Another K-ent Article Calls Byun Woo Seok’s Insane Popularity After Lovely Runner a New Wave and Claims He’s Getting Every Single Male Lead Script First
Once again, if Byun Woo Seok‘s agency is orchestrating these articles please stop. It’s turning his incredible rise thanks to Lovely Runner into overkill. This week he’s been off attending an European fashion show, then doing his Asian overseas fan meeting, and missed the group reward vacation for the drama, and once again his every move has been making K-ent news. This latest article this weekend talks about his rise as the “Byun Woo Seok wave” akin to the Hallyu wave and that his current popularity level is on par with top K-ent idols. I believe the latter but the former is way too early to say. What is interesting is that he hasn’t picked his next project, why rush it, but reportedly every single male lead script in his age bracket is going to him first to pick and choose from. Good for him and please pick wisely.
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I mean Koalasplayground also posts endless articles about Byun Woo Seok so I think everyone is just jumping on the hype and posting random stuff about him.
He’s quite huge right now. Every upcoming romcom male lead with a rising actor is hoping to breakout as the next BWS. Even the new CJH drama is hoping he will breakout like BWS since he already has the huge Japan fandom. SKJ fans are also hoping he will have his BWS moment as he already has the visuals and talent. The hype is real.
I hope he can deliver on the hype in his next project. Because if not then, the same people lauding him to 7th heaven will tear him down in a second. Knetz are very flaky. He seems like a genuinely sweet guy, works hard so I hope everything works out for him.
SKJ as in Seo Kang Joon? He should be in a romcon with KHY to have his breakout. Lol. SKJ has the looks. I like his drama with PMY.
Unlikely he is getting all the scripts first, there are way bigger names than him in kdramas land. Someone is just doing good PR for him.
The problem with this type of hype and this angle of promo is that if the next drama doesn’t hit, he is going to smack down into the ground, hard.
I don’t envy him his situation tbh
But didn’t he himself say he’s getting 100s of scripts even before the drama was half way? It can’t just be PR there has to be some truth to it. He’s fresh faced and very popular right now. They need police escorts for him at the airport. That’s a huge deal because even Kim Soohyun hasn’t had that level of mob mentality at his most popular.
A lot? Sure.
But there are other male actors who are also popular and excellent actors who I am sure have no problems, no matter how much hype there is for BWS.
The whole nobody but him is pure PR and it’s bad PR. I wish his fans would understand that this type of lifting up is not good. I wish him all the best but I have seen too many times when PR like this backfires in the end. There is a reason why good agencies will try and calm the situation instead of heating it further. Just pray his next project is a hit.
this is the exact reason why many think BWS fans and agency is overhyping him to the hills. And also why many are starting to discredit him.
I am not even a KSH fan and in fact think he himself is so overrated. But are you fr? At his most popular, KSH needed a chartered plane to get him to China with 800+ body guards because he could not go through regular airports. At his most popular, KSH had over 40 CFs and they had to change the rules because the companies within the same industries wanted him to model for them. This week itself he was holding 10k+ people fan meets that sold out within minutes in Tokyo for two separate days. There are articles about that and the scale is much larger while he is not even at his most popular.
You can praise BWS without comparing him to actors that have been at the peak for years and years. SJK, KSH et all are on a completely different level when they were at their most popular.
LOL BWS fans are the reason his agency media plays it to the hilt. It feeds this fangirl superiority complex and a desperate need to feel that their guys success is astronomical. Seen it so many times and it all comes crashing down rather hard because they couldn’t manage expectations after building it up so much themselves. Imagine comparing someone’s breakout to KDW, saying someone is as popular as BYJ in Japan, that even KSH wasn’t as popular at his peak. Media play at its best or worse depending on how one sees it. And his fans are buying into it like blind little followers. It’s comical to see how unknowledgeable some are and how vulnerable people are to what is reported in the media. Good luck to BWS, he needs it because the way his agency is dealing with his popularity, it feels like they have no experience at all and if/when the fall happens it will be mighty hard one for all involved but exponentially so for his diehards.
Hm? Kim Soo-hyun at his peak has was provided with 500? 600? guards with him when he was in China. There were articles written about his visit to Mainland and Taiwan needing that many escorts.
@🙃 yup same thoughts. i think it’s understandable that his rise is being compared to that of byj and kdw, as it’s not really their careers that are being compared, just the rise to popularity, so that’s fair. but to say that “not even kim soo hyun was that popular at his peak” is just pure delusion. makes me think that people who are saying this are just new kdrama fans because if you were there during kim soo hyun’s moon embracing the sun and my love from another star eras, you wouldn’t say such a thing. kim soo hyun’s only real rival during that time was lee min ho, no other actor was at the very top like soo hyun was and still is. i swear, these bws fangirls are getting even more delusional by the day. i agree bws definitely needs all the luck because it would be embarrassing for his fangirls if his next project is a flop lol. until bws achieves what kim soo hyun has achieved (having multiple mega hits throughout his career), these fangirls should stop the delusional comparisons 🤦🏻♀️
you think this is some sort of competition when it’s not. why the heck would it be embarrassing for bws fans if his next project flopped? it’d be unfortunate, sure, but he’d survive. and if his fans actually care about him and not about being part of the hype train, then they will stick around.
the way you lot talk about popularity is so strange and toxic. popularity will come and go, and in some rare cases, it’ll stay as with kim soo hyun. we have yet to see how things will turn out for bws, but to sit here, lol-ing about the possibility of his next project flopping… y’all are a callous bunch.
i believe he said 20-30 scripts in his interview, which is a lot compared to what he was getting before LR. the increase makes sense because he is popular now, but it’s not 100 scripts.
the media is writing that he is getting ALL the scripts first. the exaggeration is probably for clicks.
exactly, the pressure must be insane. that’s why he should choose a project that he will enjoy because at the end of the day he can’t please everyone and the expectations will be ridiculously high. he might as well pick a role that is fun to play.
Media play is reminiscent of han sohee a few years ago, but she was deffo getting first script choice that was obvious plus her breakout role was watched by all demographics. BWS as popular as he is he wasn’t even on gallup,i remember someone here mentioned bws being much popular than seonho, who actually was named gallup actor if the yr when he broke out.
