Thursday, September 20, 2018

Favorite Actors and Actresses - Part 2

As promised, here is Part Two of my list of favorite Asian Actors and Actresses.  There are so many amazing actors and actresses in the world of Asian Drama, that it's very difficult to choose favorites.  However, while this list isn't exhaustive, here are a few more that I really enjoy watching.


Park Shin Hye -  While there can be no doubt that she is a great actress, it's hard to differentiate if I like her because of her acting or because she starred in so many of the dramas that I watched early on.  Because of her roles in You're Beautiful, Heartstrings, Goong S and more she will always have a special place on my list of favorite actresses.  Though her range is bigger than this, I will always associate her with the spunky female lead who will work hard to achieve her goals no matter her circumstances.  


Aaron Yan -  From his early roles on dramas like It Started With a Kiss, where he was a support character, to dramas where he was the main lead (Fall in Love with Me, Refresh Man, Just You and so many more), this Taiwanese actor is just fun to watch.  He is the kind of actor that you find yourself watching even if he isn't the lead.  For example, I didn't know who he was when I first watched It Started with a Kiss and They Kiss Again, but even though his role is small in those dramas, it was one that stood out to me and his character was one of my favorite side characters in that series.  Later on, when I saw him in Fall in Love with Me, I was again impressed at how good he was but this time in a leading role.  And a rather complex role at that.  He is definitely an actor who I think we will continue to see grow and show even more range over the years.


Im Ye Jin -  This woman is an amazing actress.  She has been in the industry for more that 40 years and is a fixture in Korean Drama.  I can't tell you how many shows I've seen her in where she plays the mother of one of the leads, but she has played many many roles in her career.  Any time I see her on the screen, I know I'm in for a treat because no matter what role she plays she embodies it and makes it her own.  She's truly inspiring!



So Ji Sub - He is a veteran actor, having been in the industry more than 20 years and his experience shows in his work.  Of his many dramas where he has been the male lead, my personal favorites are The Master's Sun (which was much funnier than I expected) and Oh My Venus (which is just awesome all the way around).  His way of taking on a role and becoming that character is interesting to watch and though sometimes his way of acting makes roles in various dramas have some similarities, he does each role in unique way as well. I always enjoy watching him. 


Yamamoto Maika  - I will admit that I have not seen a ton of her work, but what I have seen I have really enjoyed.  I much prefer her in a "good person" role as opposed to the "villain", but she seems to be able to fit either role.  I loved her in Minami-kun no Koibito: My Little Lover, which was the first role I ever saw her in.  It was such a cute show that I just adored both the main leads (see the next actor on my list).  Maika will no doubt continue to shine in the roles she is given and I look forward to watching them.  




Nakagawa Taishi - I first saw Taishi in Minami-kun no Koibito: My Little Lover, and he was great in that drama.  However since then, I have seen him in several other roles and I am continually impressed with him.  He is still quite young (only 20 years old), but he is talented.  Given his age, it's not surprising that most of the roles I have seen him in thus far are school age characters, but in the years to come, I look forward to seeing him branch out to more types of roles in the future.  I think we will continue to see him grow as an actor for many many years to come.   

 

Kim So Eun - My first Korean Drama was Boys over Flowers and it was Kim So Eun who very quickly became my favorite female character in that show.  Her portrayal of the best friend to the female lead (played by the also very talented Gu Hye Seon) was probably the most realistic role in the entire series and I loved it.  Since then, I have seen her in lots of other roles and every time, whether it's a mini-drama, a web series, or a regular length drama, she always brings a truthfulness to her characters that makes you just want to sit down and hang out with each one.  And that, in itself, is a talent all it's own.  

Park Hyung Shik -  This young man is rapidly becoming one of my favorite actors from any country and genre.  Why?  Because I have now seen him in multiple projects and every time he has taken on a role, he embodies that role in a way that amazes me and each character is very different than the one before it.  Many people seem to excel in certain types of roles, but he does a fantastic job whether it is a sidekick character (like in Heirs), royalty (like in Hwarang), a CEO (like in Strong Woman Do Bong Soon) or visually impaired piano tuner (like in Two Lights: Relumino).  His acting ability continually puts me in awe and to top it all off, he's got a fantastic singing voice too.  Indeed, Hyung Shik is going to be a force to be reckoned with for many many years to come.


There are so many more actors and actresses that I would like to list, but I'll stop for now.  Do you have a favorite you'd like to add?  Drop me a note in the comments and let me know.  

Until next time...









Wednesday, September 5, 2018

Favorite Actors and Actresses...Part 1

I've been watching Asian Dramas and Movies now for about two years.  I have come across many actors and actresses that I really enjoy watching.  This blog and the next one will shine a light on a few of  the actors and actresses I've enjoyed watching.  This is all just my opinion, so yours might be different, but I'd enjoy hearing your picks as well. So here are six of my favorites...in no particular order.


Park Seo Joon - This actor has real acting skills.  I have not seen everything he's been in, but I have seen several of his dramas and, in my opinion, he totally encompassed each the roles no matter how different they were from other roles he had.  Whether it's a fighter, a CEO, or a part timer, he seems to just fit into the roles and become the characters. Besides his acting skills, he's a really good singer (I love when he has a song on the OST) AND he's incredibly good looking to boot! 



Song Hye Kyo - I love watching this actress.  She brings such fun to her roles and just becomes the character she is portraying.  I first saw her in Full House and I thought she was a cute and playful character, but then when I saw her in Descendants of the Sun, I was blown away by the power as well as the vulnerability she brought to the role.  Plus, this woman has to be one of the most beautiful people on the planet.  Seriously...she is just stunning.   



Kim Min Suk - This actor is usually one of the supporting characters in dramas, but he always stands out to me.  He portrays the side characters in a way that draws attention to them and moves the story along, but doesn't overshadow the lead characters.  I am a person that gets easily bored when I watch dramas and often fast forward through some of the side character story arcs, but I find that when Kim Min Suk is playing a side character, I don't want to fast forward that part of the story.  I want to see what he does and how he portrays his character.




Ha Ji Won - I first saw this actress in Secret Garden and she was amazing in it.  Then later I saw her in Hospital Ship and once again, she was awesome.  The roles were so different, but she did them so well.  She can be feisty, she can be sweet, she can be vulnerable...her acting range is quiet vast.  She's been in a ton of other dramas as well and her experience shows.  She is great!



Lee Jong Suk - Ok, literally every role I have seen this actor in, has totally captivated me.  From the teenage roles to the adult characters, he plays them with a finesse and charisma that pulls you into the role.  Even when I didn't like the drama all that well, I would finish it because I liked his role.  He is another person who seems to melt into whatever character he portrays and you find yourself cheering for him.




Gong Hyo Jin - I enjoy watching this actress.  There is just something fun about her acting.  Don't get me wrong...she's a really good actress who plays her roles well, but there is something about her that makes watching her a treat.  I'm not sure I can put it into words, but it's there.  I have only seen a few of her dramas and of those, honestly, some of them don't rank that high on my list of shows I like, but I like her, so I will be watching more of her work in the future.  The fact that I can see more than one drama she's in and not particularly love it, but still love watching her says something about her acting ability.  One show I did love was The Master's Sun.  She is fantastic in that drama and I will probably be rewatching that drama many times.  She is coming out with a new drama in the near future and I'm looking forward to seeing it. 


As I was writing this, other actors and actresses kept coming to mind because there are dozens that I could put on a list like this.  But this is a start.  What are your thoughts? 

Until next time!  :-)



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