mijobooks Chapter 1332 Casting
Chapter 1332 Casting
Chapter 1332 Casting
"...We've discussed the casting of Han Shujun before, including with Jingyuan."
Lim Soo-yeon, who is the main producer of "Mouse", spoke first. She looked around and exchanged a glance with Ji Kyung-won, and said very decisively, "Everyone agrees that Ahn Jae-wook is the most suitable."
The producer is a woman in her early forties who was assigned by Netflix. I heard that she worked as a script assistant at SBS in her early years, and then worked for JTBC for a period of time as an independent producer. After joining Netflix this year, she has been given important responsibilities.
Although they hadn't met in person during this time, through video calls and phone conversations, she left Chi Jingyuan with the impression that she was very capable and approachable.
When she mentioned Ahn Jae-wook playing Han Seo-joon, Ji Kyung-won was the first to vote in favor. When he heard about the character's gentle killer image, he casually thought of Ahn Jae-wook among the middle-aged male actors in the industry and immediately thought of him.
Ahn Jae-wook debuted very early and is a landmark figure of the first generation of Korean Wave. He has worked in multiple fields such as film, music, and theater. In the past, he always appeared in front of the camera with a gentle and cute image. However, after 2011, he gradually reduced his film and television performances and shifted his focus to musicals and theater.
Although Han Seo-joon is a complete psychopath, and his character is nothing like Ahn Jae-wook's usual persona, for some reason, Ji Kyung-won just really felt that he was a perfect fit.
Clearly, he wasn't the only one with this idea.
“We have reached an agreement with his agency, and they have expressed satisfaction with the script. However, the actor himself still has some concerns about playing a psychopathic killer, as it is very different from his previous roles.”
Lim Soo-yeon described the current casting progress: "But according to the other party, the possibility of her appearing in the role is still very high."
"Then there are several other candidates, all of whom were submitted by their agencies. Their information has been recorded in the documents..." As she spoke, she pointed to the bound documents in front of each person, and Chi Jingyuan opened one to take a look.
"Then there's the second male lead, Gao Wuzhi, and the third male lead, Cheng Yaohan..."
Casting is arguably the most crucial and important part of a TV series. It's also where the production team can demonstrate their power and unleash their inspiration, and it's also the part where deals are most easily made.
In reality, not many roles in TV dramas are actually selected through auditions. The major agencies and agents in the entertainment industry are very powerful, and for many roles, the actors are already decided before casting, or even when the project is first launched.
For example, with "Goblin", Kim Eun-sook had already decided to invite Gong Yoo even before the script was finished. After Gong Yoo declined, she changed her mind immediately. "Goblin" had just been launched and hadn't even reached the casting stage when she confirmed Ji Kyung-won.
Ji Kyung-won has been in the industry for many years and has filmed many TV dramas. Most of the roles he got were actually obtained through behind-the-scenes operations and connections. Many of them didn't even go through the audition process. Even if they did, it was mostly just a formality.
The only real audition he ever had, which involved studying the script, memorizing lines, and waiting for the results, was for his debut role in "Reply 1997"... This was a role he truly got through an audition.
However, as this is an important drama for Netflix to open up the market, and it is also a drama that Ji Kyung-won attaches great importance to, it is of course impossible for the agency to exchange them behind the scenes. The main creators had communicated beforehand, and whether the actor's image, appearance, and acting skills were suitable for the role were equally important.
Although Ji Kyung-won wields considerable power within the production team and his opinions carry significant weight in casting decisions, he certainly cannot prevent the other key members of the production team from offering their opinions.
On the contrary, although he had the right, to be honest, Chi Jingyuan did not actually want to interfere too much. As usual, the producer, casting director and other main creators participated in the whole process, and the more important things were discussed by everyone... There were six or seven main actors alone, and dozens of other supporting roles, big and small. How could he have the energy to participate in the whole casting process?
Therefore, he will only offer suggestions and participate in matters concerning a few of the most important roles.
Regarding the casting of "Mouse", the production team had reached a consensus that among the male characters, Ji Kyung-won's portrayal of the male lead, Jung Ba-reum, was the most outstanding, and most of the exciting plot revolved around him. Other male characters, such as Go Moo-chi, were also good, but not as important.
