#FangirlGuide: 7 K-dramas and films to binge-watch if you’re crushing on Doh Kyungsoo
With his expressive eyes, angelic smile, and eargasmic vocals, it’s impossible not to fall in love with Doh Kyungsoo.
Doh Kyungsoo—also known as EXO’s D.O.—is one of the most sought-after idol-turned-actors in the K-entertainment industry. According to the Korean Actors 200 KOFIC campaign, he is an actor with the “sensibilities of a boy” who can “change images depending on [what] the role” requires of him. Some of these “images” include a Crown Prince, a North Korean soldier, a high school student, and a mischievous prosecutor.
As he makes his awaited return to K-drama land with Bad Prosecutor this October 5, we’ve listed seven of his most memorable projects to date.
It’s Okay That’s Love (2014)
Prepare your tissues because Kyungsoo’s role as Han Kangwoo will leave you in distress. After all, It’s Okay, That’s Love is an eye-opening story that talks about mental health in its most tragic form.
Kangwoo is a high school student who describes himself as the number-one fan of Jang Jaeyeol (Jo Insung) as he hopes to be like him in the future. They soon discover that aside from their shared traumas and mutual support, they have more in common than they realize. The series showed Kyungsoo’s potential to take on challenging roles—and it’s hard to believe that this was his small screen debut.
Positive Physique (2016)
Kyungsoo takes on a more lovesick route in Positive Physique as he portrays the role of a film major who needs to work together with his ex.
The six-episode webdrama tells the story of Kim Hwandong (Do Kyungsoo) who finds himself in a wrinkle as he asks his ex-girlfriend Bae Hyejung (Chae Seojin) to be the main role in his film project. As production for the film goes underway, they soon realize that they have never gotten over each other after all.
100 Days My Prince (2018)
Are you a fan of sageuk or historical K-dramas? Then, Kyungsoo as Lee Yul will surely capture your heart—hook, line, and sinker.
One of the highest-rating cable dramas in Korea, 100 Days My Prince tells the tale of Crown Prince Lee Yul (Do Kyungsoo) who despises his position after his father brought down the Kingdom’s rulers by force. He’s been in love with a noblewoman named Yiseo (Nam Jihyun) who was presumed to be dead after her father was killed in a coup. He meets her again in the present after he loses his memory in a near-fatal assassination attempt.
Cart (2014)
Based on a true story, Cart is a social commentary on exploitative practices among companies as it tells the story of retail supermarket employees who were suddenly laid off.
Kyungsoo takes on the role of Taeyoung, the son of a grocery worker and union member, who finds himself thrust into the middle of his mother’s fervent calls against the company’s higher-ups. Initially put off by his mother’s call for justice, Taeyoung soon realizes the importance of taking a stand.
Pure Love (2016)
A beautiful story of friendship and nostalgia, the film touches on what-ifs, lost loves, and lifelong friendships.
In 2014, a radio DJ named Beomsil (Park Yongwoo) receives a letter from his first love Soook that evokes forgotten memories of his youth. The film then shifts to 1991 where a shy and awkward Beomsil (Do Kyungsoo) has been secretly harboring his feelings for Soook (Kim Sohyun).
My Annoying Brother (2016)
True blue EXO-Ls would remember Kyungsoo throwing something at Baekhyun after he did his best “Hyung!” impression. In case you don’t know, the line comes from this heartwarming film.
My Annoying Brother offers a rollercoaster of emotions as it tells the story of estranged brothers Go Dooshik (Jo Jungsuk) and Go Dooyoung (Do Kyungsoo) who slowly make amends. Dooyoung is a national Judo athlete gone blind but is still determined to take home the gold at the Rio Paralympics. As they prepare for the event, Dooshik finds out that he’s in his final stage of terminal cancer.
Swing Kids (2018)
Swing Kids is a film that showcases Kyungsoo’s acting and dancing skills in one as it tells the story of a soldier at the height of the Korean war.
North Korean soldier Roh Kisoo (Do Kyungsoo) develops a love for tap dancing after crossing paths with American officer Jackson (Jared Grimes). Armed with a newfound passion for the craft, he develops his skills until he’s worthy to make it through the auditions for Jackson’s dance company. The team brings joy to the prison camp until things suddenly take a dark turn.
