Han Hye-jin says "working like hell" on new drama

Actress Han Hye-jin poses at the photocall of a press conference for upcoming KBS TV series tentatively titled "Thorn Birds" held in Seoul, South Korea on February 23, 2010. [Lee Ki-bum/Asia Economic Daily]

Actress Han Hye-jin has said that she is "working like hell" on her new drama which has been assigned in the same time slot as the prime time shows of competing broadcasters starring top Korean actresses Yum Jung-ah and Lee Yo-won.

Han made the remark during a press conference for the KBS show tentatively titled "Thorn Birds" on Wednesday when asked how she felt having to compete with Yum in MBC's "Royal Family" and Lee in "49 Days.""Yum is a senior I have always respected. I'm trying not to be nervous but I'll be up against such outstanding actresses that I can't help being conscious of them," Han said, adding with a smile, "But of course I'm hoping our show will do better."

She then explained she will have to "change drastically" in order to draw sympathy from viewers since her role as Seo Jung-eun who grows up at an orphanage and decides to look for her birth mother after she becomes a star "has much more depth" compared to her past roles.

"I will show how she becomes an actor as well as how she looks after someone else's family. That's why I need to have more depth and a broader perspective to play her character," Han remarked.Not much has been revealed about Seo except that she will be cheerful in the beginning and change as she gradually experiences various incidents. Han has mainly played cheerful and confident characters.

"Thorn Birds," written by famed scenarist Lee Sun-hee and helmed by Kim Jong-chang, is set to go on air starting March 2 and will also star actors Kim Min-jung and Joo Sang-uk.

Han, 29, has appeared in a number of movies and TV series since her acting debut in 2002. She rose to fame with her roles in MBC's "Be Strong, Geum Soon!" (2005) and historical drama "Jumong" (2006).

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Reporter : Ko Jae-wan star@
Photographer : Lee Ki-bum metro83@
Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@