Learn more about 3 of Korea’s top male actors and the fun ways they connect to South of Seoul and Pyeongtaek. A silly way to learn more about male Korean actors and living life in South Korea. Introducing 3 Top Male Korean Actors Korean entertainment has been taking the world by storm in recent years, and a big part of that success can be attributed to the talented male actors who have captivated audiences around the globe. I moved to Korea before the global obsession with K-dramas started, but I also respect it since I love a good drama. From charming leading men to complex and nuanced characters, these actors have proven their versatility and range time and time again. As a result, these actors have gained widespread popularity for their performances and have cemented their place as some of the most beloved figures in Korean entertainment. Before we jump into learning about these talented actors, let’s talk about why I’m even bothering to write about this topic. I just love seeing how art and life collide, especially in South Korea, where filming doesn’t happen far away but all around us. Connecting K-Dramas to Life As international residents in South Korea, we often have the chance to get up close and personal with the K-drama life in ways we never could if we didn’t live here. And maybe even in ways we never could in our home countries. For example, if you live in smaller areas of the US, you may never have access to a film set. So for me, it’s cool to see the magic happen. I search out the melding of art and real life as much as possible. Mixing K-dramas and real life might include participating in filming, watching live filming when I come across it in the wild, visiting open drama sets, or touring cafes where dramas are filmed. It’s fun to see the mix between art and real life. Riffing on this theme of cultural connections, I made a game for myself. I thought it would be fun to see if I could find a connection to South of Seoul life in Pyeongtaek and Korea’s top male actors. It seemed like one of those things that should be impossible. I decided to let the internet tell me who the top actors were, so I couldn’t make it easy on myself. So I used a website to pick Korea’s Top 3 Male Actors, and then I looked over their K-dramas and found their connections to my community or me. As it turns out, it wasn’t that hard! Honestly, you should try this. It’s pretty fun. #1 Lee Min-ho When it comes to male Korean actors, it is impossible to have a list without mentioning Lee Min-ho. This talented actor rose to fame with his role in the hit drama “Boys Over Flowers” and has since become one of the most popular actors in South Korea. His good looks and acting talent have made him a fan favorite, and he has received numerous awards for his performances. Some of Lee Min-ho’s most notable works include “The Heirs,” “City Hunter,” and “The Legend of the Blue Sea.” In these dramas, he has played many characters, from wealthy and privileged young men to skilled crimefighters. Lee Min-ho’s versatility as an actor is one of the reasons he is so highly regarded in the industry. In addition to his acting career, Lee Min-ho is also known for his philanthropic work. He has participated in various charity events and has donated to various causes, including disaster relief efforts and children’s hospitals. The South of Seoul Connection Lee Min-ho turned out to be the easiest connection of all. Lance Ward and I participated as extras in Episode 1 of “The Legend of the Blue Sea.” This was a wild opportunity that meant we spent all night in a mall with about 200 other foreigners. The opportunity came in the form of a random text message. I even briefly appear during the escalator scene. Being an extra in a drama can be a fun thing to do while living in South Korea. #2 Song Joong-ki Song Joong-ki is another actor who has made a name for himself in the Korean entertainment industry. He gained widespread fame with his role in the hit drama “Descendants of the Sun,” in which he played a captain in the Korean Special Forces. His performance in the drama earned him numerous awards, including the Grand Prize at the KBS Drama Awards. Since his breakout role in “Descendants of the Sun,” Song Joong-ki has continued to act in various dramas and films. Some of his notable works include “Arthdal Chronicles,” “The Innocent Man,” and “Asadal Chronicles.” His acting skills and good looks have made him a fan favorite, and he has won numerous awards for his performances. In addition to his acting career, Song Joong-ki is also known for his philanthropic work. He has participated in various charity events and has donated to various causes, including disaster relief efforts and children’s hospitals. The South of Seoul Connection “Arthdal Chronicles” was filmed on the Netflix drama set in Osan City. Touring different open drama sets makes shows come to life. You can visit the filming. You can read more about such open drama set locations here: #3 Lee Jong-suk Lee Jong-suk is a talented actor who has gained popularity in the Korean entertainment industry for his roles in various dramas and films. He made his acting debut in the drama “School 2013” and has since become one of the most sought-after actors in South Korea. Some of Lee Jong-suk’s most notable works include “Pinocchio,” “While You Were Sleeping,” “Doctor Stranger,” and “I Hear Your Voice.” In these dramas, he has played a wide range of characters, from young and naive to experienced and skilled. Lee Jong-suk’s versatility as an actor is one of the reasons he is so highly regarded in the industry. In addition to his acting career, Lee Jong-suk is also known for his philanthropic work. He has participated in various charity events and has donated to various causes, including disaster relief efforts and children’s hospitals. The South of Seoul Connection The Lee Jong-suk