On the grand scale of K-dramas big and small, the decidedly ordinary rom-com Sly and Single Again (Cunning Single Lady) has turned out to be not that bad. It’s not overly shrieky and keeps even the hint of makjang at bay, taking only an acrimonious divorced couple who are clearly not over each other and giving them a second chance to make amends to each other and maybe give it another go. Joo Sang Wook is adorable playing a former nerd turned tech wunderkind hotstuff but still dorky inside, while this is like the umpeenth version of the plucky hardworking sincere heroine that Lee Min Jung has played in her career. She’s good at it, don’t get me wrong, and always musters up chemistry as she does here. What makes me tune into a drama that forgettable and inoffensive is to marvel and ogle second male lead Seo Kang Joon. I love his character the most in the drama and his performance is by far the most eye-catching. I can’t claim he’s a better actor than Joo Sang Wook or Lee Min Jung, but he infuses his acting with such fresh energy rather than a been there-done sense of deja vu.
It doesn’t hurt that he’s ridiculously easy on the eyes, and I’ve had my eye on him since The Suspicious Housekeeper where he had a bit part among the kid actors but was easily one of the best things about that drama. He’s still so young being just 21 years old but he plays older convincingly (like here) and if I didn’t know he was an idol boy (leader of the boy group 5urprise) I would have pegged him as a pure emerging young actor. I don’t ship him with Lee Min Jung in the drama even though I think she’s actually better off with him and really ending all the messy history with her ex-husband Joo Sang Wook, but I know the purpose of the drama is to bring the exes back together so it’s pointless to second lead ship here. That leaves me totally free to ship him with me (yay!) and spread more Seo Kang Joon love around the dramaverse. Check out Sly and Single Again for him, it’s worth it and overall the story is pretty entertaining. Or just slurp up his cuteness below.
Swoon!!!! He knows all the ladies loves Yurima. Lol
Btw, how old is his character suppose to be because everyone else is in their 30s?
Katherine,
Near the end of Episode 4 when they were in the Outdoor food stand thing. Before he showed here the floating cap trick. He said he was 26 according to the Subs I saw. She said she was 34.
Huh? He’s a singer? And so young as well?
Ah, so you’ve joined the Kang Joon fanclub! Ahah!
He didn’t stand out for me. I’m watching this drama for the lead couple. Which is great, because having Second Lead Syndrome sucks!
I’m loving this drama. I had low expectations, but it turned out to be great. Sure, there are flaws, but the lead couple make it all worth it.
Aly its a turn brain off and watch drama.
I’m loving him but feel weird about it because the boy I 20 years old…..ah, now I feel like a really old ahjumma
Seo Kang Joon really did stand out in Suspicious Housekeeper, I found myself watching for his bit parts!! He is gorgeous and doing a great job with this role as well!! I haven’t seen Joo Sang Wook before, can someone recommend one of his good dramas, it’s seems like he’s a bit wasted on this “fluffy” drama! Not that I’m not enjoying it, sometimes it’s fun to go with the fluff!
Special Affairs Team TEN & TEN 2!!
Thanks!
I really like Joo Sang Wook….you can watch him in more serious roles in TEN and Good Doctor
Thanks!
And thanks!!
If you’re into darker, gritty dramas, than definitely check out the kseries Ten and it’s sequel Ten 2 – he’s the lead, and it’s pretty darn awesome
I first became a fan of Joo Sang Wook in Giant, and I believe that was an important role for boosting his career. It’s an amazing drama, definitely worth checking out for the story as well as the acting. 60 episodes centered around the construction industry, which I have zero interest in, and yet I never once got bored.
Queen Seon Duk
The Good Doctor
TEN
Must not forget Good Doctor. He was great in the show too.
