Ever since I started recapping Protect the Boss, I noticed that the drama is so brilliant it’s roping in viewers by its excellent storytelling and spot on acting by the two leads Ji Sung and Choi Kang Hee, but almost everyone professes not to be familiar with either actors or their previous works. Let’s start with a fun fact about them – they’ve technically worked on the same drama before in 2006’s Beating Heart, a MBC experimental omnibus drama composed of six chapters with six pairs of directors and screenwriters each team taking one chapter consisting of two episodes. But they were not in the same episodes. Too bad, because PTB shows they have exquisitely fine-tuned chemistry.
Choi Kang Hee has been acting since the mid-90s and her most recent drama was My Sweet Seoul with Lee Seon Kyun. I’m not as familiar with her, having only seen her in one drama, which I will discuss later. But Ji Sung I’m quite familiar with. He got his start in 1999 with KAIST, hit his big break in All In with Lee Byung Hyun, is probably best known in the Hallyu world for Save the Last Dance for Me, but never became an actor I liked until he came back from military service and did New Heart.
I absolutely love New Heart (even if Jo Jae Hyun owned the drama from beginning to end) and is the only Ji Sung drama I would recommend if anyone wants to watch more of his works. Since then I suffered through pretty much all of Kim Soo Ro for him but couldn’t bring myself to watch Royal Family. So right now I’m just pleased as a peach that he followed up three tepid dramas in a row with this most excellent drama to remind me why I like him as an actor.
But if anyone wants to know which drama Ji Sung looks to best in, because who are we kidding, he looks like a broccoli head in PTB, then that would hands down be Swallow the Sun with Sung Yuri. I also watched all of StS, which I personally renamed Swallow My Brain because it was So Damn Stupid. But Ji Sung? Was so hot in it, you can probably cook eggs on him. Have some pictures to drool over. And then decide: shall I watch a stupid action melodrama for hot mopey Ji Sung, or watch an brilliant medical drama for not-hot-but-oh-so-adorable-and-charming Ji Sung. *psst, pick the latter*
I also like Ji Sung a lot because by all accounts he’s a great guy in real life. He has a longtime girlfriend, actress Lee Bo Young, which while neither has officially confirmed it, they’ve been photographed all over the place and it’s just accepted as an open secret.
He was recently on a new variety show called Healing Camp, and Blue so wonderfully wrote up the episode which you can read here. I encourage you all to check it out, because it gives such a heartwarming and funny peek into who Ji Sung really is when he’s not acting.
Lastly, to convince you all to pick the good drama, have a New Heart MV. Ji Sung had amazing chemistry with his leading lady Kim Min Jung in this drama.
New Heart MV:
My only Choi Kang Hee experience prior to PTB was in Thank You (an incredibly moving drama with Jang Hyuk and Gong Hyo Jin), where she had a cameo role in episode 1 as Hyuk’s ex-girlfriend. Watch the video below of her final scene in episode 1, and just marvel at how different she was playing the character of a doctor knowing her time on earth is up, but unable to let go of the guilt she feels for having accidentally transfused HIV-infected blood into the body of a 7 year old girl. Yes, be prepared to cry in Thank You if you elect to watch it.
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Ms. Koala, please, if you ever do get a chance to watch Choi's movie My Petty Romance with Lee Sun Gyun, I'd LOVE to hear your opinion on it. I thought it was adorable and her playing all sorts of random characters in Lee's imagination reminds me a little of PTB. I thought it was a good amount of silly and cute, and though it isn't anything mind-blowing, it is enjoyable.
Loved "My Petty Romance". CKH had me at her "Ethan Gere" (Ethan Hawke + Richard Gere). You just gotta love a gal who can come up with something like that. PTB FTW!
well I mean the writer wrote the lines, but the way she delivered it is hilarious :)
OMG..that movie was hilarious...It took me three hours to watch it because I kept having to pause to finish guffawing or walk around to get rid of the nerve tingling effect that LSK was having on movie...DO watch it Koala unni!!
Holy Moly. Ji Sung has a brand new fan! Please tell me he's a bit older than most. My list of ICOMYM is too large. I'd like (for once) to have an ICOANSMYM (ICO-a-not-so-MYM).
I'm off to cue up some more dramas...
Ji Sung? He's a '77er, same year as Kang Ji Hwan. Which makes them 34 in Western age, 35 in Korean age. Just the perfect amount of sexy, manly and experienced. :-D
Phew! Mid thirties makes him too old to be my son! bahahaahah. It makes me feel a bit creepy when they are as young as JGS, Lee Min Ho(tness), and Kim Bum - besides the fact that it grosses my daughter out. lol
Thanks for the info Ms. Koala!
"...sexy, manly and experienced. " OMFG I love it!!!
i like choi kang hee since she play Our Attitude to Prepare Parting :)) !!!!
she always play good in her drama...
I've always wanted to watch that drama but couldn't find it with eng subs :(
Another Namoo actor doing something great. Everyone at the agency seems to be tweeting about how great this drama is. Now that you said it was good, Ms Koala, I will watch it.
First saw him in All In, followed by Save The Last Dance and have always had a soft spot for him. Watched New Heart did not like it that much, a bit disappointed I must say but fell in love with him with Swallow the Sun, Kim Soo Ro and Royal Family. I must say his best is STS, except for the script ( Sorry, I wont blame JS ) and the same goes for Royal Family, the script again otherwise JS is one fine actor!! For those of you not familiar with him, try All In to see him new & fresh before STS:)
I also love Ji Sung works at New Heart... such a cool new doctor and great chemistry with Kim Min Jung ^^;
Hello koala's
I really liked this note of Ji Sung, I had never seen Act to these two actors and both as a partner in boss to protect, do you wonder, the performances are very good and well integrated the two did not know how it was called the actor, hehehhee, but now with this post is something of the and its work. He is handsome and camaleonico' looks so different in all the pictures by God!
thanks and greetings
I loved Ji Sung in Royal Family, just as I do love him now in Protect the Boss. He's a very unique actor.
royal family got me waiting for protect the boss. (he looked decent in that one!) Couldn't really test out swallow the sun, but royal family got me. ^_^
please keep up the great recaps! i love this show!
I first saw him in Save the Last Dance for me ... it was the Korean drama that roped me in completely. Before that I was just mildly interested in them, but after that I was just kinda ... obsessed? :P
I wasn't thrilled with New Heart (I thought the docs were just so over-the-top), though I he looked so purty in Swallow the Sun I don't care how the story went. Tee Hee.
He's definitely one of those arresting actors who just oozes intensity, so to see him in a comedy is really refreshing.
And I really wish they could get rid of his hairstyle in PTB. I know it's all part of his look and all but ... I want my hot Ji Sung back! ;D
"I also like Ji Sung a lot because by all accounts he’s a great guy in real life."
That's what I thought too until recently when I read that he was dating his All In co-star and was two-timing her with Lee Bo Young... Is the report true?
http://showbiz.omy.sg/Showbiz/E-News/Story/OMYStory201108050401-265300.html
He is not a good person because he is dating? Are you serious? and stupid? Koala wrote about it already. Go back and read it thoroughly.