I was literally thinking the exact same thing, this whole thing really reminded me of HSH’s agency’s intense mediaplay. Puff piece after puff piece, like the PR article being referred to in this post lol: https://koalasplayground.com/2021/07/06/k-ent-writer-posts-fawning-article-praising-han-so-hees-charisma-acting-ability-and-visuals-to-the-moon-despite-the-ratings-disappointment-of-nevertheless/
Also, right on with the Kim Seon Ho thing. I get that folks here don’t like the guy, but the downplaying of his popularity at his peak on this site is insane. Guy had tons of endorsements back then and was crazy-popular among people of different age brackets. He was very much talked about even here in our country, and the last time that kind of thing happened here was during the heyday of Lee Min Ho. I mean, Seon Ho was even second to Kim Soo Hyun when it comes to having the most votes in this year’s Baeksang Popularity award which is impressive considering he hasn’t been in a drama for years. I definitely think if the scandal didn’t happen, he would still be very popular and would most likely have been a certified A-lister now. So yes, while BWS is certainly very popular right now, I wouldn’t say he’s significantly more popular than Kim Seon Ho was in his heyday, like the people here are saying. Nothing against BWS, wish the guy all the best, but can people not exaggerate too much? Lol
In Start-Up,he was the second lead yet managed to outshine everyone, even with mediocre writing. His first lead show was a huge hit, proving his fame wasn’t a fluke. He still has a big fan base, which explains the Baeksang votes. Agree aswell, if his reputation hadn’t suffered, he’d be on his way to the A-list. His hype wasn’t just about his looks; he’s a damn good actor. Yh the exaggerations doesn’t do him any favours, but tbf it’s recency bias, theres a comment here comparing BWS to KSH, that doesn’t even warrant a response. 😂
do you guys actually read the comments on this site? i have not seen a single person claiming byeon woo seok is more popular than kim seon ho was at his peak, which was after the success of hometown cha cha cha. even i am not saying that. i’m simply stating that the impact of bws’s breakout from lovely runner is significantly greater than ksh’s breakout from start-up, which is true. unless you think kim seon ho somehow peaked with start-up, and not hometown cha cha cha, in which case, idk what to tell you.
hello, that was me and i was talking about kim seon ho’s breakout role in start-up, as that is most comparable to where byeon woo seok is currently. and i will correct you once again, as i did the person who posted this same thing back then: kim seon ho topped the gallup poll for his role in hometown cha cha cha, not start-up. good for him for following his breakout with a great project and (nearly) cementing his status in the industry.
however, you can’t compare someone’s breakout to a follow up project’s performance and his breakout in start-up was not as big as the breakout we’re seeing for byeon woo seok’s role in lovely runner right now. bws is much more popular right now than kim seon ho was in the immediate aftermath of start-up. i stand by that, as all data and trends point to that.
@kalfreezy
Outshining Suzy and NJH is not the flex you think it is 😂😂
I think you are forgetting that when kim seon ho got his popularity from startup it was covid period so there was no way to tell for sure if he would have received the same type of treatment or even more than bws…pretty sure it would have been the same or maybe even more cause he had 2d1n as well
Gallup was polled between March 22 and April 5 when Lovely Runner wasn’t on air yet. T
For the annual one yes, but there are monthly Gallup polls for favorite broadcast. It’s understandable that Lovely Runner will not be in Top 3 since it didn’t appeal to the mass public (as shown in the tv ratings) and these polls survey all age groups from teens to people in their 60s.
Lee Jun-Ho had the same news getting more than 100 scripts after Red Sleeve and he picked the most empty script of all of them…
But it was still a hit and catapulted his career even more. He’s landed endorsements with Piaget and other luxury brands plus his salary saw a huge rise. If BWS manages to get that hit for his next drama his popularity with sky rocket even more. Prada and Cartier are already about to announce his GBA title soon.
But as an actor, I had a better reputation before Red Sleeve. If BWS makes the same choice, I don’t think his career will be as good as LJH.
I’m happy for BWS, but he never was great before, he was pretty forgetable. This role suited a lot. Now, he needs to prove it’s not fan girls that made him successful but his acting.
Pretty sure BWS and his agency don’t care about acting accolades. It’s not his acting that’s getting praised it’s entirely his visual and height that people are obsessed with. He could still land a few Baeksang nominations since he has the backing of a big agency but both him and his agency are targeting popularity and fame not acting. He just needs to look pretty and make the girls swoon. He’ll achieve that easily since he wants to do romcom again. He’s not trying to be the next NGM he just wants to be the next LMH or CEW.That should be easy enough.
@Carlos yes except neither CEW nor LMH ever got a Baeksang nomination on the back of riding the popularity boat. LMH hasn’t had a single best actor nomination in the 18+ years he has been in k-ent. So forget a few, no agency can even buy him one Baeksang nomination unless it’s the rookie award in question. Every actor who’s ever gotten nominated for the best actor category in the past 10 years are all either critically acclaimed or had a breakout acting role. Now if the goal is to be a CEW or LMH, that’s easy. He has the pretty and the fangirls for it. He just needs to maintain said fangirls which as long as he picks cool roles wouldn’t be so tough.
@Caros Well now I don’t even want to imagine what is going to happen once the visual is gone or even when he was found in a romantic relationship.
Agreeing with @Caros he’s definitely here only for the looks. I’m mean didn’t he go viral in Namsoon for being a hottie villain with chocolate abs. The male lead was so vanilla that he stole the show from everyone. @TT He’s already 33 in a few more months he’ll be 34. I don’t think anyone will care about his dating news. Most are possibly rooting for him to get married to a top celeb. If he dates a nugu actress then yes it’ll hurt him but if he dates someone like Suzy or Yoona or anyone in that category of super popular they’ll support him like crazy. I bet even if he dated Karina he wouldn’t get hated the way LJW did because he’s so good looking. He’s been around for a decade if there was dirt on him it would have come out ages ago so he’s definitely clean and his real life personality resembles his character so he’s making people even more obsessed with him. He personally distributed roses to media during his fan meeting press con and the reporters were swooning like crazy. He knows what he’s doing and his image is being crafted very carefully and meticulously. Either way he’ll be married in 7 years or so and men are always the sexiest in their 40s so he has a lot of fame and popularity to enjoy for many years. How visual and body are going nowhere.
