7 K-Drama Characters That Gave Us The Ultimate Second Male Lead Syndrome

The chemistry of the main female and male character is essential for any romance K-drama. But let’s face it; there are instances when we are rooting for the other guy or the “second male lead”, even though we know that there’s a small chance he’ll get the girl in the end.

That being said, here are some of our favourite second male lead K-drama characters starting with:

Han Ji Pyeong (Start Up)

Image credit: tvN

Although Kim Seon Ho has starred in many dramas before, “Start Up” was the show that skyrocketed his popularity in Korea. Acting alongside Bae Suzy and Nam Joo Hyuk, it was hard to imagine how his rich character will compliment the two.

Ji Pyeong can even be seen as arrogant at first, rejecting so many business ideas despite them being good. However, after learning about his backstory and the things he had to go through, viewers immediately gained sympathy for him. 

Do San (Joo Hyuk’s character) was equally deserving of Dal Mi’s (Suzy’s character) love, but Ji Pyeong’s driven attitude and heart-warming personality made a lot of people #TeamGoodBoy.

Han Woo Tak (While You Were Sleeping)

Image credit: SBS

When two of the male leads compete for the girl, they would sometimes end up fighting – whether physically or just throwing some harsh words against each other.

This is the reason why Woo Tak, played by Jung Hae In, is one my favourite second male lead. His character did not attempt to take away the girl from the guy, and was instead respectful of their relationship as well as their boundaries.

In fact he even became good friends with the two, which goes to show how much integrity he has. But that doesn’t mean there were no painful moments for Woo Tak.

Who can forget the iconic scene where took a photo of him and Hong Joo’s shadow?

Baek In Ho (Cheese In The Trap)

Image credit; tvN

Portrayed by Seo Kang Joon, Baek In Ho was another K-drama character that made the hearts of many break. His character was the female lead’s childhood best friend. Meanwhile, his rival is his stepbrother and greatest enemy, Yoo Jung.

In the drama, there were a lot of scenes where In Ho’s unrequited love for Hong Seol (portrayed by Kim Go Eun) was highlighted, as she would sometimes seek his advice about Yoo Jung.

Plus, he was always thoughtful toward Seol! We won’t spoil the drama by giving too much details, but you can watch it on Netflix or Viu if you want to know more ;)

Choi Young Do (The Heirs)

Image credit: SBS

Second male leads usually have that nice, good boy image which makes viewers drawn to them. However, Kim Woo Bin’s character in “The Heirs” is actually the complete opposite.

Young Do can be characterized as a bully, since there were scenes of him being rude towards other people (he even made a child cry!). When it comes to Eun Sang (played by Park Shin Hye), he was also a “tsundere” – making mean remarks when in reality, he has feelings for her.

Like Ji Pyeong in Start Up, Young Do also has a sad childhood. Although this is not an excuse for his wrong actions in the drama, it made many understand why he has some trouble expressing his emotions.

Kim Jung Hwan (Reply 1988)

Image credit: tvN

You cannot make a second male lead syndrome article without putting Reply 1988’s Kim Jung Hwan in the list. Him not ending up with Duk-seon (portrayed by Lee Hyeri) is still one of the biggest heartbreak’s in the K-drama scene up until now.

Jung Hwan (portrayed by Ryu Junyeol) has feeling towards his friend, Dukseon. However, she has feelings for their other friend Taek (portrayed by Park Bo Gum).

Because he doesn’t want to ruin his friendship with the two, he has constantly hesitated confessing for his love - something he regrets later on in the show.

Thankfully, although their characters were not #endgame in the drama, Junyeol and Hyeri are now dating in real life <3

Han Seo Jun (True Beauty)

Image credit: tvN

While we are all weak for ASTRO Cha Eun Woo’s charms, watching True Beauty had many viewers rooting for #TeamSeoJun.

Played by Hwang In Yeop, Seo Jun is a popular and handsome student. Despite his tough looks, he is actually caring – especially towards his mom and his sister. He develops feelings for Ju Kyung - a transferee student who is “hiding” her true appearance with the use of make-up.

The two of them have a lot of cute and quirky moments (our favorite is the lip gloss and tiger boxers scene!) but she ends up choosing Eun Woo’s character Su ho in the end.

Kim Shin Hyuk (She Was Pretty)

Image credit; MBC

Everyone wants to be loved not just for their looks - but also for everything that they are.

This is what Shin Hyuk (portrayed by Choi Si Won) exactly did in She Was Pretty. The female lead Hye Jin, used to be beautiful, rich and smart. But, a series of events lead her to becoming the complete opposite.

Due to Shin Hyuk and Hye Jin working together, he catches feelings for her despite her not fitting in the normal beauty standards of the society.

But just like the other guys in this list, Hye Jin picked the main lead Han Yeol. Well, the role was played by Park Seo Joon, so who can blame her?

We still have so many second male leads we want to add, but let’s keep this list short for now. Leave a comment below if you want a part two!