Joo Jin Mo To Play Ha Ji Won's Love Interest In "Hwatu"

Actor Joo Jin Mo has been cast as Ha Ji Won's love interest in the upcoming 50-episode historical drama "Hwatu."

Joo is best known for playing the possessive vindictive king Gongmin, the ruler who was in love with Jo In Sung's character in the film "A Frozen Flower." In "Hwatu" he will play King Chunghye of the Goryeo Dynasty. His character is one of two powerful men who love Ha Ji Won's character, Yuan's Empress Qi.

"Hwatu" tells the story of the real Korean woman who became a consort to the Chinese Emperor Soon Jae. She bears the emperor a son who is designated as crown prince and eventually becomes Empress Qi. She works hard to secure her son's position in the court and her political efforts wind up distancing her from the emperor's affections.

King Chunghye is not just a rival for Empress Qi's love. The story takes place when the Yuan Empire ruled over Korea and he rules with their permission. The King longs to free his land from the Yuan rule.

Even though she was a powerful Yuan empress, Empress Qi always considered the fate of her native country and used her political power wisely to influence it. When the Yuan Empire eventually collapsed, Empress Qi disappeared. No one knows what happened to her but her influence was noted by history.

The role of Emperor Soon Jae was offered to Jang Geun Suk, who played Ha Ji Won's first love in the drama "Hwang Jin Yi" but he has chosen instead to star in a manga-inspired drama, "Pretty Man."

"Hwatu" will be Joo Jin Mo's first drama in four years. He last appeared in the dramas "Dream," "Bichunmoo," "Queen of the Game" and "Fashion 70s." He also appears in the film "Friend 2," "Gabi" and "A Better Tomorrow."

Ha Ji Won has starred in "King 2 Hearts," "Damo," "Secret Garden" and "Something Happened in Bali." She appeared in the films "Sector 7," "As One" and "The Huntresses."

Han Hee, who directed "Doctor Jin," will direct. Jang Young Chul and Jang Kyung Soon, who wrote the dramas "History of the Salaryman" and "Giant," are writing the screenplay. The drama will be filmed in China and is scheduled to take over the timeslot of "Goddess of Fire: Jeonji" in October.

Netizens are calling the combination of Ha Ji Won, Joo Jin Mo and the screenwriters a recipe for an "epic saeguk."