Most of you are familiar with my 3 big k-loves. And although I’m currently spazzing over and lovin’ on Kim Woo Bin more — uunghh I wuv my Woobie ❤ — I love ’em each in their own special way.
If you’ve known me for a while, &/or taken a look at my fangirl motto on the side-bar to your right, you’d probably also know that having big k-loves — or major Woobie love, heh — doesn’t mean that I don’t have room to admire and.. appreciate (ahem) other talented k-men in dramaland.
In fact, I’ve got quite a few of those medium k-loves, at least a few of whom I plan on introducing to you guys this year.
First up: Kim Soo Hyun!
I’ve liked Kim Soo Hyun since his Dream High days in 2011, and have had my eye on him and his work ever since.
Every time he’s got a new drama or movie out, I perk up and take notice. And now that I’m watching You From Another Star, my Kim Soo Hyun radar has switched itself into Mmmm.. mode all over again. Which, really, is the catalyst for this post.
Come squee with me, y’all!
Encounter 1: Dream High
To be honest, even though Kim Soo Hyun already had a nice, solid filmography before Dream High, I hadn’t seen him in anything prior.
All I knew was, lotsa folks in the dramaverse were really excited — chomping at the bit, to put it mildly — to see him in this. That made me really curious to see who this boy was, who had everyone and their mothers all aflutter.
When Kim Soo Hyun finally made his appearance in episode 2, though, I really couldn’t see what the fuss was about. He was all decked out in country bumpkin gear, topped off with an unruly mop of curls.
The fangirl in me was unimpressed. What I did dig, was the dorky, buff, Song Seung Hun-esque appeal of our other male lead Taecyeon, and I lapped up the generous shirtless awesome the show served up via Taecyeon.
As I got further into the show, though, I was happily quite taken with Kim Soo Hyun’s acting chops. He made Song Sam Dong a likable, engaging and endearing character, and I enjoyed having him on my screen.
Plus, partway through the show, Song Sam Dong gets an image overhaul, and Kim Soo Hyun got to show some broody smolder too. And a bad-boy ear stud.
I liked what I saw.
I didn’t exactly walk away from Dream High with a crush on Kim Soo Hyun, but I certainly came away with a new-found admiration for him. Not only was his acting solid and nuanced, he clearly took his craft very seriously.
Perhaps the thing that blew me away the most, was the realization that he’d held his own as the only non-idol among the main cast, doing a very solid job of all the singing and dancing even though those weren’t quite his strengths.
In fact, he’d trained at JYP for 3 months prior to starting to film for Dream High, living the trainee idol life, and learning to sing and dance. Respect.
I decided that Kim Soo Hyun was definitely a young man worth keeping my eye on and put him firmly on my radar.
Here’s the track that Kim Soo Hyun sang for the Dream High OST, complete with some excellent (& rather spoilery) Song Sam Dong footage:
Not bad at all, eh?
Edit: You can check out my quick review of Dream High here!
Mesmerized and Swooned Out: The Moon that Embraces the Sun
In 2012, a year after Dream High, Kim Soo Hyun came back to dramaland in The Moon that Embraces the Sun. And promptly blew me away.
In Dream High, Kim Soo Hyun had struck me mostly as cute and likable. In MoonSun, though, he was regal, smoldery, and very, very sexy.
I thought the kingly robes became him:
As did the sardonic, barely-hidden sarcasm that his king Lee Hwon got to display:
Most of all, I swooned at the intense, smoldery gazes that he showed his leading ladies:
Rawr.
This was a whole different, very sexy side to Kim Soo Hyun, and I loved every swoony minute.
Sure, the writing was flawed, and yes, Han Ga In was completely underwhelming as his leading lady. But in my eyes, Kim Soo Hyun and his sexy king more than made up for it.
I lapped up episode after episode, eager for more mesmerizing, sexy, regal Kim Soo Hyun. And I definitely came away from MoonSun with a newly minted Kim Soo Hyun crush.
Kim Soo Hyun also lent his vocals to MoonSun’s OST:
Post-MoonSun Interview Awesome
I haven’t checked out that many Kim Soo Hyun interviews, but I really liked this episode of tvN’s Taxi, in which he guested.
He comes across as fairly natural and quite savvy, managing to answer questions tactfully while toeing the fine line between humility and self-praise.
At the same time, his answers show how much thought he puts into each and every scene, and I love a man who’s serious about his craft.
You can watch the full episode on YouTube, which I genuinely enjoyed. Be warned that there are MoonSun spoilers, since this aired after the series wrapped. Here’s Part 1:
Movie Moment 1: The Thieves
I don’t watch a whole lot of movies, but with Kim Soo Hyun now firmly on my radar, I couldn’t not check out The Thieves.
Much as I was disappointed with the heavy turn the movie took halfway through, and with the relatively small amount of screen-time Kim Soo Hyun had, I did like the introduction to his sinewy arms:
And his character’s crush on Jeon Ji Hyun’s character did yield some mild shirtless smolder:
And a less mild, fleeting-yet-sensuous kiss:
Overall, a fairly underwhelming movie, but it sure had some pretty tantalizing Kim Soo Hyun tid-bits.
Movie Moment 2: Secretly Greatly [aka Covertly Grandly]
Still with my eye firmly on Kim Soo Hyun, I was super excited to see trailers for Secretly Greatly.
I mean, not only did this movie promise much more Kim Soo Hyun screentime, it also promised awesome stuff like Kim Soo Hyun as a spy! And Kim Soo Hyun in uniform! (rawr) And! Kim Soo Hyun’s new abs! (double rawr)
While I wasn’t too taken with the movie itself, it did deliver on those 3 things that it had promised, and I was somewhat mollified.
Not bad at all, I say. Not bad At All.
A Transition: From Boy To Man
As all of this movie stuff was going on, I also noticed something else about Kim Soo Hyun: he made the transition from boy-man:
To man:
Ooh. Rawr.
As boy-man, Kim Soo Hyun could still get away with playing a high-schooler, but with this new look, I would place him firmly — very firmly! — in man territory.
Needless to say, I really dig the manly vibe about him:
Ahem. Moar please, is what I’m thinking.
Eeee!! Really, REALLY Liking: You From Another Star
Given that (a) I’ve decided to include one currently-airing drama on my drama plate, (b) I dig Kim Soo Hyun’s (yummy) transition from boy-man to man, and (c) I really enjoyed the sparks that he shared with Jeon Ji Hyun in The Thieves, You From Another Star was the natural choice when the new drama cycle came around.
10 episodes in, I’m pleased to report that I’m enjoying it very, very much. It’s cracky rom-com at its best. And Kim Soo Hyun does not disappoint.
Well. There are other actors and factors that also do not disappoint, but since this is a post about Kim Soo Hyun, I’ll save those other details for the review to come (Review here!).
Kim Soo Hyun awesome: let me count the ways.
First of all, Kim Soo Hyun is very, very dapper as Do Min Joon and is often shown wearing sharp suits. And you know how I love a man in a sharp suit.
Yum. I approve.
Secondly, I find it hot that his character has superpowers.
Thirdly, Kim Soo Hyun’s turn as Do Min Joon is faceted and nuanced. Even though his character is supposed to be all stiff and unemotional, Kim Soo Hyun does lend layers with the subtle shifts in his gaze.
I particularly love this scene, where you can see the almost imperceptible glimmer of a tear in Min Joon’s eye, even as he carefully keeps his expression unreadable.
Very nice.
Ahem. Something else that’s also very nice? Kim Soo Hyun’s shower scene:
Rawr.
And let’s not forget the chemistry between Kim Soo Hyun and Jeon Ji Hyun, combined with his heretofore firmly established smoldering ability:
Ooh. Yum. Yum yum yum.
I need moar, I really, really do.
Photo Treats of the Kim Soo Hyun Kind
While doing, er, research for this post, I realize that I categorize Kim Soo Hyun’s various looks thusly:
Boyish & Playful
Despite his recent more sexy turn, Kim Soo Hyun can definitely turn on the cute:
Cozy
And he does warm, cozy and a little snuggly very nicely too.
Sharp & Smart
Kim Soo Hyun suits up very nicely, and here’s evidence:
Shirtless
Kim Soo Hyun doesn’t have a whole lotta shirtless pix out there, but I found that the ones that are out there, are sensuously appealing. Yum.
Scruffy
Kim Soo Hyun doesn’t do scruffy all that often, but I really do dig him when he’s a little undone. Sexy boy.
Sexy Smolder
Hands-down, this is my favorite look on him. I mean, he does the sexy smolder so well. Can you blame me for going melty?
Mmm.. Quite delicious, amiright?
This is why I’m makin’ room in my fangirl heart for Kim Soo Hyun.
I’ve got my eye on you too, you sexy, smoldery boy 😉
Its been a month since his new drama, Its Okay to not be okay ended but I’m still hungover. Came over to check your website to see your review about it as I loved it! I see it on your watching list, excited to read your review!
In the mean time revisited this KSH post because I miss him already haha. I feel the “boy to man” section of the post could use an update coz OMG, the 5 year hiatus plus military brought forth a whole new fan-yourself-screen-radiating-hotness-MANLINESS version of him.
PS- while watching the show, the scorching chemistry of the leads led to some high quality fanfiction. https://archiveofourown.org/users/SweetestLamb1711/pseuds/SweetestLamb1711/works. I’ll just leave this here, in case you want to indulge 🙂
Thanks for the link, I will refer to it when the need arises! 😉 The review for IOTNBO will be out in a couple of weeks, so you can check back then! 🙂 I must agree that he’s attained a new level of sexy, after the military! 😍😍
this mom is a big fan of KSH
Thank you for your lovely appreciation post on KSH. I’m very late to the party as I’ve only noticed KSH after watching the Hotel Del Luna ending – OH, and What A Screen Presence ! I quickly followed that with a weekend binge of Moon Embracing Sun (after reading your review first tho 😉 ). Next up Producers and then Love From Another Star (yikes ! I’ll be drowning in KSH morning, day and night ! *long sigh*)
Oh, and thank you so much for including the Taxi clips. I love that show – the first one I watched was with Hyun Bin. :))
Glad to know you’re watching Rookie Historian too. Looking forward to your review.
Thanks again for all your hard work.
Hi there Amy! Thanks for enjoying this post! <3 And I hope that you've completed – and thoroughly enjoyed! – your Kim Soo Hyun binge by now! 😀 I actually also thought he did very well in Dream High, so if you're in the mood for some high school and some music and some more Kim Soo Hyun, that one is worth checking, I think! 🙂
Also, since you mentioned that you were looking forward to my review of Rookie Historian, you can now check that out here. 🙂
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OMG your writting style made me fall for Kim even more. I blushed so many times while going through your post girl. And your pics collection of Kim is just sexily ama-z-iiii-ng. Thankyou so much for this post.
Ah, I’m glad you enjoyed this post, Sucheta! 😀 And, I’m glad I helped to.. intensify your appreciation for Kim Soo Hyun! Ahem. 😉
I miss this guy already so I went back to this post. Now I miss him badly! Just finish The Producers and decided going on a reverse chronological watch of his projects. Ì
Wow, you really are missing him a lot! I rarely rewatch shows these days; I find that I can’t even keep up with the new shows that I want to check out! 😅 Happy KSH soaking, m’dear! 😘
Hello again kfangirl :). Before I start my comment, thank you kindly for your reply to my post (on your YFAS Review). I would never, ever get upset if a blogger didn’t acknowledge or replied to my post where the original subject matter was over 12 months old BUT it was such a treat to have received such a lovely reply. Thank you for taking the time to do this.
