Han Seok-kyu, Lee Je-hoon up for reunion in sageuk drama Secret Door

43 June 18, 2014July 29, 2014

Han Seok-kyu, Lee Je-hoon up for reunion in sageuk drama Secret Door

by javabeans

Way to bundle up good news in a threefer: SBS is planning a new sageuk drama about the Crown Prince Sado (juicy historical intrigue), starring Han Seok-kyu (Tree With Deep Roots) to play King Yeongjo, and courting Lee Je-hoon (Fortune Tellers) to play Sado in his army comeback. Yesssssss.

The drama is titled Secret Door and is being planned as a 24-episode Monday-Tuesday drama, and deals with the slice of history during Yeongjo’s long reign (the longest in Joseon history, at 52 years) involving the controversial death of his son, Crown Prince Sado. The drama’s plot will deal with uncovering the secret shrouding Sado’s death, which has been a matter of interest throughout the years and depicted in numerous dramas and films.

Sado was believed to be mentally unstable, violently attacking and sexually assaulting others in the palace. Yeongjo attempted to teach and reform his son, but eventually gave up hope and ordered Sado to kill himself. When Sado refused, Yeongjo ordered him to climb inside a rice chest, where he died eight days later of suffocation. (To preserve the honor of royalty, methods of execution were limited to those that didn’t physically mar the body.)

How amazing would these two actors be in these roles? We’ve already seen them acting together in the movie Paparotti, where Lee Je-hoon played a gangster student with dreams of classical singing, and Han Seok-kyu was the hardened teacher who eventually guided the wayward youngster toward his dream. On their own they’re both amazing powerhouse actors, and we already know they’re great together. SBS, make it happen!

On the producers’ side, the writer gives me more hope than the PD, which is probably better than the reverse scenario. PD Kim Hyung-shik directed crime-thrillers Sign and Ghost as well as the family-healing-drama-with-a-mysterious-twist Suspicious Housekeeper. Writer Yoon Sun-joo’s prior works include The Great King Sejong, Hwang Jini, and The Immortal Lee Soon-shin, which are very solid sageuks.

Lee Je-hoon will be released from military service in July, and he’s been fielding a number of offers for his comeback project. Those include Detective Hong Gil-dong and the sci-fi fantasy blockbuster Fist Fighting, but I really hope he turns the latter down, if only because of the crappy way the producers treated Yeo Jin-gu. And what better excuse than starring with Han Seok-kyu again?

Secret Door is preparing for a September premiere.

Here they are in Paparotti together.

Or better yet, here’s a clip from the movie (spoilery, in that it’s a climactic scene, but pretty great):

Via Munhwa, My Daily

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1 Hwari

June 18, 2014 at 4:12 AM

Omg, Han Seok Kyu as the King again. Ok, although not King Sejong. Well, can we have Jo Jin Woong as his bodyguard again and please PD include Yeo Jin Goo as his son or anything.

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2 mary

June 18, 2014 at 4:30 AM

I'm more curious about why the drama is called Secret Door.

Could it be there was a Secret Door in that rice chest? And Sado didn't really die but was exiled somewhere else? :D

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john

June 18, 2014 at 5:36 AM

mary ~

It's a secret door - a portal thing - that transports you to SJR's house. Only in spiritual form though, so you can look but not touch.

If that's the case, do you keep it to yourself as a treasure or do you try to make a buck or two by selling access?

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mary

June 18, 2014 at 5:52 AM

First I need to do a thorough testing to make sure the "You can look but you cannot touch" feature is fool-proof.

And to save costs, I'll do the unit testing myself. After around 10,000 tries, I'll charge people to look at Rim. Then I'll use the $$$$$ to buy the adjacent house.

Hey, Kim Soo Hyun fans actually did it, why can't I? :D

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3 news

June 18, 2014 at 4:30 AM

Lee Je-hoon!!! Loved him since Bleak Night and I've been waiting forever for him to choose a project that'll challenge his acting skills. I hope he picks this one.

And I'm not Mary, but this is the drama Rim should in.

