Lee Byung Hun 이병헌 Byunghun Lee

[rubie]

March 11, 2020

 

Star screenwriters return to small screen

SEOUL, March 11 (Yonhap) -- Big-name screenwriters are returning to the small screen this year, raising high expectations for well-made blockbuster TV series.

 

Park Ji-eun, who wrote popular romantic comedies "My Love from the Star (2013) and "Legend of the Blue Sea" (2016), was the first runner in the 2020 lineup of star playwrights.

 

The last episode of her latest drama, "Crash Landing On You," which aired from December last year to February, earned the highest viewership for any drama series from cable channel tvN with a 21.7 percent audience share.

 

A-listers Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin play a South Korean businesswoman and a North Korean soldier who fall in love.

 

In April, Kim Eun-sook will return with the historical fantasy romance "The King: Eternal Monarch," starring Korean wave stars Lee Min-ho and Kim Go-eun, on SBS.

 

It portrays a Korean emperor who tries to close the door to a parallel world to prevent demons escaping.

 

The drama is one of the most anticipated Korean dramas this year thanks to the star-studded cast and the screenwriter, who has created smash hit series including "Secret Garden" (2010), "Descendants of the Sun" (2016) and "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God" (2016).

 

Season two of Netflix's Korean original series "Kingdom" is the latest work by another star screenwriter, Kim Eun-hee, who has created many hit TV series including mystery thrillers "Sign" (2011) and "Signal" (2016).

 

With Ju Ji-hoon, Bae Doo-na and Ryu Seung-ryong reprising their roles, the continuation of the zombie thriller, released in January last year, will premiere on Friday on the U.S. online streaming service provider.

Lee Woo-jung, whose works range from variety shows such as "Three Meals A Day" and "Youn's Kitchen" to TV dramas such as "Replay 1988," is also coming back with "Hospital Playlist" this week.

 

The show revolves around five doctors working for a hospital and stars Jo Jung-suk and Yoo Yeon-seok.

 

Renowned playwright Noh Hee-kyung, who has carved out a small screen career with realistic and in-depth depictions of relationships and love, is preparing a new drama series, tentatively named "Here."

 

Noh's new drama will feature people working for non-profit organizations and is to star Lee Byung-hun and Han Ji-min. It will start filming later this year.

 

brk@yna.co.kr

[rubie]

February 9, 2020

 

An audio review in English by EonTalk

The Man Standing Next (2020) 남산의 부장들 Movie Review

 

 

THE MAN STANDING NEXT : A great movie to start 2020 

The reviewer has very good remarks & high praise about Lee Byung Hun.

 

Amongst the exceptional performances, Lee Byung Hun is just an incredible actor. He's one of the very few Korean actors that can speak and act in English.. speak and act in English well. It's very rare to see both where a Korean actor can speak in English and perform well.
 

[peonie]

March 12, 2020

 

An interview with Lee Byung Hun's  sister and showing his former home.  

 

 

 

Source:   MBN Entertainment from Angel 70

[rubie]

@peonie, that's right.. looks like BH's Omma plus Charles Pak (presumably with his wife & daughter?) as well as an aunt and husband all lived together in the home in Gwangju. It's really a big family there, minus Byunghun & his family now living in Seoul. Lee Ji An (LEH changed her name after the divorce) and is living alone with her pets but for the show, she went to visit her mom. BH's house during winter is simply beautiful with a lot of snow. LJA called the little girl, 'dongsaeng'.. they must be cousins as CP is her uncle.

 

LJA is appearing in a variety show on MBN called 'Can I Love Again' and I was waiting for the full episode of her appearance. However, the show isn't getting any English subs unlike other tv shows. Naver media page is filled with the images from the show, particularly because it's BH's house in Bundang and there're still a lot of his photos, awards and stuff there. We won't see him there but fans are definitely familiar with his house.

