Boys Over Flowersfeaturedseveral actors whose careers were only going to get bigger after the 2009 K-drama. Adapted from Yoko Kamio’s Japanese manga of the same name,Boys Over Flowerssees Geum Jan-di, a working-class girl who falls for Gu Jun-pyo, the richest boy at Shinhwa High.Boys Over Flowersis not only one of thebest romantic K-dramas of all time, but it also played a huge role in the Korean Wave.
While the actors inBoys Over Flowersworked on other TV shows before and after starring in the beloved series, they are mostly recognized for their roles in thehigh school K-drama. SinceBoys Over Flowersis a romance, there might be an expectation that the actors in its cast have mostly starred in similar TV shows. While that is true in some cases,actors like Koo Hye-sun and Kim Hyun-joo have gone on to work in several other genres,including supernatural horrors and medical dramas.
Personal Taste
Cast
In this romantic comedy series, a meticulous architect pretends to be gay to become the roommate of a woman recovering from heartbreak. As they navigate their unconventional living arrangement, unexpected emotional connections and humorous misunderstandings arise, challenging their perceptions of love and relationships.
Based on Lee Se-in’s novel of the same name,Personal Tastechronicles Park Kae-in and Jeon Jin-ho’ssweet love story. Kae-in, a struggling furniture designer living in one of Korea’s architectural masterpieces, has a messy life that turns around when she meets Jin-ho, whom she mistakenly assumes is gay.
After her roommate moves out, Jin-ho, an architect with an interest in Kae-in’s historical house starts staying with her, and the two eventually fall in love. In his first TV role followingBoys Over Flowers,Lee Min-ho played Jeon Jin-ho inPersonal Taste.
Lee Min-ho won the MBC Drama Excellence Actor Award for his portrayal of Jeon Jin-ho inPersonal Taste.
WhilePersonal Tasteis a heartwarming romance, it also touches on important themes such as growth and the complexity of romantic adult relationships. The series has been praised for its humor, architectural designs, incredible chemistry between the lead actors, and charming performances from the cast.
Playful Kiss
Mischievous Kiss is a romantic comedy series following high school student Oh Ha-ni, who is academically challenged and infatuated with the school’s popular genius, Baek Seung-Jo. Her persistence and misadventures lead to unexpected developments in her pursuit for love.
Adapted from Tada Kaoru’s manga,Itazura Na Kiss,Playful Kissfollows an unpopular girl, Oh Ha-ni, who falls for the most popular boy in her class, Baek Seung-jo. Ha-ni tells Seung-jo how she feels about him, but he doesn’t see her that way, so he rejects her. To her credit, Ha-ni doesn’t let his rejection deter her from pursuing him.
When Ha-ni’s family moves into Seung-jo’s house, the two don’t initially get along but eventually find their way to each other. There’s nothing particularly revolutionary aboutPlayful Kissin terms of its premise. That being said, Ha-ni and Seung-jo’s love story is heartwarming, more so because the lead characters had great chemistry.
While Kim Hyun-joong’s character inPlayful Kissis similar to his role inBoys Over Flowers, there are some notable differences between the two.
WhileKim Hyun-joong’s character inPlayful Kissis similar to his role inBoys Over Flowers, there are some notable differences between the two. Seung-jo was cold and arrogant, whereas Ji-hu was sweet and caring. However, it’s his indifference and meanboy persona that made the fact that he fell for Ha-ni even more sweet.
Tale Of The Nine-Tailed
Tale of the Nine-Tailed is a South Korean fantasy television series starring Lee Dong-wook as a mythical nine-tailed fox navigating the human world. The series, which premiered in 2020, intertwines elements of romance and myth as its protagonist, Lee Yeon, confronts old enemies and rekindles old loves while balancing his duties between the two realms. Kim Bum and Jo Bo-ah co-star in key roles.
