Early in my kdrama career, I watched Scarlet Heart, closely followed by Strong Woman Do Bong Soon. I was young(er), I was impressionable, and there was this one common denominator between the two dramas — Ji Soo. There’s plenty of eye candy in both dramas, of course, but Ji Soo’s playful gravity, combined with his warm good looks, drew my attention. So come join me as I indulge in a little fangirl stalking of Ji Soo.

The Rules of Fangirl Stalking:

We will start with the dramas I think are must-watch works by the actor, followed by the shows that could go either way.  This means that they are worth watching in my opinion, but I know there are some people who don’t like the genre. Lastly, we will cover the dramas/movies that you really could skip and not miss much (at least in regards to the actor/actress featured).  These are the shows that are for die-hard fans who want to watch everything.

I want to put a disclaimer in here: I haven’t watched EVERYTHING that Ji Soo has been in. But as I went through his list of works, I realized I’ve watched a lot more than I thought had. For the sake of this post, I’ll talk about what I’ve seen and what I’ve heard rumors about. Everything else will get an honorable mention.

MUST WATCH

Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo — This was my first serious sageuk, and I was captivated by Lee Joon Ki’s fierce yet broken character. Ji Soo didn’t have a huge part in Scarlet Heart, but his Wang Jung was integral to the story. There were a couple of times he nearly broke my heart–and that made me sit up and take notice of his acting ability. The puppy sincerity of his character was well-played, making me want to pinch his cheek and feed him. (Have I mentioned that I am first and foremost a mom? It tends to leak into all areas of my life.)

Sassy Go Go — Lee Won Keun was perfect as the first lead in Sassy Go Go, but I still loved watching Ji Soo’s character go through his own growth arc. I will always have a heart for the broken boy stuck in an unrequited love. His closing comment in the drama makes me smile every time I think about it.

Weight-lifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo — Ji Soo was only in this drama for one episode, but it was a delight to see him there, radiating his characteristic sincerity. The rest of the drama is fantastic, even if he doesn’t feature heavily in it.

RUMOR SAYS: MUST WATCH

Angry Mom — Every time I bring up Ji Soo, my sunbaes mention how great he was in Angry Mom. I don’t know much about the drama itself, but apparently he stole the spotlight. It’s on my to-watch list for sure!

Doctors — Um, so…Ji Soo was in this, apparently. I haven’t heard much about it, and since my sunbaes are all off at a BTS concert, I have nothing concrete to offer except for the 7.9/10 stars on MyDramaList.

COULD GO EITHER WAY

Strong Woman Do Bong Soon — So I loved this series the first time around, aside from the clownish mafia gang and the poop wine. I tried to rewatch it not too long ago and just couldn’t get back into it. But Park Hyungsik and Ji Soo’s bromance in this drama was the stuff legends are made of–maybe in a year or two, I’ll give it another spin.

To The Beautiful You — I have mixed feelings about this drama. Great actors in the cast, including Choi MinHo and Ji Soo among others, but Sulli was wooden and there were plot holes you could drive a truck through. I don’t regret watching it, but I wouldn’t watch it again.

RUMOR SAYS: COULD GO EITHER WAY

Bad Guys: Vile City — I have a strange affinity for action flicks, so I have a feeling that this one could be right up my alley. I know that dark and gritty dramas aren’t for everyone, however.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

I have nothing for Fantastic or Page Turner, so you’ll just have to make your own judgment call on watching those. If you have watched them, let me know what you thought!

UPCOMING DRAMAS

Ji Soo will be starring in the TV movie Ping Pong Ball with Yoo Jae Myung, the dad from Strong Woman. The premise, a philosophy student who gets epically rejected and the strange homeless man he finds himself confiding in, doesn’t seem very strong on paper, but maybe I’ll be surprised. It could happen.

Thus ends the stalking of Ji Soo. Sound off below with any comments or favorite Ji Soo pictures or GIFs!

Until next time, I remain–

Karie the Maknae

Dramas with a Side of Kimchi