Throughout his career,Park Seo-joonhas portrayed many iconicK-dramacharacters. From narcissistic CEOs to underdog athletes,Park Seo-joon has proven that he is a captivating male leadwho knows just how to add an extra spark to some of thebest K-dramas of all time. As such, he has won multiple awards for his character work throughout the years. However, although many characters in the actor’s career are worth revisiting, some stand out more than others.
Park Seo-joon made his on-screen debut in 2011 and landed his first leading role in the romantic K-drama,A Witch’s Romance. Since then,Park Seo-joon’s careerhas only continued to grow. He recently starred in the Hollywood movieThe Marvelsbefore returning to the small screen as the lead in the hit Netflix series,Gyeongseong Creature. There is no telling what roles the actor may take on next, but before looking forward, here is a look back at some of Park Seo-joon’s best characters to date.
10Lee Si-woo
Dream High 2
Dream High 2sees Park Seo-joon make his K-drama debutwith the supporting character, Lee Si-woo. Si-woo is a vocalist in the boy band Eden, with a strong reputation as a bad boy who is more interested in dating than singing. However, Si-woo’s attitude begins to change after he is introduced to Nana (Hyolyn). The duo have a playful relationship that soon sees Si-woo develop feelings for the extroverted singer.
Park Seo-joon’s Best K-Drama Characters All Have 1 Thing In Common
From retired taekwondo fighters to narcissistic CEOs and everything in between, Park Seo-joon’s best K-drama characters all have one thing in common.
Compared to many of Park Seo-joon’s other characters, Si-woo lacks dimension. His part in a classicK-drama love trianglehinders his character greatly as it reduces him to just another of Nana’s admirers. His plot only really revolves around Nana and leaves little room for his character to develop. Despite this, Park Seo-joon has great chemistry with co-star Hyolyn. Their scenes are a delight to watch, butDream High 2’s limits their potential.
9Park Hyun-tae
Pots of Gold
InPots of Gold, Park Seo-joon’s character Park Hyun-tae adds another layer to the K-drama’s exploration of the life of the upper classes. As the youngest son of Park Soon-sang (Han Jin-hee) and mistress Min Young-ae (Geum Bo-ra), Hyun-tae had been mistreated since childhood at the hands of his stepmother. Yet, his status as a member of the wealthy Park family leads him to be offered up as a match for Jung Mong-hyun (Baek Jin-hee), resulting in a marriage that is initially loveless.
The softening of Hyun-tae’s attitude toward Mong-hyun makes his storyline entertaining to watch, particularly as they begin to show real affection for one another. They provide a great new dynamic toPots of Goldthat ultimately has endearing results. However, the restrictions of the K-drama’s storyline limit Hyun-tae’s character, leaving him as a cliché. So, when analyzing Park Seo-joon’s career as a whole, Hyun-tae is a character that does not often come to mind.
8Ji Sung-joon
She Was Pretty
DespiteShe Was Pretty’s leading couple being considered one ofPark Seo-joon’s best K-drama couples, Ji Seung-joon is far from one of Park Seo-joon’s best characters. The actor himself delivers a great performance as the narcissistic editor, a stereotype he repeats in multiple times throughout his career. Though what makes Ji Seung-joon leave such a sour taste in comparison to some of Park Seo-joon’s other roles is his treatment ofShe Was Pretty’s main character, Kim Hye-jin (Hwang Jung-eum).
Park Seo-joon and Hwang Jung-eum previously played siblings Oh Rion and Oh Ri-jin inKill Me, Heal Me.
Before Seung-joon becomes aware of Hye-jin’s true identity as the editor’s childhood best friend, he treats her terribly. Seung-joon is too blinded by his arrogant nature to see Hye-jin as anything but a problem, distorting the view of his character for the remainder of theromance K-drama. Although he slowly starts to see beneath Hye-jin’s looks,Seung-joon’s initial actions are hard to overlook. This makes Ji Seung-joon a less memorable character than others in his career, despite Park Seo-joon’s great performance.
