All dressed up and ready for School

68 November 5, 2012November 4, 2012

by javabeans

Here’s our first look at the cast, in character, for KBS’s upcoming drama School 2013 — which appears to (finally!) have settled on its title after a bunch of rather half-hearted changes (they flirted with 2013 School, then School 5). You’d think if they were going to be so wishy-washy they could have at least entertained something more… well, entertaining.

Naming aside, I’m looking forward to the show, which remakes the ’90s series that featured so many of today’s big stars. The leads in the younger generation — namely, Lee Jong-seok, Kim Woo-bin, and Park Se-young — are dressed here in uniforms; they play students in their second year of Seungri High School (so, 17- and 18-year-olds). It’s an ideal year for drama depiction (similar to how U.S. stories seem to favor junior year), given that the students are old enough to feel the turbulence of transitioning to adulthood, yet still have plenty of time ahead of them before graduating to university. And given the show’s premise, I think we’re going to be seeing plenty of adolescent turmoil and coming-of-age angst. I’m just crossing my fingers that they manage that balance in a skillful, poignant way.

Below are photos from the recent script rehearsal, which includes the adults in the cast. Namely, Jang Nara and Daniel Choi as teachers, as well as familiar comedy faces Lee Han-wi (To the Beautiful You, Wild Romance) and Park Hae-mi (Smile Dong-hae, Unstoppable High Kick).

Oohlala Spouses is reportedly still in talks over whether to extend by two episodes or not, but in any case that doesn’t seem to affect the premiere of School 2013, which will kick off on December 3.

Via Asiae

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1 nova611

November 5, 2012 at 4:33 AM

yay
its here
FINALLY

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2 Steamy Bun

November 5, 2012 at 4:39 AM

Maybe they are trying to follow Answer Me 1997, name-wise?

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okitokki

November 5, 2012 at 11:27 AM

Oh... that one didn't occur to me. I just thought of I Need Romance and it's sequel being I Need Romance 2012.. though I suppose a school drama named similarly to Answer Me 1997 makes a lot of sense too..

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3 cg

November 5, 2012 at 4:43 AM

fingers crossed for a good high school drama :)
Jang nara looks so young.....

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boholAnna

November 5, 2012 at 7:15 AM

Jang nara in this picture looks like she can play one of the high school students here.

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Lovebug

November 5, 2012 at 2:27 PM

I was just about to say that, she literally just doesn't age!

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Tha

November 5, 2012 at 7:30 PM

Right! She looks great!

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Chintu

November 5, 2012 at 7:59 AM

umm, i dont think jang nara is in any of the pix above??

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Mystisith

November 5, 2012 at 8:07 AM

:) Yes she is... On the left column.
Hehe. Why do you think she was chosen for BabyFaced Beauty?

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4 sherry

November 5, 2012 at 4:50 AM

yeah daniel choi and Jang Na Ra again !! I mean what's the odds of having the same couple again in another drama !?

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mary

November 5, 2012 at 8:24 AM

See: Jang Hyuk + Lee Da Hae. :D

But I get your point. Daniel + Jang Nara are adorable! (Haven't seen any Hyuk-Hae dramas)

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bjharm

November 5, 2012 at 1:30 PM

have to add that Daniel Choi father if BFB is also in this

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5 ShinRaeMi07

November 5, 2012 at 5:07 AM

i will watch this because of Jang Nara, Daniel Choi, Kim Woo-bin, and Park Se-young! :-)

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6 pinkpia

November 5, 2012 at 5:16 AM

Looking forward to this drama :) Super excited to see how everyone will turn out. *fingers crossed*

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7 wowow

November 5, 2012 at 5:19 AM

Jang nara and Daniel Choi again? Whoaaa! :D Aaand that is one huge script-reading room they have there :O

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Nesha

November 5, 2012 at 5:39 PM

Lol...the left side is a reflection (its a room with a mirror)...but yay Jang Nara and Daniel Choi!!!!

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8 kcan

November 5, 2012 at 5:43 AM

Soooo excited!

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9 bear99

November 5, 2012 at 5:49 AM

Awwww so many pretty faces.

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10 tiffany

November 5, 2012 at 5:55 AM

JN & CD! <33 now a pair i am looking to see on screen again heheheeeeeeee

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11 autumnscribbles

November 5, 2012 at 5:57 AM

The uniform is really awful...what's with the colour? Other than that, I am excited. I love me some high school dramas.

