Most K-dramas are only as good as their leading man, but many talented actors are due for a comeback. Whether it’s a swoon-worthy romance, a gripping thriller, a magical fantasy, or one of the countless other sub-genres, K-drama male leads can make or break a promising plot. In fact, the right actor can single-handedly earn a Korean drama international acclaim.
While a perfectly-cast male main character can turn a typical show into a quintessential K-drama, iconic actors can seemingly disappear after a breakout role. There are plenty of possible explanations for an acting hiatus, ranging from a performer completing South Korea’s compulsory military service to being selective about new projects. Nonetheless, some familiar faces deserve another starring role sometime soon.
Kim Min-kyu
Known For: Business Proposal, Because This Is My First Life, Snowdrop
Kim Min-kyu has been acting since 2013, but he landed his first leading role in 2019’s Queen: Love and War playing Lee Kyung, king of the Joseon dynasty. Additionally, Kim Min-kyu had unforgettable side roles in Because This Is My First Life, Backstreet Rookie, and Business Proposal. In his most recent title, he was one half of an iconic K-drama couple.
Sadly, Kim Min-kyu hasn’t appeared in a drama since 2023. In early 2024, his agency confirmed Kim Min-kyu had enlisted to complete his conscription. Alongside star Song Kang, Kim Min-kyu was discharged from the military. Consequently, Kim Min-kyu’s return to K-dramas is practically an inevitability. Rather than play another scene-stealing second lead, however, Kim Min-kyu deserves a true starring role.
Yoo Seung-ho
Known For: I Miss You, Memorist, I’m Not a Robot
Yoo Seung-ho’s career started at the age of 6 when he booked a 1999 cellphone commercial, but he quickly became a renowned child actor in both television and film. By the early 2000s, Yoo Seung-ho had earned the moniker “Nation’s Little Brother”— an honorable distinction used to celebrate up-and-coming actors who positively reflect South Korea as an unofficial cultural ambassador.
Yoo Seung-ho’s popularity only rose following his major roles in My Strange Hero and The Deal, but he disappeared from on-screen acting after an agency change in early 2025. Recently, the actor has been in major theatrical productions, including Angels in America and Killing Caesar. While his performances have been nothing short of inspired, Yoo Seung-ho’s dramaland absence is palpable.
Kim Min-jae
Known For: Dr. Romantic, Dali and the Cocky Prince, Do You Like Brahms?
There have been many successful K-pop idols who became actors, but Kim Min-jae got his start as a rapper (performing under the name Real.be) in 2014. After his cameo in Goblin as Wang Yeo and a three-season role in Dr. Romantic (nurse Park Eun-tak), Kim Min-jae pivoted to the world of K-drama acting as a breakout star.
The actor seemed to be hitting his stride following the success of Do You Like Brahms? and Dali and the Cocky Prince, but Kim Min-jae hasn’t had a leading role since 2022’s Poong, the Joseon Psychiatrist due to his military service. Thankfully, the actor has already been discharged and will likely return to the small screen within a few years.
Nam Joo-hyuk
Known For: Twenty-Five Twenty-One, Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo, Start-Up
Nam Joo-hyuk broke into the entertainment industry as a model, but his career truly took off following his breakthrough role in Who Are You: School 2015. From there, he rode the momentum with supporting roles until 2016, when he played the male lead in Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo. The actor’s career continued thriving until 2023’s Vigilante.
Before his last drama premiered, however, Nam Joo-hyuk enlisted in the military working as a trainer and riot squad officer until his 2024 discharge. Nam Joo-hyuk appeared at multiple Dior fashion shows following his service completion, but the actor has yet to confirm his next project. While he could easily return to modeling, K-drama fans would dearly miss him.
Lee Joon-gi
Known For: Flower of Evil, Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo, Iljimae
Lee Joon-gi became a national icon after his performance in the 2005 film The King and the Clown, but the actor has only further honed his skills over the past 20 years. Whether he’s playing a heartthrob male lead or a terrifying K-drama villain, Lee Joon-gi’s acting always adapts to whatever the script demands.
Lee Joon-gi’s most recent role was an aged-up version of Eun-seom in Arthdal Chronicles season 2, but the actor hasn’t appeared in anything else since late 2023. Given that Lee Joon-gi already had a career comeback in 2012 and is speculated to be cast in an upcoming historical drama, his second renaissance as an actor should come sooner than later.
Won Bin
Known For: Autumn in My Heart, Mother, The Man from Nowhere
Without a doubt, Won Bin is one of the best K-drama actors of all time, and most fans of the genre would give anything to see him return to the industry. Won Bin became a beloved star throughout the continent following series like Kkokji and Autumn in my Heart, contributing to the “hallyu” craze starting in the late 90s.
Though Won Bin hasn’t acted since the 2010 neo-noir film The Man from Nowhere, he maintains global stardom and occasionally resurfaces in advertisements. For the past 15 years, Won Bin has stayed out of the spotlight and focused on farming chokeberries. Nevertheless, K-drama lovers worldwide would rejoice if he returned to acting, even for a small cameo role.
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
