[Actor Spotlight] Hyun Bin

98 December 29, 2018December 28, 2018

by missvictrix

The next actor in our spotlight is Hyun Bin, who is currently starring in tvN’s latest drama, Memories of the Alhambra. Born in Seoul, South Korea in 1982, Hyun Bin made his debut in 2003, and met with pretty swift success. His filmography is filled with a lot of successful projects and acting awards.

His claim to fame came in 2005 with the now classic My Name is Kim Sam Soon, but later dramas like Snow Queen, The World They Live In, and smash hit Secret Garden also won him accolades — and A-list popularity. Hyun Bin is a strong actor, and has succeeded in a lot of diverse roles. He has the uncanny ability to switch between the comedic lead of a light-handed rom-com, to darker and complex roles — so much that it often feels like you’re meeting a completely different Hyun Bin in each of his projects.

Here are some dramaland moments from Hyun Bin, followed by his full filmography.

My Name is Kim Sam Soon (2005)

Hyun Bin and Kim Sun-ah starred in this important (and wonderful!) drama that has gone down in history as one of the “essential” Hallyu classics. Hyun Bin played the arrogant chaebol heir running a high-end restaurant, and Kim Sun-ah played the pastry chef who came to work for him. Kim Sun-ah as heroine Sam Soon was one of the best things about this drama — she wasn’t petite and cutesy, and she wasn’t pretending to be. She was a little doofy, and had been kicked in the pants by life a few times. But she had grit and heart and was a heroine you could win your heart. And score Hyun Bin! His character comes to recognize her value all the way from his lofty chaebol perch, and they eventually go from bickering employer-employee, to a couple that understands each other and brings out the best in each other. Classics are classics for a reason, and this show is a really lovely one. If you are not a Hyun Bin fan, this drama will make you one (I’m proof). Special bonus: it makes you want to bake (and then eat) fancy French desserts.

Secret Garden (2010)

Secret Garden was another huge hit for Hyun Bin, reaching around 40% ratings by the end of its run. Again he played the aloof chaebol, complete with sequined tracksuit, flashy car, and the attitude to match. Much like My Name is Kim Sam Soon, a girl from a world completely different to his own attracted his attention and turned his world upside-down. In Secret Garden though, Ha Ji-won, a badass stunt double, had no interest in his games. Secret Garden is very much a wacky rom-com — especially when the leads start switching bodies, thanks to some strange drama magic. It feels like a Hong Sisters drama, but it’s actually written by Kim Eun-sook, and it’s such an iconic show in Korea that it’s spoofed and given homage to even to this day (my favorite of these being Big Bang’s). Hyun Bin won a Daesang for his performance; I’ve never enjoyed Ha Ji-won more. The supporting cast, Yoon Sang-hyun and Kim Sa-rang also got a lot of attention. And let’s not end this without a shoutout to Ha Ji-won’s stunt manager boss, Phillip Lee, for whom I rooted the entire drama. Third lead syndrome? It’s a thing.

Hyde, Jekyll, Me (2015)

In the year of dual, divergent, and/or multiple personality disorder dramas, Hyde, Jekyll, Me was definitely at the back of the pack. That’s not to say Hyun Bin didn’t give a great performance, starring as both the icy chaebol and the warm and wonderful “Robin” that would emerge when his heart rate got too high (what a fun concept). Which one would the circus troupe heroine played by Han Ji-min meet? The drama posed interesting questions, such as, would the pair be able to unlock the trauma in Hyun Bin’s past? How would they deal — could they deal — with all the entanglements and complications that resulted because of his traumatic past? Though the drama had promise, it got dull pretty fast (for me at least), stuck in a web of predictable plot lines, and it couldn’t compete with the fresher concept and wilder execution of Kill Me, Heal Me. Hyde, Jekyll, Me had some things going for it, though, and that was mostly the cast. In addition to Hyun Bin, Sung Joon and Crinkles (a.k.a. Lee Won-geun) were also present, though not at their best — but I blame the script and not them.

