I know! Although the prickly detective role usually doesn’t bode well in kdramas as the writing tends to be lacking in procedural/thriller dramas. His plays gave him and will give him a greater variety of characters. He’s under smaller scrutiny as the audience is a minority so that gives theater actors more liberty of choosing characters without worrying about the general public opinion and their image. His theater characters were definitely more flirty, to say the least lol. I first came across him when he did the Closer play with Park So Dam and remember thinking it was a different character for PSD; it deviated so much from her previous works. To think he was her co-star. How I wish I had seen this play with both of them! All I got was a practice clip hah. I still watch it every now and then even if the audio is super low.

@yongsital Oops, I meant Kim Mu Yeol. I feel like he could do a Signal type of detective, nervous+talky role. I feel K-dramas sometimes drop the ball writing terms, & its due to the actors for me to continue with it. I remember he said after he got a bad play review on his acting, he got depressed, and walked 5 hrs by himself. He seems hard on himself.

I saw the promo clip for Closer, & it was such a diff. look/vibe I got! More seductive/sensual! I would like to see more of this side!!

You know what’s ironic, is I was aware of him in passing but I was more into his bigger named co-stars. I remember passing by 2Cops, (JJS), and only now do I realize in the poster that there was a man under the desk (KSH lol). Or in SDM, meaning to watch it for GKP last Summer, but didn’t (Then, it wasn’t available anywhere). But I kept hearing, that KSH stole the show & was better than the ML. B/c I was into GKP, I felt dejected lol. Even during CTG time, I remember the scene where MGY got stabbed, & I was like “Wait, her ML looks like an idol or a new actor?” Even prior to S.U, I was neutral on him (Realizing now that I’ve passed by his works, but never pointed 2 + 2 together that he was in it until recently). I checked his Insta a day or 2 before S.U, and he had 600K followers.

Did you see these pics?: https://twitter.com/seonhuniverse/status/1339167545903869953
https://twitter.com/seonhojpeg/status/1339147813326753795
Lucky woman lol! Altho, I imagine if he did it post S.U, it would be madness…

Same, I wish I saw the play back then. Dan, the role he played is a cheating prick. A departure from his usual on-screen roles.

@soulsearch12 DB didn’t let me reply to you all weekend otl so I just mixed both of our conversations. But yes, KSH has never been the name that draws viewers in to watch dramas. For Two Cops, JJS was the draw, for Deliveryman it was GKP, and even for Start Up it was mainly Suzy and NJH fans lining up to watch it. KSH was just the unexpected favorite for those dramas. So I think it was easy to pass on him unless you remembered his name from the start. I must say, that Two Cops poster is weird. I don’t understand it even after watching the drama lol.

I have seen those pictures! The girl in the green sweater is Park So Dam. That’s actually the very first time I saw KSH. Back in 2016 I explored the internet for anything Park So Dam related so I followed Closer from the start. They have the cutest backstage pictures! Obviously, I didn’t know who he was; I just thought of him as the cute lucky co-star of PSD heh. Then I saw him in Chief Kim and Deliveryman but it wasn’t until a few months later that I realized it was the same actor from Closer. I followed what his projects were but I wasn’t enough of a fan to watch Hyeri in Two Cops for him yet lol. He wasn’t really busy in 2018 now that I think about. 2019 was the year where I was 100% heart eyed over him though.

His fame throws me for a loop all the time. Some of my friends that only come across kdramas on Netflix know who he is. It always throws me off when I see them following him on IG or their usernames on his list of likes. I’ll ask them if they’re fans too and it’s always an immediate yes. It’s crazy and funny at the same time. Oh KSH, if only you knew you had fans all the way over here in my little rural town in the middle of nowhere, USA.

This is the first time I follow an actor on a variety show so I’m not very familiar with how shooting schedules work. I’m not caught up either to the episodes that overlapped with SU so I can’t say anything on that end. I have seen some comments, such as @silkwave ‘s saying he looked tired sometimes. It’s a bit concerning but then again I’ve always found the Korean filming schedules to be concerning. Then accommodating a member more than others may be inconvenient to the rest of the crew. I remember him saying no to variety so when they announced he’d join 2D1N I was honestly scratching my head. I remember watching about 30 minutes of episode one when it premiered and I had to stop because it was weird to see him in variety. I have grown to like it and I laugh a lot with all the members honestly but like I said I haven’t reached the episodes where he’s tired.

Did you see the article where he said his agency told him to control his expressions on 2D1N and keep the weird to a minimum? Ack! These are the things I start to frown at. Now he has an “image” to keep. How much is he going to have suppress now just overall, not specifically just on 2D1N?

@yongsital Ugh! That blows! I was wondering where you went lol!

This pic was cute, but at the same time made me a bit sad. He’s now a star, it feels incongruous to think he’s now going to marketed that way. To think, he was just in theatre/bubble where those things don’t happen. I hope it doesn’t get too much in his head. https://twitter.com/seonho_daily/status/1344834831838973952

Ha, that’s funny:2Cops poster. Ngl, NJH/Suzy’s names were the ones that piqued my interest regarding the show. I heard about it when it was going to be made, when it was Sandbox. I just recall people bashing on their acting lol.

He’s been around/everywhere, yet it took a lot of people some time to finally acknowledge/recognize him. He was great in CTG, sucks that he’s doesn’t seem to like the show that much.

Ah, yea it’s weird when you know someone before they blew up. Like a lil secret.

As for 2d1n, the only variety show I used to watch more than clips of was I Live Alone when the old gang was there. But honestly, I’ll watch them clips here and there. For me personally, it does affect my image of them. I recall watching Start Up, and 2d1n popped up, and it was during a crying scene. I was like, yeah need to slow down.

Honestly, his path diverting is just woah. He did say he was interested in variety, but overall would always say no to them. He said he wanted to continue acting forever, but something changed. For me, I guess I’m a bit unique in the case, that I prefer my favs to be low-key in rl, when they aren’t promoting/filming. I’m a bit afraid, he might F up & do something/say something controversial/in-sensitive on 2d1n.

