Son Ye Jin Returns to the Screen After Welcoming Her First Child
Korean actress Son Ye Jin is making a highly anticipated return to the screen after a two-year hiatus, starring alongside Lee Byung Hun in the upcoming film “I Can’t Help It,” directed by the renowned Park Chan Wook.
As reported by Hankyung on August 12, the film’s production team announced a star-studded cast, including Son Ye Jin, Lee Byung Hun, Park Hee Soon, Lee Sung Min, and other notable artists. The film is set to begin shooting on August 17 and marks Son Ye Jin’s first movie role since the 2018 thriller The Negotiation. After that, she captivated audiences with her performances in the hit dramas Crash Landing on You (2019-2020) and Thirty-Nine (2022). She stepped away from acting after marrying fellow actor Hyun Bin in March 2022 and welcomed their first child, a son, in November of the same year.
“I Can’t Help It” is based on Donald E. Westlake’s 1997 novel The Ax. The story follows Yoo Man Su (played by Lee Byung Hun), an office worker who is unexpectedly fired after 25 years on the job. Desperate to regain his position and protect his family from external threats, Man Su takes drastic measures.
Son Ye Jin has been cast as Miri, Man Su’s wife. According to the production team, Miri is a multi-talented woman with an open personality, determined to keep her family together after her husband’s sudden unemployment. The film also marks the reunion of Lee Byung Hun and director Park Chan Wook, who previously collaborated on Joint Security Area (2000) and Three… Extremes (2004). However, it will be Son Ye Jin’s first time working with the 61-year-old filmmaker.
According to Kpoppost, Park Chan Wook initially intended to collaborate with a Hollywood company to adapt The Ax but eventually decided to develop a Korean version after the original plan fell through. During the 2019 Busan Film Festival, the director revealed that I Can’t Help It is his “life project,” stating, “I want to make this film and consider it one of my masterpieces.”
At 42, Son Ye Jin has over 20 years of experience in the entertainment industry, with memorable roles in Summer Scent, The Classic, April Snow, and Be With You. Her salary for television dramas is reportedly around 100 million won (approximately $75,000 USD) per episode, and she also earns a substantial income from endorsements for cosmetics, fashion, and baby products.
Son Ye Jin and her husband, actor Hyun Bin, share a romantic love story. The couple met on the set of The Negotiation and later co-starred in Crash Landing on You. They went public with their relationship in January 2021. Son Ye Jin has expressed her gratitude for meeting “a good man” and cherishing the love they share. After giving birth, she has focused on caring for her family while Hyun Bin continues his film projects, often traveling abroad for work. In March 2023, the couple was hit by divorce rumors due to claims that “Hyun Bin has a gambling addiction,” which both parties have denied.
