New TvN K-Drama’s Male Lead Casting Sparks Clashing Reactions

Is Choi Hyun Wook too young?

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)!

Moon Ga Young
Moon Ga Young
Choi Hyun Wook
Choi Hyun Wook | IMDb

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

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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.

Netizens commented that he appears too young for the role. They found the sixteen-year time jump especially unbelievable.

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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.

Despite the criticism, many fans are jumping to Choi Hyun Wook’s defense. They are rejoicing that he is breaking free from the typecasting.

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.

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.

Source: MBC and AsianWiki
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