Man of Honor casts second leads
by girlfriday
Upcoming drama Man of Honor (also Young-kwang’s Jae-in, in the puntastic version), starring Park Min-young and Chun Jung-myung has cast its second leads to round out the main cast. ‘Cause yunno, it can’t be a k-drama without a love square. Lee Jang-woo (Smile, Donghae) and Lee Jin (Hon, Hometown of Legends, also of ye olden k-pop group FinKL) will be rivals and love interests to complicate things, and keep Man from Honor. Or is it the other way around?
The highly anticipated comeback drama by the writer-PD combo behind Baker King Kim Tak-gu is described as a Romeo and Juliet story about young people who overcome their fates to journey toward their dreams. Chun Jung-myung will be playing a second-string baseball player, while Lee Jang-woo plays the first-string, better, richer rival.
He’ll be competing with the hero in baseball and in love, as they vie for Park Min-young’s affections when they both end up in the hospital for injuries where Park plays a young nurse’s aide. The second lead, Seo Inwoo, is described as a cynical and prickly young heir, set to inherit his father’s clothing company someday. After his pro baseball career? So basically, he’s the golden boy, while Chun’s character Young-kwang is the struggling underdog, described as the type of guy who is confident and talks a big game, despite being an innocent kid.
Lee Jin has been cast as the rival to Park Min-young’s Jae-in, and she’ll be returning to television after a two-year hiatus to play the frank and easygoing Cha Hong-joo. She’s a designer, which will probably connect her to Lee Jang-woo’s character through work, and though the reason isn’t described, she feels competitive with the poor but plucky heroine. Because it’s the law of kdramas? Because otherwise you won’t do things to sabotage her budding romance with the honorable Romeo? Because her pert and bouncy hair makes you angry?
I’d almost rather they go all the way with one concept, like the baseball thing, and just turn it into a sports drama. Why does there have to be a chaebol and a clothing company? We could bring back the old school sports drama. We could have another Last Match! C’mon, you made an entire drama about baking, for pete’s sake. Bring back the sports drama. You know you want to!
Man of Honor follows The Princess’s Man and premieres October 12 on KBS.
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Tags: Lee Jang-woo, Lee Jin
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1 ripleyfell
August 9, 2011 at 1:55 PM
Yay! Lee Jang Woo!
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lila
August 11, 2011 at 6:50 AM
i hate Lee Jang Woo. especially in smile donghae.
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blueseeker
August 11, 2011 at 10:49 AM
Probably because his acting was superb!LOL
I hated his character too though....
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2 Bluefyre
August 9, 2011 at 2:12 PM
Whoa. In that photo, Lee Jang Woo looks like NEWS' Tegoshi Yuya's brother. :D
Looking forward to this and the Choi Ji Woo/Yoo Sang-hyun (hope I got the sp right ^^) one
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3 Cynthia
August 9, 2011 at 2:15 PM
Isn't LJW the guy with T-ara's EJ on We Got Married? He's got a really sweet personality, even if his one goal is to get busy with his new "wife" on WGM.
He really is funny - will look forward to watching this, mostly because I'm still having NaNa flashbacks. Perhaps LMH will do a cameo?
Hey - if the Puppy could do one for Greatest Love, then so can LMH!
:)
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Tok
August 9, 2011 at 2:31 PM
He is!!! I love them together so much. I love him more with every episode.
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^_^
August 9, 2011 at 4:11 PM
yes, i absolutely love him on WGM. He's so cute even though he gets all pervy lol..btw what is up with his hair on the recent ep's, someone went a little crazy with the perm
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hapacalgirl
August 9, 2011 at 4:17 PM
Hopefully with this drama casting he will finally cut it. He looked good with the shorter hair. I love the Woojung pair on WGM, and its so good to finally have a guy act an actual pervy guy on the show instead of always worrying about what antis will do like many of the idol guys and girls on the show.
Lee Jang Woo has a pretty decent set of acting chops so I look forward to what he can do. Also would it be too much to hope that even though he isn't the lead that he sings the ost because he has a really nice voice (I think he was a producer then was part of a project group before he went into acting).
