How often do you see an actor who picks roles for his art’s love and brings variety to his profession? Seo InGuk’s career has been a vibrant pallet of contrasting shades. As he has mentioned many times, while playing a role, he wants the viewers only to see the character, not Seo InGuk. Putting his words to justice, he carries out his roles so distinctively that sometimes it’s tough to even recognize him as the same person. He recently attended the Toronto International Film Festival where his movie “Project Wolf Hunting” was invited under the midnight madness category garnering some great international reviews. Let’s dive into some of the most contrasting pairs of roles he has done which showcase his range of acting. Get ready to be in awe. [No Spoilers!]
Park JongDoo vs Nam HanJun
JongDoo, in “Project Wolf Hunting”, is a heinous criminal who has only evil in his DNA. The movie is a psychological mystery thriller where a mission takes place to bring a group of criminals to South Korea from the middle of the Pacific Ocean within three days. JongDoo is a criminal driven by madness; you will see his body covered with trademark tattoos. His ominous aura will only make you feel afraid of him. “Project Wolf Hunting” hit the theatres in September 2022 and is scheduled to release in various countries in the upcoming months. But in the very same year, Seo InGuk led the KBS drama (available on Netflix), “Café Minamdang”, where he plays the role of Nam HanJun, a handsome profiler who turned into a fake shaman. The story revolves around a highly skilled criminal profiler who was arrested wrongfully. Once released, he decides to open a cafe under which he carries out his work as a shaman with the support of his friends and family. In contrast to JungDo, you will see Nam HanJun as a clean freak who is obsessed with fashion. He is good-looking, popular, intelligent, and funny at the same time. “Café Minamdang” premiered in June 2022 and is available on Netflix.
Louie vs Kim MooYoung
While we have the cutest role ever played by Seo InGuk in “Shopping King Louie”, he played one of the darkest characters in “The Smile Has Left Your Eyes”. “Shopping King Louie” is the story of Louie, a rich heir who was raised by his loving grandmother under extreme protection. While he was eager to go out and explore life, he was never allowed to do so. A series of events leads up to him losing his memory and staying with Ko BokSil (Nam JiHyun), a girl who had come to the city in search of her lost brother. Louie is sweet, innocent, funny, and heart-warming. He gets scared of spiders but when it comes to shopping, he has no competitors. “Shopping King Louie” premiered in 2016 and is available on Viki. “The Smile Has Left Your Eyes”, on the other hand, is a dark melodrama where he plays the role of a mysterious man who is suspected of murder. But that’s not it, he has a past that he carries in the form of the burnt scar on his arm. His life has always been full of struggles and misfortunes. Meeting Yoo JinKang (Jung SoMin), a young and confident girl who shares a similar burn scar with him, he gets to see life from a different point of view. Fate was always cruel to them as they fought against misunderstandings and mishaps. Their passionate chemistry will melt your heart. “The Smile Has Left Your Eyes” premiered in 2018 and is available on Viki.
MyulMang vs Lee MinSuk
He played the cold-hearted Doom in “Doom at Your Service” while he is the same person who played Lee MinSuk, an 18-year-old high schooler in “High School King of Savvy”. As Doom aka Myul Mang, he not only depicted the sadness and dark side of being the Deity of destruction but also portrayed the intricate emotions of love in this romantic fantasy drama. You will instantly fall for him and the story right from the beginning. “Doom at Your Service” tells the story of Doom, who always wished to be a human but his job of watching things disappear made him cold-hearted towards everyone. One night he meets a girl Tak DongKyung (Park BoYoung), who was terminally ill and had wished to bring doom upon the world. He decides to fulfill her wish and enters a pact with her which turns their lives upside down. Their love story is unforgettable. Meanwhile, when he is Lee MinSuk in “High School King of Savvy”, you will see Seo InGuk as a rebellious and energetic teen. It is the story of identical twins. MinSuk is forced to take the place of his elder brother in a company and pretend to be him. A 25-year-old actor playing the role of an 18-year-old who is acting to be a 25-year-old is the best thing you will witness in this show. You will see how he struggles and fights for his dreams, family, and love. Bonus, when he appears as his elder brother, a proud and clever grown-up, you cannot make out that the same person is playing both roles. Apart from the sheer comedy in this show, you will also get to see an unusual love story between MinSuk and Jung SooYoung (Lee HaNa) which was way ahead of its time. “High School King of Savvy” premiered in 2014 and is available on Viki
Yang JeongDo vs Yoon YoonJae
While he was a professional swindler in “Squad 38”, he played the role of a quiet and brooding yet devoted boy, Yoon Jae in “Reply 1997”. Seo InGuk as JeongDo in “Squad 38” is a smooth and rebellious role that will make you fall on your knees with the cons he carries out. He is clever, confident, and impossible to catch! He stays one step ahead of everyone. The concept of this show which also stars Ma DongSeok as Baek SungIl is unique and will keep you on your toes. You’d fall in love with the bromance between JeongDo and SungIl. The story revolves around how a con artist teams up with an honest officer of the Tax collection department while helping him to collect taxes from corrupt tax bearers. You will never see the twists coming! “Squad 38” premiered in 2016 and is available on Disney+ in some countries. Meanwhile, he played the historic role of YoonJae in the “Reply” series pioneer. It was a story about friendship, love, and family which will surely take you back to your teenage days. YoonJae was known as one of the most handsome and intelligent boys in his school. He depicts the struggles and conflicts of a teenage mind beautifully. He always had feelings for his childhood best friend Sung ShiWon, but their relationship was unlike any other fluffy couple. In this classic coming-of-age drama, the comedy, romance, and thrill are intact until the very end as the group of friends meet each other and cherish their memories. “Reply 1997” premiered in 2012 and is available on Viki.
