Lee Jung-jae courted for new film about Joseon’s last princess

by girlfriday

Buzz about a new movie for Lee Jung-jae (The Face Reader) is pretty par for the course, but there’s some extra excitement stirring for the possible new team-up between Lee and acclaimed writer-director Heo Jin-ho, of the classic melodramas Christmas in August, One Fine Spring Day, and Happiness, and 2012’s Dangerous Liaisons starring Jang Dong-geun and Zhang Ziyi. Lee Jung-jae is currently in talks to star in the director’s new movie Princess Deokhye, about the life of Joseon’s last princess who was forced out of the palace to live in Japan during the occupation.

The story already sounds like a tearjerker in a good way, since it’s backed up by the grandeur of historical tragedy: Princess Deokhye was the youngest daughter of King Gojong (who reigned at the turn of the 20th century), and was particularly beloved by her father. During the Japanese occupation, her brother was taken from the palace and relocated to Japan, so to prevent her from being taken as well, Gojong had her secretly engaged. But her father died mysteriously soon after, and without his protection she was taken to Japan at the age of 13, and married off to a Japanese nobleman at 19.

She had a tragic life filled with depression, isolation, and mental illness, and had a daughter who committed suicide. She outlived the war and eventually returned to her homeland, where despite her mental deterioration, she lived a long life. Her story has been popularized by biographies, plays, and a novel (by Kwon Bi-young, called Princess Deokhye).

There’s no word yet on casting the heroine or what role Lee Jung-jae will play, so a lot will depend on how much of Deokhye’s life is planning to be told. Director Heo has reportedly been working on this project for two years, and is ready to begin production in 2015. Lee Jung-jae has the release of his new thriller Big Match on the horizon, and is currently filming Assassination in Shanghai.

Once it finalizes a cast, Princess Deokhye plans to start shooting early in the new year.

Via Star News

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