Kim Shin (Gong Yoo) (Goblin)

Lee Dae Gil (Chuno)

Kim Baek Du (Like Flowers In Sand)
Nam Se Hee (Because This Is My First Life)

My favourite heroes are often the quiet and brooding type, even better if they are shown to be good at their job:

Yoon Hyungchul (All about Eve), Seo Junghoo (Healer), Yi Hwan (Our blooming youth): They trust their heroine’s judgement and abilities, give them space when needed, but are always present in the most swoony way.

Hwang Simok (Stranger), Goo Seungho (Life): So it’s Cho Seungwoo 😄 Both appear "gray" but are truly kind at heart.

Moon Seoha (See you in my 19th life) and Kim Yeonggoon (Watcher): Both had a tough childhood but grew up to be very kind, gentle and sensitive men.

No Jiwook (Suspicious partner) and Park Junmo (The worst of evil): because it’s Ji Changwook? 🤔 😅

And the last one is Kim Dogi (Taxi driver).

Waay too many but some of my favourites:

Baek Seung-soo - Stove League

Lee Young-joon - Whats wrong with Secretary Kim.

Hwang Si-mok - Forrest of Secrets

Kim Sung-ryong - Chief Kim

Kang Oh-soo & Oh Seung-ha - The Devil (Lucifer)

Kim Sa-bu - Dr Romantic.

Hwang Yong-sik - When the Camelia Blooms

Haha the prompt said "plural," so... Seo Jung-hoo (Ji Chang-wook, Healer), Park In-seong (Chae Jong-hyeop, Unlock My Boss), Ji-hwan (Uhm Tae-gu, My Sweet Mobster), Jung-woo (Rowoon, The Matchmakers), Kim Baek-du (Jang Dong-yeon, Like Flowers in Sand), Nam-young (Yoo Seung-ho, Moonshine), Lee-hwan (Park Hyung-sik, Our Blooming Youth), and Sun-jae (Byeon Woo-seok, Lovely Runner)... just to name a few 😅 (*I already had a list for this Lol*)

There are many I love, but a few stand out a bit more:
Song Ha-young (Through the darkness)
Jung Ji-woon (The King's Affection)
Jung Yi-hyun (Happiness)
Jang Uk (Alchemy of Souls)
Yoon Hee Jae (Hyena)
...and that may only be the tip of the iceberg! 😉

I have a lot!

Jang Uk - Alchemy of Souls.
He is my everything fr.

Ryu Sung Joon - Blind.
His kindness and goodness despite the environment he grew up in were inspiring. The man was dedicated to justice even while questioning everything he had ever known about himself and his life.

Jung Yi Hyun - Happiness.
Capable, Handsome, gentle, lovelorn, what more can I say?

Honorable mentions:
Sim Jung Woo - The Matchmakers, and Jin Yi Soo - Flex X Cop.
Both had the best character developments ever.

I remember answering in plural for Favourite Heroine and I also remember my answer only being limited to Korean dramas. That’s not going to be the case here for Favourite Hero:
My one and only choice for this prompt goes to my Favourite Hero/Male Lead character of all time, regardless of drama geography (Chinese dramas vs. Korean dramas vs. Taiwan dramas), and it is for the character of Wei Ying/Wei Wu Xian.
Much like his name “Wei Ying” (“Ying” [嬰], meaning “child”) and his Courtesy Name— a coming-of-age name bestowed on someone once they reach a certain age—“Wei Wu Xian” (“Wu Xian” [無羨], meaning “no envy”), his character truly does have a childlike sense and ever beautiful smiling face—as his adopted older sister so endearingly and lovingly points out— but isn’t quite dumb to the complexities and injustices of the world; in his own personal life, he truly has all that he wants and does not envy the life of another but this attitude of his is also ironically the thing (of many things) that garners the envy of many around him, even his own adopted brother. Despite the circumstances of life (being an orphan, not officially belonging to a clan, and not displaying the interests that society deems as “appropriate”), his kindness shines through and he always stands up for what he truly believes is right regardless of what others think and say, and he will stick with it to the death (literally). His love for those around him knows no bounds—even those set by society— yet, he is sometimes cruel to those around him in his ignorance of their love for him.

He is a Hero who truly deserves the love of the entire world and anything short of that is beyond an insult.

This question made me realize that most of my favorite male heroes in dramaland are not from K-dramas, and those that are definitely tend to fall into the morally messy category. However, if I'm going just with shows from Korea, some favorites include:

Hwang Shi Mok in both seasons of Stranger
Chief Kim in Chief Kim
Lee Dong Shik and Han Joo Won in Beyond Evil
Ha Woo Jin in Liar Game
Jeon Bong Jun (Nokdu) in The Nokdu Flower

If I expand this to other Asian dramas, I'd also add Ning Yuan Zhou in A Journey to Love, Pu Yi Yong in Oh No, Here Comes Trouble!, Wei Wu Xian in The Untamed, and Fan Xian in Joy of Life.

