'Moon River' actor Lee Shin-young is proving a wide acting spectrum as Jeun Daegun Lee Un.
Moon River, which premiered on Oct. 7, is MBC's new Friday-Saturday drama (written by Jo Seung-hee / directed by Lee Dong-hyun / planned by Kwon Seong-chang / produced by HiJeum Studio) and has started amid viewers' enthusiastic response as it depicts a soul-change romance blossoming within the perilous fate of the royal family.
Among them, actor Lee Shin-young, who plays Jeun Daegun Lee Un, is drawing attention by driving early immersion with a calm but solid presence. In the drama, Jeun Daegun Lee Un is the younger brother of crown prince Lee Gang (played by Kang Tae-oh) and is a character who ultimately does not lose dignity and conviction even amid the whirlpool of power. He is a tragic prince chasing his lost fate within royal power and is counted as a central axis of future stories.
According to the released character relationship chart, Lee Un will lead conflict and drama between his relationship with his younger brother, crown prince Lee Gang (played by Kang Tae-oh), and the ambition of Left State Minister Kim Han-cheol (played by Jin Goo), portrayed by power figure Jin Goo.
Lee Shin-young delicately portrayed the complex emotional line between the brothers with restrained emotional acting and weighty eye acting, showing steady acting that balances the drama even with a single scene. In particular, Lee Un's resolute gaze shown at the end of episode 2 left viewers with a deep aftertaste and drew praise such as "the arrival of an actor you can trust to watch" and "Lee Shin-young's personal color is historical drama."
On the MBC drama's official YouTube and social media, explosive reactions followed immediately after the broadcast, including "a scene is completed by Lee Shin-young's gaze alone," "Lee Un's silence is stronger than his lines," and "the atmosphere of the screen changes when Lee Shin-young appears." In real-time search terms, 'Lee Shin-young Jeun Daegun' rose, and fans evaluated, "from the youth Kang Seung-yeol in 'Full-speed dash' to Lee Un who bears the fate of the royal family, the acting spectrum is astonishing."
Earlier, Lee Shin-young earned audience praise for playing the pure youth Kang Seung-yeol in the film 'Full-speed dash' (directed by Lee Seung-hoon, Heyday Production Co., Ltd.) and attended local promotional events along with its release in Taiwan. He is drawing attention by foreshadowing a powerful transformation beyond his youthful image by playing the lead role 'Ru,' a member of a killer organization, in director Park Hoon-jung's next work 'Sad tropics.'
In Moon River, he is showing deeper internal acting as an actor. Production staff said, "Lee Shin-young has an outstanding ability to convey emotions with his eyes rather than lines. He perfectly embodies Jeun Daegun's complex narrative and plays a role in holding the center of the drama."
Meanwhile, Moon River is a fantasy romance historical drama in which crown prince Lee Gang (played by Kang Tae-oh), who lost his beloved crown princess and turned into a ruffian, and the lowly but spirited court lady Park Dal-yi (played by Kim Se-jeong) experience a soul swap. It raises expectations about how each character's fate will intersect amid the palace tragedy entangled with power, desire and love.
A dizzying fate reversal between a crown prince who lost his smile and a court lady who lost her memory, MBC's new Friday-Saturday drama Moon River airs every Friday and Saturday at 9:50 p.m.
[photo] Moon River
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