6 Of Lee Min Ho's K-Dramas That Are Always Worth Rewatching
Lee Min Ho’s name itself can evoke powerful emotions amongst fans. There is hardly anyone in the K-drama fandom who has not heard of the man who is called the ultimate Prince Charming of the screens. The multi-hyphenated Lee Min Ho is also synonymous as the poster boy of the Hallyu wave, which has swept across South Korean shores in the past couple of decades. His looks and style made him a perfect fit to play the affluent characters in many narratives. The actor also not only iconized his screen characters but remains a man for all seasons for drama enthusiasts. Here’s a look at six dramas starring the actor that fans never tire of watching and rewatching.
“Boys Over Flowers”
A drama which was a rite of passage for many into K-dramas, “Boys Over Flowers” remains an all-time favorite. Gu Jun Pyo (Lee Min Ho), the pompously arrogant heir to the illustrious Shinhwa Group of Industries, is the cool boy and most sought-after person at school. Well aware of his popularity, he also leads the F4, which includes his besties Ji Hoo (Kim Hyun Joong), Woo Bin (Kim Joon), and Yi Jung (Kim Bum). The quartet is nothing less than nobility as everyone is constantly vying to get their attention. However, Jun Pyo meets his match in Geum Jan Di (Ku Hye Sun). The daughter of a dry cleaner, Jan Di gets a scholarship at Shinwha and manages to ruffle every feather on Jun Pyo’s designer coats and stretch every hair on his coiffured head. She does not care for Jun Pyo and nor is she taken in with his wealth and status. Feisty Jan Di’s spunky spirit soon makes her a favorite amongst the F4, and Jun Pyo himself cannot get her out of his head. It’s the push and pull between Jun Pyo’s feelings for Jan Di which form the core of the story as he realizes his love for her. However, winning her over is tougher than he has anticipated. Jun Pyo undergoes his own self evolution from selfish to selfless for the people he loves, and he also finds himself beyond the fetters of his mega rich family name.
Lee Min Ho’s portrayal of Jun Pyo’s helplessness and the depth of his feelings for the woman he loved won him fans across the globe. Using the classic “rich boy/poor girl” trope, “Boys Over Flowers” also found its way into popular culture be it the fashion, the dialogues, and even scenes being parodied by many fans.
Start watching “Boys Over Flowers”:
“Heirs”
Lonely, rich boy Kim Tan (Lee Min Ho) lives away from home in Southern California as per his domineering older brother Won’s (Choi Jin Hyuk’s) wishes. Tan is aware that it is a life in exile, since his brother wants him out of the way, staking his claim to the inheritance. The reticent Kim Tan had accepted his fate until he meets Cha Eun Sang (Park Shin Hye). Eun Sang is in the States to find her absconding sister, who has no intention to take in Eun Sang or return back home. When Kim Tan saves Eun Sang from a sticky situation, sparks fly, and he gathers courage and returns home to Seoul. Destiny plays its cards, and Eun Sang is not only at the same elite school attended by Kim Tan but also happens to be living in his home. Eun Sang is the daughter of the Kim household’s help. Between stolen kisses, there is still hesitation given their situation. And Tan’s best friend-turned-frenemy, Choi Young Do (Kim Woo Bin), who initially acts cocky with Eun Sang to bug Kim Tan, also falls for her.
“Heirs” is your typical high school fare, weaving in the classic trope of “rich boy/poor girl,” but the drama also delves into the price children pay for being the heirs to their family. Lee Min Ho as the unsure Kim Tan, a far cry from his cocksure Jun Pyo of “Boys Over Flowers,” is endearing. Though it’s hard to imagine Lee Min Ho as anything but confident, the actor gets Kim Tan’s reserved nature and shows his “rebel with a cause” attitude when his love is in danger. And Kim Woo Bin as the quintessential bad guy with a heart of gold is also charming.