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12 kaka

November 5, 2012 at 5:58 AM

Daniel Choi looks so... different without his glasses and make up. Or maybe it's just because of his sleepy eyes?

Still keeping low expectation, but maybe I will try It after episode 4 if It gets good review.

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Biscuit

November 5, 2012 at 9:20 PM

I remember when one of the hosts from a show commented that Daniel Choi without his glasses isn't Daniel Choi lol.

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13 nomu nomu nomu

November 5, 2012 at 6:34 AM

This show reminds me of 'Degrassi Junior High' and the remake 'Degrassi: The Next Generation'
Same theme, same synopsis, real teen issues and not teen soap opera issues (90210, for example)

Anyways, enjoyed 'Answer me 1997' very much and hope this will be a high quality show on the same levels

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14 miiko

November 5, 2012 at 6:43 AM

is it me or the school girl looks older than jang nara...
love daniel choi and jang nara... they are such a cute couple in bfb..

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gala

November 5, 2012 at 10:04 AM

It's not you... JN is the epitome of baby-faced beauty.

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rearwindow

November 5, 2012 at 3:07 PM

Yeah, totally. She must be drinking the blood of unicorns or something, because she does not age.

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15 jully moue

November 5, 2012 at 6:48 AM

love this photo of kim woo bin ...

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cheekbones

November 5, 2012 at 9:07 PM

Which one is him in the individual pic ? On the left column above Jang Nara ?

Yesss ! I hope it's good. :)

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16 Daisy

November 5, 2012 at 6:49 AM

I wish Lee Yubi was still part of the cast :(

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Mia

November 5, 2012 at 7:21 PM

Me too :(
I really hope they'll be able to work on a project together again, as a couple of course; toki~<3

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17 FishFillets

November 5, 2012 at 7:03 AM

I swear, Jang Na Ra could just fit right in with the students! Or... maybe not oh I don't know you get my point!!

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bjharm

November 5, 2012 at 1:35 PM

As I understand it she a 'student' teacher thus maybe her age will not all that far away from her students?

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18 SoulsEntwined

November 5, 2012 at 7:20 AM

Looking forward to this show but why is the gender balance so lopsided? Don't teenage girls have stories worth telling?

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19 Vin

November 5, 2012 at 7:33 AM

I was looking at the pictures when I thought "that kid looks like Jang Nara" then I immediately realized that it really is her. Where did she get the elixir of youth?

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shiku

November 5, 2012 at 11:49 AM

I know right? I want that elixir like right now!!!!

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20 jomo143

November 5, 2012 at 7:48 AM

For some reason, these script reading photos make me really happy.
I guess it is because we get to see them as working actors, before their transformation by wardobe, hair and, well, skills, into the characters, and it gives me an appreciation for the magic they work.

I also like to imagine the internal politics and turmoil we don't see except for drama depictions, like Worlds Within.

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21 ujsid

November 5, 2012 at 8:12 AM

wow look at Jang Nara! she looks so freakin young and fresh!! some people are born lucky! *sigh* the young cast looks pretty cute...i will surely check it out! :)

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22 neener ~ Inside the Magic Shop ~

November 5, 2012 at 8:12 AM

wow! and that's a lot of people!

still can't wait to watch this :D I don't care how many dramas I have in my list and also school hehehe :D

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23 Mystisith

November 5, 2012 at 8:18 AM

I'm dying of anticipation for that show: 2 cute teachers and two troublemakers (at least) as their students. 2013 come faster!

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mary

November 5, 2012 at 8:33 AM

Am excited for another Baby Jerk drama too. :')

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24 crazedlu

November 5, 2012 at 8:37 AM

not digging the uni.. at least in the pic. looks a little like they went back in time to the original school. anyhow, hope this drama does well!

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25 howforwardsale

November 5, 2012 at 8:48 AM

I was a Jang Nara fountain of youth doubter. I loved the show but to me she looked "fake young" in Baby Faced Beauty. She seemed exhausted through the whole show until someone started making up her face better in the last 4 episodes. But the picture above proves that when she's had plenty of rest and hardly any makeup on she looks 14.

Meanwhile Daniel Choi looks promising. I'm glad he kept his weight on. His sunken cheeks were a tiny bit off putting in the travesty they call The Musical. In Ghost, he looked like he was getting back to his Baby Face Beauty weight. He looks absolutely cherubic when his cheeks are fuller. Cute Daniel Choi is my favorite Daniel Choi.

