If there are a few bright spots in an otherwise gloomy scenario, which made the long lockdown and the ensuing weeks of continued uncertainty after it a tad more bearable, K-dramas streamed on demand via Netflix would be one of them.
By Alex Y. Vergara
Someday, should we survive this current crisis, many of us would look back at all these and most likely have a good laugh. I’m not being insensitive or facetious in the face of widespread death and disease we’re all witnessing due to COVID-19. The growing number of deaths due to the pandemic is more than just statistics. It’s a real-life tragedy fraught with displacement and devastation for every victim and his or her family and friends.
But if there are a few bright spots in an otherwise gloomy scenario, which made the long lockdown and the ensuing weeks of continued uncertainty after it a tad more bearable, then K-dramas streamed on demand via Netflix would be one of them.
Apart from sampling various longganisa and baked goodies, including the omnipresent ube pan de sal, sold to you by displaced friends, K-dramas, in general, and Hyun Bin, in particular, have given many a semblance of normalcy as well as a means of escape in a COVID-19 world, thanks to the shows’ riveting plot lines, fast phasing, exotic locales and talented, impossibly flawless actors and actresses.
But don’t take the word of someone who has yet to get hooked on K-dramas, a dwindling minority with each passing day, for it, and instead listen to these six ladies, the first four of whom belong to a loose grouping of Filipino K-drama fans who call themselves “Seoul Sisters,” (more on the group next time) on why the whole world, it seems, is going gaga over these Korean imports.
Yes, Hyun Bin of Crash Landing on You (CLOY) fame and his ilk, as well as their small-screen alter egos, have a lot do do with it. But that’s not all that’s keeping them up until the wee hours binge-watching, as these women gamely shares with PeopleAsia.
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I have been a Hyun Bin fan since last year when I watched Memories of the Alhambra. After that I watched all his dramas and movies. I am also a big fan of Lee Min-ho, Kim Soo-hyun and Gong Yoo and have since watched almost all of their works.
Korean actors or K-pop artists are versatile and have been trained to act, sing and hone other talents needed to entertain. They pay close attention to visuals, which is why they have luminous skin and good looks. Plus, their dramas are addicting and mostly well-written.
Most of the time, I fall in love with the character, most specially if they play such strong and iconic roles. Gong Yoo as Kim Shin in The Goblin, Kim Soo Hyun as the alien Do Min Joon in My Love from A Star, Lee Min-Ho as Lee Gon in The King: Eternal Monarch and, of course, Hyun Bin as Captain Ri in Crash Landing on You, are examples of this.—Monique Toda
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I have been a K-drama fan since February 2019. I’ve seen almost all of Hyun Bin’s shows, but I have to say, in my opinion, he was most excellent in CLOY.
He is such a versatile and professional actor. And, wow, a true eye candy. He is tall, guapo and such a fashionista—a real Oppa!
Definitely, like countless fans, I’m drawn to both character and star. I think Captain Ri’s character and Hyun Bin are very similar. Hyun Bin has been very compassionate to the people suffering due to the COVID crisis, as seen in his speech at the latest Baeksang Awards. He is a beautiful person that goes over and beyond the physical. He truly has a good heart.—Tina Cuevas
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I started watching K-drama regularly in 2017. But the first time I watched Hyun Bin was way back 2010 in Secret Garden. I am not really a fan of Hyun Bin, but more of the characters or roles he portrays.
Having said that, Hyun Bin is an exceptional and versatile actor. He has a wide body of work that showcases his talent. You can feel his powerful on-screen presence. He is very thoughtful and creative in his approach towards his various roles. I think it’s brilliant how he can convey very intense emotions with a few micro expressions. His acting always hits the spot, never over the top or underwhelming. As a viewer, I get all the feels.
Definitely, I’m more in love with Captain Ri, the character. But it takes a Hyun Bin who does a good job of bringing Captain Ri to life with a charming and endearing performance that’s believable, truly engaging and passionate. —Crickette Tantoco
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I started watching K-dramas two years ago and I have been hooked on it ever since.
I have watched almost all of Hyun Bin’s dramas and have enjoyed them all. He is handsome, has a great body and tall. But most of all, he’s such a good and versatile actor.
But it is as Capt. Ri that I really fell in love with him. The character had all the qualities one would fall for and he breathed life into it so well. He’s deserving to be nominated as best actor. I’m still disappointed he did not win. I am so looking forward to the second season of CLOY, as well as his planned crash landing in Manila!—Fe Rodriguez
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I have been watching K-dramas for only three months and I can only blame the COVID lockdown for this recent obsession. I find K-dramas are all well produced, they spend the money to make quality TV and movies. CLOY introduced me to K-dramas and to Hyun Bin.
What made me love Hyun Bin? He’s a great actor! He can go from one genre to another and still deliver great acting. He was amazing as a French restaurant owner in My Lovely Sam Soon and was also convincing as a firearm trafficker in The Negotiation. And, oh, those eyes—they speak to you, and he has the best dimples I’ve ever seen in a man.
Like I said, I’ve been introduced to Hyun Bin from watching CLOY, which, by the way, I have watched four times already. I’m not kidding!
But, no, I am drawn to the actor, not the character. I must say though that Captain Ri is the bomb. Truth be told, I am a BinJin shipper—Hyun Bin and Son Ye Jin. I love their chemistry both in CLOY and off camera. I want them to get married already.—Vella Crisostomo Bellaart
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K-drama is a pandemic discovery. A so-called lockdown tonic to counteract the emotional effects of the daily coronavirus briefings by American health officials.
My first taste was CLOY, and I got hooked ever since. Naturally Hyun Bin was the first Korean actor that got me curious (that I even wrote a lengthy article in PeopleAsia devoted to the bedimpled one). My teenage daughters are quite amused by the phenomenon and could not figure out the attraction. They point to their school days back in Los Angeles when they were classmates with kids of celebrities and I had no reaction when parents show up in classroom meetings.
For instance, a gorgeous dad with a lead part in a prime-time NBC series sat right next to me during a class activity and I was deadma. But with Hyun Bin, I was willing to plan a family vacay to Seoul! What gives?
I guess what sets K-dramas apart in my book is that the genre tackles taboos that I forgot still exist in this day and age.—Ruby Adonay-Clemmons
