taeri is more chungmuro so chances of her taking another drama is quite slim. Kinda bad timing for the drama really. Hope they land an actress that can really elevate the buzz of the drama.

    • I don't agree. Seo In Guk and Jung Eun Ji were both from idol backgrounds with zero to minimal acting experience before Answer Me/Reply 97. Yet the director cast them in the drama & propelled tvN into the big league & hit duet All For You. The rest is history.

    • Now it's making me wonder how many idol pairings there are outside of the dramas that were produced with idols in mind (eg. SM produced 'To The Beautiful You' with Minho & Sulli)

      You had Siwan and Yoona in 'The King Loves', L and Nara in 'Royal Secret Agent'and those pairings probably only happened because Siwan and Nara are now more known as actors rather than idols.

    • Im Si-Wan and Yoona in The King in Love drama were both from idol backgrounds.

    • TOP name directors and scriptwriters and productions. Reply 1997- PD Kim Wonho is writing and directing a drama for the very first time. With limited budget resources and the channel taking a chance with his switch as well, it became what it is. But look at his decisions after the huge success, he went back to the traditional model and used actors instead. Anyway up to you to believe.

    • @Mia - SM invested dramas

    • Eunji is from an idol background, but Seo In Guk isn't. He is often mistaken for an idol, but his career was launched through the hit talent competition show Superstar K. Seo In Guk gained popularity with TV viewers who voted him the winner of the show's very first season. He was signed to an agency as a soloist right after he won, and his first single was released less than a month later. Idols, on the other hand, often have to go through years of an agency's rigorous trainee system without any guarantee of debuting. Interesting enough, Eunji only had to train two months due to her solid vocal skills.

    • SM invested in 'The King Loves' and 'Royal Secret Agent'?

    • @mia. Investment wise for King Loves. Yes. Most dramas like royal secret agent going with two crossover idol to acting leads are never top billed productions flanked with big production budgets/star writers/sought after PDs. Look at the crossover top stars like IU, have you seen her big name projects casted with other crossover idols? No. Same as Park Hyung Sik. His management would not allow it either especially since hes trying to establish himself as a top actor, they would always want him opposite an actress rather than an idol for credibility reasons. People cab try to be as woke about this as they want but this is the truth in korean entertainment. The lines are still strongly drawn between kpop and acting and even chungmuro.

    • The lack of dual idol leads in dramas and movies is no surprise to me (there's enough backlash with just one idol receiving a lead role). I was just racking my brain to see how many, that were not from obvious idol productions, actually made the cut. SM has received a lot of backlash over the years for their idols being everywhere and it's well known they've invested in dramas including producing their own over the years. They already had their own production company with SM C&C which included a merger with Jang Dong Gun's acting agency AM Entertainment, and a couple of years ago they acquired Keyeast and purchased controlling shares of FNC's drama production company and rebranded it as their own. Most of the A-List actors that came with those mergers left for other agencies once their contracts expired. I didn't hear anything about SM's investment in 'The King Loves', but with their own idol Yoona as the star, it doesn't surprise me.

      Back to the subject of dual idol leads, the only other dual idol leads I can think of include actors that were former 1st generation girl group/boy band members (I don't think they were called idols back then but they're referred to as 1st gen idols now).

      I MISS YOU
      Yoon Eun Hye (Baby Vox)/Yoochun (TVXQ/JYJ)

      MARRY HIM IF YOU DARE
      Yoon Eun Hye (Baby Vox)/Yonghwa (CNBLUE)

      FULL HOUSE 2
      Hwang Jung Eum (Sugar)/No Min Woo (TRAX)

      LET'S EAT 2
      Seo Hyun Jin (M.I.L.K)/Doojoon (Beast/Highlight)

      ANOTHER OH HAE YOUNG
      Eric (Shinhwa)/Seo Hyun Jin (M.I.L.K)

      COME BACK MISTER
      Rain/Oh Yeon Seo (LUV)

      MANHOLE
      Jaejoong (TVXQ/JYJ)/Uee (After School)

      WOK OF LOVE
      Jung Ryeowon (Chakra)/Junho (2PM)

      MYSTIC POP-UP BAR
      Hwang Jung Eum (Sugar)/Yook Sungjae (BTOB)

    • @mia - wow. thats some amazing research you have there. For some reason the scrutiny isn't as hard for the first gen idols turned actors like Yoon Eun Hye and Eric. I think when a long time has passed since they crossover, the respect for their numerous work as actors are gradually recognised. So its good. Always help when they are part of a hallyu hit drama and in Yoon Eun Hye's case she had Goong and Coffee Prince. Eric still carry some vibes as an idol actor though since Shinhwa is still active but Seo Hyunjin - I dont even know which girl group she was from as her idol days had almost no recognition. But yes Im super glad you too see the bias of the industry but tbh I'm all for it. There are too many talented actresses passed over for idol actors.

• Some would probably say she would be too cutesy for the role, but can we have Park Bo Young for the female lead? Her chemistry with PHS was off the charts in SWDBS! Plus she can pull off less cutesy roles too. Probably won't happen, but I really want to see them in another drama!
  I think my girl Kim So Hyun would be perfect too, and I'm not just saying this because I'm biased, she just really shines in that kind of role. I don't think she'll do back to back sageuks tho.
  Kim Ji Won and Kim Tae Ri are my other choices too, but like everyone already said, KTR seems more movie-focused.

