Lee Min Ho's gone a long way from his humble beginnings as a waiter on the 2005 drama Recipe of Love. A couple more appearances across four TV series and four years later, he finally stepped into the limelight after winning the sought after role of Gu Jun Pyo on the K-Drama sensation Boys Over Flowers.
With a part that undeniably hurled him into fame, Lee Min Ho quickly became known as a global actor, amassing a following not just in Asia but in Western countries as well. That said, having been absent from the small screen ever since 2017, it came as no surprise when news of his comeback drama, The King: Eternal Monarch, created buzz on the internet.
Inspired by his return, whether you're a new fan of his current Netflix series, or you're a dedicated supporter who's traversed his entire reportoire, we gladly rounded up five of his dramas available for streaming right now.
1. Boys Over Flowers (2009)
First on the list, of course, is the aforementioned TV series that propelled Lee Min Ho to stardom, Boys Over Flowers. Based on the Japanese manga of the same title, Min Ho's breakout role as the popular yet arrogant heir to the Shinhwa Group, Gu Jun Pyo turned him into a household name. If, for some reason, you aren't acquainted with the show just yet, BOF follows the poor but headstrong Geum Jan Di (Ku Hye Sun) as a series of unfortunate events leaves her entagled with the her prestigious school's notorious, powerful group, the F4, led by Jun Pyo.
Watch on: Viu
2. The Heirs (2013)
Based off his filmography it seems Min Ho has a knack for playing young, rich heirs. Also known as The Inheritors, the 2013 drama sees the actor as the wealthy Kim Tan, the successor to a large Korean conglomerate called the Jeguk Group. Exiled to the U.S. by his jealous brother, he meets and soon falls for Cha Eun Sang (Park Shin Hye) a regular girl struggling towards a better life. Sounds to us like Jun Pyo and Jan Di 2.0.
Watch on: Netflix, Viu
3. Legend of the Blue Sea (2016)
In this fantasy drama, the reincarnation of a town official and a mermaid who fall in love during the Joseon era encounter each other once again in modern day Seoul. Min Ho plays Kim Dam Ryeong, the son of a nobelman from the Joseon era. As a young boy he meets the captivating Se Hwa (Jun Ji Hyun) who rescues him from drowning. The two cross paths once again centuries later, with Min Ho now as Heo Joon Jae, a smooth-talking conman who takes interest in Se-Hwa's doppleganger Shim Cheong and the $6 million dollar bracelet on her wrist.
Watch on: Netflix
4. The King: Eternal Monarch (2020)
Having been absent from the silver screen for almost three years because of his mandatory military enlistment, Min Ho made his much-anticipated comeback this 2020 with yet another fantasy drama, The King: Eternal Monarch. Here he portrays Emperor Lee Gon of the Kingdom of Corea as he sets out to travel into a parallel universe to close the portal connecting his world and modern day Korea. His plans, however, are thrown for a loop when, while in Seoul, he crosses paths with Detective Jeong Tae Eul (Kim Go Eun), a police officer who he somehow recognizes from his tragic childhood.
Fun fact: Min Ho famously reunited with veteran actress Kim Young Ok on The King: Eternal Monarch. 11 years prior, Young Ok portrayed Jun-pyo's family's intimidating head maid on Boys Over Flowers. In a similar maternal role opposite Min Ho, the now 82 year old stars as Noh Ok Nam, the court lady who raised Emperor Lee Gon.
Watch on: Netflix
5. Gangnam Blues (2015)
Already struggling to get by, when childhoods friends JongDae (Lee Min Ho) and Yong Ki (Kim Rae Won) lose their shanty homes to local thugs, they involve themselves in gang activity for money. The two are separated in a violent skirmish, however, and only meet again three years later amid growing politicial tensions in the corrupt district of 1970s Gangnam. Upon reuniting, Jong Dae and Yong Ki hatch a plan to get rich, but soon realize that the uphill climb to to their aspirations is a slippery, and often, brutal slope.
Watch on: Viu
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