With the upcoming KBS drama Baby-Faced Beauty, actress-singer Jang Nara has her first Korean drama in, oh, EVER — she’s been busy in China for the bulk of the last seven or eight years, and has consequently been pretty absent from the Korean entertainment scene. So already this is more than we’ve seen of her in ages, starting with the poster shoots (directly above and below) and the behind-the-scenes shots from the drama’s set.
The crazy thing is, if you compare Jang from her prior dramas back in the early 2000s, she actually looks exactly the same now. She just turned 30 this month, but she may as well have stepped right out of My Love Patzzi or Wedding. Minus the awful orange hair that was so popular back in the day, that is.
So she fits right in playing the 34-year-old lead, a woman whose baby face is her one advantage to offset her lackluster educational background (a mere high school degree) and her bad credit history. Her appearance allows her to pretend to be nine years younger in order to get a job working for a fashion design company.
Her romantic lead is played by Daniel Choi (Cyrano Dating Agency, High Kick Through the Roof), who eschews the family jokbal (pork feet) restaurant he is to take over and instead joins the fashion company as well. I wonder if their dynamic goes from him thinking he’s the experienced oppa to realizing she’s actually his noona. (This dynamic is one of the only things I liked about the otherwise forgettable 2006 drama Fireworks, where Kang Ji-hwan starts out treating Han Chae-young like she’s his annoying kid sister, then has to correct himself later when she reveals her age AND becomes his workplace superior. Hijinks ensued for about four hilarious episodes…before that drama went to hell.)
Other members of the cast include Ryu Jin, the guy who took charge of the funny and underwatched My Country Calls, as well as MC/actress Hyun Young (Bad Family), who by the way had copped to lying about her age (a common industry practice usually instigated by nervous management). She plays Jang Nara’s high school classmate and a professor of fashion design, and should be a solid comic addition.
(In fact, Baby-Faced Beauty also initially reported casting Lee Shi-young, another actress who’d started out listing herself as younger than her age, although her name has dropped from the roster.)
Kim Min-seo, Ryu Jin, Hyun Young, Oh Yeon-seo, Yoon Hee-seok
Instead we have Kim Min-Seo, who played gisaeng-assassin Cho-sun in Sungkyunkwan Scandal and the dead girlfriend in Bad Guy. She’ll play a design team leader who studied abroad, who gets into a tricky love rectangle with Jang Nara, Daniel Choi, and Ryu Jin.
Oh Yeon-seo (Dong Yi, Merchant Kim Man-deok, and Suicide Pact) plays Jang Nara’s younger sister, an aspiring (though unemployed) fashion model. Yoon Hee-seok (Gumiho: Tale of the Fox’s Child) plays Jang Nara’s uncle — but one who’s actually 9 years younger than her — which is great because he’s really 36 and possibly looks even older. It’d be like Playful Kiss’s tennis sunbae, if only he were actually younger than Kim Hyun-joong’s character. Ha. They’re really playing with this whole age-versus-looks thing, which should lead to some hilarious misunderstandings. I anticipate lots of them.
The drama premieres on May 2, following Crime Squad, which is a particularly significant date for Jang Nara — it marks the 10-year anniversary of her debut.
Via Chosun
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woah!! first!!!
ahhhh there’s so many people that i like in here. ryu jin was hilarious in my country calls and i really like kim min-seo =]
of course daniel choi and jang nara are win win!
by the way, yup. Jang NAra’s… face… fits the character and title =) I’ve never really followed love patzzi and never watched her chinese films but hopefully the Daniel-jang nara chemistry will be good!!
WOW! Did not make the connection between Cho-sun and the dead girlfriend in Bad Guy. Good transformation by the actress, plus big character differences
me too.. i remember Chosun but not dead girlfriend in bad guy
Why is EVERYONE wearing that hideous hairstyle? Upon first glance at the first two promo pics I honestly thought they were stills from Hwang Jung-eum/Kim Jae-won’s new drama.
I came here to say THIS.
hahah
the bowl cut needs to go!!!
AGREED! That is one of the ugliest haircut ever. It’s unflattering on most people.
LOL! thats what i was thinking too!!!
I know, I still have nightmares from when I had that cut as a kid T^T
Please go away bowl cut before you traumatize me even more ; _ ;
Yeah, i’m having nightmares too!!! why do they have to have that cut? It’s understandable in Giant when Miju wore it as a wig but not in this days and age!!!
me thinks it’s a wig…certainly looks like one. Hope that’s the case for her sake. Anyway, seems like this will be a fun one!
