Lee Min-ho is no stranger to romance, and his latest role plunges him back into the genre once again. Only this time, he gets to play against type. Well, sort of. In When The Stars Gossip, Lee Min-ho plays Gong Ryong, an obstetrician-gynecologist sent to space on a mission – to study the movement of sperm in space. He already has a fiance at the start of the series, but his heart is set aflutter when he comes face-to-face with the more-than-capable Eve Kim (Kong Hyo-jin), who is not here for the incredibly clumsy nerdy Gong Ryong. Yet, it works!
But for those unfamiliar with his filmography, this is not Lee Min-ho’s first venture into romantic lead territory. The actor has made quite a career out of it, even if his list of projects is less extensive than that of his industry colleagues. Most known for stepping into the shoes of wealthy heirs to an empire—whether business-related or politically related—the man has carved out a career in this niche.
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That all said, with the all-new Kdrama When The Stars Gossip dropping episodically on Netflix, there may be a void left for those captivated by Lee Min-ho’s noteworthy charisma. Now is as good a time as any to remind fans—both new and long-lasting – how far our boy has come as a romantic lead and what fans should add to our lists for new viewing or a familiar comfort rewatch.
Boys Over Flowers
Director: Jeon Ki-sang
Writers: Yoon Ji-ryun
Watch It Here: Netflix, Viki
For fans of Korean high school dramas, the success of Boys Over Flowers is to thank. The series paved the way for shows like The Heirs, Hierarchy, and more. An adaptation of the successful manga series of the same name, Boys Over Flowers also launched Lee Min-ho to mainstream stardom, setting him on a trajectory of success, and for good reason.
Lee Min-ho demonstrated his potential as Gu Jun-pyo, the leader of the F4 group, which comprised the most popular and influential boys from Shinhwa High School. As Jun-pyo, actor Lee brought out a mischievousness in the high school student, with the balance of necessary coldness needed to portray the complicated heir. Jun-pyo’s constant conflicts with the commoner, Geum Jan-di (Ku Hye-sun), give way to something more, allowing Lee to peel back the harsh layers to reveal the vulnerability within.
Boys Over Flowers marks the beginning of what Lee could offer as an actor. For a blast of the past but also to see where Lee Min-ho started, this high school Kdrama is one to add to your list.
Faith (also known as The Great Doctor)
Director: Kim Jong-hak
Writer: Song Ji-na
Watch It Here: Viki
Faith, or The Great Doctor, marks another departure for Lee Min-ho early in his career. As the Captain of the Royal Guard, Choi Young, Min-ho portrays the character with a mixture of seriousness and comedy. As a man who lacks ambition or goals and loves napping, these aspects of Choi Young’s personality contrast heavily with his impeccable skill in battle and strategy. This also sets up a natural underlying humor actor Lee taps into in scenes when Choi Young relaxes.
Of course, when you have a character lead lacking in ambition or goals, you’ve got to throw in someone or something to put a boot up their butt. And that’s where the plastic surgeon, Yoo Eun-soo (Kim Hee-sun), comes into play. Hee-sun plays her modern woman with a rather annoying helplessness that, understandably, anyone would have when kidnapped through a portal to another time. Eun-soo’s over-the-top personality and dramatics further highlight the seriousness of Choi Young, but it’s because of her actions that she is slowly able to chip away at this heart.
Actor Lee brings a necessary grounding energy to a series that often veers into melodramatics. Throughout the course of 24 episodes, this energy never wavers, even as Choi Young learns to love. It is how Lee maintains the central core of his character that makes this portal fantasy series necessary viewing. And I promise, Eun-soo does get less obnoxious as the series goes on.
The Heirs (also known as The Inheritors)
Directors: Kang Shin-hyo, Boo Sung-chul
Writer: Kim Eun-sook
Watch It Here: Netflix, Viki
The Heirs marks Lee Min-ho’s return to high school. Stepping into the shoes of Kim Tan, the son of a mistress and the leader of Jeguk Group, this character may seem similar on the surface to his role in Boys Over Flowers. However, as the exiled second son with a chip on his shoulder, there were new layers for actor Lee to explore, particularly once his Kim Tan gets pulled back into a battle of the heirs against his will.