Not reel but a real-life singer, songwriter, and composer!
This is a bonus for those who don’t already know, Seo InGuk was the winner of “Superstar K” season 1. He is a professional singer with a unique voice that soothes your soul. He recently made a comeback after 5 years when he launched his album, “Love & Love”. He even produced, wrote, and composed most of the original soundtracks for “Café Minamdang”. ‘Distant Fate’ was one of the recent hit songs that he wrote and sang for his drama “Doom at Your Service”. Earlier his song ‘All For You’ from “Reply 1997” had become a sensation in 2012. You’d swoon over him if you watch his concerts! Be it a fun song like ‘My Baby U/Aegiya’, the hot song ‘Bebe’ or a romantic song ‘Seasons of the Heart’, he sings them all with perfection. If you ever come across his song Flower you would be swept off your feet by the depth of his voice. The list of songs is endless and so is the impact he has on our hearts. Make sure you listen to his soulful voice in ‘Distant Fate’: In the end, don’t miss out on his fabulous albums launched over the years and other ace performances in “The King’s Face” as Prince Gwanghae, “Master’s Sun” as KangWoo, and “Hello Monster” as Lee Hyun! It is tough to stop talking about how multi-talented he is. Above all, he is a humble and down-to-earth person. He loves and respects his family, friends, and fans. You’d see him greeting everyone, taking all their gifts, and respecting them. He tries his best to make everyone happy. Seo InGuk is celebrating his birthday on the 23rd of October. We wish all the success and happiness to him. Note: If you too are looking to send your article to Kpopmap, check out the guideline here.
Kpopmap Fan Interview: A Filipino Heartrider In UAE Talks About Her Favorite Actor Seo InGuk & Why She Became A Big Fan by FANS|Oct 2, 2022 Kpopmap Fan Interview: A Filipino Heartrider Talks About Her Favorite Actor Seo InGuk & Why She’s Proud To Be A Heartrider by FANS|Sep 24, 2022 3 Seo InGuk Dramas You Should Watch After “Café Minamdang” KDRAMA STORIES|Aug 25, 2022 A versatile actor and a great singer-song writer PLUS:
- Great personality and good fashion sense. - Sensible and smart answers during interviews. Consistent through the years! - Love and devotion for his family - he’s proud of his humble beginnings and made sure to show his fam how devoted he is to them. - Seems to truly care about his fans (that concert when he was supposedly done but he went back and sang All for You with his fans AND all those moments when he would smile, talk/respond casually to fans during fam sign events, in the airport, and elsewhere - He is HUMAN!!! Not a hint of celeb air! I’m sure there’s a lot more to say and while he may not be among the most well known and recognized K entertainer right now, his time will definitely come and as fans, we all know that once you start with SIG, there’s no point of return coz what’s not to love about this awesome man?! A versatile actor and a great singer-song writer PLUS:
Great personality and good fashion sense. Sensible and smart answers during interviews. Consistent through the years! Love and devotion for his family - he’s proud of his humble beginnings and made sure to show his fam how devoted he is to them. Seems to truly care about his fans (that concert when he was supposedly done but he went back and sang All for You with his fans AND all those moments when he would smile, talk/respond casually to fans during fam sign events, in the airport, and elsewhere He is HUMAN!!! Not a hint of celeb air!
