Age Differences I Could/Couldn't Live With

So, I started writing this article right after finishing Cyrano Dating Agency, the frustration regarding age differences was killing me. In the end, I had to rank it as “good” instead of “Very Good” only because of this unbelievably annoying “thing”.

Well, I’m not Korean, nor am I Japanese, and I understand now that some Asian actors or actresses look a lot younger than they really are, but sometimes directors simply push it too hard in a way that makes the main two couples TOTALLY lose their chemistry…

You need examples???!! I can’t believe the lack of trust these days U_U, but sure, I can give you examples...

First we start with my inspiration...


1. Cyrano Dating Agency

I like Choi Soo Young; she’s my favorite from SNSD. Naturally, I really looked forward to her first lead in a drama, and the plot was good, so WAW.

Then, there’s this casting announcement of Lee Jong Hyuk, and I was wondering… hmmm was there a father in the plot? (No offense to Jong Hyuk fans >_<) but Oh NO!, he was the male lead!

OK, I admit, he’s so funny and is an excellent actor, which is why I was hoping that he would be able to pull it off, but NO. He looked old, he had bags under his eyes and he had this super awkward haircut that made him look even more OLD!!


The chemistry was so off between them, and the show couldn’t convince me at ALL that Soo Young was the girl who always got dumped and fell hopelessly in love with… her boss (no more offences U_U you got the idea).



2. Cinderella Man

I think this drama was to blame for the hope I had for DA:C, it had a very similar circumstances, Yoon Ah is also 1990 born, and she looks younger than her age, and she’s an SNSD member...


....aaand Kwon Sang Woo is more than 15 years older than her!


But Kwon Sang Woo totally didn’t look it! He looked totally cute, lovable, and the chemistry between the two main leads was just RIGHT.



3. Personal Preference

Finally, I waited for too long to get a chance to write about this T^T

It really bugged me--it still does! And it always will!!

Personal Preference aired one year after the big hit, Boys Before Flowers (BBF), and not only were all of us  K-drama fans waiting impatiently for Lee Min Ho’s next drama, but we all accepted him as a HIGHSCHOOL STUDENT due to his previous role in BBF.


He totally doesn’t look his age (especially then) and it was way too shocking for me to see him with Son Ye Jin, who--in my opinion--totally LOOKS her age, AND she’s 5 years older than him!!


The plot of the drama was very cute, and the drama had a ton of potential. Why then, would you (producers/directors) ruin it with the bad casting?!



I found the chemistry between the two leads to be comparable to that of an aunt and her niece, awkward and unacceptable -_- The more Son Ye Jin tried to act cute, the more I pitied her. It wasn’t helping AT ALL.



4. My Girlfriend is a Gumiho

For those of you who may now be thinking that I have something against a man marrying an older woman, I don't...honestly.

The best proof for this is that I LOVED the chemistry between Lee Seung Gi and Shin Min Ah.



Even though Shin Min Ah is 3 years older than Lee Seung Gi. She was really beautiful, cute and lively, and they looked so good together that I will be willing to watch any drama or movie they do together in the future.



5. The Moon That Embraces the Sun

Being a beautiful actress may be helpful for you to pull it off, but sometimes it’s just not enough. At least that’s what I think went wrong with The Moon that Embraces the Sun.

Yeo Jin Goo and Kim Yoo Jung were just excellent together; they were really cute. The chemistry between them was perfect, and they fit the characters age chart completely. It was the first time in my life that I liked the part where the main leads were young, more than when they were older!!


Then...Ta-daaa...They grow up. Kim Soo Hyun as the king now--I loved that--but Han Ga In as Youn Woo?? Only one question...Why??!!


If it was a drama where they had never mentioned the characters age, I may have accepted the age difference (MAYbe), but trying to convince me that Han Ga In is two years YOUNGER than Kim Soo Hyun--the guy I had watched LAST YEAR playing a high school student in Dream High, and a guy who is actually 6 years YOUNGER than her!--I think they somehow thought we were blind!!


I think they had stretched it too far then. I mean, you really couldn’t find any other actress with a suitable age to play the role? Was Han Hyo Joo out of the country then??


To make it worse, I think the director asked Ga In to act overly mature so that he could ensure that EVERYONE would notice the age difference. She was sooo into this “Aghashi” role that she had to force her smiles and look bored in most of the scenes.



6. Oh! My Lady

The drama IS about a 35-year-old housewife, so we were kinda prepared. I love Si Won and I worried about how this drama will come out.


Unexpectedly, I did not hate the age difference at all. The drama didn’t focus much on the chemistry between the two leads; they didn’t try to force it on us. It just focused more on the human part and it was more family oriented as opposed to romance oriented. I think this was what helped cover the lack of chemistry and the big age difference.



P.S. Whatever in this article is solely my opinion. Some may agree; many may not. Please feel free to discuss it with me, and I’m sorry in advance if any of you found it offensive in any way.

I hope you liked the article.

Love ya all,

Shaza