City Hunter holds its first script rehearsal

101 March 15, 2011

by javabeans

City Hunter is finally under way with its first rehearsals, as we see in the new photos from the drama’s March 14 script reading, featuring the leads Lee Min-ho (Personal Taste), Park Min-young (Sungkyunkwan Scandal), Lee Jun-hyuk (Three Brothers), and idol starlet Gu Hara in her drama debut.

The reading was held at SBS’s Ilsan Production Center rehearsal hall and went on for three hours, though the three main leads reportedly stuck around afterwards to continue amongst themselves. Lee Min-ho plays an MIT-educated international-communications team member at the Blue House (so, sharp and smart), while Park Min-young is a former judo player turned bodyguard (uhhh…). Lee Jun-hyuk is an elite prosecutor (ho-hum), while Gu Hara plays the president’s daughter (question mark?).

Mostly, what I get from this assemblage is that this cast is skewing really… young. Young isn’t bad; it’s just… young. (Their ages are, in the above order: 23, 25, 27, and 20.) I wonder how believable they’ll be as professionals working in the Blue House. Second of all, and perhaps more bothersome, is that this setup seems an awful lot like KBS’s Rivals, which (1) had a similar bodyguards-protecting-the-president’s-spawn storyline, (2) had better actors (Lee Jong-hyuk! Chae Rim!), but (3) was still utterly boring. Eep.

Directing City Hunter is PD Jin Hyuk, who brought success to trendy dramas Brilliant Legacy and Prosecutor Princess, and writing is Hwang Eun-kyung, who had a successful drama in the medical series New Heart and a more contentious run as the first writer for Daemul before being replaced.

City Hunter premieres May 25 on SBS. Lee Min-ho’s about to get very busy, and heads for Thailand on the 20th for location shoots.

Via OSEN

101

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1 YC

March 15, 2011 at 8:44 PM

hm what happened to lee minho's hair?

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KareBear

March 15, 2011 at 9:03 PM

AHAHA i was thinking the exact same thing !

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mud

March 15, 2011 at 9:13 PM

ditto

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mud

March 15, 2011 at 9:15 PM

Actually, PMY's hair is bugging me too, they need a hairstylist stat. Meanwhile, LJH is giving off a serial killer vibe....

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vanillasalt

March 15, 2011 at 11:36 PM

Did anyone else think his hair looked liked Song Samdong's from dream high?

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Tenshii

March 15, 2011 at 11:47 PM

Maybe he'll go through some change like Song Sam Dong LOL I think his hair style is similar to Hyun Joong when he had a weird perm.

Gina

March 16, 2011 at 1:26 AM

I THOUGHT HE LOOKED LIKE OSKA FROM SECRET GARDEN DX
LOL.

Liesel

March 16, 2011 at 6:08 PM

Yeah that hair bothers me. It's in desperate need of shampooing, conditioning, blowdrying and brushing cause it's looking might dry.. and dirty. Minho what were you thinking going out of the house with a mane like that??

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gingganggolli

March 16, 2011 at 1:25 AM

yap...what with the hair? new trend in KE?

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bops

March 16, 2011 at 2:52 AM

OSKA-sized hair. That's what it is.

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Rina

March 16, 2011 at 7:35 AM

I agree with you and Gina, his hair reminded me of Oska.

Alex

March 16, 2011 at 8:05 AM

Mee Tooo! lol

Lilith

March 16, 2011 at 10:01 AM

Totally OSKA! HAHAHAHAHA

YY

March 17, 2011 at 3:43 AM

Does he have a dog? Maybe he used the shampoo meant for his dog cos he ran out of shampoo.

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drama fever

March 15, 2011 at 9:40 PM

Not only the hair was not style. What is that pimple on his lip on the second pix?

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Ahjummoni

March 15, 2011 at 10:34 PM

a lil fist fight with Kim Bum?=)) or another friend? or in a bar(yay this is outrageous I want to see) or he bite his lip while reading.... or had some powder on his lips to look a lil bit more masculine and ate it :P

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mud

March 15, 2011 at 10:40 PM

It never occured to me that guys might powder their lips to look more masculine, but I can see why the flower boys might use this trick.

