Presenting two terribly underrated actors who are charming my, uhm, socks, yeah, socks off in two currently airing dramas – Lee Chun Hee in Gloria and Kim Seung Soo in I Am Legend.
By popular request (y’all need to thank ripgal), and because I can’t think of a more enjoyable thing to do today (well, except for devouring IAL episode 9 and then promptly rewatching that ending scene).
First up (since I’ve already snucked in a KSS mini-picspam with the I Am Legend Whiplash post) – Lee Chun Hee aka Ha Dong Ah in Glorious (that’s what imma calling this drama, okay?).
His character is a rough, uneducated hoodlum who works as a bouncer at a local chintzy night club. He’s got a mile-wide heart and heaps of insecurity. And he falls love-at-first-sight with an illegitimate, suicidal, elegant, ex-ballerina.
Their sweet and tender love story is like the yummiest romance novel come to life, with your Korean twist, that keeps me coming back asking for more. But it’s LCH’s spot-on acting that brings this thug-with-a-soft-spot stereotype to life.
Yup, the thug and the ballerina are sure to waltz into happy-sad-finally together land, and I will be enjoying their journey each step of the way. Since she’s already tried to kill herself, let’s hope that death won’t rear its over-used head for this couple.
LCH’s eyes – yeah, it makes me melt, he’s such a sweet, strong, and honest type of actor.
Who wouldn’t give up the world for this guy, who happens to worship the ground you walk on.
Next up – currently causing me (and probably others) whiplash is Kim Seung Soo as Cha Ji Wook, bastard ex-husband of Kim Jung Eun’s character in I Am Legend. He’s acting his pants off (I really wish this was literally) by using his eyes to express a billion and one conflicting emotions. His eyes have made MY eyes glued to the screen and have me rewatching all his scenes. I doubt I’ll be crazy about him in other dramas the way I am about him in IAL, and I’m fine with that.
So far, my favorite scenes with MY ordained OTP have been screen capped for your pleasure here. It’s when Seol Hee plays the DVD of their happier days in court, and then they both go home and sing/drown their sorrows on a guitar/bottle of whisky. Truly heady stuff to watch.
And it’s clear that everyone in the drama adores Kim Seung Soo despite that fact that he’s supposed to be the resident asshole. Witness these adorable BTS pics of the ladies of the Comeback Madonna Band goofing off with their boy toy.
So there you have it! Lee Chun Hee and Kim Seung Soo are the current winners of the acting their heart and guts out award. And looking so smoking hot as a low-class thug and a high-class lawyer, respectively. I recommend watching Glorious and IAL just for them alone.
A Koala's Playground 
Already on the Glorious train because of Chun Hee. 😀
And I’m already on the KSS-is-smoking-hot bus because of City of Glass…but will wait for your OTP confirmation before getting on the IAL train. Don’t want to be burned a second time. 😉
And that’s why I’m not touching City of Glass with a ten-foot pole. When they screw the clearly more combustible coupling for the one which is….not, that just pisses me off horrendously. I’m praying that IAL bucks the trend and KSS gets to be OTP for once in his career.
I had not seen those BTS photos. They are almost enough to make me buy a seat on the Team Rat Bastard bus…..
@ockoala
Not only did they screw up the coupling, they totally changed the premise. It was supposed to be about a woman who marries rich, scraps the not-so-fairy-tale marriage & divorces, then finds herself (and gets together with Smexy Sunbae). Had to wait 51 eps for 2 seconds at the end. Yeah, I’m still bitter…
I like Chunhee more after I saw him in Family Outing. I’ve seen some of his movies before that, but never impressed me.
Chunderella, in the other hand, is lovable, clumsy, tall, handsome boy. ( yes I call him a boy, even though he’s older than me 😛 ) I LOL-ed so hard when I saw him washing a radish with soap! A perfect way to fall in love with a boy?
I guess I have to try Gloria soon.. I plan to watch Smile,You first.
That photo of KSS with tousled hair! *faints*
Team Rat Bastard bus, all aboard!
@ hjkomo
Wait a momento. So did KSS get the girl at the end of City of Glass or no? Btw, I checked out a snippet of CoG and KSS is wayyyy sexier in IAL
@ serendipity – I know, I just HAD to sneak in that tousled hair picture. So huggable.
@ djes – Hhhhmmm, if you want to watch solely for Chun Hee, skip Smile, You and watch Gloria instead. I never really liked SY, but Gloria is not bad, and CH a lead in Gloria whereas SY is all about Lee Min Jung and Jung Kyung Ho (who I loved, but the story not so much).
Team Rat Bastard!! I’m waiting for the cue from you before I commit to watching IAL.
Chunhee believe it or not I’ve never seen in a drama so I haven’t yet worshipped at his feet but I have seen him in family outing and he was adorable.
Hee. I focus on the hair-cute and try not to think about the *meaning* of that photo. A telescope?! In bed??!! HMS Bedroom-Eyes Rat Bastard, ahoy?
LOVE Lee Swoonhee the most in Conspiracy in the Court. 😆
You’re welcoma koala babe. We can never get enuff of Glorious Chun Hee and Legendary KSS. Bring it on~~~ MORE is never enuff hehehe..
Evil me just has to say, who would win if Chun Hee vs KSS?
@ ripgal
Gahhh, it’s like asking me to choose between my left and right hand. But…..since you asked, at this very moment, it’s definitely KSS. He’s just a better actor than CH is, but that’s because he’s got more experience. CH is raw talent through and through.
KSS is the only person who has played a thoroughly distasteful character and made me love him. Cha Seung Won only skirted at that edge when he played Jo Gook in City Hall, where he was pretty shady but really did nothing terrible to anyone, and definitely didn’t hurt our heroine and mistreat her the way KSS did to KJE in IAL.
And yet I am onboard Team Rat Bastard bus, which speaks volumnes about KSS’s acting talent. CH has a few more dramas to refine his skill, he’s almost there. 😀
Who cares, I love ’em both!
@ serendipity – he needs the telescope so he can see me from far away.
Wooo.. KSS over CSW? haha.. but they’re all the same, angst-y men with eyes which speak VOLUMES. ❤
It'd be interesting to have a poll!
"Actor (Character) with the most tormented/angst-iest Eyes" haha…
I love KSS. He was so hottt as Taeso in Jumong and hot and funny in Don’t Ask About The Past! I don’t know why he’s been typecast recently as the “heavy” ex like in City Of Glass and Job Well Done. Maybe because he’s such a great actor? But he’s so cute and so sweet I can’t imagine all these gfs/wives leaving him! I’d like to see him in a drama where he gets the girl, like he did in Fox And Cotton Candy! ❤