BE writes:
Recently in the US the great, great American television serial character actor Michael Kenneth Williams died (insofar as I can tell of a drug overdose, though the facts have been slow in coming) at the age of 54.
Just a flat out brilliant actor, Williams has had three especially memorable roles in HBO series.
But one especially stands out, the role of Omar, a kind of lone ronin bad ass, who lived out of his own moral code as a gay, shotgun carrying thief who stole from drug dealing gangs to make his living on the streets of Baltimore during the late nineties, in The Wire, a 5 season series that critics, and I as a watcher of television series, universally have acclaimed as one of the greatest if not the greatest such series ever produced.
While show features a large ensemble, and it would be hard to pin point any single actor as lead, therefore, Williams’ Omar was distinctly a support character, albeit imo the greatest antihero ever filmed.
It is hard to over emphasize what a signature role Williams enacted, except to say in the wake of his death, the outpouring of grief in response, focused in elaborate, admiring, and loving detail in large part upon his role as Omar, his superlative and unforgettable performance, and how its impact upon American culture has been universal.
I cannot myself remember any actor in film or serial drama in a supporting role so iconic; that is, in a drama so universally praised, a supporting character being universally its most memorable. I wonder if in K drama you can think of any equivalent kind of performance?
Ok.. Here’s what I know..
Dear BE,
I’m sorry to say that I’m not familiar with the work of Michael Kenneth Williams, but it sounds like he was an amazing actor.
In terms of an Asian drama equivalent, I’m not sure if there is a drama that is universally praised, to be honest, since even the most well-regarded shows have their fair share of detractors.
However, I’ve done my best to highlight what I feel are very memorable performances by supporting actors.
No lie; the more I thought about this topic, the more fantastic supporting actors with scene-stealing performances came to mind. Plus, there are lots of dramas that I have not seen myself as well, so if you have other great show-stealing performances to highlight, do share them in the comments!
SHOW-STEALING SUPPORTING CHARACTERS: MY TOP PICKS
These are my top picks, which I think might be closest to what BE is looking for, in terms an iconic performance by a supporting actor.
Chuno
Song Dong Il as Cheon Ji Ho
This might be the closest to what BE is looking for, I think, in terms of an iconic performance by a supporting actor, in a universally well-regarded drama.
Honestly, if you’ve seen Chuno, you wouldn’t soon forget Song Dong Il’s turn as the inimitable Cheon Ji Ho. From his blustery idiosyncrasies to the deep pathos that he manages to express through it all, Cheon Ji Ho managed to steal pretty much every scene he was in.
Review is here, Open Threads are listed here.
Nirvana In Fire [China]
Ding Yong Hai as the Emperor
Nirvana in Fire is one of the best dramas I’ve seen, and the Emperor is a very memorable supporting character, thanks in large part to how Ding Yong Hai plays him.
He’s layered and complex, and Ding Yong Hai infuses him with so much personality and nuance that I found the Emperor quite fascinating, despite not being a lead character.
Victor Huang as Prince Yu
Prince Yu is also a very memorable supporting character, in a show where there are multiple memorable characters, and this is also thanks in large part to Victor Huang’s portrayal of him.
I’ve heard it said, that viewers going in blind to this show, were actually surprised to learn that Prince Yu wasn’t the main lead. That’s how much Victor Huang commanded the screen.
Flash Review is here, Open Threads are listed here.
Warrior Baek Dong Soo
Choi Min Soo as Sky Lord
Ahh. Warrior Baek Dong Soo is, objectively speaking, a mess of a show, honestly. There is so much that doesn’t make sense in this one, and yet, it manages to be an absorbing watch, with the right lens.
Choi Min Soo gives us THE most memorable performance of the entire show, with his rendition of Sky Lord, who’s complicated, compelling and also, apparently a little crazy, too.
The intensity that Choi Min Soo delivers as Sky Lord, particularly in some of the more emotional scenes, is nothing short of arresting. I’d even say that Choi Min Soo’s performance is strong enough all on its own, to warrant a look at this show.
Review is here.
My Country
Jang Hyuk as Yi Bang Won
I kind of feel like the makers of this drama expected Jang Hyuk to steal the show. After all, you can’t cast a powerhouse like Jang Hyuk, and expect him not to outshine his younger, less experienced colleagues, who are the actual leads of the drama, right?
Jang Hyuk’s Yi Bang Won – along with his fan! – stole every single scene he was in, and made me root for a morally ambiguous character, all by the power of his charisma and intensity.
Your interest in the main characters may vary, but it’s pretty much universally agreed that Jang Hyuk in this, is nothing short of spectacular.
Review is here.
It’s Okay To Not Be Okay
Oh Jung Se as Sang Tae
I really enjoyed It’s Okay To Not Be Okay as a whole, but Oh Jung Se is so flippin’ fantastic as Sang Tae, that he deserves an award. Oh Jung Se literally melts into the character of Sang Tae, so much so that I could easily believe that this was a person with actual developmental challenges, on my screen.