Memories of the Alhambra (2018)

When writer-nim Song Jae-jung pens a new drama, I’m always on alert, and Memories of the Alhambra, is her latest. It’s high on concept and the themes that she frequently explores: lines blurred between realities and timelines. In this drama, Hyun Bin plays the CEO of a company experimenting with a new kind of augmented reality, which opens the door to a whole new kind of gameplay that skirts the line between what’s real, and what’s not. It’s shaping up to be quite a ride! This show is regularly blowing my mind each week with its reveals, reversals, and rule-breaking. I’ve never liked Hyun Bin more — his character in this show is layered, darker, and dare I say, more human, than the other roles I’ve mentioned above. He works really well as the reliable (for now) narrator who is uncovering some pretty scary stuff, and facing a complicated world he no longer knows the rules to. The development of his character from a determined, competitive businessman, to a man haunted and desperate to survive is so well told — and this is just the first half of the drama!

Hyun Bin’s full filmography:

Bodyguard (2003) [Drama]

Hyun Bin made his acting debut with a side role as a stalker (!) in this drama about a newly employed bodyguard.

Nonstop 4 (2004) [Drama]

Long-running sitcom famous for giving idols and actors their start. This time it was Hyun Bin’s turn.

Ireland (2004) [Drama]

Hyun Bin plays a bodyguard (swoon) in this drama about intersecting characters and family members. Also stars Kim Na-young, Kim Min-joon, and Kim Min-jung. The entire cast picked up awards for this drama, including Hyun Bin for Best New Actor.

Spin Kick (2004) [Film]

A washed-up high school martial arts team, led by Hyun Bin, enters a national Taekwondo competition.

Daddy Long Legs (2005) [Film]

Hyun Bin has a supporting role in this Ha Ji-won film about a young orphan and her mysterious benefactor.

My Name is Kim Sam Soon (2005) [Drama]

Classic and wonderful rom-com with Hyun Bin as the chaebol restaurateur, and Kim Sun-ah as the pastry chef. A must-watch for fans of rom-coms (see above).

Nonstop 5 (2005) [Drama/Cameo]

Hyun Bin cameos in this installment of Nonstop after starring in the previous season.

The Snow Queen (2006) [Drama]

Hyun Bin and Sung Yu-ri star in this romance melodrama about two reconnecting characters who help each other heal from the past.

A Millionaire’s First Love (2006) [Film]

Story of the romance between millionaire Hyun Bin and Lee Yeon-hee, a girl with a secret.

The World They Live In (2008) [Drama]

Stars Hyun Bin and Song Hye-gyo in a story about the world of Korean drama making. I want to watch this one, but am worried too much satire might squash the K-drama magic.

Friend, Our Legend (2009) [Drama]

One of the few early K-dramas that was entirely pre-produced. This one is about a group of friends coming of age on the streets of Busan (Korean version of The Outsiders, maybe?)

I Am Happy (2009) [Film]

Hyun Bin and Lee Bo-young (that sounds like some nice casting!) star in this movie about a psychiatric patient and the nurse he falls in love with.

Secret Garden (2010) [Drama]

Body swap rom-com that pretty much made drama history (see above).

Late Autumn (2011) [Film]

This English-language film was a joint project from South Korea, Hong Kong, China, and the U.S. — Hyun Bin and Tang Wei star as a man on the run and a woman on parole.

I Love You, I Love You Not (2011) [Film]

Art film with long-takes and real-time scenes, starring Hyun Bin as the husband whose wife, Im Soo-jung, announces she is leaving him.

The Fatal Encounter (2014) [Film]

Also known as The King’s Wrath, this period film about King Jeongjo was Hyun Bin’s return project after his military duty, and his first sageuk.

Hyde, Jekyll, Me (2015) [Drama]

Hyun Bin has multiple personalities and multiple problems in this drama (see above).

