Lee Ji-ah is returning to the small screen in the action-packed revenge series “Pandora: Beneath the Paradise.”
The 16-part mystery-action thriller revolves around ordinary housewife Hong Tae-ra (Lee), who is living her dream life. The story develops as Tae-ra’s long-forgotten, heartbreaking memories come back to her, leading her to plot all-out revenge against those responsible.
The 44-year-old actor explained that her character was raised to become a professional killer.
Portraying two highly contrasting characters -- a perfect wife and a revenge-driven woman -- she said she enjoyed playing the killer-for-hire in her first television drama series in two years.
“The only thing that I had to focus on as the vengeance-seeking Tae-ra was to finish my revenge story. Being a killer was much easier,” Lee said in an online press conference Tuesday.
“I have always loved action series. I truly enjoyed the shoots. I worked out and lost about 5 to 6 kilograms to perform in an agile form for the fast-paced action scenes,” Lee said.
Director Choi Young-hoon, who has been behind a number of smash-hit drama series featuring the independent female leads with “Good Casting” (2020) and “One the Woman” (2021), felt certain that his upcoming project had everything TV drama fans desire.
“‘Pandora: Beneath the Paradise’ has many things to offer. It has many twists and plot reversals,” Choi said.
“It is a speedy series with ups and downs. The series has romance, breathtaking action and thrilling suspense. It is not limited to a single genre,” the director added.
Veteran actor Lee Sang-yun, who worked with Choi in “One the Woman,” teams up with the director once again, making a return to the small screen after two years.
Lee plays Tae-ra’s husband Pyo Jae-hyun, a potential presidential candidate.
“Though he is a family-oriented husband, Jae-hyun is also a greedy character who wants to fulfill his desires and ambitions,” Lee explained.
Cable channel tvN’s “Pandora: Beneath the Paradise” will air at 9:10 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. The series will also be available via Tving and Disney+ on the same day.
