For years, K-drama was dominated by dreamy “oppa” – the Korean word for “older brother”, referring to young, handsome leading men who made viewers swoon.
But lately, times have changed in the K-drama landscape.
Today, a crop of “ajussi” – a Korean term for middle-aged man, often used for “uncle” – is stealing the spotlight with their charisma, talent, action-hero appeal and good looks, proving they can be just as irresistible with age and experience.
Here are four hot ajussis with hit shows on TV right now.
So Ji-sub has long established himself as South Korea’s go-to action star, with appearances in K-dramas such as My Secret Terrius, Mercy For None and A Company Man, to name a few.
But it is the recent 10-episode, Taken-inspired K-drama Agent Kim Reactivated that has cemented his status as a middle-aged heartthrob in the Korean entertainment scene.
Even the 48-year-old himself is taken aback by the success he’s experiencing with the latest K-drama.
“Honestly, it feels a little like I’m being pranked.
“I’m still wondering, ‘What’s going on?’” he asked The Korea Herald in a recent interview.
A former competitive swimmer, So began his showbiz career quite accidentally.
A fan of hip-hop group Duex, the then-18-year-old entered a modelling contest for a denim company in hopes of meeting and working with band member Kim Sung-jae, who was the label’s ambassador.
With his lanky frame and impressive physique, So won the competition, which eventually led him to acting.
It would take him close to a decade before he achieved leading man status, landing the coveted role in the melodrama I’m Sorry, I Love You in 2004.
Ever since then, So has been a staple on South Korean television.
“If I’m Sorry, I Love You launched the first major chapter of my career, I believe Agent Kim Reactivated marks the beginning of the second,” he said recently.
So married former TV reporter Jo Eun-jung in 2020.
Agent Kim Reactivated is available on Netflix.
The charismatic actor Lee Dong-wook has long captivated fans with his good looks and iconic roles in shows such as Tale Of The Nine Tailed, Strangers From Hell and Goblin.
At 44, this former oppa has now moved into ajussi territory, but he has lost none of his charm.
Just look at the two seasons of A Shop For Killers, where the ratings show that Lee can still pull in the crowds.
Like So Ji-sub, Lee also started his career as a model.
It’s not hard to see why he won a modelling contract at 18, with his alabaster skin, expressive eyes and towering stature (he stands at 1.84m).
He then worked his way up to leading man status with shows such as the aforementioned titles, as well as My Girl, Bad And Crazy, Tale Of The Nine Tailed 1938 and more.
Lee has proven he is just as adept at playing romantic leads as he is in fantasy and action roles.
Now that he is well established, the actor is more selective when it comes to his work.
“I’m from the past generation and have been doing this job since 1999. I’ve stayed up countless nights and worked countless brutal schedules.
“There was a time when I became afraid of doing K-dramas, because it’s difficult to live for that long with two or three hours of sleep.
“As the system changed, actors could rest for about one day per week, and sleep about six or seven hours a night. I think this is a good development,” the bachelor told Arena magazine, reflecting on the gruelling schedules actors have had to endure.
Both seasons of A Shop For Killers are available on Disney+.
Unlike his peers So Ji-sub and Lee Dong-wook, Namkoong Min’s rise to the top ranks of seasoned K-drama actors was a steep one.
He tried his luck auditioning for roles right out of college but failed to land anything.
Undeterred, Nam kept trying and eventually took on minor roles.
From there, he worked his way up, improving his craft with each role.
He has revealed in interviews that he was once insulted by a director for his poor performance and was often scolded on set when he was a rookie.
But he took it all in stride.
Now, the 48-year-old is one of the most respected and profitable actors in South Korea.
In 2024, he was ranked third in terms of strong commercial appeal, which translates into many endorsement deals.
The actor, who holds a degree in mechanical engineering, is known as much for his protagonist roles in Doctor Prisoner, One Dollar Lawyer and Hot Stove League as he is for playing baddies in The Girl Who Smells and Remember.
Nam has said that even on vacation, he is constantly thinking about work and trying to improve his craft.
“I won’t reveal the details of my methods. It’s my secret,” he joked to The Korea Herald.
The actor elaborated: “If you want to move others, it has to feel real.
“There’s a difference between just shedding tears, even if it happens to look good onscreen due to lighting and sad music, and trying to understand someone’s pain and stressing over it (as your own).”
Nam, who is married to actress Jin Ah-reum, can currently be seen in the kidnapping thriller The Husband.
The Husband is available on Disney+.
Actor Kim Moo-yul is having the best year of his career, all thanks to the hit K-drama Teach You A Lesson.
The 44-year-old actor has gone from “that familiar guy” to one of South Korea’s most talked-about actors in the past few months.
The 10-episode series has even put Kim in the spotlight for his uncanny resemblance to Hollywood star John Cena, who shared a photo of the ajussi on social media.
But Kim’s road to stardom was far from straight- forward.
His family faced financial difficulties while he was growing up, and as the eldest son in the family, Kim took on various jobs to help make ends meet.
“I’ve worked more jobs than I can remember. It kept happening, over and over, and as the eldest son, I just kept telling myself I had to get tougher,” he said at a recent Korean talk show.
He eventually turned to acting in 2002. He cut his teeth in musical theatre before moving to minor roles in film and television.
Over the years, Kim has played everything from villains to cops, appearing in films such as The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil and The Roundup: Punishment, while also taking on darker roles in K-dramas such as Juvenile Justice and Sweet Home.
With Teach You A Lesson, Kim seems to have found a role that allows him to establish himself as an international action star.
So, what does he think of his newfound global fame?
“I honestly don’t quite know what to do with myself,” he told The Korea Times.
Kim is married to actress Yoon Seung-ah, and the couple has one child.
Teach You A Lesson is available on Netflix.