I am a fangirl from Suspicious Housekeeper and Afterschool Bukbulbok (an Ouran High School Host Club type show of fifteen minute hilarious–should I be laughing at this?–with guest stars like Jung Kyung Ho, doing an hilarious diahrea riff, Kim Sung-soo, and Jung Gyu-woon). He isn’t actually in a boyband, but 5urpise is a acting troupe of a group of guys his age who are all in that show as members of the club. I loved him in that and he was easily one of the best people, although to be fair he had the best part. Hmm. Why do I know all this? (*scurrying back to my corner, where I go back to acting like a grown up to grade my students’ papers*)
I finished “After School” last week & it was hilarious! He really did stand out in the whole group. It could just been that he looks gorgeous as a blonde! Yes I said it he looks very yummy as a blonde
. . . but before I go off. I have to say that I will just ogle him here. I am getting fed up with shows that insist on getting divorced couples back together as if the reason why they got divorced in the first place was just some sort of whim or the divorce was done in fit of peak and all they have to do is be forced to work together and/or face some trauma together and they will mriaculously love each other again and all that bad stuff will not interfere with their love. I think one of the reasons why I liked Let’s Eat is because she was divorced and there was no mention of her ever getting back with her ex-husband. I don’t take divorce lightly, but many of the dramas seem to.
He really doesn’t do it for me. Of course, I’m a guy so my opinion’s irrelevant, but the supporting male I do like, both as a role and aesthetically, is L – I love his character, and find him much better looking too. With Seo Kang Joon’s character I DO get a very strong sense of, to borrow your words “been there done that deja vu” He’s doing well with it, but it’s not really impacting on my reaction to the show. Unlike his character in Suspicious Housekeeper, in which he really was one of the highlights as that Drama dragged on and on.
Why would your opinion be irrelevant just cause you’re a guy? I’ve noticed you always had to bring up that fact in all your posts but just wanted to say your opinion is just as valid as the rest of ours. 🙂
Indeed, secretary gil is a charming/silly character and a breath of fresh air in the drama, but the fact that L is a horrible actor makes me wonder how different it would be if it were played by a different actor. He’s playing the character straight from the pages without his own flair, but his smiling face is adorable. Granted, he’s gotten a bit better in the recent episodes(so i’m no longer cringing at any awkwardness) but he’s still not as strong of an actor as Seo Kang Joon. Also, i can’t help but wonder where the “bromance/secretary” chemistry is supposed to be, because i’m not quite feeling it with Joo Sang Wook and him, which is a shame considering it really could have been a standout pairing. His character is charming, while his performance is not up to par, whereas Seung hyun(although undeniably a typical 2nd lead) has both the sweetness AND a good actor behind the character. This is my opinion, of course…
The reason I say it’s irrelevant is because as a straight male, my sense of aesthetics is not really very relevant to a discussion of male eye candy. If I ogle anyone in a Drama, it’s not likely to be a guy, although there are a few male actors who I do find droolworthy. I work in market research, and as a member of the minority demographic that is male K Drama viewers, I consider myself a statistical outlier. I also enjoy poking fun at myself. 🙂
“Indeed, secretary gil is a charming/silly character and a breath of fresh air in the drama, but the fact that L is a horrible actor makes me wonder how different it would be if it were played by a different actor. He’s playing the character straight from the pages without his own flair, but his smiling face is adorable. Granted, he’s gotten a bit better in the recent episodes.. but he’s still not as strong of an actor as Seo Kang Joon”
I don’t disagree with any of this. As I said, I find the “character” more interesting than the second lead and find L better-looking. I totally agree that he’s not as strong an actor. Given the (imo) stock standard, cookie cutter second lead character, it might even have been interesting to have seen the stronger actor in the more interesting minor role. But that would have meant less screen time for him, and therefore less swoon time for all his many fans 🙂
I actually really love this show. Though I’m watching for Ae Ra and not him. The role isn’t really that much different for her, but I love her so I’m biased. I’ll have to agree with Stuart above though, this character doesn’t do much for me either. He’s pretty much your typical second lead. He’s actually a less annoying, better acting and better looking version of Seju from Mirae’s Choice to me. Considering his age though, Seo Kang Joon is doing a fabulous job at portraying chemistry with someone so much older than him. He also puts poor L to shame in his bromance with Joo Sang Wook. He’s got a very bright future ahead of him.
I actually do second lead ship here. I can’t help but wonder how this would turn out as a noona romance instead of a divorced couple getting back together. Both his character and Lee Min Jung’s have grown throughout the drama, but the ex-hubby is stuck being a manchild. It’s not even that I don’t like Joo Sang wook, because he’s amazing but his character… argh…
I consider her a strong heroine in kdrama land. (Aw yea, we need more strong women in kdramas.) And I like it that she’s evolving and becoming stronger with each episode. Watch out JW because she might get too good to get back together with you!
Unni! I called dibs and you said I could keep him! No stealing!
