New TvN K-Drama’s Male Lead Casting Sparks Clashing Reactions
Popular actors Choi Hyun Wook and Moon Ga Young (also romanized Mun Ka Young) have been confirmed to lead the new tvN K-Drama Black Salt Dragon (also known as He’s the Black Dragon)!
On July 12, tvN officially announced the casting of Black Salt Dragon, which will be directed by Lee Soo Hyun (Delightfully Deceitful). The K-Drama is set to premiere via tvN in the first half of 2025.
It is adapted from the popular Webtoon Geunomeun Heukyeomryong by Hyejinyang. It’s the love story of a man and woman who initially met as students while playing an online game. They reunite 16 years later, but this time as a boss and his employee.
Baek Soo-Jung (Mun Ka-Young) works as the leader of a planning team at Yongsung Department Store. The department store is widely regarded as the best in the industry. She is a hard worker and is recognized for her top performance at her job. She won’t hesitate to butt heads with anyone in the company, rather than suppressing whatever it is that bothers her.
One day, she meets Ban Joo-Yeon (Choi Hyun-Wook) for the first time in 16 years. He begins to work as her boss, the director of the strategic planning division. He is also the successor of the department store. When Baek Soo-Jung was in her teens, she met first met Ban Joo-Yeon through an online game. He used the game ID of ‘Black Salt Dragon,’ which was the symbol of teenage angst. That time has remained as one of the worst memories in her life.
In his teens, Ban Joo-Yeon first met Baek Soo-Jung, who used the game ID ‘Strawberry.’ He fell in love with her and she was his first love, but, as soon as he confessed his feelings to her, she dumped him. This was first taste of bitterness in his life. 16 years later, Ban Joo-Yeon is now all grown up. He meets Baek Soo-Jung as his subordinate at work.
— AsianWiki
The news went viral on X (formerly Twitter) with netizens expressing their reactions. Many questioned the casting, confused about Choi Hyun Wook in a male lead role in which he is starring as someone’s boss.
her boss…..16 years…..many questions https://t.co/WmddyCiJvr
— sierra (@dohwansbraces) July 12, 2024
she should’ve been the boss lmao😭😭 https://t.co/zIGdb3ZF61
— sway☆ (@hajoonist_) July 12, 2024
Netizens commented that he appears too young for the role. They found the sixteen-year time jump especially unbelievable.
He is not old enough to be anyone's boss. He should also be at the club https://t.co/BlOLJ5aa4x
— hattie (@haraxvati) July 12, 2024
Choi Hyun Wook rose to stardom with roles in which he donned a high school uniform. From Twinkling Watermelon to Twenty Five Twenty One to Weak Hero Class 1, he is excellent at portraying a teenager.
"Choi Hyunwook again… Undefeated school uniform this year too"
Although he played a student in a school uniform in most of his appearances, his performance so far is all the more remarkable in that each character he played is remembered as different characters. pic.twitter.com/FTqsu5vPrh
— Daily Hyunwook 최현욱 (@dailyhyunwook) November 12, 2023
Despite the criticism, many fans are jumping to Choi Hyun Wook’s defense. They are rejoicing that he is breaking free from the typecasting.
hyunwook is going to eat that role up like yall have seen actors pushing 40 in hs uniforms but him playing her boss is going to be a problem? open the conversation again once this is airing https://t.co/7tcxUW61mE
— ْ (@obseok) July 12, 2024
yall need to stop associating an actor with one type of role. i'm so happy to see hyunwook in different roles bc all this time he was in a school uniform, that role is something new for him and that's exactly why he chose it, actually that's what an actor does, right?
— lia (@wookzne) July 12, 2024
my son choi hyunwook finally out that school uniform (not fully but still) pic.twitter.com/rQBjKhXIkA https://t.co/YMInjM0cZP
— savana🌊 (@savanaceleste) July 12, 2024
Some also pointed out that Choi Hyun Wook was cast for a reason. His character is a chaebol heir, and due to nepotism, heirs often get high positions at young ages.
Hyunwook is playing a chaebol heir. Chaebols give their children jobs in high positions at a young age– that's how nepotism works. So yes he looks young but that's probably the point. Ppl are so quick to make judgments before they even read the summary or watch the drama https://t.co/OTo2TXFt6j
— sai (@yeonsiieunn529) July 12, 2024
since some people seem to have a problem with his character, i just want to say that hyunwook's character here is a CHAEBOL HEIR. so it does perfectly make sense for him to be a boss. someone with a high position. to be privileged. https://t.co/PL3hObSluF
— eve (@simpforhiy) July 12, 2024
Still, Choi Hyun Wook is only 22 years old, so it might be a while before some viewers are able to see him in mature roles. On the other hand, Moon Ga Young is 28 years old.