 

Looking at her beauty pageant photos in the 90s, LJA definitely resembled her mother a lot. She may not look similar like BH or their mother but her old pics will show otherwise. We also get to see his Omma in action, usually we only see glimpses of her with BH.

 

Here are some more excerpts from the show. Thanks to the twitter fans for the highlight today.

 

 

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

Source: Edaily

 

[peonie]

March 14, 2020

 

[Recommended] “The Man Standing Next” Restore the Truth!  Lee Byung Hun’s obsession with serving the President in exchange for this end?  (A Translation)

 

 

Adapted from the real events in the novel "The Chiefs of Nanshan", starring Lee Byung Hun “Ashfall”, Lee Sung Min” The Spy Gone North”, Gwak Do Won “The Wailing”, Lee Hee Joon “ 987: When the Day Comes”.  The movie’s cumulative box office has exceeded 41.2 billion Won in South Korea and, and it will be released in Taiwan on March 13.

 

 

“ The Chiefs of Namshan “  tells the story taking place 40 days before the chief of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA)  (Lee Byung Hun) who assassinated the President (Lee Sung Min ) in 1979. Although Taiwanese audiences may not be very familiar with the Korean historical background at that time,  it is not hard to find,  in the movie,  that the ministers tried so hard to win the favour of the then president.  The KCIA chief played by Lee Byung Hun was devoted to the President and always looked up to him.  Finally, however, he was provoked and lost rationality and shot the president.

 

 

Director Woo Min Ho believes that this is not only a piece of history in the past, but this event will not end after the movie is aired.  As a director, he would be very happy that whatever the work could not present,  it could be become more complete through these powerful actors.   The actors:  Lee Sung Min, Lee Byung Hun, Gwak Do Won, and Lee Hee Joon all showed superb acting skills which will definitely made the audience absolutely delighted.

 

 

Since this is a historical event, the director of "The Chiefs of Nanshan" hopes to present it faithfully without the political flavor of either side.  Gwak Do Won also believes that this is the most difficult role he has encountered. He plays a former KCIA chief in the movie, has on hand the secrets of the president, and is about to reveal them to the United States.  The President cannot afford to sit back and use all sorts of means so that the character portrayed by Gwak cannot hold his own.

 

 

Lee Byung Hun played the role of a loyal intelligence chief, using both hard and soft tactics on Gwak who is about to expose secrets.  He often offered constructive advice to the President hoping he would not use force too often.  However, he was frequently ignored which ignited the rage within his heart.  Finally he had to resort to his best eavesdropping skills to understand the truth. Eventually, he fired a shot, and tried to hide the confusion in his heart.  When he was seated in the black car, his subordinates asked him where to go; his complex expression once again demonstrated his superb acting skills.

 

Source:   https://www.koreastardaily.com/sc/news/125038

 

 

 

 

 

[rubie]

Source photos & review: fromsong (disclaimer Google-translate)

 

#ViBLE
Even though I'm not an actor, I feel like I was thinking a lot while listening to Lee Byung-hun's lecture.
.
I can take all classes with all access (1 year unlimited pass), but Chan-wook Park's class is for c level or representatives of the company, and Lee Byung-hun's actor class is really useful for middle managers.
Even if you are not an actor or aspiring film director, you can get insights into your life.
The subtitles are also in six languages, so it helps you study foreign languages.

 

[rubie]

I'm not sure.. maybe I've forgotten.. are these new photos*? We haven't seen BH for awhile now. 

 

*Pics from JOFC

 

Source: hhminee

 

[rubie]

Acting Class with Lee Byunghun 1-min teaser

 

Published on March 17, 2020 by ViBLE

 

 

[rubie]

This recent update doesn't mention Lee Byung Hun in the text but we can see that he's from the original project 3 years ago.

