Before his breakthrough in the MCU, Park Seo-joon was and still is an A-list actor in Korea, known for K-drama roles alongside Gyeongseong Creature.
When it comes to new or veteran fans, one name is often included in the list of actors that are a must-watch. Park Seo-joon helped cement the romance genre early in his career which skyrocketed him to fame. But Park has shifted away from the genre breaking into Hollywood as Prince Yun in the MCU. Not to mention his cameo in Parasite.
K-drama fans didn’t have to worry about losing their favorite actor as he stars in Netflix’s Gyeongseong Creature alongside Han So-hee. He plays the role of Tae-sang, a wealthy pawn shop owner in Gyeongseong. He’s the go-to guy for reliable information and joins Chae-ok in the mystery of missing person cases.
The actor dazzles on screen no matter what genre of role and has a popular filmography to watch.
She Was Pretty
Besides A Witch’s Love, Park Seo-joon gained fame in the romance genre with K-dramas like She Was Pretty. It’s a hidden gem among fans who enjoy a Cinderella story. The romantic comedy focused on Kim Hye-jin (Hwang Jung-eum) and a true story. Hye-jin came from a wealthy family and was praised for her beauty.
When her family goes bankrupt, she also loses her looks. She’s seen as less desirable as an adult due to her frizzy hair and rosy red cheeks. As fate would have it, she meets a childhood friend named Ji Sung-joon (Park Seo-joon). He was the opposite having been an unattractive boy but growing up handsome and successful.
They agree to meet each other but Hye-jin is baffled by his good looks and fearful of how much she has changed. Her pretty friend takes her place and pretends to be her. Unknown to Hye-jin, her friend develops a crush on Sung-joon. Hye-jin finds herself in a pickle when assigned to work for a fashion magazine where Sung-joon is the editor. But Sing-joon doesn’t recognize her and belittles her.
She Was Pretty is available on Viki and Amazon Prime Video.
Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth
One historical K-drama that had fans’ hearts was 2017’s coming-of-age story Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth. It starred Park Seo-joon, Go A-ra, and Park Hyung-sik in the leading roles alongside an impressive ensemble cast. It focuses on a group of young warriors named Hwarang with Crown Prince Sammaekjong in the center. When his father dies and political chaos ensues, his mother makes a choice.
She sends him away for his safety against people who wish to kill him. Under a different name, he joins the Hwarang created by his mother. They are a group of elite warriors sworn to protect the throne. But they are unaware that among them is the prince and future king himself. Kim Sun-woo (Park Seo-joon) becomes an ally of low birth. He has a secret even he’s unaware of.
Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth is available on Viki and Amazon Prime Video.
Fight For My Way
A guilty-pleasure K-drama among fans is Park’s role in Fight For My Way. It’s a sports romance that caters to all the well-loved tropes of romance. Ko Dong-man (Park Seo-joon) was a former TaeKwonDo athlete who quit due to an incident. He’s now a martial artist with no merit as he deals with his past.
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He has been friends with his neighbor Choi Ae-ra (Kim Ji-won) for years and constantly bicker with each other. Despite being childish, they have never seen each other as romantic partners – until the tide turns.
Ae-ra has always dreamed of leaving her department store job and becoming an announcer. The two venture on a journey to chase their dreams while also realizing the sparks and romance between them.
Fight For My Way is available on Viki.
What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim
If there’s one K-drama that indoctrines all newcomers, it’s What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim. The K-drama is a cut classic that portrays every known trope with flair. It also cemented actors Park Min-young and Park Seo-joon as leaders in the romance genre.
It’s a boss-employee relationship that’s comedic, blush-worthy, and with a bit of thrill. Kim Mi-so (Park Min-young) has worked for her vice-chairman boss Lee Young-joon (Park Seo-joon) for nine years. Utterly devoted to him as his secretary, she announced her resignation to pursue her own interests. The news shakes Young-joon to the core after realizing how much he needs her.
In his plight to get her to stay, he begins to fall in love. There’s an added thriller aspect as Mi-soo looks for the man that has plagued her past – and might be the answer to Young-joon’s own trauma.
What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim is available on Viki.
Itaewon Class
Itaewon Class was Netflix’s biggest claim to fame when it first ventured into K-drams during the Hallyu wave. It was also the K-drama that secured Park Seo-joon’s role in The Marvels. The 2020 K-drama is another classic among fans for its storyline.
Park Sae-ro-yi (Park Seo-joon) is a newcomer in school who has no issue standing up to bully Jang Geun-won (Ahn Bo-hyun). But it proves to be the wrong decision when Geun-won becomes responsible for the death of Sae-ro-yi’s father. Angered, Sae-ro-yi wants his revenge but fails as the bully is the chaebol heir of a powerful CEO.
The attack led Sae-ro-yi to be jailed for three years and lose his girlfriend in the process. When leaving prison, he vows to change his life in honor of his father and open a bar-restaurant in Itaewon. His efforts capture the attention of Geun-won again as his father owns a successful chain of restaurants in Itaewon and neighboring areas. Seeing Sae-ro-yi as a threat, they begin a fight to see who prevails. Along the way, Sae-ro-yi develops a bond with his staff and Jo Yi-seo (Kim Da-mi).
Itaewon Class is available on Netflix.
