I don't like this. My biggest emphaty for Kim Ju Hyeon. I hope Oh Yeon Seo will turn it down, because I like her, and this process is not beautiful.

This comes off really bad on the production team

I love Oh Yeon Eo and she will rock this. That said, what a crappy thing to do!!!! I mean have a giant casting publicity stunt to get interest in your drama going and then force the winner out?! What the hell?! Sleezy. There is no way it was voluntary. Sleezy and liars.

I like her in Shine or Go Crazy

PR stunt to the max! If this flop it's gonna be a flop of epic proportion. Sorry JW sooo not watching, better luck next time!

Although I like oh yeon so and would've liked it had they just cast her in the first place but I really feel bad for the girl who "voluntarily" stepped down. She worked so hard to beat so many actresses for this?

I love OYS but this is just terrible.

SBS must be very confident of getting her. Can you imagine if OYS says no? Better still, they can't get anyone on board. I don't mind seeing OYS, Kim Joo Hyun and Joo Won in different dramas.

I think Oh Yeon-seo is a pretty good choice for the role. I didn't like any of the finalists. They all look like they lack star quality (or lack audience affinity) so I'm happy that they got Oh Yeon-seo instead.

With regard to the auditioning, I think they've been too open about the process. Instead of making it a reality show/survival like format, they should have just kept it low profile. Like a REAL audition.

"air simultaneously in Korea, China, and Japan" For a site with news about dramas you're not very informed about things. Japan avoids airing kdramas in general and paid very little for the huge DOTS, for this drama to air there they will have to sell it for pretty much nothing and I don't know if they're willing to lose money. And China just banned about 99% of korean entertainment, so this drama ain't airing there anytime soon.

I'm puzzled with the Joo won drama's choices honestly. His old dramas used to be my favourites.
I'm disappointed with yongpal and this sounds like a disaster in a making. He is losing his touch.

OYS would be perfect for this role!! But I feel REALLY bad for KJH. It must have been a shock to her.
So... what was up with the whole audition thing...? Uhhh.

But what if OYS says no?

Weiiiiird! But I didn't want the newbie to be sassy girl, so I'm a little relieved. I like this casting, but I'm still hoping for PARK BO-YOUNG! Haha.

WTH? They certainly take viewers for idiots,don't they?. Even though, the remake is already unnecessary(I am actually one of the few who didn't like the original lol. Didn't like jun ji hyun's acting nor the movie except for the ending). I was following the drama news because they caused so much hype with all the auditions and joo won not only taking part in the selection process,but also said to involve himself in direction(?) too. Sigh.. I like oh yeon seo. Though she tends to over-react,but i can definitely see her suiting this role. But i don't know..all this has already left a bad after-taste.

LMAO wth? thats so embarrassing! whats the point of making such a big deal about having an open audition and casting an unknown when they just ended up doing this??? so stupid lol

Totaly on point about the Jeon Ji Hyun vibes ever since I first saw her in CITT. But I wouldn't want her to take it so that she doesn't get stuck with that comparism. I want her to be an established name as an actress. Loved her as Baek In Ha even as she went BATSH!T, I couldn't stop staring. It was truly like witnessing a trainwreck. @Harem

I like OYS v.much from her last drama with rain. She acts very very well. But if the finding of new face to act the new sassy girl was just for attention and rating expection, then it's cruel and certainly unfair. :P

It has been mentioned that the Chinese backers of this former Korean-Chinese collab pulled out. I guess to attract sponsors SBS made the decision to go with a sure way to get it through a more well-known lead actress.

Theyre full of bull... if she stepped down then why they didnt call the 2nd place or 3rd place? I dont really like the original story but I liked they were giving new people a chance and the sageuk could bring something cool to the story but it looks like a publicity stunt gone wrong since now theyve seen how savage the rating battles are and want a star asap. And its even more clear it was a stunt because before the auditions, CBA was in its final eps. So they could have totally offered her the role without problems.

Poor Joo-won :( It never goes smoothly on the female lead part.

Well I like Oh Yeon Seo and Joo Won, so . . .

the positive side of this: whoever person behind this drama, he's genius! especially in drama promotion. let's review his 'formula':

1. call the drama as remake of popular drama no matter how far the story/plot with the original as long as there's tiny similar premise => attract original's fans, even when the drama turn bad some will stick to drama to bash it, but they still watch (read: rating).

2. cast actor with large fanbase so no matter how bad the drama is they will defend it, preferably someone who already has experience in bad remakes (sorry JW, but you can't erase level7 and NC from your list) => fanwar between actor fan and original drama fan will create buzz, more will watch (read: rating).

3. create another buzz before filming; in this case open casting for female lead => genius! most drama viewers are female, so give them some hope, even if they fail they still can say "I'm this close to become part of this drama", for reminiscing this they will watch the drama (read: rating).

4. another buzz: drama behind drama! re-cast female lead to well known actress but let the open casting winner stay => some will watch for this well known actress and some will watch to support the open cast winner since poor her, after all she's done, but surely this secure viewer (read: rating).

I'm anticipating what he (she?) will do next. another buzz? other drama should learn from this drama production! if this turn out to have good or decent story, with this kind of promotion, on paper the rating will be bombastic!

This whole business is so crazyyyyy. What they take the viewers for? I am not against OSY but KJH competed her best to be accepted as lead and now!!!!

That's messed up... I actually prefer the newbie over Oh Yeon Seo! Stupid move.

Oh please they probably had this planned form the start. I mean really who the hell thought they would do a real audition process in Korea? It's hard enough doing this in the US.

Feel bad for Kim joo-hyun, but she wisely took the supporting part rather than quitting.

The production company probably was all ready to go ahead w/ KJH as the lead actress, but SBS (and probably the investors as well) pressured to get a "name" actress.

Have never seen OYS in anything but variety (like her in variety), but have good things about her acting.

A lot of actresses of her generation seem to have started off as idols - but for short-lived groups (so the idol-turned-actress stigma never really stuck with them).

This definitely sounds more like a publicity stunt than an actual "voluntary" stepping down. Casting a known actress would definitely generate more viewers and fanfare but that's just an unethical, dick move. I feel bad for Kim Joo Hyun and the other candidates who actually believed they had a chance. She'll still get to be in the drama but her character sounds like a typical boring second lead, ughh. But then again, who knows what actually happened behind the scenes..