Confidential Assignment (2017) [Film]

Hyun Bin is scruffy, and shooting bad guys while hanging out of a sports car going dangerous speeds in this action film. Sign me up.

The Swindlers (2017) [Film]

Ensemble crime-action film starring Hyun Bin, Yoo Ji-tae, Park Sung-woong, and Nana, who just ruined that amazing line-up for me.

The Negotiation (2018) [Film]

Hyun Bin stars with Sohn Ye-jin in this crime thriller with crisis negotiation, hostages, and plot twists.

Rampant (2018) [Film]

Joseon zombie action film (yes) starring Hyun Bin and Jang Dong-gun.

Memories of the Alhambra (2018) [Drama]

Rule-bending, chills-inducing drama starring Hyun Bin as a hero who gets in over his head with an augmented reality video game (see above).

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Tags: Actor Spotlight, Hyun Bin

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1 Tintel

December 29, 2018 at 10:09 AM

True that he melts into every character he plays, even the dark ones... except when the killer dimples show up and ruin everything!

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2 wapz

December 29, 2018 at 10:10 AM

Well besides looks, I guess he was with a very good agency to reach peak stardom very early. My name is Kim Sam Soon is the show well deserving to be called a classic because it still holds up well minus the dated cinematography. And now I want good rom coms like this again.

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sweetsour

December 29, 2018 at 6:10 PM

Comment was deleted

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wapz

December 29, 2018 at 10:58 PM

Even if I would like that to happen there is a very big tendency to mess it up unless it is ctrlC, ctrlV exactly. Plus I don't think any actress today might put up 15kg for a role unlike KSA.

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3 oppafangirl

December 29, 2018 at 10:27 AM

So, he is our Chaebol king! I see he likes a lot to play Chaebols! But he is good not that I have seen him doing anything else.

Kim sam soon is one of all time fav dramas but thats because of Kim Sun Ah, I don't remember any thing about Hyun Bin there.

And Secret garden was all about the tracksuits, I think the only drama where the tracksuits become more audacious is Drinking Solo!

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unatuna

December 29, 2018 at 3:44 PM

Don't forget the colour co-ordinated trackies in Rooftop Prince! ;)

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4 alasecond

December 29, 2018 at 10:38 AM

gotta agree. whatever i have seen him in, he is good..
but again he is mostly always playing a rich guy and barring secret garden, an almost playboy :) .. and this cheerful cool high on confidence charming jerk chaebol role kinds suits him

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5 Jrr 🌈

December 29, 2018 at 11:00 AM

You say Hyunbin, I say Secret Garden! This hit drama will always be the first thing I think of, if anyone mentions him. I will never forget bawling my eyes out when he wrote that farewell letter before driving into that damned storm. 😭😭

I'm impatiently waiting for Memories of the Alhambra to end so I can start on it. I learnt my lesson from live watching W - 2 Worlds, so I promised myself I will never go thru that 2 months of emotional torturous roller coaster ever again in my life. 💪

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yayabean

December 29, 2018 at 11:59 PM

@llljr Come on! Join us in out group angst of waiting for the next episode!😀

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6 Aria

December 29, 2018 at 11:06 AM

Loved him since Secret Garden, and Memories of Alhambra just reaffirmed my love for him. He's my all-time fave K-actor.
Just realized that all the roles highlighted above are chaebols... At least he is good in playing them.
Hope he does more dramas.

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7 mano

December 29, 2018 at 11:07 AM

OMO dramabeans, this post really come at the right time. I've been spending this week by analysing his dimples and planning our first date.
I watched him for the first time in Secret Garden, but that drama is too weird for me so I dropped it early on the second or third episode. Then I tried again with World's Within, actually for Song Hye-kyo, but I couldn't pass it for more than 15 minutes. I also try My Name is Kim Sam-soon, because it's classic, but my eyes couldn't stand the picture quality. Now I have new appreciation for Hyun bin, my eyes might strong enough to endure it.
So far, beside MoTA, I've seen two of his movies Negotiation and Confidential Agreement. I especially love him in Confidential Agreement in which he played a swoony North Korean officer and it gave me idea, why Promotheus PD dont cast him? Please call him PD-nim.

