Now that the first batch of 2015 K-dramas have shaken out the ratings rankings and audience feedback – wins for Punch, Kill Me Heal Me, Shine or Go Crazy, losses for Hyde, Jekyll, Me, Blood – the media is looking ahead to the possible big name castings to come. One drama that just got a leading man is Yoochun for Sensory Couple so that’s one popular name certain to be returning to the small screen soon. Up next is Kim Woo Bin getting the offer for the Hong sisters upcoming island rom-com Jejudo Gatsby, an offer that I pray he accepts so that he can finally flex his drama leading man muscles. The media remains forever wondering if this is the year Won Bin acts again.
Kim Soo Hyun has already made it known that he plans to do a drama this year, and whether it ends up being the KBS Friday night drama Producer penned by his You From Another Star scribe remains to be seen. No matter what he picks he’ll have no shortage of offers. Eyes are also on Lee Jong Seok, who has done back-to-back-to-back dramas starting from I Hear Your Voice to Dr. Stranger to Pinocchio, all with good to great results. He’s a steady workaholic, plus SBS loves him, so the media is wondering if he’ll be on the SBS line up towards the end of the year. Finally there is much attention on the returning from the army Song Joong Ki, confirmed to have received the offers for Kim Eun Sook‘s upcoming Descendants of the Sun as well as the fantasy movie Fist Fighting.
The K-media also has its spotlight trained on Lee Min Ho, riding on the success of his first movie Gangnam Blues, but hasn’t done a drama in over a year. He’s mentioned definitely doing another acting project this year but there hasn’t been any news on specific offers he’s received or considering. His good friend Jung Il Woo actually got decent ratings for the crappy fusion sageuk last year Records of a Night Watchman, if he comes back to drama land chances are high it’ll be another MBC drama.
And finally there’s media darling Yoo Seung Ho, who basically can’t do anything wrong right now after serving the military young and doing a humble whiz bang job at it. Bonus points for being a popular child actor grown up right who is also widely viewed as a great acting talent. He’s currently filming for the movie Joseon Magician but the media is wondering which drama will lure him back to the small screen this year. Which popular male actor are you guys looking forward to drop an acting project this year?
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I am looking forward to everyone on this list except the most popular guy. Watching him be popular makes me feel like the world is very unfair. That talent is irrelevant to popularity. Him and the kardashians make me question my fellow human beings.
Everyone gets his chance of screen time so that is fair..
A popular saying ''Love has no eyes or justice it just happens unexpected''
Calling the guy who is capturing most hearts thru his work is talentless embarrasingly delulu.
@Linda20 I don't want to enumerate his commercial here just google it of you want, but as a fan of LJS I want to be civilize. All he really wants is to be known to be a good actor because according to his recent interview in marie claire that beauty doesn't last forever and he further admit that he's not good looking. For being honest like he deserves my respect so I wouldn't defend him whatsoever talk bad things about him, because he loves criticism more than positive feedback so that he can learn from it.
I was not even motivated to reply but Nugya and few other teens are giving false informations regarding Jongsuk which can create him a large haterbase. plus Insulting the beloved hallyu son at very chance they get and that can quickly backfire like here.
@Linda20
can you prove that all I say about jongsuk are false informations?lololol
lol, girl. LMH's fans remind me of SNSD's fanclub Sones. Both sit too high on their horses. At the end after so many years of nonstop bragging about how unbelievably awesome their idols are karma bite them right into the most painful place. I feel the same one day will happen with LMH's fans. Try to be less arrogant aholes, my dear LMH fans.
Sorry, would that be LMH or KSH?
Just curious
hmm... make me curious too.. is it KSH cuz he is the most popular in and outside korea. LMH not so popular in korea. may be Lee jong suk as he is very popular right now :)
Lee min ho is not popular in korea, lmao...soohyun and jongsuk way more more popular than him in korea...internationally, I can see jongsuk's fanbase becomes bigger and bigger now...minho, soohyun and jongsuk definitely have the biggest fanbases now.
this Nugya character is very delusional.. Who is jongsuk cuz I don't know who that is?
KSH is big in Korea but definitely not bigger then LMH and as recorded LMH has the second largest fanbase in korea after Yoona..
Nobody is more famous then LMH even if all the K-world celebrities combined. Dude has nearly 50mio followers and rising everyday. how the hell can you compare him with Newbies but KSH is big in Korea also outside of korea and thats a fact but not close to LMH thats also fact
@Linda20
I'm also a fan of lee jong suk,but I'm not delusional. However, the fact that his fanbase becomes bigger and bigger is proven by many sources, you don't know lee jong suk? are you new in k-drama land? where do you live then, lol...
why do you bring yoona in here, lmao
yes, lee min ho is very popular especially in international, but now, korean media always compare kim soo hyun and lee jong suk as rivals because they have great acting skills not because they have big fanbase. I'm more happy to see my fav actor is popular because of his acting skill rather than his pretty looking.
