Boo, I was looking forward to this pairing. Dongha (Suspicious Partner) has officially turned down his offer to star in MBC’s upcoming I’m Not a Robot, while Chae Soo-bin (Strongest Deliveryman) is still considering the lead role in the show. On a more positive casting note, Hwang Seung-eon (Man Who Dies to Live) has been offered a supporting role in the show.
The producers haven’t announced that they’ve offered the lead role to any other actor yet, but I do hope that they’ll go in the same vein and give an actor who hasn’t been a leading man before a chance. Personally, I’m kinda put out that Dongha has passed on this opportunity, since I’ve enjoyed his past performances as memorable supporting characters (see: Chief Kim, Three Days), and I think he would’ve done a great job with the role.
The character description actually vaguely reminds me of Yeon Woo-jin’s character in Introverted Boss, if his shyness had been the result of a physical condition: The lead character is a director at a large finance firm who barely leaves his castle-like mansion due to his allergy to humans. Even his assistant isn’t really aware of his goings-on and the shut-in is the subject of fear among his employees. One day, he suddenly falls in love with a robot, although, it doesn’t appear that the roles Chae Soo-bin nor Hwang Seung-eon are up for are that robot, so that love may not be the endgame.
Chae Soo-bin, should she accept, is up to play a passionate, competitive youth with an inner feminine side that no one ever sees. She has an IQ of 94, but makes up for her lack of smarts with an athleticism that barely gets her into university. Her father is a car mechanic, so she’s able to tell the make of a vehicle just by the sound of its engine, and is also handy with tools. I like her already.
The character Hwang Seung-eon is up to play, of course, is pretty much Chae Soo-bin’s opposite. She’s the object of the male lead’s first love, and a team leader at his finance firm, with beauty, smarts, and a bright, transparent personality to match.
The producers have some time yet to fill their lead male role, since the MBC strike might force the station to push I’m Not a Robot’s premiere to November instead of the original October date, following currently airing Hospital Ship. In the meantime, I’m going to think hard at MBC that a certain Woo Do-hwan will be available very soon…