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dee

March 15, 2011 at 10:49 PM

What if that is a last night bruised, like in ermmmhh... you know.. Not with a man, precisely. :)

Ohh.. I just need to watch a good drama to replace My Princess' withdrawal. Asap!

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YY

March 17, 2011 at 3:47 AM

dee, the dog did it.

folieadeux

March 16, 2011 at 5:09 PM

Am not a fan of his hair

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YY

March 17, 2011 at 3:46 AM

That's not a pimple. The dog got angry and fought with him when he tried to take his (the dog's) shampoo. An angry dog is a dangerous dog.

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2 estel

March 15, 2011 at 8:44 PM

I'm not going to lie, the original premise sounded much more interesting. This one just sounds like recycled plot with young, hot actors.

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Ohemgee

March 15, 2011 at 8:52 PM

Totally agree!!

I'm really hoping this turns out well because I like all the actors though!

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Oh Yeah...

March 15, 2011 at 9:36 PM

Hear. Hear...

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mary

March 16, 2011 at 7:22 AM

But... you said it yourself:

... recycle plot with YOUNG, HOT ACTORS.

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Rina

March 16, 2011 at 7:37 AM

The plot change has made me lose some of the interest I originally had for this drama.

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3 luraaa

March 15, 2011 at 8:49 PM

I'm still bitter about the plot change. LMH's hair looks weird, but he looks so pretty in the first picture.

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Bellamafia

March 15, 2011 at 10:14 PM

I'm pretty sure he'll get a haircut.. :) *crossmyfingers*

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jojo

March 16, 2011 at 4:38 AM

Yes! The first thing they do when you go to MIT is cut your hair (like in the army)...

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Chocobo

March 16, 2011 at 10:18 AM

Lol are you serious? The people I know who went to MIT went in looking like an average person but came out with a long mane and a scruffy beard, looking like an absent-minded professor...

But anyway, don't be so harsh on the actor's appearances! Surprise surprise -- they look like normal people when they aren't in full makeup, with weird hair, red faces, baseball caps... I'm pretty sure all these actors look 10x better than I do on a GOOD day in their "scruffy" mode.

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4 dee

March 15, 2011 at 8:51 PM

OTL lee min ho's hair is like oska's oppa perm in secret garden. .

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:D

March 15, 2011 at 9:06 PM

lol! it does look like that, doesn't it...

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amberscube

March 15, 2011 at 9:11 PM

I was thinking the same thing.

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5 ar_arguably romantic

March 15, 2011 at 8:54 PM

I wonder if the production is trying to make it into the next Boys Over Flowers (aka 'hit-manga-adaptation') by skewing so young and posh. Maybe they think the only people who read manga are teens. Hopefully some producer/writer/director team will make their own drama version that is more faithful to the manga.

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Meix2

March 16, 2011 at 7:27 AM

I second that! And you know who would look good as the leads... Cha Seung-won and Gong Hyo-jin... but them in another upcoming drama is also good.

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6 LMF

March 15, 2011 at 8:59 PM

Lee Min Ho, your fringe needs to go!

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7 ladida

March 15, 2011 at 9:16 PM

(uhh...) (question mark?)
I love you, javabeans. :)

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8 f1yh1gh10

March 15, 2011 at 9:18 PM

eh. i'm still gonna watch it, because i am a fan of lee min ho, park min young, and goo hara :D and i'm sure that other guy is talented! lol

the plotline is iffy, not sure if i'm digging it, but i'll definitely give it a try. fortunately, i actually keep going through boring dramas. except mary stayed out all night. i LOVED the cast.. i DID NOT enjoy the drama...so confusing! :( but ANYWAYS, i'm looking forward to this.

anybody have any other upcoming dramas to watch?
i'm re-watching all the old series right now :D