@lilybed
Everyone in SK and international are rooting for him and hyeyoon. Normally netz don’t ship couples but in this case they’re very supportive. There hasn’t been a couple with this much chemistry and a nation hasn’t rooted for a couple since binjin. There’s been a couple of romance dramas past few years even a famous one that came out this yr, but they weren’t shipped by sk and netizens. At this stage noone can see either leads with someone else unless it’s private. The salon drip comments are still on about this ship despite it being a month.
@Mikaye> Netizen always ships every couple in every Kdrama. Lovely Runner is not new in anything.
@ sayaris, caros, lilybed
Totally agree, him n his agency are going for the popularity n fame angle, amassing the most amt of fangirls as possible. Unfortunately the crazy ones that will turn on him once he is found to be in a rlshp. The guy is alr in some rumour every month n fangirls are breaking down on Twitter each time.
He also fanservices alot n does certain things like the rose giving to craft a certain image. Alot of ppl see him as sunjae. He’s certainly not going for acting accolades, not right now. And despite whate everyone keeps saying abt him, like sayaris said he’s not that great of an actor. He’s bland af in almost all his roles n failed auditions for a reason. He’s lucky this character is easy to play in LR n was still overshadowed acting wise by khy
@mikaye, fangirls ship anything n everything. At least for binjin whose fans are annoying af, the genpop liked them. For khy n bws.. it’s just the rabid teenage girls shipping them tog. Khy is always maintaining her distance while the dude is always busy with the fanservice. The demog for this show is skewed v young. Nobody ard me who is not in a younger age group has even seen LR or wants to. Those who have found it boring.
I will never and ever compare Junho to another actor.
Because Junho is Junho and he is in his own league.
He is not only an actor but also an excellent stage performer.
He acts,he composes songs, he dances, he sings, he play instruments and he directs.
He won not only a Baeksang but also a PD award which was given to one acting person/year.
The new fans as well as antis of his will say his acting is not that good by watching this & that of ‘King The Land’.
But including ‘The Red Sleeve’,his filmography is diverse from his debut supporting role in ‘Cold Eyes’.
Popularity comes as a season but I hope he always shines. (Though we always know Luck is also a deciding factor in entertainment cycles).
Weird aswell coming off a great performance but somehow his acting be was so bland in a basic ass romcom. It’s funny since psj barely any male actors are pulling off the ceo role don’t get me started on the male lead in business proposal.
A PSJ/KSH stan speaking junho’s acting.. Have u even seen the reactions to PSJ’s terrible acting in his last show and movie haha.
bold of u to delude yourself that PSJ carried the CEO role really well when i was cringing the whole time watching his scenes in WWWSK
So true. That King Land drama was the most bland rom com ever. Honestly I see Byeon Woo-seok and his agency going the same route. Flashy romcom with a popular actress.
You may ask then why I came to this comment session.I did watch ‘Lovely Runner’ and I like BWS and KHY (whom I loved since EY) . So I came to watch what people are saying. I like BWS,but like not love and I do not end up his fan.
as always…lot of crap!! even in the article spill a lot of bullshit..suit really well for teenagers!!hahahha
It was Kim Seon Ho, then Lee Junho..then, then, then and then him. Next month or so it will be a different person.
BWS does feel kind of different though. He was in pretty much a youth drama and the attention he’s receiving feels like a combo of a popular idol as well as actor. It kind of reminds me of You’re Beautiful. Popular buzzed about domestic and Hallyu drama but it’s ratings weren’t really the highest for the time. The drama and role totally altered the course of Jang Geun Suk’s career. He held a concert at the Tokyo Dome he was so popular.
I think BWS has to pick his next project well to keep up the momentum as an actor and only work with actresses with solid skills to bring the best performances out of him. A huge part of Lovely Runner’s success is how amazing Kim Hye Yoon was in the drama. The drama wouldn’t have had the heart it had if he was paired with a weak female lead. I think he’s going to be 33 this year so he can definitely go the mature route with his drama picks and pairings. It would also be smart to go that route to gain more fans outside the teen/young adult demo to increase the viewership of his future works. I could’ve definitely seen him in a serious romance drama with Seo Yea Ji if her career didn’t seem to be at a stand still. I think he’d look good paired with Go Youn Jung too. As popular as he is though, I’d also like to see him paired up with some strong supporting actresses that may need a breakthrough into lead territory, instead of the usual go to popular actresses and idols. Chemistry is so important, and I’d rather have that than see him paired up with a popular actress who has no chemistry with him. Lovely Runner was very popular, but it wasn’t a ratings smash as far as tvN is concerned. His safest bet with a follow up drama is going the NETFLIX exclusive route since ratings aren’t an issue, picking scripts from screenwriters that always deliver hits, or doing an adaptation of an extremely popular webtoon.
He and Kim Ji Won could be an interesting and fun move to solidify both their level-ups. The part would have to be worth it for her though.
Constantly here and twitter, whats with the fixation on bws and kjw they don’t match at all, is it just because of their current hype cause acting wise they’re in different leagues.
Shiv, its mostly BWS fangirls. KJW is the same age as him but thats where the compatibility ends. His acting skills are nowhere in par with hers.
@shiv
Ignoring the comment about comparing the acting, I rate your favs acting I truly do but don’t act like QOT wasn’t a romance. Even so romance is not always about stellar acting chops, your favs recent chemistry with the ml got overshadowed by lovely runner. I’m sure a pairing of BWS and your fav will be magic.
yes, a netflix drama would be the safest bet. i don’t think he’s looking for super stardom though. he’s a big romcom fan, and wants to excel in that specific genre. don’t think netflix has produced any out and out romcom, so he’ll probably have to go with a regular network drama.
I’m a jiwon fan and Im so down for this pairing it’s not likely though since BWS is keen on romcom and I think Jiwon’s leaning towards crime. I really do want to see jiwon in romcom though since I could not get into QOT.
