According to translated reports, TVXQ’s Yoochun will star as the grandson of a powerful noble family during Korea’s Joseon (Choseon) era. The drama, tentatively titled “Sungkyunkwan Scandal” will involve Lee Son Jun (Yoochun’s character) being troubled by his growing love for who he thinks is another guy.
The twist is that the “guy” is really a women who has dressed herself as a man to replace her sickly brother at the Sungkyunkwan Confucian Institute. Ya!
Yoochun’s character is the upstanding, “perfect” type who is not only great academically but also athletic and handsome. Just imagine the kind of mental and emotional torture that type of guy would have to go through after developing feelings for who he thinks is a “man”? He probably be thinking he’s crazy and he certainly wouldn’t want anyone finding out.
If that isn’t bad enough, the drama is set about a thousand years in the past when it was absolutely unacceptable in any way to have those kinds of feelings in most of the world. Heck, people are still having a hard time accepting the fact that some people like those of the same gender.
The 2nd time I watched Coffee Prince, which was set in modern times with the same ‘boy-is-really-a-girl’ type of storyline, I fantasized about Yoochun playing the role of ‘Manager’; only because that guy reminds me of a taller, older Yoochun for some reason. I don’t know why, realy. He just does.
I’m really looking forward to seeing the way Yoochun handles this character. I want to see what he bring to it and learn from it. I want to know if he’ll make it funny or have a serious tone to him. He’ll do an outstanding job as long as the writing and editing is good. Bad editing can kill the most wonderful script.
I remember watching Yoochun in The Masked Man, a short mini-drama he did with Yunho. Though he didn’t have long lines or anything, there was a sophisticated subtlety in his performance.
Same thing with ‘Dating on Earth’, a mini drama staring all of the guys years ago. Even back then he showed he could handle a role like being married to a woman who turns out to be his teacher.
Casting for the new drama is expected to be completed by the end of this month with filming to begin next month.
/ dongbanger /