Ahn Jae-hyun
Ahn Jae-hyun (Reunited Worlds) is the newest name to be announced as a possible lead for Beauty Inside, the anticipated drama adaptation of the sentimental romance film of the same name that is looking to air on JTBC later this year.
The original movie starred Han Hyo-joo as the leading lady, with a veritable Who’s Who of stars putting in face time as her lover, a man who found himself in a new body every day (among those actors: Park Seo-joon, Yoo Yeon-seok, Lee Jin-wook, Chun Woo-hee, Ueno Juri, Seo Kang-joon, Lee Bum-soo, Park Shin-hye, Lee Dong-wook, and Go Ah-sung). The drama series takes the general premise of the movie, but with a few major changes: This time, it’ll be the female lead who jumps into a different body every day, while the male lead will play the unchanging love interest. Moreover, rather than turning into a new person with every transformation (and never having a “home” body), the change only happens once a month.
The role Ahn Jae-hyun has been offered is of Ryu Eun-ho, a quiet and pure young man who wants to become a priest. He’s known our heroine since childhood, and helps keep her secret once he finds out about it. The offer has already gone out to Seo Hyun-jin (Temperature of Love) to play the main character, which would be wonderful since she’s a great actor with a talent for drawing us into her characters. Plus, if she accepts, she’d be reuniting with director Song Hyun-wook, with whom she worked on Oh Hae-young Again, a major breakthrough role for her.
Seo Hyun-jin, Lee Min-ki, Lee Da-hee
Lee Min-ki (Because This Life Is Our First) has also received an offer to join the cast to play an airline executive who’s in love with the heroine, while Lee Da-hee (Mystery Queen 2) is up to play a woman in love with Ahn Jae-hyun’s character.
I have to say my initial reaction to the plot changes is disappointment because the original worked so well (who else yelled “Cop out!” upon reading the description?). Moreover, the revolving door of changing bodies was all the more poignant for its bittersweetness: She loved him in all his forms, even though there was no anchor body — it was the essence of him that she loved. It was a whimsical premise that led to some really thoughtful and heartfelt moments, and I worry that this drama version feels way too safe to explore all the meaning that was baked into the original — you’re essentially making her a werewolf, which is a different problem altogether, and one that feels so manageable. Where’s the heartbreak in reducing the dilemma to a menstrual cycle? I suppose I’ll still hold on to hope that the drama will be effective, but I can’t help feeling sad.
Beauty Inside is aiming to air on JTBC later this year.