While some express excitement over their “trustworthy chemistry”, others lament the “overly familiar pairing”. On top of that, concerns have been raised about their choice to appear in a new project by the Hong sisters, who have faced ongoing plagiarism allegations.
Go Min-si was confirmed to star in the Hong sisters’ new drama back in January. Lee Do-hyun is also reportedly in positive discussions to join. Although no official confirmation has been made, insiders predict a high chance of his participation, with the project expected to be his comeback piece following his military discharge next month.
The issue lies in their repeated collaborations. Go Min-si and Lee Do-hyun first acted together in the 2020 Netflix original series “Sweet Home”, and continued to appear in the same projects every year with “Youth of May” (2021, KBS2) and “Reincarnation Romance” (2022, short-form drama).
Given how frequently they’ve been paired up in recent years, some viewers have expressed fatigue, “It’s getting old” and “I want to see new pairings.” Initially, Cha Eun-woo was strongly considered for the male lead role. However, the casting ultimately fell through.
Adding to the controversy is the fact that the drama is penned by the Hong sisters, who—despite having created numerous hit dramas across genres like “Sassy Girl Chun-hyang” (2005), “Couple or Trouble” (2006), “You’re Beautiful” (2009), “My Girlfriend Is a Nine-Tailed Fox” (2010), “The Greatest Love” (2011) and “Master’s Sun” (2013)—have repeatedly faced plagiarism accusations.
For example, “The Greatest Love” drew comparisons to Kim Eun-jung’s novel “So I Married the Anti-fan” (2010) and Ageha’s novel “Mint” (2007). In 2013, Ageha voiced frustration through a blog post and demanded an official apology from the Hong sisters.
Subsequent works also drew similar criticisms: “Master’s Sun” was compared to “Creepy Candy”, “A Korean Odyssey” to the web novel “Ae Yoo Gi”, “Hotel del Luna” to the Japanese manga “xxxHolic”, and “Alchemy of Souls” to a Chinese drama. As such, ethical questions about their creative integrity continue to follow the writers.
This backdrop has led to comments such as, “Choosing a drama by writers mired in plagiarism scandals as his comeback piece is disappointing” and “Both Go Min-si and Lee Do-hyun are talented actors, but this pairing could dilute their image.”
Still, many viewers look forward to their chemistry. Their heartbreaking romance in “Youth of May” was widely praised, and despite its brevity, their believable dynamic in “Reincarnation Romance” led viewers to label them a “reliable duo”.
With public opinion divided on this recurring pairing, the success of the drama will likely hinge on its overall quality and the narrative strength of the Hong sisters’ script.
Lee Do-hyun had a steady rise with roles in “Sweet Home” and “The Glory” before his enlistment, so anticipation for his first post-military role is high.
With Go Min-si already confirmed and Lee Do-hyun highly likely to join, whether their latest reunion sparks new magic or feels repetitive will be revealed once the drama airs.
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