A rising actress of “All Of Us Are Dead” was the original choice to play Eun Byul of “Penthouse” 

Eun Byul of Penthouse could have been played by another actress. 

Penthouse is one of the most popular Korean dramas in recent years.  Although it stumbled into quite a lot of controversy over the storyline and logical flow, the success of 3 seasons of Penthouse is undeniable. The drama brought the careers of many actors to new heights, among them, young actress Choi Ye Bin is no exception.

In Penthouse, Choi Ye Bin plays Ha Eun Byul, the daughter of the main female antagonist Cheon Seo Jin (Kim So Yeon). Eun Byul is not a bad person at first, but as she constantly has to witness the degrading behaviors of her friends, her mother’s cruel actions, and faces too much pressure, Eun Byul becomes mentally ill and gradually corrupted. She even attempts to kill her friend because of jealousy. Choi Ye Bin’s acting initially drew mixed reactions due to exaggerated expressions, often rolling her eyes, but gradually, she impressed the viewers with her performance. Choi Ye Bin is considered one of the most memorable young cast members of the drama. 

Eun Byul was so well portrayed by Choi Ye Bin that few people would expect her to be an alternative option of the casting director. In fact, the role was originally offered to another young actress, Cho Yi Hyun, but she rejected because of busy schedules. Penthouse’s filming took place from 2020 until mid-2021 (with breaks between seasons). During this period of time, Cho Yi Hyun was busy filming for 2 major projects, All Of Us Are Dead and Hospital Playlist.

Although she missed the chance to star in Penthouse, both dramas that Yi Hyun participated in have achieved huge success. Moreover, while the character Eun Byul receives hate from the viewers, the class president Nam Ra of All Of Us Are Dead and the intern of Hospital Playlist are both well-loved. Thus, compared to Choi Ye Bin, Cho Yi Hyun is not at a disadvantage.