Withelements ofromance, horror, and fantasy,Tale of the Nine-tailedfollows Lee Yeon, a mythical Nine-Tailed fox who protects the mortal world from supernatural beings that seek to destroy humanity. Centuries before becoming the nine-tailed fox, Yeon was a mountain god who gave his life to resurrect his soulmate, A Eum. One day while in his human form, Yeon meets Nam Ji-ah, a TV producer who works on a show about urban myths.
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As the two interact more, Yeon begins to fall for Ji-ah and suspects that she might be the reincarnation of his lost love.Tale of the Nine-tailed’s plot is gripping from the first episode because of its use of Korean lore and romance. The supernatural drama has complex characters and great writing.
InTale of the Nine-tailed, Kim Bum takes on the role of Lee Rang, Yeon’s villainous brother.Although it’s easy to write off Lee Rang as an evil character, there’s more to him than meets the eye. Granted, he does some awful things in the show, but he also has a caring side that makes him a sympathetic character in thisfantasy K-drama.
Blood
In this Korean drama series, a brilliant surgeon battles his own vampirism while working at a hospital renowned for cancer treatment. The show explores the struggle between humanity and his supernatural instincts amidst a backdrop of medical and ethical dilemmas.
The fantasy romance,Blood, follows Park Ji-sang, a vampire who is also a doctor.Although Ji-sang usually works with blood, he doesn’t give in to his blood thirst because of how he perceives human life. One of his colleagues, Ri-ta, intrigues Ji-sang despite being arrogant, and he falls in love with her.
Bloodalso features Lee Jae-wook whose ambition and need for power make them one of the bestK-drama thriller villains.Bloodis one of the most interesting K-dramas due to how well it combines romance, fantasy, action, and thriller. The series has an intriguing plot that is made better because of the themes it integrates into its story.
Whilefantasy and romance are at the core ofBlood,it touches on issues such as the battle between good and evil, the importance of valuing human life, and how money and power can corrupt people. Koo Hye-sun, who plays Ri-ta inBlood,is captivating from the very first episode.
The King: Eternal Monarch
The King: Eternal Monarch is a 2020 film featuring a Korean emperor, Lee Gon, striving to seal the portal to a parallel universe opened by malevolent forces. Alongside him, a detective is devoted to safeguarding her loved ones amidst the unfolding cosmic challenges.
Penned by the renowned screenwriter, Kim Eun-sook,The King Eternal Monarchwas one of the most anticipated K-dramas of 2020 due to its impressive cast.The show follows Emperor Lee Gon of the Kingdom of Coreawho seeks to get the other half of Manpasikjeok, a sword that is used to open portals to another world.
The series is set in two worlds: the Kingdom of Corea and the Republic of Korea. When Lee Gon opens the portal to the Republic of Korea, he encounters Jeong Tae-yul, who he falls in love with and the two embark on a whirlwind romance.The King: Eternal Monarchhas incredible world-building that sets it apart from the typical K-drama romance.
The chemistry between the two leads is easy and natural, making their love for each other believable. Throughout its 16 episodes,The King: Eternal Monarchdoesn’t have a dull moment and is packed with suspense.Lee Min-ho is at his best as Lee Gon, and his portrayal of the king adds to the charm of the series.
While You Were Sleeping
In this fantasy drama series, a young woman and two men are burdened with prophetic dreams that reveal future events. Together, they strive to prevent the impending misfortunes they foresee, encountering challenges as they navigate the boundaries between destiny and choice.
While You Were Sleepingfollows Nam Hong-joo, Han Woo-tak, and Jung Jae-chan,three adults who can dream about the future. Their dreams aren’t focused on one thing. Some of them show disastrous events while others focus on crimes.
When they find out they have the same ability, Hong-joo, Woo-tak, and Jae-chan work together to stop their dreams from coming true. Like many K-dramas that blend different genres,While You Were Sleepingdoes so in a way that makes the plot unpredictable. The series has an intense story that the cast does a great job of bringing to life.