7Yoon Dong-ha
A Witch’s Romance
A Witch’s Romanceis Park Seo-joon’s first K-drama as a male lead. Here, he plays the role of Yoon Dong-ha, a 25-year-old store worker who falls in love with a woman almost twenty years older than him. Though the initial age gap could have felt strange,Park Seo-joon delivers a performance that makes Dong-ha seem genuine. His character’s happy-go-lucky nature but passionate love for Ban Ji-yeon (Uhn Jung-hwa) add many layers to thesteamy K-dramathat make it wholly memorable.
Dong-ha’s more realistic character is the heart ofA Witch’s Romance.
Plus, Dong-ha’s heartbreaking backstory makes his character feel less like one with one note. The death of his ex-girlfriend due to a fatal heart condition has a profound effect on him, making for some truly heartbreaking moments throughout the K-drama. Dong-ha’s more realistic character is the heart ofA Witch’s Romance, even despite many overused clichés. However, in the span of Park Seo-joon’s career, there just happen to be other characters that leave a more lasting impression.
6Moo Myung/Kim Sun-woo
Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth
Park Seo-joon’s portrayal of the warrior, Moo Myung, in thehistorical K-dramaHwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth, is one of the series' biggest strengths.Moo Myung is easily one ofHwarang’s most interesting characterswith a classic, albeit clichéd, backstory that gives the K-drama a lot to work with. He rises beyond his circumstances as a lowborn citizen to become a key Hwarang warrior. In addition to this, the secrets of his past make way for a great rags-to-riches story that allows Park Seo-joon’s character to be a joy to watch on screen.
Although Park Seo-joon delivers a fantastic performance,Hwarang’s many flaws hold back Park Seo-joon’s character. His on-screen romance with co-star Go A-ra fails to grab attention, ultimately hindering a big storyline that the K-drama centers on. However, Park Seo-joon’s committed performance makes Moo Myung not only one ofHwarang’s best characters but also one of Park Seo-joon’s best K-drama characters to date.
5Oh Ri-on
Kill Me, Heal Me
WithKill Me, Heal Me, Park Seo-joon finally breaks out into the mainstream. The K-drama’s unique storyline gives the actor ample room to explore a varied but hilarious character that adds to the dynamic tone of the classic series. Park Seo-joon takes on the role of Oh Ri-on, a mystery novelist who investigates the main character Cha Do-hyun (Ji Sung), who has multiple personality disorder.
Ri-on’s relationship with Ahn Yo-na, one of Cha Do-hyun’s personalities, is one of the best additions to the K-drama.
Despite not being the show’s male lead,Oh Ri-on leaves a lasting impression. Park Seo-joon’s performance in thefunny K-dramamakes Oh Ri-on feel like a necessary piece to the series' complicated narrative. His relationship with his sister Oh Ri-jin (Hwang Jung-eum) is beautifully written and performed, even though Ri-on’s canonical crush on her makes things a bit weird. Plus, Ri-on’s relationship with Ahn Yo-na, one of Cha Do-hyun’s personalities, is one of the best additions to the K-drama that adds a much-needed laugh to soften some of the darker themes ofKill Me, Heal Me.
4Jang Tae-sang/Jang Ho-jae
Gyeongseong Creature
Park Seo-joon’s most recent role inGyeongseong Creatureshows just how well the actor can command a scene. Though Jang Tang-sang isn’t a far cry from roles such asShe Was Pretty’s Ji Seung-joon andWhat’s Wrong With Secretary Kim?’s Lee Young-joon,Gyeongseong Creaturegives Park Seo-joon the room to explore one of the actor’s best-typecast rolesin an entirely new light. This results in a well-rounded performance from Park, who portrays the ever-growing fears of his character well.