Therefore, they will not invite actors who are too famous or have too high status. They will basically choose from second or third-tier male actors who fit the image and have the acting skills. As for the third male lead, Cheng Yaohan, the requirements are even lower, so the threshold for casting is also lower. Newly debuted models or even idols are acceptable.
Firstly, it saves costs; secondly, it avoids overshadowing the main attraction.
When it comes to selecting actresses, they place greater emphasis on popularity and momentum, aiming to balance the outstanding nature of the role with the ability to generate buzz.
"Then there are the two female leads, Wu Fengyi and Cui Hongzhu..."
As is typical in the film and television industry, apart from Ji Kyung-won, several of the main creators offered their own suggestions regarding the male roles. While Ahn Jae-wook was deemed the most suitable and had a limited number of scenes, leading to a consensus among all the cast members, there were more than three candidates for the other male roles.
After discussing the male lead, the producer immediately moved on to the female lead: "We had previously submitted initial drafts of the scripts to the agencies of several suitable actresses and received several positive responses."
Because in the final version of the script, which has been revised and improved, the roles and importance of the two main female characters, Wu Fengyi and Cui Hongzhu, are roughly the same, there is no longer a distinction between the female lead and the second female lead. Each character's plot is crucial and quite outstanding.
"Now that the script is complete and the production team is assembled, we have officially begun casting, so further communication has started."
The producer continued, "At the same time, many talent agencies, after obtaining scripts through other means, also proactively submitted audition applications to their actresses."
In the Peninsula Film and Television Industry, due to the scarcity of roles, acting opportunities are extremely valuable, often requiring various activities and fierce competition. Many actors even choose to change agencies for a few roles.
But apart from actors who lack background and resources, there are actually many people who don't lack roles at all, like Ji Kyung-won. He basically never lacks roles; his office is always overflowing with scripts from various offers, which he can choose from at will, but he doesn't like most of them.
Bae Suzy was the same after filming "Goblin"... There are quite a few of these actors, perhaps because of their popularity, perhaps because their previous dramas were very successful, or perhaps because of their powerful backgrounds.
However, having no shortage of dramas to film doesn't mean there's no shortage of good dramas to film.
Once a TV series is approved, industry professionals can usually make a general assessment of it by looking at the qualifications and past achievements of the main creators, the script, the investment, the distribution company, the cast, and so on, even before filming begins.
Competition in the Peninsula Film and Television Industry is fierce, and one can quickly fade into obscurity. A flop film can lead to a long period of silence, so one must be extra cautious.
There are only a handful of those A-list productions with the potential to be huge hits and a powerful cast in the entire Korean Peninsula film and television industry every year; any one of them would be highly sought after.
Honestly, overall, "Mouse" isn't exactly an A-list production. The creative team isn't particularly strong, Netflix doesn't have much of a following right now, it won't be broadcast on television, and the script is rated 19+.
But this drama also has its own unique and powerful advantages... Ji Kyung-won, the male lead, is really charismatic.
As his first drama after being promoted to TV King, and also his first R-rated drama, it certainly has a lot of hype.
With a compelling script, the project attracted a lot of interest when it was first announced, and the casting process has become even more exciting now that it's officially underway.
"..."
While listening to the producer's introduction, Chi Jingyuan flipped through the documents in his hand and immediately saw the resume of the first actor under the role of 'Wu Fengyi'.
Lee Sung-kyung.
"This person should be familiar to everyone."
While Ji Kyung-won was reviewing the materials, the producer began to introduce her: "The huge success of her starring role in 'Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo' this year has propelled Lee Sung-kyung to the ranks of top young actresses, so she doesn't lack roles. However, this has also made her 'lively, cheerful, cute, and sweet' idol image deeply ingrained in people's minds, bringing a serious risk of being typecast."
"She and her agency are actively seeking a role that allows her to break through her established image and showcase her acting depth, in order to prove her versatility as an actress."
“After reading the script, her agency YG Entertainment felt that the character of Oh Bong-yi, with her tragic backstory, strong exterior, and inner trauma, was very interesting. So they contacted us and submitted her application. The actress was very willing to take on the role. She has a lot of popularity and is well-known. She has played supporting roles in many dramas before and has a lot of experience. So she is our first choice at the moment.”
