Dear KFG: 

My wife and I have our favorite actors and actresses we’ve grown to enjoy in Kdramas and will  perk-up when we hear they will be starring in a new role. This got me thinking. Have I seen the best Lee Jong Suk or Park Min-young drama?

I would love to see your list of the top one or two dramas that represent an actor’s talent, vibe, reason for their popularity etc. 

For example, if someone were to ask me for the best drama to showcase Ji Chang-wook, I would tell them to watch Healer. 

Not only is it a great drama, but I think it showcases Ji Chang-wook’s versatility. He is believable in action scenes, but also great at comedy and romance.

For Kim Seon-ho, I’d recommend both Start-up and Hometown Cha Cha Cha. I think these drama’s showcase his ability to portray wholesome characters with deep emotional under currents. I think that is part of his appeal as an actor.

I would love to see your list.

T.

Dear T,

Thanks for your question!

Honestly, it’s been a loonng minute since I last did a Dear KFG post (full list here!), but this question just seemed like such a fun one, that I decided I had to do something about it.

So I got all the folks on Patreon involved, and we made a community project out of it!

Over the course of several weeks, folks were popping in to the Google Doc that I’d created, and spending hourrrss putting in their thoughts on iconic roles for various actors and actresses.

What resulted was a monster document that was 72 pages long, my friends. 😅 What a labor of love, yes?

To make it more manageable, I’ve extracted just the actors for this post, while saving all the words written for the actresses, for another post in the near future.

I’ve also weighed in on most of the actors on this list. If you see that I haven’t weighed in, it’s most likely because I haven’t seen enough work by the actor, to feel like I have an opinion of value to offer. 😅

There are way too many actors in the Dramaland for us to have covered them all, so if we happened to miss a favorite of yours, please excuse us – and then please tell us, in the comments, about that actor’s most iconic role, to help us round off this list!

Without further ado, here we go!

The actors and their roles!

Ahn Bo Hyun

JJ: Tough Call as I would pick two as everyone knows picking a favorite is so tough for me. Yumi’s Cells had him show his comedic chops as well as his range and then he surprised us in Flex X Cop with his comedic chops on full display. 

ABV: I quite liked him in Her Private Life, but in a main role, I would have to go with See You in My 19th Life.

Sean: I think ABH is a very talented actor. For my mind, his best role is as the spoilt conglomerate prince in Flex X Cop. He quickly transformed his character from one that wasn’t very likeable to one that was full of heart and dare I say, charm.

He also worked well with Park Ji Hyun, but then he seems to do that with all his different leading ladies. I’m looking forward to a 10/10 drama from him at some point.

Trent:  I’ve liked him in pretty much everything I’ve seen him in, but I think I enjoyed him the most as the good-hearted techbro/start-up CEO in the first season of Yumi’s Cells.

KFG: I thought Ahn Bo Hyun was very good in his antagonistic role in Itaewon Class, so much so that I didn’t think I would ever actually like him 😅 – and then he made me completely change my mind in Yumi’s Cells, where I found him very endearing and likable.

I’d pick Yumi’s Cells as my most preferred role of his, thus far.

Ahn Hyo Sup

ABV: I absolutely loved him in Still 17, but I must choose Dr. Romantic here. In bith seasons two and three, his character development was front and centre. This show seriously features some stellar performances.

Trent:  I agree that his best work has been in Dr. Romantic.  He really did well in that second season, lot of depth and quality character development, and he carried through into the third season pretty well. 

He’s been enjoyable, mostly, in other stuff, although underbaked in other roles.  Sometimes that works out (as the charming puppy in Still 17; the stiff chaebol in A Business Proposal) and sometimes not so much (Lovers of the Red Sky).

Elaine: I liked Ahn Hyo Seop in A Business Proposal!! His stiffness works for the chaebol ML, and you later see him deliver on a lot of great comedic moments. 

KFG: I thought he did very well in seasons 2 and 3 of Dr. Romantic, but I’m with Elaine; my favorite role of his is in A Business Proposal, where’s he’s the stiff, prickly chaebol with the tender marshmallow center.

His comic timing was excellent, and yet, he brought enough emotional heft to the more serious moments, to ground the character.

Ahn Jae Wook

ABV: Five Enough. He was so delightful. I could not believe how much I enjoyed his lovel line and role.

KFG: I honestly haven’t seen Ahn Jae Wook in all that many main roles, but I definitely agree with ABV, that he was very watchable and likable in Five Enough.

Byeon Woo-Seok

Natalia: He charmed us all in Lovely Runner. I haven’t watched him in anything before and I cannot predict if his future roles will be equally successful, but let’s say that Ryu Seon Jae is iconic. 

Elaine: Ryu Sun Jae for sure!!!! It’s an iconic role indeed, so challenging on many fronts.

Not only did he have to swim convincingly (and show off a swimmer’s bod), he also sang for real as the character later becomes a pop idol. BWS sang at least 5 tracks on the OST.

And perhaps most difficult of all, he had to convincingly inhabit a character at different ages and in different timelines with differing levels of familiarity and relationship with the FL.

He really brought to life teenage Sun Jae, not in a kiddy way but in a great mix of raw emotion, impetuousness, cool athleticism and dorkiness.

From the behind the scenes the directors really gave a lot of specific guidance, and Byeon Woo Seok and Kim Hye Yoon had a lot of natural chemistry together, they were very comfortable and close with each other and he seemed very charmed by her, all of which contributed to the sparky performance.

But BWS did a lot of great emoting and comedy work in this show even when he wasn’t bouncing of Kim Hye Yoon, so kudos!

ABV: There can only be one: Ryu Sun Jae in Lovely Runner. I agree with both Elaine and Natalia.

My: Only saw him in Lovely Runner, but he was so wonderful that it surely must be an iconic role. He was really good at differentiating his acting when he was awkward teenage Sun Jae and idol Sun Jae.

Ngobee: Lovely Runner. Let’s call it first iconic role.

KFG: I’d seen Byeon Woo Seok in Record of Youth, and had honestly found him very bland. So color me very happily shocked, by how well he inhabited the role of Sun Jae, in Lovely Runner.

A lot of credit goes to PD-nim for the detailed close guidance in interpreting each scene, but I’d also like to think that this was a great learning experience for Byeon Woo Seok, and that he’s taken all the mentoring on board, and leveled up his ability as an actor.

So, yes, Lovely Runner is absolutely his first iconic role – and here’s hoping that it won’t be his last. 🥲

Cho Jin Woong

Ele: Cho Jin-woong is an outstanding actor, fact, but for me he is epically excellent as beleaguered police officer, Lee Jae-han, in Signal.

The storyline is fraught (in a good, if a little murder-y, way) but the beating heart of it is rumpled, creased, tired, persistent, brave, Jae-han.

ABV: The only significant role I’ve seen him in is Signal, so I’ll have to go with that. He was great and really did justice to his role there.

Trent:  Very fine actor with a wide range of projects.  He’s quite good as the nasty uncle in The Handmaiden, and I also enjoyed him as the upright swordsman/bodyguard in Tree With Deep Roots, but he really shines as the gruff but upright detective in Signal. 

Ngobee: For me, it’s Signal, too.

KFG: Cho Jin Woong really stole my heart in Signal, so that would be my pick. So much depth and range of emotion, delivered with so much sincerity. 🥲 I did also love him as the King’s bodyguard in Tree With Deep Roots. ❤️

Cho Seung Woo

JJ: Hands down without question – Stranger. Another musical stage actor nailing it in Dramas. 

Elaine: Stranger 1! 

Ele: Yeah, he is great in Stranger 1 and 2, perfecting restraint in facial expression and yet somehow conveying intellectual and emotional depth.

It was interesting watching him in Life, playing a very different type of disconnected character but still imbuing intelligence, vulnerability, and somehow, likability.

ABV: Stranger 1 and 2, without question. I was totally mesmerized by him in Stranger, and that is where my drama journey began.

Sean: For me, CSW is the actors actor. He was out and out fabulous in Stranger 1 and 2.

He was also awesome in Life, but unlike Ele, I didn’t find him all that likeable. In fact, I was highly disappointed regarding the choices his character made as the CEO of a hospital. Then again, I was probably biased in my view point.

If only Sisyphus was better. Anyway, he gave us a delightful performance in Divorce Attorney Shin.

phl1rxd: It is a toss up between Stranger and Divorce Attorney Shin. He was so believable in his role as an offbeat attorney that I thought he would walk into my house any minute and start up a conversation.

Ngobee: It’s difficult if the first role you see an actor in is such a whammy. So it was Stranger for me, too. But I guess, as Sean said, as an actors’ actor he could sell us anything. A pity I never saw the film Go Go 70s.

KFG: Between Sisyphus and Stranger season 1, I found that I preferred him in Stranger 1. The restraint and the subtle micro-expressions looked excellent on him, I felt.

You could see that there were significant thoughts and feelings going on, on the inside, despite his mostly impassive mien. 🥲

Choi Hyun-wook

Tyler: Watch Twinkling Watermelon for this guy. He’s got an earnest, goofy quality that endears him to the viewer.

Deni: I think Tyler and I are in each other’s heads. He says it exactly.

ABV: It’s hard to look past Twinkling Watermelon. His showing there was full of heart and he was so lovable.

KFG: He’s very enjoyable in Racket Boys, and then I loved him in Twenty-Five, Twenty-One.

And then it felt like Dramaland took his character in Twenty-Five, Twenty-One, refreshed him, and gave him his own show, in Twinkling Watermelon.

If I could only pick one show of his, for you to check out, I’d have to go with Twinkling Watermelon. He’s just so earnestly wholesome, while being blithely carefree and goofy. 🥲

Choi Tae Jun

ABV: Ugly Alert, although he was pretty good in Suspicious Partner too. However as the lead character’s brother, their relationship along with his love line made this show extra special.

Choi Woo-shik

Elaine: I loved Choi Woo-Shik in Our Beloved Summer. He’s not classically handsome but has a certain charm. His character could be moody and irascible but yet very sweet and adorkable too. 

Deni: Rooftop Prince’s role for him was memorable. I just couldn’t do Beloved Summer so I can’t speak to it.

ABV: Our Beloved Summer. My heart went out to him several times in the show, and I was rooting for him from minute one.

Natalia: It seems I need to watch Our Beloved Summer! But please guys, you are forgetting Parasite… I know, not a drama, but his role in it is iconic. Also, he was great in A Killer Paradox. It feels as if he is oozing with talent. 

phl1rxd: Rooftop Prince, hands down. I shall never forget him rummaging through that bin of old clothes.

Trent:  He’s been excellent in movies (Parasite; The Witch: Part One), but I liked him best in Our Beloved Summer (reappearing with Kim Da-mi, his co-star from The Witch).  He really managed to pull off the sort of relaxed, unaggressive but happy in his own skin vibe that the role required.

KFG: I, too, liked him best in Our Beloved Summer; it felt like the role was tailor-made for him. He was laidback yet likable, as our sometimes grumpy, secretly wistful beta male lead. 🥲

Go Kyung-pyo

Uyen: I loved him in Reply 1988 too but have to say Chicago Typewriter is where his character shined for me, even if the show as a whole was okay. My heart went out to him and I think he acted well complementing Yoo Ah In! 

Tyler: I did love him in Chicago Typewriter! I think he’s really good at disarming the audience and making them care about his character.

Rita: It has to be Chicago Typewriter.

Trent:  For me, it has to be Reply 1988.  I loved his clandestine noona romance with the prickly but good-hearted Song Bo-ra so much!

JJ: Oh tough call between Reply 1988 and Chicago Typewriter. A great actor that always delivers in his roles. 

Ngobee: Chicago Typewriter.

KFG: I prefer Reply 1988 as a drama, but I have to agree that his role in Chicago Typewriter is more memorable. Like Uyen says, my heart really went out to him. 🥲

Gong Yoo

Ele: Yes, his bromance with Lee Dong-wook in Goblin is wonderful, but for me, Choi Han-guel in Coffee Prince is Gong Yoo’s finest, most iconic role.

With Yoon Eun-hye (brilliantly playing Go Eun-chan) he is flawless. I believed him entirely as Han-guel and loved the less than predictable turns the story, and his character especially, took.

My: I second Gong Yoo in Coffee Prince. He was good in Goblin as well, but I believe he did a better job in Coffee Prince. 

Cathy: I third Gong Yoo in Coffee Prince. He and Yoon Eun Hye inhabited their roles and had incredible chemistry even when he thought she was a guy.

The beach scene, where Gong Yoo did so much acting with his eyes, stays in my memory as one of the best kdramas scenes I have ever watched.

Deni: I fourth Gong Yoo in Coffee Prince.

ABV: Coffee Prince. I only saw him here, but he was wonderful.

Deb C: I’ll chime in here with Coffee Prince.  Haven’t gotten to Goblin yet but he was really great in Coffee Prince; beautifully done.