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Foglia

December 29, 2018 at 6:00 PM

This comment aroused such an interest/ curiosity in me that I visit your page and read your other entries immediately.
There are some default assumptions in K-Drama World and almost nobody considers opposing them -or at least no one prefers challenging them-. For example "Secret Garden' is a wonderful drama" is one of those. That's why I was baffled when reading your sentences.
Actually 'Memories of the Alhambra' is the first Hyun Bin drama that I fancy and it is the very first time that I find him rather attractive, sexy, and handsome (or should I say too sexy:)). Began watching this only because I am a diehard fan of Song Jae Jung. Now I am not sure what my primary motive is.

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Ally

December 29, 2018 at 8:48 PM

There are many on this forum who have less than stellar things to say about Secret Garden, actually. Which is why I like it, the diversity of opinions that are shared and respected.

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Foglia

December 30, 2018 at 5:35 AM

It's possible. I am quite new here in dramabeans. Maybe that's why I couldn't see such comments before.

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mano

December 29, 2018 at 8:49 PM

I think I have heard diverse opinion about Secret Garden, although I don't remember where I read it. Maybe it's from DB or other sites or my friends in real life. I rarely voicing my opposition or disagreement, I'm just not articulate. I can't even do it in my own language, let alone English. 'It's too weird' is the only sentence I can come up with to express how I feel about Secret Garden. I can't elaborate it further, I'm
sorry. Usually if I don't find a drama interesting, I just drop it and move on to the next drama. I never give much thought about it.
I've only watched three of SJJ's works; Queen In-hyun's Man, W and Alhambra. I love all of them. I realize she always makes the lead male swoony, but I never obsessed with them until Jin-woo. So, it must be Hyun-bin's portrayal that make it works 😄

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bbstl 🧹

December 29, 2018 at 9:12 PM

Mano, you're far from alone on DB for feeling Secret Garden is "too" something for you. Lots of people dropped it because it was too ridiculous, too over the top, HB's character was too obnoxious and the show was just plain too much. It was really popular and was a cultural phenomenon but there were plenty of people who couldn't stand it and said so. There was one particular scene pretty far along in the story that caused wars, even between folks who were fans. Please always feel free to say what you think about a show; the DB community is big enough and varied enough that you'll never be alone, I believe.

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mano

December 30, 2018 at 5:27 PM

Thanks @bbstl!
from what I remember, mostly I couldn't stand the male lead/Hyun bin's character. He's arrogant, and unlike Choi Han-kyul who still have redeeming qualities (sweet, playful, being helpful too Eun-chan), he's totally a jerk. Also, I don't understand his sudden attraction towards the female lead. It's like he just decided, 'hey I want to like that girl', but there's not enough backstory to lead to that decision. I dropped it very early. I know it's hard and unfair to judge a drama just from 2-3 episodes. Maybe I've missed out one of the best drama out there, but the first episodes failed to make me stay.

Suum Cuique

January 1, 2019 at 12:07 AM

MoA was my intro to HB so after the dimples I had to see more while waiting for new episodes.