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Cynthia
August 9, 2011 at 7:02 PM
Yeah, and he makes no apologies about his pervy leanings. I think he's hysterical - especially on their "honeymoon" trip - he just flat-out wants to make out with EJ.
This is going to be one couple who won't have a big problem kissing for the Wedding shoots. Drives me WILD to see all the angst connected with simple kissing for those photos - I seriously wanted to smack Nickhun for all the dithering he did. If there ever was a girl who just wants to be kissed, it's Victoria.
As for the mop of hair on the hottie, it really is way too long and out of control. Anyone see that MV he did with Hwanghee? Sexy.
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meg
August 9, 2011 at 10:17 PM
He let it go while he was "unemployed" after he finished up filming on Smile, Donghae.
No doubt he'll be getting a new swauve look for this drama. And I'm sure Eunjung will appreciate it. :P
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4 y.
August 9, 2011 at 2:30 PM
Baker King wasn't really about baking... So I think Man of Honor will probably not focus on sports very much.
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5 Rin
August 9, 2011 at 3:08 PM
Janggoon nimmm! Wah, I love him in We Got Married ^^ he and Eunjung are sooo cute together~
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6 Laeah
August 9, 2011 at 3:09 PM
There can't be a modern day kdrama without a freaking chaebol.
Jesus.
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Selli
August 10, 2011 at 12:58 AM
No, no, actually there have been a few without one, which is really a nice reprieve ^^
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7 DC
August 9, 2011 at 3:12 PM
Ooo! Nice cast! I like. Looking forward to it.
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8 Birdie
August 9, 2011 at 3:14 PM
Pretty cast. The story does not sound interesting- the usual kdrama affair. Hmm we shall see.
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9 sam
August 9, 2011 at 3:18 PM
im sorry but from now i cannot see PMY with anyone except LEE MIN HO. DAAYYYUM. THATS WAS ONE AMAZING COUPLE. gah, why they have ta end that so fast?!!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!
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10 Mia
August 9, 2011 at 3:30 PM
I really love Chun Jung-myung (mmmMm...) but the more I hear about the drama plot itself the more I find myself uninterested - and dare I say it - a tad annoyed with the addition of more and more cliches. (Another Chaebol, another innocent heroine, another overcoming of fates in manner of Romeo and Juliet.)
I kind of miss when CJM did dramas such as 'Goodbye Solo' and 'What's up Fox' which - and feel free to disagree with me - contained more unconventional plots that seemed to not only veer from cliche, but attempt to break them in light of something they presented as better. And it was.
After the end of 'Cinderella Sister' and this new drama I seem to be losing my previous enthusiasm for the drama choices he is making. For no matter how much I like him (and I really do!)....I really can't watch another pile of cliches on top of cliches.
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Laeah
August 9, 2011 at 3:36 PM
Seriously... Can we have a rich heroine?
Can we have an average lead man?
It's like.... I can already predict half the episodes of this drama. I can hear the chaebol Mother-in-law screeching in my ear already.
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Mia
August 9, 2011 at 3:50 PM
Yes! Yes! YES! And you just KNOW at some point one of them (hell, make it 'both of them') will be leaving each other "for the others own good". Of course, telling them this and being open is just not an option. For their own good. Of course.
I don't know if I want another rich heroine (I caught some of Yoon Eun Hye's drama 'My Fair Lady' and that wasn't quite good either). But I completely agree that anything veering from THIS particular set of Chaebol/Innocent-Angelic-Heroine cliches is welcome and nice.
For once...no genius (insert any profession or verb), no Chaebols, and perhaps just some normal people doing something not having to do with Birth Secrets.
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Laeah
August 9, 2011 at 4:11 PM
When I say rich heroine I mean coupled with a rich guy. Actually I don't care how much money they have, but it'd be nice to have two people who are on an even playing field. Like MiSa or Delightful Girl or even Who Are You (which had a rich guy, but he was adopted and he wasn't very typical - or at least, the "Separation" factor was more about age than class).
