Hyun Bin turns 38 today and to celebrate his birthday, we look back at some of his memorable drama characters.
Kim Sam-soon’s Hyun Jin-heon
At the age of 21, Hyun Bin starred in the 2004 romantic comedy drama “My Lovely Sam-soon” a.k.a. “My Name is Kim Sam-soon.” He played the role of the cocky hotel heir and restaurant owner Hyun Jin-heon who falls for the pastry chef Kim Sam-soon.Â
Despite the age gap between Hyun Bin and Kim Sun-ah, the love story between Sam-soon and Sam-shik was so adorable, making it one of the classic K-dramas of all time. It catapulted Hyun Bin to stardom, and Hallyu was never the same again.
Kim Joo-won in ‘Secret Garden’
After a few underwhelming projects, Hyun Bin’s popularity was cemented in another romantic comedy drama “Secret Garden,” this time with an element of fantasy. He played the role of the arrogant department store CEO Kim Joo-won opposite the stuntwoman Gil Ra-im played by Ha Ji-won. Hyun Bin’s acting chops were put to test as the two characters switched bodies. You won’t believe how an otherwise manly actor can pull off the funny scenes in this drama.
Playing a woman trapped inside a man’s body was indeed a challenge for Hyun Bin but his effort was rewarded as he won back-to-back awards for his performance. If “My Lovely Sam-soon” made him a Hallyu star, “Secret Garden” was the drama which made Hyun Bin an actor.
Gu Seo-jin/Robin in ‘Hyde Jekyll, Me’
Hyun Bin seems to like acting challenges as he took on another dual character role in the drama “Hyde Jekyll, Me.” He played Gu Seo-jin, a chaebol who seems to have it all, except that he has dissociative identity disorder, also known as multiple personality disorder. His split persona Robin is a kinder, gentler version of Seo-jin.
Despite low ratings and negative reviews for the drama, Hyun Bin was able to stretch his acting muscles yet again.
Yoo Jin-woo of ‘Memories of Alhambra’
“Memories of Alhambra” was another commercial success for Hyun Bin who played the role of game developer and CEO Yoo Jin-woo. The augmented reality gaming drama did not only receive high ratings but positive reviews as well.
The suspense romance drama was a new genre for Hyun Bin, who’s had previous success in the romcom department. Hyun Bin also got to show off his action skills in some epic fight scenes.
Yoon Se-ri’s Capt. Ri Jung-hyuk
Capt. Ri Jung-hyuk from “Crash Landing On You” is probably Hyun Bin’s most swoon-worthy character yet. He plays the role of a North Korean soldier who falls in love with the rich South Korean businesswoman Yoon Se-ri, played by Son Ye-jin.Â
Aside from his physique, it’s Capt. Ri’s ‘will do anything for love’ attitude that makes him the ultimate oppa. Many would agree as well that the chemistry between the actors was the main reason why “Crash Landing On You” became an international hit.
There’s a bit of everything we love about Hyun Bin in this character as he shows off his romcom, action, as well as his piano skills. No wonder why Captain Ri has crash landed on the hearts of many.
So take your pick. Which Hyun Bin drama character is your favorite?