"I heard that the other party is very interested in collaborating with Jingyuan, and apparently they're a fan of yours?" Producer Lin Xiuyan said, glancing at Chi Jingyuan with a hint of teasing.
Chi Jingyuan smiled helplessly and said, "Just listen to those kinds of things. She debuted earlier than me. She's a senior and a noona."
Although I don't believe in this so-called 'fan' thing, after reading the information and listening to the producer's introduction, I found that Ji Kyung-won had met Lee Sung-kyung once or twice by chance at events.
Although he hadn't seen "Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo,"... Lim Na-yeon had seen it, and he'd heard her mention it several times in the group chat. As he listened, he felt like he'd already seen it.
Overall, this person is indeed quite suitable.
"Then there's Kim So-hyun..."
Immediately afterwards, the producer began introducing the next candidate, and Ji Kyung-won flipped to Kim So-hyun's file.
Compared to Lee Sung-kyung, he is much more familiar with Kim So-hyun... It's not the kind of mutual flattery; she's a true fan of his. Ji Kyung-won still remembers when she was an MC on a music show in 13, she openly held up an LED light stick to support her.
"..."
After recounting Kim So-hyun's information, the producer smiled and looked at Ji Kyung-won, "...I heard that Kim So-hyun and Kyung-won are quite familiar with each other?"
"It's true, we're quite familiar with each other." Chi Jingyuan nodded with a smile, and the others around him also laughed, their eyes revealing satisfaction and a hint of confidence.
It has to be said that Ji Kyung-won's addition has indeed raised the rating of the entire drama "Mouse" by more than one level. At least in terms of casting, there is no need to go through all sorts of hard work to introduce the actors you like when you invite them. Just saying "Ji Kyung-won is confirmed to star in the male lead drama" is enough. Basically, most actors will immediately take a second look at him.
But after saying that, the producer added, "...Although the script has been sent out, it is said that Kim So-hyun is currently changing agencies, so there has been no response yet."
After introducing several more actress candidates and having a discussion, she then began to talk about the casting of the equally important female role, Choi Hong-joo:
"...Jeon Hye-bin, her agency is Namoo Actors. Last year, she gained widespread attention for her role as Oh Hae-young, the second female lead in 'Another Oh Hae-young.' Her appearance and acting skills have been recognized by the industry, and she also fits the character setting in the script."
"However, she has not starred in any dramas or movies since 'Another Oh Hae-young.' Meanwhile, her relationship with actor Lee Joon-gi was exposed this year, and her breakup some time ago garnered a lot of attention. In the past year, her exposure has mainly relied on emotional topics, turning her from a 'multi-talented artist' into a 'center of emotional topics.' Her acting career is facing stagnation, and she is currently seeking a transformation."
"Then there's Song Ha-yoon, whose agency is JYP. She gained popularity this year for her role as the second female lead in 'Fight for My Way'."
Her transition from "supporting roles" to "leading roles that can carry viewership" has made her a promising candidate in the eyes of industry producers, possessing both empathy and audience appeal, thus making her a highly anticipated new generation actress.
After introducing several key candidates, Lim Soo-yeon talked about many others, including those with less background, experience, and resources: "There are also many other candidates who were proactively submitted by their agencies. They are all actors with less experience, but they will still receive audition invitations... The role of Choi Hong-joo is the most complex and sought-after in the entire script."
Ji Kyung-won saw many actresses competing for the role in the information, and some of them looked quite familiar, or he had seen them before, such as Seo Ye-ji, with whom he had worked on an advertisement before.
He even saw Han So-hee's information... Her face was very distinctive; the first thing he thought of was the model and actress that Lee Seung-ri had introduced.
I heard that she doesn't even have a proper agency and is in the early stages of working as a model and looking for acting opportunities. I don't know how she got her name on the set of "Mouse".
Moreover, as Ji Kyung-won listened, he suddenly noticed that the producer mentioned the name "Fight for My Way" several times, as if several actresses from that drama had come into the sights of the "MOUSE" production team.
This drama was indeed quite successful this year, with an average viewership rating of 10%, which is pretty good, and it also generated a lot of buzz.
However… Chi Jingyuan quickly flipped through the documents at the back.
Since you like this show so much, is someone missing?