Ji Chang-wook courted to play young-again grandpa
by girlfriday
It looks like we have another grandpa body-swap drama in the works, but it’s the reverse of the rapid-aging Flower Grandpa Investigation Unit. This time a 70-year-old grandpa will be rapidly reverse-aging, down to his early thirties. It’s essentially the male version of the hit movie Miss Granny (also called Suspicious Girl), about a grandma who finds herself magically returned to her twentysomething body. It totally spawned this whole cycle of suddenly-old/suddenly-young hijinks in dramaland, and should be made into a drama. (But only with the same cast!)
Anyway, about this drama: It’s called Mister Baek, named for the title character Baek Ho. He’s a 70-year-old CEO of a hotel, and his name is a multi-pun meaning “white tiger,” “silver fox,” or “the hundredth,” as in Room 100 of a hotel, for instance. They should’ve just gone for as many puns as possible and made him a hundred years old so we could call the drama Mr. 100.
Ji Chang-wook is currently being courted to star as the titular Mr. Baek, after recently wrapping the epic sageuk Empress Ki where he played the adorable emperor. He’s only considering for now, but he’d be a great choice to portray a grandpa in the body of a young man. Though with him I’d want them to un-age the grandpa down to his twenties.
The fantasy drama will be about the self-discovery of an old scrooge who runs a hotel and only cares about two things: himself and money. He’s never even loved anyone his whole life. One day he magically returns to his thirtysomething body and has to work in the lowest position at his hotel, as a rookie in the room maintenance department. And through the ordeal he’ll experience life in a whole new way and even find love and meaning. Aw, you mean he grows young to grow up?
The drama is being considered for SBS’s fall slate, as the Wednesday-Thursday show to follow It’s Okay, It’s Love (which follows You’re All Surrounded). Nothing’s been decided yet, so we’ll have to see how casting goes before it gets a spot on the broadcast schedule.
Via E Daily
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Tags: Ji Chang-wook, Mr. Back
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1 h3rancho
June 17, 2014 at 12:13 PM
Sounds interesting...
Hope Ji Chang Wook accepts it ^_^
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2 moonsori
June 17, 2014 at 12:15 PM
Oh that would be so cool. Empress Ki made me fall in love with him so much!
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3 noemi
June 17, 2014 at 12:17 PM
so its the kdrama version of A Xmas Carol? cuz he's reminding me of Ebenezer Scrooge. i'll watch that, no lie
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4 Michiki
June 17, 2014 at 12:45 PM
That's great news! I hope it will be a good drama! I will watch it. I love Ji Chang Wook so much after Empress Ki.
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5 cherkell
June 17, 2014 at 12:48 PM
I would be sorely remiss if I didn't add the following:
*squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee*
Thanks for listening. Now returning you to your regularily-scheduled programming. :D
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Kiara
June 17, 2014 at 2:31 PM
I knew I'd find you Squeee-ing over this :).
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cherkell
June 17, 2014 at 4:31 PM
Darn. Am I that transparent? GUILTY AS CHARGED when it comes to My Precious. :P
Hey Drama Gods: As Baek Ho returns to his 30-year-old self, can we PLEASE have him come back in the same manner as we witnessed Gong Yoo being body-swapped in "Big" (i.e., showing off those Glowing Chocolate Abs)? THIS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. ;)
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Kiara
June 17, 2014 at 5:24 PM
This Mr Baek could be the modern reincarnation of Warrior Baek Dong Soo. Can we have Nam Ji Hyun as his leading lady for a WBDS reunion?
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6 spazmo
June 17, 2014 at 12:50 PM
ji chang wook! he's such an adorable whiner...
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7 CaroleMcDonnell
June 17, 2014 at 1:03 PM
sounds good
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8 Mandy
June 17, 2014 at 1:21 PM
Ta-hwan! <3 I'm still bitter about Empress Ki's ending... They shouldn't have done what they did!
Okay, now that I've said it out loud... Moving on! I think JCW is an awesome choice. I like the idea of being young again to find yourself when you couldn't do it the first time around. It's going to be an eye opener for a lot of people, I'm predicting. Coming of age story with a twist? I'm in.
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9 pitch
June 17, 2014 at 2:10 PM
I don´t care what drama he does, I just wanna see his pretty face weekly again. I miiiiiiiiiiss him
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10 ana
June 17, 2014 at 2:19 PM
He's one of those actors that I wouldn't mind watching a noona romance for. He has such an adorable puppy to go with it. I really like him in Empress Ki (the early parts anyway)
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Annie
June 17, 2014 at 2:29 PM
This one isn't a noona romance. Apparently the second lead is his own son... which is definitely a novelty in Kdrama.
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ana
June 18, 2014 at 10:11 AM
lol i had a feeling that this isn't a noona romance by the plot, i'm just saying in general :D
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11 kanz
June 17, 2014 at 3:02 PM
JI CHANG WOOOOKKKK!!!