Haha, right? I’m still like huh?? on him being on 2d1n, for someone who says he’s shy/introvert, that’s the last thing I want is people to know more about me outside the screen/variety. It doesn’t fit imo, I just feel like him going down the path of Cho Seung Woo/Ju Ji Hoon in terms of drama/films, staying low-key type is where I thought he would be. This whole entertainer thing cheapens him a bit (sorry!). I wonder if his F4 group lol still talks to him, he hasn’t mentioned their names in a while. I hope he still keeps those friends before his fame, there’s going to be lots of fake/hanger on’s now.

Yes, I saw the article! Yep, tick tock…At some point, he has to choose acting or variety. Yes, it greats the positive things he gained from it. But at some point, he’s one step/two steps away from blowing up. Not saying Hallyu sense, but a career defining role no?

I worry his comedic persona on 2d1n will affect his acting going forward. I don’t want to see him do slapstick (Waikiki), I prefer to see a more grown up/mature version of KSH, as an actor. He’s 4 yrs from 40 (35 in Korea), so he’s at an awkward stage in his career. So many of his peers, have gotten big/career roles at 33-38. He’s 2-3 yrs away from that. The choices he makes will determine his path. HJP is a start, but it’s not his career defining role.

@yongsital PT 2: Lol, turns out there’s plenty to discuss haha!

On his agency: Regarding monitoring his expressions now, :3. I knew it was going to happen. I feel like he has more pressure on him, esp. given how Korea is a lookism society/industry. He even said, a good friend told him to focus more on his face/skin a few yrs back. So he decided to go see a dermatologist.

I just worry a bit is I see two sides to it: 1) He stays on 2d1n, but at the expense of his acting career. 2) Would SALT forgo the possible revenue he might bring?. Another worry, is what is his path? Is to be an entertainer or an actor?

He can do both, but I heard that actors tend not be full time members to have that balance between their personal/public image. I wonder if he might feel obliged to fulfill those needs of people wanting him to expand on his acting career, now that he got more fans/expectations now?

Sometimes, I wonder if he wants all of this? He acted for 8 yrs on theatre, and was content/fulfilled by it, so it shows that he could just do 2d1n/plays. But the reason why 2d1n has him is b/c he’s also a drama actor. If he forgo’ed being a drama actor, there’s not much of an impetus to have him on 2d1n.

At the end of the day, he’s at a stage in his professional life, where has now has choices/offers than ever before. HJP was his star turn, but not his rise to A List Super Stardom. He’s now a hot rising actor. Of course, if he doesn’t choose wisely/goes back to the place he was before Start Up, that’s ok too. I hope SALT/himself don’t beat himself up as a result.

Crazy to think in 5-6 yrs, he’ll be 40. I wonder what actor or stage his career will be by that point. On a fan p.o.v, now is the time to strike when the iron’s hot. Him/SALT know that.

I think he likes Start Up b/c his acting finally got acknowledged. I’m curious if the public will still see HJP/or still crave HJP, in his next work? His other peers did rom-coms in their early to mid 20s. So in comparison to them, he can’t like build up about a decade of generic/fluffy work. I’m sure, he would hate that lol. Like you said prior post, I’m a bit worried that Kpop fans trickled into his fandom now. He’s 34 (35 in Korea) lol, just beginning to finally gain popularity. It’s so weird that the actors who got to do dramatic roles, were around his age. Ex. Cho Seung Woo (36) Stranger or Ji Sung (36) Kill Me, Heal Me. Is he going down the Lee Min Ho/Ji Chang Wook path of stardom? Or the Kang Ha Neul/Jo Jong Seok path of stardom? 1st one is celebrity/fame/seldom doing roles/or doing fluffy stuff to maintain their fame. Or 2) Private/Mysterious Actors who only come out to act/promote their work, & do Film/dramas, but don’t chase the celebrity lifestyle.

What is the path SALT whats to take him? What is the path KSH wants? Him working with Idol/Young Actresses could be a detriment when he gets older, b/c the work he gets might be just rom-com/romance which would stagnate his acting progress.

@yongsital @soulsearch12 I do think him being in 1n2ds boosted his career. 1n2ds is still one of the most loved variety shows in Korea (after more than 10 years) and it’s in a prime weekend slot. It’s also an age-friendly show, which means everyone in the family can watch. I do think being in 1n2ds was a good decision on his part and actually on all the cast part. KBS did a good job casting people for 1n2ds, they tend to have good chemistry and are well liked and that affection overflows to their other projects. I somehow think the reaction to his role in Startup would be lesser if not for his variety show persona. 1n2ds cast are kept in the limelight weekly when it airs, and their articles tend to trend as it is a very liked, family friendly show.

@katakwasabi I hear that a lot too about 2d1n, w/ helping KSH’s in the general public. Prior to joining, he was ‘unknown.’ I guess for us fans, we were perplexed at 1st, b/c dude himself said he wasn’t going to do any variety, so it was a huh moment at 1st. From a P.R perspective, it seemed to pay off well for him. Since he began later than his peers, it’s another way to gauge up more interest for him. I guess the only discrepancy is that as KSH gets more famous is how he’ll balance the opportunities he’ll get with also being an entertainer. And just worried how his mental/physical will be able to handle doing theatre/dramas/possibly films/variety & giving it his all, when he’s looked exhausted trying to give it his all :O Also, given how his agency recently told him to be more cautious w/ his image going forward on 2d1n…

“It’s also an age-friendly show, which means everyone in the family can watch.” Good point too! It’s good to get a wide spread of fans in all ages/genders! My grandma really likes KSH haha, so he’s def. appeals to all ages lol. I guess it’s apparent that it did help him loads w/ his confidence. I did notice a more confident/playful actor in S.U. I think all in all, the comments on this thread, stem from us grateful that he finally got recognized for his talents, but also worry about more expectations being placed on him for his next work. And how 2d1n will fit into his future prospects as an actor going forward, in regards to schedule conflicts/personal life matters/& such.

