{
  "id": 1882396,
  "title": "Actor Lee Soo-hyuk's mid-production departure from drama leaves many puzzled",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/19/actor-lee-soo-hyuks-mid-production-departure-from-drama-leaves-many-1882396",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-19T07:02:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/entertainment/shows-dramas/20260819/actor-lee-soo-hyuks-mid-production-departure-from-drama-leaves-many-puzzled"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Actor Lee Soo-hyuk abruptly withdrew from the Netflix drama \"Men of the Harem\" while the production was already underway. His agency, Saram Entertainment, announced on Wednesday that the reason for his departure was scheduling conflicts. The drama, based on a web novel with the same title, is a palace romance-fantasy set in a fictional world. It follows the empress Latil and the political machinations of her five royal consorts as they vie to win her heart. The project was originally set for release next year, with a star-studded cast including Suzy, Shin Seung-ho, Dex, Kim Dan, and Yoo Jung-hoo. However, Lee Soo-hyuk's unexpected exit is anticipated to pose challenges for the production. Saram Entertainment did not offer additional information. Actor Lee Jong-won is rumored to be contemplating a part in the drama, with an official from his agency, The Black Label, confirming the speculation to the Hank.",
  "summary": "In an unexpected and puzzling move, actor Lee Soo-hyuk withdrew from the Netflix drama “Men of the Harem” while production was underway. His agency, Saram Entertainment, confirmed Wednesday that the actor was dropping out of the project, citing scheduling conflicts. Based on a web novel of the same name, “Men of the Harem” is a palace romance-fantasy drama set in a fictional world. The story…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Actor Lee Soo-hyuk's mid-production departure from drama leaves many puzzled",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/19/actor-lee-soo-hyuks-mid-production-departure-from-drama-leaves-many",
        "published": "2026-08-19T06:52:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}