New Delhi: Lee Min Ho maintains his position as the poster boy of the Hallyu wave for the 11th year in a row. The ‘2024 Overseas Korean Wave Survey’, released by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Foundation for International Cultural Exchange, revealed Lee Min Ho continues to dominate popularity charts across the globe. His matinée idol status remains unparalleled. Let’s take a look at 5 Lee Min Ho dramas which only reiterate his status as K-drama’s ultimate prince charming.
Boys Over Flowers
The K-drama which was a rite of passage for many fans and also propelled the Hallyu wave, continues to be readapted in several languages. The drama also put the spotlight on Lee Min Ho and is regarded as his breakout drama. Lee Min Ho is Gu Jun Pyo, the arrogant rich heir to the illustrious Shinhwa Group of Industries. He is also the leader of the F4 which comprises his three best friends Ji Hoo( Kim Hyun Jung), Woo Bin( Kim Joon) and Yi Jung( Kim Bum). The foursome holds a nobility-like status at their super-elite school, the Shinhwa High School. However, the arrival of Geum Jan Di ( Ku Hye Sun), a dry cleaner’s daughter, ruffles Jun Pyo’s royal feathers. Jan Di does not care for Jun Pyo’s demi god-like status nor is she taken in by his wealth. Her feisty and spunky spirit soon makes her a favourite amongst the boys. But it’s the push and pull between Jun Pyo’s feelings for Jan Di which form the core. He is humbled when he realises his love for her but is not too sure whether he will be able to win her over.
Where to watch: Vik
Heirs
Kim Tan ( Lee Min Ho) is a lonely rich boy, unsure and uncertain about his position in his rich household. It all changes when he encounters Eun Sang( Park Shin Hye). Eun Sang is the daughter of their household help, who also happens to have been sponsored to study at his super-elite private school. Kim Tan irrespective of the differences in their social status, tries to win her over. But a third angle emerged in the form of his bestie turned enemy Young Do ( Kim Woo Bin).
Where To Watch: Netflix
Legend of The Blue Sea
Heo Jun Jae (Lee Min Ho)is a con man who meets Shim Chung (Jun Ji Hyun) in Spain. He finds her odd. What Jun Jae does not realize is she is a mermaid, and he has a connection with her. Shim Chung follows him to Seoul, and though his memories of their meeting in Spain are wiped out, he is deeply affected and drawn towards her. A fairytale set in the modern context, “Legend of the Blue Sea,” is a love story with a fantastical twist.
Where To Watch: Viki
Pachinko
The adaptation of Korean-American author Min Jin Lee’s evocative bestseller Pachinko showcases Lee Min Ho in a very different avatar. He is Koh Hansu charming yet ruthless yakuza (member of a crime syndicate), who sets off a sequence of turbulent events in the life of the woman he loves Sunja ( Kim Min Ha). Though Hansu can be menacing towards those who scorn him, his obsessive devotion towards Sunja and the desire to make her his own consume him.
Where to watch: Apple TV+
King The Eternal Monarch
Lee Min Ho is Lee Gon, the King of Korea, who is troubled by memories of his traumatic past. He has been witness to his father’s violent death. However, the only memory he retains is that of an identity card of a woman named Tae Eul (Kim Go Eun) that he has saved. Lee Gon soon discovers a portal that leads him to another world, modern-day South Korea. It’s here that he encounters the woman he is looking for, Tae Eul, who is a detective in Seoul.
Where To Watch: Netflix