Sean: It has to be The Silent Sea for me. I never finished Goblin nor watched Coffee Prince. Of course he was brilliant in Train to Busan.

P.Jasmine: Having seen him in both Coffee Prince and Goblin – I will go with Goblin because it is a layered character to portray and he brought in varied emotions into that character and made it his own (and I second what phl1rxd wrote).

The bromance was fun and I loved his flashback sageuk portions (can someone please give him a full-fledged sageuk drama character please – he will KILL it)   

Natalia: OK, this is strange, but whenever I think of Gong Yoo, I get a mental image of him as The Salesman in Squid Game. I guess we can call this an iconic cameo!

phl1rxd: He was fabulously iconic in Coffee Prince but I loved him most in Goblin, He embodied that role physically, mentally and spiritually. Goblin remains my Number one KDrama of all time.

j3ffc: On the Goblin train here.

Trent: My vote is for Train to Busan, such an adrenaline-filled ride capped by a…well, just watch it!  But also Goblin, because he was unquestionably part of the alchemy that made that show work. 

Ngobee: It has to be Coffee Prince for me, too.

There is such a direct physicality, sensuality and emotional rawness there that I haven’t found in any of his other performances. To the degree that I thought something must have happened afterwards that changed him.

But the rooftop basketball moves, his tortured confession at the beach, the s*x scene, his crying attack in the car after she’s left, I found them unique, believable and gripping.

KFG: I would have to go with Coffee Prince; the fact that Gong Yoo’s still KANU’s ambassador, so many years later, is testament to just how iconic his role was, in Coffee Prince. There can never be another Choi Han Gyul. 😍

That said, I would also suggest Train to Busan as an iconic role worth your time. He brought so much physicality and emotion to the role, and it was utterly impactful. 🥲

Han Seok Kyu

ABV: Kim Sa Bu in Dr. Romantic. Now, that is the definition of iconic. He has such gravitas and it feels effortless.

Elaine: Kim Sabu!!!!! So charismatic, gruff yet warm. Great mentor to the young doctors in his charge.

Trent:  Of course Kim Sabu in Dr. Romantic; but I do have to put in the good word for his turn as Sejong the Great in Tree With Deep Roots – one of the first times that I think I’ve really found a sageuk king interesting and nuanced.

JJ: Kim Sabuuuuu!!!! Yes! Of course, Dr. Romantic without question. Even though he has a long career and probably has other iconic roles that will be worth checking out!

Ngobee: Kim Sabu. Strangely, I remember him in far more roles than he has played …

KFG: I love him in all three seasons of Dr. Romantic; he absolutely makes the franchise, so yes, I would name that as his iconic role.

That said, I do agree with Trent, that he was fantastic in Tree With Deep Roots, a sageuk that think is absolutely worth watching.

Hyun Bin

Tyler: Crash Landing on You is one of the best to show Hyun Bin’s gentle fierceness as an actor. He was made for stronger, more independent roles, not puppy dog lover boy ones.

Deni: What Tyler said.

ABV: Crash Landing on You. It is an iconic role and one that is so memorable.’

phl1rxd: I fourth that, It has to be Crash Landing on You, a true KDrama Classic

Elaine: Crash Landing on You was my gateway drama, and Hyun Bin was definitely iconic in that! Stoic action man with real feelings and dorky affection for Yoon Se Ri? Melt!

Natalia: Crash Landing on You is a unanimous choice, it would seem. I think his tracksuit in Secret Garden is iconic too (but watch just the tracksuit,  not the drama 😁).

My: I also vote for Crash Landing on You. He was really good as a strong man on the outside and a kind man on the inside. 

j3ffc: Great leading man in “Crash” but I hated his character in “Secret Garden” from beginning to end. 

P.Jasmine: In my case it would be a toss between his work in Memories of the Alhambra (layered character portrayal with shades of gray and some cool action scenes) and Snow Queen (played a Math genius with intensity and melancholy – I personally think it is his best role but then only a handful of people in this world has seen this drama really. And I really hope to visit Lapland in memory of this drama if I can). 

Ngobee: CLOY. But I do have a soft spot for him in Kim Sam Soon, especially the karaoke scene with Sam Soon’s family. Finest method acting 😉 

KFG: I think his role in Secret Garden is widely considered to be iconic, but now that the furore has died down and the dust has settled, I find that I much prefer his role in Crash Landing on You, as the stoic but steadfastly loyal and sweet Captain Ri. 🥲

Im Joo Hwan

ABV: Ugly Alert. What a heartfelt and powerful role! So much depth and one of the nicest characters I’ve seen. The chemistry with Kang So-ra was truly special.

Im Si Wan

JJ: Hands down Misaeng. He kept pace in Misaeng being a Kpop Idol with many veteran stage actors which I would think would be quite intimidating.

Elaine: Misaeng!! Not an easy role at all but he brought subtlety and vulnerability to the role.

Yaya: Misaeng Misaeng Misaeng! 

Cathy: Misaeng: Incomplete Life. He was so believable as the inexperienced intern. Loved his scenes with Lee Sung Min.

ABV: Misaeng: Incomplete Life. I always felt like giving him a hug in that show, and he was so easy to root for.

My: I really thought he was excellent in Run On, but after just one episode of Misaeng, I totally get it why everyone votes for Misaeng. 

KFG: I agree with My that he was very good in Run On, but he really blew it out of the water in Misaeng. His character was the heart of the show, from start to finish. 🥲

Jang Dong Yoon

ABV: Like Flowers in Sand. Personally, the reason I found this show engaging was because I was able to root for Baek-du (Jang Dong Yoon) almost immediately. He was just too adorable. A selfless and pure-hearted guy whom you can’t help but love.

Ngobee: The Tale of Nokdu. I loved how he went all in in his lady’s gear.

KFG: I thought he was fantastic in The Tale of Nokdu, managing to be womanly, when dressed as a lady, and yet, manly, when not. And then he boggled my mind by bulking up for Like Flowers in Sand, and melting into the character of Baek-du so seamlessly.

I haven’t yet finished Like Flowers in Sand (I only sampled two episodes before putting it on pause due to my mood), but I suspect that his role in Like Flowers in Sand is likely more iconic than his role in Nokdu.

Jang Hyuk

KFG: I would have to recommend Chuno, which I think of as Jang Hyuk’s most iconic work. He’s in amazing fighting form, and he delivers laidback badassery – with deep layers of emotion in the mix, of course – in a truly mesmerizing way.

As a close second, I would also highly recommend Money Flower, where he gives off restrained prowling panther in a sharp suit quite magnificently. 

Ele: EEEEE!!! I, hehem, agree Jang Hyuk is extraordinary as Lee Daegil in Chuno. The perfect embodiment of an anti-hero, full of sharp talk, and sharper fighting skills, while remaining just the most loyal and beautiful human.

A very close second must-see Jang Hyuk drama is Money Flower where he shows a different side of his acting prowess as Kang Pilju.

Subtle shifts in intonation, micro-facial expression, and the kind of plotting, planning, self-sabotage that only the very best melodramas can pull off with such believability.

And third (because he is that good) is My Country: New Age. The drama is so-so but his complex performance as Joseon king, Yi Bangwon is pitch-perfect mesmerising.

What’s that? You need more Jang Hyuk pics?!! :)) I promise I’m trying to rein in my enthusiasm…

j3ffc: Down, Ele, down! But yeah, “Chuno”. Second for me: “Tree with Deep Roots”. Totally Errol Flynn vibes. And in an unpopular position, I’m just not that big of a fan of “Money Flower”.

phl1rxd: I have seen a lot of his work and he is fantastic in all of them but my favorite Jang Hyuk role is in Money Flower. He was stupendous and then some. He was mesmerizing. I have watched this three times, it is that good.

Elaine: I’ve only seen Jang Hyuk in Money Flower so far (what?! I know…). He was absolutely mesmerising and commanding in the role.

Incredible control over every single little bit of his face and his body language, such that you can feel Pil Joo simmering in response to something even while he’s controlling his expression in front of a board meeting, say.

I almost didn’t watch Money Flower cos I thought it was “just” about revenge, and only clicked in… why? I can’t remember the trigger. But I was immediately swept away by the story.

I will just say, Pil Joo has an incredibly valid and emotionally resonant reason for his revenge, and the story is not just about “revenge best served cold” but also the moral dilemmas on how far you will go to achieve revenge.

Pil Joo is ruthless but also moral and conflicted. Yet so charismatic and magnetic. And powerful. And hot, very hot. Woof!

P.Jasmine: My pick would be his character Lee Gun in “Fated to Love You”. The first 5 minutes of episode 1 in itself will make this character ”iconic” in what is “the cheesiest opening sequence” I have ever seen of a male K-actor – see it to believe it.

If you want more, then you have another 19.5 episodes of a handsome JH playing a “chaebol heir” in his own unique way with that deep voice, manic laughter, colorful wardrobe, OTT stuff but some good old romance in between all that.

TBH it is a “hit or miss” character but JH made me enjoy this drama so much (amongst all other things) and never in my dreams I thought that JH could do romance and comedy this well (having only seen him before this in Chuno where he was brilliant but very intimidating for my liking).

Deb C:  I’ve only seen him in Fated to Love You and thought he was great!  A bit OTT at times but so gentle and heartfelt in that role.  He and JNR made a great pair…both so so good.  I just started Money Flower and I’m loving it.  Chuno’s next.

Update:  I finished Money Flower and it was AMAZING.  Jang Hyuk was wonderful.  Totally different genres, so I can’t say that I thought he was better in one or the other.  Both are worth a watch and more!  

Cathy: I was so impressed with Jang Hyuk’s acting range and physicality in Chuno. He was such a badass, but had many moments of emotional vulnerability. I was so moved by the ending of Chuno I had to go take a walk to stop crying!

Second role would be Money Flower. He was simply superb in his quiet portrayal.

Deni: I haven’t seen Chuno or Money Flower but we just finished Fate to Love You recently and it takes a very talented actor to pull off hilarious, maniacal laugh, loneliness to his core, and love his leading lady in the pace of seconds. Off to see more JH.

Sean: I have watched about 13 of his shows. Like phl1rxd and others, for my mind his best all round performance has to be Money Flower, but what a tour de force he was in Bloody Heart. He was also awesome in A Beautiful Mind.

Sadly, he has done a clunker – Bad Papa, just don’t tell Beez, I said so. She never forgave me when I mentioned this last time. 

Trent:  He was epic in Chuno, and I agree with Sean that he anchored an excellent cast in the (underrated, IMO) Bloody Heart… but I have to go with Money Flower. His portrayal of Kang Pil-ju is just flat out amazing.  So restrained, but so intense.  Just wow..

Ngobee: I haven’t seen Money Flower, so for me it would have to be Bloody Heart. Amazing and multilayered.

Jang Ki-yong

Deni: My Roommate is Gumiho. Well done.

MC: Not a leading role, but his role as tortured tormentor Lee Kwang-il in My Mister was such a memorable one.

He starts out as a monster, making Lee Ji-an (Lee Ji-eun or IU)’s life a misery, but as you get to know him and his backstory, you feel so much for him.

He and Lee Ji-an had chemistry in their scenes (not the romantic or the “right” sort), but you couldn’t look away when they were onscreen together. 

Elaine: Ditto what MC said about Jang Ki Yong in My Mister! He was intense and believable.

ABV: Search: WWW. It is the only major role that I have seen him in, but I did like his character a lot in it.

phl1rxd: I really loved his performance in Kill It. SO much, I watched it twice. He really made me believe he was a professional assassin and his chemistry with Nana was top notch.

KFG: Even though I enjoyed him very well in My Roommate is a Gumiho, in which he is the male lead, I do feel like he shows greater depth in his supporting role in My Mister, as the tortured Lee Kwang Il.

Ji Chang Wook

Deb C:  It has to be Healer for me at this point.  Maybe The K2 but I haven’t finished the group watch yet.  Healer is such a complex character and JCW really brings him to life, plus you get all that great badassery.

Ele: Healer is excellent and definitely his best drama. But I also really rate him very highly in Suspicious Partner where he plays a serious prosecutor. Much more of a physically contained role but it really suited him.

P.Jasmine: As far as I am concerned, Ji Chang Wook has to just appear on-screen in any character (even a tree/stone would suffice) and that in itself is “iconic” – can’t beat that feeling really can you ;-).

Jokes apart, I chose Park Jun-mo from The Worst of Evil as it’s a complex character to portray with moral ambiguity and some tough choices to make in difficult situations.

JCW single-handedly played out Park Jun-mo with such nuances and also ensured the drama’s impeccable finish and critical acclaim.

Also, as much as I love him, there were scenes where I got totally intimidated by his demeanor and I would no longer associate him with that raw innocence/vulnerability with which he had portrayed many characters up until TWoE. In the long run, JCW’s career can easily be classified as pre and post-TWoE work.

