Song Joong-ki cast as a young king in sageuk drama

50 June 1, 2011October 19, 2011

by javabeans

Sungkyunkwan Scandal’s fashionista, Song Joong-ki, is returning to the sageuk fold for the anticipated historical series Tree With Deep Roots, which is the drama from the Queen Seon-deok writers about King Sejong the Great that stars Han Seok-kyu, Jang Hyuk, and Shin Se-kyung.

Song will play the young Sejong, whose older counterpart will be acted by Han Seok-kyu. The two actors look nothing alike, but no matter if they nail the acting; I’m recalling Will It Snow For Christmas, where Kim Soo-hyun and Go Soo likewise looked nowhere near the same person but managed to both get on the same page about the character’s mood and personality. Giant’s another recent drama that had a strong childhood portion, and frankly sometimes I find the youthful parts even more compelling than the grown-up ones. (When the two actors don’t match up, on the other hand, we get a jarring effect — I’m thinking Kim Bum and Song Seung-heon in East of Eden, where I just couldn’t see them as the same character.)

Too bad this also means that Song Joong-ki’s screentime will be limited. Despite that, he’s totally capable of making an impression, and producers explained casting Song for his focus and expressiveness. (He had small roles in Triple and Will It Snow, but certainly made his time count with his onscreen warmth and personality.) Plus he’s just so darn cute.

The youthful Sejong that he’ll portray is a genius growing up under the rule of a tyrannical father. He “realizes the futility of power early in life” and hides in his books, but nonetheless becomes king. In order to steer clear of turning into his father, he learns how to maintain a patient, enduring attitude and represses his own self. The fact that there’s something to repress makes me think he’ll display a more impassioned spirit at first, which he’ll work to control, and that’s a duality I’d love to see from Song, who’s mostly played warm, friendly, approachable characters. Bring on the intensity!

The drama will premiere on September 28.

Han Seok-kyu

Via Star News

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1 Programmer Ahjumma

June 1, 2011 at 5:25 AM

I bet he can do it... angty or fluffy he made us addicted to him

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2 LL

June 1, 2011 at 5:27 AM

I need him to get a lead role in a drama... right now.

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nozomi

June 1, 2011 at 6:30 AM

me too... i was just thinking that its time that he gets to be lead in a drama already.

i like him a lot not just because of his pretty face but i think he has a lot of potential as an actor.

but to be honest, his being easy on the eye is a big plus... lol

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pweettyyy

June 1, 2011 at 7:03 AM

i like him coz he's a PRETTYY BOYYYY.. so im shallow.. sue me.

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YY Chats with Toast Between Bites

June 1, 2011 at 9:12 AM

I wish he were the lead. In Christmas I wanted him to be the lead. In Scandal, I also wanted him to be the lead. WHY CAN'T HE BE THE LEAD? I want him to be the lead.

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jyyjc

June 1, 2011 at 12:16 PM

IKR????

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popa

June 1, 2011 at 7:35 AM

haha - Im so tired that I first read " I need him to get laid..."

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Celest

June 1, 2011 at 8:44 AM

LOL...yea, you need to go to sleep ;) or it might be what we call the "freudian slip" haha

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YY Chats with Toast Between Bites

June 1, 2011 at 9:14 AM

A lead who gets laid....even better.

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78446

June 1, 2011 at 7:51 PM

LOL! Hear hear!

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laya

June 1, 2011 at 5:55 PM

THIS.

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3 yuvee

June 1, 2011 at 5:29 AM

yayyy so looking forward to seeing him again!

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4 Kiara

June 1, 2011 at 5:33 AM

Woot I'm so excited. Love the casts, writer, director and all.

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5 jomo143

June 1, 2011 at 5:52 AM

It'll be so hard to let him go once the character grows up.
Wouldn't it be cool if more than HALF of the shows have to do with him as the young king? Or if they keep using flashbacks till the end?

He chose a good team to come back with, so we have to trust that he will make an impact with his role.

Totally agree with you on the Giant and WISFC kids.
Poor Go Soo was 4 inches shorter than KSH, so it was noticeable that he "grew down."

I would add CYHMH to the list of compelling child casts that made a show worth watching from the git-go.

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Celest

June 1, 2011 at 8:55 AM

I second that recommendation of CYHMM. I was really worried that Kim Jae Won wouldn't be able to capture what his child counterpart had already set up but he ABSOLUTELY NAILED IT! I'm having a hard time describing his character. Looks innocent, but in reality isn't innocent, he's aware of what's going on in his family, with a touch of angst.

