It’s been a long wait, 4 years have passed since his last drama aired on one of the Korean public television channels, Mask. Dedicated fans of Ju Ji-Hoon know we have only a week left before Ju Ji-Hoon makes his small screen comeback with the highly anticipated drama, “The Item”. Let’s admire and indulge ourselves in Prince Ju Ji-Hoon as we go through a few of his noble dramas.

PRINCESS HOURS (2006)

If you can forget about their hair and fashion that are no longer in trend, this is still a good drama to watch even now. This classic drama is Ju Ji-Hoon’s first leading role. It became a hit and recorded 28% ratings at its peak.

What is it about? Set in an alternate universe, Korea still retained its monarchy and imperial family in the 21^st century. The female lead, Shin Chae-Kyung (Yoon Eun-Hye) comes from a family living in poverty. She is betrothed to the crown prince, Lee Shin (Ju Ji-Hoon) by the late emperor.

What is his character in this drama like? Lee Shin is a member of the royal family, and yet, he yearns for normalcy in his life. He is seemingly a cold and unemotional person, but he’s warm-hearted on the inside. Lee Shin is less on being expressive and helps others in getting what they desire in his own way.

How good is it going to be if I’m just going to watch for his character? That might be a good idea. Not that all the other characters aren’t good enough, but the female lead, Shin Chae-Kyung is an overly cheerful and clumsy character. Her childishness has left me shaking my head several times, and I worry if she’ll cause trouble for others throughout. People around Shin Chae-Kyung are cartoony, one-dimensional characters as well, that includes her closest friends and her parents.

Crown Prince Lee Shin is cold and indifferent on the outside, he doesn’t make his love for Crown Princess Shin Chae-Kyung obvious. His love for her grew slowly and gradually, it went so smoothly that no particular scene indicates he has fallen for her in that one scene. Despite his indifference towards Shin Chae-Kyung in the beginning, he still helps her out so that she gets what she wants in a subtle manner. This continues on even after he has fallen for her, leaving viewers craving for him to show his affection for her. Eventually, all these cravings build up and explode in satisfying little fireworks within viewers’ hearts during his heart fluttering moments with the crown princess. I would give this a 7.5/10 for heart flutters.

KINGDOM SEASON 1 (2019)

The first episode turned out to be less exciting and a little slow, but the end of it left me wide-eyed and wanting to watch more of it. The drama is fast-paced, and… it doesn’t hold back on its violent scenes. You see heads flying and rolling everywhere at quick slashes of long swords. Bloody hands, fingers and other body parts lying around, adding to the gore. I found myself looking for the next episode frantically at the end of this drama, only to be stunned, realizing that I’ve already watched all six episodes. This exciting story ends with an unsatisfying cliffhanger and leaves viewers waiting for the next season with anxious hearts. Undoubtedly, this adds to the list of hit dramas that Ju Ji-Hoon starred in.

What is it about? Set in the medieval Joseon period, a mysterious medicine has turned the king into an undead monster that feeds on human flesh. The zombie plague quickly spreads and infects people in a rural village. Crown Prince Lee Chang (Ju Ji-Hoon) sneaks out of the palace and attempts to find out what’s wrong. Being accused of treason, the crown prince tries his best to fight against both human and zombie enemies with his loyal personal guard, Moo-Young (Kim Sang-Ho).

What is his character in this drama like? The crown prince, Lee Chang, is insecure, he’s afraid that he’ll lose his position as the country’s future king. But that is a given—rumors are claiming that his father, the ruler of the country is dead, and Lee Chang has not seen his father for days. Despite royal blood flowing in his veins, he aims to be different from the others who are of high social class. These nobles prioritize their lives and leave commoners to die. Crown Prince Lee Chang tries his best to save everyone regardless of their social class.

How good is it going to be if I’m just going to watch this for his character? Enough for you to look forward to his appearance every time there’s a scene without him. But the other characters in the drama are as charismatic and they can draw you in too. You have Moo-Young asking for beef pancakes at an inappropriate time and doubting his ears when the crown prince joked about killing his whole family. And there is this mysterious character, Young-Shin who is good with guns, he’s ready to do anything to survive. Of course, the crown prince doesn’t lose out to these characters, he’s well-respected by the people because he saved their lives and they act on his orders. The entire story revolves around his decisions and actions. I would give this an 8/10 for being an important, prominent figure.

 

THE ITEM (Upcoming, 2019)

Knowing that lots of Ju Ji-Hoon’s dramas and movies turned out to be hits, fans are anxiously anticipating for this upcoming drama airing next week. Will it be another hit? No one knows yet, but its unique story plot is enough to keep one waiting for it to be released impatiently.

What is it going to be about? Prosecutor Kang Gon (Ju Ji-Hoon) attempts to uncover the mysteries behind items that possess supernatural powers alongside with his colleague, Shin So Young (Jin Se-Yun). Along the way, they meet people who know about these items and abuse its powers. Successful businessman, Jo Se Hwang (Kim Kang-Woo) is one of them, he’s a sociopath who uses these items to kill.

What will his character be like? He’s not going to be a prince in this drama, but a prince charming. His main aim to uncovering mysteries behind the items is to save the damsel-in-distress—his beloved niece. We don’t know much about his character yet, but from snippets of his character in the teasers, we can see that he’s a serious person who will try his best to reach his aim.

JU JI-HOON AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE FOR “THE ITEM”

Why did you choose to do this drama after 4 years?

I was curious how will this story between the real and unreal be portrayed in a drama. This fantasy story is very intriguing and relatable to everyone. – Ju Ji-Hoon at Press Conference for “The Item”

Can you estimate what will the drama’s ratings be like?

I have no clue. It’s difficult to give an estimate.. If The Item ranks high, I will have a talk with the staff members and we’ll see what we can do to show our gratitude… so please help us out. – Ju Ji-Hoon at Press Conference for “The Item”

Can we trust Ju Ji-Hoon in his eye for picking scripts and his outstanding acting skills to breathe life into his character well? I have no doubts on that, considering how many hit dramas and movies he has under his belt. I would give this an 8.5/10 for the anticipation.

If you have already watched both “Princess Hours” and “Kingdom”, and would like to watch something new, it’s time to gear up for Ju Ji-Hoon’s new drama premiering next week! Watch the teasers for “The Item” on KOCOWA here!

What are some of Ju Ji-Hoon’s dramas you have enjoyed? Let me know in the comments section below!