Yoona, actress and member of K-pop girl group Girls’ Generation, confirmed Monday that she would play the female lead in the drama “Nodame Cantabile.” 

The idol will play Nodame, a talented yet eccentric piano student, a counterpart to Korean actor Joo Won who will play her boyfriend and conductor. Veteran actor Baek Yoon-sik and Dohee of K-pop girl group Tiny-G have also joined the cast, playing Nodame’s teacher and a music student named Sakura, respectively. 

Nodame Cantabile was originally a classical music-themed manga from Japan. The manga, written by Tomoko Ninomiya, enjoyed popularity after a dramatization was aired on Fuji TV in 2006. Yoona’s role was played by award-winning Japanese actress Ueno Juri at the time.  

Yoona has boosted her profile as an actress since making her drama debut in 2007 with “Two Outs in the Ninth Inning,” dispelling the stereotype that idol-turned-actresses do not perform well. 

Her acting skills have been well-regarded by viewers in various dramas including the recently-ended rom-com “Prime Minister & I,” in which she costarred with a veteran actor Lee Beom-soo.

The Korean version of “Nodame Cantabile” will air on KBS 2TV starting from October.

By Ock Hyun-ju (laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)