Song Hye Kyo Clarifies Why She Turned Down Upcoming Drama "Hyena"

Song Hye Kyo was rumored to have accepted the role for the upcoming legal drama, Hyena. She was offered the role of Jung Geum Ja, a lawyer who works for the 1% high-class society by ignoring all law and morality to win her cases and make bank.

However, recent news claimed that she had turned it down about a week ago because of her impending divorce news.

Song Hye Kyo’s agency denied all of these rumors. They clarified that Song Hye Kyo’s decision to turn down the offer had nothing to do with the divorce. She turned it down way before the news even hit because it conflicted with another movie that is in the works.

It’s not true that the new drama Hyena reconsidered the casting after the divorce news. It’s true that [Song Hye Kyo] received an offer but she rejected it early on. It has nothing to do with her private matters.

Hyena did send us an offer with the script, but a movie that we’ve been considering for a very long time announced that they aim to start shooting this fall or early next year. After considering it, we notified them of our decision right away.

We never decided to take the role and we were not sent another script afterward either. As we’ve handled the matter a while ago, the decision has nothing to do with the actress’s private life.

— United Artist Agency Korea

Hyena is said to be different than other lawyer dramas as it will focus on the cut-throat kill-or-be-killed game of representing the top class society. Lawyers, like hyenas, will have to use their skills in law as a weapon in order to survive in the industry.

Actor Joo Ji Hoon was offered the male lead role. The drama is scheduled to begin airing this November.