Yunho is a Believable Stalwart Silent Swordsman for Records of a Night Watchman

It’s definitely drama stills release time for Records of a Night Watchman, and like clockwork the production is running down the list of leads to release new stills every day. First came Jung Il Woo in his princely garb as ghost-seeing Lee Rin, then leading lady Go Sung Hee as a free-spirited mountain girl Do Ha, and now it’s time to meet Yunho as cold bodyguard Moo Seok. Before I get started on discussing anything Yunho in this drama-related, I do want to ask folks who are offended that I’m not falling all over him to please take a chill pill. I may not like Yunho’s acting or support his endeavor to keep trying to act, that doesn’t mean I’m waiting with bated breath to watch him fail so I can pile on derision. Idols-turned-actors as a group are totally cool with me – from this pool of talent comes the few that are actually better actors than idols and end up switching careers, then comes the few that do both equally well and keep at it, most are passable actors enough that their presence in dramas or movies don’t annoy me, and finally comes the majority that just don’t have the skill set necessary to be good at acting.

Even with the wide-range of idol acting talent and the capacity to improve, my gut tells me Yunho is going to be sooooo like a fish out of water in his first saguek. Still, I remain hopeful that he’ll prove me wrong and manage to bring to life this particular character. It’s important to note that he plays a silent warrior type, the perpetual second male lead that is always supportive of the female lead while loving her unconditionally. It’s tailor-made for fans to second lead ship and if his character has very few lines of dialogue that’s always a boon for a limited actor like Yunho. Bonus points for him if Jung Il Woo’s hotheaded male lead turns out to be initially assholey and mean to the female lead, which usually makes it easier to wish the nice guy gets the girl. Unlike the horribly photo-shopped first still of Yunho where his face appeared to be floating in front of his body, these two new stills are pretty darn easy on the eyes and actually sells Yunho in sageuk garb. It is hilarious that his horse is wearing armor while he’s totally not, ha! I tease about his big chin but here it actually sells the reticent manliness quite well. Not bad at all.