After percolating for the past year, SM Entertainment has finally finalized the cast for its adaptation of Hanazakari no Kimitachi e (Hana Kimi) which is called To the Beautiful You. The cast is a combination of two idols in the lead, Sulli from f(x) playing the role of Ashiya Mizuki and Minho from SHINee as Sano Izumi, plus two young actors Lee Hyun Woo as Nakatsu Shuichi and Kim Ji Won as the token second female lead. This looks and feels like a potential Playful Kiss, which I personally loved, but tanked so badly with domestic ratings in Korea. I don’t have a great fascination with Hana Kimi, despite watching the original J-dorama version (not the atrocious 2011 remake) because of my adoration for Horikita Maki and finding Oguri Shun strangely okay, but really it was Ikuta Toma who stole the show (plus the remaining gaggle of cute J-boys). What’s worse for Beautiful You’s prospects is that it’s going up against Nice Guy and Arang the Magistrate, and younger themed dramas continue the trend of getting low ratings. Wishing this drama good luck probably won’t do it much good. Continue reading →