I am really looking forward to this drama! Ryu Jin was all kinds of awesome and funny in My Country Calls. He totally stole the drama for me
Can’t wait to see him in this~
really? i’ve been putting off watching it. Will watch it this weekend =) Thanks!
ah finally
i will give this drama definetly a try since i like her^^ she really didn’t change much. woah that picture in the bus made me realize how tiny she really is
i just can’t get over the fact that she is 30. damn.
I am soo watching due to Ryu Jin.. He was soo funny and great in My Country Calls.. I soo want the cast to reunite again except please do not have cough Horin cough be in the drama with them again… oh Jang Nara is soo cute and Daniel Choi… hrmm.. I am sorry I have never heard of him.. Please forgive me… ^^
just talking about ryu jin makes me want to rewatch my country calls!
im loving the whole cast of this drama.
Oh man, Ryu Jin is in this drama? ♥____♥ He totally stole the show in My Country Calls.
I’ve waiting for Ryu Jin to be an another drama. He so funny, I had wished he was the lead in My Country Calls.
I know right??….why does he keep getting second lead roles though??
Sadly perhaps because of his age? He not getting lead role offers.
I liked him to in Country Calls, that show really deserved more attention..
I agree!! Makes me want to go rewatch My Country Calls again and only watch his scenes!
Love Ryu Jin! Jang Nara looks the same in that school uniform as she did in Story of a Bright Girl. Uh, ain’t loving those shorts on Hyun Young so much.
you not the only one to note the connection to Bright Girl
http://star.mt.co.kr/view/stview.php?no=2011040107042488839&type=1&outlink=1
really Jang Nara a great choice for this drama..one could almost think the writer had her in minds eye when it was written.
Love Daniel Choi. Hated the weird frizzy permed hair he had in World That they Live in. Love the 5th picture above with the random guy in the background.
u know, i nvr realized that it was him in WTTLI – but the weird hair really suits the crazy character.
I’ve worked in a tv station once, and there’ll be at least one crazy guy with a weird frizzy permed hair on set. none of them as cute as he is tho.. LOL
Jang Nara can still easily pass acting like a middle school kid. She is so cute!!
RYU JIIIINNNNN!!!!
I loved him before Call of the Country but his Ha Do-hoon was the last straw that broke this camel’s back. I’m glad to hear that his character won’t be his usual sophisticated second-male lead who’s simply nice and cast to the shadows, BUT more like the hilarious, scene-stealer Ha Do-hoon! I doubt the character will be as awesomely awesome as Do-hoon, but I’m excited to see Ryu Jin again!
okay that picture of Jang Nara in a school uniform amazes me. that’s probably the one time i’ve seen an older actor/actress in a school uniform and thought that they could *actually* pass for a high-school aged kid. Jang Nara is definitely adorable, though her eyes belie her age a bit.
I will definitely check this drama out. Hope it turns out to be good!
lol, yeah Fireworks was a hot mess (the first kdrama I couldn’t finish) and I hope this one is better.
I think I love firework/exhibition of firework or like it enough to not having bad memories. But I don’t remember a thing about it. Not even after reading JB’s comment above. What I do remember is that I didn’t put it under ‘series to be avoided/what a waste of time’.
I guess it’s about time for me to rewatched firework again.
Looking forward to seeing this one. Hope it won’t disappoint.
Jang Nara Has said that she was going to accept the offer when it came in because the starting date matched perfect to the day of her own début ten years ago, then she actually read the script and she felt it was just too much fate to try and resist.
The bob haircut..well I do hope it is a wig, she grew such lovely long hair for her resent Chinese dramas, be a pity of she cut it all off.
One thing you get from the photos is a sense of fun and a lot of energy.
Seems Daniel Choi remembers meeting/working with Jang Nara seven years ago on CV
http://star.mk.co.kr/new/view.php?mc=ST&no=199036&year=2011
now doesn’t that hair style seem familiar..where did i just see that….
I see a lot of banmal and cheonmal related humor in the future…
O_O
(Hope I got the terms correctly)
That picture of Jang Nara in the uniform is a total mindfuck. The woman is in her 30′s. She shouldn’t be able to look like she is 16. She truly hasn’t aged.
The drama looks light and fluffy and cute. I just hope there is an actual story!
I love Daniel Choi:))) Saw him recently in Cyrano. Ryu Jin is one of my favorite “second leads”. Hyun Young – really liked her in Bad Family and Perfect couple (with Lee don wuk)
)))
hiyaaaa…that pic with her using uniform…that’s def amazed me…how can she looks so damn cute with her current age…30 ? Speechless… The title really fits her… Miss her a lot.
