Writer: Jayati Bhardwaj (Delhi, India)

Editor: Khushi Vaid (Delhi, India)

Nam Joo-hyuk (남주혁) is a notable actor and model in the South Korean entertainment industry, boasting a massive international fan base. He debuted in 2014 with the drama Surplus Princess. Nam then gained the spotlight with his role as Han Yi-an in Who Are You: School 2015. Since then, his graph in terms of his performance and the projects he has participated in has only improved with time. And we are obsessed!

Nam Joo-hyuk is known for his versatility in terms of the spectrum of roles he has played- including a reporter, a programmer, a swimmer, a teacher, a god and recently, a new addition was made to the list, a student enrolled at the police academy. And in terms of genres varying from romance, coming-of-age, drama, fantasy, to action, he has done it all, and I must add that he aced all of them. Every show Nam Joo-hyuk has been part of is unique in every term, earning him the spot only a few actors have, an outstanding must-watch filmography.

In an interview with Augustman, Nam Joo-hyuk mentioned, “I love this job very much, so I won’t want to take things easy or have too laid-back an attitude. So, I’ve been doing my best and pushing myself hard to realise my full potential.” 

His diligence and devotion towards his career have been evident through his performance, the adoration he and his roles receive and obviously, the critical acclaim. From being the perfect college boyfriend to a complete coding techie, here are some must-watch shows with Nam Joo-hyuk in them:

Cheese in the Trap (2016)

Directed by Lee Yoon-jung

Cast  Park Hae-jin, Kim Go-eun, Seo Kang-joon, Lee Sung-kyung

Episodes 16

Cheese in the Trap (치즈인더트랩) is a slice-of-life romance that has two subgenres, one being romantic-comedy and the other being a psychological thriller. It has been adapted from the webtoon of the same name.

The drama focuses on the lives of a bunch of university students and their relationships with each other. The show’s primary focus is on the relationship between Hong Seol and one of her seniors, Yoo Jung, and two twins, Baek In-ho and Baek In-ha, who are childhood friends of Yoo Jung. 

Nam Joo-hyuk plays a supporting character in the show, Kwon Eun-taek, a twenty-year-old second-year university student. He is close friends with Hong Soel and Jang Bora; the three are a tight group. He is also one of the few rational people in the show, I must add. He is a precious guy who continually stands up for his friends and helps them with all he has. Also, he has a big crush on his best friend, Bora. 

Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo (2016)

Directed by Oh Hyun-jong

Cast Lee Sung-kyung, Nam Joo-hyuk, Lee Jae-yoon, Kyung Soo-jin

Episodes 16

Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo (역도요정 김복주) is a coming-of-age sports romance drama that aired in 2016. This series is about a bunch of university students training and striving to achieve their dreams of being professional athletes. It further explores their relationships and friendships, finding love, and growing up. Fun Fact: The show is inspired by the life of Olympic gold medalist Jang-Mi-ram. The show mainly revolves around Kim Bok-joo, a weightlifting major played by Lee Sung-kyung, and Jung Joon-hyung, a swimming major played by Nam Joo-hyuk. 

Jung Joon-hyung is the male protagonist of the show. And he is one of my favourite K-drama male leads; He is cheerful and warm, always goofing around and keeping things light and funny. However, he is focused when he is in action. Joon-hyung was raised by his aunt and uncle, who are loving and kind, after his mother abandoned him, leading to a great deal of trauma that he suffered all his life.

He and Bok-joo were friends in elementary school; initially, they did not recognise each other since they had lost touch through the years. But then they became friends, and their relationship slowly became romantic. Classic Friends to Lovers!

Joon-hyung is a decent guy despite his past experiences; he doesn’t let them rule his present (most of the time), but throughout the show, we see him caring for his friends and being there for them. Especially, he was there for Bok-joo and cared for her relentlessly. It was endearing. Nam Joo-hyuk did Joon-hyung justice by adding his affectionate smile and melting gaze, which further bagged him the Best New Actor title at the 2016 MBC Drama Awards.

Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryo (2016)

Directed by Kim Kyu-tae

Cast Lee Joon-gi, Lee Ji-eun (IU), Kang Ha-neul, Nam Joo-hyuk, Ji Soo

Episodes 20

Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (달의 연인 – 보보경심 려) is a 2016 fantasy drama. It is based on a Chinese novel called Bu Bu Jing Xin. The show narrates the story of Go Ha-jin, played by Lee Ji-eun, who is transported back in time and further explores her adventures. She wakes up as Lady Hae-soo and finds herself in the Goryeo Dynasty. The show further explores Hae-soo’s relationship with the princes, platonic and romantic, and her getting caught in the palace politics and fights. 

