Two weeks. That's how long Lee Joon Gi has to save the life of a daughter he never met in his upcoming drama titled, "Two Weeks."

In the 20-episode MBC thriller, Lee's character is falsely accused of murder, discovers he has a daughter and then finds out he has only two weeks to save her.

Lee was drawn to the drama because of the writer, So Hyun Kyung, who penned the scripts in "49 Days," "Prosecutor Princess," and "My Daughter Seo Young." So knows how to make the clock tick for viewers and create a compelling story. In "49 Days," the character only had 49 days to prove she was loved or she would die. In this story, Lee Joon Gi's character could lose his daughter if he does not act fast. But what exactly should he do?

"After watching writer So Hyun Kyung's productions, I really wanted to work with her if I could," said Lee. "I have high expectations for the production because of the writer's solid skills."

Lee was originally said to be considering another drama, set in 1930s Shanghai, but that has been temporarily shelved. The character in this drama really appealed to him.

"I think I can develop more as an actor through my 'Two Weeks' character and I will do my best to express my passion for this production and deliver quality acting," said Lee. "I am confident that this drama will be a meaningful project."

The role will involve playing some difficult and emotional scenes. That's part of what attracted Lee, who has worked hard to get away from his "pretty boy" image.

His first role, playing Joseon-era effeminate clown Gong Gil in the film, "The King and the Clown," brought him fame for his flower-boy good looks.

"After my performance in "The King and The Clown," I found myself at the forefront of this pretty boy trend, although it was not my intention."

Next he appeared in the drama, "My Girl" with Park Si Yeon, Lee Da Hae and Lee Dong Wook. He played the lead role in Iljimae, a historical drama, and appeared in a Korean-Japanese movie, "Virgin Snow" which was popular in Japan. He also starred in the action drama "Between Time And Wolf." After serving in the military from 2010 to 2012, Lee made his comeback in the MBC drama, "Arang and the Magistrate.

His new drama, "Two Weeks," will premiere in August, following "Queen of the Classroom," which in turn follows "When A Man Loves."