Seo Kang Joon‘s acting career really has been impressive in how many dramas he gets cast in. I like him most in supporting roles like his noticeable minor character in The Suspicious Housekeeper or the scene-stealing second male lead in Cheese in the Trap. Less gratifying are when he gets shoved into the lead like his first sageuk Hwajung, and the hot mess that was Entourage. He’s getting yet another step up next as the male lead of the late spring KBS Mon-Tues drama From a Distance Looking at the Blue Spring. The drama follows Perfect Wife with Ko So Young and Yoon Sung Hyun, which takes over later this month after Hwarang wraps up. Blue Spring is adapted from the same name webtoon and chronicles the coming-of-age story of young adults, with Seo Kang Joon playing the male lead college student with a painful past.
I find Seo Kang Joon gorgeous and charismatic, his Baek In Ho in Cheese in the Trap was especially well-acted. But there’s a veneer of smarmy that can sneak past and also a ceiling in his acting that I don’t yet see him breaking through. With that said, the male lead in a prime time drama that isn’t a sprawling cast sageuk is yet another big casting so hopefully he delivers.
Entourage was a big mess but for me it was not the actors but the scenario. Except Jo Jin Woong, they were boring, unfriendly.
I really like SJK in Cheese in the trap, he was good.
100% agree. SKJ did well in CITT, I had seen him before in other dramas and I could notice the improvement. Entourage was a bad choice, even the source material has received bad reviews and was mainly popular due to star cameos…
Glad he has an opportunity to show his growing acting skills. Let’s hope this is a good drama. He stole my heart as Baek In Ho, I look forward to see him in my screen again 😀
It’s strange, I think he can do certain things well and his Baek In Ho role was specifically tailored to those. But when he tries to play anything else, it becomes apparent how limited he is as an actor – and if Entourage showed anything, it was that he doesn’t have the charisma to carry a drama on his own.
I think he has room for growth. He will continue to only grow. You can’t be a celebrity with amazing acting chops over night, most celebrities work for years to be recognized. This is only his beginning. Good luck to him
He certainly fits this type of drama genre.
Finally, a youthful and light drama after all the heavy saeguks and crime dramas.
(reposting since my comment didn’t show up)
what really is impressive is how hard Fantagio has been pushing him to be the next big thing despite audience indifference to him as a male lead (Hwajung, Entourage, and let’s not even get into what happened when his role in Cheese was expanded)
The early 20s male lead pool in Korea is a competitive one, he can’t survive on just a pretty face and blaming the screenwriters or genres for his flaws forever.
But he has the potential. He did very will in Cunning Single Lady and CITT. He didn’t look like he is only been into few drama. In fact, he is better that those who has been acting for many years.
This seems more in his comfort zone than something like Entourage. I don’t quite know why the lead roles keep coming to him when there are plenty other better actors still doing 2nd leads but, well, that’s true of a lot of actors as well. Hopefully this will work out better for him; Entourage was always going to be risky.
I too an very puzzled as to why he’s been offered so many leading roles. Even Kang Ha Neul is still doing 2Nd lead, which is a travesty (but mayhaps he’s focusing on the silver screen idk).
I may be a little biased tho, after cheese in the trap. Not his fault, but I can’t help it.
Him and Nam Joo Hyuk must have really good agency for them to be able to score lead role one after the other even though they are not ready yet.
Him and nam joo hyuk are like mirrors of one another. Both beautiful & great when cast in a role that fits them but extremely limited in acting range–which becomes glaringly clear once cast in a more complex role or is opposite actually good actors. Such a backhanded compliment but the truth sooooo, eh.
Seo Kang Joon is a potential actor but frankly, his range and ability is quite limited. He is not totally talented but definitely can act, except he needs the roles that are suitable for his acting range. He is not the kind of great young actors like Park Bo Gum, Seo In Gook or Park Hyung Sik who could easily slip on any role and own it. I agree, he is of similar category with Nam Joo Hyuk – has the acting chop, still rough around the edges, not so chameleon yet but given the perfect role, he definitely can nail it.
Yup, you pretty much summed it up.
When people say that he can’t act, I feel like it’s doing him a disservice. He is very good in certain roles once he’s got the character down pat (Baek In-ho), like how you mentioned that NJH aces puppy-like boy next door types (Joon Hyung in WFKBJ).
Yep, these 2 actors need a good PD and a character that suits their limitation. Ji Soo as well, but at least he doesn’t have to carry the burden of being a male lead yet.
I think the term for that is ‘one-trick pony’.
Sounds kinda like In Ho so hopefully it goes well ~
He doesn’t fit lead role yet. Lack of scene presence. He can try for some roles as supporting and become scene stealer until certain period.
To each his own, but he definitely has the appeal and the skill. He is much better than those who’ve been acting for years. Cunning Single Lady & CITT will prove that.
I didn’t watch the Entourage as I don’t like the concept. I didn’t watch Hwajung as Saguek is kind of a dangerous genre and anyone can do wrong with it. I have the perception that not any actor can do that genre and someone have to be really good and must be seasoned to deliver a good performance.
he isn’t in Hwarang, so far as I know? haven’t seen him, I don’t think, and he’s not in the cast list
Koalas said Hwajung not Hwarang
ah! Thanks Hana. I should blow the type up on my phone so I don’t make these kinds of errors 🙂
the leads are Park Seo Jun and Park Hyung Sik, I think
Female lead is Sooyoung right?