The Mysterious Closing of DramaFever
Lee Bum Soo is just an average looking short guy who has a film career. He catapulted to fame thanks to one thing alone: his talent. He did not climb the career ladder. He grew wings and flew to the top. Lee Bum Soo is an actor who has not been pigeonholed into a stereotype. He can play any role and still maintain his fan-base. It is hard for me to name another Korean actor who can flip flop between comedic roles and dramatic roles as well as Lee Bum Soo.
Let me introduce you to the different characters he played:
THE VILLAIN
Drama: IRIS 2
Character Name: Yoo Joong Won
In this drama, he plays Yoo Joong Won, a North Korean agent who wants to destroy South Korea. There was a short nanosecond I did felt sorry for Yoo Joong Won, but then I snapped back to reality because Yoo Joong Won was indeed a bad person.
What makes him great?
Lee Bum Soo made you want to hate Yoo Joong Won.
Yoo Joong Won gets ready to torture a South Korean agent.
Movie: Forbidden Quest
Character Name: Lee Gwang Heon
In Forbidden Quest, Lee Bum Soo played the character Lee Gwang Heon who moonlights as an artist who draws erotic pictures for a writer. So why did I list Lee Gwang Heon as a villain? His real occupation was Captain of Guard. He would beat the crap out of people who break the law, but then turns around and breaks it himself. Unlike Iris 2, Forbidden Quest is a comedy.
What makes him great?
Lee Bum Soo really impressed me in this movie. He showed his comedy talent by saying over the top lines and doing his funny gestures.
Captain Lee Gwang Heon doesn't want the men he arrested to know he is an artist.
THE HERO
Drama: Giant
Character Name: Lee Kang-mo
In this epic drama, Lee Bum Soo plays Lee Kang Mo. Lee Kang Mo is an orphan who falls in love with the daughter of a wealthy businessman. The daughter ignores her parents’ wishes and warnings and falls in love with Kang Mo.
What makes him great?
This epic drama made me a fanatic for Lee Bum Soo. I love how as Lee Kang Mo he stood his ground and didn’t let anyone take him for granted. At the same time, he showed compassion and heart for the less fortunate. His character, Lee Kang Mo never forgot his struggles.
Lee Kang Mo must fight the other prisoners to show them who is in charge.
Lee Kang Mo makes his enemies into his followers after he shows them who’s the boss.
Lee Kang Mo’s childhood sweetheart, Hwang Jung-yeon, visits him in prison.
Drama: History of a Salaryman
Character: Oh Yoo Bang
History of a Salaryman is one of my favorite Korean dramas. In this drama, Oh Yoo Bang is an unemployed college graduate desperate for money. He signs up as a lab rat for an experimental drug, which lands him a job with a powerful conglomerate. I love him as Oh Yoo Bang because he shows off all of his acting talents. Oh Yoo Bang starts off as a bumbling idiot than transforms into a dynamic and powerful man.
What makes him great?
Lee Bum Soo can easily morph from low IQ idiot to a smart and intelligent man. I was amazed by the transformation of Oh Yoo Bang. In the drama, Lee Bum Soo showed off both his comedic and dramatic talent, and also his fighting skills.
Oh Yoo Bang gets super clean to be a lab experiment.
Oh Yoo Bang tries to distract Choi Hang Woo with “practical math”.
Oh Yoo Bang attempts to avoid police with that awful wig.
Oh Yoo Bang stops his girlfriend, Baek Yeo Chi, from slapping the woman who stole her grandfather’s corporation.
Movie: Descendants of Hong Gil Dong
Character: Hong Mu hyeok
In the movie Descendants of Hong Gil Dong, Lee Bum Soo plays the anti-hero Hong Mu Hyeok. Mu Hyeok real job is teaching music, but he moonlights as a thief that steal from the rich and gives to the poor. So I don’t mind that he is an anti-hero.
What makes him great?
Lee Bum Soo once again shows us that he can play comedy roles without trying to be the head comic. He could have easily played the comedian, but he left most of the funny parts to his co-stars.
Mu Hyeok’s girlfriend, Song Hyeon Hwa, steals a kiss.
Mu Hyeok fights his girlfriend’s kidnappers.
Movie: Lifting King Kong
Character Name: Lee Ji Bong
Lee Bum Soo plays Lee Ji Bong, the 1988's Olympic bronze medalist for weight lifting. In this movie, his role is strictly dramatic. There is really little room for comedy in this sad, true story. Lee Ji Bong involuntarily retires from weightlifting, and gives up his dream to become a gold medalist, because of a bad heart, but returns as a coach to help out his friend. Lee Ji Bong is a hero because he gave those young girls hope and aspirations to do their best. He made them want to achieve and strive for more.
What makes him great?
He was so convincing as Lee Ji Bong that I actually thought he was really a coach. I was so wrap up in this movie that I was crying like a baby near the end. I expected the ending, but I refuse to believe. Lee Bum Soo won the award for Best Actor for Lifting King Kong.
Lee Ji Bong tries to convince the girls that weightlifting is useless.
Lee Ji Bong realizes he can't convince the girls to quit so he gives them a choice to use weightlifting as a hobby or a sport.
PERSONAL LIFE
Lee Bum Soo was born on January 3, 1970. He is a happily married man. His wife, Lee Yo Jin, was his English-tutor. They have two children.
If there is an actor or an actress that is worthy of a Stalker's Guide in your opinion, and you have watched enough dramas of his/hers to prove it, please contact Elisabetta about it.