 

March 16, 2020

 

Kim Da-mi and Other Celebrities Promote Get Out the Vote Campaign

By William Schwartz on HanCinema.net

 

 

A large number of celebrities have lent their voices to a get out the vote campaign in anticipation of South Korea's parliamentary elections on April 15th. Kim Da-mi, Park Hae-jin, Jung Hae-in, Kim Gu-ra, Kim Sook, and others make up a thirty-nine person delegation encouraging people to choose their elected officials wisely for a more healthy Republic of Korea.

 

This is the third such get out the vote campaign in South Korea, following one for the presidential election of 2017 and another for the local government elections in 2018. Director Lee Ji-seon is coordinating the campaign, and has taken a break from doing commercial work for television variety shows for this express purpose. The campaign will largely take place on social media, with people rewarded with gift sets for engaging with it.

 

That the campaign is still going forward in spite of concerns regarding COVID-19 is somewhat surprising, given current calls to postpone presidential primary elections in the United States for safety reasons. However, the voting process is much more efficient in South Korea, reducing the risk of spreading the disease. Additionally, heightened vigilance regarding the disease's spread among the common population has resulted in an optimistic outlook for the country a month from now.

 

April 27, 2017

 

Lee Byung-hun and Jung Woo-sung? '0509 Rose Project' records 2 million in two days

 

Source: Nate via HanCinema.net

 

 

The voting encouragement campaign "0509 Rose Project" set 2 million views in just two days.

 

The "0509 Rose Project" was revealed for the first time on the 25th. The accumulated number of views was over 2 million.

 

Spoiler

"0509 Rose Project" is participated by Ko So-young, Ko Soo, Ko Ah-seong, Kwon Yul, Kim Sung-ryung, Kim Young-kwang, Noh Hee-kyeong, Ryu Jun-yeol, Park Geun-hyeong, Park Seo-joon, Park Jung-min, Bae Seong-woo, Bae Jong-ok, Baek Jin-hee, director Byeon Yeong-joo, BewhY, Seo Ji-hye, So I-hyeon, Yunho, Lee Byung-hun, Lee Seo-jin, Lee Soon-jae, Lee Young-jin, Lee Jung-hyun, Lee Joon, director Lee Joon-ik, Leeteuk, director Lee Hae-yeong, Lee Hyun-woo, Jeong Yeon-joo, Jung Woo-sung, Cho Jin-woong, Ji Jin-hee, Jin Goo, Han Ye-ri, director Han Jae-rim, Han Ji-min, Han Ji-seon and others including the NGO foundation.

 

These stars had their pictures taken in a studio in Seoul wearing a T-shirt with the election mark on it and holding roses. They spoke about their views and beliefs about elections and what the qualities of a president should be. They also delivered the message to people to choose their leader according to their policies and potential and not by image.

 

Political interest in the country has increased due to former president Park Geun-hye and her wrong doings but still, election participation is low. Thanks to these celebrities, hopefully the nation will take part in choosing their leader.

 

By sharing the video, T-shirts with the stars' signatures are being given out.

 

April 24, 2017

 

Celebrities launch campaign to promote fair election

 

Actor Lee Byung-hun said "Voting is about freedom." In the recently recorded clip, he said "To vote or not to is one's free will. What one can win from the vote is true freedom. It can be a personal choice to vote or not, but for a true democracy one should cast their ballot."

 

Spoiler

 

By Park Jin-hai The Korea Times

Celebrities, many of whom had suffered under the Park Geun-hye administration's blacklist of artists critical of the government, have come forward urging people to vote in the presidential election on May 9.

 

With the big day to cast a ballot for the new president only two weeks away, 38 celebrities including actress Ko So-young, actors Lee Byung-hun, Jung Woo-sung and Lee Seo-jin and TVXQ member U-Know Yunho, have participated in a campaign called the "0509 Rose Project."

 

The celebrities shared their thoughts on voting and the election in a video that was filmed between April 15 and 21. They were wearing T-shirts printed with the vote stamp mark and holding roses symbolizing the time of the election, which falls in May when roses come into full bloom.