InGyeongseong Creature 2, Jang Tae-sang’s character becomes even more interesting due to the series' new setting and his character’s new situation. The season 1 finale posed many questions about theidentity of Park Seo-joon’s character Jang Ho-jae. The reveal that Ho-jae is Tae-sang adds a great new depth to Park Seo-joon’s character. Not only did this reveal allow Park Seo-joon to show who Tae-sang is at his core, but also shows how time and the effects of season 1 deeply affected Tae-sang, leading him to become a powerful figure who is haunted by the past.
3Lee Young-joon
What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim?
AlthoughWhat’s Wrong With Secretary Kim?relies heavily on popular romance tropes and cliches, it thrives because of it. This is especially apparent in Park Seo-joon’s character, Lee Young-joon. The narcissistic CEO could have very easily become a one-note character due to his self-obsessed personality, but fortunately, the dynamics of his character make him an incredibly entertaining addition to Park Seo-joon’s career.
10 Harsh Realities Of Rewatching What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim 6 Years Later
What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim? is well-loved for its great romance and boundless humor, yet that does not mean it’s without its faults.
Compared to many of Park Seo-joon’s other characters, Lee Young-joon is far from complex. Yet,this simplicity givesWhat’s Wrong With Secretary Kim?’s Lee Young-joon an edge. It also makes him a clear stand-out from the actor’sShe Was Prettycharacter, as Young-joon appreciates (albeit overworks) Kim Mi-so (Park Min-young) which makes the overall payoff of their relationship much more worth it. Though Lee Young-joon can seem a bit obsessive and unprofessional, Park Seo-joon’s overwhelming charm makes the character seem likable despite these glaring flaws.
2Ko Dong-man
Fight For My Way
Fight For My Wayis one of Park Seo-joon’s best K-dramas and Ko Dong-man plays a large part in that.Fight For My Way’s story heavily relies on rooting for an underdog, andPark Seo-joon’s sincere yet hilarious performance makes it very easy to root for Dong-manas he chases his dreams. Im Sang-choon’s deftly written script gives what could be a simple character a lot of dimension, making him a highly memorable character.
Alongside this, Ko Dong-man and Choi Ae-ra’s (Kim Ji-won)friends-to-lovers K-dramaromance is easily Park Seo-joon’s best on-screen love story. Dong-man and Ae-ra’s childish dynamic adds a lot of humor to the series, but their genuine and sincere love for one another cannot be questioned. They would do anything for each other in a moment, which adds a lot of surprisingly heartfelt and tender moments that show a lot of depth to this K-drama romance, as well as Park Seo-joon’s passionate underdog.
1Park Sae-ro-yi
Itaewon Class
None of Park Seo-joon’s other characters have quite the same complexity or depth as Park Sae-ro-yi ofItaewon Class. AK-drama based on a webtoon,Itaewon Classcenters around convict Sae-ro-yi who bands together with an unlikely group to run a pub in the Itaewon district of Seoul. Sae-ro-yi’s dark past is full of complicated twists and turns that fuel the K-drama’s unique and gripping narrative.
Park Seo-joon was nominated for Best Actor (Television) twice at the Baeksang Awards for his roles inItaewon ClassandFight For My Way.
AlthoughItaewon Classcenters around Park Sae-ro-yi’s desire to open a restaurant, it’s also arevenge K-drama. Sae-ro-yi’s unyielding passion for his restaurant never dies, but mixed in with his pure hatred for Jang Geun-won (Ahn Bo-hyun) makes for an incredibly entertaining and interesting story. Plus, as Sae-ro-yi is a very different character from others Park Seo-joon has played, it’s great to see the actor thrive as a character surrounded by dark and unfortunate circumstances. This makes it clear that Park Sae-ro-yi isPark Seo-joon’s bestK-dramacharacter to date.
Cast
Gyeongseong Creature is an action horror-thriller television series that Kang Eun-kyung and Chung Dong-yoon created for Netflix. Set in 1945 during the Japanese occupation of Korea, Jang Tae-Sang, a wealthy informant in the heart of Gyeongseong, and Yoon Chae-ok, a highly skilled investigator, come together to face a literal creature created from the cumulative greed of humanity.