“1n2ds cast are kept in the limelight weekly when it airs, and their articles tend to trend as it is a very liked, family friendly show.” That’s good to know. Sometimes given the click bait titles that are mostly KSH lol, I get it. I just hope he doesn’t get into any controversies nor scandals during his time in 2d1n. My one silly ? is when you’re on a family friendly show, is there a say that he has to steer clear of doing any roles which won’t be family friendly? Or do they lay off of that? KSH’s next role is in ‘Ice’ & his role there is more violent/cuss filled/aggressive detective. I think that’s the only ? mark, I’ve is if he can’t do certain roles/projects b/c of 2d1n? Who knows what the future holds!? I say it’s best to enjoy the ride as it goes!

> Sometimes given the click bait titles that are mostly KSH lol, I get it.

@soulsearch12 1n2d articles trending was even before Kim Sun Ho suddenly got a huge spotlight on him after StartUp. 1n2ds has been going on for years. It’s one of the highest rated weekend variety show for years. It’s also a representative variety show for KBS.

>when you’re on a family friendly show, is there a say that he has to steer clear of doing any roles which won’t be family friendly?

No. Look at Yoon Jung Hoon. His latest drama was Lies after Lies. I didn’t watch, but the description sounds makjang-ish hahaha. Also…I don’t think Kim Sun Ho will play the bad guy on TV 🤣

@katakwasabi Yeah the click bait can sometimes get a bit racy/raunchy and it’s always involves KSH in it…Well they know what trends…

Yeah, I heard of the show due to S3’s fiasco. But yeah anyways, no matter who comes in/out, the show will prob. go on forever with a constant revolving door of new people coming in and out. It’s the nature of a variety show. As one goes, another one comes in. Plus, once you get to spend time with people like 2d1n does, you start to break down your walls.

“No. Look at Yoon Jung Hoon. His latest drama was Lies after Lies.” LOL. I watched it, and there was no kiss scene or anything in-appropriate. Considering KBS’s morning dramas/daily shows, its fine haha. He did whisper act, which was frustrating lol. “I don’t think Kim Sun Ho will play the bad guy on TV 🤣” Strongest Delivery Man lol? Sorta, he was made to out be a villain there. I want to see him try haha!!

P.S: The persona you saw a bit of in 2d1n, did he come across well in it?

@soulsearch12 So much to catch up on! In a nutshell, I’d like KSH to go down the JJS or Kang Hanuel route. They’re not Hallyu stars but they’re respected actors with solid projects in their repertoire. A few meh ones here and there but that’s inevitable. I’d really not like him going down the LMH or JCW route lol for different but very strong reasons. I don’t see him being casted in film soon as I think dramas are more of his target audience now. The thing is the kdrama industry is running out of ideas. I feel like there are less and less dramas I thoroughly enjoy each year. Some of them use old tropes too much and others try to be ingenious and end up creating weird dramas. 😅 I hope this Mr. Hong drama is one of the good ones, if they ever confirm him for it.

The 2D1N conversations are interesting. It just seems like a lot with the 100 other things he’s doing now. I don’t want him to leave the show because I do enjoy it but I wonder how long the cast overall will stick around. Also, if he’s enjoying himself it sucks to have to monitor yourself the whole time you’re filming…or maybe the poor editing team has to edit stuff out lol.

This is slightly random but katakwasabi reminded me of it by mentioning KSH’ popularity because of 2D1N…did you ever watch the episode where they had to go around a rest stop and see how many people recognized them? It was episode 1 or 2? Pretty much no one recognized the poor guys. It would be neat to see what the outcome would be if they did that again. Also an interesting way to see who KSH’s audience is. Kim Jong Min was the only one that was recognized and they were all older folks.

We’ll just have to see I guess. We’re just at a standstill of sorts waiting for them to confirm his next step. For all we know, SALT may just wait for his play to wrap up before announcing his next project.

@yongsital Loving this analytical talk! 🙂 PT 1 lol!

IA. KSH did say JJS is his acting idol. As JJS was a theatre legend, I do recall he did say JJS seldom gave him advice on 2 Cops lol. I too would like to see him go down JJS/KHN or Cho Seung Woo’s path. Him going down a KHN route would be dope! Altho KHN is very private, & seldom does fan stuff at all, which is a good thing imo b/c it creates boundaries. He also doesn’t do much variety, & diversifies his roles/stuff he takes on. But still is able to maintain a degree of privacy/normalcy, which is something I would like for KSH. Big fame/such could be a lot for him, & could change him :/ Actors who still do plays time to time, but also do films/tv. Private individuals outside of acting, which I prefer. Sometimes knowing too much about their personal life can be a detriment. He’s at a weird crossroads in his career. What kind of projects/things he does from now, will decide where he’ll land in 2/3 yrs.

Another aspect is the What If? is if he doesn’t capitalize on rn, it’ll seem like a waste of his looks, skills, and potential. He could 2 ways, an award winning actor or someone low-key like a Lee Joon Hyuk who gets ML/2nd ML’s in good projects, and under the radar fame/recognition wise. Or a Hallyu talent, like a PSJ (Better Ex?), a Heartthrob but slowly gaining a foothold in film/tv. The negatives are loss of privacy, more attention on his personal life, more secrecy, & being more careful/shrouded in interviews/his image now. More P.R controlled.

Do you mind expanding a bit on him going the LMH or JCW route? I assume by him doing works that’s romance based/appeasing his fanbase/agency? But not going for complex projects? Turning into a product?

He loves films, & he did say he was looking to debut in one. I do feel sad that he won’t be able to go to his local cinema & watch a film alone now 🙁 This was in 2019! Short time, so many changes occurred in his life. Rn, he hasn’t established a foothold in the TV industry yet. He said during Chief Kim, it was hard at 1st trying to break into the cliquey actors club on set. While he has a theater family, dramas are another thing. It’s a seedy industry like all industries are. As he goes on, he’ll be more aware of that, & might be jaded.

Yeah, I feel like there’s prob. a handful of dramas (tvN being my fav: Glad they offered him roles!), that I like every yr. But generally, you start to get burnt out from the same recycled stories w/ diff. leads.