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9 BOGCHI

March 15, 2011 at 9:28 PM

interested to see Go Hara in a drama:). hopefully she doesn't ruin it LOL

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10 danna

March 15, 2011 at 9:34 PM

aw man....the original premise was just so much more interesting...this not only sounds like a completely different story but also utterly boring......which only makes me even more mad at SBS!....not only do they cancel the two shows that interested me the most (What's Up and Poseidon) but they also completely change the only one that I had even a shred of hope in......the cast looks decent but the leads have both been very hit and miss for me in the projects that I have seen them in so far.. LMH may have been the best thing that came out of BOF but his performance felt very lackluster in Person Taste (sorry LMH fans!) and I did like Park Min Young a lot in SKKS but after watching Gu I realize that it was only because of my love for her cute nerdy character and that she can be pretty dull when things get serious (imo)....that said i do see some light because of the writer and PD who have helmed some of my fav dramas...so i guess all hope isnt lost

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11 Carol

March 15, 2011 at 9:44 PM

thnaks jb

the second lead looks more sharper and intensed than the first lead actor, sorry lmh fans you have to face the truth sometimes right ?.

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12 medie

March 15, 2011 at 9:56 PM

I was really really looking forward to City Hunter....with the initial premise... I was looking forward to see if LMH will make or break the character... I think that he is a good actor but I'm on the fence with him...So I was curious about how he will make the character his own.....

But begost by the Drama Gods, they have totally changed the plot and characters to the extreme. And with that goes poof any interests I have for this drama.... I was really hoping to find a drama that can hook me, since I've been in a Kdrama drught ever since Dream High ends *sob sob*

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absothe

March 16, 2011 at 2:47 AM

Totally agree with you. I soo feel like yelling boo at the screen.

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lucertola

March 16, 2011 at 9:46 AM

agree with both of you. what happened to Ryo Saeba & Kaori's stories!!?? T-T

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13 snow

March 15, 2011 at 9:56 PM

park min young looks... white...

not quite liking lee minho's hair either, but gu hara reminds me a little of min hyorin

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14 lalala

March 15, 2011 at 9:58 PM

what happened to lmh?! his face and lips look all red too

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15 Oh well...

March 15, 2011 at 10:03 PM

I don't mean to be rude, but I can't help it to say that PMY is totally miscast. When I see at her picture above, why do I feel that she's more like giving a solemn, feeble and meek woman aura instead of badass looking type? ah well, we just have to see how it goes... I might drop it if they don't meet my expectations.

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Birdie

March 15, 2011 at 11:02 PM

I agree with you. No way PMY look like a tough badass bodyguard. She look eird-like a ghost with that middle parting. LMH has to trim his hair-cant see his sexy expressive eyes. As is, PMY and LMH look too young to be working in the Blue house. Maybe they will be wearing glasses to look older.I must say the second male lead look promising. The story sounds boring. I will watch it for LMH- he may surprise us like he did in BOF.

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Birdie

March 15, 2011 at 11:04 PM

Sorry I mean PMY look weird. Typed too fast.

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16 I

March 15, 2011 at 10:05 PM

They all are looking weird in these pictures......

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17 joZD

March 15, 2011 at 10:08 PM

meh. boring.

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18 meenuby

March 15, 2011 at 10:13 PM

I never read the manga but that storyline seemed so much more fun than...whatever this is.

I'm not sure if even LMH can keep me on board now.

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19 Kiara

March 15, 2011 at 10:34 PM

/Drives through....not much to see here :p.

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zoe

March 16, 2011 at 12:37 AM

me too...drives through! Looks awfully boring to me, the story, lead pair super meh! They ve messed up the manga story anyway and i dont really like the girl, she is soo not like the girl in d manga. If this series is coming in may, i think i will rather watch 'goodbye miss ripley' which has yoochun ♥ and lee da hae ♥♥ :D Now that is what i will call an interesting pair.

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20 Uca

March 15, 2011 at 10:35 PM

mmmmm, smell something boring here! kekeke
hopefully, my nose's wrong.

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21 celest4

March 15, 2011 at 10:54 PM

Lee Min Ho is ONLY 23?!

WHAT. THE. HELL. But I'm too young to be a noona!

