Throughout the years, Hyun Bin has shown his range as a leading man in romantic K-drama series and action films. Attention fell onto Hyun after his lead role in the romantic comedy series My Lovely Sam Soon, which established the actor as a charming romantic interest, a type of character he would become largely beloved for. Still, Hyun’s skills aren’t limited to romantic narratives. Action films like Confidential Assignment and The Negotiation present a different side of Hyun that is equally welcomed by fans.
Hyun’s range as an actor isn’t only praised by fans of his work, but by critics as well. Since beginning his career in 2004, Hyun has been nominated for numerous awards for some of his best work, including Secret Garden and the widely successful K-drama Crash Landing on You. For nearly two decades, Hyun has been consistently working and building upon his skills as an actor, with the proof of his hard work being evident in Hyun’s best projects.
8 Hyde Jekyll, Me (2015)
Gu Seo-jin/Robin
There are a handful of inconsistencies with the plot of Hyde Jekyll, Me, and with a total of 20 episodes in its season, the series frequently drags. However, the most impressive part about Hyde Jekyll, Me is Hyun’s performance, earning a rightful spot among his best work. As the series’ name suggests, the romantic K-drama is centered around a main character with two personalities, like the famous character from Robert Louis Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Played by Hyun, Gu Seo-jin is his default personality, who is often cruel and cold.
But when Gu Seo-jin’s heart rate accelerates, his alter ego Robin takes over, who is, in contrast, kind and considerate towards others. The guarded and unlikable performance as Seo-jin gives audiences a peek into what Hyun is capable of as an actor. Convincingly playing two differing characters in the same project isn’t the easiest task, but Hyun rises to the occasion. Hyun’s sharp performance as his layered character is Hyde Jekyll, Me‘s biggest strength.
7 The Negotiation (2018)
Min Tae-gu
Hyun has starred in quite a few action films throughout his career, but one that stands apart from the rest is The Negotiation. The crime film sees Hyun and Son Ye-jin act alongside one another for the first time before the series Crash Landing on You. In The Negotiation, Hyun plays Min Tae-gu, an arms dealer holding a large group of people hostage. It’s the first time in Hyun’s career that he played a villain, and he deftly handled the rough edges of his character, proving his versatility as an actor.
The Negotiation isn’t a perfect film as the script isn’t the strongest and there are a few questions surrounding the logistics of the plot. However, The Negotiation is entertaining the whole way through. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep audiences on the edge of their seats, thanks to a few notable scenes with Hyun’s antagonist. Additionally, just as well-rounded as Hyun and Son’s individual performances are, it’s also a treat for fans of the K-drama stars to see their thrilling on-screen dynamic, as it’s drastically different from what’s presented in Crash Landing on You.
6 Memories Of The Alhambra (2018-2019)
Yoo Jin-woo
Introducing the rare appearance of the sci-fi genre in Hyun’s filmography is the series Memories of the Alhambra. Starring Hyun and Park Shin-hye as its leads, Memories of the Alhambra follows the journey of a CEO and hostel owner who find themselves in instances where reality and augmented reality start to bleed into one another. For its impressive special effects, fast pace, and technological themes, Memories of the Alhambra earned high levels of praise from critics and audiences. Memories of the Alhambra eventually became one of the highest-rated K-dramas on cable.
As is the case with some sci-fi stories, there is a level of skepticism that must be shed to fully buy into the fictional story told, and that’s the case with Memories of the Alhambra. However, audiences have no trouble giving their undivided attention to the series as Hyun is as captivating as ever as the CEO Yoo Jin-woo. Hyun’s compelling performance kept audiences hooked until the series’ divisive finale. Becoming fully invested in the character’s journey, the undisclosed fate of Jin-woo left audiences wanting more after the K-drama ended too soon.
5 Confidential Assignment (2017)
Im Cheol-ryung
Combining Hyun’s established talents as a dramatic and charming actor, he made a splashy return to film in Confidential Assignment. In the action-comedy, Hyun plays a North Korean detective who teams up with a Seoul detective to take down an illegal operation. Though Confidential Assignment follows a formulaic narrative seen numerous times in the action genre, it’s elevated thanks to its cast’s performances. Allowing the suspenseful action sequences to be balanced with bits of lighthearted comedy gives the actors room to have fun in their roles, which is easily apparent and infectious.
