Every kaddict has that one actor who was perfect in that one roll and an obsession begins. We discuss who are obsession actors are on Day 19!
DAY 19: Drama that started your obsession with an actor or actress.
CLKYTTA: Secret Garden was one of my first dramas and I fell head over heels for Hyun Bin. First off, let’s talk about the killer dimples and smile; who wouldn’t fall for him? I loved the mix of arrogance and vulnerability that was Kim Joo Won, and I don’t think many actors could have nailed that combination. Since then I’ve fallen in love with him in several other dramas, but I’m going to conveniently forget all about Jekyll, Hyde, and I.
KMUSE: Regardless of how many mediocre dramas he stars in, Lee Min Ho as City Hunter will always be one of my extreme kdrama obsessions. It was probably the first major obsession I had and still continues even today. Hmm. Now I suddenly want to go watch it again.
Drama Geek: I’m going to list a man and woman. For actress it would have to be Shin Min Ah in My Girlfriend is a Gumiho. Her meat eating silliness won my heart over, and now I’ll watch anything with her in it. She just has a different air about her that most Kdrama actresses don’t have, and I love it. For actor it’s Ji Soo in Angry Mom (I think it happened to everyone who watched that show.) He started out as this small character and then his puppy love took over the drama. I can’t wait to see where his career leads him. Honorable mention to Satomi Ishihara in Dear Sister. I think I want to marry her cuteness, and that drama is still one of my favorite Japanese dramas.
Which drama started your obsession with a specific actor? Be sure to let us know and check back tomorrow for more fangirl fun.
See you tomorrow,
The Fangirls
For me, it has to be Seo Hyun Jin in the just concluded Another Oh Hae Young. Because quite frankly, I think the next time I see her in another drama, I’ll keep drawing parallels between that character and Hae Young. She just made her character seem so real and flawed and human that I’m even half convinced that that’s how she is in real life.
I love all the dramas I have seen her in. My favorite is Kings Daughter Soo Baek Hyang
I still haven’t seen it though. It’s on my to watch list but I ended up trying out Let’s Eat 2 first. Girl can eat and has me falling into a food comma. Hahaha.
Hyun Bin! (*_*) for the same reason, he completely won me over with his silliness (and those dimples). I also love Jung Il Woo even though his last few dramas have not been so good. I still will try whatever drama he is in. Lee Jun-Ki is another favorite. I first watched him in The King and The Clown and I still can get weepy watching it. Shin Min-Ah was so wonderful in MGiaG I will watch her in nearly anything.
Sung Joon in Shut Up: Flower Boy Band. He was excellent in that, and I’ve had a keen interest in him – I mean his roles – ever since, although so many have been sadly disappointing. More recently, Lee Won-geun in Sassy, Go Go. I’d never seen him in anything before that, and I was hooked. I hope he doesn’t go the way of Sung Joon and only have that one perfect role, though. Oh, and Lee Yoon-ji and Jo Jong-seok in King 2 Hearts. Although they were the second leads, they did a wonderful job; I’ve been paying close attention to their work since then!
Seconding Sung Joon and SUFBB; I’ve rewatched that show more than any others. But I’ve also loved him in White Christmas, I Need Romance 3, and Gu Family Book.
I’m a self-confessed Kdrama addict. Mydramalist says I’ve logged over 3700 Episodes. But my obsession of several years now started in Boys Over Flowers. That introduced me to Kpop and I’ve been obsessing over both ever since.
Shin Min Ah in My Girlfriend is a Gumiho AND Arang & the Magistrate. And OMG HEALER – I had no IDEA who this gorgeous hunk could be until this show just hit me – but I immediately went and watched EVERYTHING Ji Chang Wook had ever done… OMG (this includes watching all 160 episodes of Smile, Dong Hae LOL)
I’m either crazy or had too much time on my hands but I watched “Smile, Done-hae” twice. Thought it was cool that he starred in “Healer” with the same actress who portrayed his mother in “Smile…” brilliant actress, Do Ji-won.
I thought this would be a simple challenge, and was ready to just enter a name or two. But as I was typing, a few more names pop up in my head. I consider this challenge as actors that I’m willing to trust now and in the future, because it all started with that one drama. I may not necessarily watched all their previous dramas, but I know in my heart I will catch a glimpse of their new dramas. Here’s my list:
I’ll start with actresses as they are very rare, which is a shame since kdramas are made for women, by women.
My Girl is a Gumiho — Shin Minah. I trust her to bring believable cuteness everytime she is on screen.
Six Flying Dragons — Han Yeri. She is the actress that should be on screen so many times.
Oh My Ghostess — Park Bo Young. Another actress that is not on tv very often, but knows how to pick a good drama when she is in one.
