Actor Lee Chan-hyung overwhelmed home audiences with a powerful acting transformation that opened the door for "Honor."
In the first episode of ENA's Monday-Tuesday drama Honor: Their Court (directed by Park Geon-ho, written by Park Ga-yeon, planned by KT Studio Genie, produced by How Pictures, hereinafter "Honor"), Lee Chan-hyung played the role of "Kang Eun-seok," a top star who hides a cruel nature behind a glamorous mask, performing a decisive role that announced the drama's prologue.
In the story, Kang Eun-seok is accused of sexually assaulting and assaulting a minor. Lee Chan-hyung drew attention by exuding the aura of a star who maintains a calm and restrained demeanor in front of supportive fans on his way to court. But when the courtroom doors closed and he faced the victim behind a privacy screen, the change in his eyes, revealing his true colors with a fishy smile, delivered a shocking impact to viewers.
In particular, Lee Chan-hyung delivered an intense performance that swung between extremes, from the heinous figure who wields violence steeped in madness in the victim's memories to the calculated ruthlessness that reverses situations in court by exploiting an opponent's weaknesses. The line he spat out toward the victim — "I was completely drunk, so I don't remember" — uttered almost mockingly, provoked anger while raising the drama's tension to a peak.
The character Kang Eun-seok was more than a simple perpetrator; he served as a key gate previewing the monstrous evil that the three L&J law firm members Yoon Ra-young (played by Lee Na-young), Kang Shin-jae (played by Jung Eun-Chae), and Hwang Hyun-jin (played by Lee Chung-ah) would confront. His overwhelmingly villainous performance, as if sneering at the three protagonists trying to realize justice, pushed them into a great whirlpool of chaos and added dramatic interest.
Eventually Kang Eun-seok was arrested after Kang Shin-jae secured evidence of drug use, but the huge power behind him that was revealed during the process exploded curiosity about future developments. With just one appearance in episode 1, Lee Chan-hyung provided the seed of a weighty narrative that runs through the entire drama and proved his irreplaceable presence.
Until now, Lee Chan-hyung, loved for his wholesome looks and steady acting, is said to have succeeded in completely changing his image through this "Honor." Having created a strong ripple upon his appearance and brilliantly decorated the drama's prologue, industry and public attention is already focused on what other astonishing transformations he will show in his next work based on the energy he displayed in this project.
Meanwhile, ENA's Monday-Tuesday drama Honor: Their Court, which began with actor Lee Chan-hyung's powerful performance, airs every Monday and Tuesday at 10 p.m.
[Photo] KT Studio Genie
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