Lee Young-ae to Make TV Comeback After 12 Years

Actress Lee Young-ae, the star of the 2003 smash hit "Jewel in the Palace," will return to TV following a 12-year hiatus. 

Production company Group Eight said Wednesday that Lee will appear in a historical drama about the life of Shin Saimdang (1504-1551), who was a renowned artist, writer and calligrapher during the Chosun Dynasty.

The drama re-interprets her life and Lee plays both Shin Saimdang and a present-day art historian. The drama shifts back and forth from the past to present with Lee's modern-day character unraveling the mysteries of Shin's diaries and paintings.

A Group Eight spokesman said, "We had Lee Young-ae in mind from the outset."

He added the show could be aired simultaneously in Korea and China since "Jewel in the Palace" was a huge hit there too.

The actress has not appeared in a TV series since "Jewel in the Palace" and her last movie project was director Park Chan-wook's "Sympathy for Lady Vengeance" in 2005.

She has since devoted herself to her family. A spokesman for Lee said she chose the show based on its artistic merit rather than potential popularity.