While The Heirs is most known for its romance, some of the series’ more intense and memorable scenes featured Lee Min-ho’s Kim Tan and Kim Woo-bin‘s Choi Young-do. Cut from a similar cloth, the two characters often buttheads. But when both develop feelings for the commoner Cha Eun-sung (Park Shin-hye), the tension and chemistry generated between actor Lee and Kim Woo-bin was enough to ignite TV screens and inspire slashfics.
If Lee Min-ho is not enough, The Heirs was a launching pad for many Korean stars working today. From Park Shin-hye to Kim Woo-bin to Kim Ji-won and more, this series is a great place to see where some of Korea’s favorites got their start!
The Legend of the Blue Sea
Director: Jin Hyeok
Writer: Park Ji-eun
Watch It Here: Viki, Hulu
Lee Min-ho is always a star in film, and in The Legend of the Blue Sea, he’s no different. Extremely charismatic and thoughtful, this series is romantic and thrilling in equal measure as it tells a parallel story across time periods about a man and a mermaid.
In The Legend of the Blue Sea, Shim Cheong (Jun Ji-hyun) is a mermaid who follows her one true love, a nobleman’s son named Kim Moon from the Joseon Dynasty to modern-day Seoul. Moon’s modern doppelgänger is Heo Joon Jae (Lee Min-ho), a highly skilled scam artist who first becomes interested in Shim Cheong because of a jade bracelet worth $6 million that Shim Cheong wears.
With nowhere to go, Shim Cheong is taken in by Joon Jae, who also finds his con partners, Jo Nam-doo (Lee Hee-joon) and Tae Oh (Shin Wonho), hiding out in his home from a vengeful past victim of their scams. Shim Cheong discovers a rival for Joon Jae’s heart in Cha Shi Ah (Shin Hye Sun), a researcher at KAIST who deals with ancient artifacts.
The King: Eternal Monarch
Directors: Baek Sang-hoon, Jung Ji-hyun
Writer: Kim Eun-sook
Watch It Here: Netflix
The King: Eternal Monarch marks a return to the familiar for Lee Min-ho as Lee Gon, the modern-day Emperor of Corea (an alternate version of Korea in this universe). The role of Lee Gon is the next evolution of the more familiar heir-like rich boys actor Lee has portrayed in the past. But in The King: Eternal Monarch, longtime fans of the actor can see how much his skills have matured along with the characters he’s now playing.
As a character, Lee Gon has seen much. He comes to the throne at an early age and has even witnessed his father being assassinated. He himself has also experienced attempted assassinations, which has shaped him, but it hasn’t left him emotionally crippled. Through his trials, he grows into a capable leader. But romance sways him away from his path, launching him to travel across universes to find his one true love. On paper, it’s every romance lover’s dream. And, with Lee Min-ho at the helm as a romantic lead, he delivers on expectations.
With its alternating between the two universes and dual characters, this Kdrama is best suited for those who are fond of sci-fi/isekai-like storylines dealing with political intrigue. Otherwise, it may not be your cup of tea.
Pachinko
Directors: Kogonada, Justin Chon
Writers: Lee Min-jin (novel), Soo Hugh
Watch It Here: AppleTV+
An American-produced series, Pachinko is the actor’s best. Lee Min-ho has the charisma of a leading man in everything he does. However, Pachinko gives him one of his hardest roles. Koh Han-soo is a romantic lead and also the villain of Sunja’s life. At first, their story begins as starcrossed lovers fueled by passion and promises. But when Sunja becomes pregnant, the reality of Han-soo’s life comes into focus. He must marry a Japanese woman, become a part of her family, and kill who he was before. He has to forsake his Korean identity and everything attached to it, which includes Sunja and their child.
What marks this performance is that Lee plays Koh Han-soo across decades. He embodies youth love, longing guilt, and the painful self-hatred that stands out against the rest of the cast. He is loud, angry, and dedicated to keeping what is his even if he can’t have it. It leads him to interfere with Sunja’s life time and time again, using his Japanese connections to complicate her life. And yet, the softness he brings to the role in Pachinko Season 2 when the walls begin to fall and you peek behind the arrogant curtain, is something to behold.
These six TV series can help fill the void between the episode drops of Lee Min-ho’s latest Netflix KDrama When The Stars Gossip. Even better, these titles will still be waiting for you long after When The Stars Gossip wraps, giving you plenty to watch in case you miss Lee Min-ho’s presence in your life.
