Lee Min Ho is one of South Korea’s most beloved actors. Today, we’re bringing you a list of Lee Min Ho series that you need to watch!
Boys Over Flowers (2009)
Image Credits: KBS via Wikipedia
Our first show is Lee’s breakout series, his best-known, and a Hallyu classic. Based on a Japanese manga, Boys Over Flowers follows a group of rich boys (the F4) and a working-class girl as they navigate life at the prestigious Shinhwa High School. Lee plays Go Jun-pyo, the leader of F4, who first bullies and then falls for female lead Geum Jan-di (Koo Hye-sun).
In retrospect, Jun-pyo is arrogant, toxic, and overall not the boyfriend we’d want in real life. However, Lee’s performance makes it easy for us to overlook the red flags. With his brooding persona and haughty bearing, we can’t help but root for Jun-pyo. And audiences felt the same. BOF helped spread the Korean Wave, and it made Lee Min Ho a household name.
Image Credits: KBS via Gu jun pyo & geum jan di on Facebook
Where to Watch: Netflix, HBO Max, Viki
City Hunter (2011)
Image Credits: SBS via Wikipedia
Let’s switch to action and thriller. Another manga adaptation, City Hunter follows Lee Yoon-sung, AKA “City Hunter,” trained in combat to avenge the murders of several government officials, including his father. While infiltrating the Blue House (South Korea’s White House), he falls for bodyguard Kim Na-na (Park Min-young).
A departure from past romantic roles, Yoon-sung shoots, kicks, and otherwise fights his way through this exciting series. Despite the high stakes, however, he maintains a mischievous attitude towards Na-na. Thanks to City Hunter, Lee Min Ho became more popular in Europe and was named an “Honorable Prosecutor” by the Seoul Prosecutor’s Office.
Where to Watch: Netflix, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video
The Heirs (2013)
Image Credits: SBS via Wikipedia
If BOF is Lee Min Ho’s most famous show, then The Heirs (or The Inheritors) is his second most famous. He plays Kim Tan, the heir to wealthy conglomerate Jeguk Group, who falls in love with part-timer Cha Eun-sang (Park Shin-hye). Tan becomes rivals for her affections with friend-turned-enemy Choi Young-do (Kim Woo-bin) and also fights for control of his family’s company.
Like Gu Jun-pyo, Kim Tan is a chaebol. However, he's more likeable, even if a bit immature. In fact, Lee Min Ho said in an interview that he’d want to be Tan in real life. While the chemistry between him and Eun-sang was a bit weak, there’s no denying that between Jun-pyo and Tan, The Heirs' male lead is the boyfriend we'd wish to have.
Where to Watch: Netflix, HBO Max, Viki
The Legend of the Blue Sea (2016-2017)
Image Credits: SBS via MyDramaList
What do you get when you cross mermaids with reincarnations? This show. The Legend of the Blue Sea stars Lee Min Ho as the human Heo Joon-jae (modern-day)/Kim Dam-ryeong (Joseon era) and My Love from the Star actress Jun Ji-hyun as mermaid Shim Cheong (modern)/Se-hwa (Joseon). After undergoing a tragic fate, they reunite in the modern age, hoping to stop history from repeating itself.
Image Credits: SBS via Dramabeans
Lee Min Ho plays two different characters linked by the red thread of fate. Dam-ryeong is a kind and just town official who will give his life to save Se-hwa. Meanwhile, Joon-jae is a cocky con artist whose life flips upside down after meeting Shim Cheong. Initially dismissive of her, Joon-jae changes his attitude once he learns the truth about them. Engaging and heartbreaking, Legend of the Blue Sea will capture your hearts in the same way that Lee Min Ho captured ours.
Where to Watch: Hulu, Apple TV, Viki
The King: Eternal Monarch (2020)
Image Credits: SBS via Netflix Wiki
Serving as Lee Min Ho’s comeback from his mandatory military service, The King: Eternal Monarch was one of 2020's most-anticipated k-dramas. Lee Gon is Emperor of the Kingdom of Corea and able to cross into an alternate reality. In the Republic of Korea, he meets detective Jeong Tae-eul (Kim Go-eun). Together, they chase after Lee Lim (Lee Jung-jin), Lee Gon’s half-uncle who murdered his father.
Lee Gon lives a life on the edge following his father’s death and (in the alternate reality) his own assassination. Like previous chaebol characters, he's unafraid to break the rules, although as the Emperor he is more careful about his actions. Lee Gon is also quite affectionate towards Tae-eul, which scores him points in our books. While The King: Eternal Monarch is a mixed bag, Lee Min Ho did the best he could with the script, and we think the show is still worth checking out.
Where to Watch: Netflix
Pachinko (2022)
Image Credits: Apple Inc. via Wikipedia
Our last show is an American series based on Min Jin Lee’s novel Pachinko. Spanning over 70 years and following multiple characters, it centers on a Korean family and their often-difficult experiences living in Japan. While the TV series made a few changes, the spirit of the book remains the same, and it won fans and critics over with the story and performances. A second season is in development.
Lee Min Ho drew critical acclaim for his portrayal of Koh Hansu, a fisherman living in Osaka with a mysterious past. Lee used several techniques, including using different personalities for Hansu's different ages. Episode 7, which dug deeper into Hansu's backstory, is probably Pachinko's best episode and what critics called one of the best episodes of 2022.
Where to Watch: Apple TV+
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Lee’s next role will be in Ask the Stars, or When the Stars Gossip. Here, he plays Gong Ryong, an obstetrician-gynecologist who goes to space and falls for an astronaut. There is no confirmed release date, with some speculation that it could be released in 2024 instead of 2023. Ask the Stars will be available for streaming on Netflix.
Image Credits: Image via AsianWiki
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Image Credits: Image via Seoulbox
Which of these k-dramas is your favorite Lee Min Ho series? Is there another show you prefer that we didn’t cover? Tell us your recommendations down below.
2 comments
Lee Min Ho is an actor that has evolved in his career. Pachinko with LMH was extraordinary acting. I have enjoyed all his K Dramas but Apple TV brought Minho to a whole new mature/serious level of acting and recognition in his career worldwide and especially here in Hollywood, USA! Congratulations to a well deserved award filling year. All his dedication, hard work, creativity, professionalism….he is a perfectionist with all that sparks his interest. Incredible!
Boys over flower , heirs, the legend of the Blue Sea , the king are my favorite drama of lee min ho sir