  • PBY will be good, i also curious how she act in sageuk. But she look busy with her modern drama with SIG and her upcoming movie.

    I love Kim Sohyun in sageuk, but i hope she take a rest for awhile after busy re-shoot RWTMR. It really tough year for her.

    My other choice is NJH, but she already have other drama right. Well, most pure actress in twenty with good acting look like already busy this year.

    • @LaraDe Oh damn I forgot about the SIG drama. Well, that's too bad then.. But I really wish they'll reunite in another drama in the future! NJH would be a good choice too! Ah, really too bad, they're all already booked lol

  • Kim So Hyun in a female centric drama again with a strong writing this time would be great but I know she's tired and she deserves a rest. My hardworking girl. Plus, a segeuk again is harder to film than a modern drama.
    Has Lee Sung Kyung done a segeuk before? She and PHS are cute in their "True Colors" cover. They don't have a drama together but they already have chemistry IMO.

    • @Kim Yeah, as a fan, I really want a long proper rest for our girl, it's more like a wishful thinking that I mentioned her because this kind of role is really perfect for her lol
      And yes to Lee Sung Kyung! Don't know why I've forgotten to mention her, she'd be a really good choice too! I've seen some people say she's too modern-looking, but I think she'll look really good in sageuk attire!

• I'd vote for Lee Se Young. I can just imagine her in this type of role, like in Kairos.

• @dandelionplusme, NJH has perfect chemistry with PSH in What Happened To My Family. This 50 episode 2014 drama is so popular that Netflix started screening it this year. NJH already displayed a hint of the detective in 100 DMP when her character opened a problem-solving agency to pay off her husband's debts. Plus her family was also accused of being traitors to the king and her father executed. NJH started shooting 8 episode Witch drama in early March which will finish sometime in May. She still has time to shoot this sag with PHS.

  • Yup. Productions don't go more than 4 months to shoot 8 ep drama. Hard to see NJH going back to sageuk though. She's leaning towards other genres and probably go on a six month hiatus again like she does each year. She seems very contented raising her fur kitties nowadays.

    • @observer: NJH and her kitties are inseparable now.

  • Yes! NJH also already did detective role long before 100 DMP with the 4 episodes Maiden Detective Park Hae-sol. I'm so excited but have to lower my expectation, because girl is being unpredictable with her drama choices after 100 DMP. Is it Soop's doing or what, I dont have a guess. TT

    • I sympathise with you @dandelionplusme 1 & 2. Soop probably not at fault. They brought her roles in SKL, SP & 100 DMP. Maybe she's just the type to chill and work when she wants to. Park Bo Young is like that too. One drama every 2 years. Kim Sa Rang also seldom acts. Seems like JH & her family can afford this lifestyle financially, so why not enjoy it? My other theory which I will make into my own k-drama (tongue in cheek) is that JH is happy in a secret rship most likely with a fellow actor who's well-known. They are happily spending time together hence reduced workload on her side if she makes that choice. Any sane person would be bored to tears not working for 6 months just hanging out at home with your kittens/mum/dad/sis. Even I got fed up with my partner after endless rounds of lockdowns, snapping at each other at times, lol.

• If China was smart, they’d air their version sooner then later.

  • @Neen

    I’m not looking forward to the comparisons that will arise if both the Cdrama and Kdrama air within the same period. Personally, I don’t watch remakes for this very reason, I tend to stick to the original version and my brain constantly ends up comparing both versions to the detriment of the newer one. I do hope the C-drama airs soon as there has been so much hype surrounding it -but considering the Chinese Censorship board, anything is possible. I wonder if the news that the K-drama version is being produced, will speed up things?

  • even if cdrama airs first there are high chances of kdrama being better considering hyungsik is way superior to kris wu when it comes to acting and kdramas dont do dubbing the voice of the actors...

    • C-dramas have better executions in period pieces but I am still looking forward to the Korean adaptation since tvn will be the broadcasting network so quality will also not be compromised. But there is already a circulating news that c-drama adaptation will not do voice dubbing for this one. Already saw the teaser of Golden Hairpin, and they do used the actor’s original voices.

    • LOL Korean remakes tend to be extremely bad, doesn't matter who's in there.

    • Nope. Mr Queen was dollops better than the c-drama it was adapted from. This production is backed with serious money and rumoured to be TVNs most expensive production the 2nd half of 2021. Apart from the actors, I can't wait to see the overall production value. Mr. Queen had amazing sets, wardrobe and styling. As long as they stay with that team, steer clear of hwarangs costume and styling peoplr, it should be good :p

    • That's not fair to claim Mr Queen was superior to its C drama counterpart when they had a bigger budget and seasoned actors.

    • @lydia1, that's like one out of A LOT of really bad kdrama remakes.

    • Mr. Queen is also good and has been executed excellently that is why I am trusting TVN for the remake of Golden Hairpin. But speaking in general, costume c-dramas has this special touch and superiority when it comes to making this type of genre. Most of their period pieces are very excellent too maybe because of nice costumes and the intricacy of the sets they use (more colorful and lively) which are more pleasing to the eyes.

• PHS! hoping for a reunion project for PHS and my fave Nam Ji Hyun..