King status no guarantee for love for Kim Soo-hyun

Actor Kim Soo-hyun poses during a photocall of a press conference for MBC TV series "The Moon Bearing the Sun" (translated title) held in Seoul, South Korea on January 2, 2012. [MBC]

Actor Kim Soo-hyun may have risen to status of king in an upcoming series but he will suffer from the heartache of love as did his character in hit TV series "Dream High."

A press conference held in Seoul on Monday for major broadcaster MBC's new drama "The Moon Bearing the Sun" (translated title) revealed that Kim will play King Lee Hwon, an imaginary king of the Joseon Dynasty, who will have to part with his love Heo Yeon-woo to be taken on by actress Han Ga-in.

Heo was set to be the crown princess when Lee was a prince but was driven out of the palace after falling ill and was believed to have died until eight years later when Lee runs into her by chance.

Heo, who has lost all memory of her past as a result of a conspiracy planned by those who wanted her out of the palace, says she is a female shaman named Wol but Lee starts to question what actually happened.

In KBS drama "Dream High," Kim played Song Sam-dong, a poor high school student from the countryside aspiring to be a singer, who has unrequited love for a girl in love with another guy.

Nonetheless, Kim said he will focus on showing how the king works at straightening out the state of affairs of his country as well as his heartrending love for Heo.

He also remarked, "I have never lived like a king before so I've been looking at the many kings that other actors have played in the past," adding that actor Song Joong-ki has been one of his points of reference.

Song had played the young King Sejong in SBS' historical drama "Deep Rooted Tree" which ran for two months late last year.

"Sun," also starring Jung Il-woo and Kim Min-suh, will show every Wednesdays and Thursdays starting January 4.

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10 아시아 Jessica Kim jesskim@