11 Lee Jun Young K-dramas Which Showcase His Versatility

Few idol-turned-actors have pulled off a transformation quite like Lee Jun Young. Once known simply as Jun, the rapper-vocalist of U-KISS and later a member of project group UNB, he has spent the better part of a decade quietly building one of the most versatile filmographies on screen—swinging between swoon-worthy romantic leads, chaotic high school villains, and chairman-in-a-soccer-player’s-body chaos with equal ease. Lee Jun Young has made a habit of disappearing into wildly different characters, which is exactly what makes a deep dive into his filmography so rewarding. Pick your mood, and watch one of these 11 dramas which showcase his range.

“Reborn Rookie”

Lee Jun Young takes on double identities as Hwang Jun Hyun, a rising soccer star whose body gets hijacked by the soul of Kang Yong Ho (Son Hyun Joo), the ruthless chairman of conglomerate Choiseong Group, after a near-fatal accident. What follows is a body-swap revenge plot with the melodrama dial turned all the way up. Lee Jun Young’s tightrope act of playing a wide-eyed athlete possessed by a decades-older corporate shark is no less than a blast. Watch it also for the sheer fun of him turn a once-peaceful internship into chaos.

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“When Life Gives You Tangerines”

In “When Life Gives You Tangerines,” Lee Jun Young plays Park Yeong Beom, who falls for Geum Myeong (IU) when they meet for the first time at University. Though devoted to her, Yeong Beom is unable to defy his mother’s wishes, causing lasting impacts on their relationship. Lee Jun Young’s Yeong Beom is a small but quietly devastating supporting role. Watch it for one of the most affecting “green flag who still couldn’t stay” performances.

“Weak Hero Class 2”

If “When Life Gives You Tangerines” made you fall for him, “Weak Hero Class 2” will make you forget that Yeong Beom ever existed. Lee Jun Young plays Geum Seong Je, the chaotic, violence-loving right-hand man of bully leader Na Baek Jin (Bae Na Ra) in this brutal high school survival drama led by an awesome ensemble including Park Ji Hoon. Watch it for proof that he can anchor a dark thriller without losing an ounce of nuance.

“Melo Movie”

This slow-burn romance ensemble drama stars Lee Jun Young as Hong Si Jun, a self-styled musical genius who is, in reality, still an unknown composer. The series centers on a different couple (Choi Woo Shik and Park Bo Young), but Si Jun’s own relationship with his longtime girlfriend-turned-screenwriter, Son Ju A (Jeon So Nee), forms an aching secondary arc—from a blindsiding breakup on their anniversary to an unexpectedly bittersweet reunion years later. Watch it for a quieter, more wounded kind of heartbreak, set against a wistful meditation on love, art, and growing up.

“The Impossible Heir”

Lee Jun Young schemes his way up a corporate ladder in this revenge drama. He plays Kang In Ha, the neglected illegitimate son of the Kangoh Group’s chairman. Kang In Ha teams up with his childhood friend Han Tae Oh (Lee Jae Wook) in a shared, ruthless climb to the top. It’s a partnership built on mutual use that inevitably curdles. Watch it for Lee Jun Young’s deliberately layered performance as a character meant to carry both real vulnerability and menace, even if the show around him doesn’t always do the premise justice.

“Pump Up the Healthy Love”

Need a palate cleanser after all that darkness? Then “Pump Up the Healthy Love” is for you. Lee Jun Young plays Do Hyeon Joong, an eccentric, fitness-obsessed gym owner and former bodybuilding champion who whips travel agency manager Lee Mi Ran (Jeong Eun Ji) into shape at his 24-hour gym. It’s a lighthearted rom-com built on workout banter and slow-burn romance. Watch it for Lee Jun Young in full hulk-with-a-heart mode. It’s a delightful 180 from his villain era.

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“Let Me Be Your Knight”

Lee Jun Young plays Yoon Tae In, the leader, lead vocalist, and producer of idol group LUNA, who develops sleepwalking episodes rooted in childhood trauma. In Yoon Joo (Jung In Sun), a tour guide whose sister is a sleep doctor, poses as her sister and moves into the band’s dorm to secretly treat him, and a predictable but charming romance ensues. Watch it for a fluffy, idol-life rom-com that lets Lee Jun Young flex both his music background and his knack for playing wounded, guarded leading men.

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“May I Help You”

Kim Tae Hee (Lee Jun Young) is a carefree errand-service runner who is secretly grieving the loss of his younger brother. He teams up with funeral director Baek Dong Joo (Hyeri)—a woman who can briefly communicate with the recently deceased—to grant the dead’s last wishes. A show that fits the gentle, weepy comfort-watch category, watch it for a tender, slow-healing romance and some genuinely moving one-off stories about the people Dong Joo helps along the way.

“Imitation”

A fictionalized, occasionally satirical look at the K-pop idol industry, “Imitation” comes packed with real idols playing idols including members of ATEEZ, SF9, and T-ara. Lee Jun Young plays Kwon Ryoc, the center of top boy group SHAX. He’s talented, image-conscious, and is none too pleased about a rookie (Jung Zi So) who built her career impersonating a star he’s connected to. Watch it for Lee Jun Young essentially replaying his own idol years on screen, plus a real soundtrack he sings on.

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“Dreaming of a Freaking Fairytale”

Moon Cha Min (Lee Jun Young) is an eighth-generation chaebol heir who runs an exclusive social club and has zero patience for women chasing a “Cinderella” fantasy. Naturally, he falls for Shin Jae Rim (Pyo Ye Jin), the club’s new manager, who’s guilty of exactly that dream, until she isn’t. Watch it for Lee Jun Young playing the arrogant-prince archetype with just enough vulnerability to make the slow-burn payoff land.

“Avengers Social Club”

This is where it all began. Lee Jun Young stars as Lee Soo Gyeom in this revenge dramedy about three women and one neglected young man banding together to settle scores against the people who wronged them. Soo Gyeom grew up sidelined by his biological father, who only resurfaces hoping a son will help secure his inheritance. But Soo Gyeom joins his stepmother (Lee Ye Won) in the “Bokja Club,” which includes Hong Do Hee (Ra Mi Ran) and Lee Mi Sook (Myung Se Bin) instead. Watch it for the role many longtime fans still call his most natural performance and the first glimpse of the actor he’d become.

Puja Talwar is a Soompi writer with a strong Yoo Yeon Seok and Lee Junho bias. A long time K-drama fan, she loves devising alternate scenarios to the narratives. She has interviewed Lee Min Ho, Gong Yoo, Cha Eun Woo, and Ji Chang Wook to name a few. You can follow her on @puja_talwar7 on Instagram.