Love Rain's/Jang Geun-seok's leading lady picked!

[walkwithheroes]

After weeks of speculation,the casting for JGS's newest drama, Love Rain has moved forward. We now know two new cast members and more about the characters they'll play. We also have a plot:



"Love Rain will be a melodrama that transcends generations. It will tell the story of pure loves with emotion that will make the viewers cry and smile. It spans from a pure love in the 1970s analog age, to a trendy love in the digital age"




Jang Geun-Suk will play Seo In-Ha in the 1970s part of the drama and will play In-Ha's son, Seo-Joon in the 2012 scenes.



Yoona (Cinderella Man;You Are My Destiny) will play Kim Yoon-Hee in the 1970s. Yoon-Hee is described as a woman with a pure appearance. Yoona was chosen for the role because of her "pure and healthy energy, and her natural beauty." Yoona will also play Yoon-Hee's daughter Yuri, in the 2012 scenes.


Kim Shi-Hoo (Formidable Rivals;Sunny) will play Lee Dong-Wook in the 1970s part of the drama, and play his son, Ji-Seok in the 2012 parts.




So. . .I'm guessing this is a "sins of the father/mother" type thing? Because JGS is said to be the male lead in both the 1970s and the 2012 parts of the drama. (We'll see both stories play out together.) I'm guessing In-Ha loses Yoon-Hee, but his son gets her daughter? That grosses me out a little, to be honest.




I also have to be frank: I'm not happy with Yoona casted as the female lead. Because - she's not a strong actress. She's wooden at times and never emotes as she should. I also think Yoona tends to bring down the talents of her co-stars. There were many other actresses in the 20-25 age range that would have been much better, in my opinion. I cannot remember Kim Shi-Hoo in anything, so I can't comment on him.




I hate to say it - but, my interest in this drama has waned. Love Rain starts filming next week and is shooting for an early 2012 air date.

Comments

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Cannot stand Yoona. Sadly this one is off my anticipated list.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

Same here. I just read why she may have been casted: her girl group is huge in Japan, as is JGS. Plus, Yoona's talent agency, SM Entertainment, is apparently somehow involved with the making of the drama. It's all about the money. They'll be able to sell the rights to the drama to Japan and make a lot of dough. And, they can have S.M. Entertainment singers/groups do songs for the soundtrack and make even more.


Oh, i just found the short list for who the PD actually wanted for the drama. (Even if he's now saying Yoona was who he wanted all along and that she's a great actress:) And why they may have been rejected.

- HHJ (of Spring Waltz) - PD Yoon wanted her; she turned him down.
- Jung So Min - not popular enough in Japan; she may have rejected the offer.
- Lee Yeon Hee - S.M. Entertainment - who she's with - pushed for her, but she's doing a film instead.
- Go Ara - isn't well known outside South Korea.


After HHJ (and possibly JSM) turned them down, S.M. Entertainment had PD Yoon go with Yoona.
Girl is siff and has zero chemistry with her co-stars. This is going to be a flop. (And if it is not - I'll be very surprised) Because, it's not like the promos are bad (like City Hunter) - it's that the lead actress is a terrible actress.


Plus, the story. . .I don't like it. I keep getting creepy dad from Mary Stayed Out All Night flashbacks. 'I couldn't marry her mother - and made my wife miserable, so she divorced me - so you marry her look-alike daughter.'
-

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

OMG, now I cannot unsee the Mary resemblance. Eeeek. It is kinda gross, I agree.

I'd overlook it though if they cast anyone but Yoona. I've seen trees with more acting ability and she doesn't have chemistry with costars or warm on-screen vibe to compensate lack of talent. Yikes.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

I saw the resemblance when I read that the three actors would be playing one set of characters in the '70s and then their kids in 2012. So now, all I can think is that the OTP is torn apart in the 70s, they marry people they may or may love as much, have kids, and then their kids fall in love. That would lead to some awkward family gathers. Just saying. I really thought they would have two lead females and show two love stories: one with the parents and one with their son and another girl. Guess not.


Yoona is just so stiff, I agree. She has no warmth when she acts and her lack of chemistry - with anyone - and her lack of talent don't help her stiffness. Like, LYH isn't very talented and she can be stiff - but she usually as chemistry with her co-stars and she does have a warmth about her.

Personally, I would have gone with Go Are from Who Are You? - she has talent and warmth. But, it looks like S.M. Entertainment is calling the shots on this drama. And, we all know the dramas they have control of *coughParadiseRanchcough* end well.