@kaileyb
Idk if these are jiwon fans or toxic shippers, so ridiculous, just manifesting this pairing triggers them. And why wouldn’t she want him as a costar he’s charming, beautiful and seems like a nice guy and equally she’s the same.
@Mia – you mentioned You’re Beautiful, it was a smash hit among the youth and very popular across Asia but Jang Geun Suk peaked with that drama, every acting role he did after that was a rehash of his YAB character (some kind of ‘leather jacket/eyeliner wearing bad boy’ type) and what’s more, they all flopped. Meanwhile Park Shin Hye flourished and rose to the top of the 90s-born actress cohort in the 2010s.
That said, BWS filmography has more varied roles in the recent past though I don’t think we’re about to see him as a villain again now lol, but he does seem to have consciously sought diverse roles in a quest to improve. But even if he does choose another ‘green flag heartthrob’ kind of character as his followup to Sunjae, it’s not a problem as long as the script is decent and the project does well. Lee Jong Suk also spent nearly a decade after School 2013/I Hear Your Voice playing sensitive/boy genius types and he’s doing just fine because his dramas were successful, same with Kim Woo Bin and his always getting cast as bad boy/intimidating types. In terms of priorities, most would put success over avoiding typecasting, it’s only a problem if they flop JGS-style.
also, some people in these comments need to separate PR/media play/fans joking, from actual real life.
Some comments here coming across as salty, BWS’s been around for 8 yrs has a breakout role in a role mind u that was rejected by many. Also what’s wrong with media play is it a alien concept as if many before him didn’t do it?
Bitterness makes zero sense, their favs had their time yet they’re hellbent on comparisons. Once BWS has another project then they can fairly judge him.
thanks for being sane. Honestly i wouldn’t mind him getting this media play cuz he actually deserved it after years of being in the shadow.
Acting aside, I’m waiting for his dating announcement lol I want him for myself (in my dreams) but KHY and him together works. He is definitely crushing on her, not subtle at all, her though she’s hard to read. I need them to make an announcement so I can move on. I haven’t shipped a couple in so long, but in the case it’s hard not to everything about them is sus.
Their chemistry behind the scenes and in some of the interviews was insane. I dare say it was even better than in the drama itself. Every time I watched a clip of this pairing, I couldn’t stop smiling.
But judging from clips of his other dramas, BWS seems to be a caring, sweet and smile-y guy towards everyone. I’m not sure how much of his interactions with KHY stem from him just being his natural self and how much is due to KHY herself.
i never ship actors, but their chemistry is crazy. i remember someone on x said the bts was another drama itself lol.
I’m of the opinion that there’s no way they’re dating, bws is that fan service type of guy. I always think the more fan servicy the leads act, the less likely it’s true. Even bts in romance drama’s are very strategic to sell the romance. I found even the salon drip interview kinda cringe, if they were truly dating they wouldn’t be asked if they are in public like that. Usually couples that do date on set don’t make it obvious. Just waffled there, the obsessive shipping has kinda soured this drama for me, still love it though.
I agree. People who want to seriously meet draw a line in public and sort out things in private. I even found BWS post drama interviews a bit much. There were multiple posts in korean forums how he seems to praise KHY more than her mother probably praises her and for career longevity, actors need to practice emotional control in makings etc. I know they need to sell fan meetings and blurays but his agency seems to have a super aggressive approach. I hope the decision was mutual.
No one honestly pays attention to international shippers. But domestic shipping fandom has now gone crazy. I can only think of YEH-KJK and SYJ-HB who attracted this kind of attention.
Still enjoyed the content though. All the fan service was too immersive. You can’t help but smile. But I view it as an extension of the drama content.
With the success of LR, a lot of other dramas on-air are engaging in similar marketing.
@kailey totally agree. Not dating cos u wouldn’t even hear a sniff of their chemistry or whatever if they really were and they wouldn’t be asked so blatantly in post drama interviews n on that cringe salon drip show.
Also can no one tell how not so comfy they are in other platforms when they don’t have to put on an act? Can’t ppl tell how khy is sometimes not comfy with his fanservice? This guy fanservices ALOT
Bts stuff is also very strategically edited to make things look a certain way. Actors are also still technically acting in bts clips esp in Korean drama stuff, it’s an extension of the drama for marketing. But fans always fall for it.
Lrs shipping has completely soured me off the works of both leads to the point that I avoid any news about them
@Mikaye their chemistry got overshadowed ? Im sorry hun the chemistry is the one that carried the show until it become the highest rated show in tvn history. every korean was complaining about Park Ji eun plot but they refused to drop it because of ksh and kjw amazing chemistry and acting. I dont know where these LR fans get the confidence to btch on qot lol I mean the audacity, that show cant even made it to top 3 gallup,
Not to mention that there was literally 1 proper kiss scene in the whole drama, rest of the drama was just them acting their ass off, it also shows how the leads were able to sell their chemistry despite lacking the skinship and fan service. Netizens also complained about the lack of kiss scenes, I bet if there were romance scenes they’d be easily pleased lol.
See this is why I don’t understand when LR stans got mad at people being salty about their show or actors. Because what is this need to compare out of the blue with others? Nobody was even talking about chemistry and suddenly they’re talking about LR couple overshadowing another drama’s couple.
@ariana
It was makjang no wonder why it did well, all top 3 rated shows are makjang. I doubt if it focused only on romance it would have these high ratings. Pure romance drama’s hardly have very high ratings. Regardless of your opinion on LR tell that to SK, the whole nation is shipping them, SK hasnt rooted for a couple like this since binjin, shipping aside it’s a great testament to their onscreen incomparable chemistry.
I literally have seen QOT shippers talking about the whole SK rooting for the QOT couple since binjin too. Lol. They talked about how the medias were trying to get them together, about knetz comments asking them to just date, the DC galleries posts, etc. Every shippers are trying hard to say their OTP will be the next binjin.
What’s with QoT fans always saying LR isn’t in Gallup Top 3 when LR wasn’t even airing yet when they conducted the Gallup poll.
@kiddo, the person was referring to the Gallup Korea’s favorite broadcast of May, QoT was still No.1 even though it ended in April. Survey was done end of May.
https://www.topstarnews.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=15499525
Making and interviews are all carefully edited content to drive marketing of the drama. I was surprised at first but seems like BWS is the flirty smiling kind of guy. There may also be overindulgence as this was his first lead role.