It would appear that I am here AGAIN to express my thanks but this time for the KSH compilation! I didn’t even notice it at first and I only discovered it while exploring your blog a little further. You did such a terrific job. It is such a treasure trove of useful information and the pics themselves….well…..let me say you have gone “over and above the call of duty” to cater to every type of a fangirl from ones liking their KSH sweet and cute to ones appreciating the manly and smoldering KSH.
My biggest surprise about him was just how well he sings. Usually if an actor is good at acting I would never expect them to sing THAT well too. He can really deliver a tune. I do enjoy his husky, manly voice to go with that rather angelic looking face. What a bonus.
I have only ever seen 3 Korean dramas and 2 Korean movies to date so I am very much a newbie and a “tourist” in this industry. After seeing YFAS, I had to “investigate” KSH a little further 🙂 and you have given me everything in one blog. I am especially grateful for the “Taxi” interview! If it wasn’t for you I would never even know it existed! It was such a great segment. I confess I am sometimes weary of watching interviews with actors that spike my interest because it is very easy to be “cured” once you see them in an interview (if they come across conceited or not very bright). Well, no fear with this boy! I am very mindful that he was younger in it and his popularity has grown since that time so he is probably different now but I really loved the vibe he gave. He came across intelligent and honest with great sense of fun. I cannot begin to tell you how much I LOVED, LOVED the fact that he gave his favourite scenes from Moon as the ones a lot of fans enjoyed as well. It was so refreshing to see an actor not being scared to admit he liked a sexy scene (with the Queen) or they were moved by their crying scene. That fact alone made me appreciate him a whole lot more.
Which brings me to the next point – and please forgive me if you believe this is NOT the spot to talk about it…(I think you have the “power” to delete this post anyway if you believe it’s inappropriate and waaaaay too long lol… :). I understand KSH is making a new movie REAL and if you are in the blogger-sphere no doubt you would have heard the rumblings about the casting call out for actresses prepared for some nudity and implying potential for uhmm, stronger “scenes” which straight away had people talking and questioning if those “scenes” will relate to KSH’s character.
This is nothing but speculation at the moment and not much is known what KSH will or won’t do and whether in fact he will have nude or bed scenes in it, but what I found fascinating was people’s reactions and the variety of reactions to that very notion. Some fans are a bit worried, some said they will not support him in it, some can’t wait lol, some just commented that they are “not ready” to see him in those scenes.
The one comment that stuck in my mind the most was when a person posted that “a smart actor knows their fanbase and caters to them” (strongly implying that KSH should NEVER make “scenes” like that…). Personally, I thought that last comment was the most stupid one. Yes, a good actor will appreciate his fans and be humble BUT an intelligent actor will also recognise that we fans are fickle. Let’s face it, we might fangirl someone like crazy one day and then “move on” to someone else. Even the most loyal fans can eventually outgrow a star. We all have different tastes and have enjoyed KSH in different roles. So imagine if KSH (or any other actor for that matter) tried to cater to and satisfy everybody’s whim. From the limited interviews or information I have seen about KSH one thing that has definitely struck me is that he is intelligent and driven and seems determined to become a solid, experienced actor and NOT just a “star”. Hey, if it were up to me I would cast him in only romantic, sexy comedies but thankfully he doesn’t listen to me lol. I understand he really wanted to play a villain for a change. I like and respect him for the fact that he wants to challenge himself and take risks which yes, can alienate some fans but also make him some new ones. I hope he has a good enough relationship with his agency that they will allow him to take on projects that HE wants even if that scares them lol.
I totally understand some fans might be embarrassed if they were to see the object of their affection in compromising scenes because we all have personal views on the subject. These views can be the result of our upbringing, religion or just personal choice. On the other hand some fans are more mature and can handle it. I totally respect everyone’s views and can only speak for myself when I say that I am an adult and have no issues with either nudity or bed scenes PROVIDED they are done tastefully and fit into the storyline (let me make it clear that I am NOT referring to p*** here but normal movies!). If a movie is good and has substance then I have no problems with it. In fact, I have more issues with seeing extreme violence or torture than watching someone’s naked bottom. In any event I seriously doubt that KSH would do anything too risqué.
IF you ever run out of topics to cover on your blog OR are particularly bored – I would love for YOU to do a piece to examine if in fact Korean Actors commit professional suicide by doing risqué scenes in Kdramas or movies. Are there any popular actors that you know of that went down that path and now regret it? I should add that I respect and in fact love how private and reserved Koreans are, I just wonder if there is a place in their hearts where they can accept their wholesome actors expanding their image etc.
I think you would do a terrific job on the subject and I can’t think of anybody else to tackle this issue lol… Although, this would have to be one piece of work WITHOUT example videos to demonstrate lol… If you have already done a blog like that OR know of someone else who has covered this issue then please kindly direct me to it and I would love to read it.
I promise I will not be offended if you delete most of this post… part of me is too scared to post it lol… 🙂
Hi, MoniW! How very nice to see you again! 😀 I’m super pleased that you enjoyed this KSH post, and that you found it helpful in your appreciation and understanding of this very talented man. And he really is talented, isn’t he? I was really surprised by his singing voice too! Given what a nuanced actor he is, I hadn’t expected him to have singing talent too, on top of it all! And I totally know what you mean about being “cured” of an actor fixation after seeing said actor in interviews. Besides coming across as conceited or dim, many of them can come across as boring, giving only manufactured, obviously prepared answers. I really appreciate that KSH comes across as none of those things. He manages to be interesting, and he sounds like he’s talking off-the-cuff through it all, while managing to be politically correct. That’s serious skillz, and I think that natural savvy is a part of why he’s so sought after 🙂
On a tangent, I’m keen to introduce you to more great kdramas, since you’ve got so many ones that you haven’t yet seen, to choose from. This year, I really loved Healer. I loved it as much as I loved YFAS, and I don’t say that lightly. 😉 If you haven’t seen it, I do suggest you check it out! 🙂
As for your question about actors taking on more risqué roles, it really depends on the context, I think. Generally speaking, k-movies have much more freedom to show violence, nudity etc, which kdramas typically don’t. That’s because the guidelines governing movies and general broadcast are very different. In terms of fandom, I personally think it depends on the type of actor in question. I think if an idol actor were to attempt a more risqué type of role involving nudity and sex scenes, the fans would really go quite ballistic, given that fans in the kpop side of things tend to be a lot more, er, passionate – and rather obsessive, too – in their fan love.
On the other hand, I think that if an actor is known for being serious about his craft, fans tend to be a lot more accepting and supportive of such risqué roles. For example, Jang Hyuk is one of my favorite actors, and he’s famously serious about acting and is very dedicated to his craft. It’s said that the top 3 most important things to him, are family, acting and martial arts. In 2014, he took on the lead role in k-movie Innocent Thing, which involved nudity and a sex scene or two. And in 2015, he starred in k-movie Empire of Lust, which also involved nudity and a sex scene. Through it all, his fans have remained supportive, and his popularity has not suffered for it. Of course, I think a key point is that he chooses his roles very carefully, and both movies were not skin flicks, but had more serious themes.
And then of course, there’s the curious case of Song Seung Hun, who’s famously stiff at the acting, but is beloved for his chiseled, top-to-toe beauty. After years of working hard at the acting (but not getting much better for it, sadly), he decided to take on the lead role in k-movie Obsessed, which was marketed as something of an erotic period melodrama. It involved several pretty explicit sex scenes for SSH, and put his hot bod on glorious display, and this didn’t seem to upset his fans. In fact, the movie debuted at #1 at the box office.
I can’t think of an actor who’s committed professional suicide via taking on a risqué role, actually. There would probably always be a sector of fans who will voice their discomfort, but I think actors who choose their roles carefully and wisely tend not to suffer for it. And although it’s true that Korea is a patriarchal society where women tend to have it harder, SSH’s leading lady in Obsessed had a lot of nudity required of her for the role, which happened to also be her screen debut. This hasn’t stopped her from landing a nice, wholesome second lead role in current drama High Society, where she’s doing very well.
I’m not sure if I’ve answered your question, MoniW, but I hope you found this informative, at least! 🙂
Thank you so much for such a well thought out reply! I read it with great interest. You have answered all my questions perfectly and in fact I really appreciated the more in-depth examples you gave about some actors and the movies they made and for outlining the differences between kdramas and kmovies. I even looked up Jang Hyuk (!) afterwards and I think I can understand why you would find him so appealing (yes he is yummy BUT I know you like him for so much more than that. I think he is in your top 3 so I’m sure he would have had to earn that spot on more than just looks alone!).
You made an excellent point that as long as an actor is careful with their choices of work they can “experiment” and will be “forgiven” lol. And as much as I still believe that an actor shouldn’t just rely on the choices or preferences of their fans alone and should have some sort of an idea on how they want to be defined as an actor, I think it makes them feel absolutely chuffed and relieved when their fans stay loyal and accept the roles they undertake and support them no matter what (as you outlined above with your examples).
Going back momentarily to the question of actors and interviews – I admit that my heart goes out to them all, especially the actors who are VERY famous because they have to be so much more careful what they say and how they say it. Comments get misconstrued all the time. Media is unforgiving and unrelenting and it would be sooo tough to be “politically” correct (as you mentioned) and yet remain interesting, especially when the actors get asked THE SAME questions over and over again. I often cringe at the stupid questions the actors are asked as well. I would love to see the legendary Michael Parkinson interview KSH (provided KSH would have the freedom to answer truthfully lol).
And yes, point taken lol, I agree that I should see more Kdramas to broaden my “range”! Thank you for your recommendation! I have a little list of kdramas already that I would love to watch so I will put Healer on it as well! Watching kdramas is the best way to unwind after a hard week at work. It’s such a guilty little pleasure (teamed up with a tub of ice cream and a box of tissues if necessary lol).
Thank you again. I will definitely visit this blog again for more “goodies” :).
You’re very welcome, MoniW! 😀 And YAY that you looked up Jang Hyuk and found him yummy, coz HE IS. <3 <3 <3 He is gloriously, deliciously sexy, AND he's an amazing, dedicated actor as well. My favorite role of his, is in the epic period drama Chuno, where he plays a slave hunter. It's a brilliant drama, and his interpretation of his role is brilliant as well. If you are in the mood for an epic period drama with lots of glorious cinematography and fighting, with themes around creating a better world for mankind, I totally recommend it. Just know that it's not a romance, and has some tragic tendencies. 🙂
Oh yes, it IS really tough for celebs to remain politically correct when being interviewed, because you're so right, that anything can be taken out of context and used against them. KSH is excellent at being interesting and sounding off-the-cuff, while remaining politically correct. It’s one of the things I love about him. My favorite actors tend to be those who have that ability too. Gong Yoo is also fantastic at that, I just LOVE his warmth and easy wit. Kim Woo Bin also manages to sound off-the-cuff yet thoughtful in interviews; I love how his answers tend to have substance, yet don’t sound pre-prepared. Jang Hyuk comes across as more serious, and therefore less witty and interesting, but I do appreciate the thoughtful substance in his words. 🙂
Yay that you’re adding Healer to your watch list! 😀 I’d be happy to give you more recommendations as you need them, just let me know! Oh, if you’re looking for lower commitment k-movies, I highly recommend Miss Granny and My Brilliant Life. Both are fantastic – and I don’t often say that about k-movies 😉 Spoiler-lite reviews here and here.
