'Dae Jang Geum' star returns with 'Saimdang' after 14 years

Lee Young-ae featured in a promotional poster for “Saimdang”

By Park Jin-hai

Lee Young-ae, star of the 2003 period drama “Dae Jang Geum” that started the K-drama hype, has returned in SBS’s latest TV series “Saimdang, Memoir of Colors.”

This is the 45-year-old actress’s first return to the small screen in 14 years.

Co-starring actor Song Seung-heon, the time-slip fantasy drama will tell the story of Shin Saimdang, a Joseon-era artist and writer who is widely known to the Korean people as a model of Confucian ideals.

Instead of the “mother of wisdom” image during the ancient patriarchal society, Lee will portray the often overlooked side of Shin Saimdang (1504-1551), revisiting her passionate life as a gifted artist.

Lee is cast for the double role of modern-day art history instructor So Ji-yoon, who happens to find what is believed to be Saimdang’s diary, and the Joseon-era artist Saimdang herself.

The plot of the drama triggered so much curiosity and fun, the actress said.

“I thought Saimdang would probably not like her fixed image as imprinted on the 50,000 won banknote today,” Lee said at a media event at Lotte Hotel in central Seoul, Tuesday. “Breathing new life into the historical figure and exploring her from the perspective of a woman has been an exciting challenge.”

Mindful of her previous role in “Dae Jang Geum,” which brought her pan-Asian fandom but also set a high bar, Lee said, “The character tones of Dae Jang Geum and Saimdang may be seen overlapping. But I think the way I feature the character would differ from then and now. Now that I have become a mother in real life, my performance would have become deeper and wider.”

Song Seung-heon, left, and Lee Young-ae pose at a press conference for “Saimdang, Memoir of Colors” in Seoul, Tuesday. / Yonhap

Lee added that she took time to study traditional Korean painting and study ancient customs for the latest drama, as much as she did years ago with royal cuisine while shooting “Dae Jang Geum.”

Actor Song will feature as Saimdang’s admirer Lee Gyeom.

He said he was nervous to co-star with Lee in the drama. “I kept on making mistakes in delivering my lines in my first shoot with Lee,” he said. “I worked really hard, in particular, for the scenes where Lee Gyeom meets Saimdang. I’m confident it will live up to viewers’ expectations.”

Although the show had garnered great attention from many Asian fans, after it finished production in the first half of 2016, it suffered from a political row between Korea and China surrounding Seoul’s plan to deploy a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system.

The drama was initially set to air last fall with simultaneous broadcast on China's Hunan TV. But while it was waiting to receive approval from Beijing for the show’s Chinese broadcast, its local broadcasting schedule has been postponed twice, to the latter half of last year then to January.

“I’ve been very anxious, waiting for its broadcast for so long. But if there are good movies and dramas in the future that can deliver meaningful messages, I would be happy to join, regardless of their genres,” Lee said.

“Saimdang, Memoir of Colors” will premiere Thursday.