Misaeng — Kang Sora. I trust her on screen. It’s just that it’s rare to see her in an excellent drama after Misaeng.
For the actors.
BOF was my first, and I was obsessed with Kim Bum by the time it ended. I’ve seen a few of his other dramas I admire his willingness to take risks with his roles, even if it will not lead to success.
Secret Love Affair. You Ah In’s portrayal of Sung Jae will always remain inked in my heart. I believe in true love because of him. I have not seen a performance in a Kdrama quite as awe inspiring and subtle as Yoo Ah In’s Sung Jae.
I’m currently obsessed with Yoon Shi Yoon, but it was 2 Days, 1 Night that made me obsessed with him. He is so adorable. I’m trying to finish his current drama MotW. I’m hoping I can finish Flower Boys Next Door and Baker King, Kim Tak Gu.
Few more:
Healer and Ji Chang Wook of course.
Arang and the Magistrate — Lee Jun Ki. He normally stays in segeuk. but still versatile enough to portray each character differently.
Misaeng — Kang HaNeul. This guy I trust to pick a role he will be challenged. And his performance is always on point even if it’s not the main character.
Misaeng — Im Siwan
Misaeng — Byun Yohan — a chameleon.
Basically, I trust the four interns in Misaeng to pick upcoming dramas worthy of their talent.
Lee Min Ho–started in Faith
Kim Sung Oh–first saw him in When A Man Loves and enjoyed him more and more since
Kim Seul Gi–began in Oh, My Ghostess
Ariel Lin is just fabulous. I’m not saying she’s serious but she can do modern or historical dramas and really show you the feelings behind the dialogue. Shin Minah has a similar feeling to her work – she’s lovely and funny but you understand there is depth behind her characters.
Male actors – well, I’m leaning to Hu Ge or Wallace Huo. Leaning very, very, very closely . . .Lee Min Ki is standing to one side, though.
Song Joong Ki in Nice Guy/Innocent Man. I fell in love with his portrayal of Kang Maru and felt he had so much talent. I immediately had to see every other thing he was ever in, including scouring for old episodes of Running Man.
My other obsession was DJ Push in Ugly Duckling: Perfect Match. He was so adorable in that show I just had to watch every other show he was ever in.
Lee Joon-ki, in “Iljimae” (일지매), the 2008 drama. I think this man was born to be in saguek dramas. I’ve followed all his dramas and appreciate his skills and work ethic. Like many actors, he endured a lot of hard times to make his dream of acting a reality. There are many fine actors and actresses that I could add , but if given a choice of a specific person to watch, it would be him. Oh, and did I say he sings and dances quite well, and is a good big brother to his sister? And he recently filmed for a part in upcoming Hollywood movie.
On a different subject, are there any Sohn Ho-joon (Mrs Cop, Reply 1994, Three Meals A Day) fans out there? Viki is trying to get licensing for his new drama. He’s been cast as the lead in upcoming MBC weekend drama called “Blow Breeze” penned by writer of “Oh Ja Ryung is Coming” and “Rosy Lovers”. Han Joo-won (Hwajung/Splendid Politics, Joseon Shooter, Wang’s Family) has just been added to the cast too. I’m taking the liberty of sharing the link:
https://www.viki.com/tv/32476c-blow-breeze
Master’s Sun – Gong Hyo Jin
Oh Hae Young Again – Seo Hyun Jin, Eric Mun and Ye Ji Won
Secret – Ji Sung and Hwang Jung Eum
Signal – Kim Hye Soo and Joo Jin Woong
Assasination (Movie), Berlin File (Movie) – Ha Jung Woo
Splash Splash Love – Kim Seul Gi
Misaeng – Kang So Ra, Siwan and Lee Sung Min
Cinderella’s Sister – Moon Geun Young
Maundy Thursday (movie) – Kang Dong Won
Man From Nowhere (movie) – Won Bin
Reply 1988 – Ryu Jun Yeol
Too Beautiful to Lie (movie) – Kim Ha Neul
Hwang Jin Yi – Ha Ji Won
Ode To My Father – Hwang Jung Min and Oh Dal Soo
and the list goes on…
So In Sung, after IOTL. I watched several lesser dramas of his after that, including a,pretty cheesy one from the early 2000’s, something about shooting stars. I’ve also sat through several bad Sung Joon dramas, because of residual good will based on his work in SUFBB. I recently watched all of a tedious baduk gangster movie purely because it had Jung Woo Sung in it. I also watched all of the dreadful Mi Rae’s Choice, just because Yoon Eun Hey was in it. I’ll watch most anything with Kim Sun A too.