Oh Jung Se’s performance is so nuanced, so detailed, and so heartfelt – plus he makes it all look so natural and effortless too. Deserving of a standing ovation, truly.
Review is here.
OTHER SHOW- OR SCENE-STEALING SUPPORTING CHARACTERS
Here’s a sampling of other performances by supporting actors which I found very enjoyable. Some of these performances stole the whole show for me, while others don’t quite steal the show – but absolutely steal the scenes in which they appear.
All good stuff, which I wanted to give the quick spotlight to.
Crash Landing On You
Yang Kyung Won, Lee Sin Young, Yoo Su Bin and Tang Joon Sang as Captain Ri’s Puppies
Eee!! Captain Ri’s brood of soldier puppies were a personal favorite of mine, during my watch of the show. I just love how they pulled more than their weight in entertainment value, and essentially stole every scene they were in.
My favorites are Yang Kyung Won and Yoo Su Bin, but the Puppies together was always a highlight.
Kim Young Min as Man Bok
In a show with such a sprawling cast, I thought Kim Young Min really stands out as Man Bok, the conflicted wire-tapping officer.
He honestly doesn’t have a lot of screen time or dialogue to work with, but his arc, of struggling to reconcile his duties with his personal values, was so poignant to watch. Big kudos to Kim Young Min, for knocking it out of the park.
Jang So Yeon, Kim Jung Nan, Kim Sun Young and Cha Chung Hwa as the Village Ahjummas
The Village Ahjummas are like Se Ri’s equivalent of Captain Ri’s Puppies. I love their boisterous, gossipy, ultimately warm concern. They were a true highlight of my watch, too.
Review is here.
Flower Boy Next Door
Kim Seul Gi as the insomniac editor
It’s been years since I watched this show, and yet, I can’t forget Kim Seul Gi as our insomniac editor with the gigantic dark circles. 🤩
Kim Seul Gi doesn’t have a lot of screen time in this show, but she makes every second count. I still love Insomniac Editor to this day – and she’s such a small supporting character too!
Review is here.
Healer
Kim Mi Kyung as Ahjumma
To be clear, I don’t think Ahjumma stole the entire show, because I have serious heart-eyes for Healer himself, as well as the main loveline.
But, I also have Big Love for Ahjumma, who is the coolest, gimbap-rolling, sweater-knitting hacker that a night courier could ever ask for. Kim Mi Kyung is fantastically deadpan and droll in this, and I would love for Ahjumma to have her own spin-off series – is how much I love her. 😍
Review is here.
Her Private Life
Kim Sun Young as Eom So Hye
I loved Kim Sun Young’s outing as the eccentric art gallery owner Eom So Hye. She manages to make So Hye terrible, yet entertaining; theatrical, yet not cringey. That’s skillz, and Kim Sun Young seems to manage it all so effortlessly.
I loved the main romance in this (Ryan Gold! 😍), but Kim Sun Young as Eom So Hye was definitely a personal highlight as well.
Review is here.
Hotel Del Luna
Lee Do Hyun as the Captain
Lee Do Hyun literally stole the entire show for me, as the Captain who has a history with IU’s Man Wol. He doesn’t have a lot of screen time in this, but his Captain is the whole reason that I stayed with this one till the end.
Lee Do Hyun does SO well with what he’s given, that I might have heart-eyes for the Captain forever. 😍
Review is here.
Mr. Queen
Cha Chung Hwa as Court Lady Choi
To be clear, Cha Chung Hwa didn’t steal the entire show for me, because I freaking love both Kim Jung Hyun and Shin Hye Sun in this.
But, Cha Chung Hwa does capably steal just about every scene she appears in, and I have SUCH a soft spot for Court Lady Choi. Her wail of, “Mamaaa~” is such a great signature. 😂
Review is here.
My Roommate is a Gumiho
Kang Han Na as Hye Sun
While I very much enjoyed both Jang Ki Yong and Hyeri in this show, I have to say that I genuinely perked up every time Kang Han Na came on my screen as our ditzy bombshell of a sexy ex-gumiho.
Who knew, that Kang Han Na could play an endearingly vacuous character so well? 🤩
Review is here.
Oh Hae Young Again
Ye Ji Won as Park Soo Kyung
Ye Ji Won’s almost always a scene stealer, and I find her outing as Park Soo Kyung particularly memorable. Soo Kyung is theatrical and more than a little bizarre, and yet, at the same time, Ye Ji Won gives us all these glimpses into her inner pathos as well. Really excellent.
Review is here.
Scholar Who Walks The Night
Lee Soo Hyuk as Gwi
I don’t think this is a very good show at all, but I have to admit that Lee Soo Hyuk’s outing as Gwi, our bad, very bad, sexy vampire with a smooth drawl, and a penchant for shirtlessness, was a bright spot in an otherwise underwhelming drama.