While its focus is mostly fantasy and romance, there are also elements of comedy that audiences can appreciate. In the series,Nam Da-reum plays the young Jae-chan.Although he doesn’t have a lot of screen time, Da-reum’s character is still an important part of the show because it is through him that audiences get to understand why he changed as he grew up.
Sweet Home
Sweet Home follows the story of Hyun-soo, a reclusive high school student who moves into the Green Home apartment complex after losing his family. When a mysterious epidemic turns people into monstrous creatures, Hyun-soo and the residents of Green Home must band together to survive, confronting their inner demons and the horrifying threats outside.
Based on a webtoon of the same name,Sweet Homesees Cha Hyun-su, a teenager who is left alone after his parents die. Hyun-su, who doesn’t have a lot of money moves intoa decrepit apartment building that starts being attacked by zombie-like creatures. The other inhabitants of the apartment building and Hyun-su work together to fight the monsters.
Hyun-su starts showing symptoms that would turn him into a monster until he eventually can transform into a winged creature. However, unlike the other people who became monsters during the invasion, Hyun-su is able to control his transformation. InSweet Home’s cast,Lee Si-young takes on the role of Seo Yi-kyung, a character created for the show and who plays a major role in all three seasons.
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WhenSweet Homepremiered, it became one of the most popular horrorK-dramas on Netflix. WhileSweet Homeutilizes the familiar concept of monsters attacking humans, the way that these creatures came to be is something that isn’t typically used in shows about zombies.
The psychological thriller,Blind, follows three characters, Ryu Seong-joon, Ryu Seong-hoon, and Jo Eun-ki, who are embroiled in a serial murder case with jury members as the victims. Seong-joon, a seasoned detective, tries to figure out why the jury members were killed and who was behind their murder.
Although Seong-joon and Seong-hoon both worked for the government and have great careers, their parents prefer Seong-hoon, who they consider to be better than his brother.Park Ji-bin portrays Jung Yoon-jae, a young man who takes matters into his own hands to seek justicefor his sisterwho was sexually abused.
Blindis a dark mystery thriller that keeps audiences guessing. The series incorporates various themes including surviving childhood trauma, familial trials, and the psychological effects of abuse. The series has a complex narrative that showcases how humans can turn a blind eye to corruption and injustice.
Hellbound
Netflix’s Hellbound is a Korean Drama and Dark Fantasy series that is directed by Yeon Sang-ho and based on his graphic novel, The Hellbound Volume 1. The series takes place in a modern fantastical version of Korea in which strange creatures pick and choose individuals to send to Hell.
Yeon Sang-ho’sHellboundisset in the future where supernatural beings called angels appear and declare the day and time a person is going to die. When the aforementioned day arrives, three hulking monsters drag the character to Hell.
Since most people didn’t understand why this was happening, a religious organization calledthe New Truthexplained that those who were bound for Hell were sinners. What makesHellboundinteresting is that it is more than just a supernatural horror but rather a deep dive into how humans deal with what they don’t understand.
Although Hyun-joo’s character as Goo Jun-hee inBoys Over Flowersis different from her role inHellbound, the two characters’ altruism shines through in both shows.
InHellbound’s cast, Kim Hyun-joo plays Min Hye-jin, one of the best characters in the show. Her devotion to helping people stand up to the New Truth adds an extra layer toHellbound’s gripping plot. Although Hyun-joo’s character as Goo Jun-hee inBoys Over Flowersis different from her role inHellbound, the two characters’ altruism shines through in both shows.
Boys Over Flowers
Boys Over Flowers is a 2009 South Korean television series based on the Japanese manga of the same name. The show follows Geum Jan-di, a courageous but impoverished girl who receives a scholarship to attend a prestigious high school. There, she encounters the infamous F4, a group of wealthy and influential boys, leading to complex relationships and social conflicts. The series stars Koo Hye-sun, Lee Min-ho, Kim Hyun-joong, Kim Bum, and Kim Joon.