Hi Kfangirl! Actually, I really enjoyed reading your post and reviews! They were arranged finely and perfectly! I’m in love with Soo Hyun ever since his first appearance in Running Man. He’s this one adorable yet smouldery man with his sexy gaze that could make me swoon for good sake! Honestly, your comments and replies are really long, I don’t think I can read them all but I love the idea how you could thought so much to write! I’d really love to be able to share with you and stay connected through our blogs. I’ve just completed one of the hit kdrama where Soo Hyun played his role as Do Min Joon seriously strikes me again along with Jeon Ji Hyun as Cheon Song Yi, throughout the drama can be a little boring but I still love the concept of the whole plot. The ending passed, I CRIED and also left me questions hanging. I’d love to start my blog by beginning review of Running Man episodes & in midst completing review of YFAS too. Your english is amazing, I’d really hope you could share some tips with me to write and improve my language. Thus I can write and share my reviews with bombastic words like you could. Love from me, @RL_HiouzKey!! Your posts are really DAEBAK!! BTW, I’m from Malaysia. ^^
Love, HiouzKey xx
Hey there, HiouzKey, it’s nice to meet you! Welcome to the blog!
I loved KSH as Do Min Joon too, I thought he was quite wonderful in the role. If you’re curious, you can check out my review of YFAS here. 🙂
Thanks for the positive comments on the reviews, I’m glad you enjoy them. As for tips for improving your writing, I’d say, read more. Coz as you read good writing, you’ll eventually get a sense for what works and what doesn’t, and start to incorporate that into your own writing. We all have our own styles of writing and blogging, and you will probably go through a period of trial and error to find the style that you’re most comfortable with. I’d say, don’t rush the process, and instead, try to enjoy it. After all, that’s why we’re even here in the blogosphere, isn’t it? 🙂 All the best with your new blog!
Well I must admit i was too quick to make my assessment about Korean actors which i poorly based on what I’ve seen so far. In fairness, there were some actors that I’ve seen in movies and dramas that seemed to be quite impressive but just did not manage to catch my attention and awaken this fangirl in me unlike Kim Soo Hyun. He is for me an epitome of what an actor should be. I’ve watched many korean dramas already and there were some who left an impression on me but became forgettable once KSH came to the picture. But I’m not a closeminded person, i’m still open to the idea that there may be many korean actors who are way better than KSH. Maybe you can recommend some actors for me that fall into the category of good looking, manly and at the same time can act really well like kim soo hyun. It was not actually his face that caught my attention at first but the way he portrayed his character. I don’t agree with the comments of some that his acting in YWCFTS was a little bit lacking. For me, he did it outstandingly considering the role that he had to play. It’s not only the way he delivered his lines and the way he cried in some scenes but the way he communicated his inner struggles with his facial expressions to the viewers which mere words would fail to express. My admiration on him skyrocketed after watching him in the Moon that Embraces the Sun. He played his kingly role superbly and when i made my fangirl stalking on him i was all the more impressed when i found out that before he played the role, he made his own research about how a king should act. and i discovered so many things that made me adore him more and more. So you see why some actors became dim in my memory when he came to the picture? I know he is not perfect, as much as i want him to be a perfect actor but it doesn’t negate the fact that he’s a brilliant, wonderful, excellent actor even at a young age. So if there are some actors you know who are that way then kindly bring it on. 🙂
Aw, I know the fangirl heart wants what it wants – it’s hard to explain why a particular actor would capture your heart so much more than another! 🙂 At the same time, I’m all for appreciating more k-talent, so I’m happy to offer a few candidates for your consideration 😉
First, I’d like to point again to Jang Hyuk, one of my favorite manly man actors. He’s an amazing actor, and very dedicated to his craft. His awesome authentic fight skillz also make him extra swoony and badass in sageuks in particular. And behind the scenes he’s a quiet thoughtful slightly dorky guy who loves his family and dedicates himself to the art of acting. His most iconic role to date, imo, is in Chuno, which I consider a masterpiece. He’s also recently gained a lot of attention with the k-version of Fated to Love You 🙂 You can also read my post on him here. And just coz I can, here he is again, in Chuno:
For someone a little younger, but still with the manly type screen presence, I can’t not mention Kim Woo Bin, my favorite favorite actor. He blew me away with his magnetic screen presence in School 2013, and I’ve been a huge fan ever since. Heirs was a mess, but he was amazing in it. And he was also very good in Friend 2, playing a gangster. He’s more of the shy type, but has so much substance when it comes to interviews. He comes across as very genuine yet tactful, which I really dig. You can read my post on him here. And again, just coz I can, here he is in Friend 2:
The 3rd and last actor I’ll mention today, is So Ji Sub, who’s another manly man sort of actor. Most recently he acted in Master’s Sun, in which he had great chemistry with Gong Hyo Jin. Lots of people loved the show, while I liked it more moderately. Can’t deny the excellent chemistry between them, and his excellent performance, though. He’s a quiet sort during interviews, and a lot of people roll their eyes that he’s into rapping on the side, but I like how he doesn’t allow the negative comments to stop him from pursuing his passion. He really seems to love rap and hip-hop, and I think it takes character to not allow the snide comments to affect his decisions and just go for what he loves anyway. You can check out my post for him here. And here he is, in one of his photoshoots:
Hope you like today’s selection – row_ahn! I can offer more candidates after you’ve perused these 😉
I can’t believe i spent 3 hours reading and “dissecting” every comment about Kim Soo Hyun in this post of yours. As you might have already guessed, i’m also one of his million fans otherwise i wouldn’t have wasted those precious hours just reading comments about him. I really appreciated the post you made about him. It gave me another reasons why i truly and madly adore this guy. To be honest, I’m not so into Korean actors for few reasons; 1. i find it hard to remember their names (it’s just so confusing 🙂 ) 2. ((please don’t kill me for this) i find their looks a little bit too girly (i’m not the only one who noticed it). 3. most of them are too skinny for my taste (like the guy in Goong who played the prince) 4 some are just popular because of their looks even if they don’t know how to act. But Kim Soo Hyun, he has managed to break through all my biases. He was none of the above that I’ve mentioned and i’m pretty sure many will agree with me. I definitely agree with everything that you said about his looks and his acting. I read an interview of him where in he was asked about his crying scenes in Moon Embraces Sun he just simply said that he did not over calculate and did not over think on what to do but just did it naturally. I was like, wow, this guy will really go far with his career. He is for me very good looking and a very good actor. I also watched most of his interviews and one of it is the one he did in TAXI’s. That interview gave me a glimpse of who he is in real life. He has a great sense of humor! an added appeal on his part! I watched Man From the Star first and i admire him in that drama but after watching Moon Embraces the Sun i was hopelessly and bewitched by him… He is so…he is so… ( i just can’t think of a right and perfect adjective to describe him). I just hope his popularity will not get to his head and change the way he treats his work and his fans like what i always hear about those popular actors because i really like really like him and don’t want to be disappointed. By the way, my favorite scene in Moon sun is also the bath…you know what i mean.
Hi there, row_ahn! Welcome to the blog! I giggled a little that you spent 3 hours trawling through the comments on this post, and then it occurred to me that it might be a good thing that you’re not a Gong Yoo fan, coz that post has more than 900 comments to trawl through! XD
It’s pretty impressive that Kim Soo Hyun managed to capture your attention this much, since you say that you’re not usually into Korean actors! (Woot, Kim Soo Hyun power!) Gosh, I loved him in MoonSun too! He was just so REGAL and sexy in that! Rawr. That was the first time I realized Kim Soo Hyun is sexy, so MoonSun will always have a special spot in my fangirl heart! ^^
KSH seems like a pretty down-to-earth sort of guy, despite his amazing success, so I’m not too concerned that his popularity will get to his head. More than anything, I feel like he genuinely is passionate about his craft, and I believe that is the quality that will cause him to endure in the business.
As an aside, I can see why you might think that Korean actors look a little girly – there are a number of actors who fall into that category. At the same time, there are a lot of actors who fall into the manly man category. Among the manly men, Jang Hyuk is one of my favorites. Have you seen him in anything? I don’t think anyone would accuse him of being girly:
Yes, I’m trying to lure you deeper into the attractions of k-actors, by showing you a sample of the manly man type of actor 😉
but is it not weird to shower with towel around your waist?
Tee hee. IT TOTALLY IS WEIRD! It was my first thought when the stills first came out, and I had to convince myself that maybe in dramaland, aliens just shower that way! XD Can’t deny the sculptedness of KSH, though, towel or no. I just wish they had managed their camera angles in a way that would’ve shown us the yummy without showing us the towel! XD
i agree… looking at this compilation I feel like a winner. Thank you for this!
Aw! Glad you liked the post and the collection of KSH goodies, jo! 😀
I randomly came upon this post and let say I am TOTALLY appreciating this compilation of photos. As one of the commentees said, “I feel like I won a contest” LOL. You have provided so much about him that I can freely get into viewing all those works now! I fell in love with Do Min Joon, and I think you just caught me all over again! So Hooked!!! >.< He is such a beautiful being, I wouldn't be surprised if he really WAS from another planet ! (kidding.. hehe) But in all seriousness, thank you! 🙂
So glad you enjoyed the post, Jenny!! 😀 I love that everyone feels like they won a contest with this collection of KSH goodies! That totally makes my day, and makes me want to keep bringing you guys more posts like these 🙂
I can totally feel ya – Kim Soo Hyun rocked it like no other as Do Min Joon, and we are all not recovering anytime soon! He’s a fantastic actor, and I’ve enjoyed him in everything I’ve seen so far. I’ve liked his dramas more than his movies, though, so here’s hoping that he’ll keep on bringing the awesome to our screens! ^^
hi…..thank you so much… of all the post I”ve read about Kim Soo Hyun…. your’s is very unique on your own way…. the title itself is very intriguing…. and as I keep on reading it is breath taking….. ilove it so much…. I am looking forward for your next blog about Kim Soo Hyun….
Aw, thanks Nickiasia, I’m glad you enjoyed the post! 🙂
While reading your post and ravishing Kim Soo Hyun (KSH) pics, I’m taking all my willpower not to faint.haha Maybe i’m overacting, but it’s just how i feel especially after i just finished watching The Moon That Embraces The Sun (TMETS) (BTW, I’ve also seen all of his other series and movies, and now i’m just watching all his cf and eng-sub interviews because i can’t get enough of KSH), and you help with the post-TMETS withdrawal period. It’s like seeing a whole new other sides of KSH. Thank you for your research and for keeping an eye to our beloved KSH.
Aw, it sounds like you’ve got some major KSH love goin’ on, Maan, and I can totally see why! 😀 KSH is so talented and dedicated, 2 things that I really appreciate about an actor. And he’s cute and sexy too – all that fangirl love is well-deserved! Since you’ve seen all of his dramas and movies, I suppose the only thing left to do while waiting for his next project, is to rewatch everything ^^ When I used to be a big Park Shi Hoo fangirl, I’d have one of his shows on rotation at any one time, to go with whatever else I happened to be watching from dramaland. Maybe that approach will help to quench your thirst for more KSH before his next project comes along? 🙂 Will any of his fanmeets be happening anywhere near you? I can imagine how attending one would be your next big goal ^^
Wow! I feel like I’m about to cry right now. Thank you for posting this! 😭 i so love Kim Soo Hyuuuuun!