So after bingeing Secret Garden and SamSoon I have to say despite the 'scene' in Secret Garden, I had alot more probs with his personality in SamSoon.
The worst part was when his actually hit his ex after she told him why she had left for 3 years... will limit the spoilers but seriously WTF?
SamSoon is classic bc the heroine is so different from the 'standard ' heroines of the time but she still has gets a mini makeover and then ends up with the guy who treated her like crap at times.
Full disclosure I also found her to be kind of annoying and had a really hard time seeing them as a couple soooooo all that to say I preferred Secret Garden and found his meanness part of his crazy which somehow worked...
The show is kind of bizarre and has major plot holes but it's fun and HB is truly dazzling in his sparkly track suits and dimples. There are some seriously swoony moments that are referenced in other kdrama but no one kisses foam like HB!

mano

January 1, 2019 at 7:26 AM

@12345a I haven't got far with Sam-soon, only the first few minutes when sam-soon's boyfriend dumped her. My eyes really can't take reddish light from the video. I've checked every sites that have Sam-soon, I think they all take from the same source.
What??? What's on the writer's mind? Why rude guys was considered appealing in mid 2000s?
I really can't get myself to pick up Secret Garden. Big Bang's spoof is enough for me 😄
Thanks feh, unless it's on Netflix or other legal that can provide better quality video, I think I won't force myself to watch Sam-soon.

Foglia

December 30, 2018 at 5:49 AM

I strongly recommend 'Nine Times Time Travel'. It is one of the masterpieces of her if not the best one.
I liked reading your opinions by the way.

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mano

December 30, 2018 at 5:38 PM

Thanks! I will check Nine: Nine, it's on my list.

8 Ally

December 29, 2018 at 11:21 AM

Gosh. Another reason to watch MNIKSS. It’s been on my watch list for the better part of 2 years, since @bbstl recommended it to me when I first started kdramas. (And now, I’m reminded why!) But HB is so enthralling in MOA right now. I’m really just in this one for him.

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bbstl 🧹

December 29, 2018 at 1:18 PM

Hi @ally-le! You're sweet to remember that! SamSoon is my Number One Hallyu Classic bar none and it breaks my heart that everyone can't have seen it when it was fresh. It broke so many rules by having a mouthy, chubby heroine with a career and she was just the start. Kdramas have copied it ever since so you can't get that first-time feeling again and it probably feels dated and derivative when seeing it now. But for reals I've always felt that if everyone on earth could see Kim Sam Soon, we'd have world peace ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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9 CoffeeMD

December 29, 2018 at 11:25 AM

Hyun Bin will always be my first love because secret garden was my gateway drama.

I loved him so much I watched Snow Queen after...still not over that ending.

*side note* crinkles lol, I love that description of lee won geun 😂

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10 Kafiyah Bello

December 29, 2018 at 12:28 PM

Hyun Bin is wine. In it's initially stages, it is not very good, but as it ages it becomes FINNNNE. I hated my lovely Sam Soon, in fact I hate watched that drama and wanted his character to die. He didn't become hot to me until I saw him in the World's within. He has gotten hotter ever since. His characters have been better too, except in Jekyll Hyde and me (Yikes). Anywho, cheers to aging like fine wine and growing in charm.

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FiyaShady

December 29, 2018 at 9:38 PM

True... indeed a fine wine. That's why I preferred matured actors ( Hyun Bin, Yoo Ji Tae, LBH, Cho Seung Woo,Jang Hyuk...to many to name including those extra actors 😊). They are more charming than boyish looking actor and hopefully kid actor (YJG, Nam Dae Rum) will grow fine as well too.

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11 KDFL

December 29, 2018 at 12:34 PM

He has this charisma about him, and anyone who saw the scene when he trapped himself in the shower in Memories of the Alhambra has to acknowledge that the guy can seriously act.

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lacewng

December 30, 2018 at 7:02 AM

It was such a heart breaking scene. I wanted someone to hug him tight. He does vulnerability well. May be it impacts more because it comes from his jerk characters.

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12 Blue (@mayhemf)

December 29, 2018 at 1:03 PM

Absolutely love him :))
And his dimples.
The guys got charisma and oozes charm. And can act. And he is awesome when he fights.

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13 missjb

December 29, 2018 at 1:21 PM

Friend our legend will alwasys be my waiting list since forever... it might be too heavy. So I always on hold. For a heavy drama, I always looking for the right mood to appreciate them. Only watched The first episode in, and Hyun Bin is already on fire.

