5 South Korean Drama Casting Secrets

With South Korean dramas gaining traction internationally in recent years, countless Korean actors’ popularity are blowing up as well. Despite their iconic roles, the below artistes were not the first choice in casting.

Below are five casting secrets:

Lee Young Ae in Dae Jang Geum

Considered the most classic among all Korean dramas, imperial court drama Dae Jang Geum’s success is well-recognized and has been difficult to surpass over the years. Lee Young Ae instantly became a household name as everyone admired her beauty, elegance, and acting skills.

Years later, the director revealed a shocking secret that Lee Young Ae was not his first choice, as his initial deal actress was Song Yoon Ah. When the latter turned down the role, it was offered to Kim Ha Neul, Jang Jin Young, and Myung Se Bin. All the actresses refused the role, and the invitation was extended to Young Ae. Apparently, she was already a huge star at the time, and the director  did not expect her to accept a historical role.

Song Hye Kyo in Autumn in My Heart

Song Hye Kyo soared to popularity and settled herself a top actress after starring in Autumn in my Heart. She got the role after Lee Sa Gang rejected the offer to pursue her director dreams. Although the director was initially concerned about Hye Kyo’s suitability since her most famous work at the time was comedy Soonpoong Clinic, he later changed his mind after discovering her  maturity in person.

Lee Min Ho in Boys Over Flowers

Despite being a complete rookie at the time, Min Ho was given the chance to starin the Korean adaptation of Japanese manga series, Hana Yori Dango. It was a bold move by the director, but he had interviewed several people before Min Ho, and none fitted the character. The actor himself apparently did not even apply for the role, but the director saw Min Ho’s potential after randomly seeing his photo on a mobile ad and encouraged him to audition.

Park Yoo Chun in Sungkyunkwan Scandal

In the process of transitioning from idol to actor, Yoo Chun was inexperienced in acting at the time. Despite facing criticism from novel fans, the director was touched by his seriousness and sincerity, so he decided to give him an opportunity to prove everyone wrong.

Kim Woo Bin in The Heirs

With his breakout performance in  The Heirs, Woo Bin was praised for his ability to draw empathy from viewers while playing a villain. With his charisma and deep voice, he had deep screen presence. It is hard to imagine that actor Jung Yong Hwa apparently was supposed to play his character. However, Yong Hwa declined the offer as he collaborated with Park Shin Hye twice and already played a student before.

Source: Beauty 321

This article is written by Minna for JayneStars.com.