LOVE the cast! They’ve rounded up some of the best people who rock at being funny! While I don’t think Jang Nara looks like she stepped right off of My Love Patzzi, she do not look 30 at all! She looks about 23 or 24.
(I also loved Kang Ji Hwan and Han Chae Young’s Exhibition of Fireworks for the first 4 episodes because all the wtf-ery happened. Maybe that is why I can’t bring myself to like Park Eun Hye. Can’t believe the Yoon Sang Hyun in that series is the same Yoon Sang Hyun who played Oska!)
either Jang Nara is really tiny or Daniel Choi is really tall cause in that picture with them standing in the bus, Jang Nara is still shorter than Daniel Choi even when she’s on the bus and he’s standing on the ground haha….
anyhow, these two look a lot cuter than i expected and the atmosphere of the pictures seems fun, so I’ll totally check this drama out!
isn’t it weird how all the dramas right now are kinda serious, moody, and theme-based, and they’re all gonna be followed by more light fares like Best Love, Baby-faced beauty, Maids, and Manny!? sounds fantastic!
Wow jang nara in school uniform look so cute and young,,,, its hard to believe she is 30,,,,
The story looks funny,the cast I like,,and I waiting this drama,,,,
Are they sure she’s not lying about HER age? lol. Isn’t 10 years younger? :O
She’s really amazing and I’m looking forward to watching this one. I’m getting good vibes from it.
What is with the awful bowl cut? No, it doesn’t make you look more youthful…
Wow. It’s only her eyes that seemed to show some signs of her age, but she still look exactly the same from her Success of Bright Girl’s story which was my fave dramas in the early 2000s…not to mention Jang Hyuk was in it too… Teehee.
Watched her on Happy Together with Park Kyung Rim and Lee Soo Young. She’s called Meong Nara because she gets so focused on something that she is oblivious to her surroundings. LOL. That also gives her an edge in remembering her lines well.
This drama’s premise sounds witty. Want to watch. ^^
Oh, i so miss Daniel Choi. hope its May 2 already =)
I can’t wait!
I really hope this drama turns out to be good and funny.
Wow – I can’t believe just how believable Jang Nara looks in a school uniform. Dang it!! She’s about my age and I freaking cannot pass for a high schooler.
I wonder if she was actually next to a bunch of high schoolers if she’d look a little older but seriously, I bought it. I wouldn’t have guessed that she was 30 if I didn’t already know that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GEbbHJR–0&feature=feedu
live new cast around the shooting of the poster and the like.
I maybe in the minority here, but I thought her acting was awful until I saw one of her chinese drama. I hope she sticks to that style because it translated a lot more natural and charming.
Raw more than awful, i think she acted as required by those making those early dramas. They where pretty well written around what her ‘image’ was. But yes, as i said more than once, it been a long time since she acted in Korea and she greatly improved, so it unfair to judge her on just those early efforts. Her only major effort was Sky and Ocean and she got both nominations and awards for her acting in that, so that should be what one judges her acting from, if you must judge that is at all. But her time in China has both made her a better actress and singer.
WOOOAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!! ^__________^
Adorable! (I love seeing Jang Nara pose like that when she wore her high school uniform, heh!) =D =D I already liking her more and more! Haha!
DANIEL CHOI — GOOD IDEA, I will be looking forward to this drama soooon! =) =D
I am really looking forward to this drama. Its one of the few that i actually like the entire cast
OMG HYUN YOUNG HFJDFJSDFHDSJKDSHFJKDSHFDSJKFHDSGHDSJFLA I love her so freaking much ;A; ♥
And Ryu Jin toooooooooooooooo oh god. I love love loved him in My Country Calls (yes, I’m one of the few who watched it, and I totally had second lead love).
This is officially exciting. I never really cared for Jang Nara back in the day, but with those two and Daniel Choi I’m definitely going to give it a shot.
Ryu Jin, I like!!! count me in
This drama really looks interesting.. I wonder if this will go against City Hunter.
Jang Nara surely fits the role well. Can’t believe she’s 30.
Fashion indusrty and pork feet restaurant – they already did this in “Golden Age Daughter-In-Law”. Is KBS rehashing old themes?
hope that i’ll look that young when i reach 30
To just get it out of my mind, I just watches Foreworks because I was bored out of my mind and I also like those first 4 episodes… the rest… were like you said..
I can’t just like that hair but otherwise she looks really young for a 30 year old. And Ryu Jin, he was really hilarious in My Country Calls (didn’t like the overall drama though)..