The best of K-drama star Park Seo-joon, the South Korean ‘master of romantic comedy’ who is now the Itaewon Class rebel
Park Seo-joon makes his grand K-drama comeback in a role like none other we've seen him play before. In JTBC’s new series, Itaewon Class, the romcom master returns as the hard-headed, gutsy and iron-willed Park Sae-roy, who traverses the world guided by his convictions and driven by his dreams.
Drawn to the fascinating mix of dining hotspots that make the Seoul neighbourhood Itaewon a bustling nightlife hub, Sae-roy opens his own restaurant, Kkulbam, and challenges long-established food giant, Jang Ga Group.
Older woman, younger man – K-drama’s best ‘noona romances’
Rebel with a passion
A far cry from his made-for-romcom roles we're rather used to, Park Seo-joon’s Sae-roy is admittedly quite scary. In lieu of a pretty lady who stays by his side, Sae-roy is surrounded by a gang of like-minded juveniles, who fearlessly roam the streets of Itaewon and follow the road to their dreams.
Yet, beneath Sae-roy’s socially inept personality, we get a deeper look into his character as the premiere episode shows us heart-warming scenes with his beloved father and his first love. In a Soompi report, the actor reassures viewers: “You'll be able to fall for the charms of Park Sae-roy, who doesn't compromise in the face of injustice and holds fast in his beliefs.”
Park Seo-joon: 4 of his best TV and movie roles
High marks for Itaewon Class
Joining Park Seo-joon in Itaewon Class is Kim Da-mi, who debuts in her first series as Jo Si-yeo; Yoo Jae-myung as Sae-roy’s rival, chairman Jang Dae-hee; and Kwon Nara, who becomes Sae-roy’s first love, Oh Soo-ah.
Jo Kwang-jin – the artist behind the original animated webtoon of the same name that Itaewon Class is based on – revealed to Soompi that the main characters are the drama’s strong point. As he is also the scriptwriter of the series, Jo put in a lot of effort in fleshing out the character’s deepest thoughts and relationships with each other, which makes their stories resonate more with viewers.
Itaewon Class premiered on January 31 to favourable ratings, with Nielsen Korea clocking an average rating of five per cent nationwide for the first episode. The premiere alone left viewers on the edge of their seats, with its unexpected plot twists, tragic turns, and most especially, Park’s exemplary acting.
The best new Korean TV shows to watch in 2020
Master heart-flutterer
Despite the familiar chaebol-falls-in-love lead plot, culture critic Ha Jae-keun points out in The Korea Times that much of What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim?’s success can be attributed to Seo-joon’s performance. He delicately plays the cold and arrogant business heir whose romantic side is unlocked by an unexpected romance.
Another of Park’s iconic roles is martial arts fighter Ko Dong-man in Fight for My Way, a 2017 K-drama that was well-lauded for its realistic plot. Park’s character develops from being a long-time friend to becoming the lover and ultimate protector of Choi Ae-ra, played by Kim Ji-won.
Korea’s ‘Queen of Melodrama’: Crash Landing on You star Son Ye-jin
In 2015, Park played Ji Sung-joon, and starred opposite Hwang Jung-eum as Kim Hye-jin in She Was Pretty . The lighthearted comedy-drama is based on a true story, where two childhood acquaintances cross paths again. Seo-joon’s role was a handsome and successful magazine editor, who used to be unattractive in his younger days, and thought of Hye-jin as his first love.
Want more stories like this? Sign up here. Follow STYLE on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter .
From What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim? to Fight for My Way, we look back at the ‘master of romantic comedy’ and his most memorable roles to date