The beginning of "More Beautiful than Heaven" starts with Kim Hye-ja.
The new JTBC weekend drama "More Beautiful than Heaven" (written by Lee Nam-kyu and Kim Soo-jin, directed by Kim Seok-yoon), which will premiere on the 19th at 10:40 PM, features Lee Hae-sook (played by Kim Hye-ja) arriving in heaven at the age of 80 and reuniting with her husband Ko Nak-jun (played by Son Seok-koo) who has returned to his 30s, leading to a transcendent romance. The dynamic journey of Lee Hae-sook starting a second life at the end of life, death, offers warm emotions beyond delightful laughter.
The anticipation for another masterpiece is rooted in the three letters of "Kim Hye-ja." The reunion with director Kim Seok-yoon, who won the Grand Prize in the TV category at the 55th Baeksang Arts Awards for "The Light in Your Eyes," and writers Lee Nam-kyu and Kim Soo-jin draws attention. Their connection, starting from Kim Hye-ja's first sitcom challenge "Living in Cheongdam-dong" in 2011, continuing through "The Light in Your Eyes" and now "More Beautiful than Heaven," is no coincidence.
Director Kim Seok-yoon stated, "This work was created with Kim Hye-ja as the main character," adding, "When she did 'Living in Cheongdam-dong,' she was unfamiliar with comedy acting, and when she did 'The Light in Your Eyes,' she enjoyed that kind of comedy acting. In 'More Beautiful than Heaven,' she has played with comedy at a level that she has mastered," which caught attention. In particular, writers Lee Nam-kyu and Kim Soo-jin referred to "More Beautiful than Heaven" as the completion of the Kim Hye-ja trilogy (a three-part series), expressing, "It is an infinite honor as a writer to be able to complete this with the best national actress and a respected figure of the era, Kim Hye-ja."
Meanwhile, just five days before the premiere, behind-the-scenes photos of Kim Hye-ja, who will make viewers laugh and cry every weekend night as Lee Hae-sook, have been released. Despite the early summer heat, her gentle smile towards the camera shows her unwavering love for acting even after 64 years in the industry. Even during breaks, she consistently holds onto the script and listens intently to director Kim Seok-yoon's words before filming. Kim Hye-ja is writing her history as an ongoing actress, not losing her pure passion and heavy sense of responsibility. Expectations are high for another representative work to be added to her acting career.
For the junior actors she worked with, the presence of "Kim Hye-ja" was a decisive reason for choosing the project. Son Seok-koo remarked, "It's hard to explain in words, but seeing Kim Hye-ja, I often thought, 'She is acting itself.' I was afraid that if I overthought my acting, I would only hold her back, so I enjoyed filming every day as if I were playing. However, I also reflected a lot on her not taking even a single rehearsal lightly," expressing heartfelt respect.
Director Kim Seok-yoon also reflected, "Kim Hye-ja is unmatched in acting, and her mere presence inspires directors. On set, she makes you forget you are a director and makes you appreciate her as an audience member," adding warmth to his recollections of the heavenly actress, Kim Hye-ja, who has no interest in anything other than acting.
JTBC's new weekend drama "More Beautiful than Heaven" will premiere on the 19th at 10:40 PM and will air every Saturday at 10:40 PM and Sunday at 10:30 PM.
[Kim So-yeon, Star Today Reporter]
