Upcoming tvN series Answer Me 1988 looks like it's going to continue the series tradition of featuring idol-actor talent. EXO's D.O and Red Velvet's Irene are reportedly auditioning for roles in the nostalgic drama!
So far, SM Entertainment is auditioning the two idols for supporting roles in the main cast, but nothing has been confirmed yet. Considering how important the supporting cast was in Answer Me 1997 and Answer Me 1994, this could mean scene-stealing roles for both of them! Hyeri was in talks for the leading role, but her participation has neither been confirmed nor denied since the initial announcement, which was met with a fairly negative netizen response in South Korea.
Like its predecessors Answer Me 1997 and Answer Me 1994, Answer Me 1998 will follow an ensemble cast in a trip down memory lane. This time around, instead of focusing on a central love triangle, the series will revolve around the theme of family and neighbors, though there will still be a romantic element to the story! So far, perennial Answer Me parents Sung Dong Il and Lee Il Hwa are signed on for a third round, and, in an interesting series callback, Answer Me 1994's Kim Sung Kyung will play a parent this time around, even though he played a 20-year-old student in 1994.
I, for one, am excited to see how this casting pans out. D.O made an impressive drama debut in It's Okay, That's Love, and it would be nice to see him in a new role other than his upcoming 2-episode cameo in I Remember You (formerly called Hello Monster). As for Irene, it seems way too early to know if she has any acting talent, so I guess we'll just have to wait and see. So far, the Answer Me shows have a very solid track record for picking idol actors, with APink's Eunji, Infinite's Hoya, B1A4's Baro, Tingy G's Dohee, and singer-actor Seo In Guk all winning over viewer hearts in their roles.
As we wait to see if D.O and Irene receive casting offers, we can enjoy D.O's breakout role in It's Okay, That's Love: