We’re just about two months away from Lee Seung-gi’s return from army duty (what, I wasn’t counting… the whole time), and it’s possible that we’ll be seeing him back in dramaland straightaway. He’s currently considering an offer to star in the new Hong sisters fantasy rom-com Hwayugi, which would be his first reunion with the writer pair since 2010’s My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho. And if Cha Seung-won (Hwajeong) also signs on, it’ll be a reunionpalooza! Following Lee Seung-gi’s hilarious cameo on Best Love, the two actors went on to costar in You’re All Surrounded as a bickering veteran-rookie detective duo.
Hwayugi is a modernized reworking of the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, about a monk taking a journey with four troublesome companions who must atone for their sins. In this drama, the heroine will be the monk character and the hero will be Sun Wukong, the mischievous Monkey King. Lee Seung-gi has been offered the role of Sun Wukong, which Park Bo-gum turned down last month. The character was once an extremely powerful minor god, but pride was his undoing, and he was exiled to the human world and his powers sealed. He will discover that the monk holds the key to unsealing his powers, and they will fight each other and also fight the dark forces on their way to love. Cha Seung-won is considering an offer to play Woo Hwi-chul, based on the Bull Demon King who is Sun Wukong’s sworn brother.
I find it hilarious that in Na PD’s variety show New Journey to the West, which was based on the same mythology, Seung-gi was the dependable monk to his foolish hyungs, whose most embarrassing punishment was to wear the Monkey King’s crown as they traveled. I like the idea of a reversal with him playing the troublemaker Monkey King; plus, he’s pretty perfect casting for a foolish, prideful hero deserving of a big comeuppance.
The Hong sisters have definitely had some misses in the last few years, but if they manage to reunite with both Lee Seung-gi and Cha Seung-won, who were the stars of my two favorite Hong sisters dramas, how can I possibly not get excited about that?
Hwayugi, which will be directed by PD Park Hong-kyun of Best Love and Queen Seon-deok, is slated to air in tvN’s weekend slot this December.
