It's official. Song Seung Hoon has confirmed that he will take part in the upcoming historical drama "Saimdang: The Herstory." The actor confirmed his participation around the same time the SBS drama began filming. Production began on August 10 and according to the drama's producers, Group 8 Productions, should be done early in 2016.
It's perhaps not technically accurate to call "Saimdang: The Herstory" a historical drama, because the drama's plot line jumps back and forth between the present and the past. The professor finds the artist's journal and it unlocks hitherto unknown secrets about her life. Shin Saimdang was a famous painter-poet from the Joseon era. She was also the mother of the Confucian scholar Yuk Gok. Shin Saimdang's work was so influential that she is depicted on Korea's 50,000-Won bill.
In the drama, actress Lee Young Ae, 44, will play both the historical figure and a modern-day art professor. Song Seung Hoon, 38, will play her childhood sweetheart and soul mate Lee Gyeom. Lee was a painter calligrapher and musician, so the two had a lot in common.
The title may refer to the idea that the role of women has been underplayed in history, which starts with the word "his." So, in this case, it could be more accurately described as "herstory."
The drama attracted early attention, when it was announced that Lee Young Ae would play Saimdang, as it has been 11 years since she appeared in a drama. Lee won awards for her last drama production "Dae Jang Geum" aka "Jewel in the Palace." "Dae Jang Geum" was the 10th highest-rated k-drama of all time, with viewer ratings of over 50 percent in Korea. In 2014 Lee Young Ae was offered a part in the "Dae Jang Geum" sequel but declined the role.
Group 8 said that they planned the drama with Lee Young Ae in mind.
It will also be a small screen comeback for Song Seung Hoon. The actor's last drama was "When A Man Loves" with Shin Se Kyung. Since then he starred in the k-movies "Obsessed" with Lim Ji Yeon, and "Wonderful Nightmare" with Uhm Jung Hwa. He also appeared in the Chinese film "The Third Way of Love." He previously acted a historical drama "Dr. Jin," playing the role of Jin Hyuk."
Producer Yun Sang Ho, who directed "The Legend" and "Tamna the Island," will direct 'Saimdang: The Herstory." Park Eun Ryung will write the script.
The drama has already been syndicated through Turner Entertainment Company to China, Japan, Thailand and Singapore.
