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Remembering Lee Sun Kyun; Commemorate late actor's birthday with memorable performances in Parasite, Coffee Prince, and more
Lee Sun Kyun’s sudden demise in 2023 was met with many heartbreaks and dejections. On his 49th birthday, let’s celebrate the actor’s legacy through his 10 best performances in hit K-dramas and movies.
Lee Sun Kyun was a beloved actor in the Korean Entertainment industry for his ability to showcase versatile talents. Starting with musical theater, he made his television debut with the 2001 sitcom Lovers. Later, he earned notable recognition for his prolific appearances in many popular Korean films and dramas, furthered by a career delving into challenging and diverse roles.
Today, March 2, marks the 49th birthday of the late actor, who passed away on December 27, 2023, breaking the hearts of many fans. To commemorate the phenomenal actor Lee Sun Kyun, let’s check out his 10 best roles in popular K-dramas and movies.
List of 10 best roles taken on by late actor Lee Sun Kyun
1. Coffee Prince (2007, IMDb rating: 8.1)
Released on July 2, 2007, the classic MBC drama, Coffee Prince offered a breakthrough role for Lee Sun Kyun. He portrayed the role of a talented record producer Choi Han Sun. His character was met with much emotional turmoils of love and loyalty, especially with his ex-girlfriend Han Yoo Joo(played by Chae Jung An), who was also the first love of his cousin Choi Han Gyeol (portrayed by Gong Yoo). 
Though Lee Sun Kyun wasn’t the lead character in this first gender-bender drama of South Korea, he definitely claimed the spotlight with his portrayal of intricate emotions, adding a pivotal layer to the complex storyline of Coffee Prince.
2. Pasta (2010, IMDb rating: 7.5)
This 2010 TV series tells the story of a kitchen assistant named Seo Yoo-Kyung(played by Gong Hyo Jin), who dreams of becoming a master chef of Italian cuisine. Things take a turn, when Choi Hyun Wook, an Italian culinary school graduate turns up at the restaurant where she works. While many dislike the new head chef Choi, for his haughty and stubborn attitude towards the female chefs, Seo Yoo-Kyung looks up to him for his expertise in Italian cuisine.
Lee Sun Kyun portrays the unusual leading character of Choi Hyun Wook with much perfection and uniqueness, proving his versatility. For his performance in Pasta, he went on to win the Top 10 Asian Stars recognition at the 2010 CETV awards. Furthermore, he was also nominated in the Top Excellence: Actor category at the 2010 MBC Drama Awards.
3. A Hard Day(2014, IMDb rating: 7.2)
A Hard Day, a film of action and suspense genre kicks off with the lead character Go Geon Soo, a detective attempting a fatal case of hit and run, while on the way to his mother’s funeral. Within 24 hours, He is handed a divorce notice by his wife and, he gets put under investigation for involvement in alleged embezzlement. To make matters worse, the victim of his hit-and-run case turns out to be associated with heinous gangsters.
Lee Sun Kyun perfectly portrayed the complex character of the corrupt detective, proving his ability to ace any role on the movie screen. This 2014 film was a grand success, earning Lee Sun Kyun many notable award nominations. For his stellar performance as Go Geon Soo, he was bestowed with Best Actor recognition at the 51st Baeksang Arts Awards.
4. My Mister (2018, IMDb rating: 9.1)
This heartwarming TV drama revolves around Park Dong Hoon, a diligent engineer, and 21-year-old Lee Ji An (played by IU), who struggles to make ends meet. They cross paths in a dysfunctional backdrop. Lee, initially hostile towards Park, soon finds herself close to his stoic supervisor, who is burdened with his wife’s affair.
The kindness, honesty, and suffering of the character Park Dong Hoon were portrayed with immense authenticity by Lee Sun Kyun. The cultivated narrative and character arcs of the 2018 drama My Mister drew many global fans, furthering Lee Sun Kyun’s popularity worldwide. He also bagged a string of nominations across notable ceremonies such as The Seoul Awards 2018, the 6th APAN Star Awards, and the 55th Baeksang Arts Awards.
5. Parasite (2019, IMDb rating: 8.5)
This Oscar-winning film from renowned director Bong Joon Ho narrates the story of the poverty-stricken Kim family, whose son lands a well-paid tutoring gig in the rich Park family. Soon, the wealthy family unknowingly gets entangled in a parasitic relationship with the Kim family. Lee Sun Kyun as Park Dong Ik, the head of the affluent Park family brought organic nuance to the intelligent storyline of Parasite. Dong Ik’s entitlement and despise toward the lower class becomes convincing through Lee Sun Kyun’s portrayal.
Parasite gained wild success worldwide with its flawless narrative of social hierarchy, winning the Academy Award for Best Picture at the 2020 Oscars ceremony. For his extraordinary performance in the film, Lee Sun Kyun took home the Outstanding Performance title from the SAG Awards 2020.
6. Diary of a Prosecutor (2019, IMDb rating: 8.0)
This 2019 drama series follows the mundane daily life of overworked prosecutors, whose life revolves around many cases handed over by the police.
Lee Sun Kyun played the role of Lee Sun Woong, the narrator of the story. He is also a hardworking prosecutor of criminal unit 2. Coming from a wealthy background, Sun Woong started working in prosecution 10 years ago. Because of his privilege, he is often disliked by his colleague, Cha Myung Joo(played by Jung Ryeo Won ).
With this slice-of-life drama, Lee Sun Kyun again proved his huge range of acting.
7. Dr. Brain (2021, IMDb rating: 6.7)
Based on the webtoon of the same name, this drama peeks into the life of a neuroscientist named Sewon Koh, who obsessively researches advancing the human consciousness with technology. But his life takes a turn when his family falls victim to a mysterious accident. Lee Sun Kyun brought out the best of Sewon with his sincere portrayal of many turmoils.
8. Kingmaker (2022, IMDb rating: 6.7)
Based on true events, this 2022 political film follows the professional relationship between Kim Woon Beom(played by Sol Kyung Gu), a politician running for president's campaign, and a political strategist Seo Chang-dae (Lee Sun-kyun). Kim Woon Beom likes to stay clean when it comes to strategies, while Chan Dae is all in for getting his hands dirty. Amidst the contradiction between the two, the opposition party reaches out to Chang Dae, and the question arises about his loyalty.
Lee Sun Kyun was hailed as a brilliant actor for his convincing portrayal of the shady political strategist, earning him a nomination at the 58th Baeksang Arts Awards.
9. Payback: Money and Power (2023, IMDb rating: 7.3)
In this 2023 revenge thriller drama, Lee Sun Kyun portrays the roller coaster life of Eun Yong, who goes from an obstinate orphan to a criminal tyrant and ends up living peacefully in Mongolia as a financial wizard. Lee Sun Kyun’s portrayal of the brainy protagonist added layers to the depth of this humorously thrilling drama created in the backdrop of power and money.
10. Killing Romance (2023, IMDb rating: 6.1)
This 2023 comedy film narrates the story of a media celebrity Yeo Rae( Lee Hanee), while running from the spotlight, she meets and falls in love with Jonathan, a narcissistic and wealthy man.
Lee Sun Kyun in this oddball rom-com movie was a treat to the eyes for his never-seen acting as the flamboyant and antagonistic lead, Jonathan.
Furthermore, films and dramas like Paju (2009), Helpless (2012), Behind The White Tower (2007), and more were blessed with Lee Sun Kyun’s compelling presence. From an insensitive dad in Parasite to a compassionate engineer in My Mister, the exceptional actor has left a lasting impression on his audiences through his diverse range. With his tragic death, the global entertainment industry lost a visionary actor.
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