Personal Opinion On The Acting in TKEM
Although I know there are a lot of Lee Min Ho fans out there who thinks that he is the perfect man and actor, I beg to differ. Over the years, I have watched some of his previous dramas thinking that he would grow as an actor. However in his latest role as Lee Gon, he was more or less playing the same stereotypical “handsome” rich boy as he had previously done in other dramas.
While watching him in TKEM, I kept hoping he would display more growth in his acting abilities as to make the character he was portraying seem more real and believable. However, I was just left sorely disappointed. What he delivered instead were just more or less stiff and wooden expressions. Needless to say, I was not impressed by his acting at all in TKEM.
He didn’t make me believe that he was actually experiencing what his character was going through. He did not even know how to use his “instrument”, by this I mean his voice and body to serve the role he was playing. There were no inflection in his tone to reflect the changes that his character was undergoing throughout the show. With concerns to his body, it was just pretty much him egotistically walking around with both hands behind his back the entire time and staring with soulless eyes. LMH was given so many scenes to both grow as an actor as well as give life or substance to his character in TKEM. However, in the end, he just squandered it all.
At this point, I do not know what his intentions are as an actor because I’m not him. From my point of view, it seems that he is perfectly content with remaining stagnant in his acting abilities rather than evolve as an actor and becoming a “respected” actor. I would like to think that from a point of view from an actor/actress, one should care more about becoming a well respected actor/actress who is constantly evolving because at the end of the day, looks do fade. Thus, leaving behind something of more substantial value which is one’s ability to portray a character effectively.
It was also quite surprising to see that there were so many articles singing high praises about LMH’s acting in TKEM. I guess to them, their definition of what is considered “good” acting is either set relatively low or equating it to good looks. This also then leads me to question if I will ever watch another KES drama in the future because it seems that she is willing to sacrifice the respect of her writing just to cast another pretty face with no substance.
In stark contrast to LMH’s otherwise dull acting, was a lesser known actor by the name of Woo Do Hwan. He had played dual roles as Jo Yeong, the stoic Captain of the Royal Guards and Jo Eun Sup, the highly optimistic friend/brother of Lieutenant Jung Tae Eul who was serving out his military duty at the local police station. If there is something LMH should learn next time is that he should never star in another drama with Woo Do Hwan ever again because that guy outacted LMH in more ways than one.
Although WDH did not get nearly as many scenes as LMH did, he took whatever scenes he was given whole heartedly and expanded them to far greater horizons than LMH could have ever done with his character as Lee Gon. He had so many micro expressions embedded in his portrayal as both Jo Yeong and Eun Sup that I often found myself forgetting that both characters were played by the same actor. WDH not only used his “instrument” effectively, but he made a whole symphony out of it all. That’s what I call a masterpiece right there!
WDH also had such great chemistry with everyone that it became hard for me to even choose which relationship I was rooting for. Whether it be with himself as Jo Yeong or Eun Sup, Lee Gon, Myeong Seung-Ah, or Nari.
He had portrayed both of his characters so brilliantly that the only scenes which elicited any kind of emotional response out of me were the ones he was in. Whether it be laughing my butt off or crying buckets of tears.
No such thing ever happened to me while viewing the supposedly epic or heartfelt moments that included LMH. If anything, the only emotions I felt while watching crucial scenes featuring LMH were ones of straight awkwardness.
With regards to all that I have said, if there is anyone who deserves an award for their acting in TKEM, it should be Woo Do Hwan. He has all the makings of becoming a great actor in the long run! I just hope that there will come a day where he would be offered more lead roles because he is truly an exceptional and versatile actor with an added bonus of being very good looking too.
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