I saw the film, & it was fine. The drama could do a better job expanding the FL/ML/etc. I do notice he tends to like slice of life dramas more. He mostly picks projects that focus more on character growth and less on romance. He likes to dive in deep on a character. He would be perfect for a Noh Hee Kyung (Goodbye Solo/Live) or (Shin Wonho/Lee Woo-sung) Reply/Hospital Playlist writers dramas. Their shows are more focused on character growth, & their relationships w/ others than just romance.

@soulsearch12 hah forgot to tag you

LMH/JCW don’t do anything for me, looks/acting wise. I just hope KSH won’t do racist drivel like BSR ever!!

You’re kinder than I would be lol! Stars have to maintain their image, & what works for their success. Actors are diff., they challenge themselves, might miss/flop, but takes some risks/grow. As for LMH, he’s doing Pachinko (Great Book), so who knows? Ditto on JCW’s career path. It seems messy, & cluttered. No direction from his agency/himself. He also looks a bit plastic surgery like, neither there/here for me an actor/person.

The plus side is, KSH debuted later than both guys. They did fluffy work in their early to mid 20s to gain a footing. But KSH is 34, don’t see him doing those works they did to get a footing. That would be a stupid career decision/path, as he’ll get more better/mature work in his late 30s if he chooses well rn.

He’s at an age where it’s now or never. If he got it at 37, it might’ve been a bit late for him/SALT to usher in his career into new heights. I think he’s enjoying it too. In 16′, he told his fan to take a pic of him. That does suck that he’s losing that ability to do things freely. Even though he may come as shy, I do think like most actors, he likes getting recognized for his talents.

Speaking of, did you hear about his background? I’m so proud that he came from the slums, to where he is now thru hard work/himself. He seems humble about his background, and appreciative of where he is now.His mom told him if he gets known, is to help those in need.

He took a trip w/ his BFFs in Feb,& looked happy/carefree there. Downside to fame, esp. given Korea’s idol worship of celebs. He can still go out, see a film alone, but he’ll have to be more careful now. In 18′, he said he would go to cafes & play w/ his friends. Even Hallyu stars like Gong Yoo said it’s a lonely life he has to live due to his fame 🙁

As for SMA, she’s a bigger name & #9 on Highest Paid TV Actresses. I think a bit of both? What I realize for castings in K-dramas, is they offer the deal to both stars, but it’s not 100%. She’s at 50%? It’s not until it gets closer to the release date, when we see actual confirmation. Even then, a FL or ML could change due to schedule conflicts. For SMA, I worry b/c she’s attached to 2 other dramas. Here seems the most certain, since she confirmed, but it’s been delayed since 19′. That has a bigger star cast/writer, so if that gets the ok, she might drop Mr. Hong 🙁

As I said, I love SMA, as a person/actress. She would help KSH in the romance genre as she did w/ LJK. Also a great experience for him, as she’s a veteran in tv/film. Him working w/ her bodes well in his career, as she’s worked w/ only big names/legends. It means KSH’s future co-stars could be similar A List level/Hallyu star. Both said positively reviewing lol. I think KSH is awaiting SMA’s confirmation too? Plus, she’s attached so dating rumors wise, he’ll be less burdened? I’m not sure how he’ll handle those rumors in the future.

@soulsearch12
I’ve never watched LMH nor JCW in a drama. I tried Healer and dropped it and I’ve never started a LMH one. I’ve only seen clips here and there and I just don’t care for their acting but that’s just my personal preference. In a roundabout way, if Hallyu stars/actors take up the more mainstream dramas, so be it! I find it as welcomed news so that my faves don’t get attached to those dramas. 🤭

I’m all about original characters and sometimes an actor can elevate the quality of a charater with their interpretation. I’m honestly not too concerned about KSH doing rom-coms because I don’t think it’s the trajectory he has in mind for the long run. So if he does one or two, like you said, I’ll just hope it’s a good one and see it as him paving his way to dramas with more substance. Oooh and I hadn’t thought of it the other way around. Maybe SALT & KSH want to see SMA attached to Mr. Hong first. I know who she is but I’ve never seen her in action but I’m sure KSH would feel honored to work alongside such an established veteran.

I vaguely remember reading about his background. The one thing that made an impression was how their home was broken into and they were injured. That’s terrifying!
Do you think he’ll have enough of a break to take some time off to relax? I feel like the guy is going to need a recharge soon with all that he’s been up to. Recharge and come with a fresh mind to your new project, whatever it may be!

@yongsital PT 1:NGM: Maybe?Usually for females, when they get married, unless your established,it’s hard. But for NGM,b/c he is established now, I think he’ll be fine. Even Jang Hyuk, has slowed down once he got kids. He’ll still get offers, but maybe not work as much (His personal choice too). Granted, dude works 2-3 dramas a yr. So he’ll prob. do a drama every yr. Him not being a rom-com guy helps his offers/versatility!

Jang Hyuk: Was in the industry since the early 90s, so he’s been grinding hard. Plus less competition back then, so he was able to rise w/ meaty roles. There’s a show called Into the Sunlight which seems primed for a remake. Something natural, but character driven, which would be good for Seon-ho. As for him getting Chuno, crazy right? He was already a big name moreso in the 2000s, so he was just in the right time/place to get a career defining part like that.

Joo Won: Loads of actors turned down Bridal Mask b/c of the Japanese thing, not to risk their fanbase there. I heard Lee Seung Gi was offered and said no, so KBS rumored to have blacklisted him. So JW was the only one who said yes, & KBS gave him 2d1n/Weekend drama as a gift.

I thought about this but, one person turning down a role could be one’s fortune. Yeah, hard agree. Why is it that in K-dramas, visuals triumph over acting? Some actors want to look “good” all the time, its feels stagnant. I hope he also sticks w/ his acting principles. Of course, Korea’s beauty industry is demanding but I think for the most part he doesn’t care? In S.U, he has smile lines, and isn’t afraid to cry ‘ugly’ (Yeah that’s a thing, some actors don’t emote in fear of looking ‘ugly’ huh?). He did say he did put more effort into his appearance since being on TV. He said when he was on Chief Kim, he thought he had to lose weight. And didn’t put lotion on his face until he was on tv, lol. Please no botox/weird surgery procedures PLS!! I want him to age naturally, don’t mess up your face!

