Cha Seung Won and Lee Seung Gi - Rivals or a New Combo?

Cha Seung Won and Lee Seung Gi seemed to be tied to a twisted casting fate for dramas that even surprises the pair themselves. For the drama that Lee Seung Gi backed out of, Cha Seung Won takes the role, and for the drama Cha Seung Won declined, Lee Seung Gi steps in. It almost seems like they are giving and taking dramas from one another! Their tie in fate continues on to the commercial scene and even to entertainment shows.

It all started last year with the Hong Sisters’ (Hong Jung Eun, Hong Mi Ran) hit drama MBC’s “The Greatest Love.” Originally, Lee Seung Gi was cast as the male lead but due to his busy schedule he had to turn down the role. But in stepped Cha Seung Won and the drama became a huge success. Lee Seung Gi later appeared as a cameo in the drama, acting out a comical rivalry between his character and Cha Seung Won’s creating more excitement for the pair from the viewers.

Lee Seung Gi made a special appearance in the drama “The Greatest Love”

One year later, the situation has now changed. After the success of “The Greatest Love,” Cha Seung Won has been getting offers for new roles left and right, and from the offers was for the other Hong Sisters’ (Hong Jin-ah and Hong Ja-ram) newest project, “The King.” Cha Seung Won seriously debated on whether he would join the cast as its male lead, but eventually had to decline. The role almost immediately went to Lee Seung Gi and he gladly accepted it as his next drama project. “The King,” set to air late March on MBC, is about an arranged marriage between a (fictional) South Korean king and a North Korean princess (played by Ha Ji Won). The drama will be directed by Lee Jae Gyu, who’s past works include “Beethoven Virus” and “Damo.”

Shortly after “The Greatest Love” the pair was cast to do a commercial together.

Cha Seung Won and Lee Seung Gi may be rivals in the drama scene, but they play a part of a perfect combo in commercials. For the commercial, the duo acted out the scene that Lee Seung Gi cameoed in “The Greatest Love” which created much laughter from the viewers. The entertainment producers who’ve seen this commercial have entered into a race to see who gets to work with the pair first. Even SBS joined in to cast Cha Seung Won and Lee Seung Gi for their new show (temporarily named) “100 Person Table,” lined up for a spring broadcast. The twosome has yet to give their final answer, but curiosity on how these two would work together for an entertainment show continues to grow.

People close to the pair comment, “The two have little to no similarities to one another, yet it is surprising how they keep getting cast for the same roles. Their drama ties have now moved on to commercial and entertainment shows and if this continues, they may end up becoming great companions to one another.”