Edited by Seo Hayne
Translated by Yu Jin Kim
Do Kyung Soo’s acting transformation has been making headlines. He recently made his long-awaited drama comeback through Bad Prosecutor as a sly and reckless prosecutor four years after his latest project. The actor plays Jin Jung, a rogue prosecutor who doesn’t hesitate to face off against corrupted authorities by all means. His character in the series stands out the most among all the roles he has played in previous projects.
Following the conclusion of Bad Prosecutor, Do Kyung Soo will star in a series of other new projects. He will take the lead in Secret (literal title), the remake of the Thai movie of the same name, The Moon (literal title), a sci-fi movie about exploring the faraway star and a sequel of Along with the Gods. Here, we rounded up five dramas and films that made Do Kyung Soo known to the public as an actor.
It’s Okay, That’s Love (2014)
Do Kyung Soo made his drama debut through It’s Okay, That’s Love. Written by Our Blues writer Noh Hee Kyung, the series follows schizophrenic writer Jang Jae Yeol (played by Jo In Sung) meeting psychiatrist Ji Hae Soo (Gong Hyo Jin) with anxiety disorders. Together, they heal their past wounds and form a bond. Do Kyung Soo surprised viewers by playing a rookie writer named Han Gang Woo, who happens to be the No.1 fan of Jae Yeol. Although the two met each other as a star and a fan, friendship grows between them as they have many things in common, such as having survived domestic violence at a young age. However, the story slowly reveals that Gang Woo was actually part of Jae Yeol’s alter ego. Do Kyung Soo received rave reviews for his implicit role in the series, who lies between a teenager and an adult.
Cart (2014)
Do Kyung Soo initially kicked off his acting career through Cart, although It’s Alright, This is Love was released earlier than the movie. Inspired by a true event, it revolves around unfairly laid-off mart employees fighting against a large franchise company. Although Do Kyung Soo doesn’t play a big part in the movie, he leaves a strong impression on viewers by playing Yum Jung Ah’s son. He starred as a young man named Choi Tae Young, who realizes the absurdity of life working as a part-timer at a convenience store and have been raised in poverty. Thanks to his impressive portrayal of a rebellious teen in this film, he was nominated for Best New Actor at the 2014 Korean Association of Film Critics Awards. Some viewers even said they failed to recognize him in the film. He also sang the film’s OST, “Crying Out,” which was played during the film’s ending credit.
My Annoying Brother (2016)
My Annoying Brother is a comedy film that follows the story between a judo athlete named Go Doo Young and his older brother Go Doo Shik who was previously convicted ten times for fraud. Do Kyung Soo shows hilarious yet touching chemistry with Jo Jung Suk as he takes on the role of his sibling Go Doo Young, a once-promising national judo athlete who became in need of help due to a tragic accident that happened to him. As soon as the film unveiled its cast, many commented that the two actually looked like real brothers. Their outstanding chemistry within the movie drew favorable reviews from viewers, and the movie earned Do Kyung Soo Best Actor at the 38th Blue Dragon Film Awards.
100 Days My Prince (2018)
100 Days My Prince is a historical romance drama about the 100-day journey of a crown prince who becomes a commoner after a tragic event and his struggle to return to the palace. Do Kyung Soo stars as crown prince-turned-commoner Won Deuk and pulls off his role covering a broad spectrum of genres, including romance, action, and comedy. Ahead of its premiere, there were concerns over him as it was his first titular role and his first time playing in a period drama. However, the fantastic chemistry between Do Kyung Soo and Nam Ji Hyun led to the drama’s success, proving that an idol-turned-actor could also do great in drama series. The last episode of the series scored the fourth highest viewership rating of all tvN dramas, recording an average nationwide viewership rating of 14.4 percent, and opened the door for his acting career.
Swing Kids (2018)
With the theme of tap dance, Swing Kids is about passionate dancers from Geoje island’s prisoner-of-war camp who get together to form a dance crew during The Korean War in 1951. Do Kyung Soo plays a captive from North Korea, Roh Ki Soo, with brilliant tap-dancing skills. He won favorable reviews for his role in the movie as he shows a wide range of emotions and eye-opening dancing skills. In particular, the scene where he joyfully tap-dances across the camp with a big smile on his face drew many viewers’ attention. South Korean film magazine Cine21 dubbed him “the star with an exceptional talent who can blend in anywhere.” Although the film failed to become a box-office hit, it surely proved Do Kyung Soo to be an actor.
Editor Seo Hayne: I like actors as they faithfully lead through their long running-time. I also like idols who accomplish everything on stage within 3 minutes.
