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A list of Korean dramas and films turned down by these 5 actors: Kim Hee Sun’s rejections all became hits

Here are all the works that the following 5 Korean actors regrettably rejected. 

Famous actors receive plenty of scripts to consider and there are various reasons why they turned many of them down. It could be due to mismatched schedules, not liking the story, failure to agree on a contract, etc. Whatever the reason, viewers often find it regrettable, especially when projects that they rejected eventually succeeded beyond expectations.

1. Son Ye Jin

Son ye jin

Son Ye Jin is undoubtedly one of the most sought-after top actresses, which explains why she had to reject various projects because of overlapping schedules. Some outstanding works that she turned down are Sungkyunkwan Scandal, I Miss You, My Spring Days and most regrettably, the mega hit Iris. Recently, after getting married and becoming pregnant with Hyun Bin, Son Ye Jin also opted out of the drama Tree Dies On Its Feet.

2. Kim Hee Sun

Kim Hee Sun

Aside from being famous for her iconic roles, Kim Hee Sun is also known for her rejections. Dramas and films that were reportedly turned down by Kim Hee Sun include Autumn in My Heart (rating 42.3%), Guardian Angel (31.8%), Winter Sonata (28.8%), Successful Story of  a Bright Girl (42.6%), All In (47.7%), Phoenix (31.4%), Love in Paris (57.4%), I’m Sorry, I Love You (29.2%), My Girl (24.6%) and 200 Pounds Beauty (nearly 7 million viewers). Interestingly, out of the works that Kim Hee Sun rejected, Song Hye Kyo accepted 4 of them. The most prominent one is Autumn In My Heart, the drama that made Song Hye Kyo a top actress. 

3. Cha In Pyo

cha in pyo

Cha In Pyo has also rejected too many successful projects over the years. The works that he missed include The Contact, Nowhere to Hide, Shiri, Art Museum by the Zoo, My Boss, My Hero, Kick the Moon, Joint Security Area, Friends,… Notably, he even turned down the opportunity to appear in the Hollywood blockbuster Die Another Day due to some sensitive reasons related to the movie script.

4. Song Yoon Ah

song yoon ah

The beauty icon of the Korean small screen in the 90s, Song Yoon Ah, has also rejected many popular works. Coincidentally, most of the works she missed out on were historical dramas. It seems that Song Yoon Ah is not a fan of this genre. Song Yoon Ah was originally chosen for but eventually sat out of Hur Joon, Dae Jang Geum and Jumong, the three legendary historical dramas of the 2000s.

5. Won Bin

Won Bin

Won Bin has been taking a hiatus from acting for almost 20 years, but Korean producers and viewers have yet to give up hope of one day being able to see him on the screen again. That is why, the number of large-scale projects that Won Bin has rejected is countless, and most of them became hits throughout Asia. Some typical works that were “ignored” by Won Bin are Train To Busan, Descendants of the Sun, Mr.  Sunshine, Along With The Gods, That Winter, The Wind Blows, Battleship Island, The King 2Heart,…