Joo-won in contention for Moon That Embraces the Sun

Another up-and-comer is in contention to join MBC’s The Moon That Embraces the Sun: Joo-won, who hit mainstream success last year with Baker King Kim Tak-gu, playing the antagonistic foil to Yoon Shi-yoon’s good-hearted hero. The drama is the fantasy-sageuk romance starring Kim Soo-hyun as a fictional Joseon king, and Han Ga-in as the female shaman he falls in love with.
Joo-won would play a prince who’s the first in line for succession to the throne. And since succession battles are so often the core of sageuk dramas, you know what this means: rivalries and factions and political intrigue ahead. He’s half-brother to the king (and hyung), and falls for the shaman at the same time as his younger bro. Aw, he’s second place with both the crown and love? Is he to remain frustrated and thwarted, Ma-jun-style, all over again?
Brotherly conflict aside, at least he won’t be as hateful as his Baker King counterpart, since he’s described as good-natured and friendly toward his brother. He even makes the effort to appear playboyish, fearing that his influence might cause harm toward little bro. Aw. Tear my heart out already, why don’t you.
I always think of Joo-won as being a youngun, but technically he is older than Kim Soo-hyun, although they’re close enough in age that they might get away with forgoing the hyung-dongseng distinction, if they so chose (Joo-won’s a “late 87″ and Kim Soo-hyun’s an early 88, with five months between them.) According to his reps, Joo-won has received the offer and is considering it positively. He’s proceeding with some caution since he’s currently busy filming the weekend drama Okakkyo Brothers, which recently broke the 30% ratings barrier.
The Moon that Embraces the Sun is based on a novel written by the Sungkyunkwan Scandal novelist, and is planning for a January broadcast.