Lee Joon Gi, Moon Chae Won Join Cast of Korean Version of 'Criminal Minds'
After the success of "Scarlet Heart Ryeo" and his Hollywood debut for "Resident Evil: The Final Chapter", fans have been wondering what Lee Joon Gi's next project will be. As it turns out, the actor has reportedly been confirmed to star in the Korean version of "Criminal Minds" opposite "Good Doctor" star Moon Chae Won.
According to a Naver report, the two stars have finally agreed to star in the Korean adaptation of the American crime procedural which is currently in its 12th season. The drama will be produced by tVN and is targeted to start airing by July this year. The first season will have 20 episodes.
It was previously reported that aside from Lee Joon Gi, the female lead was offered to Kim Ah-Joong. However, she refused the role and Moon Chae Won was approached for the role in February but negotiations only ended recently to finalize the lead cast, Kdramapal reported.
The original version of "Criminal Minds" has been airing on CBS for the past 12 years and has been praised as one of the best among the genre. Next Entertainment Word and Taewon Entertainment who will be partners in producing the drama for Korean television, acquired the rights to the series from ABC and Disney Media productions last year and has assured that they will be working closely with the show creators to ensure that the Korean version maintains the essence of the American show even if it is adopted for the Asian market.
The original series revolves around a special unit of the FBI that utilizes the expertise of profiles to find the culprits in criminal activities with the use of criminal psychology. It is unsure how much of the American version the Korean adaptation will use or what Lee Joon Gi and Moon Chae Won's actual roles will be.