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14 bbstl 🧹

December 29, 2018 at 1:37 PM

Okay, so #true confessions, BigTimeDivision. I love Hyun Bin and I have since Kim Sam Soon. I've been carrying around a Hyun Bin tissue holder since 2006 and his name was a password on an account. My nieces know him as "the handsomest man in the world" (whose pictures hang at auntie's house). I've seen nearly everything he's ever appeared in and I know his real name (it's Kim Tae Pyung).

I wish new fans could see The Snow Queen and Worlds Within for a good picture of his early range in dramas, especially for those who think he only plays chaebols. Forget Jekyll, Hyde (for any reason - I'll even say, it's his weakest work). Ugh. If you're looking for dimples, don't see his later films where he's all taciturn and action-y. But hot! See The Fatal Encounter anyway.

Thank you, @missvictrix, for this lovely year-end salute to HB especially to welcome all his well-deserved new fans to the fold. I don't think they can do any better picking an oppa 😍

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spazmo

December 29, 2018 at 1:46 PM

agreed, he was SUPER HOT in Fatal Encounter...
; )

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bbstl 🧹

December 29, 2018 at 8:57 PM

amen! 🔥🔥🔥

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YY Chats with Toast Between Bites

December 30, 2018 at 12:52 AM

I'm going to watch Fateful Encounter because of you. Thanks, my friend. I tried Secret Garden a long time ago but gave up because I didn't like the switching bodies plot. I think I watched Snow Queen, but I can't be sure. Was it about a queen lost in the snow? Loved Kim Sam Soon. It was my first and only Hyun Bin drama that I watched in full. The piggyback scene was so revoltingly fresh lolol. I never looked at piggyback scenes in the same light again after watching that scene. How is the zombie flick?

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Aami

December 30, 2018 at 2:31 AM

I feel like I ghost wrote this!

Even I had his name as his password and his pic as my wallpapers when I was teenager. lol

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delphy

December 30, 2018 at 2:38 AM

Gosh... a 12 yr old tissue holder! I applaud your steadfastness bbstl!
I’ve watched worlds I’ve lived in and snow queen too and looking at the list, MOA would be my 6th Hyunbin drama. He’s indeed one charming oppa!

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15 YY Chats with Toast Between Bites

December 29, 2018 at 1:58 PM

He's making me swoon each week with his charm and that smile. From now on, Granada is synonymous with Hyun Bin and his dimples.

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bbstl 🧹

December 29, 2018 at 4:34 PM

I have an offer for an alumni trip to Granada in April. Much as I'm tempted to go, how could it possibly measure up with no HB there?

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YY Chats with Toast Between Bites

December 30, 2018 at 12:42 AM

Maybe you could make a little Hyun Bin bolster and bring it with you and cuddle it and have secret conversations with it when you're alone.

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bbstl 🧹

December 30, 2018 at 8:50 AM

😏 errmmm, a friend may have already made me something similar.☺️ I'll put a photo on the fan wall.

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Beverly

December 30, 2018 at 8:39 AM

You'll always have your tissue holder.
Plus, churros.

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outofthisworld 不愧是我 🏍

December 29, 2018 at 9:23 PM

Where have you been? I haven't seen you on MoTA thread. Wait.................

You are the Tears, aren't you?

Congrats on your first major role! 👏👏👏 You even managed to get onto Hyun Bin's jacket last night.

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YY Chats with Toast Between Bites

December 30, 2018 at 12:40 AM

I'm in London, shopping and eating cakes and fudge in between stints to the British Museum and gawking at the Thames. I was so tired but I still read all the comments on Memories of Darling Hyun Bin. Know that I am with you in spirit. Yes, I was the tear that splashed on his jacket. Loving London, and the best thing is I get to watch darling Hyun Bin at 5 pm today. I must time my plans for today to catch my darling in action tonight.

