(Studio Dragon)

Photos from the first table read of highly anticipated SBS drama “The Legend of the Blue Sea,” starring Lee Min-ho and Jun Ji-hyun, were released Monday.

According to a member of the production staff, “We held the table read two months after we began filming because we were unable to get the whole cast together, due to their busy schedules. Fortunately, the chemistry was really good when we finally did.”

(Studio Dragon)

(Studio Dragon)

The table read was held on Oct. 8 in Sangam-dong in Seoul, just one month before the drama’s premiere. It lasted three hours and covered the first four episodes.

Filming began on Aug. 19 at Goesan, North Chungcheong Province. The cast and crew then moved to the island of Palau in late August to film the underwater scenes, and to Spain in September for the exotic coast scenes.

Inspired by a Joseon-era legend about a fisherman who captures and releases a mermaid, “The Legend of the Blue Sea” was penned by screenwriter Park Ji-eun, who also wrote the mega hit drama “My Love From the Star.” The story will chronicle two time lines, one in the Joseon era and one in modern Korea.

(Studio Dragon)

Lee is expected to show two different sides with his dual role. He will play the son of a noble family in the Joseon era and a modern-day con artist. Meanwhile, Jun will play the last mermaid, who ends up in today’s Seoul.

“The Legend of the Blue Sea,” though still in the pre-production stage, is already receiving strong attention from China. It has reportedly been offered 590 million won ($517,000) per episode by a Chinese media company. Some industry watchers predict the TV drama could break the sales record set by KBS2’s “Descendants of the Sun.”

The TV drama is scheduled to begin airing on Nov. 16 and will take over for Wednesday-Thursday’s “Jealousy Incarnate.”

By Lee Sang-won (sangdoze@heraldcorp.com)