I couldn’t stop smiling when I watched the unedited iqiyi interview. Haha. It was so sweet.
Would be awkward AF if his next drama was a flop lol. Seems like his popularity is mostly built from being attractive, tall, and playing a “walking green flag” type of character. Good for him, but it’s reminding me of Kim Seon Ho’s rise to fame. Both have the same perfectly “good boy” image, which is hard to sustain. We’ve all seen what happened to KSH when the fantasy image shattered and people saw that he’s just a normal guy with flaws just like the rest of us. So yeah, good for him, and I’m not raining on his parade. I just think he also needs to play other types of characters as well, not just SunJae type of characters, if he wants longevity
His agency is actually very small but the people in charge clearly know the ropes as they used to be part of the big LBH agency.
Much as I like him, I agree that he is not going to be the next NGM as he still has a lot to go in terms of acting skills. What makes him stand out, apart from his visuals and height, is his very sincere, likeable and boyish charm, and he could ride on that image for a few more years. The current batch of late 20s and early 30s “hottie” male actors aren’t exactly known for their acting skills and he is a way better actor than many in that category.
Varo is a sub label to BH. It’s not small in any way. They have all the contacts and know all the ropes. His fan meeting tour was organized through BH connections. He’s got enough backing to last him many years.
for some reason, bws has many people really rattled on this site. i do not see this anywhere else but here. is it bc lovely runner stole some of queen of tears’ thunder as it blew up right as qot was wrapping up? i know this site is full of ksh stans, but the way y’all are minimizing bws’s popularity is really not a good look. it’s giving insecure and threatened when you have no reason to be.
this is mediaplay 101, on par for the course, as some have already pointed out. let it run its course. kim soo hyun had similarly exaggerated articles written about him back when he was a rookie showing a lot of promise. since then, he’s enjoyed total, absolute success and maintained his status at the very pinnacle of fame. he’s not getting touched by someone who’s just breaking out in his early 30s, so you can put the pitchforks down.
Notice that the leads of Lovely Runner placed 1st and 2nd on Good Data when QOT ended. Even the special episodes of QOT had higher ratings than your last one. “stole some thunder you say” lol , how did the QOT leads then place 1st and 2nd on the Gallup poll? You seem to obsess over data when comparing Seonho and BWS, so there’s one for you. The QOT couple didn’t have a couple shoot or interview, yet still smashed records. You lot started the comparison with KSH, not the other way around. Maybe when BWS proves himself outside of his fan girl bubble and gets actual praise for his acting (rather than being carried by his FL), and not just for his visuals and being tall, then talk.
thanks for proving my point.
The ksh mention started with u guys lol, whether it’s their respective breakouts,the body guard nonsense. If this is not delusion then I don’t know what is.
Its you who needs to put your pitchforks down. I do not see anyone harping Kim Soo-hyun praises in here and there is no conversation on him either other than the one BWS stan who brought KSH up as not having been as popular at his peak as BWS is today. Since you are into ~data and trends~, you’d know exactly how ridiculous that statement is. You dont see this anywhere else because this is not your little fandom safehouse where everyone worships the ground BWS walks on. Here, others can and will point out what they actually see to be media play and exaggeration.
If anything you are going against Kim Seon-ho fans and being salty that his popularity is being compared with your precious BWS’s when it is a completely fair and valid comparison. You BWS fans like to belittle what he has achieved as a 2nd lead in start-up building his fandom on the basis of good acting skills rather than good looks and an idol character.
But you did get one thing correct. There is no reason for KSH stans or any stans of actors in his level of success to feel ~threatened~ by someone who broke out in a teen drama. They are not competing for the same roles, or are at the same level in skills and talent so what reason would there be to feel any ~threat~ or ~insecurity~. There is place for several top actors in the same industry btw. I am an Lee Jong-seok fan and forget BWS, I dont feel ~threatened~ by Kim Soo-hyun either because both can be and are at the top.
no one, literally, NO ONE has said bws is more popular than kim soo hyun at his peak, or even at his own breakout, which was much, much bigger than bws’s. you pulled that out of your ass. same goes for kim seon ho, no one said bws is more popular than him at his peak, which was homecha, not start-up. you want to talk shit, but lack basic reading comprehension skills. maybe read the comment several times to at least get what you’re responding to correct.
i can’t imagine being a fan of an absolute superstar like kim soo hyun, and still being this insecure and petty. i hope bws goes on his own merry way making romcoms and “youth” dramas, so he never gains holier than thou “fans” like you. you can stay bitter and mad, even though there really is no reason for you to be.
No one? You really need to go back and read a BWS’s fan here – DOUBLE. The exact words and I quote, “Even Kim Soo-hyun hasnt had that level of mob mentatlity at his most popular”. THAT is the reason there is a fan war breakout just FYI. And are you reflecting? Bcz your lack comprehension and apparently even basic reading skills are beyond evident. Did you even read my comment, or you just went off like an obsessed fangirl? I am talking about Start up, Kim Seon-ho’s breakout and have NEVER mentioned ChaCha.
Ironic that you talk about bitter and mad fans when you are the one here bitter and mad that Kim Seon-ho’s START UP BREAKOUT is being compared to BWS’s breakout. Equally ironic is that you are now claiming I am a Kim Soo-hyun fan when I explicitly stated that I am not. It shows just how much you cannot read basic sentences. I do like him enough so I am not insulted to be called a ~fan~ but worry not, no one’s ever going to mistake me for a ~holier than thou fan~ of BWS. Rest assured. His bitter and mad fans like you will keep me out and most neutrals too. I believe that was your goal, so you did well!
they’re talking about mobbing at the airport… you want your faves to be mobbed by hordes of people at the airport? that’s a really weird thing to pick on. taking offense at something like this is exactly the mark of an insecure fan.
it’s actually comical how worked up you’re getting over this. calm down for a second, and recognize that there is only one side of the “fan war” that is being ugly and mean-spirited in this comment section. reflect on why.
You really need to brush up on this comprehension skills mentioned previously. I am talking to a child who refuses to understand. Its like you cannot process that the comment on the airport is a comparison of popularity.