A close second would be Noh Ji-uk from Suspicious Partner. JCW channeled all the “Darcy” characteristics/energy into that role and made it his own. (and I am not even talking about his glasses here).

And TBH if there is one k-drama character that I like to emulate in real life then it is Noh Ji-uk (he is so nerdy and complete in a good way).

T:  I would tell them to watch Healer. Not only is it a great drama, but I think it showcases Ji Chang-wook’s versatility. He is believable in action scenes, but also great at comedy and romance.

My: I haven’t watched The Worst of Evil so for me it is Healer that is his most iconic role. 

Cathy: In his younger roles I’d choose Healer. As a more mature actor I thought he was fantastic in The Worst of Evil, showing us every emotion as a very morally conflicted cop.

Elaine: Lots of Ji Chang Wook fans here!! I have only seen Ji Chang Wook in Healer so far. It is such an iconic show and an incredibly iconic role.

Male leads who can fight capably are kryptonite for me and boy does Healer have fighting and parkour chops to spare. And his dorkiness as alter ego Bong Su killed me too! And then the vulnerability and raw hurt of his true persona Jeong Wu 😢

Deni: Just quote Elaine. I have seen him in other dramas but Healer hands down is my favorite.

ABV: Everyone pretty much agrees with Healer being one of his absolute best performances, and I have to give it the nod as well.

phl1rxd: Without a doubt, Healer.

Trent:  I’ve seen him in several shows, but none that I liked him as well, or thought he was as good as, as in Healer.  Just a really great role. 

Ngobee: Healer first, but then The Worst of Evil, 70s romantic gangster gritty French vibes. We were really surprised.

He needs good direction that gets rid of his little ticks (blinking too much when confused, drooping corners of mouth when disapproving etc.)

KFG: I would have to go with Healer, because it is hands-down my favorite role of Ji Chang Wook’s, that I’ve seen. Such a great, well-rounded character, that gave Ji Chang Wook so much room to show his range.

I just loved all the badass, effortless parkour, the smolder and the smitten dorkiness, and all the various tones and emotions in-between. 🤩

Ji Sung

Deb C:  I’ve only seen him in Kill Me Heal Me but he was fabulous in that.  Some of his other stuff is on my list to watch.

Deni: Kill Me Heal Me without a doubt. We also saw Familiar Wife which we loved also but Kill Me Heal Me will stick with you for a long time. 7 roles in one drama, all so different and such compelling arcs!

ABV: Familiar Wife. I was instantly taken by his character, and despite my abundant love for Han Ji Min, I actually thought he was the one who stole the show here.

phl1rxd: He was so good in Kill Me Heal Me that after the drama ended I had to step outside and cry my heart out. I was so moved by this drama. It remains #2 of all time. He killed those roles. He was brilliant.

JJ: Honestly, anything he does is so very good. He lives and breathes his characters. 

Trent:  I have to confess I couldn’t finish Kill Me, Heal Me (sorry!); he tried valiantly to save Devil Judge (but couldn’t, alas)… my favorite Ji Sung role is actually Familiar Wife, which (along with Han Ji-min as his foil/partner) he was excellent in. 

Ngobee: Kill Me, Heal Me, but I haven’t seen Familiar Wife. Should give it a try.

KFG: Ji Sung’s always excellent, and I will always have fond memories of him in Save Your Last Dance For Me (my second kdrama, ever!), but y’know, how do you top Kill Me, Heal Me, where he gets to play 7 distinct personalities?? Talk about showing range! 🤩

Jo In Sung

Ele: I loved Jo In-sung as Jang Jae-yeol in It’s Okay, That’s Love. For me, it’s one of the finest, most believable performances of a person in a mental health crisis I have ever seen.

I can set aside any dubious elements in the overall story because his character, and the acting, never puts a foot wrong. It knocked my socks off. I love him forever for this role.

Elaine: I’ve only seen Jo In-sung in Moving but I was very very very charmed. He’s got charisma oozing out his pores and is a super cool, badass spy yet is such a dork when trying to spend more time with the lady he admires?! Aaaah squee!

His screen time is short yet with the writing and performance you get a strong sense of what Du Shik values – in his friendships and relationships and general compassion for humanity.  

ABV: I second what Elaine said. I have only seen him in Moving as well, but he was such a layered and fantastic character in that.

Uyen: agree with Ele on It’s Okay That’s Love — it really touched me 

Leslie: I agree with Ele and Uyen on It’s Okay That’s Love. I couldn’t look away when he was on screen.

phl1rxd: His groundbreaking role as the King’s Guard in A Frozen Flower which took a lot of guts and courage for him to play. My hats off to him! 

KFG: I’m gonna hafta join the chorus of voices saying It’s Okay That’s Love is a great showcase of Jo In Sung’s charm and versatility. (I will also agree that he was utterly charming in Moving, so I would recommend that too! 😁)

Jo Jung-suk

JJ: Everything he does right, he just shines? My favorite is Hospital Playlist, but I know he has done so much, so I am looking for everyone else to answer here since I have stars in my eyes for him.

Elaine: JJS was fun and charming in Hospital Playlist but I felt he really went next-level in Captivating the King!

I thought he really blew it out of the water with the nuanced, expressive acting, full of charisma and kingly aura. And boy did he make the robes and short beard look hot, whew!

JJ: Elaine! You are so right, he was so next level in Captivating the King, but he had already stolen my heart in Hospital Playlist 🙂

Tyler: Hospital Playlist. He and Song Joong-ki are similar in that they have this best friend next door vibe, but also an underlying intensity that keeps them engaging to watch.

My: I agree with Elaine on Captivating the King, where he really outacted the rest. He was nuanced and very believable. 

ABV: For me, it’s Hospital Playlist. In such a star-studded cast, he still managed to be so full of charisma, charm, and goofiness while being infinitely kind and showcasing perfect comedic timing.

KFG: Jo Jung-suk was utterly lovable in Hospital Playlist, but I have to say that he really showcased a regality in Captivating the King, that I found quite breathtaking, and that I hadn’t quite seen from him before, in other shows of his that I’ve seen. 🔥

Jung Hae In

Elaine: Adding in Jung Hae In! The only role I’ve seen him in was Prison Playbook, it was a small role but I found it pretty memorable. Can’t really talk about his character’s arc cos it would involve spoilers, so I’ll leave it at that!

Deni: I’ve seen him in 4 dramas which did not include Prison Playbook. He has many serious roles but if I had to pick a favorite of the four, I would pick One Spring Night. He plays vulnerable very very well.

ABV: I loved him in A Piece of Your Mind, but I’ll have to pick One Spring Night. Too memorable, and he just nails a melancholic romance role.

phl1rxd: One Spring Night 

JJ: Without question One Spring Night!

Trent:  He’s good in whatever he’s in (so far, at least), but yeah, One Spring Night is special.

KFG: I loved One Spring Night too, and thought he was great in it, but I’d have to pick D.P. as the role where he truly impressed me, with his raw, sometimes haunted delivery.

Jung Kyung Ho 

Elaine: Is there one role I favourite among all the rest? Hard to say!

I loved Jung Kyung Ho’s cranky and irascible heart surgeon in Hospital Playlist with a very hidden but definitely there heart of gold. I enjoyed his crabby-pants joshing with his group of friends and his slow warming up to his supervisee doctor.

Yet, I also really liked his prison guard character in Prison Playbook. And then there is Life on Mars, the first time I saw him carrying the whole show as lead.

So difficult to choose but if I had to, I think I would have to choose cardiothoracic surgeon Kim Jun-Wan as the most memorable JKH character for me.

MC: As self declared Jung Kyung Ho superfangirl / President of the Jung Kyung Ho fanclub here, I’ll plump for either of 2 roles – the first as super cool and badass drug lord Doctor’s Son in Cruel City (also known as Heartless City).

He’s usually seen in more comedic/ neurotic roles but here he showcases lethal fight moves in sharp suits. He’s also got an impressive tattoo in the show, if you get to see it! 

Alternatively, do check him out in Life on Mars, where he plays Lt Han Tae Joo SO WELL.

Han Tae Joo is a quieter sort of character who doesn’t say much but Jung Kyung Ho does all of his microepressions so well that you always know how he’s feeling without saying anything, and that’s skillz.

Plus, if you watch this, you get epic bromance with Park Sung Woong and found family and nostalgia retro vibes. It’s fantastic and I absolutely recommend the show AND Jung Kyung Ho’s performance in it. 

[Fun fact – did you know that he and Park Sung Woong enjoyed acting together so much that they paired up again for another show called When The Devil Calls Your Name? And Jung Kyung Ho sings in WTDCYN? It’s also worth a watch!]

ABV: Jung Kyung Ho is my favourite male Korean actor, and it is difficult for me to choose between Hospital Playlist, Prison Playbook, Smile, You, and Falling for Innocence.

However, just for oozing charisma, I’ll go with Falling for Innocence. He stole the show and then some.

I could not take my eyes off him, and I watched the entire show in a day because of how magnetic his performance was. I just love how layered his character was. 

phl1rxd: I loved him in Prison Playbook

Trent: On the evidence so far, definitely not I’m Sorry, I Love You! (he’s a callow, spoiled little git in that one).  I would have to choose Hospital Playlist; I really liked his prickly but good-hearted heart surgeon. 

Ngobee: I second Doctor’s Son in Cruel City (although his hairdo was the biggest crime in the show) and then Hospital Playlist.

KFG: My pick is Life on Mars, where I thought he showed a great deal of range in a complex, challenging role. That said, special mention definitely goes to his outing in Cruel City, because he’s a revelation as the quiet, lethally badass Doctor’s Son. 🔥

Jung Jae Young

Sean: Whenever I come across Jae Jung’s name against a drama or film, I have to watch it. He is not your classic leading man but what a wonderful actor he is.

Not only is he highly acclaimed, he is also the recipient of a staggering number of prominent awards. Jae Jung has made many films but only a handful of dramas.

He was fabulous in the dramas On The Verge of Insanity and brilliant in the Partners for Justice series.

In the latter he was this brilliant, grumpy and cantankerous forensic scientist – telling it how it is. No sugar coating for those who irritated him and I loved it.

JJ: Thanks, Sean!!! Thrilled to see On the Verge of Insanity get highlighted. This drama does not get enough love!!

phl1rxd: Forensic doctor Baek Beom in Partners for Justice. He really fit that role perfectly.

Ngobee: On the Verge of Insanity. Grumpy, smart, battle-hardened, chill, angry, anarchic, calculating, good-hearted, all at once. Sarcastic and funny, down to earth.

Jung Woo

Ngobee: As Yuk Dong-joo in Miraculous Brothers, where he goes from a morally dubious character to a socially integrated man who cares for his brother.

KFG: I really loved him as Trash Oppa in Reply 1994, but I have to concede that I think his role in Mad For Each Other probably does a better job of showing his range.

Kam Woo Sung

ABV: It is very tough to choose between The Wind Blows and Should We Kiss First? The roles are very similar. He is masterful at delivering subtle expressions in these types of roles.

I will choose The Wind Blows because that is the more challenging role to pull off and requires much more skill. 

Kang Ha-neul

Deni: I’ve only seen him in When the Camellia Blooms so its hard to say if this is iconic or not but we definitely made his character come to life.

MC: He did a fantastic job in Misaeng as snooty elite newcomer Jang Baek-Ki, too.

Elaine: Echo what MC said! I really liked him in Misaeng, he was so unlikable (at the start, his character grows later) which I put down to good acting.

ABV: When the Camellia Blooms. He made it a worthwhile experience for me, and his earnestness really hit home.

j3ffc: Agree with ABV.

KFG: If I had to pick just one show that showcases Kang Ha-neul’s ability as an actor, it would be When the Camellia Blooms, because of how he inhabited the character of Yong Shik.

That said, it is worth taking a look at his snooty office worker role in Misaeng, because the contrast between that, and his earnest, simple, goodhearted-but-slightly dim character in Camellia, really demonstrates how versatile he is, as an actor.

Kang Tae-oh

Tyler: Watch him in Extraordinary Attorney Woo.

He’s got moments where he is either silently suffering or silently pleased with what is going on around him, and it was a pleasure to watch and feel what he was feeling. Definitely a breakout hit for him, and I’m excited to see what he does next.

My: Extraordinary Attorney Woo. I agree with what Tyler wrote above.

Deni: Extraordinary Attorney Woo. They waited for him to finish his military service to film a second season. He was just awesome to watch opposite of Park Eu Bin..

ABV: Like the others, I also think that it’s Extraordinary Attorney Woo.

Ngobee: Extraordinary Attorney Woo.

Kim Bum

ABV: Law School. He was great.

Ngobee: Lee Kook Soo, the angel in Padam Padam, and Law School. But he always has that special something in his roles.