He looked sorta douchey w/ that hair color/jean jacket combo. Lol, at that being his only outfit. He looks the best in his regular hair color. Even in CTG, his hair color was nice too. Bit of color that’s not too flashy is fine. He’s not a Kpop idol. Light hair colors look weird on his skin tone.

His former SDM co-star Ki-hoon referee him to 100 Days PD, who said KSH fit the brainy sexy guy quality lol. I came across a scathing review/comment about KSH & his 2d1n persona. It said he doesn’t try hard/slacker compared to Yoon Shi Yoon, & he’s dumb as rocks. Damn, look I don’t watch the show, but ouch. She also said for the sake of his acting image, he pulls back. Like he has strong physical abilities (rock climbs well), but his physical stamina is weak. It made me think him being on this show is making him seem like a slacker/dumb guy :3

On 100 Days: Some said they got 2nd Lead syndrome lol.But it seems he wasn’t in the show that much to make much of an impression judging from your comments.

@yongsital This is the correct reply, ignore the NGM one!

Haha, same here! I only watched a bit of The Heirs, and dropped. Same with Healer (Not from acting, but wasn’t in the mood for it). Lol yep, I mean even if KSH doesn’t end up in that route. I much prefer him to have a Im Siwan/Jung Kyung Ho route of doing weird work but also some mainstream work. Mixing it up every now and then. Longevity is key. He may not be a trendy actor, but he’ll be able to take part in some quality projects. I also hope he’ll debut in film after establishing his place in drama land. He would kill it in film, & get to do some wacky/transformation parts.

Same. I just want to see him do 2 full rom-coms/romance show to get it out the way, and also b/c I want to see him in a proper kiss scene! Just give me smart FL, and sexy/flirty banter/skin-ship!! It’s unfair his plays show that, lol 😉 It’s how he gets his fanbase to grow, but IA, he’s someone who picks characters based parts than romance, so it’s not his future path. Unless, he gets a Hallyu role in the next 2-3 yrs :O

Speaking of, I wonder if kissing actors over/over again does anything? Wonder how he’ll take dating rumors lol. He’s so affectionate to everyone, that I’m sure his FL has been confused before!

SMA only has Here, that could get delayed again as LBH is filming a film in March. So Mr. Hong has to get made ASAP!! It’s weird how other shows are showing teasers. Maybe after Mouse? SMA is great, very emotive, and has a powerful on-screen presence in both TV/Film. She was doing romance in TV until Chief of Staff (More dramatic/bad-ass), and Diva (Thriller/Horror which she got a Korean Oscar nom for Best Actress). He’s in good hands lol. She’s also a kind/lovely person in rl, she donates 100K annually to burn victims/visits them in hospitals. I’m glad if it occurs, he’s going to be working w/ a good person too. TG it’s not an idol or young actress. It’s why he and Moon Ga Young didn’t have that chemistry. Also Lee Joon Gi said she helped him w/ kiss scenes lol in their show, so it’ll be a good thing for KSH to learn from her/gain more experiences w/ a veteran like her. She’s worked w/ legends/big names, so KSH joining the ranks bodes well for his career!

Right, I can’t believe he made it out intact & became a kind person. I’m proud that he came from nothing, & from a poor neighborhood to where he is now. Very admirable.

Personally esp. given the fast pace of the industry, nope 🙁 On his day off his play, instead of relaxing or mingling w/ his theatre mates, he has to do a Tik Tok fan meeting :O Which sure is nice, but eh too much fan service ain’t a great thing sometimes. Boundaries y’all. He might be having a very brief break, like 1 day off. He looks tired, if you see his eyes. He said in a 18′ interview, that he used to have lots of stamina, but w/o a break, he feels tired.+His play ends, he’ll jump into his next work soon after.Maybe when he’s settled down/w/kids, he’ll rest ://

@soulsearch12 PART 1
I’m back! Between being super busy and DB not cooperating I haven’t had time to sit down lol.

I don’t know if anyone is ready for a full romcom with KSH lol. Am I ready? Heh, I am actually. I’m all in for seeing him play a character that falls in love and makes everyone swoon! I’m sure he can pull it off. Mr. Hong doesn’t sound like a pure straight on romance though. So maybe we won’t get what we want in that drama. It really sounds like Mr. Hong might be more character driven with a slow burn type of romance. I’m good with that too but we’ll just have to wait for a good romcom I guess. That is if he ever confirms Mr. Hong, which by what you say, we may not get a confirmation at all, at least not from SALT. For all we know we just might get a filming picture one day. 🙃 Totally ready for SMA to confirm too. If not, I want to know who else might be in the works. I do appreciate the fact that she’s a good person outside of acting. The industry is unfortunately tainted by questionable actors so I hope KSH never ends up working with any of them. Or with talentless actors…idols actors. Hyeri was enough for him to cross paths with (sorry!). They just bring down the entire quality of the drama with bad acting. If he works with idol actors please let it be the good ones. You know what I would also like? A bromance centered drama, as in no love triangle involved. Something along the lines of Two Cops with him alongside a veteran actor. Two Cops was wasted potential tbh. Like a brotherhood type of relationship and in a more serious drama. Idk, I’m just spitting out ideas. I’m going to cross my fingers that he works with some of my faves in the future though!

@soulsearch12 PART 2
Plays seem like they’d be really tiring too! Having to perform consistently for months in front of an audience. Wow. Shooting dramas is a challenge but theater seems to have it’s own challenges too. Seems like he’ll be very busy in the next few months. I did see that Tik Tok event. The promo/teaser/whatever you call it (lol) with the rice is actually what I saw last week that topped my KSH overdose. Not judging anyone that likes Tik Tok but I personally don’t get it (?) so seeing him even having events planned on that platform just had me throwing my arms in the air. like is this necessary? Anyways, I’m not SALT, just a fan. I’ll just sit back and skip a few of KSH’s schedules. I’d much rather read interviews than see him wink at my screen. 😁 Ok…so apparently I have a lot to say. For example, before he would do the little finger heart thing. He’d especially do the whole act where he’s “looking” for something and he’d pull out his finger heart from his pocket. It’s so dorky and silly and everyone does it but it was funny! It came so naturally from him at the randomest moments. Those where the good ole days!! Now he does finger hearts and wears the bunny hat and I catch myself wondering how much of this is KSH being Kim Seon Ho and how much is KSH being the IT guy (as you mentioned) catering to a new fanbase? Is this the image SALT is projecting? I’m not saying he’s not being sincere because I’m sure he’s enthusiastic and invested in his career and success and appreciates his fans. It’s just that when you do something too much then it’s not as special or funny anymore.

