@libby
Ryu is in a good place in Chungmuro. He's improve a lot too and I hope that he'd do a drama every now and then when he has time.

I’m well aware of what ‘not sticking to a character archetype’ means and how important it is for actors to be versatile and show range. I’m not impressed with her recent drama choices is an opinion, not the gold standard, and it’s not a critique of her acting or related to character choices only; it’s the production as a whole.

“Hard work means work[ing] nonstop without rest, so [she] can have all the rest later” doesn’t apply to her. Considering how young she is, she’s an A-list actress with proven talent and star power, so unlike many other actors/actresses of her generation and even of older generations, she can be selective in her drama and film choices. Also, ratings and international fame aren’t all that matters. Without question, they’re important, but I think quality and integrity will always trump these two things.

@Cleo
I don’t take ‘good’ seriously, at least in the way you’re implying. Kim Eun Sook’s dramas and My Love From Another Star are high quality and well-made dramas penned by talented writers who have a reputation for making hit dramas. I’m a fan of Park Ji Eun’s work and have seen all of her dramas. Boys Over Flowers was already a popular manga with a strong fan base before it was made into dramas/films. It’s ‘IT’ factor and pop culture relevance was already proven, but for sure, the dramas took it to international fame and made unknown actors stars overnight. Popular dramas trump “good” dramas in ratings and popularity only, not necessarily in quality or integrity. Critics, filmgoers and general viewers can all probably agree that dramas like Queen Seon Deok, Answer Me series, Misaeng, Signal and My Ahjussi have good ratings, are popular and the overall production quality (i.e. directing, writing, storytelling, editing, cinematography, acting, etc.) is at its best.

I didn't realize my nonchalant comment would turn into a colorful, engaging and energetic discussion, which is surprising and wonderful. Again, I would like to emphasize that an opinion is not the gold standard, so it’s subjective depending on one’s perception and where the perspective is coming from. In this case, are you a critic, a filmgoer or a general viewer? They will all have different opinions of what is most important to them (i.e. everyone who took part in this discussion), and even within each category, there will be nuances that’ll naturally result in agreements/disagreements. Considering the complexity of drama/filmmaking and the artists behind them, not every drama/film will have the same goals or end results in ratings, popularity, quality or integrity. But we can all agree that some dramas/films (no matter what genre) are lucky enough to have all four, which I gave examples of.

Without a doubt, having a myriad of diverse experiences, no matter which profession you’re in is important and necessary to becoming great at what you do. But I don’t think becoming great at what you do means working non-stop or harder; they don’t take precedence over being selective or making smarter choices that’ll have higher chances of maximum impact (since there are many variables and no one is ever fully in control of what the end result will be). Kim Soo-hyun debuted at 19 years old and didn’t have the star power that Kim So-hyun has. Yet his drama/filmography are pretty short and display his versatility and range. Kim Yoo-jung and IU have made some interesting choices in leading roles, which have really surprised me and make me curious and anticipate their next project. Who isn’t impressed with Park Bo-gum? And Won Bin, the elusive and enigmatic actor who is the most selective in choosing projects and has the shortest drama/filmography of anyone, still remains highly sought after by the industry with international fans enthusiastically waiting for his return. Regardless of the criticisms he’s received, he’s remained relevant and has the indefinable IT-factor. There’s Won Bin and there’s everyone else.

@Vinny
I don’t think money, popularity and awards are sustainable and the ikigai that makes people wake up every morning, even Kim Rae-won.

@Jakey
Everyone has a valid point depending on his/her perspective, and I think we should be respectful of that. You’re making a lot of assumptions about what I’m saying when it’s not what I’m saying at all:

- I never said interesting roles exist only in good dramas.
- I never said Kim So-hyun doesn’t make interesting choices.
- I never said she’s in demand despite her choices.
- I never said she doesn’t show range, variety or versatility.
- I’m talking about quality of dramas and roles and they are subjective.

It’s like we agree, but you continue to argue with yourself. And even if we disagree on some points, who cares? There’s no need to keep beating a dead horse; we can agree to disagree. There’s no right/wrong answers in life.

@firefly
Feel free to join the conversation. I wholeheartedly agree and that’s exactly what I’m saying.