Kim Keon-hee, the wife of former president Yoon Suk-yeol, received her first trial today (24th) as the first former first lady in constitutional history to be detained, and coincidentally MBN's new Wednesday-Thursday drama "First Lady" is also about to air its first episode.
"First Lady," which premieres on the 24th, tells the story of a husband who, after being elected president, suddenly demands a divorce from the wife who is poised to become the first lady. Although it is set against the vast stage of politics, it is a drama that centers on the intense emotions and conflicts within a marital relationship.
At the production press conference held at The Link Seoul in Guro District, Seoul, director Lee Ho-hyun said, "When I first read the script, it was so entertaining that I was unsure of its genre. Rather than calling it a political drama, I felt it leaned more toward melodrama, so I enjoyed working on it. While focusing on the couple's story, the professional particularities of the president and the first lady add to the dramatic tension."
In the drama, Yoo-jin plays Cha Soo-yeon, a kingmaker who propelled an unknown activist to the presidency and who becomes the first lady. She said, "I approached her more as a fighter than as a romantic lead. She charges toward her desires without regard for consequences, so she can seem cold, but the character needed that strength. It was a type of role I had never tried before, so I struggled but enjoyed the shoot. I'm still about 2% away from fully letting go of that character."
Hyun Min-chul, played by Ji Hyun-woo, is an inspirational figure who grew up in an orphanage, worked as a factory laborer and ultimately was elected president. He stressed, "If Soo-yeon spares no means for her dream, Min-chul is someone who proceeds honestly. His convictions are firm, which can make him seem a bit frustrating, but he values each person. In some ways he is slow and deliberate, but I think he resembles the kind of president the public wants."
He also shared his feelings about taking on the presidential role for the first time. Ji Hyun-woo said, "There is a similar quality to Lee Soo-in, whom I played in 'Sunggot' in the past. That character didn't follow orders from superiors and stood up against illegality. Min-chul resembles that in some ways. I seriously prepared while imagining what it would be like if that character became president."
Coincidentally, public interest in "First Lady" has increased as it intersected with the day's most heated social event. That afternoon, the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 27 (Director General Woo In-seong) held Kim Keon-hee's first trial date. Prosecuted on charges including stock manipulation of Deutsch Motors, receiving money related to the Unification Church, and violating the Political Funds Act after being indicted while detained, she denied all charges that day.
"First Lady" unfolds its story under the premise that the married couple of a public figure, the president, faces the unprecedented situation of a demand for divorce. Although the content is entirely different, Kim Keon-hee, who was once a first lady in real life, will go down in history as the first former first lady of Korea to appear in court as a defendant and be tried.
Sept. 25, 2025, marked the beginning of the fate of "First Lady."
[Photo] OSEN DB, capture
[OSEN]