- 34.9KShares
So far, 2016 has been the year where many of our favorite second lead syndrome actors finally received their well-deserved breakout lead roles. Park Bo Geum kicked off the year with Reply 1988, followed by Park Hae Jin’s highly anticipated Cheese in the Trap. Then, Lee Hyun Woo stars in Moorim School, and Uncontrollably Fond marks the return of Kim Woo Bin. From Seo Kang Joon’s long-form drama Splendid Politics, to Ji Soo’s short form drama Page Turner, we’ve been blessed in many ways thus far. All of this reminded me to give a shout out to the other talented actors who haven’t had their chance to shine as male leads yet. Let’s root for them and hope for the best in the second half of 2016.
Yook Sang Jae
Yook Sang Jae, member of boy group BTOB, was one of the top second lead syndrome inducers of 2015. He played the supportive friend role in Who Are You: School 2015 and surprised everyone with his acting talents. His portrayal of the externally carefree but internally damaged teenage boy was both age appropriate and relatable. Unfortunately, no news of him returning to the small screen as of yet, but we look forward to seeing how he would do in a lead role sans school uniforms.
Shin Sung Rok
Shin Sung Rok may not be your typical flower boy male lead material, but he is no less of an A class actor. He left deep impressions with his villain roles in both My Love From the Star and Liar Game. His ability to channel a mysterious persona and get under your skin can surely be used towards a positive protagonist role as well. Perhaps rom-coms won’t be his thing, but I can certainly imagine him being a great male lead fit in a crime thriller or a political scandal drama.
Kang Min Hyuk
Frankly, Kang Min Hyuk of CNBLUE didn’t leave a huge impression on me during his The Heirs days. However, I have newfound respect for him as an actor after watching Entertainer, where he successfully channeled the music-loving, mature high schooler with unrequited love towards his adopted sister. Acting next to top-notch actor Ji Sung isn’t easy, shining through and inducing second lead syndrome is even harder, and that’s exactly what Kang Min Hyuk did. I can’t wait to see him in his very own rom-com where he can get the girl at the end.
Go Kyung Pyo
I first saw Go Kyung Pyo in Flower Boy Next Door, where his quirky role was not hugely memorable among all the eccentric characters in that drama. However, Reply 1988 completely changed my perspective of him. I had no idea he’s capable of giving us such a heart-warming character who’s a devoted son, a caring brother, a loyal friend, and a fearless lover all at once. I’ve now realize the diverse range that he can handle as an actor and fully anticipate another surprise dimension from him as a male lead.
Park Hyung Sik
Even though ZE:A’s more well-known actor is Im Si Won, Park Hyung Sik proves that he’s no less talented. Through his recent work High Society, Park Hyung Sik earned himself quite a bit of accolades from fans and the industry alike for the chemistry he had with co-star Lim Ji Yeon. Given his idol background, it’s not hard to imagine him starring in his very own rom-com of sorts and continue to charm his way through it.
Yoon Kyun Sang
Yoon Kyun Sang put on a great show in Pinocchio as the good boy turned bad fueled by revenge. The emotional range and character depth he displayed made him immediately memorable to me. Unfortunately, his subsequent role in The Time We Were Not in Love was poorly written and didn’t allow his talents to show through. But he quickly bounced back with Six Flying Dragon and now new drama Doctors. I hope that his character and acting skills in one of those will help secure him a leading role soon enough.
Do Kyung Soo
D.O. from EXO is a force to be reckoned with. Not only is he a skilled vocalist, he’s also got exceptional acting capabilities as shown through his roles in both It’s Okay That’s Love and I Remember You. In both cases, his leaves a strong impression with the super nuanced ways in which he conveyed the complex psychological states of his characters — certainly no small feat for a new actor. Sadly for us, he’s chosen to focus on movies in the foreseeable future, but I can’t wait to see him return to the drama world as the male lead, likely one with great depth.
Park Ki Woong
Park Ki Woong has already been around for a number of years as an actor, but he didn’t truly get noticed until his exceedingly memorable role in Bridal Mask as Kimura Shunji. He demonstrated wide emotional range being torn by loyalty towards his best friend and obedience towards his father and his country. He transitioned his character from a good guy to a bad one seamlessly and equally convincingly. I would love to see more of him as the male lead in a different type of role, as I’m sure he’s got the chops to do a great job.
Lee Jong Hyun
The other CNBLUE member, Lee Jong Hyun, made his acting debut in A Gentleman’s Dignity years ago, where his visuals, more than his acting, left a bigger impression on me. Fast forward three years later, he stars next to Yeo Jin Goo and Seolhyun in Orange Marmalade and does a wonderful job portraying the emotionally scarred vampire with a devil-may-care attitude. Like his fellow idols, Lee Jong Hyun can easily be your next heart-throbbing male lead stealing more fangirls hearts in his very own rom-com.
Which of these 9 talented Kdrama actors do you think deserves a leading role? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
- 34.9KShares
- 34.9KShares