Aw! I’m glad you enjoyed the post! And yes, Kim Soo Hyun really is awesome. Love that boy ❤
OMG YES Kim Soo Hyun is definitely high, high on my radar. I too first noticed him in Dream High. Au contraire, I was smitten from the start. I was actually mildly shipping Taecyeon and Eunjung…Lol I had a thing for Eunjung back then. Anyways. From the beginning (well more like from his first hair cut and in school confrontation) I thought KSH was just the cutest thing ever.
I heard all the hype about Moon that Embraces the Sun, but to be honest I didn’t make it past the first few episodes. To be sure, KSH definitely rocked his role, and his character was beyond awesome. But like you said, I was apathetic towards the female lead at best (not the most interesting character) and I hated that the entire drama was so centralized on the romance.
The only other thing I’ve seen of his (other than Man from the Stars) was Secretly, Greatly. Lol I was actually really really taken by the bromance. I was secretly and greatly shipping Kim Soo Hyun and Lee Hyun Woo in my twisted fangirl mind. The plot wasn’t fantastic, but I liked it well enough. I hated the ending though, the part where his “mother” gets the sticky note, hinting that he was probably alive. I think it would’ve been better if he’d died with his friends/brothers.
I loved him in Man from the Stars, but tbh, I didn’t really like the drama itself. For me it really was the characters who killed it (in a good way). Cheon Ji-Hyun and KSH really had so much chemistry and so much finesse in immersing themselves into the characters that I suffered through to see more of them. I didn’t HATE the drama, but it’s definitely not one of my favorites.
what really cemented my love for KSH as a k-love and not just as an excellent actor was his episodes guesting on Running Man. He just seems so sweet and dorky and just totally loveable. And he’s totally fantastic at running/sprinting….and catching chickens. Sometimes though he was so brainless in such an adorable way. (In case you haven’t checked it out, it was ep 147…he was a guest along with Lee Hyun Woo…which I felt was a little under represented (?) in that ep).
Oh yes, KSH was really cute in Dream High! I can’t deny he was adorable. I didn’t get smitten from the swoon till MoonSun though. He was so very sexy in that! On hindsight, I realize I overlooked a heaping bunch of flaws in the name of sexy swoon. For the right kind of draw (& sexy, regal KSH was such a draw!), I can overlook a heckuva lot. It’s how my inner fangirl is wired, lol. XD But I can see how the show’s flaws might’ve turned you off enough for you to never get to the end. Without my Swoony KSH Lens firmly on, I’m sure I would’ve been tearing my hair out too!
I thought KSH was very good in Secretly Greatly, but yeah, I didn’t love the movie much. Lee Hyun Woo was adorable though! And his subtly played adoration of KSH’s character was very endearing indeed. I thought the movie’s tone was a little (or a lot) all over the place, though. And then it got massively heavy and nonsensical towards the end. Sigh. What a waste. Oh, and I did see them in Running Man together. That was a rather cute episode, featuring KSH’s dorky side. I vaguely remember he didn’t do great on the missions though. And I remember feeling a little disappointed about that, coz I’d wanted him to do awesome. Heh. But still, very cute. 🙂
It’s too bad you didn’t love YFAS.. I loved it despite its flaws, which, to me, were mostly plot-related. The characterization and relationships more than made up for it, for me. That drama hit the right notes for me so well, that I willingly forgave all its other missteps ^^ And, I’m just so, so pleased that KSH and JJH did YFAS together. They have such lovely chemistry! ❤
Rawwwwwrrrr… Hottie! Daebak!
Hee. Glad you enjoyed the Kim Soo Hyun awesome in this post, Bebwonkyu! ^^
Never knew that there is a daebak ,awesome, great and the best actor name Kim Soo Hyun…hope one day can really meet you personally and be your friend….this is the only wish i have and wish for in my life…
Yes, KSH really is pretty awesome, I have to agree!! With his numerous fanmeets, maybe it might be an actual possibility of meeting him in person? 🙂 I know it’s with thousands of other fans, but still, it’s a pretty cool thing to be in the same room as the object of your k-affections. 🙂
I felt like I was sixteen again while watching the taxi videos. I was smiling and squeeing the whole time. 😀
So cute!
Yes! Isn’t he adorable in the taxi ep??? I love his answers to the questions.. you can tell he’s thought about a lot of these things, and that he’s serious about his craft. I love a man who’s serious about his craft. It’s so darn sexy. ❤
Very sexy! Oh geez, I am blushing again just thinking about it 🙂
It’s a fangirl prerogative to daydream AND to blush, in my opinion 😉 So go right ahead and appreciate the sexy, Tanie.. You’re definitely not alone! ^^
Don’t know if anyone has mentioned it but I’ve turned my head left and right a couple of times and I don’t think the 2nd last picture is KSH! I think he is the guy from Flower Boy Next Door.
Apart from that, so happy to have come across this post! It’s as though I wrote it! Especially on Dream High! All your thoughts on him and only him are just like mine! Happy happy haha. Have a nice day ahead!
Hey there, NKS! I’m staring at the pic, and.. I still say it’s KSH ^^ It’s the lips that are the dead giveaway. They’re impossible to miss. KSH has such full, sensuous lips. Umph. Yoon Si Yoon has much thinner lips – in comparison. Not that he doesn’t have a nice set of lips himself! ;D
Yay that you enjoyed the post; sounds like we’re very much in agreement about KSH! Did you watch him in MoonSun too? I was completely mesmerized by him in that. So. Sexy. ^^
yes i did! tbh i wasn’t very much into the drama because it was a lil slow and draggy for me. but but BUT i loved the two main child actors and definitely ksh’s acting! he delivered so much in that drama! i hope the drama was a big hit because of his acting skills! loved the chemistry between the king and eunuch as well hahahaha cutest! i just watch tvN’s Taxi episode where ksh was featured. really nice to know how he is like as a person and an actor, very admirable! really really proud and happy for his current success! he totally deserve it!
http://koalasplayground.com/2012/03/04/yoon-si-yoon-goes-for-masculine-and-edge-in-marie-claire-korea/
hehehe
Oh!! Great spotting, NKS! I could’ve sworn that face belonged to KSH rather than YSY, but I guess YSY’s lips are fuller than I thought! XD Will remove the image, just to be accurate. Thanks! 🙂
You’re right, MoonSun was actually pretty draggy at parts, but I just lapped it all up coz of the KSH sexy, which, combined with the romance-centric cliffhangers, was quite the heady combination! 🙂 The pretty colors, cinematography and music definitely helped too. And yes, the child actors were awesome too. And YES, the adorable bromance between KSH’s king and the eunuch was another highlight too.
I really enjoyed the Taxi episode too – I was suitably impressed with how he answered the questions so thoughtfully, showing us the substance that he’s made of. I love that he’s got substance beneath the pretty face, and is serious about his craft. It just makes him all the swoonier, doesn’t it? 😀
Oh god I’m spazzing from all these pictures!!!! Just finished watching You who came from the stars and Dream high. I want moarrrrrr too!!!
Hee. I’m glad you enjoyed (erm, are enjoying? heh) spazzing over the pix – I really enjoyed putting it all together! And yes KSH does have that effect, doesn’t he? Have you seen MoonSun? It’s very flawed, but he’s SO sexy in it that I’d say watch it anyway XD I mean, really. Sexy, regal, alluring KSH. How can you resist? ;D
It seems I’m the only one immune to his performance in “You from Another Star” : that babe will have a fan meeting tour in all Asia starting next month and girls are queuing to buy tickets… Unbelievable…
And guess what, kfangurl, Singapore is on his list ! Are we going to have the delight to read another “I Was There” post soon ??????
Aw. Different strokes for different folks, I guess. And who knows, someday, you just might come around to Kim Soo Hyun’s appeal 😉 I’ve been known to come around to some actors’ charms quite late to the party – the latest example being Jang Dong Gun!
I’ve read about KSH’s fanmeet tickets selling out crazy fast. The Taiwan fanmeet sold out in 30 minutes flat. Wow. I’d always thought these crazy records mostly applied to kpop idol groups. Guess I was wrong! KSH’s popularity is at an all-time high, I believe ^^ I haven’t managed to find any news on ticketing details for the Singapore fanmeet, so we’ll see whether I manage to attend. If I do attend (which is a very big maybe at this point), then you guys will be sure to hear all about it! 😉
Here are some details about his “show” in Singapore
They forgot to remove a figure in each ticket prices, right ????
Aw. It’s expensive, like every other fanmeet and related item I’ve come across. I paid similar for the GY fanmeet, but that was for GY! Thankfully, the dilemma of whether to go is now moot, coz the day of the fanmeet is my dad’s birthday and I’ll be at a family dinner instead of in an auditorium gawking at KSH! XD
Last year, I made a promise to myself that I will stop having crushes on younger guys, especially if they are the same age as my youngest brother or younger than that. It was because I suddenly felt like a creep or maybe because I was having a major crush on an oppa,Mr Cha Seung Won. But Kim Soo Hyun just made me broke my promise! Ouch! I remember him from Dream High but wasn’t really into him since a) he looked so young, b) I was actually watching DH just to get a glimpse of Kim Hyun Joong (and was fairly disappointed later because he was just a cameo) and c) I was distracted by Suzy’s acting (she is better now, thank God). But he did leave a big impression on me because his Sam Dong character is the only one that I could really remember from DH. I refrained from watching MoonSun for too many times because a) he looked young and b) I can’t stand saguek. But after watching it, this year, I forgot about his age and I finally able to see him as a man. Totally in love with his voice and his gaze. As for the current drama, I am more proud of it because it is the only korean drama that my husband Want to watch, willingly. And never once he commented about Soo Hyun’s youthful look. Am all smile now…
Tee hee!! I giggled at your failed efforts to resist Kim Soo Hyun’s charm, Sheila! XD Don’t feel bad.. Although Cha Seung Won is a mighty, mighty fine man (rawr), I always say that our inner fangirls are ageless. Or, as some say, forever 16 😉 So it’s completely ok to fangirl over KSH, imo! I was completely mesmerized by KSH in MoonSun too.. So, sooo sexy. I could hardly believe this was Sam Dong on my screen, seriously! XD And I’m really appreciating him in YFAS too.. Such a lovely older-man vibe, despite the youthful face! ^^
Also, congrats on having your hubs watch drama with you! You are the envy of married drama fans the world over, I’m sure!
Oh kfangurl, this post is so hawt it crashes my Chrome not once but three times! I love Kim Soo Hyun. His boyish face is very attractive. I feel so giddy just when I read this post. I saw him the first time on Dream High, totally in love and smitten by his character. Recently saw him on Secretly, Greatly. Love his dorky character but dislike the movie. I also saw him in The Thieves… He was cute and that’s all I can remember now LOL. Can you blame me? 😉 I just started Starman today… And all I saw was abs. Abs abs absolutely nothing but abs! LOL And yes, I know you have told me to watch his Moon Sun drama numerous time. I’ll make an effort this year now 😀
You know what I like about him? He’s growing to be a one fine man. He is getting better and better as he age. He’s the George Clooney of SK!
Giggle. Well now, I only promise delicious k-goodies; I can’t promise browser stability..! XD Your Chrome couldn’t deal with the KSH hawt, lol!
And indeed, Kim Soo Hyun’s maturing into a very fine man. Man being the key word. Once I noticed that he’d crossed over from boy-man to Man, I totally sat up and took notice! He totally leveled up in the hotness scale with that transition! I mean, I loved him in Dream High, but really, he was mostly cute then. Now, though, there’s so much more man about him, and I’m liking it a lot! The best part? That manly vibe is only going to increase as he continues to mature. YUMMINESS DEAD AHEAD. Wheeee!! ;D
If you enjoy the KSH hawt, you just HAFTA watch MoonSun. I know it’s very flawed. But the KSH smolder is overtly sexy, and very, very alluring. If you want to get your KSH ogle on, you won’t be disappointed 😉 And yes, YFAS is lovely! And I’m not (just) talkin’ about them abs! ;D
Oh gawd, Chrome crashed on me again… Clearly it is KSH, coz it didn’t crash when I open your Heirs post!
I really enjoy watching him and i just squee my pants out last night (or this morning) from the first kissing YFAS scene. Oh goodness, there is no turning around for me now! I thought of adopting ONE new boy toy this year, looks like it’ll be two! This noona has too many men in her life now!
Maybe your internet connection needs to be beefed up, to feed your hottie addiction 😉 Coz my Chrome is handling KSH quite well – or maybe I’ve just had more practice with the hawt? ;D
Oh, The Kiss! That got a big squee outta me too! Not at all bad, for a stiff, unemotional alien. Or as is more likely the case, it was all that pent-up unresolved sexual tension built up over 400 years? That would have HAD to result in a hawt kiss, no? ;D
And don’t worry Nelly. I know you’ve got a nice big roomy fangirl heart. You have enough room for those boys 😉
Jang Hyuk AND Sassy Girl in the same movie !?! I definitely need to check this out, evez. Thank you for that pointer !
@asotss i love the two movies of Jeon Ji-Hyun you mentioned, Daisy and Sassy Girl and you may want to try Windstruck with Jang Hyuk…it’s a good one.
Got on the “You from another star” UFO because of Sassy Girl. Usually, that kind of cheesy name for a drama makes me run but I watched two movies with Jeon Ji-hyun and I enjoyed them very much (“Daisy” with Jung Woo sung !!!! and of course” My sassy girl”) so why not that one. And I am not disappointed at all. She’s so good in this arrogant and silly actress character that the role must have been written for her. She made me laugh so much times, her “Good Morniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing” in ep 5 cracked me up, can’t imagine saying it in another way now… Cherry on the cake, she’s one of the few Korean actresses I find beautiful -yep, I’m much less difficult with her countrymen, call me Biased from now on 😉
All that to tell you that I did not notice, but at all, any other character in the drama. Especially not her male lead that I found super weak compared to her game. Plus, he’s too boyish and, crime of lèse majesté, I don’t find him particularly handsome… Although, in some screenshot, I could from time to time find a little something but it’s always super vague and goes as it has come, at light speed. And now that I read your post, he confuses me even more. I struggled to recognize him on the first pics. That’s the weird thing with him: he doesn’t impress me much “live” (and jeez, what was that Yank+Fish Eyes+No Moving Lips Kiss in ep 8 !!!! Didn’t we agree with KDrama Entertainment that 2014 will see the end of this kind ????) but on photoshoots, he is a whole different story. Maybe he is like a good wine and needs time to fully reveal its flavors so I’ll let him mature a bit and hope he’ll age as beautifully as Jeon Ji-hyun.
Great KLove Confession post as always. Will you ever let us know your secret for digging up great pics one day ? And, by the way, Granny couldn’t find the RSS button on your websites. Is there any ?
Happy Lunar New Year to those who are celebrating !
Giggle. You are always so humorous and your comments are such fun to read, asotss!! 😀 YAY that you’re enjoying YFAS! And yes, I have to agree that Jeon Ji Hyun is gorgeous AND delightfully engaging in this show. I just love how she portrays Song Yi, with streaks of softness and steel, all in one.
I’m so pleased that you found something of Kim Soo Hyun to like in this post, coz he really is a talented young man, who has lots of hot to show in the right role. I can imagine how it might be harder to appreciate him in YFAS, given that he has to play Min Joon as mostly stiff and cold. I do like the subtle nuances of hidden meaning he gives his character, but I can totally see how that may not feel robust enough to some viewers.
In the various roles that I’ve seen him in, I think he’s most overtly sexy in MoonSun. Which is a flawed show to be sure, but if you’re able to overlook the flaws, there’s a lot of Kim Soo Hyun sexy awesome to be enjoyed 😉
I do believe you’re right about him getting more alluring with age.. He’s still rather young now, at 25. He’s already made a big transition from his previously boy-man sort of look, to a more distinctly manly vibe, which I dig. And I can only imagine that deepening and strengthening as he continues to mature. YUM.
Hee. Glad you enjoyed the post and the pix! I don’t have access to some secret stash on the internet that everyone else doesn’t (I WISH! Lol) but I do work Google Images with a dash of creativity and a healthy dose of curiosity 😉
Also! I’ve included the RSS links on the side-bar to your right! I hadn’t put them in before, coz I used to have a button for Google Reader. Since Google Reader’s been retired, I’ve replaced it with a button for Bloglovin’ which my blogger sis recommended as a good replacement. I figured that had everything sorta covered, but since you’re requesting for it, I’ve put it in as a good additional option. Thanks for being a change agent on the blog! 😀 Smooches.
Kim Woo Bin is 3rd on my bias list, next to Hyun Bin 🙂
Eeee! You love KWB too?!?? 😀 We could probably spazz together for days on end, Abby XD I crushed on Hyun Bin a fair bit after SeGa, but that crush has cooled a fair bit since we haven’t seen him in anything since. I can be totally fickle that way 😛
Thanks for this lovely post ! I became a fangirl of KSH after watching him in Dream High. He is such a good actor that I became so smitten. I am so happy that he is currently starring in You From Another Star, any alien is welcome as long as it looks like him. He is currently sharing the top spot with Gong Yoo in my k-drama loving heart. 🙂
Eee!! You love KSH AND GY?!? 😀 You’re a fangirl after my own heart, Abby! ;D Would it be too much to ask if you love Kim Woo Bin too? Hee.
I share your appreciation for KSH’s acting chops.. He’s doing SUCH a fine job with Min Joon in YFAS.. So stoic, yet so vulnerable on the inside. And he gives us just enough of a peek to make our hearts lurch in our chests and ache for him, even while maintaining Min Joon’s stiff exterior. So. Good. That, and he can be so swoony too, when he wants to be. A very worthy object of our fangirl affection! 😉
i recently jumped unto his radar, . i didn’t know who he was when i started you from another star and i was so intrigued by him and his character. i only just watched moon embracing the sun last weekend. had a nice kdrama session. I saw an add for Moon embracing the sun and at first didnt recognize the his face as King. I was so caught up in those initial episodes when i saw him as a mature Lee Hwon i was like ayeee! I was blown away by the show …faults and all and his character. His character made that show for me. i enjoyed it. so just this week i’m seaching out things with him and i was really pleasantly suprised to open my email and see this post.
I feel that giddy nonsense coming especailly at all his deft and savvy moves in METS drama and you from another start. Can’t get enough of him right now. I hope that drama continues hitting all the right points for me because it’s one that’s going down in my Fave and re-watch collection.
Thanks for all those pictures and the videos. made my saturday!!!
Wow! How’s THAT, for great timing?! 😀 That’s just so awesome, that you recently watched METS are on the YFAS train, and were ready for a good dose of Kim Soo Hyun! 😀 And that when you started on METS, you didn’t even expect Kim Soo Hyun to appear on your screen?? I can only imagine the implosion of fangirl squee when he then appeared and promptly turned on the sexy smolder..! XD Like you, I loved METS coz of KSH’s Lee Hwon. I was able to ignore all the show’s flaws (and there were some big ones!), ALL because I was thoroughly and giddily and completely mesmerized by KSH! ^^
Like you, I’m loving YFAS. KSH is KILLING it as Do Min Joon, and I’m enjoying him and Jeon Ji Hyun and the show itself very much. After watching E12 last week I could hardly believe I had to wait a whole week for my next fix, ha. I’m crossing my fingers along with you that YFAS holds strong to the end. It’s been so very good so far!
PS: Yay that you’re getting drama time in, binkbaf! 😀 I remember you had to go cold turkey for a while coz of school and exams. *shudders at the thought* But it’s great that you’re back on the drama train now! ^^
I JUST discovered him because of the movie Thieves, but after watching My Love From Another Star… OMG, I need to go back and at least watch Moon Embracing the Sun (I just CAN’T watch Dream High… ugh).
Anyway, this is a great post! I just wrote another fangirl post about So Ji Sub, but I have one about Kim Woo Bin, too, and thanks for sharing this one. Now, I learned a lot more about Kim Soo Hyun!^^ I’ll also have to watch Taxi, too, but I already saw him on Running Man, although I don’t really remember him well…
Anyway, he’s one year older than me! Finally, an oppa~
Giggle. KSH is super sexy in MoonSun, though I hafta warn you that the writing’s flawed and the show can’t stand up to detailed scrutiny. Just go in with your focus on the romance and the smolder, and you should be too happy swimming in a sea of KSH swoon to care too much about the show’s flaws 😉 Why don’t you want to watch Dream High, though? I really enjoyed DH, and liked it just as much on the 2nd watch as the 1st. And that’s not counting KSH’s cute factor in it.
Oh, watch Taxi only after you’re done with MoonSun, coz there are MoonSun spoilers in it. It’s a really nice ep, and it made me appreciate KSH’s thoughtful approach to acting. As for Running Man, I remember him being very cute, but not very skilled at the RM tasks he was given. A fun watch, though.
Also, I remember your KWB post! Yay for more KWB love, coz he deserves all the recognition. I just LUFF that boy ❤❤❤
I can always trust kfangirl to get really good pics! This really a fun read and I’m left feeling like I want to make a special request for Kim Soo Hyun to become my lecturer this year.
The first time I encountered KSH was on tumblr a few months ago and I made sure to make a mental note to keep an eye out for him. Two months later, he’s doing YWCFTS and I am really enjoying watching him play Do Min Joon!!!
Giggle. I guess I have a gift for sniffing out great pix of gorgeous men? ;D HAHA!
Glad you enjoyed the read, Muffin! And the ogling too *ahem* And YES, isn’t YFAS a fun watch? KSH makes Do Min Joon such a likable character worth rooting for, despite the script calling for him to be rather cold and unemotional. That’s skillz. 😉
Yes kfangirl, it is a true gift. Are you sure you don’t have formal qualification for getting awesome pics, a Masters, or a phd??? 😛
I forgot to respond to this 3 weeks ago but better late than ever. YFAS is awesome. KSH a solid actor. I watched Thieves this past weekend and it was really nice to see him in an opposite role but it is a pity he had a small role. And when he cries I feel like crying too because he pulls that ugly-face-when-you’re-really-crying face…oh the angst!!!! Sometimes I have to watch a scene twice because I get distracted by KSH’s lips or voice but mainly his lips. I’m so glad to be ogling over somebody who isn’t 10+ years older than me, haha. I’m definitely going to watch MoonSun very very soon.
Tee hee. Only if the PhD stands for Pix of Hot Dudes. That may cause Pulsating Heart Desires, HAHA! ;D
Yes indeed, KSH has some very admirable acting chops – he’s capable of a lot of nuance, which I really appreciate in an actor. I’m behind on YFAS (I’m saving up for a mini marathon), but I really dig what I’ve seen so far, of the show and of him in it. His crying is definitely the no-vanity type of crying, which I also admire in an actor. It just goes to show how deeply in the moment they are, and how they care more about an authentic portrayal of the character than about themselves looking good for the camera. Respect. I’m sure you’d appreciate KSH in MoonSun. As flawed as it is, his delivery is quite a pleasure to watch. And he’s soooo sexy in it too.
PS: you have the opposite problem than so many of us here in the dramaverse, Muffin! You find it refreshing to be ogling someone who isn’t 10+ years older than you; we find it refreshing when it’s someone who isn’t younger than us. HA.
“Tee hee. Only if the PhD stands for Pix of Hot Dudes. That may cause Pulsating Heart Desires, HAHA! ;D” haha, I love it lol! 😀
I started off far behind in YFAS and tried to pace myself because I also like to marathon a drama or control how many episodes I can watch at a time but… I ended up catching up last week 🙁 . KSH’s crying really caught me off guard because it didn’t feel like a performance but a natural reaction to a feeling that comes from deep inside. It is really some good stuff. I probably will be able soldier through MoonSun, I mean I did watch One Fine Day for a particular gentleman was upon a time.
Haha maybe I should appreciate the fact that 95% of k-actors could be an oppa to me and that I don’t have to check if they are over 18 before publicly squeeing. 😉
LOL!! You can do it, Muffin!! If you could watch One Fine Day, you’ll be able to watch MoonSun. (OMG One Fine Day was soooo bad! I can’t believe I watched it TWICE! >.<) There's a whole lotta KSH sexy in MoonSun, and I would consider watching it again, just for that! XD
I figure as long as they're over 18, they're fair squeeing game for us all! I draw the line at spazzing over 16 year olds. Which is why Yeo Jin Goo still does nothing for me! 😛 Gimme a couple of years, tho. When he's 18 I might change my mind, heh.
Haha twice. You are a very dedicated and strong girl.
Yeo Jin Goo is so little brother cute but yep maybe in a few years time…
I do have a lot of fangirl love for the right candidate.. My GY love was at an all-time high and I braved One Fine Day a second time, just to ogle him. It’s such a bad show, though, that even though my fangirl love was still high after I was done with Watch #2, I deleted it after. I just could not see myself going for Round 3. Ever. No matter how much I loved GY. That’s how bad that show is, Lol! XD
So many lovely pics! 😀 And I totally, totally agree — part of the fun in having so many *ahem* compelling actors to choose from is… not choosing. 😉
I’m really glad to hear “You From Another Star” is still going strong. I saw and adored Kim Soo-hyun in “Dream High” (did not know he did so much training for the role — what a trouper!) and, as I think you know, wasn’t as thrilled with “Moon/Sun” and… I think that’s it? Wait — I saw his part in “Will it Snow for Christmas?” (didn’t manage to finish the drama, itself). He was really, really good in that.
Anyway — I’m eager to see him in a role I’ll enjoy and it sounds like “You From Another Star” is that role. Yay! 🙂
Exactly!! 😀 Having many compelling, talented k-actors to admire is certainly a case of “the more, the merrier” – hee! ;D
Yes, KSH underwent hardcore idol trainee life for the role in Dream High. It must’ve been quite paralyzing to have to sing and dance next to professional idols. And he did just that. Not only for the drama itself, but also for the drama special that took the form of a mini-concert, where he had to sing live. THAT’S a whole different ballgame than recording in the studio where you can do multiple takes and have a sound engineer help you tweak and polish your final product before it gets added to the OST. His voice held up well, considering the nerves and exhaustion he must have been feeling. Mad props to him, mad, MAD props!
And yes, YFAS is going strong! At this moment, I can firmly vouch for the first 10 eps. And now I’m holding my breath that the next 10 eps will be as strong! *crosses all available fingers and toes*
Going strong into the half-way point is a good sign! I’ll keep hopeful thoughts right along with you. 🙂
By the end of E12 of YFAS, Show had my heart in a death-grip. And had managed to lure some tears from me too. I am SO. READY. for my next YFAS fix. Which is a very, veryy good thing, Show-wise. Just thot you’d like to know 😉
P.S. i also read that he is in Running Man episode 147, i haven’t check it out, but definitely i will if i have more time…
Oh! I’ve seen KSH in Running Man! He was adorkably cute, and sweet, and amusingly inept, HAHA! It didn’t help to fan my mental image of KSH as regal and smolderingly sexy, but it sure was entertaining! ;D
YAY!…i remember mentioning KSH from my previous comment….firstly..this is another beautifully written K-LOVE post and thank you for sharing your thoughts on him…<3<3<3
KIM SOO HYUN, i adore this young lad in Dream High/Moon Embracing the Sun and Secretly, Greatly..y'know the smoldery and the abs..they are truly aaaddddddooooorrrrbbbbbbssss! and i love him even more because he does act really good and he can SING!..and i am super delighted that i find his song again here from Dream High…it's one of the drama OSTs in my playlist…this boy has a good ballad voice and y'know my biggest weakness in a k-hunk arena, an actor that can sing and a singer that can act is a surreal winner!!!
I don't know but his smoldery can be compared to Yoo Seung Ho, must be something about their eyes and eyebrows?…both young and capable to capture every noonas heart..so when i saw this one i can here my self saying OMG!…and isn't this young lad so sexy?…i don't know but young as he is he can be looked so sensuous and irresistible!..
I haven't watch the Thieves, hope i can get a copy of it or can that movie be available on the net somehow?…from the look of the picture it can be like the Hollywood movie Ocean Eleven or Italian Job?
Once again your appreciative eyes align with us kfangirl jjang!…..you lured us to GY, Jang Hyuk, Kim Woo Bin and now the latest K-love Kim Soo Hyun… i love the collection of your luscious photos of KSH, something to spazz and to drool at when you are feeling down!…LOL!
And i am definitely liking You From Another Star of SBS, it reminds me of IHVY i just couldn't watch it consistently. From what i read the rating is quite good …i guess i should just wait to finish the whole 20-episode and find myself a copy to marathon the watching,
Once again, thank you for a well written and delicious post Kfangirl!..<3 😉
Aw, YAY that you enjoyed this k-love confession, evez!! 😀 Giggle. It seems like we DO have similar tastes in men! 😉
Truly, it was KSH’s smolder that got me swooning.. that was in MoonSun, long before he unveiled his new abs. Although, the abs certainly don’t hurt, heh. And I have to agree, his singing is really very decent! It’s not as powerful or as nuanced as the really great singers, but he’s definitely a very solid singer, and I’d love to hear him do more OST tracks! I won’t be at all surprised if he sings for the OST of YFAS! 🙂
Yoo Seung Ho is another major smoldery boy. THAT boy is going to grow up real fine too, I have no doubt about it! The only edge that sets KSH majorly apart from YSH for me right now, is the fact that KSH has transitioned into Man territory. I find that manly vibe completely delicious and very swoon-worthy. When YSH comes out of the military, I’m sure he’ll be all buffed and manned up, so I expect to be majorly swooning over him soon too! 😉
And eyebrows! Omo. Perhaps I have a thing for eyebrows??? I mean, just look at me and my Woobie love! And YSH has some gorgeous eyebrows too. Funny, I would’ve never pegged myself for having a thing for eyebrows.. I guess I’m more taken with their eyes, and the eyebrows are.. very welcome window dressing? You know how they say that the eyes are the windows to the soul..! XD
The Thieves isn’t quite an Ocean’s Eleven.. It’s got a K-flavor all its very own. I liked the first half, despite the relatively small amount of KSH screentime, but the second half got too melo and heavy for my taste. You can watch it here, evez 🙂
And YFAS IS cracktastic, and in that sense, does sorta feel like IHYV. I feel equally addicted! Hee! 😀 It’s definitely its own show, though. I don’t really detect major similarities. The characters feel different enough to feel unique. The only similarity I’d say, is that both shows are sort-of noona romances, but not quite. In IHYV, Soo Ha behaves more like an oppa, even though he’s younger than Hye Sung. Of course, YFAS is even less of a noona romance, since Min Joon’s like, 400 years old and way older than he looks!
Glad that you enjoy the photos of KSH, evez! Definitely some worthy eye-candy for an easy pick-me-up! ^^
…and i do enjoyed it greatly!..and i guess you’re right when you said we have similarity on K-crushing!..isn’t KSH smoldery will melt you away like YSH?..
KSH is five-year older than YSY so it’s understandable that he is shifted to man’s territory…The good thing when YSY finished his MS, he still at his prime and when he goes out i’m sure a lot of projects will be waiting for that lad….I just wonder why he served MS at the early stage of his career others enter MS in their late 20’s or sometimes early 30’s..i don’t know the behind story but somehow, it’s better that he serves at that age.
And i do have weakness on the eyebrow area on the man’s feature too, especially if it is a thick one…it expresses more mannish look for me…and KSH has a nice pair of eyebrows like YSY….
Thank you for the link you shared, it is something new to me…i think i’ll go check Thieves when i have more time…too bad not now…..
l love reading your response, you always give your reply informatively and dotingly. I really appreciate your heads up on YFAS, honestly i could not watch it on line as of the moment…though i check a few episodes…though i’ll make it sure to have a copy of that drama once it ended on the net..<3
“I don’t know but his smoldery can be compared to Yoo Seung Ho” Hein ? What ? Let agree to disagree on this one, evez. Yoo Seung-ho is, at his age, one of a kind on the smolder side of the Force ! Alien Boy may be a Padawan but not more, he has still a lot to learn to become a Jedi Knight…
I’m 1000000% behind the rest of your comment though 🙂
@asotss…okay, okay…but it’s just the way i see it…if you’re rooting more the smoldery thing for Yoo Seung Ho it’s just fine and i i have to concur with you that YSH’s smoldery is one of a kind ehhh!…no problem with that i love that young lad either… 😉 <3
I loved this! I love Soo Hyun! I love that I am not the only one! I only watched Will it Snow for Christmas because of him! His character in You Who Came from the Stars is my favorite in dramaland these days. Thanks for the eye candy!
Woot! Yay for more Kim Soo Hyun love in the house! 😀 I’m so happy that you enjoyed the post, extrakun!! I haven’t watched Will it Snow for Christmas myself.. it looks rather melo. Would you say it’s a worthy watch?
And yes, I’m really enjoying his Do Min Joon in YFAS as well – so adorably swoony!! 😀
*drools* Oh man, my Soo Hyun Oppa! Rare are the young actors I can still call Oppa, so he’s more precious because of that LOL! I’ve loved him ever since Dream High, so I’m so happy to see that he’s doing so well in the industry these days <3 He had such a meteoric rise! DH was not *that* far back in time, but it feels like I've been seeing him for ages!
You know, I love those abs pics, but the one that almost made me faint? That shot in the bath with the smirk from Moon/Sun *fans self* But still, speaking of abs, am I the only one who can never associate that cute boyish face to those choco abs? I was so sure he had a body double in My Love From Another Star for those shower scenes, until I went back to check those old photos 😛
You make an excellent point, mawiie.. It hasn’t actually been that long since Dream High, but he’s totally shot to the top of the Hot Young Actors list. It’s like everything he touches does well in the ratings / box office. And he’s gotten so deliciously manly in the process too. YUM.
One of the things I enjoy the most about him, is his expressive eyes. Seriously. It’s his expressive eyes that make him so alluring. The smolder and sexual tension that make me go melty all come through his eyes from within, and it’s so mesmerizing. So I totally see your point about the shot in the bath, coz that smirk and that sardonic edge all come the same place. Thud. So badass sexy.
