Whether as a childhood best friend or a gorgeous rebel in class, these supporting characters have proven they also deserve the spotlight
A chaebol heiress in her stylish ensemble enters the screen. Her beau comes in next, dazzling in his army uniform or perfectly starched suit. Perfect. There's an electrifying chemistry, no less. Until suddenly, a third character appears in ripped jeans, a white shirt and a charming smile. He happens to be the female lead’s best friend since pre-school or an admirer who is labelled the most notorious troublemaker in school. And just like that, you are immediately drawn into a love triangle trope, and before you know it, you have begun developing a fondness for the third character. Welcome to the Second Lead Syndrome Club, where your fellow Korean drama fans can totally relate to what you’re going through.
So what exactly is the Second Lead Syndrome? According to the crowdsourced website Urban Dictionary, Second Lead Syndrome is when "you start to ship the female lead with the second male lead” or “when you like the second male lead more than the male lead". Let's admit it, sometimes, the supporting characters in K-dramas are even more admirable than the protagonists, creating confusion and tension enough to rock your world.
To better understand this, we take a look back at some of the Korean dramas with second lead characters who have earned a special spot in our hearts.
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1. Kim Seon-ho as Han Ji-pyeong in 'Start Up' and as Jung Jae-yoon in '100 Days My Prince'
Before he stole our hearts as Gongjin’s Chief Hong Du-sik in the 2021 hit series Hometown Cha Cha Cha, we all wished for this 35-year-old heartthrob who played the role of Han Ji-pyeong, to end up with Seo Dal-mi (Bae Suzy) in the 2020 romance drama Start Up. His character as an intelligent investment expert and mentor at SH Venture Capital was too good to be true and loved by many, causing a divide among viewers between #TeamGoodBoy (those rooting for Han Ji-pyeong) and #TeamDoSan (the group who supports Nam Do-san, the lead character portrayed by Nam Joo-hyuk who is a shy math genius and one of the founders of Samsan Tech). Because the drama concluded with a not-so-happy-ending for #TeamGoodBoy, Seonhonadas around the world rejoiced when he had the happy ending they've been praying for in Hometown Cha Cha Cha. Well, that was before Kim Seon-ho got entangled in another major controversy after the show’s finale.
In 2018, Kim Seon-ho played another notable second-lead role as Jung Jae-yoon in 100 Days My Prince, the wise secret advisor of the crown prince who has a one-sided love for the female lead, Yeon Hong-shim portrayed by Nam Ji-hyun.
Read also: 5 Kim Seon-ho Shows To Watch: Start-Up, 100 Days My Prince, And More