From 'The King: Eternal Monarch' To 'Save Me': Woo Do-Hwan's K-Dramas To Watch

Whether you’ve watched The King: Eternal Monarch religiously or got swayed by the negative reviews the series have gotten during its run, one thing’s for certain: you clicked into this article because you were smitten by its ultimate scene-stealer, Woo Do-Hwan. The 27-year-old actor played the role of Lee Gon pyeha’s 'Unbreakable Sword', Jo Yeong and his quirky parallel universe counterpart Jo Eun-Seob.

Despite being in a supporting role, his performance in the drama has been lauded by the audience. Unfortunately, the actor is set to report for his mandatory military enlistment later this year so we’d have to wait a little while longer to see him in a new role. But fret not, as (1) he has already been offered a lead role in a new K-drama, and (2) he already has quite the portfolio for your Woo Do-Hwan binge-watching pleasure. Don’t know where to begin? From Save Me to My Country: The New Age, here are Woo Do-Hwan's K-Dramas to catch up on. P.S. Some spoilers ahead!

The King: Eternal Monarch (2020)

The audience was enamoured by his ability to take on two characters from two parallel universes in his latest drama with Lee Min-Ho and Goblin's Kim Go-Eun. But that's not all. His characters, Eun-Seob and Jo Yeong, had to pretend to act like one another, equating to the actor playing four characters in a single role. Quite confusing, but you'll catch on. 

Why you’ll like it: The drama may have had its fair share of highs and lows but if you want to know why Woo Do-Hwan suddenly became the talk of K-drama town after this series, you have to watch The King: Eternal Monarch.

Save Me (2017)

Before he took on his dual roles in The King: Eternal Monarch, one of Woo Do Hwan’s first K-dramas that proved how well he can pull two-faced characters is this mystery-thriller series. Listed as his first main role in a drama, he starred alongside Seo Ye-Ji (It’s Okay To Not Be Okay) and 2PM’s Taecyeon (Dream High) as Seok Dong Chul, a young man who reconnects with his high school friends to save a former classmate from a dangerous cult.

Why you’ll like it: If you need a break from K-drama rom-coms, hit the play button on Save Me. Its gripping narrative will keep you at the edge of your seat with every plot twist, cliffhanger and thought-provoking revelation. We won’t spoil the details, but Woo Do-Hwan’s role in the middle of the drama will make you think he’s meant for his The King: Eternal Monarch role long before it was even conceptualised!

Mad Dog (2017)

Moving from one thrilling K-drama to the next, Woo Do-Hwan also took on another main role in the same year for the series, Mad Dog. He played the genius former swindler Kim Min Joon, who started working with the Mad Dog team led by Yoo Ji-Tae’s Choi Kang Woo. Together, they investigate the truth behind an aeroplane crash that took away both their loved ones.

Why you’ll like it: Despite its slow-burn plot, the ongoing mystery mixed with the melodrama of the story works all throughout its 16-episodes. Woo Do-Hwan’s way with characterisation shines in particular along with the rest of the cast as he takes on multiple roles. Did we mention that he won Best New Actor at the 31st KBS Drama Awards for this role too?

Tempted (2018)

Also known as The Great Seducer, Tempted is loosely based from the French novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Dangerous Liaisons). The story revolves around a rich heir to a chaebol (Korean conglomerate) who makes a bet with his friends to make a girl who doesn’t believe in love to fall in love with him.

Why you’ll like it: As cliché and formulaic as it is, the opposites-attract or fake-love-turn-to-real-love trope work because of its heart-fluttering, easy-to-consume narrative. Add on the fact that Woo Do-Hwan starred opposite Red Velvet’s Joy in this drama and you’ll be hooked from the first episode to the last.

My Country: The New Age (2019)

Whether or not you're into historical dramas, this next Woo Do-Hwan K-drama will make you fall in love with the genre. Set during the transition between the Goryeo and the Joseon periods, the story revolves around two friends who grow to become enemies as they navigate the changes that came with ‘the new age’.

Why you’ll like it: While the drama is centred around politics and friendship, it’s also not short of comedy, romance and melodrama that will take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions as you learn more about each character. Through this drama, Woo Do-Hwan proved that not only can he ace modern-day roles, but he also has his way with historical characters too.

(Cover photo from: @sbsdrama.official)

Next, here's everything you need to know about the American remake of hit K-drama, Hotel Del Luna.