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K-drama actors and actresses cast for their roles: from crying on the spot to traveling by bus

To star in our favorite K-dramas, Korean actors and actresses have to go through many tough casting sessions.

After they get famous, Korean actors and actresses can freely choose the kind of roles they want to play amid many different offers. However, lesser known names will have to attend audition and casting sessions, and have many interesting tales to tell from those. Below are some most memorable casting memories shared by K-drama actors and actresses

Ha Yoon Kyung

Ha Yoon Kyung

The hit K-drama “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” not only boosted its main cast to stardom, but supporting actresses like Ha Yoon Kyung, who plays the “Spring Sunshine Choi Yeon Soo”, also drew attention. Prior to “Extraordinary Attorney Woo”, however, Ha Yoon Kyung actually played a minor role in “Hospital Playlist”, though she didn’t have much screen time. 

ha yoon kyung

Despite her character being extremely minor, it’s not easy for Ha Yoon Kyung to nail the project. In particular, the actress had no manager or assistant at the time, so she had to ride the bus to meet the producers of “Hospital Playlist”. In addition, it took 3 casting sessions before Ha Yoon Kyung was finally selected, and according to Ha Yoon Kyung, she was asked a lot of questions before finally being deemed a suitable choice.

Ha Yoon Kyung

The actress also shared that she was so joyful after being casted that she decided to finally take the taxi home! Hopefully, after “Extraordinary Attorney Woo”, Ha Yoon Kyung will shine further and no longer have to ride the bus to auditions.

Park Bo Gum

Park Bo Gum managed to become a top star after playing the male lead Choi Taek of hit drama series “Reply 1988”. Looking back, Park Bo Gum was truly a perfect fit for this character – who is both naive and headstrong when it comes to love. However, getting the role of Choi Taek is no easy feat for the actor. 

park bo gum

In particular, Park Bo Gum was not yet a top star at the time, and had to attend a casting session. There, the actor wore a tracksuit, hoping to replicate the nostalgic clothing of the year 1988. The production team also noticed this and asked Bo Gum if he did it deliberately, to which the actor agreed. Thanks to this first impression, Park Bo Gum managed to catch the eyes of some producers.

park bo gum

However, the deciding factor lied in the production team’s request for casting actors to say 7 emotional lines dedicated to their mother. As Park Bo Gum’s mother passed away when he was a child, the actor was unable to hold back his tears while speaking his line. This explosion of emotions clicked with the image of Choi Taek, and so Park Bo Gum became the final pick for “Reply 1988”. 

Junho

the red sleeve

Despite having starred in numerous iconic works prior to “The Red Sleeve”, Junho only became well-recognized after this hit series, which was considered “the revival of the historical genre”. However, Junho has never failed to show his passion for acting, and his casting session for his first movie role is a prime example. 

junho

In particular, Junho arrived at the audition with his arm bandaged and his body so bloated, his shoulders were not of even sizes, having been seriously injured yet unable to bring himself to miss out on the opportunity. At the time, Junho not only proved his acting ability and fervor, but also made recommendations to the director, even suggesting a more suitable nickname for the character he’s casting for. In the end, despite being a rookie in acting, Junho was selected and his suggestion was even used in the movie. 

junho

Kim Hye Yoon

Born in 1996, Kim Hye Yoon is a young actress with extremely huge prospects and talents amid her generation. While Hye Yoon recently drew a lot of attention as an antagonist in “Snowdrop”, it was her role as Kang Ye Seo in “SKY Castle” that truly made her a star.  

kim hye yoon

Talking about “SKY Castle”, Kim Hye Yoon shared that at the time, she found herself ill-fitted to play a rich young lady, and so decided to cast for another character, Hye Na. However, the director found her more suitable for Ye Seo – an extremely arrogant and mean young lady – who was later portrayed perfectly by Hye Yoon. As a result, Kim Hye Yoon is extremely glad that the director picked her for the role, and never limits herself in one type of image ever since. 

kim hye yoon

Casting is truly no easy feat, and behind our favorite K-drama characters can be a lot of stories and hardships. 

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