MBC`s hero draws Japanese fans

The press conference for MBC`s upcoming Wednesday and Thursday night series "Hero" attracted a hoard of Japanese fans last Friday at Melon-AX Hall.

News reports put the total at around 250, which equated to roughly two-thirds of the first floor of the auditorium and merited more than 20 minutes worth of handshakes with Hallyu star Lee Joon-gi, the hero that made the trip and wait worthwhile.

Set to play a third-rate gossip rag reporter with aspirations for journalistic greatness in the new MBC series, Lee lived up to his Korean Wave status on Friday. Perhaps it was his recent foray into the world of music or his last heroic stint as the Robin Hood-esque Iljimae in SBS` smash hit, whatever the case, this celebrity drew a major crowd.

"Hajimemashite," Lee greeted his fans in Japanese before taking the time to shake each of their hands after the press conference ended.



Despite the overwhelming fan turnout, however, both Lee, his co-stars and "Hero" director Kim Kyung-hee face a formidable foe in the form of KBS` current Wednesday and Thursday night blockbuster "IRIS."

"I only saw the first two episodes and it was amazing," Kim said of "IRIS" at the press conference. "Their team is also working with phenomenal actors."

Lee Joon-gi will be going up against fellow Hallyu star and "IRIS" lead Lee Byung-hun. According to AGB Nielsen Media Research, "IRIS" brought in nationwide viewer ratings of 23.8 percent last Thursday while "Hero" predecessor "No Limit" brought in a reported 5.6 percent.

Furthermore, last year, MBC`s "Spotlight," a series that dealt with the world of journalism, performed poorly, leading to the question: Will "Hero" suffer a similar fate?

It is hard to tell this early in the game.

"We are filming a journalists` drama," said Lee, who added that he tried to model his character after city desk reporters. "I deliberately read a lot of articles."

"There is heavy material inside," Kim said, acknowledging that while there is comic flair in the upcoming piece; it is not all frills. "The journalists touch upon strong stories."

The director also hinted at a love triangle between Lee Joon-gi`s and "Worlds Within" actor Um Ki-joon`s reporters and actress Kim Min-jung`s character.

Due to a reported shoulder ligament injury, "Hero" co-star Kim Min-jung was unable to attend last week`s press conference. Actress Kim, who will be playing a police detective in "Hero," recently starred in the lackluster MBC weekend series "Strike Love," a blip on a strong track record that includes MBC`s "New Heart" and SBS` "Fashion 70s." News reports state that she is currently hospitalized.

This is not the first time that Lee and Kim have worked together. The two performed in the film "Flying Boys" in 2004.

"I hope she recovers soon," Lee said of his co-star.

"Hero" is slated to air on Nov. 11 at 9:55 p.m. on MBC.

(oh_jean@heraldm.com)





By Jean Oh