Japanese Adaptation of SBS Drama "You Are Beautiful" Gets Leading Actress

Twenty-three-year-old Kojima Haruna of the all-female theater and idol group AKB48 was recently cast in the Japanese remake of the popular Korean drama “You Are Beautiful.”  Kojima is set to take on the role of NANA, a two-faced idol-actress.  The outwardly kind but mean-spirited character was named Yoo He Yi in the original version and was played by After School’s UEE.

Kojima joins other previously announced cast members Takimoto Miori, Kis-My-Ft2’s Tamamori Yuta, Fujigaya Taisuke, and Hey!Say!JUMP’s Yaotome Hikaru in the adaptation to be called “Ikemen Desu ka.” “Ikemen Desu ka” will closely follow the story of “You Are Beautiful,” where a female singer masquerades as a young man to join an all-male idol group.  The success of the drama spawned widespread popularity for its main cast members, Jang Geun Suk, Park Shin Hye, Jung Yong Hwa (CN Blue) and Lee Hong Ki (FT Island.)

“Ikemen Desu ka” is set to air over TBS, every Friday night at 10 PM in July 2011.