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bjharm

November 5, 2012 at 1:42 PM

Jang Nara had been working for a solid 18 month in china before making BFB and you have to remember it wasnt on her schedule at all because she was not the first pick lead, and was offered the role only after that person turned it down, so she took BFB with little or no rest in between, so she didnt seem exhasted..she was exhausted..:-) of course Jang Nara a workaholic anyway so she always has those dark circles under her eyes, indeed its one of her 'trademarks' looks..nick named panda..lol

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26 KStyle

November 5, 2012 at 8:49 AM

Ahh I'm so freaking excited about this show.

Yes for getting some awesome upandcomers in there ( I see you Kim Woo Bin, Lee Jong-Seok and Park SenYoung).

And yes for reuniting one of the cutest couples in Kdrama history ever ( Daniel Choi is so dreamy and Jang Nara us so adorable)

I know this show won't disappoint!!!

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27 sPark*

November 5, 2012 at 9:10 AM

I'm always down for a heartwarming and well-made high school drama :) I wish I could fastforward to Dec. 3 since I don't watch Oolala Spouses (nor do I ever plan on watching it).

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28 Iviih :)

November 5, 2012 at 10:08 AM

Look, Par Se Young looks young and fits the student role!

A lot of people said she wasn't good for a student role and was old (poor thing!)

Btw, the first teaser is out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZXJNSnQ3ng&feature=plcp

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29 Miss D

November 5, 2012 at 1:00 PM

Okay, so why indeed do American shows favor junior year? Because truthfully I remember my junior year and with all my academic classes and extracurriculars it would have been impossible to juggle all those highlights of dramas like love triangles and such. Seeing shows about high school usually make me laugh because I'm always left wondering why they never seem to have any homework. ;)

That is one of the many reason why I love Answer Me 1997 (ahem...other than the fact that the first love storyline was adorable I mean): they actually depicted some of the stress of class work and college applications. But then again the main appeal of dramas is how we can forget our worries and escape into their fun and ridiculous storylines!

Since School 2013 comes out relatively right after the hit tht was Answer Me 1997, I hope it's good because the bar is set high.

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30 Annie

November 5, 2012 at 1:06 PM

Daniel Choi looks rough... hope he gets some rest!

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31 hawaiianseoul

November 5, 2012 at 2:20 PM

Omg, that means White Christmas reunion for Kim Woo Bin and Kwak Jung Wook! XD

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32 foolmoon

November 5, 2012 at 3:21 PM

I always love high school drama. Unfortunately, the good ones I 've watched are all J-dorama. K-dramas haven't impressed me in this part. Let's pray this one will change my mind about it ...
and Jang Nara looks younger than the school girls! Hope she can pull teacher vibe ..

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errr

November 5, 2012 at 11:55 PM

from reading comments here, many didn't like Hardtack Teacher n Star Candy aka Biscuit Teacher...but i find that a really heartwarming school kdrama....the students stories and the kids' friendship n problems n stuffs made me cried buckets. maybe i'm just easy to please in that sense.

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errr

November 5, 2012 at 11:57 PM

uh'oh...problem with posting...accidentally double post...please help delete this comment above or ignore it...xD

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errr

November 5, 2012 at 11:56 PM

from reading comments in this site, many didn't like Hardtack Teacher n Star Candy aka Biscuit Teacher...but i find that a really heartwarming school kdrama....the students stories and the kids' friendship n problems n stuffs made me cried buckets. maybe i'm just easy to please in that sense.

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33 varms

November 5, 2012 at 4:54 PM

I'm a little old for my heart to do little somersaults but it just did when I looked at Daniel Choi! XD

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34 Sajen

November 5, 2012 at 5:56 PM

can't wait

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35 huama

November 5, 2012 at 7:13 PM

pretty park se young~~~

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36 Yi An

November 5, 2012 at 7:24 PM

I hope Daniel choi and jang Nara has a love line here ^^

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37 rabbitsfortea

November 5, 2012 at 7:29 PM

Let's hope this will actually turn out good.

And Jang Nara looks insanely young, gosh.

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38 bjharm

November 5, 2012 at 10:52 PM

http://nanumnews.com/sub_read.html?uid=47913&section=sc208
As said Jang Nara looks young enough to play one of the students, seems the production agrees..lol or maybe it was just too much temptation not to put her in a schoolgirl uniform.