I sound like such a debbie downer and if anyone else is reading this they probably question how much of a fan I am lol. This is the first time one of my favorite actors skyrockets in popularity. I’ve either become a fan after they’ve established their career or my faves have always remained on the down low. I’m used to rooting for the underdogs alongside a relatively small group of fans. I do think he will “lose” some of the newly attached fans in the next months. First of all, I don’t think all of them will follow him with his play. His time in theater is for his domestic fanbase in Korea. International fans can’t really enjoy those. Pity. Some of his SU fans may lose interest, not intentionally obviously, just naturally get interested in other actors/dramas. Others, I’m sure, will wait patiently for his next TV project. Anyways, I still love the guy (realllllyy!) but these next few weeks will be my detox of sorts haha 🤭

Btw, if I recall correctly, the 100 Prince press conference is the most memorable for all of his accessories. Idk why he had so much that day because he never really wore/wears them for press conferences.

@yongsital Keep hearing about DB having issues, strange. Hope its been fixed! Take your time w/ answering/giving your thoughts! No need to rush, it seems like it’ll a while before we get any news on his next work!

PT 1: Turns out there’s a lot to say about KSH HA!

Romcom: Well dude has CHEMISTRY w/ anyone/anything! A chemistry magnet. I find his gazes more swoony/real, so if he does a full romance genre, whew! His scenes in YDMC (I know it’s your least fav of his), but I loved the down to earth/more ‘real’ aspect, like I would know that guy in rl type of vibes which is also something he seems to gel towards.

Is it sad, that I’m a bit heartbroken about that? I think it’s b/c while going down the rom-com route isn’t something I want for him. I do want him to do a few of those (not the sappy/childish romance), but I want to see him in something where he gets to be sexy, flirty, and seductive lol w/ a FL that’s strong willed, independent, and flirty too ha! He’s 35, not 25! Given K-drama news, I notice they confirm the cast like months after they began shooting lol? We’ll never know until we see the pics/table of them reading the script. Wut!?

Bit worried for SMA, b/c she has 2 other projects she’s in talks for. Same, there’s so many shady/seedy people (who are still working EW). Don’t want SH to work w/ those type of figures, I seen some actors who are in those crowds and honestly, I side eye them. I wouldn’t be surprised, that the more SH works in the industry, if he’ll get jaded by it one day. He did say theatre is his beginning and his end.

“I needed time to adjust to the atmosphere in the field. I even thought about quitting after Chief Kim.If the theater was a forest, the drama scene was like a desert.It felt like everyone cared about their own work. I found out after a while.The drama scene is going around so fast and the staff members have been through so many people that they just didn’t have to come forward.”Seems he hasn’t adjusted to drama setting.

Other than Nana,idols carry baggage (fandoms/hijinks)him & Yoona while cute, doesn’t really inspire much confidence/interest. I heard Hyeri bogged down 2Cops :3 Altho that show got flack for bad writing/acting minus 2 ML’s. KSH is friends w/ one of the Hospital Playlist actors (Jung Moo-sung) from his plays, so him in that type of crew/show working w/ those writers would be such a good fit for him!

But it does Here (Which she confirmed for) was pushed back, & LBH (ML in Here) has another film for March. So it’ll get pushed back, as the other cast got a D.U.I (SMH), so yeah. I hope she confirms, but it’s a bit concerning that other shows have been talked about for months, are airing soon. So I think Mr. Hong might be March/April release if they’re trying for 1st half of 2021.

Speaking of tvN, the CEO of their TV department, said he’s one of the stars they’re looking to work more w/! tvN &/ or Netflix is a good thing as he’ll get more quality scripts/cast/relationship.

@yongsital PT 2:

I heard KSH did well for Ice (Preview),he curses a lot. Seems like a diff.role for him to stretch his talents out! Wish he’ll do a role like that on-screen. He said doing 2Cops/Play together killed him/never again. His Nov. V-Live was more charming/less P.R driven.His Dec. V-Live, he read an instruction that said”It’s been so long since we met!”& then he said that right after. It’s 100% PR/SALT. Yet, SALT doesn’t do this 4 their other actors?Ha, ikr?I mean it’s nice sure, but cheesy? He’s 35,like why is he being pushed to do cringy stuff? He said that he’s not a SNS guy,& doesn’t want to feel pressured to post/will only do if he wants to.It does seems like he’s a star yes, but too much of this could turn off his OG fans. Same boat,I don’t check his SNS stuff as much b/c it feels like SALT/or etc. is pushing him out more.I also much prefer to read interviews/(tidbits before his fame). Didn’t he say he wants to be seen as sexy/be sexy? Surely, these things don’t seem like his doing.He’s a rising star, yes, but hope they ease on the cringe fan stuff.He’s an introvert, so wonder if this is all too much?

He’s not an IT guy (I thought so, but that’s a bit soon for him), but a rising star now that has more eyes on him than before. Even the dimples/smiling seems a bit much now?Don’t get why they’re pushing him to this cutesy act?It feels unlike him, his Nov. V-Live seemed more real. IA. Of course, he’s a goofy/dorky guy, but when one starts to over-do those aspects, it start to feel image/PR driven.

