50 KOREAN ACTORS TO LOVE

#37 - Jang Geun-suk

JGS seems to be transforming into a prettier and prettier woman as time goes on. 

Ha…ha. No, but really. Have you seen him recently?

He has his quirks, but no one can deny that he’s tried his hand in diverse roles over the years. From sitcoms to period dramas to film thrillers to the guyliner-abusing crack piece that was “You’re Beautiful,” the never-boring JGS has steadily built a dynamic, hipster-friendly image for himself. 

He possesses a strangely addictive quality that has helped him nab viewers in such dramas as “Hwang Jinyi,” “Hero Hong Gildong,” “Beethoven Virus” and “Mary Stayed Out All Night.” Notable film credits include the film adaptation of the Guiyeoni novel “Doremifasolatido,” “Baby & Me” and “The Case of the Itaewon Homicide.”

50 KOREAN ACTORS TO LOVE

#36 - Lee Jung-jin

This tall, mellow actor has made an all-around nice, wholesome guy image for himself. LJJ is impossible to dislike.

He’s hard to find in the tabloids and usually lays low, but his good looks and his strong screen presence are hard to ignore for long.

Notably, he took a chance and ventured into variety via “Qualification of Men” for a couple of years and managed to become a more accessible figure to the masses. LJJ can also be seen in numerous films and dramas. Some dramas include “Fugitive: Plan B,” “2 Outs, 9th Inning,” and “Love Story in Harvard.” Films include “Mapado,” “Troubleshooter,” “No Doubt,” and “Once Upon a Time in High School.”

50 KOREAN ACTORS TO LOVE

#35 - Gong-yoo

When a man looks like GY, you don’t really question anything — you decide you love him on the spot, no regrets.

He’s not a very prolific (or even very strikingly talented, to be completely honest) actor, but there’s just something so attractive and natural about his effortless charm and the confident way he carries himself. His most notable projects include films “Finding Mr. Destiny,” “S Diary,” and “She’s on Duty.” Dramas include “Gunbbang Teacher and Star Candy,” “One Fine Day,” and massive hit “Coffee Prince,” for which he gained most recognition.

A good physique and a handsome face has secured GY leading man roles for years now, but the fact remains that, for whatever reason, he has failed to reach the top of the industry. Nonetheless, I doubt GY will lose his popularity with female audiences any time soon.

50 KOREAN ACTORS TO LOVE

#34 - Lee Min-ho

An ongoing hot commodity in the industry, the young LMH has ridden his burst of popularity following “Boys Over Flowers” in the most graceful manner possible.

The good-looking actor has only done two projects after BoF — “Personal Taste,” which didn’t quite meet expectations, and the currently-airing “City Hunter” — but he has found great success in endorsements, from electronic goods to clothing to coffee.

I think it’s safe to say that it’s still too early to judge LMH by his skills as an actor. As one of the newest, most high-profile leading men in dramaland at the moment, he has not exactly captivated me just yet. But, like many others, I have high hopes for him.

50 KOREAN ACTORS TO LOVE

#33 - Kim Yoon-seok

A true scene stealer in every sense of the word, the remarkably magnetic KYS continues to stun on the big screen as his career keeps climbing higher and higher.

At first glance strikingly similar in skill, appearance and even aura to fellow (tremendous) actor Song Kang-ho, KYS has the same quality that draws people into his world. Once they’re sucked in, no one gets out until he lets them.

Although admittedly overlooked for many years, he hit his big break with mega-thriller “The Chaser” in 2008 and has not looked back since. After earning high praise for his work in “Running Turtle,” he went on to star in the box-office hit “Jeon Woochi.” His second project with Ha Jung-woo and director Na Hong-jin — “The Yellow Sea” — has garnered critical acclaim. 

In other words — yes, he is indeed on a roll. And he’s not stopping.

50 KOREAN ACTORS TO LOVE

#32 - Lee Jun-ki

At times effeminate and sensual and at others dynamic and masculine, LJK knows how to strike viewers in all the right ways. 

The actor became an overnight superstar after starring as the delicate clown Gong-gil in one of the highest-grossing South Korean films of all time, “The King and the Clown.” He could have easily been typecast, but he followed with diverse roles in movies “Fly, Daddy, Fly” and “Virgin Snow” while maintaining a lively string of dramas with “My Girl,” “The Time Between Dog and Wolf,” “Iljimae,” and “Hero.”

With so many fans anticipating his return from serving army duties, LJK will surely not disappoint when he comes back to audiences in 2012.

50 KOREAN ACTORS TO LOVE

#31 - Ryu Seung-beom

Here is another actor who is intensely talented at what he does. Effortlessly eye-catching and possessing his own brand of charisma, RSB should be on everyone’s radar.

He has been pegged as a “bad guy” specialty actor, but he has shown a wide range through the span of his praised career.

His notable works are countless: “Arahan,” the much-acclaimed “Crying Fist,” “No Manners,” “The Beast and the Beauty,” “Bloody Ties,” “No Mercy,” and “Radio Days” are just a few of his films. He’s picked up a couple of Best Actor awards along the way, proving himself to be one of the few leading men who will become the face of Korean cinema in years to come.

50 KOREAN ACTORS TO LOVE

#30 - Ji Jin-hee

The handsome, sincere and polished JJH seems to always be offering something new to audiences. He handles both comedic and melodramatic roles with grace and an undeniable screen presence.

His claim to fame came with 2003’s mega-hit “Dae Jang Geum,” a periodic piece that launched him into both a star and a leading man. JJH has since successfully transformed into a variety of characters — doctors, architects, kings, etcetera — through romantic comedies like “Ms. Kim’s Million-Dollar Quest” and “The Man Who Can’t Marry” and more serious projects such as (semi-serious) “Dongyi,” “Spring Days” and “Spotlight.” Also a film star, his notable movies include “H,” “Soo” and “Parallel Life.”

50 KOREAN ACTORS TO LOVE

#29 - Kam Woo-sung

KWS is an actor I love because everything about him feels understated but well-honed. He wields a comfortable and soft charisma rarely found on others and always makes me feel at ease when I see him on screen.

His most notable projects on TV include “Alone in Love” and the current historical piece “The Great King Geunchogo.” Among his films are “Marriage is a Crazy Thing,” “A Bold Family,” the massive hit “The King and the Clown,” “Bang Bang,” and “The Outlaw.”

The fact that he’s always radically changing without risking the sense of stability and familiarity that audiences know him for makes him a great actor. 

50 KOREAN ACTORS TO LOVE

#28 - Jung Il-woo

He’s still young and relatively inexperienced, but JWS has so far managed to separate himself from the crowd of actors who disappear after one hit role by taking on diverse characters and proving to viewers that he can be taken seriously.

Possessing attractive, distinctively Asian features and a memorably fresh aura, he became the breakout star of hit sitcom “Unstoppable High Kick” in 2006. He was given the lead role in the unconventional “The Return of Iljimae” and acted in “My Fair Lady” before being cast as a cynical reaper in 2011’s “49 Days.”