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celest4

March 15, 2011 at 10:57 PM

oh hey...isn't that the dad in Smile, You and WISFC? I like him as an actor. Count me onboard again... =)

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jyyjc

March 16, 2011 at 1:12 AM

Also the dad of lee yeonhee in paradise ranch. I feel like he's been playing everyone's dad lately.

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cancerb

March 16, 2011 at 9:37 AM

He's also an attorney at MIDAS

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22 Purpleclouds

March 15, 2011 at 11:01 PM

I like sweep back hair. Maybe that's why LMH's hair is so long...

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23 cheekbones

March 15, 2011 at 11:01 PM

No to the hair.

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24 Arhazivory

March 15, 2011 at 11:02 PM

It's not 'City Hunter' anymore is it? *sighs* I'm still a little interested but I'll probably see how it does after a few eps before checking it out.

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25 Katherine

March 15, 2011 at 11:06 PM

Since I have no clue as to what City Hunter is suppose to be all about I'm in for this drama. I'm only checking it out for LMH to be honest and I'm not exactly putting much faith into this drama as of yet. I really do hope it proves everyone wrong by actually being good.

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26 Kim

March 16, 2011 at 12:15 AM

The storyline seems like a completely different premise. Is the tone still comedy or has that changed too?

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27 tomtom

March 16, 2011 at 12:53 AM

I think I'm more into "festival' drama!I know that's Idol and musical drama but atleast actors are in right statuse:I mean their rols are much more suit for thei age...LMH is only 23 (still collage student age) and Go hara is only 20 (too young)!

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28 Ani

March 16, 2011 at 12:55 AM

As much as I love Kara (oh man, am I really admitting that? It's not like I know beyond a handful - maybe less - of their songs. I just enjoy their variety show participation and personalities. Park Gyuri is my favorite. Full of herself on screen, yet according to her sunbaes, respectful and modest behind the scenes and far from her 2-D goddess image), and as much as I hope for the best for Hara, I am just not into this drama anymore because I'm just not into many of the Blue House oriented dramas. XP

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Giselle

March 16, 2011 at 7:35 PM

Yeah, GODDESS GYURI!
I love her too. She's so full of herself, but that's why everyone loves her. They should cast her instead Goo Hara, I remember her in YAB parody (with 2PM), haughty character is much more suitable for her, than Hara. (IMO)

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29 badmamajama

March 16, 2011 at 1:22 AM

what's hara doing there ? and is lee minho also joining the main of glory bandwagon ?

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30 jenaddict

March 16, 2011 at 1:38 AM

Am I the only one who likes Lee min hos hair ??? hmmmm

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31 pohonphee

March 16, 2011 at 1:56 AM

I can't imagine Park Min-young as a judo player @"@

So that's the reason I'll check this drama XP hags

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32 starlight

March 16, 2011 at 1:57 AM

Gu Hara as the "unnamed" president's daughter... whose role description is studying to get into college. I don't think she'll do much, but she's a decent actress. I wish her luck, and the rest of the cast too!!

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jomo143

March 16, 2011 at 8:19 AM

I hope she doesn't have an annoying stalker crush on LMH like that girl in Personal Taste.

Can't we make her deliciously and dangerously attractive, or better, indifferent to LMH's beauty? Kinda like the way MP started out with KTH and The Hand Towel...

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YY

March 17, 2011 at 3:49 AM

Jomo, do you think they'll have a grandpa in this show?

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jomo143

March 18, 2011 at 9:35 AM

How can they not?
(Did you check dramawiki? Odds are good if there is a Grampa, he'll be cast.)

Cross your fingers, YY!

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33 mrskimchee

March 16, 2011 at 2:58 AM

Oh!! Got it!! this is supposed to be the Polar of City Hunter!

Ryo Saeba would be spending his daily life, surrounded by and protecting the politicians instead of pretty girls....

and Kaori decided to grow her hair

no offence to the leads...it's just not as what I expected anymore..

