Viu Premium with PLDT Home has a long list of K-Dramas that will get you totally hooked! From the beginning of every drama, you probably already have an idea who the endgame is. While there's a lucky man and woman who are meant to be together, there's always a second lead story that touches our hearts, and we can't help but also root for them despite knowing they will only end up getting hurt in the end. The term for this phenomenon is what they call "second lead syndrome," which we often hear from film and TV drama fans.
A second lead syndrome is when the audience is rooting for the second lead to end up with the main character instead of their intended partner or even simply feeling bad about the second lead, wishing them a better situation. So let's take this chance to recognize five of the best second leads that gave us heartache and major second lead syndrome!
Author’s note: You are warned. Spoiler alert!
Jin Sun-ho from Cheer Up
Played by Kim Hyun-jin
Courtesy of Viu
Although Cheer Up has just started streaming in October 2022, it already gives us major second lead syndrome! The drama centers on Do Hae-yi (Han Ji-hyun), a freshman at Yonhee University. She joins the Theia Cheerleading Squad only for money but happens to discover love there! She started to get closer to Jung Woo (Bae In-hyuk), who is a senior student at Yonhee University and is also the leader of Theia. Meanwhile, enter the second lead– Sun-ho (Kim Hyun-jin) is a Medical School freshman who joined the cheerleading squad only because of Hae-yi. He already had an eye on her since the day he met her! Watch Cheer Up on Viu Premium with PLDT Home.
Kim Shin-hyuk from She Was Pretty
Played by Choi Si-won
Courtesy of Viu
She Was Pretty's Park Seo-jun and Hwang Jung-eum pairing has clearly won the hearts of many K-drama fans! They portray childhood friends who have been estranged for many years. Ji Sung-joon, who plays Seo-jun, returns to Korea in search of his first love, Kim Hye-jin (portrayed by Hwang Jung-eum). However, Hye-jin's good looks have faded, while her childhood friend has grown into an extremely attractive man.
Choi Si-won, on the other hand, portrayed Kim Shin-hyuk– a loving, charming, and goofy second lead who's also a ray of sunshine. Even after Hye-jin rejected him, his character remained very sweet and treated her with kindness and respect. We'll also never forget how he referred to her as Michael Jackson because of her signature high-water pants, white socks, and black shoes. Watch She Was Pretty on Viu Premium with PLDT Home.
In Gook-doo from Strong Woman Do Bong-Soon
Played by Ji Soo
Courtesy of Viu
Remember the no-ordinary woman named Do Bong-soon (Park Bo-young)? She's a woman who possesses superhuman strength and also captured the hearts of both Ahn Min-hyuk (Park Hyung-sik) and In Gook-doo (Ji Soo– aka the king of second lead syndrome).
Bong-soon's special ability enables her to work as a bodyguard for Min-hyuk, the eccentric chaebol heir who runs a gaming company. As they spend more time together and get to know each other, sparks begin to fly between her and her crazy boss. So how about In Gook-doo? He's Bong-soon's childhood friend who has had a secret crush on her since middle school! Are his long-standing feelings for her not good enough? Watch Strong Woman Do Bong-Soon on Viu Premium with PLDT Home.
Han Woo-tak from While You Were Sleeping
Played by Jung Hae-in
Courtesy of Viu
In While You Were Sleeping, Woo Tak (Jung Hae-in) plays a gentle and caring friend to the main leads Nam Hong-joo (Bae Suzy) and Jung Jae-chan (Lee Jong-suk). He's such a supportive friend to both of them, even when he's clearly got some unresolved feelings for Hong-joo! Watch While You Were Sleeping on Viu Premium with PLDT Home.
Han Seo-jun from True Beauty
Played by Hwang In-youp
Courtesy of Viu
Our list wouldn’t be complete without Hwang In-youp’s character on True Beauty– Han Seo-jun! Perhaps every K-Drama fan would agree that the best second lead of 2020 is none other than him! In this drama, Seo-jun is the protagonist of a heartbreaking love story devoted to Lim Ju-kyung (Moon Ga-young). While he fell for her, Ju-kyung fell for Su-ho (Cha Eun-woo). The fact that Seo-jun still looked after her (Ju-kyung) despite the fact that she is deeply in love with his friend Su-ho broke the hearts of the fans. Watch True Beauty on Viu Premium with PLDT Home.
Have you watched any other K-Dramas that gave you serious second lead syndrome? Subscribe to Viu Premium for only ₱80/month with PLDT Home to stream wider entertainment!