​Actors over 40 who never cease to amaze; Part 1

Actors over 40 Who Never Cease to Amaze

Part 1

(All the photos are recent)

Cha Seung Won

(44)

The hot actor and model who has always made girls swoon with his killer height (6' 2" /1.87 m), jaw line, voice and abs; still can exercise the same magic over them at the age of 44.

Whether he played the role of the jerk rich giving the nice girl a hard time ( City Hall), or the nice, simple and upright young man ( Bodyguard, Blushing With Love, South of the Border, Kick the Moon ). Whether his hot temper and brilliant mind invaded the screen (Libera Me, Blood Rain, Murder Take One, Eye for an Eye, Secret) or cracked us up with his adorable naïveté and sense of humour ( Jail Breakers, Break Out, Ghost House). Or was it his troubled self looking for answers ( 8 Love Stories, My Teacher Mr. Kim); Cha Seung Won has never failed to present a brilliant, genuine and unique personal touch that makes it impossible to imagine anyone else playing his roles.

At the age of 40 CSW played the villain in 3 works. He played the dark and merciless Son Hyuk in the groundbreaking action drama (at least for me) Athena; Goddess of War, ambitious and bloody Lee Mon Hwak in the period film Blades of Blood and the patriotic and barbaric North Korean general Park Mu Rang in the box office hit 71: Into the Fire.

At 41 he came back as the comic and arrogant Dok Ko Jin in The Greatest Love – which won him 5 awards. At 44 he starred in You’re All Surrounded as the hot-tempered but scarred detective Seo Pan Seok and his moments with Lee Seung Gi were priceless. In the same year he took up a total new role as the transgender detective Ji Wook in Man On High Heels and totally swept me off my feet.

Cha Seung Won will be 45 in June and he’s coming back in the new historical drama Hwajeong as evil Prince Gwanghae in April – which I cannot wait to watch. No matter what role he plays or whatever he does; Cha Seung Won remains a legend. And he never fails to amaze.

Kim Min Jong

(43)

The actor and singer was a hit back in the 1990s as he starred in many dramas and his unearthly voice captured people’s hearts. His duo with Son Ji Chang as The Blue ruled over women’s hearts, and he won many awards as an actor and a vocalist. However, he started losing his popularity in mid-2000 and many people deemed him lost.

I haven’t watched his 1990s’ dramas so I don’t know much about that. But I have listened to all his songs and he’s in every way the only singer I can play in every mood and whatever the time or the situation is and can bring me solace.

The 30's Kim Min Jong – the not so popular Kim Min Jong - starred in a work almost yearly. I watched him as the simple, naïve and honest Ha Tae Woong in Guardian Angel – against Song Hye Kyo - where he did a great job and won an award. As the insecure, shy but protective and selfless Kim Chul Soo in the well-written and well-acted tvN drama Hyena – which I loved to bits. As the fool Yo Yi who faces a painful epiphany and transforms into a great warrior in the comic film Romantic Warrior. As the quiet and conflicted Kim In Seo in The Windmill Palm Grove – which left a deep impression on me. As the brilliant and charismatic villain Hwang Woo Hyun in A Man Called God – his second best performance for me. And as the talented but clumsy Kim Ki Soo in one of my most personal favorite action dramas; Athena; Goddess of War – where I personally left all the leads and fell for him.

Then Kim Min Jong disappeared for two years and at the age of 41 and when nobody expected such a return; he made his greatest comeback in the drama that made a clean sweep of the awards of the year and won him the Best Couple Award and the Special Acting Award; A Gentleman's Dignity. His remake of his hit song Beautiful Pain was a great plus.

And I waited for more, but again he disappeared for two years, and when I was about to give up he came back as the rebellious Na Chul Joo in one of my favorite sageuks: Secret Door. Though I was disappointed at the short screen time he had – almost everyone except the two leads faced the same - I was so happy at his comeback, and I enjoyed every second.

What awaits this 43-year old veteran and talented actor? I can’t wait to see.

If you have or haven't listened to him singing; this song will suffice.

Choi Min Soo

(52)

If your first work by this genius actor is Pride and Prejudice, then I can assure you that you have a rotten luck.

I cannot claim that I can introduce you to him; nobody can. What I watched by him is very little but I sensed from the very first episode of Sandglass(1995) that he was no ordinary actor. He played Tae Soo in one of the most significant and highest-rated dramas in Korean history – reached 64.5%. I haven’t finished the drama because I lost access to it but I will one day. I won’t say anything about his character or the drama. Watch and judge.

In 2000 and at the age of 38 Choi Min Soo played chief Jo Sang Woo in the hit Libera Me, who found himself in a war with a mentally unbalanced arsonist who set the city on fire. His performance there literally blew my mind away – the number of awards he won for that role proves that.

In 2010 and at the age of 48 he played Commander Moon Sa Moo in the war drama Road Number One. The reason why I’m still sticking to the heart-breaking drama is him – though his role ended I couldn’t stop. Brave, patriotic, strong, compassionate and trusted and loved by all his soldiers; Choi Min Soo outdid everything I expected. He was completely untouchable.

At 49 he came back as the assassin Chun in Warrior Baek Dong Soo. What a complicated character! And what a brilliant performance! Put all the great cast aside, put the production, the story and the music aside; only for him, the drama is absolutely worth watching.

And at 52 he could get on people’s nerves in the legal drama Pride and Prejudice. I LOVED HIM. People were annoyed by his voice, speech and manners, but I utterly loved every single second, every single word, gesture or action he did. He was the drama for me.

I cannot pinpoint one thing. Everything about Choi Min Soo is brilliant. I will watch all his works one day; definitely.

Jang Dong Gun

(42)

Beautiful Jang Dong Gun! Hot Jang Dong Gun! Charismatic Jang Dong Gun! Brilliant Jang Dong Gun!

Be it his mysterious performance of Yun Hyeong Chul i All About Eve or his comeback after 12 years as hot, rich, caring and blunt Kim Do Jin in A Gentleman's Dignity. Be it his complicated, dark and profound portrayal of Dong Soo in the highest-grossing Korean film of all time Friend or his astounding and mind-blowing performance of the troubled and loyal Lee Jin Tae in the most successfu Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War. Jang Dong Gun always places himself on the pedestal of genius. I haven’t watched much by him and though I will; I can already place him here. I doubt anybody else wouldn’t.

At 42; what does he have for us?

Lee Sung Min

(47)

Now this actor never EVER ceases to present a new self every time.

I first watched him as the sagacious and fair King Lee Jae Gang in King2Hearts. His warm and assuring smile, his paternal touch, and his sad eyes immediately placed him high in my heart. I cried buckets because of him in the drama, and I vowed then to watch all his works.

At 47 he played the agitated Detective Eok Gwan in the heartbreaking Broken and did a great job. Then he made everyone lose their heart to him when he outperformed everyone else with his phenomenal portrayal of Section Chief Oh Sang Shik in the hit Incomplete Life; Misaeng.

If this is his level at 47; I believe we can expect much more in the future.

Stay tuned to my second part of the article.