Its actually comical how you claim I am getting worked up when you have practically pounced on everyone here with your comments. You claiming the fan war is one sided… sigh. No reflection needed because yes that sound that you hear, its clapping with one hand against air and… pigs are also flying.
@mimi No one wants their favourite actor mobbed. It is being used as a literal popularity measuring stick. I am unsure if you missed that context or what, but there it is. Anyway everyone just needs to give it a damn rest. KSH is an established superstar and one whose success is entirely uncomparable. BWS is the current IT boy who has hoards of fans going gaga over him and they can both be popular and coexist without the sky breaking apart.
@WTF stay smug and angry if that suits you so. at least i’m not the one calling strangers on the internet names.
@Deedicous how important is the context if people want to harp over that one comment to wage war when no one else has said anything to that effect? i am in agreement with you, and that has actually been all i’ve said in all of my comments. ksh is untouchable. bws is riding a new burst of popularity. they can co-exist… but apparently not, bc most people here are discrediting him in one way or another. even so, thanks for your level-headed response. not many of them here in these trenches.
The ksh mention started with u guys lol, whether it’s their respective breakouts,the body guard nonsense. If this is not delusion then I don’t know what is.
Why are Byun Woo-seok fans are so salty when Kim Seon-ho is brought up in comparison? Is it insulting for your actor to be compared to the breakout of someone who played a second lead against Nam Joo-hyuk ~ i.e. an actor who already had an established fanbase ~ and won the hearts of everyone across the kdrama world anyway? Is it because he had a controversy and is now not a worthy comparison the way other actors are? I dont even like Kim Seon-ho and I clearly remember how huge he was when he broke out. His annoying af fangirls kept shoving his good boy image and how great of an actor he is to everyone who would listen and even those who wouldnt. The biggest difference here is that his agency did not media play like BWS’s is doing. They chose a good drama to back up his fame instead.
I am so tired of some BWS fans, they have been dragging KSH name online or attacking netflix page whenever they want to sponsor BWS saying that netflix is trying to milk his success why are they so delusion or cant respect other actors without dragging them.
It’s really tiring, and they kept popping out in other dramas social media edits, saying they can’t move on from lovely runner, like they can just skip the video. They’re really attention seeker
@yuhyi yes they are so unserious and annoying
I think Kim soo huin can carry the whole drama alone based on his acting as he has proven since a long time. But for Byeon woo seok he had a lot of Lady Luck as basically Kim hye hoon was carrying him and the whole drama on her back . So he got highlighted because she kept on shining her brightness on him . So only the next project can prove if he is worth the hype
@mimi
Hallyu oppa fans are insufferable don’t mind them. Even if qot did numbers, many complained about the mess script plus it’s hardly a drama that will be remembered it’s already become forgettable once it finished.
@Juuud Is it ? because qot still topping the gallup survey a month after it ended while your fav show wasnt even in the top 3. oh and they will open a pop up store for them yeah 2 months after it ended. oh and a lot of variety shows/idol still mentioning qot.
i think this is just the media jumping on the hype at this point. it makes sense for his agency to hype their artist at his peak, but this is too much. the media want clicks for their articles, but they are indirectly setting him up.
he seems very sweet from his interviews and i love when people who struggled for so long finally get their chance to shine. i hope he picks a good project.
if only one takes the time to read and comprehend the article and the comments fully. I’m a Kim Soo Hyun fan since MLFAS, arguably no one comes close to his throne. BWS deserves the explosive popularity gained from LR and rooting for him to succeed in his follow up projects and gain recognition as a top actor.
thanks for being a sensible fan, and actually taking the time to use your critical thinking skills.
Sigh can everyone not mention Kim Soo-hyun in this. He has had enough of dragging on twitter, kpop stans, etc this year.
Thats called being a top actor and in this case, the standard against which others are pitted. It sucks but thats the price one pays for being as cosmically popular as he is.
It’s cause when it comes to his acting and popularity they can’t counter it, you’d just hear the typical repetitive comments of “he’s overrated according to his pay” , so theyve moved towards his personal life and baseless rumours.
@Clara
The most lame thing people can say about someone or something is “he’s/she’s/it’s overrated”.
That basically means: “I don’t like him, so others can’t like him. I’m not his fan, so he can’t be so popular. Because all people around the world should have the same preference as mine. If he’s popular and I don’t like him, this means he’s overrated.”
Not to need to explain how ridiculous this word to say towards someone or something.
@mimi
I was trying not to get into the fanwars thats breaking out again here. There are a lot of comments on both sides that are bound to trigger a fanwar and I think we can both fully agree to that regardless on who started it or whatever. I’ll stay away from all of it, but I did want to respond to you. I’m a Kim Soo Hyun fan but I am not loling at the prospects of BWS’s next project being a flop. It is also not embarrassing for him if it were to happen because that’s just showbiz. He will lose some fans, sure, but if he can do well in the next project, he can also gain some. Its not the end of the world. I am rooting for him because he seems like a nice guy who deserves success so I just wanted to say that.
I think the toxicity and the “embarrassment” factor here is against the fans overhyping their favs and in turn bringing someone else down. That negativity is then reflected on the actor. It shouldn’t be but that is what happens when fans are pissed off. I do agree with most that his break through is similar to Kim Seon Ho and you think its not. We can agree to disagree on that. Anyway, I am sincere when I say good luck to him and hope he picks a good rom com next if thats what he wants from his career. And speaking of Kim Seon Ho, I would’ve preferred BWS did the Hong Sisters drama with GYJ instead because I think they would look fantastic together! In the future maybe.
we can agree to disagree on that one point, but i appreciate your thoughtful comment. and believe it or not, i’m a kim soo hyun fan too. i followed queen of tears closely, and was one of the few people who enjoyed it throughout. it’s just extremely weird to see some of his fans being outright hateful towards someone whose only fault is that he is popular right now.
i think bws and gyj will eventually happen, since they’re both super trendy right now.
Honestly, there are a lot of BWS fans who are outright hateful to KSH too when his only fault is that he is also popular right now lol. It is the nature of fans and fandom in general for as long as the concept existed so we shouldn’t take it to heart.