Ha, don’t fret too much about it!I think it’s prob. us & a few lurkers, but it’s prob. buried deep.Are you me? Right, usually every actor I follow is already big/famous/or not yet.But it’s always from a distance, this time, for SH, he’s such a fresh/exciting actor (Korea or not), that I’m curious where he’ll land. It happens, someone younger/hotter/etc. will pop up. As for theatre, it’s a shame that his I-fans can’t see them, but I also worry that his K-fans will only see his play b/c he’s in it, & not b/c they like theatre. I know what your feeling too, it’s great he’s got more recognition 4 his talents, but it does feel a bit of a downer when ur fav’s fandom/fame skyrockets a lot. It means less personable interactions/less of their ‘real’ selves :/

That’s why, I wonder how he’ll be career wise in his late 30s/early 40s.He’ll be 38 in 3 yrs/40 in 5.Time flies by fast, so I wonder where he’ll end up.By then, doubt his new fandom will stick to him by then (Depending on his choices).I haven’t felt the same “Yes, new stuff!” about SH for a few wks now.All these new things seem hollow, eh lol. I think it’s good to have a break from ur favs.

I guess, he was going 4 a rocker look?The ring he wears was in his Staff Insta, all the F4 crew has it.For someone who grew up poor, dude loves luxury goods! Saw a pic of his pre-fame play days, & he was wearing a Gucci backpack, & D&G jean jacket.Hope he can save up,& get a place of his own!

@soulsearch12
I’M ALIVE! lol I actually did take a break, not only from KSH but Dramabeans also. Did I miss anything? I don’t think so, nothing confirmed yet it seems. Oh did you see the articles mentioning him with Link again? And possibly MGY as the FL? Possible reunion? If I recall correctly you aren’t fond of that paring lol. I don’t mind it (I’m kinda mad at MGY for being part of True Beauty because it’s such a waste of talent for her heh) but what are the other options? Because I want to see KSH with different leading ladies. Everyone is just dragging out confirmations and all these articles are just stirring up spectators. I have a feeling a decision will be made on KSHs side once they get closer to the end of the play.

Man, it’s so odd to think he is 35. Since he’s relatively new to the small screen I keep thinking he’s in his 20s but he’s not! Has anyone else that you know entered the industry in their 30s? Gosh, I’m sure there are some but I can’t think of any right now.

But you know with romcoms writers struggle towards the end.i hope he gets lucky and lands himself in a solid romcom. It would be bad if he had NGM’s romcom luck or lack thereof.

With his SNS, like his IG he doesn’t really post often. You see him on SNS more brause of other users that post about hin and news article of events like the tiktok one. So I do think he still manages his IG account and posts whenever he really feels motivated to do so. I think his last one was from the award he won? I can’t recall but I hope it stays like that and he doesn’t ever spam us with posts. I’m like.. oohhhh new stuff…yey….can you read my sarcastic lack of enthusiasm? I need to control myself 🤣 thanks a ton for reading my thoughts though, this is the only place where I openly discuss the rising of KSH.

@yongsital Hey! No worries, I took a break from DB too! Not really, just some casting rumors/new magazine articles. He’ll probably has chosen a project already, but isn’t going to reveal it until he finishes his play!

As for Link, he seems to have declined the role. Offering it to Lee Joon Gi after was odd, ngl. As for MGY, she’s talented/has a mature look so this role could bring her back to more adult roles again. I’m not oppose to their pairing, but would like to see someone new! One story is an extra said that the nicest actors on set was him, MGY, and PBG. And when an extra flubbed her line, he said “Don’t worry. We can do it again!” Aww. Other options, I like Park Eun Bin, Lee Se Young, and Han Ye Ri, if we’re talking about actresses who are around his age and good actresses too!

As for his career, I do feel like I over-estimated him lol. As in, a lot of the dramas he’s been in, have been light rom-coms, nothing extremely heavy/dramatic yet. I mean we had a slew of poop/fart jokes, so he’s not above it haha. He did mention that he now feels more pressure now when selecting a project, and that he now thinks is “Is the rating going to be good? Will this be successful?”

I think some of the criticism I read was SALT was marketing like a 20s age actor starting out. I did hear his TikTok thing went well! For 30s, I’ll say a lot of musical/theatre actors who built their fame later in life. Park Hae Joon, Park Hae Soo, Yoo Teo, Jeon Mi Do, Son Seok-koo, Kim Joo-hun, and a slew of others. I’ll say I notice that in Korea, we do see a lot of actors/actresses who work in bit parts before slowly rising to prominence in their mid to late 30s!

Rom-coms: There has to be another element to it other than the romance, to keep the plot from dragging. Another element like sci-fi, action, or etc. He’s done light/slight rom-coms, but not a full one yet. I think he’ll do fine, as he’s shown off those chops before, but something heavy/darker, I’ve yet to see from him yet.

I prefer that way too with his SNS. He said he prefers to post when he wants to. I think his Staff Insta is more updated lol. IA, I also like when actors I’m fan of keeps a balance/line between their SNS/personal life. Haha, I know what you mean. I think its good to have a bit of mystery sometimes. As it makes when they do post/act, that much more richer.

No problem! I’m all ears 🙂 I think its nice to also have this threads about him, whether it be his persona/acting career/future work/etc! Same here. I think its b/c he’s hot rn, so any opinion that goes against the grain gets backlash! So this is really nice to have this insightful talk w/o that freely lol :)!!

No! Hate when that happens, ugh!

You win some, you lose some. He got more famous/CFs/offers now. So, he’s putting his name out there. We lose on 1 hand, b/c he now seems like a celebrity not an actor, so it feels like his actions now are influenced by his agency/himself to put forth an image that preserves his star image now. Yeah, he’s had to do mainstream fan service. During Waikiki 2, a fan said “Can you do a fan meeting in China?” and he said “I can’t even get one in Korea.” Oh, I cringe too. The fan culture/idolatry of celebs in Korea is next level. I feel like its try hard, while its nice, I do feel like he’ll prob. have to indulge in more fan fantasies going forward. I did LOL, when he friend-zoned his fan, by stating friend when the fan was like date me!

