Han Se Yeul has not acted in a drama for three years. Not since she appeared in the 2011 drama "Spy Myung Wol" with co-stars Eric Moon and Lee Jin Wook. And her last appearance was a controversial one. She walked off the set of the drama complaining of exhaustion due to what she described as extremely difficult filming conditions. She barely slept for weeks, she said, and her health suffered.
She walked off the set and got on a plane for Los Angeles.
But her protest was short-lived. The drama's producers threatened to sue the model-turned-actress for breach of contract and she returned to the set. For the last three years she has been living her life mostly out of the spotlight, occasionally modeling and shooting commercials.
However in Sept. 2014, the actress signed with new management, Bae Yong Joon's agency, KeyEast Entertainment. Han Ye Seul now seems poised to make a dramaland comeback as a woman ready to transform her life.
The actress has signed on to play Joo Sang Wook's leading lady in "Birth of a Beauty." Her character Sa Geum Ran diets and uses plastic surgery to transform herself from an ordinary to an extraordinary woman, then renames herself Sara. And she does not make this transformation alone. Joo Sang Wook plays Han Tae Hee, the heir to a conglomerate. He is suffering from a broken heart. To get back at the woman who rejected him, he decides to transform Sa Geum Ran into Sara, a woman who could make his ex-love jealous. But then he falls in love with his creation.
Romantic comedy is familiar territory for Han. She was once known as the queen of romantic comedies, appearing in such hits as "Fantasy Couple" and "Will It Snow For Christmas."
According to Ilgan Sports, the 33-year-old actress has been considering a comeback for a while. She was also considered for roles in the dramas "Thrice Married Woman" and "Angel Eyes." But this role finally seemed like the perfect fit.
Wang Ji Hye and Jung Gyu Woon are also considering supporting roles in the drama.
Lee Chang Min, who directed "Giant," "Midas," "The Bride of the Sun," "My Lover" and "Madame Butterfly" will direct "Birth of a Beauty." Yoon Young Mi, who wrote "Modern Housewives," "Tale of Two Sisters," "The Bride of the Sun" and "One Well Raised Daughter" will write the screenplay.
"Birth of a Beauty" airs in November after "Endless Love."
