Actor Koo Ja Sung was originally selected as the 2nd role in the lineup for the lead role in the drama while Lee Ji Hoon, was known as the male lead in 'Sponsor'.

On January 24, IHQ's 'Sponsor' production company Victory Contents official Instagram posted a promotional photo containing the drama 'Sponsor' lineup.

In the released photo, Han Chae Young as Chae Rin and Koo Ja Sung as Seung Hoon are included.

Instead of Lee Ji Hoon, who was originally selected for the male lead role, Koo Ja Sung, who took on the role of Seung Hoon, was seated next to Han Chae Young, gaining attention.

As of 10 am on January 25, Lee Ji Hoon's name was placed in the third role after Han Chae Young and Koo Ja Sung in the lineup for 'Sponsor' on Naver Portal.

To this, the fans poured out reactions such as "Isn't Lee Ji-hoon the male lead?" and "It seems to be the aftermath of the power-gap controversy."

'Sponsor' is a romantic romance between four men and women who go out to find a sponsor who will satisfy their desires, regardless of means and methods to get what they want. 

In the drama, Lee Ji Hoon takes on the role of Lee Seon Woo, a talented photographer who works for a famous American magazine. In the play, Seon Woo introduces that he will lead a dangerous and reckless development by getting terribly entangled with Han Chae Rin (Han Chae-young), CEO of a beauty company, who is captivated by different ambitions, Hyun Seung Hoon (Koo Ja Sung), an aspiring model, and Park Da Som (Ji Yi Soo), a rising star. done.

In the beginning, the story was introduced centered on Han Chae Young and Lee Ji Hoon, but recently, dramas centered on Han Chae Young and Koo Ja Sung.

Meanwhile, Writer A, who previously wrote 'Sponsor', argued that it was because of Lee Ji Hoon that the production team including himself and the director were replaced. 

In this regard, the 'Sponsor' side said, "The exchange of actors and staff has nothing to do with Lee Ji Hoon. Requesting corrections is a common discussion between production companies and directors and writers."

Afterward, Lee Ji Hoon ended the controversy by explaining on his Instagram, "There was a strange misunderstanding between the writer and Je. did'.

'Sponsor', which will premier on February 23 is IHQ's first drama, and is scheduled to captivate small screens through IHQ and MBN at 11 pm every Wednesday and Thursday.

Jo Jung Suk is officially back—and fans of Hospital Playlist couldn’t be more excited.

In the preview for episode 10 of Resident Playbook, aired by tvN on May 10, Jo Jung Suk’s character Lee Ik Jun is shown walking through a dimly lit hospital, saying, “It’s been so long since I came here.”

The short scene sparked immediate buzz online, especially when he’s seen holding hands with a woman—whose face is hidden. Many viewers are now asking: Is it Chae Song Hwa?

Although her identity isn’t revealed, fans are hopeful that the woman is Jeon Mi Do, who played Chae Song Hwa in Hospital Playlist.

Earlier announcements confirmed that both Jo Jung Suk and Jeon Mi Do would make appearances in Resident Playbook, fueling speculation that the beloved duo is finally reuniting on screen.

The teaser quickly became a hot topic, helping the drama maintain its upward momentum. Resident Playbook—a spin-off of the hit series Hospital Playlist—has been gaining strong viewership, with its latest episode setting new personal ratings records.

The show has consistently ranked No. 1 in its time slot across all channels, showing that fans are deeply invested in the lives and growth of the young doctors at the center of the story.

As the series continues to mix heartwarming guest appearances with its own emotional stories, viewers are now eagerly waiting for episode 10, airing May 11 at 9:20 PM KST, to see what’s next.

Will the “99s” finally reunite? Tune in to find out!

Source: [1]