I guess to put it metaphorically, he's a dark chocolate covered marshmallow. Make that the 60% dark chocolate. Bitter, but sweet enough (well at least for me)

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jomo143

June 1, 2011 at 10:14 AM

All that plus the most beautiful and sudden smile in dramaland. It has the same affect as a subito accelerando on my heart!

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Eva

June 1, 2011 at 11:04 AM

CYHMH is probably the BEST drama airing right now!! so heartwarming! and kim jae won is the best

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ultramarineblue

June 1, 2011 at 2:00 PM

I agree! Watching it right now and I LOVE it....though sometimes the grandma gets on my nerves. Kim Jae Won is awesome but im also really impressed with Jung Bo Suk

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Cam

June 1, 2011 at 10:50 PM

Yes yes yes

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Can

June 1, 2011 at 10:53 PM

I meant, YES YES YES! =D

I really LOOOOOOVE this BEST and beautiful, touching, warming drama "Can You Hear My Heart" but it made me like......like......this drama is REALLY inspiring to me, of course!

Gosh, I loooove this & I would like to recommend to you all to everybody to watch this warming drama "Can You Hear My Heart" & you will LOOOOVE it! ^__^

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Alexis

June 1, 2011 at 10:55 PM

OF COURSE!

This drama "Can You Hear My Heart" is really NAILED IT!! =D =D

Kim Jae Won is BESSSST one!!!!

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6 swui

June 1, 2011 at 5:53 AM

I was wondering how much screentime he'll get too ... would love to see him in a new drama soon...so I guess this is better than none...He quitted Running Man to focus on his acting career so I hope to see more from him...as of now, he only appears in endorsements and stuffs..

I miss my Joong-Ki

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7 jelly

June 1, 2011 at 6:01 AM

I hope he gets lots of leads in dramas because he's not in Running Man anymore which is so sad cause he was so cute in it. I need to make up for lack of regular Joongki :D

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8 Ju Ina-sshi

June 1, 2011 at 6:21 AM

Yeah I still need my time to accept that he left Running Man. But he has this movie and then this seems like a small role as the King so he might be able to do something else...?

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9 Brenda

June 1, 2011 at 6:41 AM

i'm really happy to hear him already in a new drama, but i don't want to force myself to sit through a drama i don't know if i will like when he is not playing a lead character :( (though i've seen cuts from him in second leads and he is sooo adorable that its makes me want to watch the actual drama)

i hope he gets a lead role soon, i've missed him =) more screentime please! :'D

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10 U.K.Chick

June 1, 2011 at 6:42 AM

This is random but Javabeans I am seriously loving these new headers, especially the Kang Ji-Hwan one! HOT!

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11 pohonphee

June 1, 2011 at 6:49 AM

YAY for another drama with Song Joong-ki.

Noo: what! he's not the lead role?

NOOOOOOO: he's just playing the youth part of the lead role. I mean has he already passed that stage yet? Even Jonghwa has already got his lead role, d*** it!

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mars

June 1, 2011 at 9:15 AM

So much right in this comment!

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danna

June 1, 2011 at 11:19 AM

I KNOW!!!!
I was so excited when I found out that he'd be in this drama...but it's really such a bummer that not only will he not be a main character...and I'm not even talking lead here cuz I already knew Jang Hyuk was but I was hoping he'd get something more substantial......but he's ONLY the youthful counterpart??...I do think Song is past that stage as well...as far as acting goes I'm sure he can pull it off....that's why I loved him so much in SKKS....he was not only playful but also intense wherever it was needed
sigh...I'll still be checking this out...and as it always happens with SJK's dramas I'm going to get sucked into the drama despite the fact that I only checked out the first few episodes to see his cute face

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ar_arguably romantic

June 1, 2011 at 4:38 PM

i guess this is when it pays to be an idol singer.

Even though SJK only gets to be the younger version of the lead, I don't mind because 1. this type of role will probably gain more critical praise than being a hero in a youth melodrama 2. he gets to be the lead for however long the youth section of the sageuk is and 3. he gets to be royalty!!

It's hard to remember that once upon a time, no one had ever heard of Song Joong ki. I looked at his drama wiki page and he's only been acting since 2008. He's got a bunch of great projects under his belt. Kim Soo Hyun started in 2007 and had to wait till 2011 to be the lead in a mini-series. Kim Bum started in 2006 and had to wait till 2009. I'm sure Song Joong-ki will get the lead-lead role by end of 2011 or in 2012.

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songjoongkilove

June 1, 2011 at 5:21 PM

i agree...
suzy, wooyoung, MICKY YOOCHUN.. espcially yoochun got his first main leading role in SSKS and now in miss ripley?

i think yoochun has potential but in acting wise, song joong ki definitely has alot more potential as an actor. many actors have to work so hard to get their first leading role but yoochun was landed with a leading role like that.