KFG: I thought he was very good in That Winter, The Wind Blows, but I will have to concur with Ngobee, that his role in Padam Padam is the one that sticks with me. 🥲

Kim Dae Myung

ABV: He is such a lovable person in both Hospital Playlist and Misaeng: The Incomplete Life. But the latter was just the more hard-hitting role.

Elaine: Agree, Misaeng would have been “incomplete” without him, pun intended. A lot of heart, soul and conflict in his role as junior manager. 

KFG: I luffed him in Hospital Playlist (such an adorable soft teddy bear! 🧸), but I can’t argue with the fact that his role in Misaeng is the more striking one.

Kim Jae-wook

Deb C:  I thought he was great in Her Private Life.  Def agree with KFG that he played the best boyfriend in dramaland.  He was also very good in Death’s Game, and of course, as the Waffle Guy 😉

Elaine: I’ve only seen him in Her Private Life, so I agree with KFG that he was smoldering, sexy yet super sweet considerate and respectful as Ryan Gold.

Just give him a pass for the first two episodes when he gives FL a hard time due to some misunderstandings.

Deni: Her Private Life.

P.Jasmine: KJW and Ryan Gold go hand in hand.

(@Ele – I may have to agree with you about KJW in Voice. I haven’t seen that drama yet (watched a few scenes long back) but his portrayal in Bad Guy was borderline psychotic and he sounded crazy in many scenes – so I can really buy that he would have been amazing as an evil person in Voice). 

Ele: Ah, I respectfully beg to differ. He is quite lovely in Her Private Life but, if you can stand the general crime thriller violence (note: I can’t but watched this for Jang Hyuk!) he is OUTSTANDING in Voice 1. TERRIFYING!!!

Like a snake but one that’s kind of beautiful even if you know it’s venomous and going to kill you… I don’t know quite how to convey what an absolutely evil baddie he is but he plays it SO well!! EEEP!

ABV: I will have to go with the majority here and choose Her Private Life. I found him to be charming and stylish. I have also seen him in Coffee Prince, and he has a minor role in Death’s Game Part 2.

But the role that comes to mind instantly is Ryan Gold from Her Private Life.

phl1rxd: I am with Ele! I had nightmares over his role in Voice. Terrifying is an appropriate response to the scenes he had. He is excellent as a bad guy – just excellent.

Ngobee: Voice 1. Supercreepy – total darkness.

KFG: Drama fans waited yeaaaarrs for Kim Jae Wook to play the romantic male lead in a rom-com, and when he did, his Ryan Gold was just fabulous. 😍 So my pick would be Her Private Life too. 😁

Kim Ji-suk

ABV: My Unfamiliar Family. What an honest, kind, and dependable character he was! The way his love line developed was also such a treat.

KFG: I thought he was great in My Unfamiliar Family, and very, very appealing in both 20th Century Boy and Girl, and I Need Romance 3. Also a hoot in Another Oh Hae Young.

The character that really sticks with me, though, is his Wang Son in Chuno, who was a scrabbly, mischievous, lascivious monkey, who also happened to be fiercely loyal to his brothers. 🥲

Kim Jung Hyun

ABV: Still get annoyed by what happens to him in Crash Landing On You. He was quite excellent there. But I thought he was so brilliant alongside Shin Hye-sun in Mr. Queen.

My: Mr Queen! He was funny and heartfelt and just brilliant, both in the comedic timing ( loved when he pretended to be stupid) and in his angst over being powerless. And his chemistry with Shin Hye- sun was perfect.

Elaine: He was roguishly charming indeed in CLOY, loved his character development and maturation shown with FL and 2FL. I’m with ABV, I’m like “Dang it, writer-nim!!!” For his character’s ending.

Ngobee: Mr. Queen.

KFG: I thought I’d liked him very well in Crash Landing On You, but he really blew me away in Mr. Queen.

I really enjoyed the way he played his character, with restraint and nuance when he was being regal, and then with such great comic timing, when he was in a comedic moment. 

Absolutely my favorite role of his that I’ve seen, to date. 🤩

Kim Min Jae

JJ: A very talented versatile younger actor who is a triple threat as he sings, dances and acts! He has already had many roles even some ML roles in the past ten years!

I think one of his iconic roles to date in Nurse Eun Tak in Dr. Romantic which I loved. I, also, loved him in Do You Like Brahms?

ABV: I loved him in Dr. Romantic as Nurse Eun Tak as well.

Ngobee: As nurse in Dr. Romantic.

KFG: I really liked him in the various seasons of Dr. Romantic, but I feel that it’s really in Do You Like Brahms? that he really gets to shine. He gives us SUCH a sweetly endearing, shy male lead, and I was dutifully bowled over. 😍

Kim Nam Gil

JJ: This one is all for Princess Jasmine to answer I think : )

phl1rxd: I really enjoyed him in Live Up To Your Name. He rocked that role. 

P.Jasmine: Kim Nam Gil has played many iconic characters on-screen and he is even more amazing off-screen. But if I have to pick one then it has to be his work as the first criminal profiler of SK in the drama “Through the Darkness”.

This character is actually based on the real-life person Kwon ll-yong and it required KNG to play against his usual acting fortes namely: physical comedy, action, melodrama and intense longing.

KNG played Song Ha-young with such calmness and depth that it was just meditative to see him go about his work amidst all the scary happenings/crazy environment.

A close second would be his character in the movie “One Day” wherein he excellently portrayed all the emotions as a grieving widower and the helplessness with which he had to deal with a coma patient as an insurance agent parallelly.

And did I say he looked totally awesome in that “white shirt look” that he had all throughout the drama and in the movie.    

Deni: Live Up to Your Name. But we haven’t seen anything else except The Pirates from 2014 which was quite fun.

ABV: Since P.Jasmine chose Through the Darkness, I’ll go with Live Up to Your Name, which was my most recent Kim Nam Gil show.

I was completely blown away by his performance here as he had so many layers to his character.

He nailed his role in all aspects: comedy, goofiness, style, medical knowledge during oriental/traditional acupuncture treatments, romantic scenes, stoic scenes, and emotional scenes.

His expressions, mannerisms, and behaviour were always standout. I also thought he was brilliant in The Fiery Priest. I only chose Live Up to Your Name as it was a more difficult role.

Ngobee: I couldn’t choose. The Fiery Priest is his most flamboyant role, incredibly funny and deep and physically comedic. But Live up to your Name is also great and so is Through the Darkness.

KFG: I honestly haven’t seen that many Kim Nam Gil shows (sorry!), but remember that he was charismatic as the male lead in 2010’s Bad Guy.

Also, I feel that it would be remiss of me not to mention that many fans consider his role as Bidam in 2009’s Queen Seon Deok to be absolutely iconic.

Kim Seon-ho

T: I’d recommend both Start-up and Hometown Cha Cha Cha. I think these drama’s showcase his ability to portray wholesome characters with deep emotional undercurrents. I think that is part of his appeal as an actor.

Cathy: Kim Seon Ho was fantastic as the lead (finally!) in Hometown Cha Cha Cha. But I also loved him in Catch the Ghost, where he displayed his emotional, romantic, and comedic range.

Elaine: Another vote for Hometown Cha Cha Cha and Kim Seon Ho’s dimples! I enjoyed the contrast between his prickliness with FL at first, and his disarming warmth and charm with the villagers. And speaking banmal with the elders!  

ABV: Hometown Cha Cha Cha. One of my favourite slice of life romance shows. 

My: Hometown Cha Cha Cha. 

Trent: Liked him a lot in Start-up, but I think his best role so far is probably Hometown Cha Cha Cha.  Looking forward to good stuff ahead, now that his career is back on track.

KFG: My pick is Hometown Cha Cha Cha. I found him very likable in it, and I thought that Kim Seon Ho played his character with a lot of heart.

Kim Soo Hyun

Elaine: Wow this guy. I found him not exciting or dynamic in My Love from the Star, then in It’s Okay to Not Be Okay he really showed his acting chops in a challenging, emotionally repressed role.

And then in Queen of Tears he really showed off his skill. I felt everything his character felt, the joys, the sorrows, grief, longing. Very good. 

My: Hard to decide between It’s Okay to not be Okay and Queen of Tears, but I think I would choose It’s Okay if I have to choose. Unlike Elaine I also liked him in My Love from the Star, but he was not yet at his peak then. 

Cathy: It’s Okay Not to be Okay. I loved watching Kim Soo Hyun’s character grow from a dutiful brother to a person capable of making decisions for his own well-being.

In all of his roles I think he is the best crier in dramaland – that’s the reason he was cast in Queen of Tears!

Deni: It’s Okay to Not be Okay. Definitely although I haven’t seen him in QoT I have seen My Love from the Star.

Natalia: I think that if we are talking iconic, we must choose My Love from the Star. Or Secretly Greatly.

But both are mid, so if we want to go with something worth watching, it is definitely It’s OK to not be OK. Anyway, Kim Soo Hyun is an amazing actor.

ABV: This is tough, but I think the other two main actors sort of one-upped him in It’s Okay to Not Be Okay, and I personally loved Ju Ji-hyun more in My Love from the Star.

So I will go with Queen of Tears, where he showed excellent range and absolutely nailed the emotional sequences.

phl1rxd: My Love from the Star because this is a true KDrama Classic for the ages. I have watched this several times and it never gets old. He is amazingly talented.

Trent:  Ooh, hard to say: coin flip between It’s Okay to Not Be Okay (one of my favorite shows!) and Queen of Tears.  Take your pick between either, you can’t go wrong.

KFG: Kim Soo Hyun is always excellent, in my opinion, so it’s hard to pick a single iconic role.

Historically, I would agree that it’s My Love from the Star, because for a good long minute, we were all smitten with his Do Min Joon. As we also were, with his young king in 2012’s Moon Embracing the Sun.

More recently, I would pick It’s Okay To Not Be Okay, as a challenging role that he nailed, which showcases his range very well.

Kim Woo-bin

Deni: Is it fair if you’ve only seen him in one. I loved him in Our Blues.

ABV: He was amazing in Our Blues. He was the most calm and grounded man in all of Jeju.

He never overreacted, had so much tact, and always did the right thing. He was never unnerved, and I must say, he was sometimes even too perfect. Most of all, though, he was kind, loyal, and honest. 

phl1rxd: I thought Woobie did a bang up job in Black Knight and I loved his little runway model cameo in Runway Cop.

Ngobee: Yes, Black Knight. And Our Blues. We decided he looks best in some kind of utility gear. Not everybody can handle that.

KFG: My favorite role of Woob’s is School 2013, where he was half of a potent bromance with Lee Jong Suk. He literally took my breath away the moment he appeared onscreen. That would be my pick.

To be fair, however, White Christmas was his breakout role, and his character was quite unforgettable with his shock of red hair.. so perhaps White Christmas is the more accurate answer..?

Kim Young Dae

JJ: He is one to watch as he continues to deliver a solid performance after solid performance in Sh**ting Stars, Forbidden Marriage and Moon in the Day.

He needs his Red Sleeve moment which will happen for him if he continues to work steadily 🙂

Kim Young Kwang

ABV: Call It Love. I feel like his performance in this is the closest I’ve seen anyone get to Lee Sun Kyun in My Mister. That is the biggest compliment I can give.

KFG: I’ve enjoyed Kim Young Kwang in a number of shows, like The Secret Life of my Secretary, and Plus Nine Boys.

But the role that really blew me away is Call It Love, where he inhabited the role so organically, that I felt every raw, wretched emotion seep out from under his skin. Truly excellent stuff.

Lee Byung-hun

ABV: I was really surprised by his character Dong-seok and performance in Our Blues.

He had so many more layers to him than were apparent at first. He comes off as a gruff, short-tempered guy who hates everyone and everything. When his backstory is shown, you can see why he behaves that way.

However, when each layer is peeled off, we find a kindhearted and honest soul who was just looking for love and reconciliation.

Ngobee: To me, purely because of the timing, he’s Mr. Sunshine.

KFG: I feel like I should mention the classic drama Beautiful Days, because audiences rooted so hard for his character to get the girl, that he was upgraded from second male lead to male lead, while the show was running. That’s got to count as pretty iconic, yes?

I agree with ABV that he did a great job in Our Blues. I also really loved his performance in movie Keys to the Heart, where his character is all gruff heart. 🥲

Lee Do Hyun

Deb C: 18 Again is my pick although he was also very good in The Good Bad Mother.

Both of these were challenging roles and he demonstrated the ability to tune in and deliver on the personality and emotions of characters at very different stages of their lives.

Elaine: I think he is amazing in 18 Again. The nuance and feeling, and matching his older counterpart Yoon Sang Hyun in vibe and jovial shoutiness and poignance is really great to see.

ABV: 18 Again. It is the show that made me sit up and take note of him. Such a powerful and heartfelt performance. 

phl1rxd: Good Bad Mother. He made me cry several times with his portrayal of Kang Ho.

KFG: My pick would have to be 18 Again, because that is the best that I’ve seen from Lee Do Hyun, thus far.

