After his starring role in “Ireland” (2004), Hyun Bin went on to star in big hits such as writer Kim Eun-sook’s “Secret Garden” (2010) and writer Park’s “Crash Landing on You” (2019) Ji-eun. .
In his impressive filmography, “My Lovely Sam Soon” (2005) stands out as a career-defining work. The drama, which achieved an incredible 50% viewership during its run, solidified Hyun Bin’s status as a top actor.
Even 20 years later, “My Lovely Sam Soon” continues to be revisited by fans. As part of the “New Classic” project of the OTT platform Wavve, the series was reinvented in an 8-episode Director’s Cut in 4K, released in September.
However, the re-release triggered a reevaluation of Hyun Jin-heon, the male lead and one of Hyun Bin’s most iconic roles, resulting in significant changes to his character.
Director Kim Yoon-cheol, during a press conference for the 2024 version of “My Lovely Sam Soon,” acknowledged viewers’ reactions. Director Kim said: “Seen through the lens of today’s ’20s and ’30s, we wondered if Hyun Jin-heon could still resonate. Back then, the ‘prince on a white horse’ or ‘bad boy’ archetype was more accepted, but now even I find Hyun Jin-heon’s behavior problematic.“
Director Kim explained that the character’s attitudes and dialogue often clashed with modern sensibilities. Director Kim added “We have taken care of these aspects as much as possible without distorting the story”, underlining the importance of sensitivity in portraying characters for contemporary viewers.
This change in perspective also led to playful comments from co-stars Kim Sun-ah (Kim Sam-soon) and Jung Ryeo-won (Yoo Hee-jin). Kim Sun-ah said: “Would Kim Sam-early 2024 still choose Hyun Jin-heon? Love is always complicated, but I think it would be annoying because I feel like he would act the same way now.” Jung Ryeo-won added ironically: “If it were today, Yoo Hee-jin would probably send Hyun Jin-heon back to Sam soon, safe and sound, without too much conflict..”
With the “broken car theory” about Hyun Jin-heon spreading, Hyun Bin stepped in to put an end to the matter. In a recent interview with Star News, Hyun Bin was asked about the theory and jokingly responded, “I was wrong“, eliciting laughter.
He also clarified: “I just followed the script faithfully. Even back then I knew that Hyun Jin-heon was portrayed as a “bad boy”. The difference lies in how this was perceived then compared to today.”
Reflecting on his career, Hyun Bin humbly shared: “Having multiple successful projects is something I am incredibly grateful for. I’ve been lucky enough to work with amazing writers, directors and actors. I don’t take this luck for granted.”
Meanwhile, Hyun Bin’s latest film, “Harbin” (directed by Woo Min-ho), will premiere on December 24.
