Cheese in the Trap casts Nam Joo-hyuk, delays broadcast

83 August 3, 2015August 3, 2015

Cheese in the Trap casts Nam Joo-hyuk, delays broadcast

by girlfriday

It looks like we’ll have to wait two more drama cycles to see webtoon adaptation Cheese in the Trap on the air — tvN originally had the show slated for an October broadcast, but has decided to push the premiere until December (or early January of next year). Lee Dong-wook and Jung Ryeo-won’s Bubblegum will take the timeslot instead, which certainly makes me wonder if all of the casting hullabaloo for Cheese in the Trap’s heroine has put the show at a disadvantage from the start.

The series has confirmed Park Hae-jin (Doctor Stranger) and Kim Go-eun (Memories of the Sword) to headline, and has just added Nam Joo-hyuk (Who Are You—School 2015) as a rival for Kim Go-eun’s affections. He’ll play Kwon Eun-taek, a university hoobae who’s a cute, doting younger man. He’s described as a bit of an oddball, but has a surprisingly dependable and manly side.

I get why they cast him, since he obviously looks the part. I just hope he’s improved his acting by then, because this webtoon seems to have quite the rabid fanbase that’s very protective of the original work. Nam Joo-hyuk is sweet and likable, but he’s also shown a lot of limitations as a leading man; hopefully in a smaller role he’ll be a better fit.

Hey, with Park Hae-jin being the perfect hero, maybe Nam Joo-hyuk can be the sweet puppy on the sidelines and pull a Yook Sung-jae on us. His School 2015 costar Yook Sung-jae has repeatedly expressed his interest in being cast in Cheese in the Trap, though in a different role, thank goodness — I don’t think I could take them fighting over something else.

Cheese in the Trap will air on Mondays and Tuesdays in late December or early January on tvN.

Via DongA, IS Plus

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1 riri123

August 3, 2015 at 3:22 AM

Eun Taek won't be a love competition to the hero nor to anyone according to the webtoon (except Young Gon, but that's pretty small one). So he won't compete for Kim Go Eun's heart lol, rather Eun Taek likes Hong Sul's friend Bora.

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alua

August 3, 2015 at 5:01 AM

In the webtoon... but the drama adaptation could throw in all the usual tropes and stock characters, which is exactly why I'm beginning to get wary – their "test-casting" of Suzy and now this casting Nam Joo-huyk aren't helping. I don't get the impression they approaching this in terms of making a solid, high-quality adaptation of a webtoon that understands that source material isn't a typical drama with the typical characters.

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Sleeplesspanda

August 3, 2015 at 5:21 AM

I hope they don't. I think that they could really make a cute side storyline with him and Bora. Plus I don't see how him being another interest could add to the story.

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Cadash

August 3, 2015 at 5:38 AM

I hope they do keep Eun Teak/Bora because while I like the webtoon a lot it is a bit slice of life which isn't a kdrama strength. Their loveline would help pad out the current day plot.

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himonogirl

August 3, 2015 at 8:17 AM

Exactly! Eun-taek is adorkable (though I picture him as more manly than Nam Joo-hyuk) but he isn't fit to be Sul's love interest. Indeed, that wouldn't bring anything to the story, and it would rather limit its originality.
He's perfect as Sul's male friend, which is pretty refreshing given the common rom-com landscape, so let's not take this road.
Argh, does that mean we won't have a Baek In-ho? He's the only love interest I'd accept to compete with Jung...*rocks back and forth in a corner*

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j2hr

August 3, 2015 at 5:33 AM

that s what i worry. So this adaptation, ET is the 2nd lead, and not In Ho????????

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kimchied

August 3, 2015 at 7:37 AM

it might happen, but i really hope not.

i love the webtoon, but the problem with it is that its conflicts and all are hard to transpose into a drama. it makes for awesome serialized reading, but to bring across these slice of life events that inform our characters' behaviour will be extremely hard.

it needs a writer that is extremely competent to handle the large cast of characters that makes up Cheese In The Trap. it's perhaps similar to Misaeng in that sense. very slice of life, characters with distinct traits etc... but I remember the drama writer said that the source material had a weaker structure, and it had to be reworked.