Anyway, yes would love a BWS/GYJ pairing. They’d look great together! I think he’d pair up with a good idol actress next if he does a rom com – Yoona is currently free i believe. But lets see!
Maybe the comment(s) is/are buried, but I don’t see any hateful comments. In fact, it was a BWS fan who first brought up Kim Soo Hyun in this comment section.
WORD. Everything you said I agree 110%.
His breakout popularity is on par with top K-ent idols? Nah…Not there yet!
One of the signs to gauge popularity of a celebrity is by the viewership of Youtube vids dedicated to him/her and by the variety of languages in the comment sections. BWS is for sure very popular in the SK domestic market and also some SE Asian countries. But to say he’s as popular as top K-ent idols (I assume this is referring to Kpop idols) is a bit of stretch. Kpop has been a global sensation for years. If you browse all the comment sections under the videos of those top Kpop idols, you’ll see multiple languages both from the East and the West. A video of any popular Kpop idols would easily garnered 100s million to billions of viewership. Another sign is by how many folks in a foreign country outside SK really know this guy. For example, a lot of people from ALL age groups in the US know BTS even they are not Kpop fans. What about BWS? Most Americans have zero knowledge of K dramas, let alone BWS. LOL.
BWS is still far from that popularity level on par with top K-ent idols and how long his buzz can sustain is still unknown. Don’t exaggerate his popularity.
BTS are household names in the US bc they broke out of the kpop bubble and turned the american music industry upside down. They’re on par with Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, and the likes. Incredibly obtuse to compare BWS to BTS of all kpop groups when you can’t even compare other kpop groups to BTS. They’re bigger than kpop itself. They are a cultural phenomenon of the likes this world has not seen before. No Kdrama actor comes anywhere close to the level of fame and recognition BTS has in the US so your point is not well made.
Even with BTS excluded, BWS is still not as popular as other Kpop big names such as Black Pink, Stray Kids, and New Jeans, just to name very few. Kpop has since become a specific music genre recognized by Western music industry.
K drama isn’t there yet. LOL. Even I’ve been an avid Kdrama fan for years, I won’t make it a stretch to say K actors are as popular as Kpop idols. BWS’ popularity is mainly confined to SK and SE Asia, not going beyond that. Fans have to recognize this reality check. LOL.
@somebody it’s not even just the countries but I’m from sea and nobody ard me has watched lr or is interested to. Those who checked it out found it boring. All these ppl skew to older/genpop and not young/fangirls type of demog. So bws isn’t as popular as his fans think he is. It’s basically like an echo chamber. He is popular in a certain demog who keep talking abt him n hyping him up making it seem like he’s a household name. He isn’t. Not even close
I am not surprised he is getting all the scripts given the crazy hype right now.
The trendy male actors these days have zero charm and cannot act. BWS is miles ahead than most of them. But he is also 34 and needs to work on his skills if he wants to be even considered a Hallyu wave star in the long run like KSH, LJS or even LMH. His diction is slurred which really stands out if the female partner has good pronunciation. His acting as 34 Sunjae was also pretty weak. There was a scene in last ep where Sunjae and Sol meet after Sunjae regains his memories. The acting was so cringe that it broke my immersion. But KHY was so good in her expressions in that scene that it covered his flaws.
In my opinion, he has star potential but his next project will determine whether he is a long player or oneshot luck like Hyeri. He will make a bank in the next 2 years nonetheless.
He has worked his way up and struggled for years. I hope he improves further and it all works out for him.
His next project will likely be a romcom with a popular lead actress. It’s a double edged sword because LR had out of this world chemistry. Even making was edited and hyped like a parallel drama narrative. I am curious how the next one will be marketed.
Why r some people so salty about BWS? This guy is not a rookie, he got well deserve popularity after hard work for years, let him shine! And interesting how he reminds me of Kang Tae Oh hype after WYW. If only he didn’t need to enlist right away, what wld have happened?
Because his fans are so annoying, they kept popping out in other dramas edit to say “they can’t move on from lr” or “lr is better”. Lovely runner was a drama that delayed for 3 years and there was a rumor some actors rejected it. They believe the rumors and comes to these actors edits to say that bws better. It’s so annoying, exactly like how rabid kpop fans usually do
It’s not that people are “salty”, many people on this site just find the exaggerations annoying. And by “exaggerations”, I don’t mean the claims that he is popular. He IS extremely popular right now and there’s no denying it! I also personally believe that he does get all the plum offers as there’s pretty much no competition in the early 30s range.
However, as you can see above, one comment stated “Even Kim Soo Hyun hasn’t had that level of mob mentality at his most popular”. I think the commenter is not a native English speaker, but I’m assuming what she meant is that not even Kim Soo Hyun had that level of mob security at his most popular, which is just the kind of exaggerations that people find annoying. Literally what’s with BWS’s fans’ need to always comment things like “Not even [insert extremely famous A-list actor here who actually had huge hits] was as popular as BWS right now!”. It’s seriously super annoying, especially when the actors his fangirls are always downplaying are all better actors than BWS, are commercially AND critically acclaimed actors, actors who had actual hits, or actors who aren’t exactly less popular than BWS. Like, seriously, can these fangirls just enjoy his popularity without dragging other names or downplaying other actors? Because that’s the annoying thing about all this.
When Kim Sun Ho and Lee Jun Ho rose to fame, their fans didn’t make exaggerated comparisons to Bae Yong Joon, Won Bin, etc. and they didn’t downplay other actors’ popularity, which is why their rose to fame wasn’t controversial like BWS’s. Hope BWS’s fangirls can stop claiming that people are just jealous and actually think critically why people are annoyed
his rise to fame is not controversial outside of this website. don’t twist the facts to fit your narrative.