So much youthful gravitas, so much heart, and so much wistful poignance amid the spots of comedy and sporty physicality. I cannot recommend this show enough. 🥲

Lee Dong-wook

Natalia: Lee Dong-wook is a hard one. He has this super strong vibe that seems to get through in all his roles, like his real life personality is too strong to be repressed for a role.

I don’t mean he’s not good, not at all. It is just that a Lee Dong-wook drama is a Lee Dong-wook drama, no matter what his role is, he (his own persona) still steals the show.

Still, if I had to choose one drama of his, it would be Goblin. It is not a drama that I liked very much, but Lee Dong-wook in it is very representative of Lee Dong-wook the actor. Dorky, but endearing, but also quite OTT so many times.

My: I would also choose Goblin, where he is really fun but still sad. 

Ele: I agree that his iconic role is as the Grim Reaper in Goblin but I have to say, if you have the stomach for slightly terrifying gore, he is stupendous in Hell is Other People – uniquely unsettling and charming…

Elaine: Ooh interesting take Natalia, that Lee Dong Wook has a strong specific vibe that comes through in all of his roles.

I’ve only seen him in Touch Your Heart and A Shop for Killers and I totally get that sense too.

There is an air of sadness and soulfulness about him such that I felt Touch Your Heart was not a good fit with the cutesy rom com and forced separation tropes, whereas A Shop for Killers where he kinda played a reclusive John Wick-type and the sadness fit this character more.

He was badass in A Shop for Killers! I dearly hope the show gets a second season but I’m satisfied with what we got even if it doesn’t. 

Deni: I’ve only seen him in Goblin and Touch Your Heart. We dropped Tale of the Nine-Tailed. But Natalia nails it: Dorky but endearing. Oh so endearing. Goblin it is.

ABV: He has too little screen time in A Shop for Killers so I’ll go with Touch Your Heart.

phl1rxd: I have seen a lot of his dramas and his role as The Reaper in Goblin is iconic. He is also a great interviewer (Because I Want To Talk).  

Trent: Tough call.  Natalia’s right: there’s a certain “Lee Dong-wook” performance that just comes with the territory when he’s in a show, no matter the role.  That’s not necessarily a bad thing, he just has a distinct presence. 

I have to say I enjoyed the heck out of him in Tale of the Nine-tailed 1938 (not as much in the first season); and he was really quite good in A Shop for Killers (I too would like another season!); but really, I think in the end, it has to be Goblin. 

He really struck the balance as the amnesiac Grim Reaper, with bromance, pathos, humor, all that good stuff.

Ngobee: In Goblin as Grim Reaper, the empathic bureaucrat cum social worker in all black. Melancholy befits him.

Lee Hee Joon

ABV: He is quite a versatile actor and has been part of quite a few shows that I have watched, but the one that sticks with me is his performance in My Husband Got a Family.

KFG: I haven’t seen him in much, but he did make a pretty strong impression on me in Blood Free.

Lee Jae Wook

Deb C:  I’ve only seen him in Alchemy of Souls but he really grew on me.  He was terrific in that role.

Deni: He was quite impressive in A of S, especially given his age.

MC: He tried his best in The Impossible Heir. It’s a shame that the writing let the show down. But he did give his best shot in the show! 

Leslie: I really liked LJW in Extraordinary You.

Trent:  Alchemy of Souls, both seasons.  He really hit it out of the park in a deceptively demanding role, and helped make it a really great show. 

KFG: Lee Jae Wook’s struck me as a bit of a chameleon from early on, because his small role in Memories of the Alhambra was so starkly different from his role in Search: WWW that I found it hard to believe that they were played by the same person!

In terms of a role that’s challenged him and allowed him to showcase his range in a really meaty way, I’ll have to go with both seasons of Alchemy of Souls.

Lee Je Hoon

Ele: He’s a solid actor, isn’t he?

Great in Taxi Driver, but really rather amazing in Move to Heaven. Perhaps because Cho Sang-gu is a down-and-out and actually not very nice in lots of ways, I found the character refreshing.

Maybe not iconic, but the unusual subject of the show elevates it, as does Tang Jun-sang’s performance.

P.Jasmine: LJH is my most recent bias and I have only seen him so far in Move to Heaven and Chief Detective 1958 (and dropped Taxi Driver S1 after 2 episodes as I couldn’t handle the violence and currently watching Tomorrow with You wherein he is really good so far).

So within this, my pick would be his role as detective Park Young-han in Chief Detective.

LJH performs everything (namely: action, physical comedy, melodrama, romance, bromance) amazingly well in this drama with an innate charm and twinkle in his eyes.

He has great screen presence and the first 5 minutes of episode 9 is chef’s kiss for all LJH fans. 

Elaine: I couldn’t get past episode 7 of Signal, I found the murder cases really hard to stomach.

But I did watch Move to Heaven (high five Princess Jasmine for the mini group watch!!) and he did really well in it, tracking a believable arc from not-a-nice-guy to someone looking harder than before at his nephew and learning a thing or two about family and what’s worth protecting in the process.

ABV: Move to Heaven. He was quite good in Signal as well, but I think the character growth in Move to Heaven takes the cake.

Leslie: Move to Heaven

phl1rxd: He is so talented. While I loved the way he portrayed his role in Move to Heaven, I think his best performance was in Signal, a real classic.

Ngobee: He was vulnerable, eager and insecure in Signal, and that made for impact. Otherwise I’d like to highlight his brief interlude as Wang Tao Chi in Taxi Driver 1, which was a real hoot.

KFG: I thought he was excellent in Move to Heaven, but will pick Signal as the more iconic role.

Lee Jong Suk

Tyler: Romance is a Bonus Book. He has this amazing way to be both very vulnerable, but slightly childish and silly at the same time. His character in this drama also has some interesting depth to show off Lee Jong Suk’s amazing emotional depth.

Deni: Finally, Tyler got out of my head.

I would go for While You Were Sleeping. There is a lot of depth to his acting here and the OTP was quite good and you get Jung Hae In to boot..

We didn’t finish I Hear Your Voice (serial killer trope again) but it wasn’t for lack of ability on his part. 

(Tyler here! I love While You Were Sleeping too, Deni!! Haha)

P.Jasmine: Well if anyone can make me believe that he had just walked out of a popular manga/anime series then it has to be the utterly charming Lee Jong Suk in W:Two Worlds.

He pretty much kept the whole story intact from start to finish and excelled in romance, action, melodrama. There is a scene towards the end of the drama at the bus stop where he is down and out – some amazing acting in there. A very good actor in general.

ABV: Romance is a Bonus Book. He was extremely charming and lovable in this show.

KFG: I’m picking School 2013, because I feel like that’s the role that made many of us sit up and take notice of him, in Dramaland. He played his character with so much youthful vulnerability; I was completely sucked in.

I would also pick I Hear Your Voice, because that was the show that convinced many of us that he was more than capable of playing a romantic male lead.

Of course, more recently, I did love him a great deal in Romance is a Bonus Book.

Lee Jong-won

JJ: Another one to watch, but this time he has had a career defining role that has put him on the map with Knight Flower.

He was the straight man to Honey Lee and handled with ease being a fairly new actor keeping up with the powerhouse in Honey Lee. Looking forward to seeing his career flourish.

ABV: I agree with JJ. He complemented Honey Lee very well in Knight Flower.

P.Jasmine: JJ you made me smile with that pic (and looks like you are going to stan him crazy in the coming years – fighting). Knight Flower for me as well and especially that beautiful smile he gave at the closing scene of the drama (that even Honey Lee managed to blush a bit ;-))    

My: Knight Flower! He is still young and will absolutely find other iconic roles as well.

KFG: I was very pleasantly surprised by how well I liked him in Knight Flower, particularly since he had to hold his own against the wonderful Honey Lee.

I don’t know if this will be considered an iconic role of his, when we look back after some time, but this was definitely a noteworthy breakout role. 🥲

Lee Joon

ABV: For me, his role in My Father is Strange is so memorable. He also showed a diverse range of emotions. His love line with Jung So-min’s character was so fantastic.

Ngobee: He’s fearless. Loved him as lovelorn monster in Bulgasal and scheming King in Bloody Heart.

KFG: I found him very enjoyable in My Father is Strange, but my pick goes to Bloody Heart, because it’s a much more complex, meaty and demanding role in which I thought he did very well.

Lee Joon Hyuk

ABV: Stranger. He was the most mystifying character in the series. To achieve that in a drama like Stranger with such a glorious cast is something extraordinary. No wonder there is a spin-off lined up for him.

Ngobee: Yes, Stranger.

KFG: I enjoyed him very well in Are You Human Too? and Designated Survivor: 60 Days, but will have to agree that his character in Stranger is most iconic.

Lee Junho

KFG: If I could only recommend one drama by Junho, I would say The Red Sleeve.

He is so fantastic in that, deftly showcasing deep emotions from a wide spectrum, from giddy happiness, to gut wrenching desperation.

There’s a Reason he won the Best Actor Baeksang that year, and multiple other Best Actor awards across all the awards shows, even though The Red Sleeve finished airing very early in the year, on 2 Jan.

Elaine: Agree, Junho was amazing in The Red Sleeve! 

Uyen: I agree with KFG and Elaine that Junho is amazing in The Red Sleeve, as seen by all his awards, but I dearly loved him in Just Between Lovers, where he played a boy with a tough exterior and a heart of gold.

I loved his vulnerability and thought ahh, who is this actor? 

Leslie: The Red Sleeve. He filled the screen with nuance and gravitas as the dutiful king.

My choice has nothing to do with the bath scene in ep. 6, I assure you. Nothing so shallow. Nope.

ABV: Having not seen The Red Sleeve, I will have to go with King the Land. I did like the show quite a lot and a huge reason was how dashing and stylish Lee Jun-ho was. He also had an abundance of charm and a wonderful smile.

phl1rxd: The Red Sleeve for sure. He set the screen ablaze.

Deni: I haven’t seen The Red Sleeve but his performance in Just Between Lovers is my favorite so far.

This was early in our watching kdramas and his character still sticks in my mind. Not that I didn’t like him in King the Land, but Just Between Lovers was so raw and emotional and it never quite leaves you.

Ngobee: It’s also Just between Lovers for me, although I did not care for the ML. But Junho playing such an emotionally raw and damaged character and not relying on his looks was fantastic.

Lee Jung Ha

ABV: Moving! How adorable he was!

JJ: Moving, of course!!!! Will anyone every forget his sweet smile and his loyalty?! No 🙂

KFG: He was one of my personal highlights in Moving – a show with multiple highlights from a very star-studded, capable cast, so that says a lot.

He’s just got a very natural, endearing sort of charm about him, that I just love.

I’m sure this will be an iconic role of his, when we look back on his career in the years to come. 🥲

Lee Jun Ki 

Elaine: My favourite role for Lee Jun Ki was the magistrate in Arang and the Magistrate.

He starts off as a cynical young man baffled by his interactions with impish ghost Arang. Both characters grow in the story but Lee Jun Ki’s wry coolness remains and his badass fight moves are great!

A bit dated and I have my issues with the ending but still a fun and worthwhile journey.

A close second is Flower of Evil, he plays someone with deadened emotions but brings a lot of nuance and pathos to the role. 

Ele: Lee Joon-gi is outstanding in everything. The End.

It’s often the overall drama that can be wobbly. Like Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart is OK with a hefty number of odd story-telling devices and choices, but he is stunning as Goryeon king, Wang So.

No one has rocked a half-face mask so well since the Phantom of the Opera 🙂

However, in Flower of Evil, not only is he magnificent as inscrutable Do Hyun Soo but the relationship with his wife (played by equally impressive Moon Chae-won) is really believable and just so good. So for me, that is his most iconic role.

Natalia: I will go with Scarlet Heart. The show is not good, but as Ele says, he rocks the phantom of the opera look. Actually, he brings an intensity to his role that in my view was the only redeeming quality of a very bland show. 

I would add Iljimae, another show that would have never been even a small success if (a very young back then) Lee Joon-ki hadn’t be there to steal everyone’s heart.

But if I were to pick a role of his based on acting, it would be Flower of Evil.

Cathy: I was blown away by his basically dual role in Flower of Evil.

Deni: I  can only say that we loved him in Arang and the Magistrate. We haven’t seen anything else I’ll not duplicate Elaine’s comments. And he totally manages Shin Min Ah’s character with coolness and she is so OTT.

Uyen: agree with Elaine’s comments on both Arang and Flower of Evil! I think FoE better showcases his acting but I totally loved Arang and his character there  

ABV: The choice is between Flower of Evil and Lawless Lawyer.

However, because Lawless Lawyer had three more outstanding performances, and because Lee Joon-gi had more depth and his character was much more nuanced in Flower of Evil, I have to go with Flower of Evil.

phl1rxd: Arang and the Magistrate.

