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| Han Suk-kyu, right, and Go Soo in a scene from the film "The Royal Tailor" / Courtesy of Waw Pictures |
By Baek Byung-yeul
With the historical film "The Royal Tailor" about to hit the screens in time for the Christmas holiday season, interest is mounting as to whether actor Han Suk-kyu can regain his overwhelming ticket power.
The veteran actor, 49, was one of the top money-making stars in the Korean film industry in the 1990s, but his box office record has been on a downward slope since the early 2000s.
Han revived his career when he starred as King Sejong of the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) in the SBS TV drama "Deep Rooted Tree" in 2011. He recently featured in another historical drama "Secret Door," the last episode of which aired this week.
In "Secret Door" ― about the conflict between Joseon's 21st King Yeongjo and his grandson ― Han had a starring role as the king, but the drama completely failed to ignite the ratings. It rated a low 5.2 percent for the last episode on Dec. 9.
Han, who dominated the country's cinema scene in the 1990s with numerous hits, such as "Green Fish" (1997), "The Contact" (1997), "Christmas in August" (1998) and "Swiri" (1999), will also have a lead role in "Royal Tailor."
Set in a fictitious royal court of the Joseon Kingdom, the film is about confrontation and conflict facing people working at the kingdom.
Han plays master artisan Jo Dol-seok who has served the royal family for 30 years, while heartthrob Go Soo plays Lee Gong-jin, a young and gifted designer. Jo becomes obsessed with jealousy toward Lee.
Yoo Yeon-seok features as the Joseon king while Park Shin-hye stars as queen.
"I have appeared in historical drama or film only four times," Han said at a press preview on Nov. 26. "As soon as I read the scenario, I felt like I had found the story that I really wanted to feature in.
"Before I was 40 years old, I didn't have any interest in historical films. But after appearing in ‘Forbidden Quest' (2006), things changed. Historical film always makes me imagine events that occurred in the past, and it's such attractive work."
Go also said it was the scenario that enticed him to "Royal Tailor."
"I was very attracted to the script, and after meeting director Lee Won-suk I began to wonder about the final version of the film.
"Lee wanted me to be a designer with a free spirit so that I can break the solemn atmosphere inside the royal court. That was the hardest part for me when we were filming."
Lee, who made his directional debut with the romantic comedy "How to Use Guys with Secret Tips" in 2012 said, "The royal atelier was one of a few offices where commoners were allowed to work in the kingdom. It was not only a place for making clothes, but also a place where forward-thinking and the cutting edge of fashion was needed. This aroused my interest."
"The Royal Tailor" (124 minutes) will screen nationwide starting from Christmas Eve. It is rated 15 and over. In Korean.
