Whether it’s as the wealthy best friend in Record of Youth or the mysterious companion in Netflix film 20th Century Girl, Byeon Woo Seok is one figure viewers can’t avoid. Known for his towering height and sharp but sweet features, the actor has graced the silver screen, the spotlit catwalk, and even the Filipino ad scene as a Bench ambassador!
If, you too, had your hearts broken and interests piqued by the fledging star, don’t count yourself alone. To sate the need of potential Woo Seok enthusiasts, we list the essential K-dramas and movies starring this Hallyu star to watch out for.
LIST: 10 K-Dramas and Movies Starring Korean Actor Byeon Woo Seok
1. 20th Century Girl
Watch on: Netflix
It’s 1999, and 17-year-old high school student Bo-ra (Kim Yoo Jung) is doing whatever it takes to make her heart disease-stricken best friend Yeon-Doo (Roh Yoon Seo) happy. Days before she flies to New York City for a major surgery, Yeon-Doo confesses her attraction to their mysterious schoolmate Hyun-jin (Park Jung Woo). With that info on hand, Bo-ra takes it upon herself to find out everything there is to know about the boy. In the process, a friendship–and potentially something more–sparks between her and Hyun-jin’s best friend Woon-ho, played by Byeon Woo Seok.
Also starring: Kim Yoo Jung, Park Jung Woo, Roh Yoon Seo
2. Moonshine
Watch on: Viu, Viki
In the late Joseon period of Korea, the strictest alcohol prohibition law has just been enacted. The drama intertwines stories of love and desire revolving around Nam Young (Yoo Seung Ho), an inspector who left his hometown in a quest to restore his family’s honor and Kang Ro-seo (Lee Hye Ri), a hardworking poor man’s daughter, who, in under-the-table deals, sells liquor to pay off her debts. On the flip side is Byeon Woo Seok’s Lee Pyo, the defiant crown prince who often sneaks out of his grand palace to have an illegal drink.
Also starring: Yoo Seung Ho, Lee Hye Ri, Kang Mi Na, Choi Won Young, Jang Gwang
3. Record of Youth
Watch on: Netflix
Backdropped by the bustling contemporary fashion industry, dreams and relationships take centerstage with Sa Hye-jun (Park Bo Gum), a working-class model who strives to become an acto—albeit, to no success. His best friend, on the other hand, is Woo Seok’s Won Hae-hyo, his complete opposite as a model-turned-actor who was born with a silver spoon. In the middle is Ahn Jeong-ha (Park So Dam), a self-professed fan of Hye-jun, who kickstarts her own beauty salon after a series of run-ins with her boss.
Also starring: Park Bo Gum, Park So Dam, Kwon Soo Hyun
4. Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency
Watch on: Netflix, iQIYI, Viu, Viki
In another Woo Seok-starring Joseon-era drama, the actor plays Do Joon, the handsome informant of marriage agency Flower Crew. One day, a blacksmith’s son named Lee Soo (Seo Ji Hoon) recruits the agency to arrange his marriage to his friend Gae-ttong (Gong Seung Yeon). Little do they all know, a significant turn of events will force Lee Soo to become the new king of Joseon.
Also starring: Kim Min Jae, Gong Seung Yeon, Seo Ji Hoon, Park Ji Hoon, Ko Won Hee
5. Modulove
Bartenders are often on the receiving end of strangers’ stories, and this drama transforms this into a comedic narrative experience. The witty and wise owner of Bar MODU Dong-yup and two bartenders Sang Si-kyung and Microdot listen in to the love stories of their regular guests, with Byeon Woo Seok’s character being one of them.
Also starring: Shin Dong Yup, Sung Si Kyung, Microdot, Lee Si A, Park Yoo Na
6. Secret Crushes: Season 3
Watch on: Bilibili
Tales of crushes and budding romantic relationships continue in the third season of Secret Crushes, chronicling the world of infatuations and the messy feelings in between for a bunch of 20-somethings.
Also starring: Yeo Hoe Hyun, Yang Hye Kin, Jo Ki Sung, Bang Yoo In
7. Office Watch 3
Also appropriately named The Gossip Room, the show’s third installment peeks into the whisperings between co-workers in the corporate world. Woo Seok is Ha Min-gyu, a member of the office’s advertisement planning team. While they might be busy doing their run-of-the-mill jobs, they’re equally preoccupied with the rumours spreading beyond their cubicles.
Also starring: Bae Soo Hee, Cho So Bin, Jin So Yeon, Han Seo Jin
8. Strong Girl Nam-soon
Watch on: Netflix
The anticipated Strong Girl Bong-soon spinoff sees Byeon Woo Seok as Ryu Si-oh, a charming villain in the story of Nam Soon (Lee Yoo Mi), Bong Soon’s distant cousin, who, like her relative, also possesses the power of superhuman strength. After being lost as a kid in Mongolia, she finds her route back to Seoul in search of her mother, who happens to be one of Gangnam’s wealthiest residents.
Also starring: Lee Yoo Mi, Ong Seong Wu, Kim Jung Eun, Kim Hae Sook
9. Soulmate
The adaptation of the Chinese film of the same name is a peek through the phases of friendship and love in the span of 14 years. Best friends Mi-so (Kim Da Mi) and Ha-eun (Jeon So Nee) are thick as thieves, but a crack in their friendship starts to form when Ha-eun finds love with their classmate Jin-woo (Woo Seok). When Mi-So leaves for the city and Ha-eun stays in the same domain, the supposedly inseparable pair eventually grow apart.
Also starring: Kim Da Mi, Jeon So Nee
10. Run Away With Sun-Jae On Piggyback (Coming Soon)
Woo Seok plays Ryu Sun-Jae, a renowned star, faces burnout in the entertainment industry. Im Sol (Kim Hye Yoon), his devoted fan, finds solace in his music after a childhood accident shattered her dreams. Devastated by false news of Ryu's suicide, Im Sol miraculously time-travels 15 years into the past. Confronting the 19-year-old Ryu in high school, she strives to alter his fate and prevent the impending tragedy.
Also starring: Kim Hye Yoon
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