 

Actor Lee Byung-hun said "Voting is about freedom." In the recently recorded clip, he said "To vote or not to is one's free will. What one can win from the vote is true freedom. It can be a personal choice to vote or not, but for a true democracy one should cast their ballot."

 

Asked about who should be president, the actor said someone who can "manage not a few people but 50 million people."

"Voting is an investment," fellow actor Lee Seo-jin said. "All people should carefully calculate gains and losses before their investment."

 

Those celebrities, together with 12 CEOs of non-governmental organizations and naturalized Koreans, have volunteered to shoot promotional photos and videos encouraging voters to vote on candidates' policies and not be swayed by image politics.

 

People who share the promotional videos can participate in a draw where they can win T-shirts bearing celebrity autographs.

 

"As well as promoting people's participation in the election, we intended to urge voters to study each candidate's political path and pledges instead of the candidate's image," a campaign organizer said.

 

The video clips will be unveiled through the National Election Commission's website and social media, Tuesday.

 

jinhai@ktimes.com 

 

[rubie]

March 19, 2020

 

Lee Byung Hun transforms into Paradise City's 5-person hotelier

 

Source: FNnews // Sports Donga (Google-translate)

 

 

[Financial News] Behind-the-scene cuts have been released for Paradise City commercial shooting scene that showed the reversal charm of world star actor Lee Byung Hun. An official of the brand commented, “Lee Byung Hun showed us a range of boyish innocence and sunny smile to a mysterious yet cool persona filled with gentle charisma of the world class actor.”

 

Lee Byung Hun perfectly digested the five personalities that symbolize the various facilities of Paradise City. Lee Byung Hun, who transformed into a hotelier with outstanding visuals, brings the audience to a gorgeous party and raises curiosity.

 

 

The exotic landscape spa 'Cimere' showed off a charm with a cool smile as a marine boy, and a theme park 'Wonderbox' reminiscent of an amusement park at night, as a mysterious gentleman.

 

On this day's filming, Lee Byung Hun is the world class actor's personality, and from the gentle charisma to the boyish innocence, he radiates a 'crazy presence', making everyone fall into the unstoppable charm.

 

The ad, which features fantastic visuals such as a musical film on the theme of 'Check-in to Fantasy', will be released next month. Lee Byung Hun will spread the charm of the Korean wave of tourism by carrying out promotional activities to promote Paradise City to the world.

 

By yccho@fnnews.com reporter Yong-Chul Cho

 

 

 

[rubie]

Published on March 18, 2020 by 아이뉴스24 // inews24

 

Lee Byung Hun's Congratulatory Message on the 20th anniversary of iNews24

 

“I sincerely congratulate you on the 20th anniversary of the launch of iNews24,” Lee Byung-hun said through a video message .

 

 

[rubie]

TMSN & BSL Art by hyehoon.kang

 

[rubie]

March 21, 2020

 

Sports Chosun 30th Anniversary Survey

Bong Joon Ho X Song Kang Ho X Lee Byung Hun - the top 3 Korean movie power

 

Source: Sports Chosun (Google-translate)

 

 

Sports Chosun surveyed about 100 people, including broadcasters, movie producers, music affiliates, and experts, in conjunction of the 30th anniversary of the foundation, and collected opinions through the process of 'Movie, Power People in each field such as broadcasting and singing were selected.

In the fields of film, drama, and entertainment, 47 people from the film industry and 41 companies from the drama / entertainment category voted the top three people. [Reporter Jo Ji-young of Sports Chosun]

 

A new century of Korean cinema began over 100 years of history. Bong Joon Ho, actor Song Kang Ho, and Lee Byung Hun have been selected as the top 3 movie world power to lead the new 100 years of Korean cinema. Among them, Bong Joon Ho had became the 'Oscar Legend'. 