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siesta

December 30, 2018 at 5:31 AM

where is this mota thread? i need to spazz

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16 Kurama

December 29, 2018 at 2:02 PM

The first time I saw him, it was in Snow Queen. It was not a chaebol and was already super hot. I loved his looks in this drama! In My Name Is KSS the color of his shirts was awful but the love story was lovely. And the stairs scene is a classic now!
I really liked The World We Live In. The couple was very natural. They dated in the real life so maybe it helped :p
Secret Garden was so funny! All the body swap part was so good.
His last drama was terrible but because of the writting. I'm happy that MoA is better!

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bbstl 🧹

December 29, 2018 at 4:37 PM

🤣 there were a couple of very tough shirts in MNIKSS!

I really loved Snow Queen.

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Midnight

December 29, 2018 at 9:50 PM

Most dramas that year had hot pink and grass green shirts and jackets.

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bbstl 🧹

December 30, 2018 at 8:44 AM

Yep, those are the two colors I was picturing, all right 😆

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Kurama

January 2, 2019 at 2:30 AM

The color of his shirt is printed on my retina :p

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17 gadis

December 29, 2018 at 2:11 PM

Thanks to Alhambra, I rediscovered him. I've been marathoning his older works for the last few weeks, and almost reluctant to watch his movie with Im Soo-jung because that means I'll have no other marathon material anymore. Maybe it's time to pick up his older drama like Friend, Our Legend. (Any opinion about it, beanies? Is it good?)

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bbstl 🧹

December 29, 2018 at 4:30 PM

It's intense and it's about a group of Busan friends who basically grow up to be gangsters, with all the violence that implies. Far from the chaebol crowd.

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18 cherry 🍒

December 29, 2018 at 2:54 PM

Hyun Bin has this superior aura around him, I guess that’s why playing the charismatic and arrogant chaebols suits him so much. He’s a strong actor and I’ve never enjoyed watching him more than in Memories of Alhambra.

I googled his childhood and teen photos and now I’m jealous. He’s all natural and it’s so unfair for someone to be born with those cheekbones and dimples.

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YY Chats with Toast Between Bites

December 30, 2018 at 12:44 AM

His eyes are sooooo wicked. I love his eyes.

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cherry 🍒

December 30, 2018 at 2:41 AM

Yes, wicked is the right word to describe him 😀

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19 Kairoskat 💐

December 29, 2018 at 2:56 PM

I have only watched about 6 from his project list. As of now, i personally think the shower scene in MotA is the most memorable showcase of his acting chops. JW was so dejected and emotionally drained, huddled in the corner of his shower room.

Now that i think of it, i see some similarities in his character in The Negotiation and JW in MotA. Maybe the way he portrayed the character is similar, since both of them are from completely different backgrounds.

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20 Stardust

December 29, 2018 at 3:00 PM

He’s one of my favorite - but sometimes I struggle because his roles often seem to dismiss women. Esp secret garden when the male lead was borderline stalkerish and couldn’t take no for an answer. Same for MOA where he often tell hee Joo what to do.. this could all be the writing but it’s pretty consistent in his roles so I’m wondering if it’s interpretation (hmmm...) or he can make nasty roles on paper look good. Perhaps it’s both.

I just watched ep9 of MoA and it’s blown my brains. It’s a pity because if they have give the female lead a more active personality I would say this drama is one of the best especially in concept. Why couldn’t the writer do better for girls - esp since she’s a women. I just wonder

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21 💜🍍☠ Sicarius The Queen of Melonia ☠🍍💜

December 29, 2018 at 4:47 PM

Confession: I... hate My Name Is Kim Sam Soon. It's one of my least favourite dramas. *hides*
That's... the only thing I've seen Hyun Bin in before.
However it's not HB I don't like about it, and if there's one thing I'm enjoying about MOA, it's his character and acting.