Flash Review is here.
Search: WWW
Lee Da Hee as Cha Hyun
Oh my gosh. I LOVE Lee Da Hee as Cha Hyun. She’s so many things at the same time – ambitious, outspoken, prickly, loyal, heartfelt, sweet, and fangirly – and Lee Da Hee makes all of those facets work so well together, without ever making Cha Hyun look like she has a multiple personality disorder.
Cha Hyun is so amazing that she deserves her own show, is what. 🤩
Review is here.
Squid Game
Gong Yoo as Train Man
I’m throwing this in here, because Gong Yoo!! 😍😍 And also, while Train Man is more of a cameo than anything else, he does technically qualify as a supporting character.
And everyone who’s seen Squid Game is talking about Gong Yoo as Train Man, so that qualifies as stealing the show, I think? 😉
Review is here.
Sungkyunkwan Scandal
Song Joong Ki and Yoo Ah In as Yeorim and Crazy Horse
I loved Sungkyunkwan Scandal both times that I watched it, but I have to say that objectively speaking, the main loveline does lean a little.. understated.
It’s honestly the bromance between Song Joong Ki‘s delightfully flirty Yeo Rim and Yoo Ah In‘s broody-angsty Crazy Horse that steals the show. There’s arguably more intensity in this bromance, than in the main loveline – and I’m not even exaggerating.
Review is here.
Sweet Home
Kim Nam Hee as the Swordsman
Without going into spoiler territory, I just wanted to say that Kim Nam Hee launched a surprise attack on my heart as supporting character the Swordsman in our story, and I think I just might have come away from the show, liking his character the most.
Flash Review is here.
The King: Eternal Monarch
Kim Kyung Nam as Kang Shin Jae
If you’ve been around the blog for a while, you’d probably know that I was mostly quite underwhelmed by this show. The writing, the OTP, the general handling; there was just something about all of that, that didn’t really work for me.
BUT, Kim Kyung Nam as Shin Jae was my one consistent bright spot, during my watch. I loved Shin Jae, and cared so much, about what happened to his character. I think a lot of the credit goes to Kim Kyung Nam, for his heartfelt, nuanced interpretation of Shin Jae as a character.
Review is here.
The Secret Life Of My Secretary
Kim Jae Kyung as Veronica Park
How could I forget the iconic Veronica Park?!? 🤩
Kim Jae Kyung gives SUCH a memorable performance as Veronica Park. Kim Jae Kyung makes her OTT, vain and self-centered, and yet, also manages to make Veronica funny, adorable and all-around awesome. That’s quite a feat, in my opinion.
Major props to Kim Jae Kyung for giving us an unforgettable character, with what looks like not very much effort at all.
Review is here.
The Uncanny Counter
Lee Hong Nae as Ji Cheong Sin
I loved this show and our main crew a great deal, but I have to admit that Lee Hong Nae is unforgettable as Ji Cheong Sin. Every time Lee Hong Nae showed up as Ji Cheong Sin, he commanded the screen, and I found him compelling from beginning to end.
Review is here.
Thirty But Seventeen
Ahn Hyo Seop as Chan
Ahh, I loved Ahn Hyo Seop as Chan. Such a wholesome, pure and altogether endearing character. This screenshot of Chan holding a chick, pretty much epitomizes the kind of caring (albeit simpleminded) person Chan is.
In a show with a reasonably sprawling cast, I find that I have a specially big soft spot for Chan, and that has a lot to do with the wide-eyed, guileless way that Ahn Hyo Seop plays him.
Review is here.
Where Stars Land
Kim Kyung Nam and Lee Soo Kyung as the Security Couple
In all honesty, I don’t think this is a great show. BUT. Kim Kyung Nam and Lee Soo Kyung stole my heart as the very awkward, very adorable Security Couple. I wouldn’t hesitate to say that together, they formed the single brightest silver lining to my watch experience.
Review is here.
White Christmas
Kim Woo Bin as Mi Reu
In a drama world that’s populated with lanky, tall model types, Kim Woo Bin still manages to steal the show, even though his character Mi Reu enjoys relatively less screen time. I find his shock of red hair, and his chaotic brand of energy, quite unforgettable.
Review is here.
IN CLOSING
I hope you enjoyed this quickish spotlight on some fantastic performances by supporting actors! These actors are so talented; they definitely deserve a bit of extra love, I say. 🥰
Like I said earlier, if you guys have other outstanding performances by other supporting actors to highlight, please share them in the comments!
Thanks, everyone.
Smooches. ❤️
~kfangurl
I hope that was good food.. for thought? 😉
POST-SCRIPT:
1. If you feel that I missed anything, or if you have your own insights that you’d like to share with the rest of us, do tell us about it in the comments!
2. Do you have a question of your own? Drop me a comment here or on the Dear kfangurl page, or send me an email!