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34 falala

March 16, 2011 at 2:59 AM

I'll will give this drama a chance,
I wont say a thing with a glance...
there might be so much more ahead in this drama!
aside from having an eye candy cast
I heard that LMH has undergone obscure training
I'll be looking forward on how hard he trained to show us something new

And Park min young was chosen months after LMH was announced she wouldn't have stand out with out prior key right?

Im looking at it's positive vibes and will wish for it's success

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azir

March 16, 2011 at 4:53 AM

I am not a Korean but I'll watch this drama 100% sure even if it is in internet only. And I'll wait for javabeans recap. Lee Minho fan 4ever.

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35 annie

March 16, 2011 at 3:08 AM

The more I hear about this drama, the less I want to watch it.

Too bad, because the original story sounded pretty interesting (even if I thought LMH was too young for the role).

SBS fail yet again.

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come2noona

March 16, 2011 at 5:47 AM

Me too. Even though I do dig LMH, I thought he was too young to play the character. But now that character isn't that character any more. The original story did sound great but now it is totally different and frankly, less interesting (to me). I will probably give it a chance though... like I said.... I dig LMH.

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36 ais

March 16, 2011 at 3:10 AM

Seems like they are having a bad hair day...

I still hope they just stick to the original plot.. I wanna see LMH as a playboy!

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37 grasya

March 16, 2011 at 3:22 AM

i want to comb LMH's hair, lol.
i dunno, i'm excited to see him again, but i'm not caught with the premise of the drama. yet. guess i'll wait.

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38 Christy

March 16, 2011 at 3:47 AM

LMH is only 23??!! Holy crap I feel sooo old!!!

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39 well....

March 16, 2011 at 4:04 AM

i have a feeling this drama is going to suck tbh :X

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40 lhing

March 16, 2011 at 4:20 AM

pu..pu hahah!wats with minhos hair seems he didnt groom it well buts its Lee Min ho love him!

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41 jomo143

March 16, 2011 at 4:47 AM

I hope they aren't going to go all "I'm a bad guy so you can't see my eyes under my hair."

They all look young but that Gu Hara looks like she is playing someone's daughter in high school.

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42 Dara

March 16, 2011 at 5:33 AM

Another idol in question mark *sigh*
That's mean there will be lines in English based on their professions? Ehhh...

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43 Sere

March 16, 2011 at 6:16 AM

The previous premise was better, but I'm still giving this a try even if this storyline sounds booooring.

Still, LMH and Lee Jun-hyuk? I'm SO watching. It's a pity LJH is yet again a second lead *is still bitter about I am legend and the lack of a good love story for his character*

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44 Annie

March 16, 2011 at 6:24 AM

I wonder if he can see out the other eye?

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Annie

March 16, 2011 at 6:24 AM

Oh and Park Min Young is one LUCKY girl.

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jomo143

March 16, 2011 at 8:14 AM

Really LO Loud!

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45 Gork

March 16, 2011 at 6:43 AM

what a waste of such a good cast (not sure about goo hara though lol) with such a MEH storyline!!!! *still crying over the change of storyline* lol

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46 Alvina

March 16, 2011 at 8:54 AM

I like Lee Minho, I like KARA (and by extension Gu Hara)

but for some reason, I am absolutely not liking this drama.

ahh well. I really need something to watch but this season is being really lame by:

1. Cancelling the things I want to watch (What's Up) :(
2. Changing up the storylines
3. Shelling out dramas that I'm not interested in...

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47 jully moue

March 16, 2011 at 9:09 AM

i like the 27 year old guy from three brothers!!! =]

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48 Thatgirl

March 16, 2011 at 10:11 AM

Dear Lee Min Ho,
I love you, and I love that your hair has grown back because I hated your short hair, with the exception of Jinho in Personal Taste; but please style it differently, I want to see your face, and your hair is covering it.

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49 Celexa

March 16, 2011 at 12:37 PM

I don't care where this storyline leads or how much it's changed. I am watching this drama... Lee Min Ho was my very first korean actor crush and I will not be a fair weather fan.

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50 nelkk

March 16, 2011 at 4:20 PM

lool why does everyone look like they got out from bed seconds ago? bwahahahha

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