I always feel a little more excited when actors or actresses return to dramaland after a bit of an absence. Which is why I’m really hoping this casting for JTBC’s upcoming drama Chocolate works out: Yoon Kye-sang (The Good Wife) and Ha Ji-won (Hospital Ship) have received offers to headline the latest project of melo-queen writer Lee Kyung-hee.
I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with Lee Kyung-hee’s works, mostly because I have so much leftover goodwill from my early drama-watching days spent enjoying her shows, that I will give her dramas the benefit of the doubt for far longer than most, to my detriment at times (looking at you Uncontrollably Fond). But that said, her title of reigning queen of the melodrama exists for a reason, and I look forward to seeing her first collaboration with a cable network.
Chocolate will tell the story of a neurosurgeon and a chef who end up working at a hospice together. These two people come to provide comfort to each other as they both have wounds from their past (naturally), and I’m sure their work at the hospice will also be instrumental in their healing process. Yoon Kye-sang has been offered the role of the neurosurgeon, which leaves Ha Ji-won with the chef role, who is described as having won an international Italian cooking competition.
I really like the idea of these two actors together, and I can definitely see them bring a warmth to the screen in this human melo. Another reason I’m pretty excited, is that writer Lee Kyung-hee will be teaming up again with PD Lee Hyung-min, who worked with her on her seminal I’m Sorry, I Love You, which is my all-time favorite melodrama ever.
JTBC’s Chocolate doesn’t have an airdate yet, but is being planned for the latter half of 2019.