Is this a polemic? Well it
could definitely be one depending on which side you stand. The thing is I
really hate to keep things for myself, so for my own inner stability I prefer
to speak my mind. Here’s my actually complain: every time I turn my head for a
second Hwang Jung-Eum has been cast
in a new drama. She’s been
confirmed few days ago for the new MBC’s
rom-com, Lucky Romance (6th drama in less than four years). All right
she’s bankable, she’s an actress who counts and made herself a name and dramaland, but she’s not the only one.
What do I have to do to have new faces?
There are many things to take
into consideration when it comes to casting and giving life to a drama. Anthony
Kim (Kim Myung-Min in Kings Of Dramas) thought me many things,
but there’s a lot more that hasn’t been said. As a production company, I
understand, you just don’t to put your money on a project you don’t believe in
or you feel like won’t make it big. No matter how great is the plot, if the production
company doesn’t ‘feels’ it, the project
will naturally go down the drain. As an investor, I’ll logically do anything
and everything to get back the money I invested in the drama. That generally
starts by locking solid leads or a renowned writer or a respected PD or all of
them at the same time! The leads, the writer or the PD then become a vitrine
that will call for sponsors, attention, viewers and ultimately money. An
example if someone need one: Descendants
Of The Sun: Song Joong-ki, Song Hye-kyo, Kim Eun-sook, more than 30 % for the last episode. No need to say
more.
I got there’s definitely more
than what we see and I got MBC didn’t want to take any risk by casting Hwang
Jung-Eum. But seriously before the latter becomes a heavy actress in the
industry she was a mere rookie. I mean at some point she had to prove her worth
and ruled in favour of those that supported her. But if no one gave her a
chance in the first place, I certainly wouldn’t be here writing this post.
I remember Hwang Jung-Eum in Giant. I literally loved her couple with
Joo Sang-wook (probably more than
the leads). I caught her then in Can
You Hear My Heart? The drama didn’t stay in my books as an outstanding
drama. Too much makjang and birth
secrets for me to handle. Hwang Jung-Eum’s high-pitched voice was already a
concern to me (more than in Giant),
but it takes more to ruin my enthusiasm, so I kept watching. Well the drama did
an incredible work by ruining itself. It wasn’t complicate for me to have my enthusiasm
cut by two.
I haven’t watched Secret,
Kill Me, Heal Me nor She Was Pretty
(the only culprit to blame is the time. Fake friend!). Most of them are my
watched list and to be honest if there are it’s motely because of the male
leads (yes Ji Sung, Park Seo-joon and Siwon, it’s you I’m talking about!). As soon as the time and I will
reach to an agreement, I’ll take the time for those three dramas.
Lucky Romance
is a rom-com, another one for Hwang Jung-Eum. She’ll play Sim Bo-nui who strongly
believes in fortune-tellers. In order to turn turn her bad luck she has to
sleep with a male born in 1986, the year of the tiger.
Ryu Jun Yeol
has been cast as her male lead. Yas for him and his career! He was so credible
as a high schooler in Answer Me 1988,
it’s hard to say, he’s already 30. He’ll be more than perfect as the stingy and grumpy engineer
student, Je Su-Hoo, who’ll end up being Sim Bo-nui’s subject of desire. I’m
quite excited and full of expectation for him. Now I hope there will be some
chemistry with Hwang Jung-Eum. Not that I have doubts…all right I might have
some serious doubts here. The thing is I still feel a little bit uneasy with
this paring. Let’s hope the drama will prove me wrong.
Kim Seul-gi
(Splash Splash Love), Park So-dam (Because It’s The First Time), Kim
So-eun (Liar Game) or Kim Go-eun (Cheese In The Trap) are the few names that came in my mind when the
drama’s news arose. I know some just wrapped a drama, are busy with one (Cinderalla and Four Knights for Park
So-dam) or are simply taken by other activities and I know it’s not about how I
want but I promise, new faces like theirs wouldn’t have been a bad thing.
Maybe I have a problem with Hwang
Jung-Eum herself more than with her doing dramas back to back. Maybe I should
investigate for an answer but as I’m running against the time, I rather keep burying
my head in the sand for the time being.
Despite all that, I’m actually
anticipating Lucky Romance, mostly
for Ryu Jun Yeol’s sake but also because it can be a good and hilarious rom-com
if MBC manage to make something great of it.
See you in May drama!
OR 