You wouldn’t even know he existed if I didn’t deposit his hotness for you to see in the first place. Dibs fail. Also, when did I ever say you could keep him? That never happened unless you have written proof. And even if you did, I still reserve the right to say my phone was hacked and it was my much nicer and more generous evil Koala who wrote that. XD
Lol He is definitely beautiful enough to be worthy of fighting over. But since you did show him to me, I will share. I call dibs on the dimples. Unfortunately if he gets promoted to first lead he will be prettier than any costar they can dig up for him. I can’t wait!
I feel in love with him the moment I saw him appear in this drama. His eyes.. omg his eyes are bee-you-tee-ful *___*
fell*
I could stare at his eyes all day long, too.
I know! When the light hits his eyes a certain way they look like this golden amber color!
Eyes? He has eyes? Guess I didn’t make it past those lips….
Ship him with you? Stand in line girl lol.
I cant believe Yoo Seung-ho is 2 months older than Seo Kang Joon. Age is just a number right? I want to buy him a tie, thanks for the tip sister in law.
I really like Seung Hyun but my fongness for him went down several notches when his persistence went overboard despite Ae-ra making it crystal clear that she is not interested. It’s one thing wooing a girl but to be so in-the-face about it even after the girl says no a few times is just a bit too much.
That said, I like the drama, a rom-com in its essence andy favourite character is Ae-ra. She is not really cunning at all, despite the show’s title.
Agreed, the title of the drama made many of us misjudged Ae Ra badly. Maybe that was the purpose of such a slanderous title. We get to learn the real Ae Ra just like JW will in the drama.
I couldnt believe he was only 20. He is very very good. Really natural. Very relaxed in his acting. None of the ‘how do i look in this scene or whats the next line?’ look about him at all. And expressive face. none of the i need to look cool face. He could be the next sung joon for me.
And the pretty to boot. Just a little too thin in the body :p. hope to see more of him in the future. But why so young!!!
I LOVED him in Suspicious Housekeeper, actually I watched just the scenes that he was in…the rest was too annoying! My god I can go forever about his perfection, that beautiful skin, those gorgeous eyes, those kissable lips. Him, Kim Soo Hyun, and Lee Min Ho has the best lips in the industry…not that I have a list or have actual lip shots
I am loving Seo Kang Joo right now. What’s with younger men these days anyway? First it was Yoo Seung Ho then now Seo Kang Joo. I willbforever be loyal to YSH but for the meantime…haha btw, did you see Seo Kang Joo’s couple shoot for High Cut with Yoon Eun Hye? OMGeeeee
Omg.. link pls!!!!
http://couch-kimchi.com/2014/02/27/additional-spreads-of-yoon-eun-hye-seo-kang-joon-from-high-cuts-vol-120/
Know what’d be weird if the siblings end up with the 2 exes…. it’d make family dinners mighty interesting! Hmmmm
Those light brown eyes are a killer *swoon* he is the next one having those other than Ara. So so so lucky.
Like him a lot and he just infuse new energy in the scene he appeared. Can’t wait to see him getting a lead role
W-what? He’s 21?
Great, now, I’m feeling guilty to ogling him (-_-) him, Yoo Seung Ho…
This guy has so many micro expressions. U have 2 watch his face closely or u miss them. Not that i mind watching closely ; )
It also helps that his character is so chill. Like when he said, (paraphrasing) “It’s my prerogative to like you. It’s yours to accept my heart or not.” He doesn’t force or dismiss the emotions of the people around him (for example, his father), but he recognizes their right to feel the way they do and to act according to their feelings. He’s a great character and one of my favorite second leads.
I agree. For the first time, i am shipping second lead with the girl. I think the exes should find closure and move on to new loves
Love him although it is very difficult not to stare at his pretty.
He reminds me of Gong Yu. A less bulky version, but as assured and masculine.
I have to admit Sung Hyun’s character was better off than Secretary Gil in this drama. But the character is just way too ‘young’ for the more matured Ae Ra despite her non stop bickering with the feisty Jeong Woo. If I’m not mistaken Seo Kang Joon appeared as a cameo in Good Doctor where he bullies and beats up Shi-on (Joo Won) on the streets and to be rescued by Dr.Kim Do Han (Joo Sang Wook). Joo Sang Wook indeed has good chemistry with his colleagues. He has good rapport with Lee Min Jung in those days where he acted alongside with her in Kimcheed Radish Cubes.