If you are A fan-girl? then you are promoting him in the wrong way and btw which media compares him with KSH?? cuz I can easily tell you that there is no media going that direction sadly and its ludicrous claim
@Linda20
yes, I'm so delusional...there is no difference between me and you then
convo*
Wow, the argument about who can book more cfs. Is making cfs a priority really something to brag about? It just proves that some actors care more about the money than the craft. Lee Jongsuk chooses to work as an actor nonstop leaving less time for endorsements. While some actors take super long breaks so they can make cf money... I personally find this so much more shameful.
"Lee Jongsuk chooses to work as an actor nonstop leaving less time for endorsements. While some actors take super long breaks so they can make cf money… I personally find this so much more shameful."
Your cmt makes me lmfao. Ljs had to act nonstop simply because he failed with previous project, so he had nothing to do coz who the hell would offer him more CFs if he failed that hard? Had nothing much to do, so no choice but received new project to do just to fill the time gap or to try to get back the fame desperately. Neither enough talent like KSH nor better look like LMH to make himself big. His new gained popularity was mainly thanks to cooperate with female costars who were more popular: PSH, and even Susy. That is what you should call SHAME.
One more thing: your LJS and his delulu fans would want to achieve the position where he can get that "super long breaks to make cf money". Calling it shameful ? Too much hypocrisy.
@Tamarine-- That's laughable. Jongsuk was at the height of his career after I Hear Your Voice and was highly sought after for cfs (look at the data for most wanted celebrities lists for cfs of that year) but you know what he did? He kept booking acting jobs one after another. Actors who shoot to fame tend to disappear for cf money but Jongsuk personally said that he doesn't want to be one of those 'rare' stars who only show their faces once in a while and instead be an actor who continues working hard. If he's so unpopular then why would the industry keep giving him lead roles? And if he's so unpopular then why is his rate for endorsements $500k (this was after documented doctor stranger so maybe it's higher now due to pinocchio) for a one year endorsement deal? I can back my thoughts up with data, you're just spewing bull.
@ghost:
I am fed of with LJS silly fans like you. We were talking about your "definition" of "shame" , not your bias CF value or whether he is unpopular or not. He said he doesnt want to be one of those ‘rare’ stars who only show their faces once in a while ? As if he could be one of those rare stars ! As if two flops in a row were something honorable.
He should be grateful for being given projects to do thanks to some fame he has got so far, rather than to his true talent. Yes, how I wish to be a bull just to screw his fans deluluness deep down in the mud. Why didn't add grimae award and selling price of Pinochio to china as well as evidence of his power ? Even his buddy KWB has got more recognitions than him.
@Tamarine-- Sweety, with $500k+ for each endorsement deal, basically he brings in millions with just a few endorsements each year, Jongsuk can make easy money like your oppa too on his freetime. He can definitely be one of those 'rare' stars if he wanted to, he can kick back and just spend that endorsement money. The difference is he'll keep on working hard as an actor because that's his profession and his passion. He calls his endorsement deals "side jobs" and he's already reading new scripts and looking for his next acting job. It's great being his fan because we always know we'll see him act again soon because he's an actor first and foremost ;)
If you haven't noticed, all drama ratings have been lower in 2014 than 2013, all of Jongsuk's 2014 drama were considered successful hits on that spectrum and they sold at record price to China. Really, he doesn't get recognition for his acting? Is that why he won 2014's Grimae Award as the youngest male actor to ever recieve it? Grimae Awards are voted by the industry's directors and not a popularity contest, it's considered a huge honor among actors.
On the contrary of trying to "get back to fame desperately", he says he knows that him constantly working will eventually lower his prestige/level as a "star" but he doesn't care. He just wants to act and that's why I have respect for him. A lot of these "stars" are afraid to take chances with their role choices because they're afraid certain projects will fail and hurt their profit, but Jongsuk doesn't want to weigh what he decides to do on that because he's an actor. Actor actor actor. Actor.
But alright then, you can enjoy watching your popular guy's cfs while I'll enjoy "unpopular" Jongsuk's dramas/films. I'm happy with that.
Not sure who you mean, but I really wanna see Ji Chan wook. Really miss him a lot. The competition is so stiff, that I hope he can find a decent project at least. He should really consider a cable drama.
meant ji chang wook, not ji chan wook
I know you mean lee min ho right? he is just like super junior in kpop, the most known internationally, but not so popular in korea.
kim soo hyun and lee jong suk are more popular than him in korea, and they are popular because of their acting skills not their faces.
