The Legend of the Blue Sea actor Lee Min Ho has completed 10 years in the industry and he is called "the Ryan Gosling of Korea" for all right reasons. His stardom is not limited to South Korea as he has a great fan following in China, Japan, US, and many other countries. Apart from that, he has also represented a number of big brands like Korean Air, Ferrero Rocher chocolates, Dunkin' Donuts, Romanson watches and Etude House. Here we take a look at the actor's 10 most memorable roles.
1. Boys Over Flowers
Though Min Ho has played a number of roles before this record-breaking drama, it was the portrayal of arrogant Gu Jun Pyo that has shot him to fame. It is based on Japanese shōjo manga series Hana Yori Dango by Yoko Kamio. It perfectly spins the modern-day Cinderella tale of a poor, but spunky schoolgirl at an exclusive academy who attracts the interest of four rich and handsome guys of the school collectively known as F4. The drama created another Korean Wave throughout Asia and the cast members became household names overnight.
2. The Legend of the Blue Sea
This was Min Ho's latest stint in the small screen. Inspired by a classic Joseon legend from Korea's first collection of unofficial historical tales, this drama tells the love story between the son of a Joseon noble family played by Min Ho and a mermaid. The drama broke many records and received an overwhelming response from fans.
3. The Heirs
Another big budget entertainer with a stupendous casting coup. Written by Kim Eun-sook, the trendy drama is set in a high school populated by the privileged and uber-rich. The Heirs was the first Korean drama co-produced by American digital distribution platform DramaFever and Korean production company Hwa & Dam Pictures. Due to its star-studded cast, the drama's international broadcasting rights were sold to 13 countries.
4. City Hunter
This was the first time Min Ho flexed his muscles to show us his action avatar. He played the role of Lee Yoon-sung, codenamed "City Hunter", who is on a mission to avenge his father's killers. Using the identity of a Korean-American teenager, he graduates from MIT with a doctorate degree and lands a job at South Korea's presidential palace. It led him to cross paths with presidential bodyguard Kim Na-na (Park Min-young ), with whom he falls in love.
5. Personal Taste
Fresh from the success of Boys Over Flower, Min Ho appeared as a struggling architect Jeon Jin-ho. It is adapted from Lee Se-in's 2007 novel of the same name about a furniture designer, who lives together with an architect under the mistaken assumption that he's gay.
6. Faith
Though this fantasy thriller received average ratings, Min Ho's acting skills was widely appreciated. Min Ho played the role of a royal guardian who travels forward 700 years to find a modern-day plastic surgeon (Kim Hee-sun). He kidnaps her, goes back to the Goryeo era, and eventually falls in love.