Trent:  Definitely Flower of Evil for me. So good in a twisty thriller that required a lot of depth and nuance to bring off, and he really delivered.

JJ: Flower of Evil since I still have not seen Arang and the Magistrate. But he can have two because he is sooo good in whatever role he takes on!

KFG: I’m dipping into the classics again. 😅

Lee Jun Ki was show-stealing good in 2007’s Time Between Dog and Wolf, where he got to play multiple variations of the same character, which I thought was an excellent showcase of his acting range.

I also loved him in Arang and the Magistrate, where I loved the restraint that he shows in delivering the character. My typical quibble with Lee Jun Ki is that he tends to go a bit OTT in delivering his characters, but this was not the case in Arang and I loved that. 🥲

I would have to say that my favorite role of his, might be 2013’s Two Weeks, where he plays a fugitive trying to save his daughter and clear his name. Really well done. 🤩

Lee Min-ho

P.Jasmine: If anyone was born to play a charming King in contemporary Korea and ride a white horse while solving some good Math problems and crossing between worlds and yet have time for good old romance, then it has to be LMH as Lee Gon in TKEM.

Ele: I don’t like SO MANY elements of the show, or even the character of Gu Jun-pyo, but he is very iconic in Boys Over Flowers. There are just too many horrible bullying things in it to ever actually recommend you watch it. Don’t watch it 🙂

Just look at his lovely smile in this pic and know that he is iconic in it!! The hair. The hair is splendid. The end.

Deb C:  I thought he did a very nice job in The King Eternal Monarch.  The only other thing I’ve seen him in so far is The Heirs, a show I really didn’t care for.  

Natalia: I have to agree with Ele. DON’T WATCH Boys Over Flowers, but Lee Min-ho’s Gu Jun Pyo is iconic. Ya!

ABV: The King: Eternal Monarch. I think he was pretty solid here.

phl1rxd: I liked him in Personal Taste but TKEM wins it.

Elaine: He was charming and humble yet noble and fierce for sure in TKEM!

JJ: I am totally biased for Lee Min Ho in TKEM as everyone knows TKEM is my favorite and second Kdrama ever. So he wins it there for me. But, I heard he did a stellar job in Pachinko!

Trent:  I actually enjoyed him a lot in TK:EM, thought he played a modern king very well.  But best role, I have to go with Pachinko.  He was really good as a Korean businessman transplanted to Japan. 

Ngobee: Pachinko. He has matured a lot and also can pull off these gentlemanly looks with ease.

KFG: I’m mostly neutral about Lee Min Ho, so I will just concur that if we’re looking for iconic, it’s really Boys Over Flowers (I also hated that show 😅).

I will additionally concede that, more recently, I would consider The King: Eternal Monarch as an iconic role of his. That is all. 😁

Lee Min Ki

Leslie: He has quite a catalog, and I enjoyed him in the dramas I’ve seen –  Because This Is My First Life, The Beauty Inside, Oh My Ladylord. His just-slightly-off characters create great foils for actors around him.

The role that convinced me of his great talent, though, is Yeom Chang-Hee in My Liberation Notes.

Was there ever a more sympathetic annoying, loud, unrestrained character? LMK blended pathos and comedy seamlessly in his portrayal of a not-so-young man who feels that the chips never fall his way, despite his effort (and talent.)

ABV: Such a tough choice between Because This Is My First Life and The Beauty Inside.

I personally think he acted better in Because This Is My First Life, but I like The Beauty Inside more. But just for his comedic timing, I’ll give it to Because This Is My First Life.

Elaine: I’ve only seen him in My Liberation Notes but like Leslie I was really impressed with his performance as middle brother Chang Hee.

No vanity or artifice whatsoever, just raw honesty, warts and all. Blustery, angsty over being stuck in life, hilarious, caring. His character arc was one of the most rewarding in the series.

Deni: Because this is My First Life because he played such an oddball, anti-social, awkward guy perfectly.

KFG: I would like to mention 2012’s Shut Up: Flower Boy Band, because Lee Min Ki stole the whole show, almost – and his role was a guest one that only lasted a few episodes, in Show’s early stretch.

Some folks literally walked away from that drama because Lee Min Ki’s character had been written out of the story; that’s how iconic it was. 🥲

More recently, I would have to agree that his role in My Liberation Notes was very excellent.

As Leslie mentioned, he took a character that could have been seriously annoying, and made him endearing, while giving him a multitude of nuances. Very masterfully done. 🤩

Lee Sang Woo

ABV: He has acted in so many dramas, but the two roles that stand out to me are the ones in Marry Me Now and Glorious Day.

The characters he plays are quite similar in that they are kind, honest, loyal, and completely fall for the female lead. But I certainly like nice characters. I will just about give the edge to Glorious Day.

KFG: I thought he did very well in 2013’s One Warm Word, as a man in a marriage crisis. There are lots of difficult and complex emotions in this show, and I thought he delivered solidly on all points.

Lee Sang Yeob

Ngobee: As Han Se-kwon in On the Verge of Insanity with his irrepressible amoral business sense. Evil and funny.

KFG: Lee Sang Yeob’s one of those actors whom I feel like I’ve seen everywhere and have a fondness for – but when I go to look him up, realize that I haven’t actually seen many of his leading roles.

I don’t think I’ve actually seen him in an iconic role (my bad, not his), but I do have a good amount of affection for his character in 2011’s I Live in Cheongdamdong, where he was a cute part of the central love triangle.

Lee Sang Yi

ABV: Bloodhounds. I loved him as the second male lead in Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha. But goodness me, the bromance and action scenes in Bloodhounds were something else.

phl1rxd: His role as the evil VP Yang Tae Soo in Special Labor Inspector Jo is the stuff of nightmares.

Ngobee: Yang Tae Soo. So glad I’m not the only one who has seen Special Labor Inspector Jo.

KFG: I thought he was very likable and relatable in Hometown Cha Cha Cha, and I also thought he did well in Youth Of May, where I thought he delivered solidly in some difficult scenes.

Lee Sang Yoon

ABV: He was superb in Seo Yeong, My Daughter, alongside Lee Bo Young. Their relationship was such a highlight. He also put in a brilliant performance in V.I.P.

KFG: I agree with ABV that he was great (and very handsome 🤩) in both My Daughter Seo Young and V.I.P. I also really enjoyed him in Twenty Again, where he was curmudgeonly but ultimately very sweet.

I will also always have a soft spot for his role in my favorite family drama of all time, 2010’s Life is Beautiful, where he played a clean-cut boy-next-door surfer type.

And, I feel it would be remiss of me not to mention his role in Liar Game, where his character was smart, jaded and fearless.

Lee Seung Gi

phl1rxd: A Korean Odyssey – absolutely and positively his best role. That is a hard thing to pin down as the man is so multi-talented and so hardworking he surpasses any expectation that you may have for him.

Honorable mention to The Vagabond.

JJ: Ohhhh yes, phl1rxd! He was so fantastic in Korean Odyssey.

I agree with everything you have to say about Lee Seung Gi. His smile lights up his work and yet he can pull off just about anything. He has been quiet lately, sadly. Hopefully, he will have more roles in the future. 

j3ffc: My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho is how I will always think of him, even though he’s gone more of the action route lately.

Ngobee: A Korean Odyssey.

KFG: I’m with j3ffc; I can’t help but think of him as the bewildered guy who finds himself with a nine-tailed fox for a girlfriend, in My Girlfriend is a Gumiho. 🥲

Lee Sun Kyun

Leslie: My Mister is my favorite Korean drama, and Lee Sun Kyun as Park Dong-Hun is the main reason why.

I will always associate this tour de force with LSK, and vice versa. His weary, despondent portrayal of a company man, whose life begins crashing around him, is moving and thrilling.

Watching him rise from the ashes, redefining his life and building a unique relationship with Lee Ji-An (IU) is soul-lifting.

I’ve watched LSK in Coffee Prince and Parasite (both great performances and characters), and in a couple other less satisfying outings, but his iconic role, for me, will always be Park Dong-Hun. 

My: My Mister. Nothing he has done can top that. His sadness went right through the screen. Leslie’s description of his role there is spot on. 

Cathy: My Mister allowed Lee Sun Kyun to go deep into complex emotions, carrying the entire drama. I also loved his character in Coffee Prince.

Aside from his velvet voice, Lee Sun Kyun had a very distinctive way of laid back walking that embodied his Coffee Prince character.

Elaine: My Mister was a masterpiece and Lee Sun Kyun was the core diamond in the rough who carried the entire show on his bent, aching, repressed back. What he had to go through boggled the mind, but he carried it believably.

His depressed weariness, the emotions he has had to swallow all his life, resonated a lot with me, and his quiet heroism and decency shone like an inspiration. An incredible performance.

Deb C:  The only drama I’ve seen him in is Coffee Prince and I thought he was really good.  I loved his wonderful voice so much.

I watched it recently, and found it hard, knowing of his tragic death.  I want to watch My Mister but I think right now I’d find it just too sad to see him on screen again.

P.Jasmine: My Mister. His portrayal of Park Dong-Hun was so moving, melancholic and yet very cathartic to watch on-screen. And I second everything that Leslie wrote. LSK will truly be missed by everyone who watched and loved My Mister.   

ABV: My Mister which is a masterpiece.

One of the main reasons why it was special was because Lee Sun-kyun was phenomenal in it. We will dearly miss his magical voice. My Mister is synonymous with Lee Sun-kyun. He put in such a classy performance and displayed a range of emotions effortlessly.

Trent:  I liked him a lot in Coffee Prince, in fact he was probably my favorite part of that show (heresy, I know), but for sure it’s My Mister. Great role, great actor, great show. And I’m still mad about the circumstances of his passing. 

KFG: I cannot but help echoing everyone else; My Mister is THE role that I’ve come to associate Lee Sun Kyun with.

It’s hard to put into words just how wonderful he is, in the role of Dong Hun; so real, so raw, and so quietly, unapologetically honest. 🥲

Lee Sung Min

JJ: Gosh I just can’t pick two. He was flat out amazing in Reborn Rich. Another stage actor bringing his amazing acting skills to the small screen. But how can we leave off Misaeng????

Elaine: Manager Oh from Misaeng for sure!!!!

He was iconic and so, so real and believable, he fleshed out his character and never reached for caricature or easy shortcuts.

For me, he was the beating heart of the whole show, with the loyalty and fierceness he showed for his team (yet never missing a beat to tease the heck out of said team haha).

(OK to be fair I’ve not seen Reborn Rich which I’ve heard was a tour de force for him.)

Yaya: Another vote for Misaeng – such a deeply human character. I so empathized with him. 

Cathy: He ate up the screen in Reborn Rich, but displayed an incredible acting range in Misaeng.

ABV: Misaeng: The Incomplete Life. His role as Manager Oh was truly stellar. Elaine put it beautifully.

phl1rxd: Reborn Rich where all of his years of acting came together in one dynamic performance.

Trent: He really was amazing in Reborn Rich as the gruff, iconic chaebol founder. 

KFG: I thought Lee Sung Min was amazing in Reborn Rich; he literally stole the entire show, for me. 🥲 But if we’re talking about an iconic role, I’d have to go with Misaeng.

He gave Chief Oh so much depth and nuance; such a kind, compassionate heart underneath the layer of gruff. 🥲

Nam Joo-hyuk

Elaine: He was very enjoyable in Twenty-Five Twenty-One and then I watched The Light in Your Eyes and I got blown out of the water – you mean, he’s capable of this?!

Fair warning, The Light in Your Eyes is *not* a rom com even if the promo materials may look it, the characters have to go through a lot of tough things and Nam Joo Hyuk, young as he is, really brought the depth of emotion of what his character was going through at different times.

The show is ultimately hopeful and very life-affirming and I cannot stress enough to AVOID SPOILERS, and WATCH IT!!!

Deni: The Light in Your Eyes. No question. His acting blew us out of the water too. There are two scenes when you wonder if he is acting, where did he find the depth to portray all that emotion at his age.

We also like him in 25/21 and Bride of Habaek but nothing compares to what he pulled off in The Light in Your Eyes. Elaine was the reason we watched this and she is right. WATCH IT!

ABV: I agree with both Elaine and Deni. His role in The Light in Your Eyes was so powerful. The range of emotions he conveyed was extraordinary.

JJ: Ok, so everyone loves him in Light In Your Eyes which I STILL refuse to watch 🙂

However, I am going to give him props for his role in Bride of Habek as a god who so full of himself when he descends down to Earth.

His comedic timing is impeccable and he sells all his emotions so very well as they explore all of them. So all of you who love LIYE so much, you are welcome because Bride of Habek came first and if he did not do Bride of Habek he would not have been so fabulous in Light in Your Eyes. 😂🥰❤️

KFG: I really, really enjoyed Nam Joo Hyuk in 2016’s Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo, but my pick would also be The Light in Your Eyes. He was so quietly thoughtful in that, delivering his role with nuances that I hadn’t realized he was capable of.

