Well this is definitely a buzzy beyond belief casting trio and with filming to start in January 2022 it’s definitely one of the big projects for next year. Park Seo Joon, Han So Hee, and Wi Ha Joon are cast for the period K-drama titled K-Project (initially called Gyeongseong Creature). It’s set in the early 1900’s during the Korean occupation in a time when people are subjugated but the young folk strive for freedom with their lives at stake. Sounds like Gaksital and Mr. Sunshine in the same era and issues, or a bit later like Capital Scandal. Directing is the PD of Stove League and the script is by the writer of Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim, Where Stars Land, and Gu Family Book. I have no complaints, three actors who can act, look great onscreen, and shoot chemistry in motion, not to mention being current It stars.
K-Project? Good Lord, I hope that’s just a working title.
I miss park seo joon, its too bad I haven’t liked anything of his since fight for my way.
Wi ha joon’s been linked to so many things damn I want to hear hoyeon jung casting news I’m rooting for her to be the IT girl mainly cause her face is too damn mesmerising ?
What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim was so cringe and Itaewon Class would have been loads better without the romance. The setting for Project K seems more interesting, hopefully it’s good.
They should cast Wi HaJoon and Hoyeon Jung as leads in a project. I can’t imagine the SNS hype and coverage it would have. And I agree, Hoyeon’s face and aura are very attractive. I’m pretty sure she’s already the IT girl.
Itaewon Class was good but they could have removed the romance and it would have been better, he and Kim Da Mi had no chemistry (I like them both but I don’t have a problem admitting this). WWSK on the other hand – great chemistry but a plot that felt like it belonged in 2009 lol.
I guess some people like that ‘old kdrama style’ story, given that WWSK was a hit and the first weekday cable drama to do bigger numbers than the terrestrial dramas it was up against.
@Delia
Wwwsk was a vapid fan service type of show. Imo skinship and hot actors constantly making out does not mean there’s chemistry. Plus the characters seemed like caractures and not even real people. The supporting cast were funny though I would watch a show with just them.
Itaewon class initially drew with the revenge premise but then it became anticlimactic. Kim da mi’s character who was a total sociopath put me off aswell.
I couldn’t finish both shows, but fingers crossed for this one.
Is it just me or did Kim Dami not receive as much buzz from Itaewon Class as would be expected for a FL in a hit show? All I see when it comes to her and her character is people talking about how awful her character was, and how unnecessary the romance storyline was.
@amaranath
I thought she did get acclaim for that role? Didnt she get awards or do you mean Internet buzz? Her next show looks promising and you can’t go wrong with the enemies to lovers trope, I hope it’s a hit.
@Kailey b – I mean that Kim Da-mi and her character don’t seem to receive the same level of love that I see breakout FLs from other recent hit shows getting. Whenever people discuss Itaewon Class, I always hear “the FL (and 2nd FL) sucked”, “I dropped the show because of the FL”, “she and the ML had zero chemistry”.
It might just be me though.
@amaranath
I get what you mean. You could compare her to the its okay to not be okay FL, I hated her character just as much but I remember she got lots of love no doubt her runaway fashion added to it. But I remember her character also having one liners and funny scenes but Kim da mi’s character had nothing redeemable or memorable to make you root for her. I didn’t finish the show but I read somewhere she barely had any character development aswell.
Hoyeon just signed with CAA, she is looking at Hollywood not K Dramas.
Koala I see Han So Hee has made you eat your own words. Lol you can no longer be shady or maybe you’re lowkey seething. I found your dismal of her so funny when your favs can’t act for shit.
Anyway looking for to this ofcourse, also what a visual overload.
People were piling on HSH previously, but she shut everyone up with My Name. Same goes for Kim Goeun and Yumi’s Cells.
Actors putting out good work and letting their work speak for itself is the most effective way to change the narrative.
But the thing is bland guys are always pushed like Song Kang, Nam joo hyuk and Jang Ki Yong I can’t even think of their female equivalents. It’s funny how actresses have to prove themselves like that despite doing so in supporting roles…
Woa people were piling on Kim go eun seriously?! Koala stans mediocrity so I’m not surprised. I’m not a big fan of Kim go eun’s shows other than goblin but she’s a respected movie actress.
All three actors you mentioned get frequently piled on for bad acting, lack of charisma, and other stuff. They definitely have their female equivalents who are also pushed hard and can’t act well.
@Purple thorns – people piling on Kim Go Eun is nothing new, Korean commenters like to attack her looks, foreign ones like to attack her acting in Goblin as if she was the one who wrote the role that way, both are ridiculous.
Song Kang, Nam Joo Hyuk etc bland guys getting pushed this hard despite their consistent mediocrity is kind of a new development really, previously military service meant that the male actor field stayed competitive and they had to prove themselves before enlisting, just having a pretty face wasn’t enough.
I can name quite a few female idols who get pushed in acting despite being consistently mediocre but it’s other actresses who suffer from that, not men.
