The staff of the upcoming KBS2 drama series "Andante" has stood by its decision to cast EXO's Kai for the leading role. Accompanying the release of photos of Kai in character, the staff revealed what Kai is like on set.
On Feb. 7, KBS2 released photos of Kai as he transformed into his character Si Kyung for "Andante." The idol-actor traded his superstar image for a charming boy-next-door look. According to allkpop, Kai is playing an 18-year-old high school student from Seoul who transfers to a mysterious school outside the city.
In his new school, Kai is forced to volunteer at a hospice ward where he kinds various patients on the brink of death. This experience teaches Si Kyung a valuable lesion on the meaning of life and love. Kai will star opposite actress Jung Da Bin.
Filming for "Andante" began in January 2017, and Kai received praise from his colleagues for his positive attitude and the warmth he brings to the set. According to Koreaboo, an official from the production company said Kai exuded professionalism and showed enthusiasm every filming day despite cold and harsh conditions. The official also teased that there will be a twist in the drama that will hopefully draw viewers in.
The production company has defended their decision to cast Kai after it received backlash from netizen. Some netizens were concerned about Kai's ability to act and the growing trend of bias towards idol actors in general. Kai's acting experience was primarily questioned, with some netizens commenting that it was unfair to cast an idol group member as the lead in the drama when he's only appeared in relatively few web dramas.
"Andante" will have 16 episodes, all of which will be pre-filmed before the series airs on KBS2. The script for the drama is written by the writers of "Sharp #2." No official release date for "Andante" has been announced.