 

 

'World Star' actor and Chungmuro 'Acting Genius' Lee Byung Hun joined Bong Joon Ho and Song Kang Ho as the best filmmakers in the world. Lee Byung Hun, who earned 8 votes, is a Korean actor who settled in Hollywood way before 'Parasite' and Bong. Lee Byung Hun, who is active between Korea and Hollywood, is receiving the trust of the audience with a hard-carried performance that swallows up the screen as well as renewing the character of each work. 'Joint Security Zone JSA' (00, Director Park Chan Wook) 'Bungee Jumping of Their Own' (01, Director Kim Dae Seung) 'A Bittersweet Life' (05, Director Kim Ji Woon) 'Good Guy, Bad Guy, Weird Guy' (08, Director Kim Ji Woon) 'G.I.Joe: Rise of the Cobra' (09, directed by Steven Sommers) 'I Saw the Devil' (10, directed by Kim Ji Woon) 'Gwanghae, The Man who became King' (12, directed by Choo Chang Min) 'Red: The Legend' (13, Director Dean Parisot) 'Terminator Genisys' (15, Alan Taylor) 'Inside Men' (15, Director Woo Min Ho) 'Misconduct' (16, directed by Shintaro Shimosawa) 'Magnificent 7' (16, Director Antoine Fuqua) 'The Age of Shadows' (16, Director Kim Ji Woon ) 'The Fortress' (17, Director Hwang Dong Hyuk) 'Baekdusan '(19, Director Lee Hae Jun, Kim Byeong Seo), 'The Man Standing Next' released earlier this year.

 

Lee Byung Hun, who has led numerous domestic and international buzz and box office films. He has been spotlighted as a figure who would have an influence in Korean and international films. 

 

The film official said, "If Bong is a Korean master auteur, Lee Byung Hun is a famous actor who takes an unrivaled position as a Korean actor. It is a true 'acting genius' that shows what 'Solid Acting' is." The actor said, "Even though I am a mid-sized actor who has been acting since the 1990s, acting is always trendy. I look forward to seeing and delivering the fresh acting that this era wants." 

 

Power people who will lead the next 100 years of Korean cinema (a total of 47 reps & companies participated)

 

1. Bong Joog Ho (director) 39 (votes)

2. Song Kang Ho (actor) 10

3. Lee Byung Hun (actor) 8

4. Lee Byung Hun (director) 7

5. Kim Yong Hwa (Director) 5

5. Choi Dong Hoon (Director) 5

5. Lee Mi Kyung (producer) 5

8. Kim Tae Ri (actor) 4

8. Kim Bora (director) 4

10. Kang Hye Jung (producer) 3

10. Ma Dong Seok (actor) 3

10 Kwak Shin Ae (producer) 3

10. Park Jung Min (actor) 3

14. Park Chan Wook (director) 2

14. Jeon Do Yeon (actor) 2

14. Lee Ji Won (director) 2

14. Yoon Jong Bin (director) 2 

 

Source: Kim Tae Ri @taeri_yeosin

 

Spoiler

 

 

[rubie]

Can't say exactly but definitely in the range of 25 years apart, at least. Aside from the younger boyish aura VS the older mature vibe, doesn't BH look quite the same actually.. his facial features and everything? Like.. seriously.. nothing really changes. 

 

Photo: alatus_deus

 

Amazing Ashfall art by marcusminervino
 

[rubie]

Must have missed this article & photo before .. re: FromBIO

 

Source: Kiho Ilbo

 

[peonie]

March 23, 2020

 

Lee Byung hun's views on acting as expressed in ViBLE.

 

Special thanks to alatus_deus for her translation.

[peonie]

March 25, 2020

 

Two throw back clips taken in 2008 when Lee Byung Hun was on location in New Orleans.  

 

 

There is a bonus in the clip as we get to hear him sing a beautiful song. 

 

 

Source:  Hong Pictures
               (Special thanks to Angel 70. ) 

[rubie]

February 10, 2020

 

the man standing next review | minsider

By jame AminoApps.com

Hello!

