SEOUL • Lee Young-ae is not the most prolific of actresses on the big screen, but she has left lasting impressions with memorable characters in her few movies, such as Joint Security Area (2000), One Fine Spring Day (2001) and Sympathy For Lady Vengeance (2005).

The 48-year-old actress is a household name in Asia after starring in the hugely popular historical drama Jewel In The Palace in 2003.

At a press conference for upcoming mystery thriller Bring Me Home, Lee said: "I expect and want this (film) to be a turning point (in my career) as much as Sympathy For Lady Vengeance had been."

The film marks her presence on the silver screen for the first time in 14 years.

The first feature-length film of director Kim Seung-woo follows mother Jeong-yeon (Lee), who is tipped off that her son - who had been missing for six years - has been spotted.

Her character in the film differs from her somewhat-twisted role of Sympathy For Lady Vengeance, she said. "Bring Me Home is a story of a mum one may find in reality... I'm curious about how the emotions I have - which I accumulated over eight years of being a mum - can be reflected in the character," said Lee, who gave birth to twins in 2011.

Director Kim said the film focuses on how a woman sets out on a quest to find a child in an environment where everyone attempts to hide the truth.

He added that every moment with Lee had left lasting impressions, saying the actress' presence could "change the air" every time she was on screen.

THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK