Yoo Eun Ho is a single father who prioritizes his child’s health and happiness over his career and promotion. When he walks down the streets, heads turn to catch another glimpse of his striking stature and handsome looks. Lee Jun Hyuk brings this character to life in Love Scout as the perfect secretary to workaholic headhunting firm CEO Kang Ji Yoon (Han Ji Min). Having effortlessly mastered both heavy, darker genres and romantic comedies, here are five of Lee Joon Hyuk’s most notable works.
>> ‘Love Scout’ Star Lee Jun Hyuk Wins Hearts as Drama Hits Double-Digit Ratings
Stranger (2017)
Stranger follows emotionless prosecutor Hwang Si Mok (Cho Seung Woo) and righteous, warmhearted detective Han Yeo Jin (Bae Doo Na) as they investigate a prosecutor sponsorship murder case. While the contrasting approaches and personalities of these two characters provide ample entertainment, between them stands the cunning opportunist prosecutor Seo Dong Jae (Lee Jun Hyuk). So handsome that he later joked on TV about “all the comments questioning how someone with this face became a prosecutor,” Dong Jae stands apart from his colleagues.
As a provincial university graduate in a prosecutor’s office dominated by the top university alumni, Dong Jae built his career through sheer determination, which was surviving as a “sponsored prosecutor” taking bribes from suspects. In Season 1, he frequently clashes with Si Mok while playing double agent to help solve the case, while Season 2 sees him kidnapped by a suspect while pursuing a mysterious case. His sudden disappearance had viewers on the edge of their seats, testament to his commanding screen presence.
Dark Hole (2021)
Dark Hole chronicles survivors struggling among mutated humans. The premise of people becoming infected after inhaling mysterious black smoke from a sudden sinkhole resonated particularly well during its 2021 airing amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lee Jun Hyuk portrays Yoo Tae Han, a former police officer. Though typically reserved, he’s a righteous man who fights to save survivors until the end. He shares compelling scenes with Kim Ok Vin, who plays detective Lee Hwa Sun, immune to the smoke’s mutations. Their unique chemistry emerges from two justice-seeking characters approaching their mission in completely different ways.
Vigilante (2023)
Vigilante follows Kim Ji Yong (Nam Joo Hyuk), an exemplary police university student leading a double life as a vigilante who personally judges criminals at night. After losing his mother to brutal violence from a local thug who continues committing crimes post-release, Ji Yong takes justice into his own hands. This vigilante character, delivering justice by punishing criminals who escape the law, opened a new chapter in Korean dark hero narratives.
Lee Joon Hyuk plays “Fake Vigilante,” a devoted fan who follows the vigilante’s every move. Behind his black mask, his eyes sparkle with both enthusiasm of a fanboy and madness. The later revelation of his chaebol heir identity makes his love and support for the vigilante even more intriguing. The unlikely partnership between these contrasting backgrounds delivers exhilarating thrills.
365: Repeat the Year (2020)
365: Repeat the Year is a mystery drama following participants in a “Reset” game who travel back one year in pursuit of perfect lives, accepting and defying their fates. The game’s basic rules: participants can only return to exactly one year prior and can bring their current memories to the past. However, with each time jump, participants mysteriously die one by one.
Lee Jun Hyuk plays detective Ji Hyung Joo, who joins the game to save his colleague. He partners with webtoon artist Shin Ga Hyun (Nam Ji Hyun), who lost her leg in a traffic accident, to unravel the game’s mysteries. The drama won mystery genre fans’ hearts with its fast-paced narrative filled with plot twists.
Designated Survivor: 60 Days (2019)
Designated Survivor: 60 Days follows Environment Minister Park Moo Jin (Ji Jin Hee) becoming acting president after a bombing at the National Assembly kills the president. This Korean remake of the popular American series Designated Survivor succeeded by adapting to Korean political contexts while maintaining suspenseful developments.
Lee Jun Hyuk plays Oh Young Seok, a bombing survivor and former naval officer turned congressman who led a victorious engagement with North Korea. Initially hailed as a national hero with strong public support post-accident, he shocks viewers when revealed as a secret participant in the terror attack. Lee Joon Hyuk drove the drama’s popularity with his portrayal of this two-faced politician, leaving such a strong impression that viewers still bring up how good he looked in naval uniform to this day.
>> Watch Amasian TV on lgchannels.com: Now available on Channel 250 in the U.S. and Channel 263 in Canada or Amasian.tv.
Edited by Seo Hayne
Translated by Kim Hoyeun
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.
