South Korean actress Lee Young-ae, 45, is known for playing Seo Jang-geum in the MBC historical drama series "Jewel in the Palace." After almost 13 years, she will be back on the small screen with the upcoming SBS drama series titled "Saimdang, the Herstory."
Group8 is producing "Saimdang, the Herstory," which is directed by Yun Sang-ho and written by Park Eun-Ryeong. Apparently, South Korea is not the only country that is waiting for the upcoming SBS drama series.
"Iranian reporters are very interested in the drama due to Lee Young-ae," Korea Herald quoted Group8 official Kim Young-bae as saying. The official added that they do not know "where this interest is heading to, but it will be great for Hallyu in general to have an open Iranian market."
Lee is not new to Iranian viewers. From 2006 to 2007, "Jewel in the Palace" aired on local TV networks in Iran.
"Saimdang, the Herstory" is also expected to be aired in China, according to Korea Times. It will follow tvN drama series "Cheese in the Traps," which is currently gaining popularity among Chinese viewers.
Aside from being Lee's TV comeback role, "Saimdang, the Herstory" will also feature the actress in two roles. She will play a college professor who specializes in Korea Art History and the title role, historical figure, artist, calligraphist and poet Shin Saimdang who appears on the current South Korean 50,000 won bill.
After getting married to South Korean-American businessman Jeong Ho-young on Aug. 24, 2009, Lee decided to put her acting career on hold. On Feb. 20, 2011, she gave birth at the Jeil Hospital in Jung-gu, Seoul to twins, a boy and a girl.
The last full-length film Lee starred in was the 2005 crime drama film "Sympathy for Lady Vengeance." In 2012, she starred in the short film "Made in California" opposite Ray Tezanos and Marcel Miller.
On Aug. 4, 2015, Lee attended the first script reading for "Saimdang, the Herstory" at SBS Ilsan Production Center in Tanhyun, South Korea, along with her co-stars Kim Hae-sook, Oh Yoon-ah and Yun Da-hun, among others. Song Seung-heun, who will play the lead male character Lee Gyeom, was not able to attend the script reading.
Playing the young Saimdang in the upcoming SBS drama series is Park Hye-soo. Watch the 30-second teaser here:
