I feel like in every historical Lee Joong Ki was in he had had the show stolen from the second roles. Like in Arang it was the shaman, the grim reaper, that guy with his evil mistress, even the ancestral ghosts that only have one scene were more interesting than the main characters. In Iljimae it was Iljimae’s parents. Etc etc.
Special mention to Moon Embracing the Sun, where the young actors of the first half completely steal the show from the adult actors of the later half.

Great list, kfg. I thought you missed someone but then, before I got to the end – there they were!
I would only add Kim Sung oh to this list without naming any drama in particular because he’s stolenn the show on every one that he’s been in.
On second thought, I will name a few:
– His quirky, loveable secretary in Secret Garden.
– When a Man Loves – His domestic mobster with a loyal heart of gold who makes housework look like every woman’s fantasy even though he’s batsh*t crazy and his loyalty to Song Seung heon causes him to even try to murder the female half of the OTP.
– Inspiring Generation – sexy no-good mobster loves good girl and sacrifices everything to do the right thing on the end.
– Fashion King (the movie) flamboyant gay fashion designer mentor.
– My Phone Sex Partner – the only true laugh -’til-you-guffaw moments in this romantic comedy is when he’s on screen.
– Warm and Cozy – the only interesting thing in the entire snooze fest.
– Doorlock (movie) he saves the heroine and the movie

Hi K. I so plague you with endless such questions, I was taken quite aback to find you responding to this one, especially as its subject is someone from drama outside Asian drama. But hey, thanks, and I hope it has gotten folks thinking about this, as for myself, maybe cause I am an old fella and fantasizing about these young leads in their otp’s seems…um…a bit unseemly, even to me, I have to say one of the things I love most about K Drama is the character actors, on up to the second and third leads. Tell me Shin Goo or Lee Jung Eun is gonna be inna show, I will most certainly watch it. Sung Dong Il, yes indeed! Everyone here with whom I shared that wonderful group watch you hosted on Chuno knows good and well just how much Team Ji Ho I was rocking from the get go. Go Doo Shim (forget mom in My Mister, and go straight to Dear My Friends, unforgettable and all those hats!); and speaking of Dear My Friends, I will watch too anything I see with Na Moon Hee in it, and heck I enjoyed the heck out of Park Jae Joon in My Mister and Misaeng probably more than the lead he turned in on The World of the Married. And distinctly on and on.

But Michael K Williams as Omar in The Wire was something else again. He was great in other shows as well. His turn as Chalky White, the black Atlantic city depression era bootlegger trying to survive amongst the white political and gangster power players in Boardwalk Empire, by virtue of his street wise handle on both the black and white communities, the family patriarch with a morality starkly in contrast to what his gangsterism led him to perform, his meanness of temper, and then in the end the tossing it all away, wife, family, fortune, role in the gangster hierarchy for the love of a beautiful young singer half his age–just terrific, amazing! Or how as an older actor playing a prison wise old tough floor boss prisoners calling the shots among the prisoners, gangs, and guards alike, he gives the keys to the acting kingdom in a bit of egoless acting support of Riz Ahmed’s star making performance in the HBO Drama “The Night Of…” in which Ahmed plays a young, poor, naive Palestinian student living with his parents in New who gets caught up in the murder of a young woman who invites him into her house for a wild night of wild drugs and wilder sex, and is jailed, kept there for months, becoming hardened as a result, waiting for the trial in which he has been falsely accused of her murder, all the circumstantial evidence pointing against him. Williams died in his fifties, a tragic drug od, universally acclaimed by his colleagues as a great and gentle soul who gave his all to every role he had been given.
But Omar was something else. The Wire, for those of you unfamiliar with it, took the old tv police procedural format and used it to thoroughly explore the tragedy of the drug trade in the black communities of Baltimore, Md, looking at the gangs and the drug trade, the policing, the politics of city hall, the school systems, the white harbor longshoreman working class, and the fading and failing newspaper business. Thrown into to that world was this man, probably late twenties, early thirties, who cut quite the striking figure black doo rag, black long coat, black pants, his long black face with a knife scar running from forehead almost down to his mouth, always sporting a signature sawed off shot gun, making his living ripping off at shotgun point the toughest gangs for their ill gotten loot derived from largely addicting most of their neighborhoods with heroin, the badder the gang, the badder the gang leader–hey he was Omar, come and get him if you can. The strut, the bravado, and yet the tenderness with which he held the men he shared a bed with, the moral code of his own making by which he lived–an irresistable force of charisma. As I noted elsewhere below, the thing is with Williams and Omar, at first he was meant to be a secondary character in the show, but Williams put so much into his performance that by the third season…well, and since, all you have to say to anyone who watched The Wire is “Omar’s Coming…” and hey-yo… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmtuRRhtGQw

When I think of Williams and Omar, despite loving Song Dong Il in Chuno, unlike the The Wire in which Omar takes over, there is no question Chuno is the tragedy of the magnificent Dae Gil, however much I love Ji Ho. Show is distinctly Jang Hyuk’s. And while it is true Jang Hyuk in a supporting role owns My Country, show itself was nothing to write home about, far inferior to other Joseon origin story depictions, with a rather meh pair of young leads. Williams in The Wire is playing with several actors that have gone on to pretty big time careers as both lead and support actors in prestigious productions. If My Country were half of Six Flying Dragons, one might consider Jang Hyuk’s breathtaking performance in the same way I and so many view Omar.
On this list, I would probably say Oh Jung Se in It’s Okay to Be Okay, comes closest. Unlike Williams he has performed previously and been given kudos for his performances, but without a doubt, Sang Te, whom I do not really believe in show’s original conception was meant to be the force he became over the course of it, was/is/has been both an iconic character and a starmaking turn for the actor.

As I noted with Snow Flower, who quite correctly lists Kim Nam Gil for his haunted and haunting performance in Queen Seondeok, it strikes me that Go Hyun Jung’s Mishil–to repeat myself, THE greatest single sageuk villain ever–comes even closer as she so took over the show from the actual lead performers that some folks thought the show itself should have been titled, Mishil. But Go Hyun Jung was a star, lead actor going in. Her performance in what had been the biggest show in K Drama history to date, the mid 90’s blockbuster Sandglass had been nothing short of gobsmackingly great, even if her Mishil was even better.

I do think Yoo Yeon Seok as Goo Dong Mae did exactly what Williams did in The Wire as an actor playing in a highly well reviewed series with an extraordinary cast, including lead actors (Lee Byung Hun is an actor with an international reputation, an incredible range of lead roles under his belt, and phenomenal acting chops) with big reputations, character actors with resumes down to their legs. And as Snow Flower points out, Byun Yo Han is pretty darn phenomenal himself–Six Flying Dragons, Misaeng, Mr. Sunshine–the fella has range and the singular ability to grow as a character over the course of several episodes. And Kim Min Jung, albeit one has to take three showers after watching a single episode, pretty much walks away with several episodes in this year’s Devil Judge (she is much, much better, however in Mr. Sunshine, far more 3 dimensional). But again Yoo Yeon Seok came to Mr. Sunshine with a resume of his own.

Hey thanks K. Character actors, my cuppa tea. Sorry I am so late to this. Just been a couple of days since I could sit at a computer long enough for such a post. You are grand as always, and apologies for not being able yet to keep up.

I absolutely agree with Prince Yu! My fave character in NIF.

As others have mentioned, Choi Si-won in She Was Pretty was a scene-stealer for sure, much more so than the boring ML.

I’m also going to add Cho Seung-woo in Life to this list. Somehow he becomes like the ML even though he’s not! Such an interesting character.

Before this post, I had zero interest in watching Flower Boys Next Door, but they got me just for having a character named “insomniac editor”, not to mention having her played by Kim Seul-gi….

For CLOY, I would have pegged scenes stolen by second leads Seo Ji-hye and Kim Jung-hyun, but then it occurred to me that that might be a category unto itself – second leads that outshine the main leads. A discussion with the good and bad examples of second leads – ones we love and then ones that we hate – would be fun.

And speaking of Seo Ji-hye, anyone watching Dr. Brain? I have a semi-open slot and it’s only on once a week, so I might try it out for the team since we have Apple TV for other things. Also because Lee Sun-kyung (also a scene stealer! Coffee Prince!)

Lee Sung Min as Manager Oh Shang Shik in Misaeng! So layered, started as the typical burnt out, gruff salaryman and then evolved and grew into the wonderful boss who has your back. Loved his sometimes awesome, sometimes childish attempts to stand up for the bullied young newbies.

Agree with the mentions for:

• Song Yoon Ah in The K2
• The soldier boys and the wiretapper (can’t believe how so youthful he looks!) in CLOY
• Lee Se Young as our rotting zombie AND One in Hwayugi (as the idle grandson of the absent shopkeeper; also in Arthdal Chronicles as the young Tagon)
• Kang Ha Na in My Roommate is a Gumiho (she truly made this watch worthwhile)
• Kim Nam Gil as Bidam in Queen Seondeok
• Oh Jung Se – haven’t watched IOTNBO but yes to him in When the Camellia Blooms

For those not yet mentioned…

I have huge soft spots for these actors who were riveting and/or truly brightened up my watch in the few times they played as supporting leads:
Shin Sung Rok as the main baddie in My Love from the Star and I’m not yet sure as what in Vagabond (I’ve just started it). Let me just add that I loved his time-crossing thriller drama, Kairos, with Lee Se Young.
Son Ho Jun in My Secret Terrius and in Radiant/Dazzling
Lee Yi Kyung in Welcome to Waikiki and one episode of Hotel del Luna
Jung Hae In in While You Were Sleeping
Ma Deong Suk in the movies Along with the Gods and Train to Busan
Jo Jung Suk as a guest mermaid in Legend of the Blue Sea (people also sing praises for his The King 2Hearts supporting role)

Not exactly stole the show but yes to the scenes they’re in:
Oh Dae Wan as the detective in Room No. 9. This was an uneven watch but I rooted for him every time, especially with Kim Hee Sun. So much so that I ended up not hating him in his smaller role as a despicable loanshark in Marriage Contract.
Ji Soo in his early roles in Angry Mom, Doctors, and Moon Lovers

Absolutely, completely for:
Choi Min Soo in his one episode guesting in Faith (aka The Great Doctor). I LOVE Faith and this is my favorite work of Lee Min Ho as a romantic lead but the difference in acting and charisma was truly noticeable in that episode. Ryu Deok Hwan was also fantastic as the insecure King Gongmin.
Cha Seung Won as a slightly unhinged arsonist in Libera Me and as a bad guy with “principles” in the more recent Night in Paradise.
Hwang In Yeop in the high school drama True Beauty. It reminds me somewhat of Lee Jun Ki’s supporting role 15 years earlier in My Girl.
Oh, also Won Bin as the second lead in the old melodrama Autumn in My Heart

Probably the most dramatic example I’ve seen of a character showing up midway through and taking over a show was Kim Nam Gil’s Bidam in Queen Seondeok. Obviously he was intended to be important from the beginning, but I thing the writers had no idea just how just popular he was going to be, and you could see them suddenly reworking plot lines to accommodate it. As far as more traditional secondary characters go, I totally agree on Hacker Ahjumma, and I also loved Kim Mi Kyung as a bad ass cop in the screenwriter’s earlier Story of a Man (Park Ki Woong also does some serious scene stealing in that one as well). Other favorite side characters include Bae Soo Bin in both Jumong and Painter of the Wind, Han Ye Ri in Six Flying Dragons, and Lee Sang Yeob’s incredibly creepy serial killer in Signal.

Please do not call Oh Jung Se a supporting actor. It’s Okey … had three leads and he was one of them! I am tired of people minimizing his role in this show.

Isnt Joon Hyuk Lee pretty much a scene stealer for whatever Show he might appear and delight us ?

I want to add another recent comedic duo ! Joon Hyuk Lee and Shin Dong Mi in Bossam always lit up the screen in their scenes together. How could we do without Court Lady Jo and Chun Bae ?!!!!

Great list, kfangurl! Yes, yes and, er, yes to all these. Jang Hyuk’s Yi Bangwon (plus fan) is incredibly scene-stealing to the point it’s almost embarrassing to the rest of them 😍 and Kim Kyung Nam really was compelling in Eternal Monarch. Ah, I have a feeling Sung Dong-il steals every drama he’s in… You may be interested to know I’m watching Coffee Prince for the first time and, woah, Gong Yoo has not aged! Am smitten by Yoon Eun-hye 🤩

So I’d maybe add into the mix Song Yoon-ah in the pretty shaky K2, Lee Se-young in A Korean Odyssey (who makes just about the most scene-stealing adorable zombie ever), all the child actors in The Moon that Embraces the Sun… In fact, child actors often outshine the main cast 😊

Yes, great list – and a number of women among them! In addition, I felt the two monks in Vincenzo were in an inscrutable, unpredictable category of their own.

I love your list, and would only add Gu Dong Mae (Yeo Yeon Seok) in Mr Sunshine. His tortured villain was so and captivating, I was more interested in him than Eugene Choi actually, haha. A lot of his scenes with Ae Shin were electrifying despite honestly nothing much happening, just through the power of his longing… I still remember his performance though it’s been a while. What a change from the nice Chilbongie!

I can totally agree on Thirty but seventeen, Healer and It’s okay not to be okay.
I haven’t seen Nirvana in Fire, white christmas and chuno.
But the other characters listed are just meeeh. Even a bit annoying… but that is why tastes differ ^^

Great list! I would also add Byung-Hee from Shut Up Flower Boy Band. Such a magnetic character. He’s honestly the thing I remember most about the show though he wasn’t in much of it.

And speaking of Chuno, there is also Seol Hwa! Kim Ha Eun plays the street smart entertainer with just the right mix of spunk, cynicism, and sadness. Her scenes with Jang Hyuk made my heart cry…

I was just going to say Kim Kyung Nam and Lee Soo Kyung from Where Stars Land and was affirmed to see them on your list lol! Honestly wouldn’t have minded if their storylines were a bigger part of the show and I loved them more than the main leads. Kim Seul Gi in Oh My Ghost probably doesn’t really count because her character is so central to the story, but I’m just waiting for her to have a lead in a standard length drama (rom-com with Kang Ha Neul???)

Choi Si-won (Siwon) as Kim Shin-hyuk in “She was pretty”.

I thought Park Seo-joon’s acting made the ML too mean and too bland at the same time, while Siwon’s warmth and humor made his character just about perfect. I really hoped he’d win the FL over.

@KFG – Park Gyu Young & Kang Ki Doong in Romance is a Bonus Book. Total scene stealers every time! PGY when she says “oh My Baby” about her purse 🤣🤣🤣 Every time I see that scene I laugh! She has excellent comedic timing and so does he! Love them 🥰

“I’m Cheon Ji Ho!!!”

A great list, KFG.

Woo Do Hwan gave a scene-stealing performance in Save Me.