And yes, that boyish face paired with those abs does take some getting used to. But his new manly aura definitely helps. He’s growin’ up reeaal fine. 😉
I love Kim Soo Hyun. He’s cute. He’s my dongsaeng 😀
Haven’t watch Dream High and The Thieves and will wait for #Starman to finish first before I start – I hate the suspense and the wait. I love Moon that embraces the sun so much. Even though a lot of people said the drama was overrated but it was not for me. And I hate secretly greatly – that movie is very bad in my point of view. :p, but it won’t take away my love for Kim Soo Hyun. Did you watch him in Running Man?? He’s so cute, enthusiastic, and the Running Man member said, he’s just a handsome idiot.
Oh, I loved MoonSun too!! High five, Hyuk Fan!! 😀 I mean, I know in my head that MoonSun is overrated, but the fangirl in me doesn’t care. All I cared about was that Kim Soo Hyun was downright sexy and alluring as king Lee Hwon. Smart, sardonic, sharp, romantic, sexy AND sensuous. How’s a girl not to swoon at all that awesome, right? ;D
I didn’t love Secretly Greatly either.. I didn’t enjoy the story much, and the ending was one of those WTH?!? ones that I hate. But it did give me a nice dose of badass Kim Soo Hyun, so I can’t hate on it too much. I DID see Kim Soo Hyun in Running Man – he was adorkable. Humble, respectful of his sunbaes, and epically inept at the RM tasks, HA. I really kinda wished he’d been awesome at completing the tasks, so that I could keep my badass image of him intact in my head! XD
I actually really, really like Dream High as a show. Kim Soo Hyun’s one of the reasons I like the show, yes, but there are lots of other reasons to like it, and I thoroughly enjoyed it the 2 times that I watched it. And I will probably watch it a 3rd time, to give it a review. If you like KSH, you might want to consider adding it to your list! ^^
^^ I want him more in varieties. I’ll put Dream High in my plan to watch list.
Well. I’m guessing that he might get invited on some variety shows after YFAS.. the show’s doing very well, and I’m sure the variety shows would want to ride on his popularity 🙂
And yay that you’re going to give Dream High a chance! It’s not a perfect show, but it’s well-paced and I really liked it! 😀
This is absolutely perfect! Such a lovely collection of photos…made me fall in love again with those dreamy eyes. How does he look good in everything?! Gosh I’m fan-girling so hard!
I first saw him in Dream High too and to be honest, I didn’t think much of him then, prob due to the ridiculous hair lol. He’s cute and that was all. I was probably one of the very few who was on the Taecyeon ship for Suzy haha. Only after watching The Moon Embraces the Sun did I realize I was so wrong (that intense, i’m-gonna-make-you-melt-with-my-eyes stare doe). In hindsight, I don’t know why I preferred Taecyeon over him. And now he’s just so awesome in My Love from Another Star. I read that he trained himself to become right-handed for the drama….that’s some dedication!
Thank you for the eye candy. I’m new to this blog so this is my first comment. Keep up the good work! hehe
Welcome to the blog, Cindy!! 😀 Yay that you enjoyed the photos! I did more, er, research today (heh) and found more goodies that I couldn’t resist adding to the post. So now there are 13 additional photos littered through the post – hope you likey! I particularly enjoy the additions to the Scruffy section, coz I enjoy scruffy KSH a lot ^.~ He IS very handsome, isn’t he?
My experience with Dream High was similar to yours, in the sense that I was rooting for Taecyeon most of the way. I was stunned when Hae Mi chose Sam Dong coz DH messed with all the familiar kdrama tropes that I’d gotten used to. But I definitely grew to appreciate KSH more and more as the show progressed. And you’re Spot On about KSH’s eyes in MoonSun!! It’s definitely the kind of gaze that burns right through you and melts you down to your knees. I just could NOT get enough of him in that show! I just wanted more intense sexy smolder from him; he was enough to make the show cracky for me. Ha. Yes, that’s definitely the fangirl in me taking over! XD
I LOVE his dedication to his craft. I read about that too, that he trained himself to be right-handed for YFAS. It’s just the sort of thing that he would do. Kinda like how he learned to sing and dance for Dream High. Respect, truly. ❤
Me likey indeed <3 This post shall be my go-to collection of goodies when I need my dose of KSH! Handsome is an understatement bahaha 😉
SO TRUE! I can look into those eyes all day long. So much charisma in those eyes and we haven't even gotten to the abs yet! I want him to be my lecturer haha, but then I would probably fail all my classes because I'm too busy drooling LOL.
That's why I admire him so much; he's not just a pretty face. He's detailed and puts so much thought in his every action. Giant is playing on my parents' Chinese channel (my mom is a fan of KSH too…i guess like mother, like daughter LOL) and I've been tuning in to see KSH…he was already turning up the charm back then as the teen character of the lead 😀
AHAHAHA!! Yes, I imagine keeping focused in class would be verrryyy tough with KSH as your lecturer!! XD You’d be too busy gazing and, er, appreciating the Pretty to think about much else! Maybe having him model for Art classes on the side would work better. Then you’d have legit reason to gaze. In detail ;D
Although I haven’t seen Giant myself (yet?) I can totally imagine him killing it even as a teen character. His talent and dedication are some of my favorite things about him. Along with the sexy smolder, of course 😉 Hee.
So good!! I’ve never actually seen anything that he’s been in, but I claim newbie drama watcher status to protect myself! However, once Man From Another Star wraps the hubby really wants to watch it. I tried to get him to live watch it, but he wanted to be able to watch more than one episode at a time hehehe. But, really even without having seen his work I can absolutely appreciate his yumminess!
LOL – I think it’s awesome that your husband watches with – at this point he has 10 episodes to watch to catch up…so maybe it’s enough to get him started. There is something fun about watching a show while it airs – mostly so you can talk with everyone else and enjoy the buzz of it all.
He is an adorable fanboy, though he wouldn’t appreciate that sentiment lol. Right now we’re watching My Girlfriend is a Gumiho (totally his choice) and he grumbles and scolds the people trying to break up his OTP. I’m watching I Need Romance 3 live and really-really enjoying it. If we finish Gumiho soon he wants to watch Man From The Stars or School 2013.
Lol. I LOVE My Girlfriend is a Gumiho – it’s one of the few I have on DVD. I remember laughing out loud so much with that drama (it’s also one of the better Hong Sisters dramas in my opinion). I also have a huge girl-crush on Shin Min Ah. Man from the Stars is pretty fabulous! It’s the first drama I’ve watched since August, and I am completely enjoying it!
The director of the action school and the aunt make me laugh so hard! But the whole show makes me giggle a lot, it has been totally fun to watch so far. I wouldn’t mine owning it on DVD for sure. My hubby’s first drama was The Master’s Sun, and he will forever love that one the most. He compares everything else we watch to it! But I’m liking Gumiho a whole lot. Shin Min Ah is absolutely gorgeous. I’ve read nothing but awesome reviews of Man from the Stars so I’m super excited to watch it whenever we get around to it.
I still need to get to Master’s Sun – it’s on my list for sure ^^ The first drama I ever watched was “My Name is Kim Samsoon” – hence the name of my blog, so it will always hold a special place in my heart – that and Hyun Bin 😉 I also really loved Shin Min Ah in “Arang and the Magistrate” which got plenty creepy sometimes, but was a nice drama.
The hubby still hasn’t gotten over his Kdrama hangover from Master’s Sun. I may have enjoyed it a whole lot more since it was the first drama that I got him to watch with me. But the truth is I thought it was super good. I enjoyed the whole show, but it was a fairly uncomplicated watch. Totally worth it though.
This is the second time today that Samsoon has been brought up in a conversation, I think I’ll have to watch it now! Oh and Arang and the Magistrate is on the list of possible shows to watch with the hubby!
My Name is Kim Samsoon is a pretty great drama. Super old school with plenty of tropes, but still well done. And Kim Sun Ah is just plain fabulous, and Hyun Bin will always be my k-drama crush because he was the first ❤
I have a list of about 8 older dramas that I want to watch this year, I’ve just added Samsoon to it so now I’ve got 9! It is fate to have it suggested to me twice in one day I can’t resist it!
ㅋㅋ Well I totally think it’s worth watching ^^
Lol. Yes, newbie drama watcher status does mitigate.. but we need to fix this situation soon, Jaime! Coz you really should see Kim Soo Hyun in something. These stills and MVs don’t quite do him justice. He’s a talented actor who’s serious about his craft. Plus, there are his smoldery gazes. Mmmph. Those will make you go melty, I tell ya. Verryy melty. And ain’t nuthin’ like a well-acted, well-delivered context to make those smoldery gazes take on added depth. If you can muster up the interest for MoonSun, you’ll totally see what I mean 😉 He rocks it too, in YFAS.. but it’s a different role and different persona, and therefore MoonSun still tips the balance for KSH sexy smolder ^.~
I know I totally do need to fix this! I actually watched the first episode of Dream High. And it is on my list of dramas that I do want to finish this year. So either I’ll be watching Dream High or the hubby and I will be watching Man from the Stars. Though now I want to watch him in Moon/Sun just for the smolder!
Oh you did watch a bit of Dream High! And it’s still on your list! Which means you didn’t hate it! 😀 KSH isn’t swoony in DH, but he’s very good, and so is the rest of the show – definitely a worthy watch imo.
And YFAS does seem to be holding up well – phew! And, YAY! – so that’s definitely worth checking out. As for MoonSun.. when you’re in the right mood, and if you can dial down expectations for a tight story, and can put up with some failed casting and underuse of actors, you will get to enjoy a gloriously sexy KSH. I know it’s a lot of “if”s, but the KSH sexy is worth it. In my swooned-out fangirl opinion, anyway ;D
Oh no I didn’t hate it, I just wasn’t in the right frame of mind for it. I thought the first episode was cute but I just couldn’t get into it. So I put it on hold for when I’m in the right frame of mind. Plus… now that I’ve seen a bit of KSH I might have to move it up on the list because he’s amazing! hah
Sometimes you’re in the mood to swoon and don’t care about plot or badly cast actors and I’m sure MoonSun will be a good choice for that!
Ooh! Very good move, Jaime!! Shelved like a drama veteran! ;D Coz mood is SO critical to the equation. When the right mood strikes, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it much more! KSH is great in it, but I enjoyed the show as a whole and liked the cast as a whole too, so there’s quite a lot of good stuff aside from the KSH awesome ^^
And absolutely, when you’re in the mood to swoon through a show without thinking too hard about stuff, MoonSun is your ticket. KSH was sooo sexy in that, I still swoon fondly at the memory, heh. 😉
Aww thanks! Yeah I watched the first episode, liked it, but it just wasn’t what I wanted so I just set it aside for now. I absolutely agree, mood is a huge factor in what you want and what you enjoy. If you pick up a melo and are not in the mood for a serious story then you’ll probably hate it.
MoonSun will probably be worth it because of his swoon worthy stare and sexiness hehe.
