Your Ultimate Lee Jong Suk Drama Guide
While we wait for this handsome model-actor’s post-military comeback drama, why not watch (or re-watch!) one of his 14 dramas?
From his role as Kang Chul in fantasy thriller W: Two Worlds Apart to playing genius writer Cha Eun-ho in Romance is a Bonus Book, model-actor Lee Jong Suk's talent and range is nothing short of impressive!
Since his debut as a model in 2005, at the age of 15, Jong Suk has worked nonstop and has been relentless in choosing his work as an actor and as a model. In 2010, he made his official acting debut in Prosecutor Princess in a supporting role as Lee Woo-hyun. In the same year, he also made his big-screen debut in horror flick Ghost.
His breakthrough as an actor came following his supporting role in hit drama Secret Garden where he played Han Tae-sun, a talented young musician and composer who has a forbidden crush on the second male lead. Many consider Jong-suk’s breakout role as Go Nam-soon in School 2013, which saw him nabbing his first acting award at the 2012 KBS Drama Awards as Best New Actor. Following this role, Jong-suk starred in critically acclaimed and well-loved dramas such as dramas such as I Can Hear Your Voice, Doctor Stranger, and While You Were Sleeping.
In an interview on Soompi, the meticulous actor revealed one of the methods in which he improves his acting while on set—recording his scenes on a personal camcorder and rewatching them, reviewing the ways in which he can improve or convey the emotions better. How amazing is he?
Lee Jong Suk | https://wifflegif.com
While it will be a while until fans get to watch his next project since it was just last week that he was discharged from mandatory military service, the incredible actor has given us such a great range of series to binge-watch and enjoy him in. Below, we list all 14 of his performances and appearancWes in dramas, just in case, like us, you can’t wait for his comeback drama!
Your Ultimate Lee Jong Suk Drama Guide
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Prosecutor Princess (2010)
The drama follows Ma Hye-ri (Kim So-yeon) as she passes the bar exam and discovers that her love of fashion and dislike of overtime interferes with her ability to carry out her duties as a public prosecutor. She faces opposition from contemptuous colleagues and exasperated superiors. With her career on a downward spiral, she enlists the help of mysterious attorney Seo In-woo (Park Si-hoo).
Photo Credit: SBS
Prosecutor Princess (2010)
Lee Jong-suk plays Lee Woo-hyun, Yoon Se-joon's investigator, the role marking his debut in drama.
Photo Credit: SBS
Secret Garden (2010)
Starring Ha Ji-won, Hyun Bin, Yoon Sang-hyun, and Kim Sa-rang, this cult-favorite is an essential title for anyone getting into K-drama. It gives a fun spin on the quintessential Cinderella story with a romance between Gil Ra-im (Ha Ji-won), a stuntwoman, and Kim Joo-won (Hyun Bin), a high-end department store CEO.
Photo Credit: SBS
Secret Garden (2010)
Lee Jong Suk plays Han Tae-sun, a genius musician discovered by Oska (Yoon Sang-hyun) in Jeju Island. An introvert, he initially is apprehensive towards Oska's attempts to recruit him. As the story goes along, we find out that later revealed that he is gay and Oska is his muse.
Photo Credit: SBS
High Kick 3: Revenge of the Short Legged (2011)
This fun sitcom revolves around the lives of the Ahn family and their neighbors, it explores the lives of people who are struggling financially and how they manage to recover. The sitcom is narrated by Lee Jeok who has released a best selling novel called "High Kick: Revenge of the Short-legged", telling of his experience with the Ahn's and Ji-won's households
Photo Credit: MBC
High Kick 3: Revenge of the Short Legged (2011)
Ahn Jong-seok (Lee Jong Suk) is the son of Ahn Nae-sang and Yoon Yoo-sun, an ice hockey star at his previous school, attending through a sports scholarship and has been a jock his whole school career. Later, he asks his neighbor and classmate Ji-won to be his tutor. In time, he develops feelings for her even though she is not his type.
School 2013 (2012-2013)
Starring now big stars Jang Nara, Choi Daniel, Lee Jong-suk, Park Se-young, and Kim Woo-bin, this teen drama depicts the struggles and dilemmas that modern-day Korean youth face, such as bullying, student suicides, school violence, deteriorating teacher-student relations, private tutoring and other real-life high school issues, all within the confines of one small classroom at Victory High School.
Photo Credit: KBS
School 2013 (2012-2013)
Lee Jong Suk's Go Nam-soon proved to be one of his most memorable roles, with many fans acknowledging that this drama is what shot the talented model-actor's popularity, both in Korea and abroad, through the roof!
I Can Hear Your Voice (2013)
This romance drama tells the story of Jang Hye-sung (Lee Bo-young), whose character overcame poverty and a difficult childhood. She becomes a public defender—however, she is pragmatic, self-serving, and jaded. Her life changes when she encounters Park Soo-ha (Lee Jong-suk), a high school senior with the supernatural ability to read other people's thoughts by looking into their eyes. Soo-ha gained his mind-reading ability after he witnessed his father getting murdered ten years previously. His father's death had initially been dismissed as an accident until Hye-sung, then a high school girl (Kim So-hyun), gave a decisive testimony in court despite the killer's threats.
Photo Credit: SBS
I Can Hear Your Voice (2013)
Ever since, Soo-ha has been searching for her. As Hye-sung works with Soo-ha and Gwan-woo (Yoon Sang-hyun), she begins to let go of her pursuit of money and glory. With its highly thrilling court battles, a hopeful fight for justice, a fantastic supporting cast, and the wonderful chemistry between its leads, this critically acclaimed series is a must-watch for any K-drama fan!
Photo Credit: SBS
I Can Hear Your Voice (2013)
It's also evident that 2013 was a solid year for Lee Jong Suk, with his landing two memorable and iconic roles in School 2013 and in this drama. (Plus, his smile totally won us over in this drama!)
Photo Credit: SBS
Potato Star 2013QR3 (2013-2014)
This sitcom follows the lives of the Non family and their neighbors after a mysterious asteroid crash-lands on Earth in 2013 and causes strange things to happen.
Photo Credit: tvN
Potato Star 2013QR3 (2013-2014)
Lee Jong-suk appears in episode 15 as the supporting character of Jong-suk.
Photo Credit: tvN
Doctor Stranger (2014)
The plot of this well-loved medical romance drama follows Lee Jong-suk's Park Hoon, a South Korean who was raised in North Korea after his father was conned into going over to North. In North Korea, Park Hoon was trained to become a doctor by his father. In time, he became a genius cardiothoracic surgeon after attending medical school in North Korea where he fell in love with Song Jae-hee (Jin Se-yeon). After his father died, he attempted to flee to South Korea with Jae-hee, but lost contact with her in the end—arriving back in South Korea alone.
Photo Credit: SBS
Doctor Stranger (2014)
As he begins his life anew in South Korea, working as doctor in a top hospital Myungwoo University Hospital, he encounters a girl that looks exactly like Jae-hee. She is Doctor Han Seung-hee, who claims not to know Park Hoon.
Photo Credit: SBS
Doctor Stranger (2014)
And just in case you needed more convincing to watch this one, Lee Jong Suk as Dr. Park Hoon is just way too cute to miss!
Photo Credit: SBS
Pinocchio (2014)
As a young boy, Ha-Myeong (Lee Jong Suk) sees his life and family destroyed by new media. He gets adopted by a family in a rural area after being found lost at sea. He tries to conceal his past for everyone's sake for 13 years... until the girl he loves, In-ha (Park Shin-Hye) tries to become a reporter and all his family's secrets start to unravel.
Photo Credit: SBS
Pinocchio (2014)
The drama rated fairly in Korea, but it was very popular in China. Pinocchio also marked a milestone for Lee Jong Suk whose performance as Choi Dal-po/Ki Ha-myung in this drama gained him more fans and followers across the world.
W: Two Worlds Apart (2016)
Centering on the clash between "two worlds": the real world and an alternate universe inside a webtoon, W is a drama that has been lauded for its unique premise and storytelling. It focuses on the eponymous fictional webtoon entitled W, written and illustrated by its legendary author and illustrator Oh Seong-moo (Kim Eui-sung) which begins to function on its own, like a distinct reality.
Photo Credit: MBC
W: Two Worlds Apart (2016)
The storyline of W starts with the younger years of its main character Kang Chul (Lee Jong-suk), a handsome and intelligent boy who is also skilled in shooting. He becomes popular and well loved in South Korea for winning at the 2004 Athens Olympics... until he is falsely accused of murdering every member of his family. As the story progresses and supposedly enters its final chapters, he encounters Oh Yeon-joo (Han Hyo Joo) who he discovers is the key to his life.
Photo Credit: MBC
W: Two Worlds Apart (2016)
We also find that this role was a really memorable one for Lee Jong Suk... not to mention, he really pulled off the charming and charismatic chaebol Kang Chul so effortlessly!
Photo Credit: MBC
Gogh, The Starry Night (2016)
This Chinese-South Korean web-drama depicts the story of a 29-year-old employee 'Go Ho' (Kwon Yuri) of an advertising company who works hard but hardly praised by her hot-tempered boss (Kim Young Kwang). Because of this, she dislikes her boss quite a bit, not realizing his unspoken love for her. In the meantime, her ex-boyfriend (Lee Ji-hoon) joins the company, and she gets transferred to his work unit. The plot sees the two male leads doing everything they can to win the heart of Go Ho.
Photo Credit: SBS
Gogh, The Starry Night (2016)
Episode 5 sees Lee Jong-suk in a cameo and minor role as Song Dae-gi.
Photo Credit: SBS
Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo (2016)
This college sports drama, inspired by the life of Olympic gold-medalist Jang Mi-ran, is one of our absolute favorites and stars Lee Sung-kyung and Nam Joo-hyuk.
Photo Credit: SBS
Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo (2016)
Lee Jong-suk appears in a quick but fun cameo in episode 2 as Jong-suk, a chicken restaurant customer!
Photo Credit: MBC
While You Were Sleeping (2017)
Directed by Oh Choong-hwan and written by Park Hye-ryun, this legal drama-fantasy television series centers on the lives on three young adults—a field reporter, a prosecutor, and a police officer—who have the ability to foresee future events through their dreams, after saving each other years ago.
Photo Credit: SBS
While You Were Sleeping (2017)
Rookie prosecutor Jung Jae-chan (Lee Jong-suk) initially appears to be cold and uncaring, and with little sense of humor, but when comfortable, he is still foolish and funny in some aspects. Since the first appearance of his future-seeing dreams, we learn that he will do everything he can to prevent them from coming true. He falls for Hong-joo (Suzy) after days of going out with each other.
Photo Credit: SBS
While You Were Sleeping (2017)
The drama is a great balance and mix of fantasy, romance, and comedy—and ends in a bittersweet but ultimately satisfying, feel-good finale. Definitely worth your watch!
Photo Credit: SBS
The Hymn of Death (2018)
Based on the true story of Kim Woo-Jin and Yun Sim-Deok, The Hymn of Death is 2-part drama remake of the 1991 film "Death Song".
Photo Credit: SBS
The Hymn of Death (2018)
Kim Woo-Jin (Lee Jong-Suk) is a stage drama writer while Korea is under Japanese occupation. He is already married, but he falls in love with Yun Sim-Deok (Shin Hye-Sun), the first Korean soprano. While their fate as lovers ends tragically, The Hymn of Death is wonderfully shot and is worth adding to your watchlist.
Photo Credit: SBS
Romance is a Bonus Book (2019)
Written by Jung Hyun-jung and directed by Lee Jeong-hyo, Romance is a Bonus Book is definitely a noon romance story you'll want to queue up for a weekend watch. It follows Cha Eun-Ho (Lee Jong-Suk) who is a genius writer and the youngest chief editor ever at his publishing company. He is accomplished, smart, and handsome. He is even tempered at work but ultimately has a warm heart and a reasonable personality.
Photo Credit: tvN
Romance is a Bonus Book (2019)
Kang Dan-Yi (Lee Na-Young) was previously a popular copywriter but is now broke and unemployed. Even though she tries to find a job, she is unable to find work. Finally, Kang Dan-Yi gets a job at the same publishing company where Cha Eun-Ho is the chief editor. In time, they begin to develop romantic feelings for each other.
Photo Credit: tvN
Romance is a Bonus Book (2019)
This was Lee Jong Suk's last project before enlisting in the military. It's also important to note that this series marked his first ever romcom and boy, it did not disappoint!
Photo Credit: tvN
And that's that! Have you seen Lee Jong Suk in all 14 of these? Which ones were your favorites? Let us know!
Lee Jong Suk as Kang Chul in 'W: Two Worlds Apart' | Netflix