That said, I feel that I also mention his role in The School Nurse Files, which I thought was an interesting choice, because it’s a very different character type than he usually plays.

Namgoong Min

JJ: Without question My Dearest.

P.Jasmine: Obvious choice would be his character Jang Hyun in My Dearest.

I haven’t seen his many acclaimed roles yet but I am going to go against the norm and pick his work in The Undateables.

The reason: a very handsome and well-dressed and smart NGM playing a toy museum owner and doing some happy fun romance in what is an otherwise random romantic comedy.

In many scenes I couldn’t pick who was more cute – the toys in the background or NGM – see it to believe it. 

ABV: My Dearest. He was so exemplary, and this is the very definition of iconic. He just draws you in and never lets go. 

phl1rxd: While My Dearest was truly beautiful, I felt he jumped through my screen in Remember – War of the Son, where he played a truly psychotic and intensely evil chaebol. He was beyond scary.

Trent: He is very good in Hot Stove League. But then of course there’s My Dearest, hard to pick against that one.

KFG: I’m sure if I’d seen My Dearest, that would’ve been my pick. 😅 But since I didn’t see that, I’ll have to go with Hot Stove League as my favorite role of his, that I’ve seen.

Oh Jung Se

ABV: It’s Okay to Not Be Okay. Among the stellar lead trio, his performance stood out as that of the autistic big brother. 

Elaine: Agree, Oh Jung Se’s performance in It’s OK to Not Be OK was stellar. I do have a soft spot for his idiosyncratic turn as ML’s boss in Touch Your Heart though!

My: I have nothing to add to what ABV and Elaine wrote about his performance in It’s Okay. He was brilliant!

P.Jasmine: I have only seen him in When the Camellia Blooms and he was really amazing in that drama.

KFG: Oh Jung Se’s always excellent, like in Hot Stove League, but his role in It’s Okay to Not Be Okay was truly show-stealing and iconic. Just, extraordinary. 🥲

Park Bo-Gum

Deni: He was so sweet in Encounter. He has a captivating smile. We preferred his role here to Love in the Moonlight. Encounter is a simpler drama and he really shines.

Tyler: I really liked his emotional scenes in Love in the Moonlight. It’s one of the first historicals where I felt sad for the crown prince given the political landscape around him.

ABV: Love in the Moonlight. It was my very first Saeguk and he was such a memorable character.

phl1rxd: Love in the Moonlight, He is just the cutest, ever.

KFG: I really, really loved him in Reply 1988, but I have to agree that Love in the Moonlight is the more iconic role.

He made the crown prince so cheeky, swoony and poignant, at the same time. 😍

Park Hae-jin

Natalia: I find Park Hae-Jin to be a pretty good actor that has had a long streak of mediocre roles.

Personally, I think he has shown his value in Bad Guys. He was also very good as a sociopath in Cheese in the Trap. Too bad that show didn’t take advantage of the strong cast it had (Kim Go-eun was also there…). 

ABV: Seo Yeong, My Daughter, as Seo Yeong’s brother. Their relationship was one of the highlights of the show for me. His character growth and love line were also great.

phl1rxd: From Now On, Showtime, a lovely little ditty that I really enjoyed.

Ngobee: For me, it’s Showtime, too. witty and comedic.

KFG: My favorite role of Park Hae Jin’s, is in his first drama ever, 2006’s Famous Princesses, where he played an earnest young soldier in love with his (female) army captain. SHO CUTE. 😍

I also enjoyed him a lot in Bad Guys, though perhaps I should say that his role in Cheese in the Trap probably qualifies as more iconic.

Park Hae Soo

ABV: Prison Playbook. The bromance was real. 

Elaine: Prison Playbook was iconic for sure! He was also very good in Money Heist in a very different, more violent baddie role.

Trent: He’s been in a bunch of good, high-profile shows. 

He was very good as the lead in Prison Playbook.  Also very good in Money Heist: Korea. 

Push comes to shove, though, I would probably have to say Squid Game, where he really hit it out of the park playing opposite Lee Jung-jae.  That episode with Anupan Tripathi will rip your heart out. 

KFG: As much as I loved Park Hae Soo in Prison Playbook, I’m going to have to agree with Trent, that the more iconic role is the one in Squid Game, especially if you take into account the kind of global phenomenon Squid Game turned out to be.

Park Hyung Sik

Elaine: Happiness for sure!

He was not a stereotypical badass fight-zombie police detective, he would think and plan and try to manage the situation and environment to protect as many people as he could.

I loved the casually cool way he would support Sae Bom without question in any situation that arises, even when she sometimes does something really quite crazy. And his smitten eyes!! 

Yaya: Second for Happiness! 

Natalia: Happiness, indeed. But I will eagerly check all his shows, I am a fan. Too bad they are not always good.

Tyler: Might not be the best drama, but I think you get his boyish charm, exuberant zeal for his OTP counterpart and comedic and dramatic timing best in Strong Girl Bong Soon. 

Deni: What Tyler said, again.

ABV: Happiness. Alongside Sae-bom, he was such a lovable character and badass too.

phl1rxd: Soundtrack #1 where he calmly owned his role, and exceeded my expectations. I really loved this drama..

Trent: I liked him in Happiness, for sure, but I’m with phl1rxd.  He was great in Soundtrack #1, a truly delightful little friends-to-lovers bonbon. 

Ngobee: Happiness. Loyalty to his girl of the “punch first, ask later” variety and great comedic timing.

KFG: I have to agree that Happiness is my favorite role of Park Hyung Sik’s, so far.

The combination of offhanded badassery and secretly smitten puppy was cracky-wonderful, and for a good while, I couldn’t imagine him paired with anyone else but Han Hyo Joo. 🥲

Park Jin-young

phl1rxd: Without a doubt, his role as Bobbi in Yumi’s Cells.

KFG: I thought he was very good in When My Love Blooms and The Devil Judge, though I wouldn’t necessarily recommend either of those shows. 😅

In the end, my pick is the same as phl1rxd’s; he was great as Bobbi in both seasons of Yumi’s Cells, though it’s only in Season 2 where we get to see more of Bobbi.

Park Seo Joon

Deb C:  I’d pick WWW Secretary Kim, although he was really good in Fight For My Way as well. 

Secretary Kim showcases his comedic skills as well as emotional range (not to mention the visuals ;-).  He’s also great in She Was Pretty and as 2ML in Kill Me Heal Me.  Haven’t gotten to Itaewon Class yet.

Natalia: I loved him in all his earlier dramas, including Secretary Kim and Fight for My Way, but I think Itaewon Class is a better candidate.

My: It’s quite a draw between Fight for My Way and Itaewon Class, but I think was really good in Itaewon Class and showed his range as an actor. 

ABV: What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim for me, although Fight For My Way is also close.

Leslie: I thought he was great in Gyeongseong Creature. 

phl1rxd: So many good dramas to choose from but I have to go with What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim, a classic if ever there was one. I have seen it three times. 

Trent:  The man can fill a suit, I’ll give him that.. No, but he was very good in Secretary Kim and Gyeongseong Creature, but I would pick Itaewon Class. 

Ngobee: Itaewon Class for me. He can also fill sailor jumpers.

KFG: Park Seo Joon’s usually great (I’m pretending that Hwarang never happened 😅), but if I had to pick his most iconic role, it would have to be as Park Sae Ro Yi in Itaewon Class.

This was when I really felt he was functioning in a Character Actor space, instead of the Swoony Male Lead space that he tends to be cast in. Really good.

Rowoon

Deni: We’ve done a Rowoon track and we’ve watched 5 dramas. In each one, he gets better and the directors seem to quit treating him like eye candy and let him act and peel off some of the layers of makeup.

The Matchmakers or Destined with You depending on tolerance for a sageuk (The Matchmakers) for a great accompanying OST (Destined with You). I’ve rewatched Destined with You.

Leslie: I was first drawn to him, in all his inexperience, in Extraordinary You. (Also starring Kim Hye-Yoon.) He has great on-screen presence, even when he’s not saying much.

But, I think his best role to-date (that I’ve seen) is Chae Hyun-Seung in She Would Never Know. He held his own, as a younger man, amidst many more experienced actors. And was quite the swoony boyfriend.

Unfortunately, I don’t think sageuk’s are his strong suit, yet, or at least not the characters he’s been cast as so far.

JJ: Deni – I am so glad you added Rowoon to this list! I do not think he has had his signature role, yet, but he continues to steadily improve after each role and as they, as you noted, remove more and more makeup from him.

I think a turning point for him was his role in the recent sageuk – Matchmakers. I am looking forward to see what his next roll will be!

He impressed me in Destined with You with is comedic timing. I did not know he had that in him. Looking forward to see what else he has in store for us 🙂

phl1rxd: Matchmakers where he put on an unexpected performance that was just delightful.

My: The Matchmakers, where he showed both comedic timing and depth. His role unfurls through the drama.

Ngobee: I liked him best in Tomorrow, which had real substance. Of course the ensemble was also great.

KFG: I would agree with JJ that Rowoon might not actually have an iconic role yet, though I also have to mention that I loved – like, seriously loved! – him in She Would Never Know.

His earnest smitten puppy was one of my biggest highlights in that show; he literally had me squeeing and spazzing into a puddle on a regular basis, thanks to his earnest delivery of said smitten puppy. 😍

Ryu Jun-Yeol

Leslie: He was a compelling 2nd ML in Reply 1988, which had half of the series’ fandom rooting for his love success. His restrained performance as an ambivalent teenage suitor with ill-timing, hinted at an ability to portray more complex characters.

Enter the drama Lost, and the dark complex character of Kang Jae. To  my mind, this is his signature role. For movie fans, I thought he was outstanding – and frightening – in The King, also starring Jo/Zo In-Sung.

JJ: I completely agree with you Leslie on Lost being his signature role to date!

KFG: I thought he was great in Reply 1988, and then he singlehandedly persuaded me to finish Lucky Romance, with his very on-point delivery of the charming dork of a male lead.

But it is truly Lost that showcases his range. I adored the nuance, depth and restraint with which he played his character Kang Jae. 🥲

Ryu Seung Ryong

ABV: Moving. Wow! He was utterly stupendous! Such a wonderful and powerful performance!

Elaine: Ditto, he was great in Moving

JJ: Moving without a doubt. Who will ever forget Teddy Bear Daddy? 

KFG: Thanks to Ryu Seung Ryong being more of a movie actor than a drama one, I find that I haven’t seen all that much of his work.

I thought he was fantastic in Miracle in Cell No. 7, but agree with everyone else, that it’s his role in Moving that really stays with me. Such an earnest sweet teddy bear, with so much love and loyalty, powering the bonus badassery. 🥲

Seo In-guk

Deni: No one. Like no one is talking about Seo In Guk?

Doom at Your Service because his facial expressions stick with you for a lifetime. But’s hard to choose. Cafe Minamdang and Death’s Game are close second but nothing alike.

For me, he is compelling to watch. You never know what’s coming next.

MC: While I didn’t quite like the ending of The Smile Has Left Your Eyes/Hundred Million Stars In The Sky, it was worth the watch for Seo In Guk, who played a possibly sociopathic young man with a mysterious past who might or might be involved in a number of deaths in the show.

It’s been many years since I watched this, but I still cannot forget his dead eyes and sardonic smile. He is utterly compelling and magnetic and you can’t look away. 

ABV: Death’s Game. He was superb and I loved how his character grew over the course of the series. 

phl1rxd: It has to be The Smile Has Left Your Eyes, To this day I cannot think about that show and his role. It was so disturbing, Chills.

KFG: Although it wasn’t a show that I personally enjoyed, I do think that his role in Shopping King Louie was iconic, and many viewers love him in that role to this day.

That said, my personal pick would also be The Smile Has Left Your Eyes. I found him very mysteriously compelling in that, and really liked his restrained delivery.

Seo Kang-joon

Tyler: I thought he was pretty good in the dual role of a robot and a disgruntled, bratty heir in Are you human too? Very believable in both roles. Just wish the drama ended better ha ha

ABV: Tough choice between What Happens to My Family? and When the Weather is Fine. But I will go with When the Weather is Fine. It’s because his eyes showed so much of the story, and I loved how subtly he acted.

Elaine: I was really impressed by his dual role in Are You Human Too! Soooo different with just a shift of how he carries his entire face he goes from innocent and optimistic to sardonic cool playboy.

KFG: I thought he was very good in The Third Charm, but would pick Are You Human Too? as his most memorable role.

It showcased his range, allowing him to play both seething chaebol prince and sweet innocent robot, and he did both roles really well. Plus, I just LOVED him as the sweet robot. 😍

Shin Ha Kyun

ABV: Beyond Evil. Such a magnetic and mesmerising performance. He deserves all the accolades he gets for this role.

