Han Ye-seul up to play spirited lawyer in new drama Defendant
by girlfriday
Han Ye-seul (Madam Antoine, Birth of a Beauty) has played everything from a quack fortuneteller to an amnesiac chaebol to a North Korean spy, but I’m having a hard time picturing her in a normal job like lawyer or doctor. It looks like she might diverge from her beaten path of bright rom-com heroines though, because she’s considering an offer to star as a public defender in SBS’s new legal thriller Defendant, about a former prosecutor who wakes up on death row and can’t remember how he got there. Ji Sung (Entertainer) is still considering the lead, though he’s also weighing it against MBC’s Rebel Hong Gil-dong in the same timeslot.
Defendant comes from writer Choi Su-jin of City Hunter and PD Jo Young-kwang of 49 Days, Yawang, and Hyde, Jekyll, Me and tells the story of a star prosecutor who wakes up in prison with no memory of the crime that landed him there. As the best prosecutor in the violent crimes division, he had a spotless record and was always able to prove his case against his defendants and put them behind bars. But when he finds himself on death row for a crime he can’t remember, he becomes the defendant and has to fight desperately to clear his name.
Han Ye-seul has been offered the role of a public defender who fights with all her strength to become a righteous, eloquent, and coldly rational lawyer, who also has a warm sensibility. But in reality she’s more like a fighting rooster, because the minute she steps into the courtroom, she starts fighting with the prosecutor and even the judge. And despite always fighting so fiercely, she always loses.
Aw, she sounds like an endearing character. I’m always ready to root for an underdog public defender who’s all heart and no filter. I’m sure it’ll be a nice reversal when she becomes the public defender to her former enemy in court, and when he has to rely on her skills to clear his name and save his life. It’s a great setup, and the more I hear about this drama, I’m excited to watch. I personally prefer Han Ye-seul in her bubbly, comedic roles, but maybe this will be a chance to broaden her range.
Monday-Tuesday drama Defendant will follow Romantic Doctor Teacher Kim in January.
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Tags: Defendant, Han Ye-seul
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1 mjfan
October 18, 2016 at 3:12 AM
HYS with Ji Sung look promising and amazing if he agreed , weird they never worked together before
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2 Dakchigo
October 18, 2016 at 3:13 AM
Looks like no one can fully commit to Defendant, seeing as Jo PD himself is also reportedly handling Wang Ji-hye's daily drama Love is Drop By Drop.
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3 darcyM
October 18, 2016 at 3:14 AM
"despite always fighting so fiercely, she always loses."
Definitely the type of lawyer you want defending you on death row.
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CrimeFighter
October 18, 2016 at 4:04 AM
sounds irony...hahaha, normally ppl will want the best lawyer who always/mostly win their cases....
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CrimeFighter
October 18, 2016 at 4:06 AM
pardon me, she's a public defender right? so that means the accused can't choose their lawyer.....hmm
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fab
October 18, 2016 at 4:26 AM
He probably gets stuck with a public defender because he can't find a lawyer to represent him. It sounds like a good set up for a comedy, imagine the hijinks when they butt heads when they don't agree on anything while his life and her career depend on the trial.
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CrimeFighter
October 18, 2016 at 6:14 AM
Yeah. Same like in I Hear Your Voice. The accused are too poor or can't find a lawyer so they have to go to a public defender.
4 voice
October 18, 2016 at 3:39 AM
I really REALLY want Ji-sung to take defendant because him and Han ye-seul would make a great pair
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5 CrimeFighter
October 18, 2016 at 3:43 AM
This drama looks promising though personally I don't like legal drama too much...but I'm keen to see her in serious roles like that and not rom-com.
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6 Obivia
October 18, 2016 at 4:09 AM
HYS has played a doctor before (in that Go Soo drama). But she put her spin on the character and I trust she'll do the same here as a lawyer.
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7 revel
October 18, 2016 at 4:10 AM
No!! Half of my excitement is dead from this news. I like Han Ye Seul and find her as gorgeous as ever. But her acting in Madame Antoine has scarred me badly, and then to see her opposite Ji Sung is (if he accepts) :/...I was hoping Defendant to be gritty and Han Ye Seul doesn't suit that genre.
