K-drama’s comeback queens: Gianna Jun, Son Ye-jin and Lee Min-jung return to big and small screens

SINGAPORE – It is not often that an actress gets a role written specially for her. But that was the case for South Korea’s Gianna Jun, also known as Jun Ji-hyun. 

According to celebrated South Korean director Kim Hee-won – known for helming K-drama hits like Queen Of Tears (2024), Vincenzo (2021) and Crash Landing On You (2019 to 2000) – the person to lead her new series Tempest could only be Jun. 

“All directors in South Korea would probably imagine Gianna when they need a powerful female character,” said Kim via an interpreter at a virtual press conference for the show on Sept 2.

She added that the actress has always been at the top of the casting list for South Korean film-makers.

Kim made a call to Jun, and with no hesitation, the A-list star agreed to headline Tempest. 

The espionage thriller-romance revolves around Seo Mun-ju (Jun), a diplomat-turned-United Nations ambassador who is swept into a political conspiracy following an assassination attempt on presidential candidate Jang Jun-ik, played by Park Hae-joon of When Life Gives You Tangerines (2025) fame. 

After discovering that Jun-ik was accused of being a North Korean spy, Mun-ju uncovers a Pandora’s box of deceptions and state secrets.

Gang Dong-won plays Baek San-ho, a mysterious mercenary who is committed to protecting Mun-ju at all costs.

The nine-episode series will premiere on Disney+ on Sept 10. The drama also features notable South Korean veterans Oh Jung-se, Yoo Jae-myung and Kim Hae-sook, as well as American actor John Cho. 

Tempest marks Jun’s return to show business after more than four years. Her last on-screen outing was the mystery drama Jirisan (2021).

The 43-year-old said: “I’m a long-time fan of Dong-won. I’ve always wanted a chance to work with him, and that was a big reason I took up this role.”

She added that a perk on set was that her male co-stars “are all handsome”. “I’m a fan of Dong-won’s physique, and over the course of filming, I got to know him as a person and became an even bigger fan.”

Referring to Park, Yoo, Oh and Cho, Jun joked that she never blinked on set “so I wouldn’t miss out on their handsomeness”.

She said viewers should look forward to “mature melodrama” in Tempest, where two very different people from separate worlds become drawn to each other.

“The more they learn about each other, the more they look back at themselves like it’s a mirror image.”

She added: “On set, we always wondered if we’ve ever had such a deep, mature kind of melodrama, and we loved it.”

Before becoming an actress, Jun, then 16, was a successful model. Her breakthrough was the romantic comedy film My Sassy Girl (2001), which brought her much fame beyond South Korea. 

Her ability to reinvent her image, coupled with her versatile acting and good looks, paved the way to Hollywood through the horror action flick Blood: The Last Vampire (2009). She also starred in Hong Kong-American film-maker Wayne Wang’s historical film Snow Flower And The Secret Fan (2011), alongside Chinese actress Li Bingbing and Australian actor Hugh Jackman.

Jun went on to front popular K-dramas such as My Love From The Star (2013 to 2014) and The Legend Of The Blue Sea (2016 to 2017). 

She married South Korean banker Choi Joon-hyuk, 44, in 2012. Family became her priority, and her career took a back seat when she had her sons in 2016 and 2018.

Jun recently established her own agency, Peachy, in July. Apart from herself, the other artiste under her management is actress Kim So-hyun, last seen in K-drama Good Boy (2025).

Tempest cast members praised Jun during the press conference as the ideal candidate to lead the show, describing her as a joy to work with, both professionally and personally.

She was also complimented for being “visually stunning” and possessing “a cool vibe”.

Gang said: “On set, I found myself captivated by her charisma and presence. She truly is impressive in person.”

Other comeback K-queens reclaim their crowns

South Korean actresses Son Ye-jin and Lee Min-jung, both 43, defined an era of South Korean entertainment in the 2000s with their beauty and talent in films such as The Classic (2003) and K-dramas like Boys Over Flowers (2009) respectively.

The leading ladies did not just reign on the big and small screens, but also commanded attention as the wives of A-list South Korean actors Hyun Bin (Son) and Lee Byung-hun (Lee). 

Son and Lee Min-jung, who are close friends in real life, took a hiatus to embrace motherhood. With their children now older, the K-drama queens are back to reclaim their crowns.

Son Ye-jin

She made a triumphant return to the limelight when her new film No Other Choice had its world premiere at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on Aug 29. 

Directed by revered South Korean film-maker Park Chan-wook, it received a nine-minute standing ovation after its screening. It is also in the running for the prestigious Golden Lion top prize, which will be announced on Sept 6.

