Gorae Byul: The Gyeongseong Mermaid Cast Confirmed Triggers Backlash

Fans were so excited for the launch of the new K-drama “Whale Star,” which is inspired by the popular webtoon “Gorae Byul: The Gyeongseong Mermaid,” but as soon as the cast of the K-drama was confirmed, it triggered much backlash, becoming one of the most debated topics of the time. As per the reports, the audience claimed that the main leads are not suitable for the drama, namely Moon Ga Young and Choi Woo Shik.

Within a few hours of a confirmed cast list, the reactions started circulating in Korean forums, social media platforms, and global K-pop communities, where everyone was debating over the matter of “whether the lead idols truly deserved to be fitted into Webtoon characters.” What happened next? Here is a complete breakdown.

Webtoon “Gorae Byul: The Gyeongseong Mermaid”: Why Expectations Were So High

Whale Star: Gorae Byul: The Gyeongseong Mermaid is a famous South Korean manhwa webtoon, which is written by Na Yoonhee. It carried an immense, emotional, and full character-driven story under Japanese colonial rule. It follows a 17-year-old girl who works as a maid for a landowner’s house. One day, she sees a man lying injured on the beach; she decides to take care of him, and her life changes totally after this, as she gets exposed to love and romance.

The webtoon is a perfect blend of love, tragedy, and sociopolitical themes. But the question arises: what makes it different? Since the whole webtoon is based on deeply impactful characters, it demands realism and natural beauty visuals. This created high expectations among the K-drama industry, as everyone was excited to know the main confirmed cast for it. The following are the detailed characteristics of the main lead that fans expected:

For You: K-pop Mean Girls Attitude: Aespa Giselle and Ningning Take New Entry During Recent Live

Su A-Heo (Main Female Lead)

• Short height
• Tanned skin
• Freckles
• Round eyes and an ordinary, not-so-elegant appearance
• Someone who is worn down by many hardships

Ui Hyeon Kang (Main Male Lead)

• Tall and slim
• Handsome 
• Prince-like visuals 
• Soft, striking presence 

For You: Top 10 K-dramas to watch this weekend

Confirmation Of Cast: What Caused Backlash

Many online polls and guesses were being made as to who would be chosen as the main lead actor and actress for “Whale Star,” and finally, the wait ended when the production house released the official announcement confirming Moon Ga Young as Heo Su A, the female lead, and Choi Wook Shik as Kang Ui Hyeon, the male lead.

• Moon Ga Young has elegant and alluring aesthetics, including her appealing visuals. She is known for many roles that she has played in romantic dramas.
• Choi Wook Shik has an international audience that often praises him for his natural and effortless acting skills.

Despite being respected and widely appreciated, the idols of the Korean entertainment industry faced strong criticism for their new K-drama since the audience felt both were inappropriate and did not perfectly match the style of the original characters. If both the actors are loved, respected, and appreciated for their careers, then what led to the controversy?  

For You: Top 50 K-pop Groups of All Time: Icons Who Built A Global Industry

Reasons Behind Criticism That Followed

Mismatched Visuals with Expected Characters

The main criticism surrounded the female lead, Moon. She was alleged to have polished visuals and an attractive appearance, which clearly showed contrast to an “ordinary” appearance as required in the webtoon. Soon, the debate dragged Choi as well; the audience started raising concerns for him, too. People claimed he has an approachable image, but the actual desired male lead is supposed to look like “a refined young man who seeks attention at first sight.” They also added that his boy-next-door personality does not align with the desired characters.

Production and Source Material

As “Whale Star” was announced, high expectations were built, as webtoons often require pure adaptations with accuracy. Many readers pointed out that the production team might have misunderstood the characters fully and hired a mismatched cast so they could engage in popularity, rather than choosing the adaptable character. Readers and the audience already had an emotional mental image of the characters, and as they did not align, the debate escalated further.

Online Reactions

A mix of reactions was noticed online, but mainly, no one defended the idols and production completely. Netizens, critics, and keen readers shared various reactions, while others urged caution. They claimed that dressing, acting skills, and performance can easily transform on-screen.

The following are some reactions that surfaced online:

• “Ack. Why Choi Woo Shik…”

• “It seriously feels like the casting is reversed…”

• “They don’t fit at all.”

• “Ugh, not my Gorae Byul!”

• “I don’t even think it would work if they switched the male and female roles either.”

• “Let’s just swap the male and female leads.”

• “This makes no sense.”

For You: Top 10 Surprising K-pop Dating Rumors of 2025

Final Thoughts

Gorae Byul: The Gyeongseong Mermaid’s casting really got to people’s nerves and the Korean drama industry. The backlash faced by the main leads clearly shows the audience prefers more authenticity and storytelling concepts rather than fame and popularity. Even though the backlash did not affect the anticipation towards the series, this backlash marks the history of the K-drama industry, showcasing to the producers and directors that today’s viewers expect more than star power. Now, what makes the controversy more interesting is how the production, management, and the actors themselves adapt to the situation and respond to this criticism.

Frequently Asked Questions