6 Essential Ahn Hyo-seop K-dramas to watch this March

| PHOTO: @imhyoseop/Instagram

If there’s one word to describe Korean Canadian actor Ahn Hyo-seop, it would definitely be versatile, to the extent that he was close to debuting as a member of the world-renowned K-pop group GOT7.

And adding to his resume and undeniable charm is his proficiency in English. Born on April 17, 1995, the “Dr. Romantic” actor spent a portion of his formative years in Toronto until he turned 17, before returning to South Korea to pursue a career in music and acting.

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However, it was in acting where the K-drama oppa found his true passion. After making his official debut as the lead in the K-drama “My Father is Strange,” he promptly earned the Rookie Award in 2017.

From then on, his K-drama hits snowballed one after another, and here’s a list of Ahn Hyo-seop shows to get to know him more.

“Dr. Romantic 2 and 3”

For some viewers, you likely caught him in one of the K-drama world’s biggest and most highly-anticipated medical series, “Dr. Romantic.”

In the second season, Paul Ahn (his English name) stars alongside Lee Sung-kyung. The story revolves around two highly talented doctors and former university mates who coincidentally reunite. Despite their constant bickering, they learn valuable lessons in their profession while unexpectedly falling in love along the way. Their chemistry even carries over to the third season, which aired in 2023.

“Business Proposal”

But what made Paul even bigger as an actor is when he portrayed CEO Kang Tae-moo in the 2022 Netflix romantic comedy drama “Business Proposal.”

The 12-episode drama starring him and Kim Sejeong follows Shin Ha-ri (Sejeong), an employee who agrees to substitute for her friend on a blind date, only to discover that her supposed date is, in fact, her boss. The following episodes are both hilarious and heartwarming.

“Abyss”

If we’re talking about being a “Netflix son,” he would definitely be in contention with “My Demon” star Song Kang and “18 Again” lead actor Lee Do-Hyun.

In “Abyss,” which premiered in 2019, Ahn Hyo-seop delivered a remarkable acting performance alongside “On Your Wedding Day” actress Park Bo-young. In this series, they both come back to life in new bodies they don’t recognize.

“Top Management”

Delving deeper into the years, in 2018, Hyo-seop and Astro’s Cha Eunwoo collaborated on a YouTube series project!

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the visuals, you’re not alone, as both actors portray idols in this series. The storyline centers on a former female idol trainee gifted with foresight, who transitions into the role of manager for a struggling boy idol group. Together, they navigate obstacles on their journey to stardom.

“Still 17”

Even though released in 2018, “Still 17” brought together some of today’s biggest K-drama stars: Hyo-seop, Lee Do-hyun (once again), “Doona’s” Yang Se-Jong, “Mr. Queen’s” Shin Hye-sun and “All of Us are Dead’s” Yoon Chan-young.

And here’s the exciting part: the three male actors each won Baeksang’s Best New Actor award within a few years, with Hye-sun being the multi-awarded actress that she is! No need for introduction, this drama is a masterpiece.

“A Time Called You”

His latest project is with Netflix again, titled “A Time Called You.” Starring alongside Jeon Yeo-been and Kang Hoon, this heart-wrenching drama delves into the story of two star-crossed lovers and time-traveling. With a hint of mind games, viewers are required to carefully connect the events in each timeline.

The storyline revolves around a young woman (Yeo-been) grieving the loss of her boyfriend (Hyo-seo). Suddenly, she finds herself inexplicably transported back in time, inhabiting the body of a high school student. In this new reality, she encounters a student who bears a striking resemblance to her late boyfriend, leaving her feeling bewildered.

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While “Sweet Home” actor Song Kang is preparing to enlist for mandatory military training and Lee Do-hyun is currently serving, Ahn Hyo-seop’s military enlistment is exempted due to his Canadian citizenship. Joining him in the exemption is another K-pop star Kim Woo Bin whose health issue with a cancer diagnosis led to him skipping the enlistment.

Therefore, we might expect another drama starring Hyo-seop this year or next year, and with that, he’s kicking it off with “Omniscient Reader” alongside Lee Min-ho and Blackpink’s Jisoo in 2024.