The twisted black comedy revolves around a retrenched Man-soo (Lee Byung-hun) and his desperate attempts to save his home and continue providing for his two children. Son plays his stoic homemaker wife Mi-ri, who holds the family together.

The film, which opens in Singapore cinemas on Oct 23, also stars Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran and Cha Seung-won.

No Other Choice is Son’s first project after stepping away from the camera following her 2022 marriage to her The Negotiation (2018) and Crash Landing On You (2019 to 2000) co-star Hyun Bin, 42. They have a son, who turns three in November.

Considered one of the most bankable K-actresses, Son was still debating whether she should resume work after childbirth when the offer came.

She told The Korea Times: “As an actor, you always dream of being invited by director Park. I was worried whether I could continue to act in meaningful projects as a married actress and mother. That’s why I felt so grateful and lucky to be able to join this film.”

She also convinced Park Chan-wook to give Mi-ri, originally written as a minor character, a bigger role to make her presence more meaningful.

“Before marriage, I played mothers and divorced women, but now I actually know what it feels like to be a mum,” she said.

“That lived experience is something I can’t ignore. I can act those emotions more truthfully now.” 

The rapturous reception in Venice for No Other Choice, Son’s first film in seven years, made her emotional.

She admitted that walking the red carpet alongside director Park and her co-stars left her “nervous, thrilled and overwhelmed”, as it was also her first experience at a major overseas international film festival in her 24-year career.

“It’s a moment that won’t come again,” she said. “I might return someday, but coming here with my colleagues will happen only once.”

Son’s rise to fame is nothing short of meteoric, with her scoring a lead role in her debut drama Delicious Proposal (2001). Regional stardom quickly followed through acclaimed films such as The Classic (2003), A Moment To Remember (2004) and April Snow (2005), which earned her the nickname Queen of Melodrama.

At 34, she became the youngest thespian to win all three major South Korean best leading actress film awards: Blue Dragon Film Awards (My Wife Got Married, 2008), Grand Bell Awards (The Pirates, 2014) and Baeksang Arts Awards (The Last Princess, 2016).

Lee Min-jung

She has been a known personality in her native country since charming viewers with her spirited performance as South Korean heart-throb Lee Min-ho’s fiancee in Boys Over Flowers (2009).

Following the popular high school drama, the former theatre actress went on to score lead roles in TV dramas like Smile, You (2009), which landed her a Baeksang Arts Awards best new actress nomination. 

She solidified her status as a rising star to watch in 2010 when she won five best new actress honours, including a Blue Dragon Film Awards trophy, for her performance in the romantic comedy film Cyrano Agency (2010). 

She is also known as Mrs Lee Byung-hun, after marrying the 55-year-old actor in 2013. The celebrity couple had their first child, a boy, in 2015, which led her to prioritise family over career. They welcomed a daughter in 2023. 

While Lee Min-jung has not acted much of late, she is active on social media, particularly on Instagram, where she has one million followers. 

She recently travelled to Venice with her husband for his film No Other Choice, and posted photos of herself and his co-star Son Ye-jin exploring the Italian city.

Lee is also known to troll her husband, often poking fun at his selfie posts on Instagram and leaving witty comments on how he needs to learn from her to up his social media game. 

In March, she ventured into content creation through her YouTube channel, Lee Min-jung MJ (www.youtube.com/@Rheeminjung_MJ), where the affable star regularly shares candid insights into the Lee household.

Her videos, with views ranging from 150,000 to over three million, typically touch on her role as mother and wife; beauty tips; and recipes, such as her husband’s favourite stir-fry spicy pork dish which he can eat every day. 

Her 10-year-old son – with his face blurred for privacy – frequently appears in the videos, showing the close relationship between the pair.

A July 15 vlog on the Lees’ Los Angeles family holiday saw the actor taking photos with fans outside the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, where his handprints have been displayed at the iconic courtyard since 2012.

While Lee Byung-hun was doing his fan service, his wife was explaining to their son how long his father took to become who he is today, imparting the lessons of hard work, perseverance and dedication to the craft. 

Lee Min-jung also uses her channel to promote her spouse’s projects. For instance, South Korean actor Yim Si-wan was a guest in one of her videos in June. The duo discussed Squid Game 3 and how Yim, who portrayed the villainous Player 333 in the hit Netflix series (2021 to 2025), bonded with co-star Lee, also known as the main antagonist Frontman, during filming. 

While her famous partner is never seen in her videos – Lee Byung-hun has joked that he will make an appearance only when she reaches 500,000 subscribers – he can usually be heard in the background, often doubling as her cameraman.

Lee Min-jung MJ currently has 375,000 subscribers.