“Dear Hongrang” Faces Criticism for Coherence Issues — Lee Jae-wook Responds: “A Lot Was Cut”
On May 19, an interview with Lee Jae-wook, who plays Hong-rang in Dear Hongrang, took place at a café in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Dressed casually, unlike his polished appearance at the production press conference, Lee Jae-wook appeared more nervous than during his Alchemy of Souls (tvN, 2023) interview, sharing his thoughts on Dear Hongrang’s release.
Dear Hongrang is a mystery melodrama sageuk depicting Hong-rang, the long-lost son of Joseon’s largest merchant guild, who returns after 12 years with no memory, and his half-sister Jae-yi, the only one doubting his identity, as an inexplicable bond forms between them. It is based on the novel Tangeum: Swallowing Gold by Jang Da-hye.
Lee Jae-wook stars as Hong-rang, Jo Bo-ah as the skeptical half-sister Jae-yi, and Jung Ga-ram as Moo-jin, an adopted son of the Min Merchant Guild. Uhm Ji-won plays Min Yeon-ui, the guild’s matriarch, and Park Byung-eun portrays Shim Yeol-guk, the guild’s leader.
Given the novel’s expansive narrative, condensing the characters’ complex stories into 11 hours proved challenging. Indeed, Dear Hongrang has faced criticism for occasional lapses in coherence and abrupt plot developments.
Addressing this, Lee Jae-wook stated, “A lot was edited out. With many explanations cut, viewers might feel uncomfortable. Still, I believe the editing was done well overall.” He added, “It might be my own rationalization, but I think it’s packed tightly. Given the strength of the original work, some may find it lacking.”
He jokingly remarked, “I should talk to Netflix about making a guidebook to explain things.”
Meanwhile, Lee Jae-wook, currently filming the Netflix series Perfect Job, is preparing for mandatory military enlistment later this year.