Thats a fat lie especially Jongsuk is not marketable at all both in and outside of korea thats why he lacks CFs where as PSH have been landing CFs right and left since Pinocchio.
Jongsuk famous in Korea is like saying cats can fly or even puting his name besides KSH in that context. he has max landed 2 cfs post Pinocchio and that must be worrying to his agency.
@Linda20
sigh, I guess you just read allkpop articles as your reference, lol
Is no secret that Jongsuk failed to land CFs and PSH took them all home.. He is not marketable and the K-media thing is ludicrous claim. I can tell you here and now its not true.
Lololol to your comment, he was crown as the top cf models along with suzy in 2013, in 2014 despite of his petty, ridiculous airport scandal and boring plot of doctor stranger, he still got dealing with many cfs and rising his popularity in china, and after pinocchio ended he got lot of love calls for cfs and dramas in korea and china...get your fact straight my dear
As I said, I used to be a fan of minho. Don't make me hate minho because of you, lmao
Then name me more then 2-3 CFs he has landed post-pinocchio? I don't care whether you like or not LMH just stating a fact here.
But you are promoting you bias very wrong here with baseless facts as well.
If Pretty face can grant the LMH type of success then it would have given the same amount of success to guys like Won bin, Hyun bin, Jo in Sung, SSH etc etc.
LMH is not even that handsome as some suggest but he makes up for in just being charming and craft with his playful antics which girls love and thats why his loved universal and not just pretty face.
His talented and makes his characters believable and likeable.
@Linda20 is so delusional I cant even... she said she did not know about LJS when in fact she knows him well. I feel pity for LMH for having this delulu as his fan. LMH cant act only has pretty face to save his ass. Thats why he is not popular in Korea.
@sweetdream
Lmao yes, she is eating her own words finally, lmao
she argues with me and winda continously and confidently because the topic is popularity while she even doesn't replay you when you say lee min ho can't act, lololol
How can I reply when I made 2 replies both keep getting above.. I think sweetdream is on different timeline but the 1 post above her post is the reply to her..
LJS is newbie and KBW is LMH's Sidekick supporting role guy.
LJS has only 3mio followers and about 6-7Cfs While LMH has 50mio followers and 30CFs deals. has about many megahits where LJS dosen't.
So how can you compare these 2? its unrealistic but KSH even thou i don't like him his well etblished
I guess the conva basically ended there and nothing left to be said. well take care now! I'm out.
LJS fans also start to think too much of themselves. Looks kinda pitty when two actors fans act like two immature kindergarden kids.
I find it hilariously as well how Ljs fans are far from reality.
I agree with the comments above Jongsuk is newbie all in all nothing else to it. KWB is actully far bigger then Ljs in Korea and internationally. ljs is going throw CF hunger compared to guys like KWB who has not even landed one drama lead role and has more local and international fans then ljs. Jongsuk is a low achiever and as many said above me after pinocchio ended the CFs came running to PSH and if he couldn't land after pinocchio thanks to PSH help then I fear for his future.
Guys like Ji Chang wook who recently appeared in healer has gained more fans then him both locally and internationally. plus his more marketable then LJS.
There is so many guys ahead of Ljs right now let alone him being compared with LMH or KSH.
@melissalionel
no, honey...please don't compare KWB and LJS, I love both of them. but I'm sorry to say this LJS are more popular and he has bigger fanbase than KWB. I know this becuase I'm a fan of bot of them.
and don't bring JCW here, I have soft spot for him. but saying JCW > LJS is just big no.
@Winda
I'm going to expose you now?
You said LJS is more popular then KWB? can you provide proof that he is bigger then him or has more fans then him.
As far as fans go on Social media KWB has more fans then LJS and as far as CFs go its not even competition since KBW is far ahead and has more CFs then LJS who is on the dry end.
Now back to Ji Chang wook, and this is no secret that JCW is more popular amongst teen girls and possible desired as the more suitable boyfriend then LJS. but nothing record as how famous JCW is now and we can't measure him but it seems like the shippers and soompi girls are more into JCW right then anybody else.
I always forgot to add that KBW is so much more popular then LJS in Korea or outside.
Are you guys are haters of Jong suk? MinHo, woobin and now even jcw comparing and trying to knock down Jong Suk. Only Minho and soo hyun the ones who can be more famous than him. JCW ??? I don't know who he is really? Healer was hit so popular??
i can't stop laughing. Stop your ridiculous comments and keep in your mind. Woobin? ?? Is he done a male lead in drama?DWere His movies Box Office hit? He is done nothing. Pinocchio is very popular still now. In Asian countries it was recorded as the most expensive drama ever to sell overseas. Delusional and immature comments.