drama “Doctor Stranger” was partially filmed in Pyeongtaek. You can find Pyeongtaek shooting locations for Dr. Stranger and other K-Dramas here: Other Top Korean Male Actors Lists Of course, you certainly need to do more research into who is the top male actor in South Korea. Some fun lists to look through include: Running through lists like this can help you build a visual vocabulary for understanding the advertising you see around South Korea and even choosing future dramas you might like to watch. Reasons Why I Play Games Like This I don’t just play these sorts of cultural connection exercises just for blog posts. I do it to build my own conceptual understanding of where I exist within a new culture. It’s a habit I started long before moving to South Korea when I moved from Alaska to the Lower 48. Seeing how my life in Alaska interacted with the Outside (like the fact a TV show was based on my town) helped me feel like a part of the new culture I entered. Want to Learn More About K-Dramas? South of Seoul volunteers put together a list of 12 k-dramas that create foundational knowledge. If you watch all of these, you have a strong understanding of what’s been popular over the last 2 decades. Lanae Rivers-Woods, MAITLanae Rivers-Woods moved to Korea in 2011 where she lives in the countryside with her family, friends, and puppies. She holds a BSSW (Bachelor’s of Science in Social Work), a MAIT (Master’s of Arts in International Teaching), and registered by the Pyeongtaek Korean Times with the Korean government as a Cultural Expert. Ms. Rivers-Woods used her 15 years experience as a social architect, UX/UI designer, and technology consultant to found South of Seoul in 2015. South of Seoul is a volunteer organization that leverages technological tools to mitigate cultural dissonance in multi-cultural communities. Through South of Seoul, Ms. Rivers-Woods works with independent volunteers, non-profit organizations, businesses, local & federal government, universities, and US military organizations to develop solutions to support English speaking international residents in rural South Korea. Additionally, Ms. Rivers-Woods founded the South of Seoul smart phone app available for Google Play and iPhone. The app provides information a resources for those living and traveling in South Korea. When she isn’t in South of Seoul development meetings or working her day job, Ms. Rivers-Woods loves to be outside at skate parks, the beach, or playing in the mountains. www.southofseoul.net

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The South of Seoul Volunteer November Book Club 2022 recommendation is “The Birth of Korean Cool: How One Nation Is Conquering the World Through Pop Culture” by Euny Hong. Explore the rise of Korean pop culture and a global phenomenon. About the South of Seoul Virtual Book Club Looking for book recommendations? Welcome to the South of Seoul book club. We recommend a book every month. Such recommended books explore topics like 1) South Korean history or culture, 2) the complexity of cross-cultural life, or 4) the exploration of life within the diaspora experience. Commitment to Accessibility South of Seoul volunteers take book accessibility into consideration when recommending titles. We consider: Commitment to Diverse Lived Experiences South of Seoul volunteers seek to put lived experiences at the forefront of their recommendation choices. When considering authors we look for such things as: Reading about Korean culture from a variety of perspectives may provide readers with a greater understanding of the country and culture. Commitment to Supporting Mental Health South of Seoul also includes book recommendations that support the lives and mental health of our community. This means that books may tackle the issues related to living between cultures. This may include topics such as culture shock, language, relationships, and more. Book Recommendation by Molly Hayden November’s book club recommendation is brought to you by Cultural Liaison and journalist Molly Hayden. About “The Birth of Korean Cool“ Euny Hong’s “The Birth of Korean Cool: How One Nation is Conquering the World Through Pop Culture” offers an insight into Korean innovation through its creation of curated pop culture.  The author uses her experiences growing up in both South Korea and the U.S. to dive into Korean culture. Euny Hong does this using American terms and blending two very different schools of thought. Hong’s background as a journalist guides her writing. The book contains data-driven insights woven into these personal stories, making them easily digestible and understandable for English readers.  Published in 2014, the book’s timeframe focuses on the popularity of Psy’s “Gangnam Style.” The book is currently devoid of any BTS references. Even still, it’s a poignant and historical look into South Korea’s past and how the country capitalized on its future.  More Commentary and Reviews For more on “The Birth of Korean Cool: How One Nation Is Conquering the World Through Pop Culture” read the New York Times review Seoul Survivors. Online Purchasing Link You can also purchase “The Birth of Korean Cool: How One Nation Is Conquering the World Through Pop Culture” on Amazon. Find More Book Club Recommendations Did you like this recommendation? Be sure to explore our other volunteer-recommended books. What Books Do You Recommend? Feel free to share your own book recommendations on our Facebook page or in the blog post comments at the end of this post. Molly HaydenJournalist Molly Hayden has worked in the journalism field in Germany and the United States. In 2021 she relocated to South Korea. As a volunteer Cultural Liason and Content Creator, Ms. Hayden reports on a variety of life & style topics with a focus on families living in rural South Korea.

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