*October 2021 Update*
Our K-drama *journeys* won't be complete without actor Yoo Ah In! Since debuting in the early 2000s as an actor in his teens, Yoo Ah In has starred in more than 20 amazing projects. In an interview for his film #Alive, Ah In shared that he usually prefers serious genres: "For no particular reason, I really liked things that were deep. Although I feel the same way now, it's not everything anymore...When I was a young actor, I had the desire to show things that were not typical of young actors. I wanted to try things that were difficult to see from actors in their teens and twenties. Now I'm more comfortable."
We'll never forget his role as rebellious but kind Moon Jae Shin in the rom-com Sungkyunkwan Scandal (2016) and his performance in the award-winning movie Burning (2018)!
Here, we listed down Yoo Ah In's K-dramas, movies, and reality shows you shouldn't miss:
1. Sungkyunkwan Scandal (2010)
Where to watch it: Viu
A young woman pretends to be a man in order to make ends meet. Because of a series of *unfortunate* events, she ends up studying at the prestigious "boys only" Sungkyunkwan University, where she has to keep her secret from her classmates, including rebellious Moon Jae Shin (Yoo Ah In).
2. Punch (2011)
Where to watch it: Viu
"A dysfunctional mentor-mentee relationship is forged between a rebellious high school student from a poor household and his meddlesome homeroom teacher who moves in next door." (via Viu)
3. Tough As Iron (2013)
Where to watch it: Viu
"Set in the southern port of Busan, the film follows the tough life of a young man as he struggles to find work and to care for his flighty mother who suffers from dementia and has a tendency to wander off. To pay for his mother's hospital bills, he falls in with the mob and gets pulled into the gritty violence of the Busan underworld." (via Viu)
4. Thread Of Lies (2014)
Where to watch it: Viu
"Blindsided by the suicide of her 14-year-old daughter, her mother and older sister set out to solve the mystery of her death, insinuating themselves into the life of the girl who bullied her." (via Viu)
5. Six Flying Dragons (2015)
Netflix tells us that in this drama, the Six Dragons, aka our main characters, "engage in a great power struggle and battle it out for supreme control as the Joseon state emerges in the wake of the Goryeo kingdom." Yoo Ah In plays Lee Bang Won and is paired with Shin Se Kyung's character Boon Yi.
6. Veteran (2015)
Yoo Ah In plays arrogant millionaire Jo Tae Oh. In Veteran, according to the film's Viu description, "a merciless detective hunts down a young and successful drug addict who always escapes from investigations with the help of his wealth and connections."
7. Like For Likes (2016)
In this romantic comedy, several couples must learn to navigate the world of modern dating via social media. Yoo Ah In's character is a popular actor (just like IRL) + cutie Kang Ha Neul stars in this movie, too!
8. Chicago Typewriter (2017)
What if you find out that you're connected to freedom fighters during the 1930s Japanese occupation in Korea? That's exactly what happens to Se Joo (Ah In), a famous author who's going through a writing slump. During a press conference for the show, Ah In shared that he had always wanted to take on the role of a writer.
9. Default (2018)
According to Viu, this movie tells the story of "the International Monetary Fund (IMF) negotiations in South Korea during the financial crisis in 1997 through three parallel stories of a monetary policy manager, a financial consultant, and a family man."
10. Burning (2018)
Where to watch it: Netflix
In this movie, "An aspiring writer goes to the airport to pick up a high school friend returning from a trip to Africa but is disheartened to see her with another man (via Netflix)
11. I Live Alone (2020)
Where to watch it: Viu
In several episodes of the variety show, the actor takes viewers on a tour of his three-story house and shares a glimpse of his "rather ordinary" personal life. Viewers also get to meet his pet cats Dobi and Jangbi.
12. Alive (2020)
Where to watch it: Netflix
When a zombie outbreak takes place right outside his home, gamer Joon Woo (Ah In) struggles to survive with limited food...and loneliness. The hit Korean film surpassed one million moviegoers within five days of its release! The movie also stars Park Shin Hye.
13. Voice Of Silence (2020)
Where to watch it: Netflix
"When a kidnapping scheme goes awry, a young girl winds up under the care of two men who work as crime scene cleaners for the mob." (via Netflix)
14. Hellbound (November 19, 2021)
Where to watch it: Netflix
According to Netflix, this is "a story about otherworldly beings who appear out of nowhere to issue a decree and condemn individuals to hell. These supernatural events cause great mayhem and enable the religious group The New Truth to grow in influence. A few people, however, become suspicious about its activities and begin investigating its involvement in mysterious events." Yoo Ah In plays Jung Jinsu, the leader of The New Truth.
15. Bonus: Descendants Of The Sun (2016)
Where to watch it: Netflix
Yup, ICYMI, he made a cameo in the drama and played an "unsympathetic" bank teller as a present for his good friend Song Hye Kyo. In an interview at the Asian Film Awards, he shared: "I wasn't able to give her a present at the party. I wanted to prepare a secret present for her and I got the opportunity to make a cameo appearance in her drama." (Via Soompi)
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