Actors can often be forever associated with their iconic roles. It’s hard to imagine them portrayed by someone else, but in an alternate universe, TV’s most recognizable characters could’ve had starkly different faces.
K-dramas, in particular, are no different. Deals fall through, scheduling conflicts arise, and sometimes, fate decides who gets the big role. For further proof, here’s a sampling of Korean actors and actresses who passed on some of the industry’s most famous characters.
1. Song Hye Kyo for "Hyena"
Judging from her diverse K-drama credits, Hallyu favorite Song Hye Kyo can pull off just about any role. Her latest stint in The Glory had audiences raving about her revenge-driven performance, so imagine her as another headstrong type: the competitive lawyer Jung Geum-ja in Hyena.
While the role of the 2020 drama was offered to her, the character was eventually played by another industry vet Kim Hye Soo. Rumors circulated that Hye Kyo turned down the job due to her highly publicized divorce from actor Song Joong Ki, but Hye Kyo’s agency clarified that the decision was due to her having another project in the works.
2. Gong Yoo for "Descendants of the Sun"
Speaking of Descendants of the Sun, here’s another what-if: Captain Yoo, but played by, well, Gong Yoo. According to reports, screenwriter Kim Eun Sook pictured a man with a “bulky and strong” frame for the military romance’s male lead. The first offer was handed to Gong Yoo, then Jo In Sung, Kim Woo Bin, and Won Bin. However, they all declined due to scheduling conflicts, and reportedly, a requirement to have a military-compliant haircut.
3. Sandara Park for "My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho"
Before Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha made Netflix viewers swoon, Shin Min Ah’s stardom was catapulted by Koreanovela hit My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho. But in another timeline, the role of Mi-ho could’ve been played by none other than the Philippines’ own krung-krung Sandara Park.
The then-freshly debuted 2NE1 member and her agency YG Entertainment eventually turned down the offer. Another top actress on the potential list was Jun Ji Hyun, but the star declined the invitation to appear in her 2011 international film Snow Flower and the Secret Fan.
4. Song Joong Ki for "Kingdom"
The horror drama Kingdom could’ve crowned another prince on the throne. The Netflix series originally tapped Song Joong Ki for Crown Prince Lee Chang in 2017, but the actor had to pass on the opportunity to prep for his nuptials with his former bride Song Hye Kyo. The role went to Ju Ji Hoon, who already had princely experience under his belt, thanks to the classic K-drama Princess Hours.
5. Kim Woo Bin for "Pinocchio"
Park Shin Hye and Lee Jong Suk might’ve had the sweetest chemistry in 2014’s Pinocchio, but the series’ eyed another actor for its top-billed role: Kim Woo Bin. The actor, who previously worked with Shin Hye in The Heirs as an antagonist, was one of the candidates for Choi Dal-po. But due to scheduling conflicts (you guessed it!), Woo Bin’s friend Jong Suk filled in the male lead’s shoes instead. There’s no bad blood, though–Woo Bin even called Shin Hye and Jong Suk’s on-screen chemistry “beautiful to look at.”
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