Park Hae-young (Lee Je-hoon) in Signal

Hwang Yong-sik (Kang Ha-neul) in When the Camellia Blooms

Hwang Si-mok (Cho Seung-woo) in Stranger

Crown Prince Lee Chang (Ju Ji-Hoon) in Kingdom

Lee Ik-jun (Hospital Playlist)
Hwang Yong-shik (When the Camelia Blooms)
Baek Hyun-woo (Queen of Tears)

With my favorite heros I only remember the character, no matter how much I love or don't love the actor, or even the drama. That's why many many of the male leads of my favorite dramas don't end up in my list.
They are men who I wish we had around a lot more of, because they make the world a better place.

Goo Dong Baek (Hwang Jung Min) in Accidental Couple.

Park Moo Yul (Lee Dong Wook) in Wild Romance.

Choi Young (Lee Min Ho) in Faith.

Park Sun Woo (Lee Jin Wook, and by extension Park Hyung Shik) in Nine.

Park Ri Hwan (Lee Dong Wook) in Bubblegum.

Lee Hwa Shin (Jo Jung Suk) in Jealousy Incarcerate.

Choi Ban Do (Son Ho Joon) in Go Back Couple.

Park Do Kyung (Eric) in Another Oh Hae Young.

Seo Poong (Lee Jun Ho) in Wok of Love.

Jo Jin Gap (Kim Dong Wook) in Special Labour inspector Jo.

Baek Seung Soo (Nam Goong Min) in Stove League

Ryu Sung Joon (Ok Taecyeon) in Blind.

Kim Sae Ha (Seo Kang Joon) in Grid.

Gu Won (Lee Jun Ho) in King the Land.

Jung Koon Hee (Lee Joon Young) in Please Don't Date Him.

Okay, these two are romantic heroes and very much the stuff of our (or my) fantasies. Because for me, a "favourite" doesn't have to be a very layered character. He just has to treat his lady right and I have to like his "gaze".

1. Lee Dong wook as Seol Gong chan in My Girl - If you can look at me with that look of admiration while you know you are getting conned by me, you are my hero! It's that simple! 😂

2. Lee Min ki as Nam Se hee in Because This is My First Life - When did I begin falling for him? (Please don't think of me as "미친년/
michinnyeon / crazy bitch", as Soo ji thought of Ji ho after fake marriage revelation after reading this 😂). When his prospective wife asks him, "Have you recycled this week?", and he is left wide-eyed, open mouthed with the realisation (adoration) that he has got a "unique wife". While a girl who is as crazy about recycling as you, may not sound very unique/ adorable to most romantics, to our dork, she does! That's his language of admiration, which is bound in pragmatism. And I like that about this drama and about our hero. They like simple things like that about each other - just ordinary, everyday things. Because that's real life (as I see it).

PS: You get the theme here. If you can love my flaws, and see even my boring little habits as "lovely", you are my hero! 😍

Mr. Gu (My Liberation Notes)
Eugene Choi (Mr. Sunshine)
Jung Yi-hyun (Happiness)
Ha-seon (The Crowned Clown)
Park Hoon (Doctor Stranger, literally carried the whole show)
Do Min-joon (My Love From The Star)
Baek Hyun-woo (Queen of Tears)
Han Sang-hwan (Save Me)

Yay for plural! My top 10 (in no particular order)
1. Lim Eun Seob - When the Weather is Fine (Seo Kang Joon)
2. Enrique - (Flower Boy Next Door) Yoon Shi Yoon
3. Jang Geu Rae - Misaeng (Im Shi Wan)
4. Jang Uk - Alchemy of Seouls (Lee Jae Wook)
5. Nam Shin III - Are You Human, Too? (Seo Kang Joon)
6. So Mun - Uncanny Counter first season (Jo Byeong Gyu)
7. Gong Woo Jin - Still 17 (Yang Se Jong)
8. Seok Dong Chul - Save Me (Woo Do Hwan)
9. Song Ha Young - Through the Darkness (Kim Nam Gil)
10. Sunwoo Joon - Dodosolsollalasol (Lee Jae Wook)

Lee Jun Ki in *Flower of evil* and *Two weeks*
Gong Yoo in *The silent sea*
Choi Jin Hyuk in *Zombie detective*
Seo Kang Jun in *Are you human too*
Kim Jung Hyun in *Mr Queen*
Kim Wu Bin in *Black knight*
Wang Xing Yue in *The double* (cdrama)

I love a hero to go on a journey with. Out of isolation into community, out of trauma into healing, out of ruin into success, out of apprenticeship into mastery, out of paranoia into trust. Sometimes all of these at once! Some fav examples are Jeong-hyeok from Crash Landing on You, Hae-young from Signal, Im from Live Up to Your Name, Uk from Alchemy of Souls, Ung from Our Beloved Summer, Ha-young from Through the Darkness, Hwan from Our Blooming Youth, Moon from The Uncanny Counter, and Jeong-u from Doctor Slump.