 

Jamie here with another #minsider review. Lee Byung-hun has been killing his game with some new movies with Ashfall and now The Man Standing Next. Today, I got to watch The Man Standing Next in the cinema. It’s honestly pretty good despite me not being a fan of very political movies where foreigners like me don’t really get native politics. Regardless, I have lots to uncover in this film. Let’s get onto the review.

 

Plot

 

Based on the real events of President Park Chung-hee’s assassination and also a novel based off of that, it focuses on the assassinator of a right-hand man and KCIA Director, Kim Gyu-pyeong, as he struggles to find the president’s support for his ideology of peace instead of military force. He also was involved in the disappearance of Park Yong-gak as well.

 

My Thoughts

First off, I would like to mention how great the cinematography looks on this film. I would even say it could be a great art film! Koreans really know what they’re doing when it comes to combining art techniques to unexpected genres. They mastered the art of cinematography with the use of political drama.

 

My favorite part about the cinematography of the film was the wide shots of landscapes that the characters were in and also the profile shots of when the characters were talking. They even managed to have the US Capital of Washington DC to be very bougie-like as well.

Other than the art film techniques that was used in the movie, they used the political aspect really well with the main character, Kim Gyu-pyeong. Despite me hating the fact that some directors can’t really hit the nail with political films since it gets all over the place with the ensemble cast, this film really does not go there as it pretty much focuses on one storyline, which is the assassinator of Park Chung-hee.

 

The main character is really well done as well since Kim Gyu-pyeong is not just any ordinary man who shot the president. He is actually the right-hand man of the president who fell out of favor due to his more peaceful negotiation ideas regarding the rioting citizens of Korea. He often struggled with his relationship of the President and the diplomatic relationships of the US mixed in as well due to corruption in the government. Not only that, but he is also a man of justice as he tries to uncover the case behind the Koreagate scandal in the KCIA as well.

This film can manage a Julius Cesar assassination story so well with the constant struggle of a right-hand man killing the president. It also has some pretty inspiring symbolism as well. They really used DC well when Kim Gyu-pyeong and Park Yong-gak were standing to look at the Lincoln memorial, which connects to Lincoln’s assassination — first president to be assassinated in the US.

 

Other than that, the acting is pretty well done as we get to see some A-listers as well as some actors I’ve never seen before. Overall, I didn’t expect the movie to be so great with the successful combination of art and political film. Although a bit hard to understand at first, I would highly recommend it to some political nerds out there.

 

My Rating

9/10

 

I hope you enjoy my review of The Man Standing Next. Until then, see ya later. Buh-bye!

 

Art by catsenal_movie

 

[rubie]

March 22, 2020

 

 Lee Byung Hun mentioned again in the variety show Knowing Brothers episode 222 that featured his TMSN co-star Kwak Do Won, part of his new movie promo. As always, Kang Ho Dong dutifully mentioned his MFB (My Friend Byunghun) . Hopefully one day, we will see these two stars in a photo together. KHD is the same age as LBH and both are highly popular in their respective entertainment field.

 

To watch the full KB episode with subs HEREBH being mentioned starting at the 27:00 time-mark.

 

Kang Ho Dong (KHD): When you said you'd be on Men on a Mission,
didn't MFB say anything to you? I mean my Friend Byung Hun.
(That is so sudden) Everyone laughs.
Didn't he say I'd be nice to you when you came on the show?
Kwak Do Won (KDW): He doesn't know we'd be here.
Oh, he doesn't.
Kim Hee Chul (HC): He'd always say that Byung Hun is his friend, but actually..
Maybe I heard while drinking. Just tell them he knows.
HC: Is he really your friend?
What?
Is it true?
KHD: He's not actually my dearest friend, but..
Everyone laughs.
The truth is..
It's not like we're dearest friends to each other.
I saw their interview for "The Man Standing Next".
and they said that they had a war of nerves.
When acting together, do you sometimes feel, "I lost to him?"
Do you feel that kind of energy while shooting.
KDW: It's not actually feeling that I lost,
but I get to think sometimes, "Oh, he got prepared this much."
When I was acting with Byung Hun, he doesn't seem like Byung Hun. He felt different.
It was like a different person was sitting there.
KHD: That you didn't expect?
KDW: Yes. I said to myself, "I lost".
"I should've got more prepared". - You did?
Something like that came to my mind.
I'd never thought like that before.
(Byung Hun seems amazing once again.)
Such a thought came to my mind.
I thought to myself, "He really is an amazing actor."
Ho Dong, you must be aware of it well since you're his friend, right.
- Right. - Yes, I am. Of course, I am...
I often feel like Byung Hun doesn't feel like himself, too. (jokes)
Though he is my friend,
but sometimes I get confused if he really is my friend or not. (Chuckling)
Let see more often my friend.
KDW: So I learned so much from Byung Hun.
I did learn a lot.