Cheese is probably gonna be like that. what complicates it further is that it has rom-com elements, making it very easy for reporters/viewers to immediately categorize it under rom com! fighting for affections! etc. and for a station/writer to set it up using the usual k-drama structure. Plus, won't be a stretch to think that tvN will hope for CITT to do as well as Misaeng - leading to the test castings, delays, heavy media play.

tldr; drama, please work out well. the last drama i had expectations for rly burned me. big fan of CITT, so i might be hecka biased but I really, really want it to do well.

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alua

August 3, 2015 at 7:51 AM

A good writer is a must of course.

I firmly believe that Misaeng did well because it did pretty much everything that most kdramas don't normally do.

Added, typical love triangles and remaking it into a rom-com rather than slice of life is not going to do it.

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whimsyful

August 3, 2015 at 9:24 AM

Yeah, despite all the hullaboo over casting so far I'm more worried about the writing tbh. Aside from all the stuff you mentioned I'm wondering how they're going to handle the flashbacks. Maybe instead of the webtoon's black/white background use a different filter for present/past scenes?

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Cadash

August 3, 2015 at 9:32 AM

To make the drama work it might be best to do away with the flashbacks to the previous year and make it linear.

Hint at Sul not knowing the full story then skip to her going to back to school. Time jumps after the first two episodes aren't unheard of

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yuja

August 3, 2015 at 6:53 PM

Yeah, I feel like they're going to do that. Otherwise, it might get too messy with the extended flashbacks. I can't see that working too well in drama form.

Making it linear would remove a lot of the suspense surrounding Yoo Jung though. A lot of the fun of reading the webtoon is never being sure about his intentions regarding Sul. And it won't have the same effect when revealing his past either. But oh well.

Cadash

August 4, 2015 at 2:26 AM

@modern-cannibal

I think the writing could still make Yoo Jung 's motivations suspicious especially if they keep the childhood flashbacks and only have Sul do voice overs.

Queen of Avarice

August 3, 2015 at 11:01 AM

Lol... They wouldn't... That would involve changing way too many things and erase the insight we get on Bora's personality and motivations. And besides, there's already Baek In-Ho to be the other love interest for Sul.

That aside, I'm cool with Nam Joo Hyuk being cast as Eun-Taek. He has the height and the cute. I think I'll like him more as a supporting character.

Aaaand I'm sad about Cheese being delayed but it was kind of expected since they had to adjust things to Kim Go-Eun's schedule. So.

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bettinagurl

August 3, 2015 at 8:06 AM

NOOOOO! Euntaek + Bora!!
The webtoon is awesome as it is!

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Miky

August 3, 2015 at 9:10 AM

And tehy started changing the relationship already,why 'em i not suprised with it,i guess they can't just let a kdrama without a love triangle even if it means ruining the original story and teh central of it <_<

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lemondoodle

August 3, 2015 at 11:04 AM

Yeah, that's what I thought. I think NJH will do really well here. He did well in his own cute romance in Surplus Princess with a really cute character. Not worried.

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2 W_

August 3, 2015 at 3:25 AM

Finally, some awfully good (and relatively bad) news. Until Christmas we'll have to be yearning and yearning and yearning...
Oh and Eun Taek isn't interested in the main char of Cheese, just a real close friend. Totally looking forward to this!!

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3 ajewell

August 3, 2015 at 3:36 AM

I actually just started reading this comic and got all caught up with the English translations yesterday. Such a great story, I'm not surprised by the rabid reaction to castings, etc. I actually have no problem with them pushing back the air date if the payoff is Kim Go-eun: I really do think she'll be perfect for the role.

Eun-taek is one of my favorite characters, and considering I was one of the few people who actually loved School 2015, I'm excited by this news!! Now I just wanna know who's going to get the TRUE rival role - Inho Baek! That is going to require some interesting casting since he's such a complex/fun character.

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4 Iloveberry93

August 3, 2015 at 4:02 AM

omigawsh. I like Nam Joo Hyuk! Although he's not that good but still he can improve right?

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5 riya

August 3, 2015 at 4:02 AM

He was so charming in School 2015...so yay!

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6 redd

August 3, 2015 at 4:03 AM

So, Nam joo-hyuk will be the second lead man or else? Or heroine best friend?

