Lee Jang Woo and Han Ye Seul, once fixtures of Korean dramas and films, have pivoted towards variety TV and YouTube lately, leaving fans wondering.
Lee Jang Woo, once a familiar face on weekend dramas on networks like MBC and KBS, has recently embraced a new identity as the “Palm Oil Prince” on variety shows, enjoying a resurgence of popularity. The actor recently opened his YouTube channel, frankly addressing the current state of the drama industry, lamenting, “The drama scene is a mess.”
He further expressed sorrow over the golden days of Korean cinema and television, now perceived as long gone. “It’s really tough. Cinematographers know what I’m talking about. Everyone’s just idling now. Where did all the capital from our golden age go? It’s truly sad,” Lee confessed.
Addressing fans who miss his heyday, the actor urged, “Stop living 20 years in the past. Please stop sending me photos from back then. What do you expect me to do? I can’t go back in time,” adding, “Let the past be a beautiful memory and live in the now. I’m content with where I am.”
Han Ye Seul, similarly, has expressed a thirst for new acting opportunities despite her active presence on YouTube. During a recent Q&A session on her channel, she delighted fans with a live snippet of “You’re Different,” the OST from Nonstop, before sharing her yearning for recognition for her more recent work. “I appreciate the love for ‘Nonstop and ‘Fantasy Couple,’ but hearing about them makes me feel like I haven’t achieved anything in the last 20 years. I hope to make an impact with something recent,” she confessed.
When asked about potential drama or film projects, Han Ye Seul didn’t hide her desire to return to acting, admitting, “I really want to do dramas or movies, but there’s just nothing out there.” She revealed her dream of starring in a Netflix project, eager to bury Fantasy Couple in the past and greet audiences with a fresh persona. In fact, the last drama the actress starred in was Big Issue on SBS in 2019. Since then, she has been active on YouTube and in variety shows.
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