 

 

 

[rubie]

Not a fan of the tone & style of this writer at HanCinema (re: BH in particular) but related news updates are still news to share here as long as they're not malicious or intrusive in nature. MJ is starting her new weekend drama (I Have Been There Once) today which consists 100 episodes. Having seen similar lengthy weekend dramas with actresses Kim So Yeon and So Yu Jin, the weekend family-dramas can be very addictive with a consistent high rating .. so, here's wishing MJ the very best! Looks like BH will be Joonhoo's playmate this time around. 

 

March 27, 2020 

 

Lee Min Jung Returns to Weekend Dramas With "Once Again"

 

By William Schwartz on HanCinema.net

 

 

While Lee Min-jung is most often remembered as being the wife of major star Lee Byung-hun, the actress is a fairly strong talent in her own right - just on a smaller scale, with a very different kind of programming. So it is that she's making a comeback with the early evening weekend drama "Once Again", where she has been cast in the leading role.

 

Lee Min-jung, for all her charms, has often suffered from a disjointed career in terms of projects. Her big break came in "Boys over Flowers", where Lee Min-jung played the fiance of the lead actor played by megastar Lee Min-ho. But where other breakout stars in "Boys over Flowers" moved on to major high-profile roles, Lee Min-jung hovered in an odd niche. Her successes were mediocre by comparison.

 

Regardless, Lee Min-jung has still had enough name recognition as a star for productions to be willing to take chances on her again. None of her films or dramas did particularly poorly, they just never left much of an impact. But "Once Again" has many factors working in its favor. The timeslot is an obvious one - early weekend dramas often get much stronger ratings than their later airing peers, even if they seldom get comparable hype.

 

But with "Once Again" Lee Min-jung will have a chance to work with director Lee Jae-sang, who was responsible for such hits as "The Joseon Shooter" and "Father is Strange". Moreover, the subject matter of "Once Again" may be a better fit for the actress. She plays a pediatrician pushing for divorce from her husband who's in the same field as she is. Lee Min-jung may have real-life experience to draw from in that regard, given past tension with Lee Byung-hun.

 

"Once Again" also has the benefit of a very strong lead-in. "Beautiful Love, Wonderful Life" ended with ratings over thirty percent. However, it didn't quite beat the record set by "Mother of Mine" last year. "Once Again" will get its chance to challenge that benchmark when it premieres on March 28th.

 

~~~~~~~~  All The Best!

 

"Once Again" is directed by Lee Jae-sang, written by Ahn Ah-reum, Yang Hee-seung, and features Lee Min-jung, Chun Ho-jin, Cha Hwa-yeon, Oh Yoon-ah, Oh Dae-hwan, Lee Cho-hee. Broadcasting information in Korea: 2020/03/28~Upcoming, Sat, Sun 19:55 on KBS.

 

Watch the clip here

In a related drama Q&A interview, LMJ happily mentioned about her two 'sons' who kept her busy at home.. meaning Appa Lee and Aegi (baby) Lee. 

 

Thanks to @ByungBlue for the highlight 

 

Spoiler