Before cherkell comes I squeee first... hahaha
I'm so happy with the news and already restless to see who's the leading lady.
The story sounds interesting and I believe he can play old grandpa in young man body. I really love him in everything and after Empress Ki his popularity seems skyrocketed. It's good to see him again on screen though I still love adorable baby Emperor in Empress Ki. <3
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kanz
June 17, 2014 at 3:17 PM
I miss cherkell's post, must be because I'm too excited to hear the news. LOL
Anyway, thanks GF for the news!!
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12 moon
June 17, 2014 at 3:22 PM
Hmmm....not that interested I'm afraid.
Anyone know whether he's going to the army soon? If yes, I wanna see him in a more interesting drama.
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13 bd5
June 17, 2014 at 4:01 PM
Always thought JCW should be a bigger star than Lee Min-ho - better looking and a better actor.
Just needs that one project to propel him to super stardom.
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mm
June 18, 2014 at 9:55 AM
He actually is not interested in stardom but just in being able to keep on working in what he loves and having the right to choose his projects by himself. He's a true actor and that's why I adore him.
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14 aleli
June 17, 2014 at 4:10 PM
Ji Chang Wook is a great and dedicated,many of his fans waiting for his new project.hope all the best in his acting career.
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15 Hugepuffball
June 17, 2014 at 4:25 PM
Wait- does he fall in love just to go back to old? Because... That would be pretty bad, if he falls in love with a young woman. And a romance between an old woman and a twenty something grandpa.... That's still weird. I mean, people don't usually stay in their magical form forever in these things.
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16 Valerie Gudorf
June 17, 2014 at 4:33 PM
I'm totally on board for this one! I can already imagine so many scenarios ready-made for the consumption of humble pie with a side of contrition. Plus, a lead that serves eye candy can never be wrong. Hope the writing is good, though. Bad scripting is where too many dramas go off the rails, unfortunately.
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17 crazedlu
June 17, 2014 at 6:26 PM
Drama?!! Whoo! I love Ji Chang-wook despite his drama choices. If he chooses to do this one, I hope the script turns out well! And pleeeeease give him a fitting leading lady! He's always stuck with the mediocre stiffs.
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ys
June 17, 2014 at 6:54 PM
Like her or not, I don't think Ha Ji Won (Empress Ki of Empress Ki) could be considered a mediocre stiff... But yes, let's hope this script turns out well.
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crazedlu
June 17, 2014 at 11:19 PM
I was talking more about the dramas where he was lead. He was second in "Empress" so Ha Ji-won wasn't HIS female lead necessarily. He has a pretty strong track record of meh leading ladies from "Smile, Donghae" to "Warrior Baek Dong-soo" to "Bachelor Vegetable Shop". Eck all around when it comes to his leading ladies. So I just watch idol group, SPEED's, music video, starring Hi and Park Bo-young when I imagine a pairing for him that tooootally works. Ha.
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crazedlu
June 17, 2014 at 11:22 PM
Ji*
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coffeenlucia
June 17, 2014 at 11:11 PM
HJW is badass tho!
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18 coffeenlucia
June 17, 2014 at 6:51 PM
So... it's like the ending of Miss Granny has come true? ;)
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19 doublen
June 17, 2014 at 8:14 PM
Is it me, or he looks like Lee Min Ho at this picture?
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Ek Ladhki Thi
June 18, 2014 at 5:46 AM
You know, I thought the exact same thing. And now, I can't get wanting to see him and Lee Min-ho in a drama together out of my head.
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mm
June 18, 2014 at 9:58 AM
I woud like to see that... but just to prove who is who in the acting department.
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kanz
June 18, 2014 at 6:59 AM
Maybe they can play as brothers in the future project. LOL
Many people said JCW looks like Lee Min Ho or Jaejoong.
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20 Hwari
June 17, 2014 at 9:39 PM
Drama? in SBS... okay I'm in. and can we have Yeo Jin Goo act as his younger/teen self or his family/son etc etc...
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21 Yemzel
June 18, 2014 at 1:04 AM
I'm in
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22 Michiki
June 18, 2014 at 1:13 AM
@doublen, you're not the only one who thinks he looks like Lee Min Ho in that pic. Somehow the angle makes him similar to LMH. However, I think he resembles JaeJoong in Triangle. ;)
I gotta watch Miss Granny now just to have an idea about the drama version of this movie.
I'm so excited to see Ji Chang Wook again on screen. I miss him so much!!
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23 trav
June 18, 2014 at 9:37 AM
Okay, I like the idea and I like Ji Chang Wook. Hope this'll work out :D
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24 Michiki
July 1, 2014 at 1:15 AM
I heard there is another drama lining up after It’s Okay, It’s Love. I really want to see Ji Chang Wook again in a drama or movie. His movie "The 2 Constables" is also delayed...Hmm...
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