Before Bi Rain, Lee Jung Jae was supposed to be the actor that co-star with Song Hye Kyo in “Full House”
Rain and Song Hye Kyo wouldn’t be able to boast their intense chemistry without this actor’s refusal.
Even through all the years, “Full House” is still undoubtedly one of the most iconic K-drama rom-coms. The “fake marriage to lovers” trope between the male lead Lee Young Jae and the female lead Ji Eun just won over every audience’s heart. However, Bi Rain almost did not make it to the series, as another actor was the first choice before him.
In fact, the production team of “Full House” initially planned on having the famous actor Lee Jung Jae, who became a star after the K-drama “An Affair”, to play the male lead Young Jae.
However, despite the plea from the production team, Lee Jung Jae turned the offer down, as he was not interested in romance-comedy. Instead, the actor is more dedicated to his movie career, and prefers intricate stories and characters unlike the male lead of “Full House”.
Therefore, the crew had to turn to Bi Rain, who was a major pop star at the time. This might be their best decision, seeing that Song Hye Kyo, who played the female lead, and Bi Rain managed to deliver an explosive and legendary romance.
Knowing this information, Korean netizens also agreed that Lee Jung Jae wouldn’t be the optimal choice. According to them, Lee Jung Jae’s age gap with Song Hye Kyo is too wide, and the actor is better suited for darker roles. In addition, he is a well-recognized movie star with critically-acclaimed works, and therefore has no need to star in a romcom. Now, Lee Jung Jae has proven himself as a global star, after hitting it big with the Netflix series and global sensation “Squid Game”.
