Actor Lee Jae Won announced a transformation of his character with a three-dimensional performance that oscillated between deep-rooted suspicion toward IU and awkward sincerity in the MBC Friday-Saturday drama Perfect Crown.
In the previous episode, Seong Tae Joo (played by Lee Jae Won) was thrown into confusion after receiving a shocking proposal from his lifelong nemesis and half-sister Seong Hee Joo (played by IU) to transfer all of the Castle Beauty equity to him. Even though he had secured the advantage in the succession he had dreamed of, Tae Joo, rather than reveling in joy, kept his suspicions, saying, "Isn't this a trap to kill me?" and delivered laughter to viewers with his inability to let go of his doubts.
But Tae Joo's true worth was revealed when his sister was in danger. Although he sharpened his blade more than anyone else during the succession battle, when Hee Joo collapsed during the wedding ceremony he was the first to run to the hospital and stay by her side. The "resentful affection" built up over years of estrangement manifested as "loyalty" at the critical moment, revealing a tender side of the siblings that even they did not know.
In particular, Tae Joo's quirky charm shown during the meeting scene with Grand Prince Ian Wan (played by Byeon Woo-seok) added to the drama's entertainment. Remembering their connection at the baseball stadium put Wan in a good mood, and Tae Joo, pleased, tried an unfamiliar compliment but blurted out a twisted description like "his height is like a door and his shoulders are like a table," skillfully portraying the clumsy side of an "inexperienced complimenter" older brother and completing Lee Jae Won's signature "crispy outside, tender inside" character.
In this way, Lee Jae Won is depicting in detail the process by which his character, who was blinded by the sibling succession fight, does not remain that way but transforms into a reliable ally who stands by his sister in moments of crisis. With the equity transfer marking a turning point and the two people's relationship entering a new phase beyond simple antagonism, attention is focused on the future "tsundere" performance Lee Jae Won will show.
[Photo] MBC broadcast capture
[OSEN]