@peanut gallery – yeah, both Korean and international commenters are merciless when it comes to those guys as actors (often deserved).
Of those 3, Jang Ki Yong is the only one who’s shown any real potential as an actor, he was good as a villain in My Ajusshi and as an overworked office worker in his Sweet and Sour movie….but in that gumiho drama he looked like he was about to go to sleep.
@royalwe
I’m starting to think that jang ki yong’s performance in my mister was a fluke, he has been bad and very one note in his post my mister projects. He’s also been type cast in these noona romances. Meh even in sweet and sour, it’s barely acting. Gosh that movie was bad.
If only someone like Kwak dong yeon was pushed. It’s probably all to do with lookism.
@purple thorns Please female leads like park shin hye, jin se yeon and go ara have been pushed for over a decade despite their bland and extremely mediocre acting. Don’t forget hyeri, lee sung kyung and joy are still being pushed.
Justice4Kwakdongyeon!
Seriously, how long can the industry push someone for before it gives up? JKY was great in My Mister but that’s it. He ain’t doing so hot in NWABU either, but that drama has bigger problems than JKY.
@yarro Let lee add Lee Yeonhee to this list, although she’s not pushed much anymore.
@kay- Lee Yeon Hee has at least one or two redeeming performances as an actress though – Miss Korea was genuinely good, I remember being sceptical about her in the title role but she did really well there. At any rate it showed an actress with a ‘flowervase’ reputation is capable of pulling off a good performance if they put in the effort though. The problem is that most people don’t.
Let’s hope this isn’t like Where Stars Land – I like most of the writer’s works but that one was a waste of a good cast.
@Kailey b – I loved Jung Hoyeon in Squid Game but I have a feeling she could go the Bae Doona route as an actress in terms of her image and acting roles.
@Royal We – I can see the Bae Doona route given they both have a similar “look”. It wouldn’t be a bad route. I love Bae Doona and she’s been in some great works. Really looking forwards to Silent Sea.
I see that especially now that she’s signed with an American agency. Plus she speaks perfect English which helps. She’s already mainstream than ever so I hope she doesn’t do marvel. I hope her next role is something meaty.
She’s mad popular and her previous modelling career+ the 23 million ig followers she picked up will definitely help with scoring endorsements
But her filmography is just one role, and that too one that’s like 180 degrees from anything resembling a conventional kdrama heroine (if Squid Game had been on a regular tv channel they’d probably try to give Saebyeok a love line). I’ll be interested to see what she does next and what kind of roles she’s offered, cause kdrama casting can have very narrow vision sometimes.
If I were JHY, I would choose a movie or Netflix drama role next. I can’t really see her in a regular kdrama. Maybe she can be like Jeong Jongseo.
@Kailey b – I’m not sure about the “mainstream” (in Hollywood) part tbh – sure she’s very well known now thanks to Squid Game and appears to have a lot of female fans (ie good staying power), but I can’t see Hollywood actually doing justice to any Korean actress. I hope I’m wrong of course.
@peanut gallery – yeah, Netflix or movies would probably offer her better opportunities in terms of acting roles.
JJS is primarily a movie actress and she’s great.
She speaks English, better than the average Korean celebrity, but it’s far from perfect. She speaks like someone currently learning English.
More excited about a potential WHJ-HSH combination to be honest but wasn’t 1900 Japanese Occupation? Is this going to be like Mr Sunshine? For some reason I thought it was a sci-fi drama the title is misleading.
Whoa. Koala’s 180 towards HSH is so abrupt that it’s dizzying. Hehehehe
She is so passive aggressive towards her. But now when hsh is getting offers left right than some of her faves. She has to swallow the bitter pill??
I think I will be more interested by Kim Na-Gil’s drama settled in the same period…
Psj’s dramas are so good. Secretary show was so good and he was so handsome there. Ic was good for first 9 and 10 epis too. I hope he gets shirtless here for once. This one looks amazing too. Han so hee. Get the bag girl. We need actresses like u
You’re finally right about something: Park Seo Joon does have good dramas not to mention TALENT in spades and respect from the industry for his acting. The Eternal Chaebol wishes he could have 1% of that. Poor Gong Hyo Jin for having to deal with this man’s mediocrity. TT
Dramagods are smiling on us..
I mean these casting news are unexpected but awesome
This casting comes out of the blue but I’m loving it. I was hoping to see WHJ in Little Women first with Kim Go Eun and Nam Ji Hyun. To suddenly see him with HSH and PSJ is like thousand thank you drama gods. Looks like HSH and WHJ are booked to the hilt after My Name and SG success on Netflix. HSH’s musical drama and WHJ’s Little Women will get pushed till middle of 2022 if they haven’t rejected them. After so many disappointments this year I’m looking towards SJK’s Chaebol drama, this K-Project, Little Women and Minamdang case Note. Best of luck to other dramas & cast too.