I don't get it, sorry :(

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ajewell

August 3, 2015 at 4:05 AM

He's not the second lead. He's the heroine's best friend and has a love line with another friend of theirs, Bora.

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redd

August 3, 2015 at 6:35 AM

Oo.. okay. I get it! Thank you ajewell! :D

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7 bluesea

August 3, 2015 at 4:08 AM

Girlfriday, he is not second lead nor he likes Sul. He is her hoobae and he likes Sul's best friend

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8 lilly

August 3, 2015 at 4:18 AM

i hope they won't change they original webtoon because Eun Taek is Bora's. they don't need three man competing for seol. eun taek is the sweet freind who help bora and seol in understanding each other more and i don't see the need for him to compete for the heroin's affection.

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Miky

August 3, 2015 at 9:12 AM

it is such a easy job and most find it hard:stick to the original and curious who will play InHo another intresting character and part of our main trio...can't tehy just stick to the original pairing nd story and damn leave the love triangles aside..most of the time they ruin an original good story for the useless love triangle and making it all about that

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9 mjhpyc

August 3, 2015 at 4:24 AM

He definitely looks like Euntaek but I hope he does improve his acting. I just can't seem to get into any of his characters that he played so far. Anyhow, I wonder who they will cast as Baek In Ho. Kim Woo Bin sounds pretty good? I hope they really don't make Euntaek like Seol. He is Bora's!

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10 Loolu

August 3, 2015 at 4:25 AM

I'm actually kind of glad it'll premiere later. 1 They need to get the casting complete and not rushed and 2 I can watch it after the semester is over. Homework free! I'm so excited to who the rest of the cast will be! Looking forward to more casting news.

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11 natalie

August 3, 2015 at 4:31 AM

yeaaa I think this adaptation will be successful yeaaa but I'm tired so yeaaa I think i will stick in reading the webtoon. thanks for the news updates

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12 pogo - sailing HMS Queen of Tears and HMS Sailboat Lovely Runner🍉

August 3, 2015 at 4:35 AM

Thank goodness the role is a small one, it sounds a bit like his Surplus Princess role and he was ok there. But yeah, this kid should not even go near lead roles/main love interest roles for a while now. Especially not when there are more talented costars in the mix.

as for the casting outcry, it prevented the horror of seeing Suzy as Sul and didn't ultimately prevent an actress of far, far greater talents from being cast so there's no harm done. Now if only they do a good job of the script........ I hope the delay helps them get their act together there.

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13 wackycashew

August 3, 2015 at 4:39 AM

Well, guess that gives me more time to read the comic before it starts airing. XD Got lots of dramas to catch up on in the meantime. =P I like NJH and also hope that he would've improved his acting by then. ^^

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14 vini

August 3, 2015 at 4:41 AM

Just wondering though, what role does Yook Sungjae want?
And I can see how Kwon Euntaek in Nam Joohyuk. Let's see who will be his noona crush, Bora!

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j2hr

August 3, 2015 at 5:36 AM

he wants to play the female lead's younger brother

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Laya

August 3, 2015 at 9:46 AM

I was just thinking that I wished Sungjae was in this drama and he'd be great as Hong Joon, and now I see this O_O I hope he does get cast as Joon!

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15 W_

August 3, 2015 at 4:43 AM

I heard he wanted Hong Joon, which is cool enuf :;)

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16 sirey

August 3, 2015 at 4:43 AM

Imagine Sung Jae get love rival

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17 Cadash

August 3, 2015 at 4:48 AM

If they're calling him a love interest does that mean they're changing the story already?

In the webtoon Eun Taek is a friend of Sul's but he has a long standing crush on their mutual friend Bora.

And he's really more of a background character.

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canxi

August 3, 2015 at 4:59 AM

I don't think Girlfriday was implying he's going to be a love interest, I wonder why everyone is jumping to this conclusion, lol. Sounds like she is just thinks he might be a heart stealer (admittedly the character is very cute and kinda does).

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soapbox

August 3, 2015 at 5:06 AM

"has just added Nam Joo-hyuk (Who Are You—School 2015) as a rival for Kim Go-eun’s affections"

Yeah, I wonder why everyone's jumping to that conclusion... lol

Doesn't look like the Korean articles say this though, so we're safe.

