SEOUL – Actor Lee Young-ae is set to return as the iconic character Jang-geum in a new television series, continuing the legacy of the massively successful MBC drama “Jewel in the Palace,” announced entertainment company Fantagio on Tuesday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the company has finalized a contract with a writer for the series, seven months after confirming Lee’s casting in the new installment, tentatively titled “Dae Jang Geum.”
Production for the series is scheduled to commence in October, with plans to broadcast the show early next year. The forthcoming “Dae Jang Geum” series will narrate the life of Jang-geum, depicting her journey to becoming the king’s first female physician. The original “Jewel in the Palace,” aired in 2003, chronicled the story of an orphaned girl, Jang-geum, on her path to becoming the royal physician and garnered an average viewership rating of 45.8 percent in South Korea. The 54-part series achieved widespread popularity, captivating audiences both domestically and internationally.