Jung Hae-inandKim Hye-yoon’s 2024 success presents the perfect opportunity to revisit the historicalK-dramathey starred in together three years ago. The two actors are already well-established within the K-drama industry. Jung Hae-in is best known for his forays into melodrama and romantic genres, withSomething in The Rainbeing one of his biggest hits to date. Similarly, Kim Hye-yoon’swebtoon-inspired K-dramaExtraordinary Youwas the series that showed her potential as a leading actress.
Coincidentally,Jung Hae-in and Kim Hye-yoon’s 2024 K-drama success comes from the romantic comedy genre. Kim Hye-yoon’sLovely Runneris one of2024’s best K-dramas, surprising audiences with its sincere story of a K-pop fan traveling back in time to save her favorite K-pop idol from dying. On the other hand, Jung Hae-in’s first rom-com,Love Next Door, focuses on childhood frenemies falling in love after reuniting as adults. These K-dramas prove why Jung Hae-in and Kim Hye-yoon are stars within the K-drama industry. However, the historical series they starred in together shows an entirely new side to their skills.
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Jung Hae-in’s next K-drama will see him deviate from melodramas and thrillers and instead return to the genre that gave him his breakout role.
Jung Hae-in & Kim Hye-yoon Both Starred In Snowdrop
They Both Played Important Roles In The Disney+ K-drama
Jung Hae-in and Kim Hye-yoon were the main cast members of Disney+’s first original K-drama,Snowdrop. Thehistorical K-dramatook place in 1987, a pivotal time in South Korea’s struggle for democracy. The series focused on university student, Eun Young-ro (Kim Ji-soo), and graduate Im Soo-ho (Jung Hae-in), who Young-ro secretly hid in her dorm after he arrived covered in blood. Although it started slowly,Snowdropquickly escalated into a dramatic and tense battlebetween the North Korean soldiers who took over Hosu University Women’s Dormitory, the students in the dorm, and the South Korean negotiators on the outside.
Jung Eugene
Jang Ha-na
Snowdropfeatured an all-star cast. Blackpink’s Kim Ji-soo, better known as Jisoo, debuted as an actress in the series, delivering a compelling performance against more senior actors in the industry as the show’s lead. Alongside her,The Good Detective’s Jang Seung-jo,SKY Castle’s Yoon Se-ah, andGoblin’s Yoo In-na all played important roles in deliveringSnowdrop’s story. Jung Hae-in and Kim Hye-yoon’s characters, Im Soo-ho and Gye Bun-ok, were also pivotal in the series. However, they could not be more different from their 2024 hit characters.
Snowdrop
Cast
Set in 1987 Seoul, this drama unfolds as a wounded man seeks refuge in a women’s university dormitory, aided by a student who once fell for him. As intense surveillance looms, secrets emerge, challenging loyalties and forging a path fraught with emotional and political tension.
Jung Hae-in & Kim Hye-yoon’s Snowdrop Characters Are Completely Different To Their 2024 Roles
Their Roles In Snowdrop Are Much Darker And Complex
InLove Next DoorandLovely Runner, Jung Hae-in and Kim Hye-yoon play well in the romantic comedy genres. Their bright characters bounce off the screen, helping to capture the lighthearted nature of their K-drama’s respective storylines. For example, Kim Hye-yoon’s Im Sol is larger than life with an infectious energy that givesLovely Runnerpart of its charm. On the other hand, Jung Hae-in’sLove Next Doorcharacter, Choi Seung-hyo, is much more restrained than Sol, but when his boisterous side comes out, it’s always worth watching. This is entirely different from Jung Hae-in and Kim Hye-yoon’sSnowdroproles.
Up until this point in his career, Jung Hae-in had rarely starred in darker roles. His first foray into something outside the melodrama genre came with the military K-drama,D.P., withSnowdropcontinuing this new trend in his career. InSnowdrop,Jung Hae-in gave a commanding performance that showed various facets of his performing skills. For his scenes with Young-ro, he showed the same soft and romantic side that he has become known for but mixed it with a dark and desperate energy to make his portrayal of Im Soo-ho great to watch.
Kim Hye-yoon’s delivery of Bun-ok’s morally-gray actions was one ofSnowdrop’s biggest strengths.
On the other hand,Kim Hye-yoon’s character was frustrating for all the right reasons. Gye Bun-ok’s selfish and conniving nature added a level of unpredictability toSnowdropthat the series certainly needed. Yet, her character’s motivations were always clear, as Bun-ok felt undermined due to her poor background and lack of education compared to her peers.Kim Hye-yoon’s delivery of Bun-ok’s morally-gray actions was one ofSnowdrop’s biggest strengths, making her character easily one of the most interesting in the series despite her infuriating actions.
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Five years after Kim Hye-yoon first took on a leading role in Extraordinary You, her latest K-drama mirrors and builds upon her role as Eun Dan-oh.
Why Snowdrop Is The Perfect Thing To Watch After Lovely Runner & Love Next Door
It’s Completely Different From Jung Hae-in & Kim Hye-yoon’s 2024 Hits
Snowdropis perfect for those wanting to watch something different fromLovely RunnerandLove Next Door. Even though Jung Hae-in and Kim Hye-yoon’s two current hits feature epicK-drama romancesand an infectious lighthearted charm, they cannot satisfy those with a taste for action or politics. This is what makesSnowdropsuch a good alternative. Despite the criticism for its fictionalization of real-life historical events,Snowdropcreated a solid background for an antagonizing storywhere tensions are exacerbated to an all-time high and these two leading actors' performances were given a sharp new edge.
Jung Hae-in and Kim Hye-yoon’s performances added a much-needed richness to the series.
WhileSnowdropdidn’t meet the same level of success asLovely RunnerorLove Next Door, its story was still compelling.Snowdropwas visually beautifully and well delivered by its ensemble cast, who added color to what was deemed a black comedy, but ultimately ended as more of a tragedy.Jung Hae-inandKim Hye-yoon’s performances added a much-needed richness to the series, despite its pitfalls, making it a perfect K-drama to revisit while they are once again finding success in 2024.
Love Next Door
A woman returns to Korea to restart her life and becomes involved with a childhood friend, sharing a complicated history.
Lovely Runner
Lovely Runner is a TV series that follows the story of a young athlete who rises to fame in the world of track and field. As the protagonist navigates the highs and lows of competitive sports, the series explores themes of perseverance, sacrifice, and personal growth.
