[theqoo] ‘BON APPETIT, YOUR MAJESTY”S PD “WHY WAS PARK SUNGHOON NOT OK, BUT CHA EUNWOO IS?”

Following reports that Cha Eunwoo is being considered for the lead role in ‘Seorabeol Knife,’ a drama described as a spiritual successor to Bon Appetit, Your Majesty, viewers are questioning the production team’s seemingly inconsistent casting standards.

A representative from Cha Eunwoo’s agency, Fantagio, told SPOTV News on the 11th, “‘Seorabeol Knife’ is one of the projects he is currently considering.”

Seorabeol Knife is a romance drama centered around cooking, directed by Jang Tae-yoo, who helmed Bon Appetit, Your Majesty. While some have described it as essentially a second season of Bon Appetit, Your Majesty, the drama is expected to meet viewers under a new title and with a new story.

What has raised eyebrows is the fact that an offer was reportedly made to Cha Eunwoo well in advance, despite him still having several months left before his military discharge and his tax controversy not yet being fully resolved.

For Jang PD’s previous drama, Bon Appetit, Your Majesty, Park Sunghoon had originally been cast as the male lead. However, after he became embroiled in controversy over posting explicit material on social media, he withdrew from the project, and rookie actor Lee Chaemin was unexpectedly brought in as his replacement.

At the time, Jang PD said, “It happened before the drama officially began filming,” and added, “Casting doesn’t always happen exactly the way you want it to. I think of it as something that happened and passed during that process,” indirectly revealing the difficulties he had gone through. Bon Appetit, Your Majesty went on to become a hit, while Lee Chaemin rose to stardom.

However, viewers are now questioning why the production team is discussing casting Cha Eunwoo for its very next project despite his tax controversy still being unresolved.

There is an ironic situation in the industry where dramas such as Signal and Knock-Off have suffered indefinite delays or other setbacks when controversies surrounding an actor’s personal life emerged after they had been cast without the production team knowing about them. Meanwhile, productions that knowingly proceed with casting an actor after a controversy has already surfaced appear to face little impact on their release schedules.

Cha Eunwoo became embroiled in allegations of tax evasion after reportedly being notified by the National Tax Service in January that he owed approximately 20 billion won in additional income taxes. He stated, “I respect the findings of the National Tax Service. To prevent further confusion, I have paid all of the relevant taxes.” However, it was reported earlier this month that he had filed an appeal with the Tax Tribunal challenging the tax assessment.

As a result, the public remains uncomfortable because the tax controversy has not yet been fully resolved, yet the production team is apparently proceeding with discussions while knowing about the controversy, which could be interpreted as the producers being confident about Cha Eunwoo’s eventual return to the industry.

Although the Tax Tribunal proceedings have not yet concluded and Cha Eunwoo’s casting remains only under consideration, attention is now focused on how PD Jang will address viewers’ questions over the seemingly opposite standards being applied to lead-actor casting for two projects in the same genre and effectively connected as a follow-up to his previous drama.

1. I f*cking hate both of them actually

2. Freaking shameless. I honestly hate this so much. PD-yah, think this through

3. It hasn’t been long since his tax evasion scandal either. I feel like he’s returning way too soon

4. Both shouldn’t be castㅋㅋ

5. Personally, I don’t think the two are on the same level. I mean, a male lead in a romantic comedy who’s into p*rn? But when I think about it, while the degree varies, I guess there are actually some like that

6. There are so many actors around. I don’t want to see either of them

7. I hate them both. They used a rookie actor well last time so why can’t they this time?

8. He can’t even act and he even evaded taxes. He barely had time to reflect so getting cast like this is not it…

9. He shouldn’t cast either of them… I’m so disappointed in Jang Tae-yoo…

10. So he’s returning as soon as he’s discharged from the military, f*ck

11. The way he evaded taxes, didn’t have time to reflect, and is getting cast right away is severe

12. You’re basically asking us what’s better between poop and pee