Elaine: Omo how could I miss out Shin Ha Kyun??? He was absolutely great in Beyond Evil, he played an ambiguous character who then unfolds and develops in surprising ways. And his dynamic with Yeo Jin Goo was excellent. 

Deb C:  Fantastic in Beyond Evil!!!

KFG: I’m chiming in the chorus, and adding my vote for Beyond Evil. His Best Actor at the Baeksang Awards for this role, was absolutely well-deserved. Such amazing control and skill, in delivering such a complex, layered character. 🤩

Son Seok Ku 

Elaine: I’ve only seen Son Seok Ku in My Liberation Notes, but I think that was a role tailor made, written and directed by someone who knew just how to bring out Son Seok Ku’s enigmatic charisma and roguish charm. And um, tanned physicality fans self. 

Uyen: Agree with Elaine, zero notes to add 

Leslie: Agreed, it’s My Liberation Notes.

ABV: Designated Survivor: 60 Days was my introduction to him, and to this day, I am still enamored by his character.

phl1rxd: I loved him as David Kim in Suits. It was a small role but so very memorable. 

KFG: He’s got a roguish charm that comes through in every role that I’ve seen him in, like in his small but memorable role in Be Melodramatic as the deadpan director, and his role in D.P., where he plays the Captain overseeing the D.P. unit.

And so, with My Liberation Notes giving so much room for his roguish charm to come through, I have to concur with Elaine that the role seems tailored for him. He made the mysterious Mr. Gu as appealing as he was fascinating, and I just couldn’t look away.

Song Geon-hee

Ngobee: One to watch. He was mysterious blond barman Thomas in Missing: The Other Side and now second ML in Lovely Runner, where he did very well, I think.

KFG: I realize that I’ve glimpsed Song Geon-hee in quite a few shows – like SKY Castle, The Tale of Nokdu, Mystic Pop-up Bar and Snowdrop – but it’s really only in Lovely Runner that I’ve noticed him properly.

I do agree with Ngobee that it will be interesting to see how his breakout role in Lovely Runner will lead to new and interesting opportunities for him.

Song Joong-ki

Tyler: Got to go with Descendants of the Sun.

He’s got a very boyish, sensitive way to his portrayal. which is mixed with seriousness and believability in action scenes.

The drama also showcases his ability for great chemistry with non-love interest characters. He isn’t just the typical male-lead who only has great chemistry with the FL, but is blah with everyone else.

Natalia: For me, it would have to be Vincenzo. So cool and smooth, lethal but at the same time providing comedic relief.

Cathy: A Werewolf Boy (can we vote for a movie?) Song Joong Ki inhabited his role as the sheltered, emotionally vulnerable werewolf learning about “the real world”. I have to say, though, I HATED the ending!

Elaine: Vincenzo. He oozes natural charisma and then something ridiculously comical happens and he deadpan rides through it with mafioso charisma intact.

Ele: So watchable. Such natural charm! He is stunning in Vincenzo.

ABV: Vincenzo. Again, agree with Natalia.

phl1rxd: This has to be Vincenzo 

P.Jasmine: Vincenzo

KFG: One of Song Joong-ki’s earlier iconic roles would have to be Goo Yong Ha in Sungkyunkwan Scandal, where he was fabulously twirly, winky and flirty. 😍

Another of his iconic roles was as Kang Ma Roo in Nice Guy, which showcased his sardonic, revengeful side.

More recently, I would agree with everyone, that Vincenzo is a great showcase of his range. His ability to switch from mobster badassery to deadpan comic without missing a beat, was fantastic to behold.

Song Kang

Elaine: Navillera. Song Kang was raw and believable as the male ballet dancer in a frustrating slump.

The anger and self-loathing, and baffled irritation when his coach entraps him into teaching an old male retiree looking to learn ballet from scratch?! An outrageous concept yet show never went cheesy.

I didn’t expect much from Song Kang, I thought he was a pretty face, but his performance really moved me in Navillera. And he danced well too!

Natalia: Song Kang for me will always be the terrified suicidal kid in Sweet Home.

Cathy: Navillera.

Rita: Navillera.

j3ffc: Navillera was a great show and he was great in it.

Trent:  I haven’t seen Navillera, but the only Song Kang role that I’ve really liked (and he did do a really good job) was the first season of Sweet Home.

KFG: I thought Song Kang was really excellent in Sweet Home, but if I had to choose, I would have to go with Navillera, as the role where his performance got under my skin and moved me a little more.

Sung Hoon

ABV: Perfect Marriage Revenge as the loyal husband who is always by your side.

KFG: I think it was with little web drama Noble, My Love, that many of us sat up and took notice of Sung Hoon, so that would be my pick.

I also have fond feelings for his character in Five Enough.

Tang Jun-sang

Elaine: He was one of Captain Ri’s puppies in Crash Landing on You!

But he really showed his stuff in Move to Heaven. I thought it was a great, restrained performance as an autistic adult, super capable and mature in some ways yet hampered and disabled in other ways, he showed the full range and never infantilised the character.

Uyen: I really love Move to Heaven but also liked him in Racket Boys showing a range of emotions of being a proud and slightly bratty middle schooler to a more mature and settled one 

ABV: Move to Heaven as the autistic lead character. He was exceptional.

phl1rxd: What ABV said!

My: What ABV said for me too!

P.Jasmine: Absolutely loved his performance in Move to Heaven and sincerely manifesting for a S2 soon enough. 

KFG: Tang Jun-sang strikes me as a very talented young man, because he’s been great in everything I’ve seen him in.

That said, the role that really stands out to me, is the one in Move to Heaven, where he delivers an impressively on-point and sympathetic performance of a young man on the autism spectrum.

Wi Ha Jun 

Elaine: I first saw Wi Ha Jun in Little Women. His character is the enigmatic Choi Do Il and it’s not clear whether he’s one of the bad guys or the good guys.

Mysterious, sexy, oh-so-good-looking in a suit with no tie, whew! And those fight moves!! Badass…

ABV: Romance is a Bonus Book. He was very good in a similar role in 18 Again but I just found him way more charming and likable in Romance is a Bonus Book.

phl1rxd: Little Women and what Elaine says

KFG: I am coming to the conclusion that I like Wi Ha Jun best in the smoldery, badass sort of space, so his role in Little Women is a strong contender. That said, given the phenomenon that was Squid Game, I feel like that would have to be my pick.

Woo Do-Hwan

P.Jasmine: Woo Do-Hwan is actually very good in any character he plays on-screen but I first saw him in Mad Dog and that would be my pick.

This drama has many seasoned actors and yet he outshone all of them especially in those scenes with the acclaimed actor Yoo Ji-tae – not an easy task for a relatively young actor.

Also he played an intense character with a lot to unpack and did a good job at that and also had good chemistry with both the Mad Dog team and the FL. And special mention of his other amazing work in “Bloodhounds”.     

Cathy: The King: Eternal Monarch. In a drama that I found very confusing, Woo Do Hwan shone in his dual role and I looked forward to all his scenes. 

Tyler: I agree with Cathy on looking forward to his scenes in The King the most.  

ABV: Easy. Bloodhounds. The bromance and the stunning action scenes were the highlights of this show. He was one half of both.

phl1rxd: TKEM

JJ: TKEM. He stole every scene he was in with his comedy! Excellent actor. EXCELLENT!

Ngobee: TKEM. Second would be Bloodhounds.

Yang Se Jong

ABV: Still 17 as the male lead. He was like an introvert and quite stoic in the beginning. Watching him become happier and get a beaming smile out come the end of the show was so great to see.

KFG: I enjoyed Yang Se Jong very well in Still 17, though I would pick My Country as the role where he gets to show more range and depth.

Yeo Jin Goo 

Deni: The Crowned Clown. Period. It’s an incredible acting job, the layers that he has is impressive. He does intense way better than lighter romance fair (Hotel del Luna).

MC: The highest compliment I can give is that he held his own and more with Shin Ha Kyun (the master!) in Beyond Evil, where the entire cast shone so brightly. 

ABV: I agree with MC. He held his own with Shin Ha Kyun, who was absolutely mesmerizing in Beyond Evil, so that’s really something.

phl1rxd: His role in The Moon Embracing the Sun where he displayed his talent, and at such a young age! 

Elaine: The Crowned Clown, hands down. It is a dual role (the King and his doppelgänger, the Clown) which is challenging enough, but he really thrilled and terrified me as the dissipated, haunted, seething, violent King. 

Deb C:  He was great in Beyond Evil.  Made me get over my dislike from Hotel del Luna. Haven’t seen Crowned Clown yet.

My: The Crowned Clown. He really did a great job in this dual role. He does heavy drama very well and the mad king was truly scary. 

Trent: He was quite good in Beyond Evil, but I still think his best role as the dual parts in The Crowned Clown. He really made it work and totally elevated the show.

KFG: As great as he is in Beyond Evil, my pick would also be The Crowned Clown. He did a very impressive job of playing dual characters, and as Elaine says, he was very compelling as the haunted, somewhat unhinged King.

Yoo Ah-in

Cathy: Secret Love Affair. Loved his portrayal of the young piano prodigy falling in love for the first time. Thought their consummation scene was pitch-perfect!

Tyler: Chicago Typewriter. But more the historical scenes and not the present day ones.

Leslie: Secret Love Affair – a masterful performance. But also loved him Sungkyunkwan Scandal and Chicago Typerwriter. 

phl1rxd: This is almost impossible to pick just one role but I have to go with his portrayal of Prince Sado in The Throne. It was the most emotionally gripping performance I have ever seen.

Trent: Secret Love Affair. Very hard role to do justice to, but he manages.

Ngobee: Secret Love Affair.

KFG: Yoo Ah In has acted in quite a few iconic roles, I feel like.

His Crazy Horse in Sunkyunkwan Scandal basically took our collective breath away with his smolder, and his Yi Bang Won was much praised in Six Flying Dragons as well.

My personal pick would be his role as piano protégé Sun Jae, in Secret Love Affair. That was a phenomenal performance, where I completely believed his nervous tics as well as his deep and enduring love for music – and for his goddess, Hye Won.

Also, can we just take a moment to admire how, as someone without a piano background, he literally learned to play the various snippets that we see, just for the camera. To do that to a level where we could believe that he was a piano protégé, is jaw-droppingly amazing.

Yoo Seung-ho

Tyler: Watch I’m Not a Robot. He plays more the straight man in this one, but his emotional beats, intensity and cute scenes with the FL show off his acting ability.

Deni: I’m Not a Robot.What Tyler said.

ABV: I’m Not a Robot. The couple were adorable both individually and together. But what really made things special was his delivery during the emotional scenes.

phl1rxd: I Am Not a Robot. 

Elaine: I Am Not a Robot! He takes what could be an unlikable man child of an ML and imbues him with vulnerability and an adorable joy in life when he lets his guard down.

j3ffc: That “Robot” role could have been a disaster if not played just right. But it was.

Trent:  Second what everyone said. As with his costar, he jumped into a very silly premise and really made it breath so that you actually super-cared about this couple and their journey. 

KFG: I vote for I’m Not a Robot too! He was very endearing in that. Special mention goes to his supporting role in Arang and the Magistrate, as the Jade Emperor. That was as amusing as it was trippy. 😁

Yoo Yeon Seok

Ele: Seen Yoo Yeon-seok in other things and he’s been fine, but as Goo Dong-mae in Mr. Sunshine he is truly brilliant.

MC: Gu Dong Mae 100%; Although he’s not the lead, he captured my heart as tortured warrior Gu Dong Mae. I literally forgot to breathe in the scene when he touches Ae-shin’s skirt in the sweet shop. 

Leslie: I find YYS an endearing actor. Thought he was good in Reply 1994 and Dr. Romantic, but my favorite is his role as gentle pediatric surgeon and part-time drummer, Ahn Jeong-won, in Hospital Playlist.

ABV: For me, the choice is between Dr. Romantic and Hospital Playlist — two medical dramas. I find it really hard to choose, but I’ll go with Dr. Romantic. Just so you know, he is a little more unlikable initially, but his character development is significant.

Ngobee: Gu Dong Mae, hands down.

KFG: I enjoyed him most in Hospital Playlist, but have to agree that his most iconic roles has to be Gu Dong Mae in Mr. Sunshine. He does tortured samurai so very well! 🔥

Yoon Sang Hyun

ABV: 18 Again. Such a heartfelt performance as the adult Hong Dae Young.

KFG: Oh, I loved him in 18 Again as well. His most iconic role for me personally, though, was in Secret Garden. To this day, my mom and I still refer to him as “Oska.” 😁

In closing

I hope you guys enjoyed this list!

Like I mentioned earlier, everyone, please feel free to share your own favorite iconic roles for any actor, in the comments below.

And stay tuned for the Actress Edition of this post, which should be coming, in the next few weeks!

Smooches.

~ KFG ❤️

POST-SCRIPT:

Do you have a question of your own? Drop me a comment here or on the Dear kfangurl page, or send me an email!