The Forbidden Marriage (2022)
As his second leading role, we see Kim Young-dae finally get a character where he can show his range. He plays the tyrannical King Lee Heon who puts a nationwide marriage ban after his wife is murdered. So-rang, a con artist is roped in to pretend that she can be possessed by his late wife so that he can find closure and lift the ban. An otherwise dark tale, Young-dae plays off the cold King with hilarious ease and subtle comedy that makes The Forbidden Marriage an entertaining watch.
Extraordinary You (2019)
Extraordinary You is a fun, fantasy high school drama following Eun Dan-oh who realises that she is stuck in a comic book and everyone including her are characters of the said book. What makes it worse is that she is just a side character while Kim Young-dae’s Oh Nam-joo is the main lead. She and the rest of the characters have to play their part while he predictably woos his love interest, Yeo Joo-da. Nam-joo is the typical K-drama male lead who is insufferable in his righteousness and stubbornness to get the girl until he too realises that something is amiss when one of the side characters breaks character to chase Joo-da.
The Penthouse (2020-21)
The Penthouse is a melodrama about the residents living in the luxurious Hera Palace where the women go to extreme lengths including murder to get their children to the top. As one of the first mainstream network K-dramas to have multiple seasons, The Penthouse gives time for Young-dae’s Seok-hoon to develop from just being the son of the antagonist Dan-tae to becoming a character we root for as he has his own plans and revenge to achieve while falling in love with Bae-ro.
Shooting Stars aka Sh**ting Stars (2022)
It seems that Kim Young-dae has a thing for picking K-dramas with meta subjects, as once again like Extraordinary You, Shooting Stars (Sh**ting Stars) sets the tone by following the life of K-drama actors and the struggles their managers and PRs have to go through to make them look perfect in front of the world. Not only is it Young-dae’s first lead role, but he also plays the leading man Gong Tae-sung who has a bone to pick with PR agent Oh Han-byul. Chaos ensues as the two struggle with their feelings for each other in a predictable but nevertheless entertaining enemies-to-lovers trope.
About Youth (2019)
About Youth is a slice-of-life drama about a bunch of Koreans who end up in Vietnam for different reasons. They have their own personal goals and ambitions that they struggle to fulfil. Young-dae plays the competent and hardworking Lee Jay who does not have time for anyone including himself. Everyone at the office relies on him and he ends up piling his plate with more than what he can handle. Meanwhile, the female lead, Kimchi is a Vietnamese co-worker who cannot seem to get Lee Jay’s approval how much ever she tries.
Cheat On Me If You Can (2020)
A thriller comedy, it follows Yeo-jung, a novelist who writes murder mysteries with victims who have cheated by imagining that she is the murderer. She is in an unhappy marriage to a divorce lawyer who is under the delusion that they are still happy. With a strong policy against cheating, she starts imagining her husband’s murder and making it look like an accident as she suspects him of having an affair. Young-dae is cast as Su-ho, a suspicious part-timer who earns the trust of Yeo-jung but has nefarious reasons for getting close to her. From the get-go, we know he is up to something but his flirting with Yeo-jung has the viewers rooting for them.
It’s Okay To Be Sensitive (2018-19)
A college drama, It’s Okay To Be Sensitive is an anthology of sorts about first-year students and how they overcome the obstacles they face in their life. Tackling serious subjects like bullying and sexual harassment in a light-hearted manner, the miniseries is anything but didactic as it puts its message across efficiently. Young-dae plays Do-hwan, the calm and quiet student who is there for Shin-hye when she is bullied at college. While the rest gaslight her, he is observant and makes his own decisions, protecting Shin-hye when no one else does.
True Beauty (2020)
If you are an Extraordinary You fan, you already know that this K-drama has to be a part of the list thanks to the multiple cameos by its cast members. Made by the same director, True Beauty is about Ju-kyung who changes her look by applying makeup after she was forced to change schools where she was bullied for being ugly. Hijinks and chaos follow as ridiculous instances have her trying to hide her real face in hilarious ways. Young-dae plays our beloved Nam-joo who is mistaken for the male lead. And there we have it, our list of the best Kim Young-dae K-dramas of all time! What do you think of our list? Have we included your favourites? Or have we missed any must-watch K-dramas? We love to hear from you so do feel free to let us know in the comments below. Check Out More Of Our K-Drama Content here!