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Soad

December 29, 2018 at 5:43 PM

You are not alone. It just didn't click on me. Will always love Hyunbin in Friend, our legend, where his thespian prowess evolved. After FOL, his drama is always meh for me. Just watching alhambra because of him.

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javinne

December 30, 2018 at 2:33 AM

I think the relationship they portrayed in kim sam soon was dysfunctional, and actually, both leads were dysfunctional characters, even angry with life most of the time. I watched it, because I was new in kdrama world back then and didn't have any taste yet, but what I remember... It didn't even made me laugh! I don't get the hype call it a classic... go on and watch My Ajusshi (that is a classic!).

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💜🍍☠ Sicarius The Queen of Melonia ☠🍍💜

December 30, 2018 at 2:37 AM

It was so dysfunctional! He was such an asshole! And he remained an asshole! I watched it cos it's so highly rated and was very confused as to why... O_o

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javinne

December 30, 2018 at 8:18 AM

Well, back then you always had these typical make leads: Rich, arrogant, closed up, come from a dysfunctional (rich) family with crazy controlling mothers who usually would warm up to love when he meets the spunky, easy going candy girl, sometimes spunky bikering candy girl, and he is a changed man at the end: saved by love! 😂😂😂😂😂
Think about it: the Prince in princes hours: a jerk; Lee Min ho in boys over flowers: a jerk; the guy in Stars falling from the sky (the first one, not the recent one with Jung So min): a total jerk; Kim Hyun joong in playful kiss: a jerk. And so on, so many others I never watched.... they were all jerks, so....there you go.
Korean writers at the time didn't have any clue how functional men (who could even be a gentlemen) would be like.
It was a trend... happily over, I hope🙄.

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💜🍍☠ Sicarius The Queen of Melonia ☠🍍💜

December 30, 2018 at 2:15 PM

Mmm yeah I know. I think it made it worse that I watched in 2015. It didn't age well.
The jerk is popular indeed. Occasionally he still pops up (Drinking Solo). I think what makes it worse for me is when there is not even a slight attempt at character development. I like the tsundere trend, because it does mean layers to your character. And it usually means development. But the jerk? The jerk just remains a jerk.

RenOIshi

December 30, 2018 at 2:55 PM

Hated it then. Hate it now.

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22 RenOIshi

December 29, 2018 at 7:00 PM

One word : Dimples

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lemoncello

December 30, 2018 at 5:53 AM

and realised there are a few notable dimples actors in K industries: Hyun-Bin, Lee Sang-Hyun, Lee Seo-jin, and who else...

Anyways, dimples is my weakness.... :)

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23 jungkyunghofan

December 29, 2018 at 7:50 PM

I don't know about other things, but Hyun Bin is really handsome.

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24 songsong

December 29, 2018 at 8:04 PM

I hope he gets reunited and reconcile with Kang Sora and find happiness in his real life besides doing well in his reel life.

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25 Kay

December 29, 2018 at 9:08 PM

MNIKSS is my first K drama! It was totally groundbreaking (at that time) with a plump badass heroine who gets the chaebol hero. Totally different from cryfest classics Winter Sonata and Autumn, which unfortunately has typecasted K dramas as most non K drama viewers still thinks of K dramas as Winter Sonata *roll eyes*. Hyun Bin was good but the heart of the show is Kim Su Nah.
Now, in Secret Garden, Hyun Bin is the star of the show, he is perfect as the childish insecure yet vulnerable hero, and surprisingly good at comedic moments when he swap body into female.
I'm not surprised at all that he is killing it again bin MoA. He is as good as he was in Secret Garden.

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bbstl 🧹

December 29, 2018 at 9:20 PM

MNIKSS was really Korea's P&P, with Kim Sam Soon as the Korean version of the independent and outspoken Lizzie Bennet and HB as the cold and unapproachable Darcy who falls for her despite all his best efforts to do otherwise. It's an irresistible story in Regency England and again in Seoul 2005.