Hyun in particular is impressive as Confidential Assignment‘s lead, demonstrating he is capable of more beyond the romantic leads he had generally been known for before. Confidential Assignment succeeded at the box office and earned multiple award nominations and wins. Following the success of the film, a sequel, Confidential Assignment 2: International, was released in 2022, which saw the return of Hyun as Im Cheol-ryung.
4 Late Autumn (2010)
Hoon
As the fourth remake of South Korean director Lee Man-hee’s lost film of the same name, Late Autumn tells a beautiful, yet unconventional love story. In Late Autumn, Tang Wei plays Anna, a prisoner who is allowed to travel to Seattle for her mother’s funeral. While traveling to Seattle, Anna meets Hoon (Hyun), a man on the run after having an affair with a businessman’s wife. The two find a strange connection with each other as their lives have led them to unique circumstances.
Tang and Hyun’s characters come from differing backgrounds; a Chinese and Korean background respectively, but they find commonality in their unfortunate circumstances. The language barriers between Anna and Hoon mean Hyun and Tang must show their growing romantic interest in one another with merely their mannerisms and facial expressions, which they effortlessly pull off. Not unlike Hyun’s other romantic co-stars, he and Tang have palpable chemistry, helping draw audiences to the film.
3 My Lovely Sam Soon (2005)
Hyun Jin-heon
Dubbed by some as the Korean version of Bridget Jones’s Diary, My Lovely Sam Soon is a K-drama romance series that stars Hyun as the owner of an upscale restaurant and Kim Sun-a as the titular character, an insecure girl with a knack for baking. After witnessing Sam-soon get dumped publicly by her boyfriend, Hyun’s Jin-heon offers her a job as his restaurant’s pastry chef. The relationship between Jin-heon and Sam-soon follows that of the popular K-drama trope of enemies to lovers and captivated audiences.
The qualities that make Hyun a charming romantic lead are on full display in My Lovely Sam Soon. Hyun’s role in the K-drama was one of his first major projects in his filmography and, as a result, helped propel him into stardom. The chemistry between him and Kim and the relatability of the latter’s character allowed the series to earn high ratings, becoming one of the highest-rated K-dramas of all time. My Lovely Sam Soon earned numerous awards for its achievements, including many Best Actor awards for Hyun.
2 Secret Garden (2010-2011)
Kim Joo-won
Hyun made a name for himself in K-dramas with My Lovely Sam Soon, but he unlocked an additional level of fame after starring in the series Secret Garden. Hyun leads Secret Garden alongside Ha Ji-won as their guarded characters slowly open up to one another and grow closer. Secret Garden is a romance K-drama with elements of fantasy as a body-swapping plot further complicates the relationship between Ha Ji-won and Hyun’s characters. The two actors are incredibly well-matched on screen, making it impossible not to root for their connection.
Hyun’s performance is charismatic and helped the success of the show. Outside of Secret Garden‘s catchy original soundtrack and quotable dialogue, Hyun’s Kim Joo-won became a beloved character. As a result of Hyun’s breakout performance, his name and image were seen everywhere in the media, solidifying him as a top K-drama actor audiences were eager to see. Additionally, Hyun made his first entry onto the music scene when he lent his voice to Secret Garden‘s soundtrack. Hyun’s song “That Man” obtained a top spot on the Korean music charts.
1 Crash Landing On You (2019-2020)
Ri Jeong-hyeok
Once crowned the highest-rated series on tvN, Crash Landing on You remains a beloved romance K-drama and Hyun’s best project. Crash Landing on You follows Hyun’s Ri Jeong-hyeok, a member of the Korean People’s Army, as he stumbles across a paraglider. The paraglider wounds up being a chaebol heiress from South Korea, played by Son Ye-jin. Despite their differing backgrounds, the two fall for one another. The passion and longing to be with one another, mixed with the risk and political tension, led to a forbidden romance that had audiences captivated.
Crash Landing on You is not without its faults, but it still managed to earn high levels of praise from audiences and critics. Following its release, Crash Landing on You received a multitude of award nominations. Much of the praise went to the absorbing love story in Crash Landing on You, as well as Son and Hyun’s performances. The eventual real-life K-drama couple has unmistakable chemistry which lends itself neatly to both the series’ sweeter moments as their characters are falling in love, as well as Crash Landing on You’s more heartbreaking scenes as the pair are made to overcome obstacles.