You followed him before Waikiki 2/CTG? His new fame must be mind boggling, who knew he would’ve rise like that? What I’m curious about is the PD of S.U chose him, and fixed shooting schedule for him to shoot on 2d1n too. Going forward, won’t this surely be an issue/conflict in his other shoots? He’s not a big name yet, yes he’s very popular rn, but not on a level where he can fix according to his schedule yet. Maybe it’s the cynical side of me, but I think what worries me is he says 2d1n gives him space to de-stress & etc, but what happens when that gets in the way of his acting career? As in, he can’t give 100% to both the variety/acting, & 1 of them wavers as a result? But then he would forgo either variety or acting, & I think that would depress him loads? I just feel like he needs to find an activity or something else that he does other than 2d1n, that gives him a similar feeling so he doesn’t feel awful in case he has to forgo one. Doesn’t he still hang out with his F4 crew? I saw a vid he did w/ them in Feb, for a get-away so surely what about those friends?

I saw a 2018 interview, dude was awkward when he’s by himself.Despite his introvert nature, in group interviews, he tries to be funny. I’ll say that his answers to now haven’t changed much. He enjoyed anonymity for 34 yrs.

I really feel like once he confirms his next project (tvN!), and we see whose in it, and it comes out & etc. That’s when we’ll likely know which direction his career could go, someone whose potential we saw in S.U ascend to that, or not? Surely, after his 1st post S.U project, his 2nd one will be the true litmus test imo. After 2021, it’ll be clearer on where SALT wants to take his career into.

His agency loves him due to the luxury wear they give him. Sometimes, I think it’s a bit tacky ngl. As for SALT, I’m weary of them tbh. Other than PSH (Who got it thru her own merits/connections), they haven’t handled another big name yet. Star vs. Actor: Stark difference. Rn, I feel like his OG plan got warped into a star. He said Song Kang Ho was his acting idol (Serious actor at 1st), he said no to variety.Then post CTG,his path changed :/I rather him become an award winning actor than a Hallyu star.

Shows like 1n2ds doesn’t really show a celebrity private life. They just get together and have fun, viewers are not privy to their private life details much unlike shows that really shows celeb private life and have cameras installed all over the house like Same Bed, Different Dreams or I Live Alone or Return of Superman. But then again, even these shows are not filmed continuously and some are scripted.

I watched 1n2ds since S1, I did watch s4 a bit when it came out. From my observation from seeing several upcoming actors appear on the show throughout the years…Kim Sun Ho is doing fine. He’s way more comfortable than Joowon. I think Joowon was one of the younger cast who really struggled as a variety show fixed cast. Yoon Shi Yoon kinda struggled in the start because he joined mid-season3, right after he was released from military service but he eventually blended so well with the other members. I liked s3, it’s sad what happened to it tarnished the whole season. The cast of s4 are doing so well. They were awkward in the start but since all of them are new, they were on the same page and they built their relationship over time. All in all, I think you don’t need to worry much about Kim Sun Ho choosing to stay in a variety show. He will depart from the show when the time comes. And yes to your last sentence, acting and variety are two different things. Maybe it’s just me but after seeing actors/actresses in behind the scene clips or goof around in variety shows, I appreciate their acting skills more. Hahaha

@katakwasabi This is great information btw! Really appreciate this! I’ve to admit, accepting and viewing actors in relation to their variety persons is a hurdle I’ve to eventually get over.

Even if they don’t show their private life on 2d1n, one has to give pieces of their public persona on the show. KSH said that he can’t reveal all his sides on 2d1n. Yeah, another dirty secret is some of these are scripted to get reactions from the members. It’s never 100% accurate to the people’s personas imo. You get shades/inklings of it, but of course, for actors, they do pull a bit back. I remember reading some comments that KSH was reluctant for some things to not forgo his actor persona.

I find that so interesting that KSH who only debuted on TV in 2017, was more open/less hesitant to show more of himself than Joo Won ever did. Personally speaking, JW is boring personality wise. Reading his interviews, he never cared for the show that much, it seemed like he was almost doing a favor. JW left the show w/o even telling the members he was leaving LOL. That’s how little the show meant to him, & he always was hesitant/reluctant to reveal himself, it seems? Dunno if Lee Seung Gi was the same too before he blew up?

As for KSH and variety, he’ll eventually have to depart. But I guess the bigger ? is, is he aiming to be an entertainer or actor or both? Or just doing new things/testing himself?

Yeah, totally get what you mean by seeing an actor’s persona on a variety show. Sometimes, it’s jarring but for the most part, I do think that on variety shows, actors have to play up the jokes/craziness. On one hand, I’m one of those people that might randomly think of their variety appearances even if its a serious/crying scene Oops! It happened w/ S.U, he was crying/really sad, and 2d1n popped up in my head lol. I was like, time to take a break from it. Again, still getting used to actors being full time members on variety shows.

Anyways, that remains to be seen! I’m just in disbelief that someone who was very introverted/shy due to his past is doing all these things that seem incongruous to that! :O I just hope he challenges himself as an actor, & becomes a respected award winning actor lol!

@soulsearch12 When Joowon entered 1n2ds he was a rookie. His first tv drama was in mid 2010, he joined 1n2ds in early 2012. His 1st drama was megahit Baker King in 2010, followed by very popular weekender ojakgyo family and he did big hit Gaksital during 1n2ds.

>Personally speaking, JW is boring personality wise. Reading his interviews, he never cared for the show that much, it seemed like he was almost doing a favor. JW left the show w/o even telling the members he was leaving LOL. That’s how little the show meant to him, & he always was hesitant/reluctant to reveal himself, it seems?

This is wrong. He did tell the cast he was leaving. It was aired on the show. Some are just not suitable for variety shows. But the whole team chemistry need to be taken into consideration. S2 was fun but it had super high expectations after S1 ended, because believe it or not S1 is still considered the superior season by some fans until this day. Comparing all seasons, I feel S2 had the least chemistry but thats mostly because S2 was too short. 2 or 3 members from S2 returned for S3. S3 was truckloads of fun. The expectations on them were less because s2 was not that popular but S3 revived 1n2ds until it got dragged and ended abruptly. I’m happy it got a new s4 after what happened. 1n2ds was my go to show for years. Though now I have moved on to other variety shows, I had fun when I watched it.