Start watching “Heirs”:
“The Legend of the Blue Sea”
Conman Heo Jun Jae (Lee Min Ho) is a smooth operator and master of disguise depending on the situation. However, he is clear about his agenda—it’s always the self-conceited rich hiding secrets who are on his radar. But things change when he meets the cutely weird Shim Chung (Jun Ji Hyun) in Spain. Shim Chung is totally at sea with everything happening around her, but what Jun Jae does not realize is that she is actually a mermaid, and he has a deep connection with her from a previous lifetime. Shim Chung follows Jun Jae to Spain, and though she has wiped out all memories of their meeting in Spain, Jun Jae cannot shake off the same and finds himself drawn toward her. Jun Jae has also been looking out for his mother and is estranged from his father, and he keeps getting flashbacks as if a past life is repeating again.
A fairytale set in the modern context, “The Legend of the Blue Sea” is worth taking a deep dive into. Lee Min Ho is charismatic and a perfect fit as the mischievous and sharp Jun Jae. On one hand, he is the unapologetic and sardonic jack of all trades, and on the other, he is just a lost boy looking for his mother. And Lee Min Ho manages to get the tone right for both these aspects. Plus Jun Ji Hyun is a riot as Shim Chung—her innate comic timing is the prefect match for Lee Min Ho’s brooding Jun Jae.
Start watching “The Legend of the Blue Sea”:
“The King: Eternal Monarch”
Who can resist a man in a uniform—especially if the man in question is Lee Min Ho! He plays Lee Gon, the King of Korea, who is unable to let go of the trauma of his past. Having witnessed the brutal death of his father as a child, he is scarred. His only memory is of seeing the identity card of a woman named Tae Eul (Kim Go Eun) before he is saved. Lee Gon’s interest in quantum physics leads him to discover a portal leading to another world in modern day South Korea. It is here that he encounters Tae Eul, who is a detective in Seoul—she is the woman he is looking for. The inevitable happens as the two get enveloped in a passionate love affair. Lee Gon takes it upon himself to safeguard the woman he loves as he embarks on a journey of portal hopping on the way, manipulating fate and even encountering alter selves of people he knows.
Lee Min Ho’s flamboyant charm in this drama is enough to keep you riveted in an otherwise confusing plot. And the eye candy bromance between him and Woo Do Hwan is absolute fire.
“Pachinko”
The adaptation of Korean-American author Min Jin Lee’s evocative bestseller “Pachinko” showcases Lee Min Ho in a very different manner. The actor shed his romantic hero image to play Koh Hansu, the dangerously charming yet ruthless yakuza (member of a crime syndicate), who sets off a sequence of turbulent events in the life of the woman he loves Sunja (Kim Min Ha). Hansu is not a man you mess with, but he can be devotedly loyal toward the ones he cares for, even though his methods can be selfish. His obsessive desire for Sunja and the inability to make her his own consume him.
The actor had described his character as a heartbreaking man who does not know any better but is looking for love and redemption in his own way. Lee Min Ho comes out on top with his portrayal of Hansu and is a scene stealer. You love to hate him and hate to love him, and the actor brought a gravitas in showcasing a complex man.
“City Hunters”
Lee Min Ho slays again this time in a badass action character. He stars as Lee Yoon Sung, who goes undercover at the Blue House as an IT expert in a bid to follow through with his father’s plan for revenge. Kim Na Na (Park Min Young) is a bodyguard at the Presidential residence. The two form an unlikely alliance after realizing their mission and plans for revenge are similar. What’s better than when comrades turn into lovers and get swept in a passionate love affair?
The show, based on a popular Japanese manga, gained international popularity. Yoon Sung is a man who has an affectionate and optimistic side to him but shrouds his lonely self in his relentless pursuit for justice. Lee Min Ho also has the swag, which makes him a perfect fit for his character.
Start watching “City Hunter”:
Hey Soompiers, which one of these K-dramas is your favorite Lee Min Ho drama? Let us know in the comments below!
Puja Talwar is a Soompi writer with a strong Yoo Tae Oh and Lee Junho bias. A long time K-drama fan, she loves devising alternate scenarios to the narratives. She has interviewed Lee Min Ho, Gong Yoo, Cha Eun Woo, and Ji Chang Wook to name a few. You can follow her on @puja_talwar7 on Instagram
Currently watching: “King the Land” and “See You in My 19th Life.”
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