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mary

June 18, 2014 at 4:36 AM

LMAO yes, he does have great sageuk hair. :)))))

Thanks! <3

(Wow, I sound like a proud mom or something...)

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4 Rou

June 18, 2014 at 4:38 AM

Han Seok Kyu in a drama again *happy dance*
With a title like "Secret Door" and strong PD's, I am expecting a lot of political clashes and intriguing games that will keep me on the edge. I don't really watch too much Sageuk but when there's something interesting like this, I will never miss it!

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5 ss

June 18, 2014 at 4:47 AM

cant wait! just when im craving for a new sageuk!

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6 Dramafed1782

June 18, 2014 at 4:49 AM

Count me in. I was really hoping "Unprecedented" would come through in MBC. But this is good news too!

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Kiara

June 18, 2014 at 8:01 AM

Kind of sad and happy at the same time. There goes your leading man "Unprecedented". I kind of wanted Han's next sageuk to be in a different era beside Joseon.

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7 glowry

June 18, 2014 at 5:29 AM

omg omg it's Lee JiHoon comeback!! plzzzz take it.. hope it's a good sageuk..
talks about sageuk, goshhh i'm so can't wait for Joseon Gunman!

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8 jandoe

June 18, 2014 at 5:38 AM

Omggggg omggg Paparotti is my favorite movie of all time now so I hope they make this happen. Pretty please Lee Je Hoon!

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9 1615

June 18, 2014 at 6:04 AM

COOLLL can't wait :)

I thought there was a movie in the works with the same plot staring Yoo ah in and Moon guen young? maybe I'm wrong.

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kanz

June 18, 2014 at 6:54 AM

Yes, it's the same plot. But YAI and MGY's project is a movie and taken from Lady Hyekyeong (Sado's wife) perspective so it's a bit different.

Anyway I really like the plot and Han Seok Kyu and Lee Ji Hoon definitely can deliver.

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10 Kiara

June 18, 2014 at 6:09 AM

Wow this is fantastic news. Han Seok-kyu does no wrong, always a treat to watch. Glad this is a drama so we can watch it live.

I love this writer, "The Great King Sejong" was as close as you can get to the real history. The Immortal Lee Soon-shin was my first Kim Myung Min drama and man did he own that role. I am convince that no one can top his performance.

So excited!

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11 melanie

June 18, 2014 at 6:10 AM

How time flies!

Lee Je-hoon is so awesome but his drama choices are bid disappointing.

I hope this will make up her previously bad bad drama (uhuk *Fashion King* uhuk).

Can't wait post-army Lee Je-hoon!

Is it too early to pick the female lead for our boy...

Hmmm... Baek Jin-Hee maybe. Haha.

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melanie

June 18, 2014 at 6:14 AM

Ooo..

So both actor in SBS's drama, Fashion King will be portraying the same Prince Sado.

Yoo Ah-in in movie version

and

Lee Je-hoon in drama version

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12 cheekbones

June 18, 2014 at 6:10 AM

What ? Lee Je-hoon is comeback-ing already ??!! Well, time does fly !

But, *sigh* sageuk dramas are not particularly my cup of tea. Nonetheless, yay !

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13 JC

June 18, 2014 at 6:14 AM

I'm really not into sageuk, but this project sounds great! The actors are definitely skilled, and the production team--writer and PD both--give me hope with the solid projects on their resumes. Hopefully this will be interesting; it definitely covers an intriguing part of Korean history. :)

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14 Miky

June 18, 2014 at 6:17 AM

Woooaaaaaaaaa triple treat!!!!!!!!!!1st Lee Je-hoon is back,is back!!!!! 2nd small screen reunion between them and 3d Lee Je-hoon playing Sado such a complicated and intresting character!!!!bring it on,even if by now i know it will end sad,don't make me hate Lee Je-hoon to much ok,please!!!!!!!!!!!

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15 kanz

June 18, 2014 at 6:56 AM

I'm gonna love SBS more in September if this drama and Ji Chang Wook's drama come true!
September better comes fast to me. LOL

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16 lenrasoon

June 18, 2014 at 7:13 AM

I'm more excited for Han Seok-kyu! i really want to see him again in a new sageuk.