I also love an absolute emerald green flag. Heros who are such stunningly good people they are just a joy to watch. Examples are Ji-yul from Once Upon a Small Town, In-seong from Unlock My Boss, Won from King the Land, Baek-du from Like Flowers in Sand, and Sun-jae from Lovely Runner.

Honorable mention goes to heros that are highly competent and devil-may-care - a type I’ve always loved. Many heros exhibit this style at certain times during a story, but there are also some for whom it defines their character, like Yeon from Tale of the Nine-tailed and Hyun from Hello Monster/I Remember You.

I take this prompt as favorite male characters who show some kind of heroicity or have to go through a hard situation in their lives (so I leave out some of my favorite male leads because maybe their lives were mainly simple and peaceful, and I leave out villains and antiheroes... Sorry, Bidam. You still are my favorite male character).

So...:

_ Heo Im (Kim Nam Gil) from Live up to your name.
_ Dong Shik (Yoon Shi Yoon) from Psychopath Diary.
_ Hae Young (Lee Je Hoon) and Jae Han (Jo Jin Woong) from Signal.
_ Heo Yoon (Yoon Shi Yoon) from Mirror of the witch.
_ Shi Yeol (Kang Hoon) from Secret Romantic Guesthouse.
_ Woo Hyeol (Taecyeon) from Heartbeat.
_ Jang Geurae (Si Wan) from Misaeng.
_ Holo (Yoon Hyun Min) from My Holo Love.
_ Louis (Seo In Guk) from Shopping King Louis.
_ Jin Woo (Hyun Bin) from Memories of Alhambra.
_ Fan Xian (Zhang Ruo Yun) from Joy of Life.
_ He Yun (Bai Jing Ting) from Reset.
_ All the main male characters in A Journey to Love.
_ Zi Qiu (Zhang Xincheng) from Go Ahead.
_ Zhang Wan Sen (Qu Chuxiao) from Shining for one thing.
_ Li Zi Wei (Greg Hsu) from Someday or One Day.

Unlike real life I tend to prefer complex, imperfect heroes in my dramas, anti-heroes even.

Vincenzo Casanova - Vincenzo
Kim Hae Il - The Fiery Priest
Gu Yanzhen - Arsenal Military Academy
Kim Seong Ryong - Chief Kim
Baek Hae Sung - Flower of Evil
Haru Tennouji - Trillion Game
Goo Dong Mae - Mr. Sunshine
Li Xun - Lighter and Princess

But for a more traditional definition of hero I like the ones who quietly, selflessly and without fanfare love and support the heroine without expecting anything in return.

Wang Yoo - Empress Ki
Lee Jeong Hyeon - My Dearest
Yoo Ji Hyeok - Marry My Husband
Kim Jin-Hyeok - Encounter

My favorite K-drama hero is Kim Boong-do (Ji Hyun-woo) in Queen In-hyun's Man, who is a combination of both my types.

I have two types: the genius, emotionless tsundere (Lee Eun-hyuk (Lee Do-hyun) in Sweet Home, Akiyama Shinichi (Matsuda Shota) in Liar Game), and the bright, flirty, knows-what-to-say-at-all-times (Enrique Geum (Yoon Shi-yoon) in Flower Boys Next Door, Kim Tae-sung (Song Geon-hee) in Lovely Runner).

Oh my word. One name flashes in my mind:
Yoo Tae-han in Dark Hole (played by Lee Joon-hyuk)
He is a former cop who lost his job due to corruption, now living a rough life. And then walks into a world falling apart teeming with zombies, he still acts like a cop saving the lives of strangers who he has no obligation to and who can't repay him. He puts his life on the line without hesitation although you can see he is also afraid. Yoo Tae-han.
I watched Dark Hole after my father passed away and it comforted me so much to know that there are heroes like him in the world. Not to mention Yoo Tae-han is hot as heck.

The rest of the list:
Kim Hae-il in Fiery Priest (Kim Nam-gil)
Park Gwang-ho in Tunnel (Choi Jin-hyuk)
Do Kan-woo in Voice 2 (Lee Jin-uk)
Kim Bon in My Secret, Terrius (So Ji-sub)
No Whi-oh in Mad for Each Other (Jung Woo)

If you're broken heart, have lost faith in humanity, if you need a hero, these dramas may help.

Thanks for the option of plural cause I can't seem to pick one. My heroes don't even come from the romantic genres as much.

Lee Ik-jun, Kim Jun-wan, Yang Seok-kyung: Hospital Playlist.
Cha Jin-woo: Tell Me That You Love Me.
Lee In : Captivating the King.
King Cheoljung : Mr. Queen
Cho Seung-woo : Life, Forest of Secrets
Han Dong-jin, Yoon Joon : Call It Love
Choi Ban-do : Go Back Couple
Ju Young-do : You Are My Spring
Seo Do-guk : Perfect Marriage Revenge
Gu Ja-kyung : My Liberation Notes
Kang Chang-wook : Recipe for Farewell

And, if I am to pick a villain hero/antihero,
Park Min-hwan : Marry My Husband