Media play is part of the job of any agency. If you have watched the drama Shooting Star you’ll know that a star’s manager would have to write articles about the star and feed them to the media for publicity. What matters is whether you get enough interest and views of the article so it becomes trendy. BWS is trending every day even one month after the drama wrapped up, which means there is indeed a solid fan base interested in reading about everything about him. I believe the Bazaar cover/marketing and the Milan Fashion Show also come at the right time right after the drama ended, so that the hype continued. Koreans are super-patriotic, and with the great response to BWS’s Prada outfit and the appreciation from global fashion media (Vogue World Paris used his Prada image for the cover page of its coverage of the Milan Fashion Week), Korean fans praised him for advancing their national prestige. So the hype is real and not just media play. I agree his next project is crucial but as he is bent on shining in the rom-com genre I believe that won’t be too difficult. There isn’t a lot of competition currently in terms of hottie young male leads.
His Bazaar July issue is claiming the top four spots in Korea’s magazines chart. As there are four covers (but same contents) and many people are buying all four together that means that Bazaar is selling four times more than the fifth-position magazine.
Bws is massively, insanely popular. It’s a fact, the young man’s breakout is in a class of it’s own, these are facts, hence I cannot understand the misunderstandings. Is it not a fact that bws is everywhere? Is it not a fact that everyone wants a piece of him?
It is not a “fact” that his breakout is a “class of its own”. That is not in fact a “fact”. His breakout is similar to what Kim Seon Ho and Junho had as many here have already pointed out. Even if it was “more” like some BWS fans are desperate to point out, it is still not a “class of its own” because many many actors have broken out in this manner including all the A-listers today. Lee Jongsuk in IHYV, SJK in Sunkyuwan Scandal, JIS in What Happened in Bali, JGS in Youre Beautiful, Rain in Full House, LMH in Boys over Flowers, KSH in Moon Embracing the Sun, PBG in Reply1988, YSY in Baker King and many many many many more. These are all facts. There is nothing BWS is doing that’s some “class of its own” and his fans need to learn what facts actually mean.
I find the conversations here so funny because as soon as someone points out the real facts, all BWS fan girlies jump in to call others “salty”, “mean” and all versions of accusations. No, it’s not being salty to point out where you girlies are delusional. But ofc in your eyes it would be lol
Actually all of the actors you mentioned had way bigger breakouts than Byeon Woo Seok… The examples you gave are dramas that had huge ratings and was watched by old and young alike… except for maybe Beautiful Man and Sungkyuwan Scandal… imo, SJK broke out in Werewolf Boy and Deep Rooted Tree and had him rank #1 in Gallup that year… Junho is an unfair 1:1 as he was a very famous idol for a long time now… but Kim Seon Ho is more on par and perhaps Cha Eun Woo as they became big with low ratings, high topicality like Byeon Woo Seok is experiencing…. It is not some unknown, never heard of phenomenon and his fans need to come back to earth…
Can someone please explain why everything is being given to byeon woo seok and not even one percentage of offers going to Kim hye yoon when she was the heart of the show with her killer performance? I am very curious.. I am big fan of the male lead but without her no one would have noticed him .
Why do you think she doesn’t get the offers? I’m not salty about BWS’s popularity, but for fans it’s not amount but quality of offers need to care. Even if KHY have just one offer, if this offer from some good writer/director with outstanding role, then as for actress things are good for her.
All the media are only reporting about lead actor and he has become the poster boy for all brand but there’s no news of the actress. To be frank I am right now a big fan of the handsome actor but I have become bigger fan of actress for her heartbreaking acting . I guess talent will always be supreme . But is it enough for her ???? I feel sympathy towards her only if both hit the jackpot in similar speed
You’re right. But it’s fine. I heard her fan meeting tickets were sold out at presale. KHY may not be trendy but she has proven her talent. I wish she’ll get more roles that will give her the awards, not the hype.
Everyone has different career paths and different pace. Maybe she wants to pursue being a serious actor and not a trendy star. Her new agency has lots of veteran actors. Going slow is better imo and actors should not overexpose themselves. Aggressive marketing can backfire too.
Her Seoul fan meeting sold out in 5 mins. I think she is doing well enough.
Rather than media hype or endorsements, I am more interested in what she picks up next.
I think people in comment section are exaggerating. Yes, articles like this can be a media play, yes, he’s not the first actor claimed as number 1 for script offers. Just a year ago number 1 was Nam Joo Hyuk, after him articles about script offers was about Lee Doo Hyun and about Seo Kang Joon (reporter said that SKJ got ~500 offers, I think this was exaggerating). What I want to say is that articles like this are a common thing for k-drama industry, this is not a reason to be worried or annoyed.
And some k-drama fans need to grown up and to stop comparing actors and dramas together, even if they have nothing in common. Especially their popularity, just why do you care about this? Is it inferiority complex or what?
I’m not BWS fan, just a k-drama watcher, but personally I want for him next drama like My liberation notes, My ahjussi or Move to heaven, something like that.
Inferiority complex. This remind me of Xiao Zhan, Zhao Liying and BTS fans trowing the popularity card whetever they run out of arguments lmao. It was so entertaining. Nothing against them though. Specially Xiao Zhan, he can act, unlike others top liuliangs. Popularity usually is used to protect weak egos. Tell a BTS fan about music and lyrics quality and they’ll say: “You are pressed because your faves aren’t as popular as them.” Lmao. Their reactions are even predictable. Lol.
To be honest it’s because actor and kdrama fans are usually chill. But with advent of social media, lot of new kdrama and kactor fans emerges, and their style of fandom is like kpop idol. That’s why fans of qot and lr are fighting on socmed for idolchamp votes, they’re all new kdrama watcher. So it’s just annoying from the perspective of old kdrama watchers
Yes, as old k-drama watcher I just annoyed that some fans talk about nothing, but just about popularity of their favs. As KSH fan I’m even annoyed then these fans talk about popularity of my favs. Even if they’re popular enough to call them successful, fans still will bring stupid lame fanwars to comparing celebrities, because they want their faves to be called “best of the best”, they’re not even discuss his acting, only his success.
This is nothing but inferiority complex, and actors themselves has nothing to do with it.
That’s right, I feel the mentality of ‘who is the most popular’ should not be applied to actors. People should enjoy variety of works, not just works from one actor. I know this kind of kpop fans mentality was engineered so fans would be loyal to just one group, but idk why now they try this with actors
I think the Lovely Runner role has given him idol status as well as acting status. He seems very genuine and thankful, so I’m glad he’s getting so much attention and I hope his next project is fruitful as well.