7 highest-rated Kim Seon Ho K-dramas that prove why the Hallyu star is loved by all (2024)

Kim Seon Ho’s Hallyu status didn’t come easy to him. The 37-year-old actor started his acting career with theatre (where he amassed a loyal fanbase) and made his screen debut fairly recently, in 2017 with Good Manager. After a few leading and supporting roles in K-dramas like Welcome to Waikiki 2, it was Seon Ho’s scene-stealing performance as Han Ji Pyeong in Start-Up that catapulted him to superstardom.

Kim Seon Ho was last seen in The Childe, his successful movie debut, which will be followed up by Tyrant alongside Cha Seung Won and Kim Kang Woo. As for his highly-awaited drama comeback since Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, the Grand Bell Award winner will star in Mangnaein aka Netizen opposite Park Gyu Young. Seon Ho is reported to lead Hong Sisters’ Can This Love be Interpreted? opposite Go Youn Jung alongside a reported cameo in IU and Park Bo Gum’s You Have Done Well.

7 highest-rated Kim Seon Ho K-dramas that prove why he’s a beloved Hallyu star

1. Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha

If Start-Up made Kim Seon Ho an overnight sensation, then Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha cemented the versatile actor's Hallyu tag. The slice-of-life rom-com K-drama - which is amongst the Top 25 highest-rated dramas in Korean cable television history - is set in a seaside village and explores the love story of a dentist who considers herself a perfectionist, and a jack-of-all-trades handyman who's the trusted chief of the town. The eccentric pair are polar opposites in every sense, but a quirky romance eventually blossoms. Seon Ho’s captivating performance as Chief Hong, his undeniable chemistry with Shin Min Ah and the incredible supporting ensemble rank Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha amongst the best Kim Seon Ho K-dramas, so far.

2. Start-Up

This K-drama put Kim Seon Ho on the Hallyu map after which there was no looking back for him The slice-of-life rom-com explores aspiring entrepreneurs trying to make it in the cut-throat world of Sandbox, South Korea’s fictional Silicon Valley. Interlaced in the storyline is a love triangle between a young woman, her first love, and a man pretending to be her first love. Seon Ho gave viewers major second lead syndrome as Han Ji Pyeong, a successful businessman with an austere personality.

Team Han Ji Pyeong might have been hit with major heartbreak, but Kim Seon Ho’s charismatic performance in Start-Up (especially his heartwarming “good boy” scenes with Halmeoni Choi [Kim Hae Sook]) led to the talented actor winning his first-ever Baeksang Award for Most Popular Actor — Television. Kim Seon Ho also received a deserved Baeksang Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor — Television for his iconic character. Start-Up also stars Bae Suzy, Nam Joo Hyuk and Kang Han Na.

3. 100 Days My Prince

Before Start-Up, Kim Seon Ho was mastering the art of second lead syndrome in 100 Days My Prince. In this rom-com sageuk (historical drama) - which is amongst the Top 20 highest-rated dramas in Korean cable television history - Seon Ho portrays Jung Jae Yoon, the hidden advisor of Crown Prince Lee Yul aka Na Won Deuk (EXO member D.O. aka Doh Kyung Soo), who suffers from prosopagnosia. Jae Yoon also harbours feelings for Yul's love Yoon Yi seo aka Yeon Hong Shim (Nam Ji Hyun), who is the only face he recognises. 100 Days My Prince also stars Jo Sung Ha, Han So Hee and Kim Jae Young.

4. You Drive Me Crazy

If you have two hours to spare, then You Drive Me Crazy is a perfect binge-watch treat as it only has four 30-minute-long episodes. The romance melodrama is the quintessential friends-turned-lovers storyline between two best friends, whose relationship gets complicated when they sleep together. Seon Ho and Lee Yoo Young’s drunk and heated first kiss in You Drive Me Crazy has garnered a staggering 17 million views and counting on YouTube. You Drive Me Crazy also stars Kim Sung Joo and Kwon Do Woon.

5. Strongest Deliveryman

Kim Seon Ho flaunted his acting versatility in Strongest Deliveryman. The slice-of-life romance drama is based on delivery men and women, who aspire to become successful in their own right. Seon Ho plays Oh Jin Kyu, a brattish chaebol heir who undergoes a “bad-guy-turned-good-boy” transformation through his unconventional “quadruple” love story with Lee Ji Yoon (Go Won Hee). Strongest Deliveryman also stars Go Kyung Pyo and Chae Soo Bin.

6. Catch the Ghost

An underrated K-drama, Catch the Ghost, gave us a fresh K-drama pairing of Kim Seon Ho and Moon Geun Young aka Nation’s Little Sister. The comedy crime mystery drama is a gripping tale about Yoo Ryeong (Moon Geun Young), a rookie detective who joins the subway police team with her true motive being to find her missing autistic twin sister. She believes her sister is a victim of a serial killer known as the Subway Ghost. Seon Ho plays Go Ji Seok, a charismatic and good-looking subway cop, who first butts heads with Yoo Ryeong. However, the new bickering partners begin to get along and even get romantically involved with each other.

7. Two Cops

It’s not easy to match up to comedy genius Jo Jung Suk, but Kim Seon Ho does just that in Two Cops. In this mystery-action rom-com fantasy K-drama, a fierce detective’s body is hijacked by the soul of a sleazy con artist. As expected, hilarious misadventures ensue for the enigmatic duo as they unwillingly partner up to solve the crime. To make matters worse, both of them fall for the same woman, a feisty reporter played by Girl’s Day member Hyeri. Seon Ho plays Gong Su Chang, the sly swindler, and his comic chemistry with Jung Suk is the highlight of the hit K-drama.