Absolutely MoonSun is worth it all for the KSH sexy! ;D
About mood and shows.. I SO believe in mood being a huge factor. And at the same time, I do sometimes find it a little hard to figure out whether it’s my lack of mood or my general lack of interest in a genre that affects my lack of engagement with a show. Right now, I’m more than halfway through my watch of Heartless City, which almost everyone in the dramaverse raved MADLY about, and I’m still not in love. I’m taking it slow, assuming it might be my mood. But after something like 14 episodes out of 20, I’m beginning to think maybe this just isn’t my kind of show.. 😛
Oh yeah I agree. Mood is a huge deal in how you experience a show. If the mood isn’t there or is opposite of the feel of the show it just won’t work. It can be hard to tell the difference, I’ve noticed that too. That is how it was for me with Goong S. I loved Goong so much that I was over the moon excited that there was a version two! But after each episode I was just meh and couldn’t feel it in the feels, so to speak. I let it go after getting through 10 episodes, it just wasn’t for me. I say put it on hold and try something else! Go back to it if the mood strikes or curiosity is too much about the ending 🙂
Wow. You got through 10 whole episodes of Goong S? I salute you. I couldn’t last 10 minutes. 😛 My love for Goong got in the way. Everything in Goong S felt like a cheap copy, and checking it out only drove me back to Goong XD
The funny thing for me about Heartless City is that I am cognitively interested in where the story is going. It doesn’t have me by the heart, though. So while I do want to carry on to see where it ends, I really wonder what the missing link is, coz practically everyone else in the dramaverse loved – like, really, really loved – this drama to bits. The only person who seems to have had an experience with Heartless City that’s more like mine is mawiie. So I guess at least I’m not alone, heh.
It was way before I had the strength of will to drop a drama. I picked it up as soon as I finished Goong and was squealing with fangirl excitement. But after about three episodes it was painful to watch. It was just all around bad. When I finished the 10th episode I finally threw my hands in the air and walked away. It was the first drama that I dropped completely. Looking back I’m shocked that I lasted so long.
If a drama doesn’t grab me by the heart then I have a really hard time wanting to invest the time into it. Even though the story might be interesting and well done, if I haven’t connected to the story on an emotional level then I don’t have that drive to keep watching.
Hahaha!! It’s ok.. I watched all of Dream High 2, which I really should’ve dropped. In my fangirl defence, Jung Jin Woon of 2AM was the one actor and character that I actually found interesting.
And it helped that the writers gave his character a penchant for sleeping shirtless and told us so almost rightaway in E1. Ha.
He kept me going to the end, but it was still an uphill battle. Lol.
LOL mmmm yeah his shirtless preference would have been a lot of fuel for the fangirl fire. I can see why you worked so hard to keep going with it!
Well, the shirtless penchant, as well as his singing and musical ability. He sang and played guitar, and that appealed to me too. And he had a decent range of expression; better than just about anyone else in that show, though that’s not saying much! XD All in all, still a turkey of a show. Jung Jin Woon was my silver lining though. A silver lining with a penchant for sleeping shirtless, HAHA. XD
Another wonderful fangirl appreciation post! Loaded with lovely and some smouldery images of this cherubic faced cutie. Thanks for posting the songs. He sings great. Somehow I remember catching a scene or 2 from Dream high, particularly when he sees his love interest kissing another guy in the elevator.
I’m watching “My Love from Another Star” right now too, and it’s my first time seeing KSH. I really enjoy is stoic and cold alienness and how he starts to show glimmers of emotion with the flickers in his eye or twitch of his jaw. Yes, I definitely appreciate the Man version more.
I was watching the 10th ep. last night and my sister came in during the intro and said “AWWW! Who’s that?? He’s so cute! Like a little boy.” hahaha. Then proceeded to go into this funny rant how Korean drama production values, clothes, actors, etc are a million times better than cheesy American soaps with their cheap opening credits of faces in circles and lousy filming and all that. She knows better now that K-dramas are far far beyond soap operas it’s not even funny.
My sister is a lot more considerate when it comes to my drama escapades than my parents. My mom thinks, “Oh yes, they might be interesting” (she isn’t really into television and movies though so I don’t take offense) but she compares them to soap operas SO. MUCH.
My dad, on the other hand, is just like “You and your Asian stuff” *shakes head in disapproval*
LOL@ your dad. Some people just don’t understand…until they do and they get sucked into it. My sis who made the soap opera comment was one. I think the quality of the dramas and the powerful acting shocked her. She loved it.
My sister has watched a few Japanese dramas but she’s not that into them. My dad just doesn’t understand why I like anything that’s not American. I usually respond with: “Well, you like German cars. I’m trying to expand my cultural knowledge!” He then repeats himself and shakes his head some more. OTL
I am going to get my mom into dramas. Even if it kills me. She will be converted and will love them! She will!
OTL
Aw, YAY that you enjoyed the post, Lady G!! 😀 Isn’t it the darndest thing, that such a cherubic cutie has so much inner smolder?? It’s his eyes. They have so much burn in them. Plus he’s got such full, luscious lips. Rawr. ❤
He does manage the singing very decently, doesn’t he?? I mean, you could almost believe that he’s a singer, except that we know that acting is way more his thing than the singing. Dream High is an enjoyable, cracky watch if you don’t mind high school &/or kpop. Plus Kim Soo Hyun is excellent in it ^^
And he IS rocking it in YFAS! It’s subtly played, but he definitely does imbue Do Min Joon with emotions and layers beneath the stoic surface. He’s also got the stuffy ahjusshi bit down pat, and I love the dissonance of stuffy-ahjusshi-in-body-of-hot-young-man, hee. I’m thinking that they made him look more boyish on purpose, to play up that irony.. The other pix I’ve seen of him show off more of the Man about him, and I really dig that look on him. Mrawr ^.~
Also, I love how well you’ve educated your sister about the merits of kdrama! She’s so right; the production values, clothes, actors etc are WAYYY better than other available stuff. And for me, that includes all other Asian dramas too. I’ve seen some TW, HK, & Singapore dramas, and even peeked at some Thai dramas, and the kdramas are way in the lead, imo. ^^
I’m so excited for the rest of Love from another star! Though the whole murder subplot is a bit draggy. Someone made a very interesting comment, that the the killer may be an alien himself or possessed by one. It was a cool concept. It would make a fine twist.
Ooh. I hadn’t thought of that! That WOULD make for quite a great twist! I do wonder about Evil Bro and what makes him tick. Like, whether he’s a meaningful character or a 2D OTT villain. I did find the murder subplot a bit draggy at points, but once the stakes were upped to include both sides of our OTP, I felt quite invested and therefore not bored with the murder subplot. If that makes sense 😛
I hope there’s a meaningful explanation for the brother’s madness. But it happens that some people are just evil to be evil. I feel bad for good bro though. Once it’s all said and done he’s going to be shamed to death, then nobly step back from pursuing her. He wouldn’t want to drag her down in all that horrible business. Since she’s already being traumatized by it. At least, those are my thoughts. Yes, I am invested in this drama, that’s what i meant to say, draggy at points. Not the entire thing.
That’s true. Many kdrama villains don’t come with meaningful backstories. They’re just evil, coz they.. are. But yes, hopefully in this case we’ll get an interesting – or at least convincing – reason for Evil Bro’s crazy. You’re right, Good Bro is probably going to feel terrible once he fully understands what Evil Bro’s been up to.
As for pursuing Song Yi, I think he’s resigned to the fact that she doesn’t reciprocate his feelings. It almost feels like he’s hanging around her out of habit. At this point I don’t think he actually thinks he stands the shadow of a chance with her. I think. ^^
Oddly enough Dream High is where I dropped off the KSH bandwagon and haven’t felt the slightest interest in climbing back on. 🙂 Mine is an unpopular opinion, I know but to me he is firmly in the ‘pretty young thing with potential’ category and nothing I’ve seen of him since DH has managed to change my view. Maybe it’s because I’m old, and I mean OLD, I don’t think he’s particularly hot either (and nope, no amount of angsty showerscenes will help as nekkidness does not equal hotness in my book). I’ve noticed many times before that my taste in men just doesn’t seem to align with the majority. 😀
Y’know, as I was writing up this post, I thought of you, Timescout!! 😀 I was thinking, this is one post where you will SO disagree..! LOL! See, I do kinda know your taste! ;D
Also, in Kim Soo Hyun’s defence (and mine), it’s not so much his nekkidness that strikes me as sexy.. It’s his meaningful, smoldering gaze that gets me and makes me go Oof. And then makes me go THUD. Hee. If I had to distill just one thing that makes him sexy and alluring it’s that – his gaze. ❤
LOL! You do know me.
Oh, he does have very pretty eyes, no arguing there, but that’s as far as it goes. No smoldering in my eyes and I did look, I swear….. ;P I’ve given this some thought and it all boils down to this – I see him as too much of a child and I don’t find kids hot nor sexy. Besides he doesn’t seem to have that certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ that e.g. Sung Joon has a plenty. Oh well, different strokes for different people. There’s no arguing with taste. That’s my motto and I’ll stick to it. 🙂
Nope, there’s no arguing with taste! 😀 AND!!! I do love Sung Joon!! There IS something about Sung Joon that I find very alluring and sexy. He’s going to be in a k-love post at some point, I can just feel it! Most likely if – I mean when! WHEN! – INR3 goes well, coz I’m sure I’ll be swooned into a puddle and wanting to talk about him, hee. And then we’ll have a post where we agree again, wheee!! 😀 Not that I don’t enjoy chatting with you when we DISagree, but it’s just extra fun when we do! ^^
Yeah, it is lovely when tastes align but it’s a given that there will be divergences of roads every once in a while. That’s just fine and dandy, as it should be. 🙂 It’s just sad how often having a different opinion results in all sorts of nasty things.
Oh, INR3 has had a very good start. I’m just hoping they don’t go and ruin it later on. I haven’t watched the latest epis yet though as I spent most of this week in bed with high fever. This is the 2nd day I’ve been able to be up for more than just quick trips to the loo or to grab something to eat. Being ill sucks but at least I was able to catch up on my sleep. Silver linings and all that….. 😉
Aw. It sucks to be ill, and it sounds like you were flat out with a major bug! >.< I hope that you're all better now? Do take it easy, Timescout! Rest up in bed and take some kdrama with you ^^ Hopefully that will help you feel better faster!
I've heard the generally positive reactions to INR3, so that's a good sign! I really want this to be better than the first 2 instalments. I didn't care much for those, and in fact found them both rather aggravating. I was SO going to steer clear of INR3, but then it's Sung Joon. Whom I really, really like. So I guess I'm going to end up checking this out one way or the other. Unless it gets a reputation for sucking bad. Which it won't. *crosses fingers*
And yes, I so agree about having a different opinion not needing to result in nasty fan wars. I heard about the unpleasantness that grew among the various R1994 camps as the show aired, and that just feels so uncalled for, to me. We're allowed to have different opinions and – just as importantly! – different tastes in men, after all! ^^
All better now, thank you. I’m already back to work too. 🙂 Yup, it was a rather sudden bout of fever, some sort of respiratory ailment. Sunday I was still fine and then on Monday I barely made it back home from work, I was shivering so badly.
I did manage to catch up with most of my dramas during the weekend as I was told to take it easy. ;D I’m forever miffed that Can We Love turned out to be pretty crap plotwise (and with really badly constructed female chars) as UhmForce is in such a fine form there. OMG! He looks so, SO good too! Had to make a somewhat ranty post about it to get rid of the bad taste and disappointment. 🙂
INR3 has a slightly different vibe from the other two and I really like all of the characters, which certainly wasn’t the case with the others. No love triangles/squares/pentagons/whatnot either. \o/
Oh, YAY that you’re all better, Timescout!! 😀 It’s always a downer to feel unwell, but it sounds like you’ve not only kicked the bug completely, but gotten in some serious drama time while you were doing it! Very productive stuff ^.~
Bummer that Can We Love turned out badly.. but it sounds like INR3 is trotting along quite nicely, so that’s definitely a bit of a silver lining! ^^
Well, there was a sort of a game changer in ep 5-6 of INR3 so I’m now considering sitting the drama out to see how it goes. We’ll see….