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8 dramafan
October 18, 2016 at 5:19 AM
if only lee bo young could play the public defender...
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fab
October 18, 2016 at 5:23 AM
The description sounds almost exactly like her public defender role in IHYV. No one can top her performance in that wonderful drama.
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CrimeFighter
October 18, 2016 at 6:15 AM
Wow. Missed that drama. It was such an awesome drama !
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fab
October 18, 2016 at 7:45 AM
Me toooo. Been anticipating LBY's return to dramaland for so long, I think Ji Sung should take it slow and take care of the family so she can come back.
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spazmo
October 18, 2016 at 3:13 PM
but who would watch the baby???
ohhh, ji sung could sling her around while mommy's filming...
*swoon*
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9 Juliesean
October 18, 2016 at 6:07 AM
I prefer if JI sung takes this role because I know he can bring it. But HYS is not a good match, acting chops wise.
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10 robin
October 18, 2016 at 6:52 AM
i smell a flurry of lawyers hitting the kdramaworld next, though since Woman with a Suitcase is killing it, I for one wouldn't mind more in the same or better vein :]
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11 Peach
October 18, 2016 at 7:29 AM
So many legal and medical dramas lately... I'm drowning...
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12 Aidualc
October 18, 2016 at 7:42 AM
Personally I don't like her acting, but I don't know if it's because of her acting skills or just the work she chose. If Ji Sung ends up accepting I would hope they cast someone who's acting chops are on par with his.
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13 windsun33
October 18, 2016 at 8:43 AM
This sounds a lot like the HBO series "The Night of...".
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14 Adal
October 18, 2016 at 9:37 AM
I'm not a fan of HYS but even I have to admit she was tolerable in Madam Antoine, the only drama which I could stand to watch her in. For me, she's hit or miss depending a lot on the script. So let's keep our fingers crossed for a good one!
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15 Alessar
October 18, 2016 at 10:09 AM
"Han Ye-seul (Madam Antoine, Birth of a Beauty) has played everything from a quack fortuneteller to an amnesiac chaebol to a North Korean spy, " As well as a black-leather-clad Gumiho assassin!
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16 blessingwind
October 18, 2016 at 11:47 AM
Han Ye-Sul is pretty, but for me, she is in the category of 'boring actresses'. That spark i want to see in an actress, she just does not have it. She acts good in some scenes, some of her scenes are so cringe worthy.
Let's hope she actually complements with Ji-Sung, who is a splendid actor.
All the best for her and Ji Sung and the whole drama. The plot seems so interesting.
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17 kanz
October 18, 2016 at 4:47 PM
Han Ye Seul maybe not the greatest actress, but surely she would be better than Hyeri in Entertainer right?
Looking forward to Ji Sung-Han Ye Seul combo.
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wheatmill
October 18, 2016 at 7:06 PM
Sorry Hyeri fan, but you are right kanz. HYS is better than hyeri. sorry again
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18 Jolly
October 18, 2016 at 8:51 PM
If Ji Sung is considering between Defendant and Rebel Hong Gil-dong, then I hope he chooses Defendant. He's a great actor, and this feels like a drama where he could showcase a good performance.
He deserves something better after beng saddled with a bunch of bad actors in Entertainer. Han Ye-seul is a pretty average actor, so I'm not sure how she'd fare in this role as it seems like we'd have to see to really find out, but I wouldn't mind seeing someone like Moon Chae-won opposite Ji Sung. Her last drama was disappointing, but she has the acting chops to pull off good roles when given the chance.
Plus, Ji Sung and Moon Chae-won strikes me as a combo that could be quite powerful. Park Ha-sun would also be a good choice. She's finally back from her hiatus, and she's definitely able to pull off endearing and comedic roles with heart. Her current drama is soon to finish so I'd love to see her back again in January.
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19 sukma
November 11, 2016 at 6:37 AM
i miss HYS so much she should take this role
idc about the lead male, jisung will fine, but if he decline it'll fine too.
sorry but i think HYS act has improved a lot. so much a lot. i've seen her since will it snow for christmas up to madam antoine. her progress so awesome.
she'll rocks every role in drama.
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