Actor Lee Sung Min is said to be in negotiations to appear in JTBC's new drama "Insiders", taking over a part that was initially offered to Song Kang Ho, who dropped out of the production because of scheduling issues.
Based on an exclusive OSEN report quoted by KBZoom, on October 16, Lee Sung Min has been offered to play Lee Kang Hee, a key character in the political storyline of "Insiders," which is being produced for broadcast on JTBC.
A production insider revealed that, "Lee Sung Min had been discussing a different character with the team but was later offered the lead role after Song Kang Ho's departure" According to the source, talks are still underway.
His agency also affirmed that the actor is seriously mulling over the offer, saying that "Lee Sung Min is positively reviewing the proposal for 'Insiders.'"
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On the other hand, actor Koo Kyo Hwan turned down the role of Ahn Sang Goo, the political gangster character initially played by Lee Byung Hun in the 2015 adaptation.
The play "Insiders" is inspired by the incomplete webtoon of Yoon Tae Ho, which was also the source for "Inside Men," the highly acclaimed film. The film, which pulled in more than 7 million cinema visitors, received widespread acclaim for its poignant critique of South Korean political corruption and societal hypocrisy.
As per Naver, Insiders will take the same dynamics to TV, reliving the moral dilemmas and power plays of the 1980s and 1990s. Originally a two-season show, the drama has now been trimmed into a single season with 12 episodes and a new lineup and direction.
The project is to be helmed by Mo Wan Il, who came into fame for "Misty" and "The World of the Married," and penned by Lee Ki Chul, who worked on "The Thieves," "Assassination," and "Escape from Mogadishu."
Production will be taken care of again by Hive Media Corp, the company behind the original movie, to maintain tone and style continuity in the television adaptation.
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