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17 bashful

June 18, 2014 at 7:27 AM

Obviously the secret door leads to Lee Je-hoon's bedroom. Duh.

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18 conan

June 18, 2014 at 7:30 AM

LEE JE-HOON IS BACK?!?! WITH HAN SEOK-GYU?!?!

I didn't even read the article yet cuz I'm that excited! I haven't watched My Papparotti because I have yet to find it (I might soon. It depends. The story isn't my type). But Han Seok-gyu in a sageuk and Lee Je-hoon in a meaty role is something I can look forward to very much.

*yay*

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19 matinsoleil

June 18, 2014 at 7:40 AM

Han Seok Kyu as a king again? Lee Je-hoon in his comeback project? Where do I have to sign? What do I have to do to make that happen? I'm dying...please I want those two to confirm.

Juts hope the whole process of "they're still considering, they're considering positively, nothings has been confirmed yet,...' won't last too long!!

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20 larus

June 18, 2014 at 7:58 AM

I wanted to ask this question since I read about Prince Sado`s death. Why did they ”torture” him this way? I partially got the answer (”To preserve the honor of royalty, methods of execution were limited to those that didn’t physically mar the body.”) but still... a slowing death?! Why not poison?

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doodlemeleah

June 19, 2014 at 9:44 PM

As what jb has mentioned and from what I have learned from Korean History class, the simplest answer is that no one is allowed to harm a royal's body in any way. By putting CP Sado to death by having him drink poison means killing him from the inside, which is still not allowed because it intentionally harms the body. Since King Yeongjo could only have CP Sado die by 'natural' means, albeit his way is forcing him into it (technically, he wasn't dragged into or anything, he walked into the rice chest HIMSELF as an obedience to the King's and his father's command), only by suffocating on his own pushed him to his death without anyone DIRECTLY physically harming him and his body.

I hope that helps. :)

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larus

June 20, 2014 at 3:34 AM

Thank you for the answer.

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21 D's handphone

June 18, 2014 at 8:30 AM

Exciting news but straight sageuk is not really my thing. And honestly, i first read it as Secret Doctor.. dont ask me why

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22 fab

June 18, 2014 at 8:37 AM

Super excited for Lee Je Hoon' return from the army! Love him!

Han Seok is great as well.

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23 selina

June 18, 2014 at 9:08 AM

please take it please take it please take it please take it. they are both individually such talented actors, and together pulled all the right hurt strings for me in My Paparotti. I will be beyond excited if he Je-hoon signed on. Please make more awesome reunions happen Je-hoon.

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24 Li

June 18, 2014 at 9:11 AM

best news of today. They had GREAT working chemostry in my paparotti. I loved them and the movie !!!

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25 Chandler

June 18, 2014 at 9:51 AM

I AM SO STOKED.

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26 Beng

June 18, 2014 at 10:23 AM

You mean 2 years have passed already? I think we barely felt it because he left a lot of projects before going to the army.

May i know if that's really Lee Je-hoon singing? i've been really really curious. But even if that is lip-sync, wow he's really a great actor because that's quite so hard to lip-sync and to act at the same time, Daebak!

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27 AnotherFan

June 18, 2014 at 10:43 AM

Yessssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

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28 amber

June 18, 2014 at 11:40 AM

All we need is Kang Sora to make a triple meet.

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29 browncoat_78

June 18, 2014 at 12:27 PM

OMG! OMG! PLEASE LET THIS HAPPEN! Han Seok Gyu did what I consider the best Korean acting I've ever seen in Tree with Deep Roots. And Lee Je Hoon is awesome and the Army took him from us just as he was getting really good. Plus I'm a sucker for short sagueks (as in not 50 eps+).

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30 soserious

June 18, 2014 at 2:34 PM

okay, SHAME ON ME, but i have never seen anything with Han Seok-kyu... but i did see him in person at a local Starbucks. weird. i hear great things about him and would totally check out this drama is Lee Je-hoon joins.

Paparotti has been on my to-watch list for a while now...i will definitely check it out when i have the chance. otherwise, please join Lee Je-hoon (':