I'm really sick of Cinderella Stories. Maybe that's what Japanese dramas do better than Korean dramas - they have various couples. Childhood friends, people who are rivals but on an even playing field. At least, in Japanese dramas there is SOME variation along with the typical Rich mean cold-hearted boy and the Innocent little hardworking pitiful poor girl. haha!!
I really liked the set up of My Fair Lady (I'm a sucker for bodyguard/caretakers/older protective guy storylines) but that was not done too well.
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Mia
August 9, 2011 at 4:26 PM
I liked the premise of 'My Fair Lady' so you have me on-board with you there! It was a nice change up (though, in my opinion, poorly executed). And I second the desire for "even playing field couples."
The male lead is one thing. They have at least gotten diverse with the "Chaebol" their working with (Ex. 'What Happened in Bali''s miserable and slightly mentally unstable Chaebol that worked his money and position in a way that was deeper then him being a rich-Darcy-esque lead) It's the female heroines that kill me in these kind of dramas!
They make 'long-suffering' into a highly esteemed character trait and 'perfect-innocence' seems to be a prerequisite. I'm not saying these are bad character traits (well...long-suffering I would say is) but we're Post-Samsoon era girls! Shouldn't we have moved past this into a bit (more*) diversity?
*There are characters that I believe fall under this "diverse female" ('KSS' and 'What's Up Fox' have amazing female leads - and both by the same writer....) But with the kind of plot mentioned above I don't really anticipate this drama being one of those....
Sorry for the rants. But I'm so passionate about this topic!
Mia
August 9, 2011 at 4:27 PM
Ah...and 'Damo' probably has my favorite female and male leads. Very smart and incredibly layered drama that I love with all my feminist heart. *Sigh*
Laeah
August 9, 2011 at 7:02 PM
I loved Shin Mina's Gumiho. She was naive a little because she didn't know the world, but she was so freaking refreshing. I also liked Lee Min Jung's character in Smile, You. She was a little long-suffering, but she wasn't as bad as some other girls that I've seen.
I wish we had flawed girls. Sometimes I wish we could have a drama about the second lead bitchy girls who are a bit (or more ;) ) selfish and or at least a little bit of a bad character trait in there somewhere. :) I want them to find their love too!
I've never seen Damo because I don't like downloading and I haven't been able to find it streamed. But I was interested in it. Perhaps I should bite the bullet and dl?
I dunno, love Kdramas, but it's getting to the point where I don't even need to watch because I know the scenes by heart already.
Mia
August 9, 2011 at 9:21 PM
Yes yes yes! I haven't seen Gumiho but I've hear good things! And I'm completely on board with the bits I saw, where the Gumiho had an actual sexual drive. (YAY!)
That last bit gets me the most I think! In this day and age we're supposed to fill our schedules with girls who "kiss" by putting two lips together? By the naive maiden who blushes at a hand hold? That's all find and good....I suppose...as long as one doesn't forget about all the rest! The ones who actual want to be ravished, stop all this "I'm doing it for his own good" nonsense, and perhaps even come to the males rescue more frequently then the other way around.
Of course I'm not talking about all dramas. There are some very lovely works out there. But what I'm reading from this particular drama plot: this isn't one of those.
And hell if these type of heroines are so empathetic, kind, and beaming-forth-the-light-of-goodness then why must a Chaebol heir be there partner so much of the time?!? Surely a kind, beaming, school-boy is just as good?
I know you mentioned downloading dramas but if you want to watch them online here's a link to all the Damo episodes: (http://www.viki.com/channels/3472-damo)
It's simply superb.
As far as "the bad girl" that we both so earnestly desire more of, I would recommend 'What Happened in Bali' as she attempts to seduce (without having an inner monologue informing us 'I am trying to seduce') and falls under the temptation that this particular Chaebol can give us if she does seduce him. It's extremely brilliant, none of this "inner thoughts telling us what these characters are feeling" type thing, and one of my favorites second only to the link above (but I think more to your taste).
Kay
August 9, 2011 at 9:35 PM
@laeah You can find Damo at Dramafever and Dramacrazy I believe (I just finished watching it a month ago). I agree with the time for a different status pairing. At least in Mary Stayed out all Night they were both dumpster diving at one point haha.
