Ah, the original Japanese version of Nodame Cantabile... how it brings back memories (you can bet they were good ones). It'll be quite difficult to get close to the standards the original has set, and I quite honestly don't believe that anybody could play a better Nodame than Ueno Juri. It's extremely relieving to hear that IU will not be taking on the very difficult challenge of playing such a unique, intricate character. Because while she is both "clumsy" and "lovable", she is not... dark(?) enough to play the perfect Nodame. Quite honestly, though she is an accomplished and successful singer, what the character of Nodame needs is a multifaceted, professional actress that can play the almost overly unique character of Nodame in a relatable way.
I, personally, haven't seen any of Joo Won's works, so I can't really comment. Obviously, however, I'm extremely apprehensive about this remake. I would love to experience Nodame Cantabile again... and fall in love with it all over again with a new cast. As much as I would enjoy that, however, I would much prefer not feeling that a dark shadow is looming over the fate of one of my most beloved dramas.
Group Eight did well enough with their remake of Hana Yori Dango, but that story was much more straightforward, with simpler (albeit lovable nonetheless) characters that weren't so high maintenance (in the sense of their depth... because obviously, they were high maintenance rich boys).
I'm going to sit here and cross my fingers that this remake isn't too much worse than the original. We'll see how it goes, I suppose.

Me too, I don't want a remake since Jdoramas are like a whole different universe from Kdramas. They tried to make remakes but mostly all of them wasn't successful or one bit resembling with the original (frankly, they're just ridiculously bad in my opinion and the originals are ridiculously awesome).

But if I have to pick a Korean actor who could play the role of Chiaki or would be at par or compete with Tamaki Hiroshi's performance, it would be Joo Ji Hoon 'cause I remember his roles in Five Fingers which is a bad drama but he was quite good in it and Antique Bakery - his character was cynical and eccentric kinda like Chiaki. A for Nodame, I don't think anyone could replace Ueno Juri's Nodame because it's hard to play a character like that by not overreacting or being just plain annoying. In short, she played it perfectly even though that kind of character can come across as those things.

i don't think a korean remake of nodame cantabile is a good idea, mainly because all korean remakes are just plain awful.

i could be proven wrong but i don't think they'll just pull it off. nodame cantabile is one of those mangas and animes that can be really hard to translate into live action.

group eight dramas are notoriously popular but they are not necessarily good on their own, and definitely pales in comparison when put against the original.

in addition, i don't think there's any korean actress who can do nodame as she is written, she's just too different and unique.

Me too.

Joo Won seems perfectly fit for Chiaki.

Please cast a great female lead. Someone who is naturally adorable & young, not someone who is older but playing younger role and trying hard to look cute. The female lead need to have a good background in music too..

I think that they will cast an idol for the female lead here.. IU seems like a close choice, just to throw some names.. besides IU, probably SNSD Seohyun or real actress like Park Bo-young.

Same. I don't know if I want anyone to touch it. It was so good and is one of my favorites, like my top 5. I don't know if I can see anyone else as Nodame and Chiaki.

Where can one find the existing live action Japanese version? You know, to prepare for the Kdrama version to come?

IU is not that bad. I hope for a good screenplay and directing. Love love love Joo Won.

Wonder which TV station will be broadcasting this drama. KBS again or MBC. Most probably not SBS.

I dunno whether Joo Won will do this or not, I'm hoping for a serious, badass role ala Gaksital again from him after Good Doctor. Maybe after a heavy role he played in the Ghost musical for almost a year, he wanted to do something light and 'easy' like this drama.

In my opinion, Shim Eun-kyung would be a better match for the role of Nodame.

IU is cute but... that's it.

i like joo won but i hope he doesn't take this project because i think he already accept movie, ce'st si bon which he act as musician, i would love to see him sageuk

Oh my god, you took the words right out of my mouth! The dorama is amazing, and even though the casting does not sound bad...Ueno Juri is Nodame and Tamaki Hiroshi is Chiaki for me. Somehow I feel like it'll be ruined. And oh the love triangles...goodness, I cringe at the possibility of that.

Think of it as a adaptation of the original source material. Not a remake of a Japanese live action drama.

Agreed. Even with Joo Won, I cannot imagine the remake being better than original (and if it is not going to be better/ on the same level of awesomeness, why bother?). I love both anime and J-drama, they are fantastic and so in Japanese style, that... well, to top it is unimaginable :D

I'd say, let Koreans create Korean dramas, where they are the best... What's up with those remakes...

Yeah, I just don't see how you can translate something like Nodame to a Korean context without losing something vital. Sense of humor, storytelling tropes, acting and visual style... There's too much of a gap. Hanadan didn't turn out well, and I'd argue that it's not nearly as innately Japanese as Nodame is.

I mean, I want it to be good and I'm trying to find a little sliver of optimism - good casting would really help, Korea, and that means no wooden-but-popular idols - but I can't imagine how on earth it'll work.