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Cadash

August 3, 2015 at 5:40 AM

"Doesn’t look like the Korean articles say this though, so we’re safe."

That's a relief.

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canxi

August 3, 2015 at 6:16 AM

Oh, oops. I must have skipped that line. I was focusing on the last paragraph. My bad then. Didn't read properly.

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18 canxi

August 3, 2015 at 4:54 AM

I saw someone recommend him and think this is actually a good role for him! I'm happy he got it and also happy he went back into work in a smaller role. I think that shows he's serious since I believe he is also disappointed in his stint as a leading man. Nevertheless, I really like the kid. Hope he reads the source material. Moment of silence for my own personal pick Eun Taek - Lee Tae Hwan, though. Because cry. I would have LOVED to see that. I need to be his manager. I could have got him that part on his looks alone, ppshhh~ easy.

Don't mind the longer wait if it means they want to put their all into the writing. Hopefully the cast can take a break until then and the writer can focus more. I have a feeling they won't mind. And I also don't mind Bubblegum being pushed up, either. Though, I do think maybe the push-back is because they are trying to fill the pivotal roles of Bek In Ho and In Ha, the siblings. I'm most curious about that casting as well. I'm guessing Yook Sungjae wants to play Sul's slacker younger brother, maybe? He'd be a good fit; that's another small role.

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lemondoodle

August 3, 2015 at 11:37 AM

I think he did read it. He said he's a big fan of the webtoon. And I like him too. This type of role is perfect for him and will hopefully allow some people to stop hating on him for his School character.

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canxi

August 3, 2015 at 12:04 PM

Yes, I hope that dies down. I mean, I personally didn't like anyone in that show but I'm not going to attack the actors across their social media accounts. That's too much.

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19 utopious

August 3, 2015 at 5:06 AM

I haven't read the webtoon but Yook Sungjae said he wanted to play Hong Joon role. He actually said only once but his name is attached to every article related with this drama lol. I doubt he'll

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utopious

August 3, 2015 at 5:13 AM

Oops posted without finishing my comment. Anyway I was saying I wonder if he got even an offer and he's too busy anyways.

Good luck to NJH. His character sounds likable and I hope he improved and the writing will be good, which is something most of recent dramas lack.

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20 ty

August 3, 2015 at 5:41 AM

Awww, I kinda wanted Lee Tae Hwan, 'cause as soon as I started reading the comic I pictured him as Eun Taek, but Nam Joo Hyuk's okay too. I thought he was taking the role of In-ho for a second, and at least he's a much better fit for Eun taek than In ho.

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21 Mandy

August 3, 2015 at 6:10 AM

All this 'Bora' talk makes me think they should just cast Bora (from Sistar) for the role lol. I thought she was decent in Doctor Stranger and I can see her looking fantastic with NJH. But then again, there are so many more deserving young actresses out there.

I really really liked NJH in School. Personally, I was in the Yi-ahn ship so as much as he's limited as an actor, he's always managed to remain charming. Hopefully he improves a lot in this drama.

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22 Hikiko Mori

August 3, 2015 at 6:31 AM

i hope they change the direction of the story from the original webtoon. too many SPOILERS in the comment section. plus the avid fans outcry for injustice would be makjang

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23 4D

August 3, 2015 at 6:41 AM

This show is so frustrating. Originally this was going to start when...early summer I think?! Sigh. I miss Oark Hae Jin.

This means even more push back for possible bad guys 2.

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kimchied

August 3, 2015 at 7:25 AM

i want him on my screen too! i really like the original webtoon, and really wanted hae jin to play jung, and for both him and the drama to do well.

(but good things come to those who wait?) :)

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24 d-x2

August 3, 2015 at 7:25 AM

I'd rather have Suzy lol

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meihuas

August 3, 2015 at 6:09 PM

ewwwww

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25 Megaton89

August 3, 2015 at 7:37 AM

If they cast Kim Woo Bin as Bek In Ho then this Drama would have the dream team. On the other hand In Ho is more of an emotional character so would Kim Woo Bin really be a good fit??? No idea.

And yeah like everyone else already said Eun Taek + Bora FTW!