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msim

June 1, 2011 at 5:44 PM

With his looks and popularity, I think it's really his choice to take smaller parts for now.
He is still learning and gets better and better in every role - not many actors can say that.

He might be a perfectionist; when he is ready, he'll go for it.

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12 ...

June 1, 2011 at 7:39 AM

joong ki!!!!!! ad least he's in something right? i'll take that over nothing :D

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13 izzie

June 1, 2011 at 8:00 AM

Finally! After lightyears of waiting, we're going to see Song Joong-Ki in a drama! Yay! :)

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14 Celest

June 1, 2011 at 8:42 AM

He really reminds me of Hyun Bin in that first picture.

From the writers of QSD? I'm definitely interested now! And the premise about a bookish king "realizing the futility of power" already sounds interesting. He's a smart one lol

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15 YY Chats with Toast Between Bites

June 1, 2011 at 9:21 AM

I wish he were the lead throughout the show. Why can't they make him the lead, stick some grey hair and fake beard on him and give him a pouch for the king part? He's not a boy anymore, he's a man....a very boyish man LOL

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jomo143

June 1, 2011 at 10:08 AM

LOL That picture you drew in my head is fascinating.
Like a high school production of King Lear - sign me up!

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16 Arhazivory

June 1, 2011 at 11:15 AM

The Duo is an example of a drama where the young cast had LOTS of screentime (8.25 eps) and dare I say it...outshined the older cast. I hope Joon Ki gets a lot of screen time too and I can't wait to see him. I was a little disappointed that it wasn't a leading role but o well...what to do? lol. Ganbatte kudasai Song Joon Ki <3

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17 Kgrl

June 1, 2011 at 12:12 PM

I don't care what Joong Ki is in, I'm watching it. It personifies cameragenic charm. Love him to bits.

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18 jyyjc

June 1, 2011 at 12:17 PM

testing. why is my comment not showing up...?

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jyyjc

June 1, 2011 at 12:18 PM

oh.nvm.

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19 Joongkilove

June 1, 2011 at 12:19 PM

Ughhh this makes me mad.... Like all of you, he deserves a leading role as of now. Like come on, shin se kyung has a main role here and joongki doesn't? I'm not hAting on shin se kyung but joongki has a lot more potential as an actor. He has played so many diff roles, and I think he deserves one by now. Let's just hope that song joong ki stars in full house2 w/ shin min ah. And nottttttt TOP

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20 oh moe ni

June 1, 2011 at 1:45 PM

dramawiki has him listed under another series.

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21 ar_arguably romantic

June 1, 2011 at 4:40 PM

I'm usually not too excited abt sageuks, but I'm really looking forward to this one!

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22 ed

June 1, 2011 at 5:22 PM

Hmm I know dramas tend to highlight passion, charisma and good looks of a character because they're what viewers want. This "repressed" king sounds tailor-made for Han Seok-kyu's energy - if you've seen his lead role in "Forbidden Quest" movie. Repression for him would be whatever impulse he has, it's deeply buried, then little whims of rebellion, subversion comes out in other ways - culture, creativity - or advances in language like this drama is about.

I wonder how people will take to Han, since he's obviously not what most TV viewers want: big immediate impact in under a few seconds. He's gone really subtle and "academic" in movies for over 10 years now - give or take the occasional violent role like hardass cop.

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23 Yoya

June 1, 2011 at 11:02 PM

SONG JOONG KI!!! =D I love him from that drama "SKKS"

HEH! I am glad to hear that he is finally back on TV Korean drama, ofc! But....I was bit of disappointed that he is just acting like as young king - oh dang. =/

Ooh, true, true......I am sure that he will become so wonderful and successful actor someday when he will get a lead main role later....like....in late 2011 or 2012, mm! I will pray for him unless he will deserve it! ^__^

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24 Laeah

June 2, 2011 at 12:09 AM

Personally, I'm not dissatisfied with him only have a bit role. Sometimes the smaller roles can have great impact on the drama as a whole. I think smaller roles help fine tune an actors ability, because they must put everything into a few minutes. I think that roles like this will only help later when he finally gets lead roles. He is one of the most talented newbies I've seen. I think he has great great potential, so I'm glad he's being careful and methodical about what he does with his career. I think we've forgotten how actors start out their careers now that idols are getting big parts with no experience.

Anyway, I really have high hopes for Song Joong Ki and I hope that this will help him build relationships with the right people and give him lots more experience for future roles! :)