*has checked out of this discussion and is currently rewatching the Kotatsu episode*

NO. Noooo. I have feeling it's not going to work. I don't know, but japanese-remake drama never did well in korea.. I feel bad if such an awesome drama like NC will go through disappointment in korea..

Going from the jdrama, most of the scenes with Chiaki does not involve him playing an instrument at all, most is centered on his conducting. Of the instruments, the piano is one of the easier ones to fake since you don't actually have to film his hands playing the keys. In any case, Joowon's background is musical theater (though concentrated on singing), so I think he will do fine with the role.

joo won actually got his start in musical theater. So yes, he does have musical background.

Crap I think I just voted my comment up, ignore the thumb thingy I'm new to the comments here lol

and I cringe at the thought of all the crappy actors that will be used to play Europeans and all the horrible accents they will all have. think IRIS and IRIS2.

Amen to all that.

Totally agree, they are not a lot of kdramas that come even close to japanese humor.
Wild Romance And History of Salaryman are quite wacky but they're still nowhere near Nodame Cantabile.

On an other note, i hope only the beginning of the story will be adapted, and not the Paris storyline. As a french watcher of kdramas, the only thing worse than hearing koreans slaughter english is hearing koreans slaughter french.

I could see Jung so Min playing Nodame..

I mean in PK she was an annoying character but because she played Hani, she wasn't that anoying.

Oh no, don't get my hopes up about Eun Ji! Though I don't think of Eun Ji or IU as being the better candidate.

I feel your love for NC! I don't expect this to be anything like that in terms of zaniness, but hopefully it'll be good in its own way.

There you go; I can really see Eunji pulling off Nodame!

Maybe the girl from Playful Kiss as Nodame? I didnt like that drama (pk) but she played the character with a lot of heart. Plus she was a good stalker/fangirl, which is kind of Nodame's character.

Im Joo Eun would be perfect and could probably do this role in her sleep. But I don't think she has any name value in Japan though, and since this whole drama is designed to appeal to them, I don't think it's a possibility that she'll get the role :(

I agree with your choice of Im Joo Eun!
She looks the part of Nodame and has a slight resemblance to Ueno Juri. I've only seen her act in mostly supporting roles and in Soul 2009 but I believe that she has a WAY BETTER chance to capture Ueno Juri's perfect portrayal of Nodame than IU. I get that IU is cute and very fresh faced but I don't see her doing Nodame's craziness without looking too trying hard or overacting.

Now for Chiaki senpai. If I were to cast my vote, I would pick Cho Seung Woo. I think he is the perfect korean Chiaki for me for a lot of reasons.

1) He can act (Chiaki's serious face and his zany reactions to Nodame's antics)
2) He started in theater so I think he will be able to slide into Chiaki's music virtuoso character quite easily
3) He has the same aura as Tamaki Hiroshi and is the same age. Though if he we to take the part now, he would be older than Tamaki Hiroshi when he played the part of Chiaki
4) Last but not the least, I just have this gut feel that he would have a higher chance of coming close to Tamaki Hiroshi's performance compared to Joo Won.

But saddly, GROUP 8 and korean casting agents will never see this... huhuhu... they only cast the staple/go-to actors and actresses. I liked their casting for Tamra the Island, BOF and Goong. So please don't disappoint me in casting IU again just because she's a singer and is one of the hotest idol stars today.

Please, please just try giving Im Joo Eun and Cho Seung Woo a chance to audition and I'll be happy. >.<

Aah, Kang Ha Neul! Would love to see him as Chiaki...although I wouldn't mind Joo-won, either.

Im joo eun!!! will do great! I want to see her act soon!

Too bad Park Ki-woong is beginning military service. He seems a suitable candidate for Chiaki or Mine Ryutaro :)

Sorry to double post on my own comment (lol), but I have to mention that the leads don't have to be musically talented in order to play the parts. Ueno Juri only had some lessons when she was younger (although she prepared especially hard for her role as Nodame), and Tamaki Hiroshi didn't have a musical background. That's why I always found it especially impressive that they SEEMED to know what they were doing and every camera shot of their fingers flying over the piano keys or baton swinging or violin playing seemed pretty legit to the amateur eye (although avid musical fans said that they were totally playing off, lol).

Therefore, I think the primary goal for casting the right actors is to find the right acting ability and images that really fit the molds of Chiaki and Nodame.

Ppl kept on commenting on Shim Eun Kyung. Googled her up and OMG. She's the guest of this week Running Man show. I just watched that episode an hour ago. In my opinion, she looked old in that RM episode. I thought she was in her 30s. I'm surprised that she's only 19. She needs a new haircut. That short haircut is cute on her but aged her terribly.

but... he can't act.

Looks don't really matter if the person can't act the part. Though I don't even see the looks. He's cute, but doesn't have the same feel as Chiaki and he's not a good enough actor to pull off the character. Someone like Yonghwa being cast is what I was afraid of when this was announced tbh...