Lee Young-ae Stars in 'Uinyeo Dae Jang Geum' Airing Early Next Year... Will the Syndrome Return After 20 Years?

Return of 'Uinyeo Dae Jang Geum' 20 Years After the End of 'Dae Jang Geum'
Will the 'Jang Geum Syndrome' Continue... Scheduled to Air Early Next Year

Actress Lee Young-ae (53) is returning to the screen with a new drama that depicts the life story of the same character 20 years after the end of the beloved domestic and international drama 'Dae Jang Geum'.

Actor Lee Young-ae. [Photo by Lee Young-ae, Instagram capture]

On the 30th, the production company Fantagio announced, "We cast Lee Young-ae as the lead actress for the drama 'Uinyeo Dae Jang Geum' last June and recently finalized a contract with the drama writer," adding, "Filming will begin this October, aiming for a broadcast in early next year." The broadcasting platform has not yet been disclosed.

With the working title 'Uinyeo Dae Jang Geum', the drama continues the story from the MBC drama 'Dae Jang Geum', which aired from September 2003 to March 2004, focusing on Seo Jang Geum's life as she becomes a uinyeo (female medical officer). Previously, the 54-episode drama 'Dae Jang Geum' portrayed the growth of Jang Geum, a Joseon-era court lady who becomes a uinyeo, achieving a peak viewership rating of 57% and sparking the so-called 'Jang Geum Syndrome'. At that time, Lee Young-ae won the Grand Prize at the 2003 MBC Drama Awards for her role in the series.

Netizens who heard the news responded with comments such as, "I'm happy to see Jang Geum again," "It's time to show the power of K-drama," and "My parents are very excited. I will definitely watch the live broadcast."

Meanwhile, actress Lee Young-ae has demonstrated her acting skills through numerous works including 'Uiga Hyeongje', 'Naega Saneun Iryu', 'Asphalt Sanai', 'Seogung', 'Adbeokeot', and 'Bulkkot'. Later, she gained international fame in countries such as Japan and China by excellently portraying the sole protagonist Seo Jang Geum in the 2003 drama 'Dae Jang Geum'. Most recently, in 2023, she was cast as Cha Se-eum in 'Maestra', based on a French drama, receiving favorable reviews from the public.