LJS's competition right now is KWB and, Song jong ki(kes drama could hit high), and Ji chang wook. KWB has actully landed big budget drama and will hold on to his successful lead over LJS in both the fans world and CF commercial world to keep his salary rise.
I am so looking forward to seeing Yoo Seung Ho back in small screen again. He needs to pick the right project and he can stay high as a top star since he has so much love fr Knetz. I want to see Lee Minho coming bck to drama land this year since he has been doing fan meets these past yr. WIsh to see SongJongKi too, many great actors have possible comebcks so hope 2nd half of 2015 have many more good and addicting dramas.
Havent really found my next favorite drama after My Love Fr The Stars ended. Actually Healer is really good this yr. Aside fr that, none of the drama is popular overseas.
Kim Soohyun must be so pressured to pick his next project with his success on movies and dramas since Dream High, Moon that embraces the sun and MLFTS. His movies are box office hits too.
As for WonBin, i am fine with not doing any projects. K-media and netz want to see his gorgeous face again but wht can u do, when he doesn't seem to act. I mean why bother when u can still film CFs even without any new projects.
I don't get the fascination with Won Bin. He's not that good looking and his acting is so so. I have only watched him in Man from Nowhere and the little girl costar was the most memorable. I consider him a model. Obviously, he doesn't watch to improve his craft because he is not a real actor.
I have seen WB in only one drama too: Autumn Thingie but I've seen all his movies - my fav being Guns N Talks when he was just a wee man.
Maybe he really dislikes acting, and just doesn't need the money because of his CV and modeling work.
Won Bin is raking in the big bucks with his CFs. Taking on a project that tanks will hurt him, since he has been placed on such a high pedestal. Sadly, for him that is the con of becoming the "god" bin phenomenon he has become.
I'm glad to see Yoochun's efforts paying off, as he has shed his idol image, to be included among the young and reigning actors in SK. Good for him. His indie movie went a long way in solidifying his acting chops.
KSH and LMH remain popular, due to their increasing hallyu presence, particularly in China.
Joong Ki had an uneventful enlistment, good for him. It wasn't as carefully orchestrated as Hyun Bin's, but then again HB squandered his military boost, with an under-performing movie and a stinker of a drama.
Like it or love it, these are the trending actors in SK, add JIS and fast rising Ji Chang Wook (post healer).
Loved this man both for his looks and acting chops. I would have to agree to disagree on this one.
As much as I love won bin, I am so tired of waiting for him I forgot he even existed!
yeah is he an actor or cf star turn factor? I am her fan since his drama with songhyegyo. I forget him as actor. while drama busy with lead stars who were born later than 1986. For movie i am rooting ha jung woo and KANG dongwon
Both SJK and YSH have to do at least one more drama before they disappear into the film landscape. Just one post MS to remind us how lovely they are.
I don't even need to see abs for either of them. To me, they are more actors than abtors - you know, like THT.
Maybe Korean media should give more attention to great young actresses in the industry instead of bunch of mediocre pretty boys that never bring anything new to the table. Save Song Joong Ki who i can`t wait to see back on screen, very talented and versatile.
Preach. Also, it seems odd to me that the focus is on this crowd instead of big name veterans... has the drama landscape truly become so dire?
Has anyone seen Gangnam Blues? If so, how was LMH's acting in it?
electric and intense.. It would take me ages to write a review now but however this pic pretty much sums it up.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BeN-GDqkshM/VL8lzLO52kI/AAAAAAABanI/Q8lK5XWfo_8/s1600/%EA%B0%95%EB%82%A8.jpg
it's a STILL dude! how you could possibly make a review out of that.
Everyone knows he cant act.
lol @sweetdream if he can't act, then why are korean film critics are praising him for his portrayal in GB? Criticize if you want but don't be such a hater.
Ok, so Song Joong Ki is 'virtually confirmed' for the new KES drama. The article just came out.
I'm hoping Hyun Bin does another drama this year to rid our memories of the trainwreck that is HJM. He deserves better than that. Sadly, I have a feeling he'll steer clear of dramas for a while until the right one comes up.
NOOOO!!! that would be too sad if he decides not to do dramas for some time. he DOES deserve better. and with such a poor script in HJM, he is doing one heck of a job trying to make the best of it. if it wasn't for him, i seriously would have dropped the drama. if not this year, hope he can do a drama next year... and seriously pick the RIGHT project!!!
After seeing all big names still failed horribly in dramas, I just hope my fav actors like Jong ki got a drama with a good writer. Good actor are nothing without a good written drama unfortunately.
Can't wait for Song Joong Ki , Kim Woo Bin and Yo Seung Ho !