[HanCinema's News] Director Baek Sang-hoon Has Left KBS Likely in Relation to "The King: Eternal Monarch"

By William Schwartz on 2019/05/13 at 20:24 PST

Director Baek Sang-hoon has left the KBS television network. During his time as a PD for KBS Baek Sang-hoon was responsible for such hits as "Descendants of the Sun" and "Love in the Moonlight". He was recently announced as the director for Lee Min-ho's upcoming drama "The King: Eternal Monarch" along with screenwriter Kim Eun-sook.

Baek Sang-hoon became a big name after the breakout success of "Descendants of the Sun". At that drama's conclusion he seemed inclined to leave the network, but was talked into remaining to do work on "Love in the Moonlight". Both dramas were major successes for a director who got his start with drama specials, debuting with "Drama School - My Prettiest Days" in 2012.

The lack of any major credits since "Love in the Moonlight" would seem to be a likely major reason for his departure. Getting Lee Min-ho to commit to "The King: Eternal Monarch" as his first drama after mandatory military service likely guarantees that the new drama can be easily sold to just about anyone. That "The King: Eternal Monarch" is also a collaboration with "Descendants of the Sun" scriptwriter Kim Eun-sook further raises the drama's profile.

"The King: Eternal Monarch" is a fantasy drama about demons and parallel worlds. It's still in the early planning stages, and is expected to appear sometime in 2020.

Written by William Schwartz