11 Yer Vang
August 9, 2011 at 3:46 PM
Finally. Park Min Young in a drama.
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12 danna
August 9, 2011 at 3:50 PM
Romeo and Juliet story about young people who overcome their fates to journey toward their dreams.
ummm...I hope the creatives know that that was not what Romeo-Juliet was all about...sigh....that only makes the story sound like it's going to be a lot like Baker King
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13 Atsirk
August 9, 2011 at 4:11 PM
Lee Jang-woo and Chun Jung-myung in one drama.
KILL ME NOW.
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14 happa
August 9, 2011 at 4:31 PM
was last match really that great? i'm tempted to watch it...
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15 spazzy06
August 9, 2011 at 6:05 PM
This drama has too many professions.
Nurse. Baseball player. Fashion designer.
Is there really a need to make the second lead a chaebol who is suppose to inherit a clothing company? What kind of athlete goes from playing baseball to managing a clothing company? Those two occupations couldn't be any more different.
I find it off-putting that this writer is connecting so many professions together. I have strange feeling this drama will end up juggling too much.
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Cynthia
August 9, 2011 at 7:16 PM
That happened in "The Thorn Birds" - rich movie producer becomes poor and winds up selling material (the cloth kind) while the leading lady starts out selling clothing and then goes into acting. Ahh. Irony. :)
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16 Noelle
August 9, 2011 at 7:11 PM
Too much seems to be going on. I'm a bit confused.
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17 diy
August 9, 2011 at 8:25 PM
i love baker king. and i love makjang. and i love chun jung myung and park min young. and i like lee jang woo. any one of those reason would make me want to watch it. since there's so many reasons, i can't wait!
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18 ayu
August 9, 2011 at 10:32 PM
I was so going to skip this drama but with Jang Woo in it... yeah, I have to support it like crazy ^^ Lee Jang Woo for the world, this guy is just amazingly talented and has great personality, hope he'll get more popularity after this drama ^^
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19 Carinne
August 10, 2011 at 2:14 AM
PMY likes to do full contact lip action so I least expect this much betwn her and her Romeo.
The General is getting busy.
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20 varms
August 10, 2011 at 2:20 AM
Did I just read that right? Seo Inwoo? Hee hee.
Memories of Park Shi Hoo in Prosecutor Princess just flooded through my mind... =D
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missjb
August 10, 2011 at 2:35 AM
Haha.. that's what I want to say. How I miss PP..
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21 Kaye
August 10, 2011 at 7:14 AM
jangwoo jangwoo jangwoo jangwoo
I could seriously listen to him read a phone book gah
and his singing voice is just divine. I haven't seen him act before so I'm excited! :)
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22 Kira
August 10, 2011 at 9:49 AM
UGH why can't the two of them jus tbe chaebols...or the two of them bieng average. this is annoying >_<
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23 Jinjoo
August 10, 2011 at 1:27 PM
LJW woah he looks good in that photo tho i loathe his role in dong hae as do jun? ah i forgot his name in dong hae sigh sigh
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24 E-kun
August 10, 2011 at 1:27 PM
This puts a smile on my face because I have been wanting to see Jang Woo in something for awhile. I love him on WGM! Eun Jung and him are the only reason I watch the show!
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25 distract
August 10, 2011 at 7:58 PM
awww why is lee jang woo always the bad guy :(
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26 Isabella
August 10, 2011 at 9:17 PM
LOL Why is Jang Woo the bad guy again?? He's such an awesome dorky guy, its amazing to me that he plays a bad characther XD.
Im soo glad that Jang Woo is on screen again! (Well, other than on WGM XD) I love that guy!
Hey, to the people who dont watch WGM and are not familiar with Jang Woo; WATCH IT! I have never seen such a blunt, funny and manly man of that age on TV.
He's a man, man!
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27 dalene
August 21, 2011 at 7:52 PM
I am really looking forward to this new pair. I have loved CJM from Cinderella's Sister and PMY from City Hunter. I would certainly watch this drama. BTW,youre line: " ‘Cause yunno, it can’t be a k-drama without a love square" I find it funny but true...
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