Lee Hye-young-I and Kim Hee-sun in "Bitter Sweet Hell"

Lee Hye-young-I has transformed into a mystery writer mother-in-law in "Bitter Sweet Hell".

Advertisement

MBC's new Friday-Saturday drama "Bitter Sweet Hell" is a human black comedy about No Yeong-won, Korea's best family psychological counselor, trying to protect her family by cooperating with her mother-in-law, a mystery novel writer, when her career and family are threatened by an unknown blackmailer.

Lee Hye-young-I plays Hong Sa-kang, a mystery-fiction author and mother-in-law of No Yeong-won (Kim Hee-sun). Hong Sa-kang was a problematic writer and rising star who appeared like a comet in the Korean literary scene in the 1970s. Growing up as the youngest daughter of a rich family, she failed in love with a poor poet and met her husband, and since then, she has lived a life of dedication only for her son Choi Jae-jin (Kim Nam-hee-I). Despite many difficulties, she is proud to have built a perfect family by sacrificing herself, but she lives by holding down her daughter-in-law, who becomes more famous than expected.

Regarding the reason for appearing in "Bitter Sweet Hell", Lee Hye-young-I said, "The main character's job is as a psychological counselor, and I think I expected how comforting the role would be for us. Since all humans have their own stories, I thought that there would be a limit to healing with the obvious formula or the same standard, and that 'customized treatment' would be needed. I decided to join on board because I believed that director Lee Dong-hyun-IV's directing ability, which is deep, humorous, and calm, would give us comfort, laughter, and emotion".

Regarding the character of Hong Sa-kang, she explained, "I think she is a strong woman who eventually tried to overcome and heal the wounds she got from her family in the name of 'family'. Hong Sa-kang's strange and unique writer's temperament, which can read and feel what is not shown, is the charm of Hong Sa-kang, and that charm seems to have determined her attitude in life".

Meanwhile, "Bitter Sweet Hell" will premiere at 9:50 PM on the 24th.