The year 2016 was an excellent one for Nam Joo-hyuk, releasing some of the most loved K-dramas of all time: Cheese in the Trap, Moon Lovers, and Weightlifting Fairy. The range this man has shown during the initial years of his career indicates his seriousness towards his work and his talent; no wonder he is such a prominent name in the industry. Nam Joo-hyuk plays the supporting role in this show; he is the 13th Prince Baek, a mannerly and good-looking prince who deeply admires music and art.

He is also known as the playboy; however, he is one of Hae-soo’s friends, who later on becomes friends with Wang So, played by Lee Joog-gi.

This drama is for people who love watching period dramas; if you still haven’t watched any, you can start from here. And it is also for those who want to watch one of the most heart-wrenching dramas ever! Bonus: the star-studded cast and an excellent yet complex storyline. I highly recommend it.

Start-Up (2020)

Directed by Oh Choong-hwan

Cast Bae Suzy, Nam Joo-hyuk, Kim Seon-ho, Kang Han-na

Episodes 16

Start-up is one of the major K-drama releases from 2020; it is a coming-of-age, feel-good romance. The series revolves around Seo Dal-mi, played by Suzy, who yearns to become an entrepreneur. The show also revolves around a love triangle between a man who is her first love, Han Ji-pyung, played by Kim Seon-ho and another man pretending to be her first love, Nam Do-san, played by Nam Joo-hyuk.

Nam Do-san is a former math prodigy currently the founder of Samsan Tech. He is a shy, introverted guy who loves to knit. The show starts with him and his two programmer friends struggling to get their business going and exploring ways to get investors to invest.

He then stumbles across Dal-mi, who mistakes him for her secret pen pal from childhood, who also happens to be her first love. He falls in love with her during their encounters and hopes to turn the misunderstanding into reality, including him becoming the successful man she thinks he is. Hence, he decided to join a start-up program with his friends.

Nam Do-san is another one of my favourite K-drama leads; he is an ordinary, introverted, awkward boy. The entire appeal of his character is his heart- it’s warm, big and fully devoted to the ones he loves and the things he loves. He is also the character who went through the most significant amount of character development throughout the series. You can see the potential in Nam Do-san and his aspirations from the beginning, but throughout the series, he continuously works harder to reach them and beyond while learning to become a better person. And simultaneously learn to decipher social cues. Nam Do-san is a character who shows his feelings through actions, which I relate to. All the guy wants is to make his parents and Dal-mi proud.

Twenty-Five Twenty-One (2022)

Directed by Jung Ji-hyun

Cast Kim Tae-ri, Nam Joo-hyuk, Choi Hyun-wook, Bona, Lee Joo-myung

Episodes 16

Twenty-five Twenty-one (스물다섯 스물하나) is one of the highest-rated K-dramas in Korean cable television history. It is a coming-of-age romance that was released in 2022. The show explores the lives of five characters and their relationships with each other. However, the main focus is Na Hee-do, played by Kim Tae-ri and Baek Hee-jin, played by Nam Joo-hyuk. They first met when they were eighteen and twenty-two and later reconnected when they were twenty-one and twenty-five, respectively. At that time, these two started experiencing a change in their relationship, blossoming into something else.

Nam Joo-hyuk plays the role of Baek Yi-jin, a hardworking young man whose family was torn apart by the bankruptcy crisis his father’s company faced during the IMF era. He quit college and left his dream of becoming an astronaut behind when he moved into Na Hee-do’s neighborhood. He took up a couple of part-time jobs to support himself and his family.

Later on, he becomes a reporter. The show explores the characters’ coming of age without overly fantasising or complicating them or the story.

I recommend this show for people who enjoy watching realistic portrayals of youth, love, passion, friendships, and relationships. It is a must-watch; it gives one butterflies, a mushy feeling, and a reality check. To see more of Nam Joo-hyuk, I recommend:

‘Who Are You: School 2015’ (2015), ‘Bride of Habaek’ (2017), ‘The Light in Your Eyes’ (2019), and ‘Josee’ (2020). You can also watch the web series he has been a part of: ‘The School Nurse Files’ (2020) and ‘Vigilante’ (2023).

Let us know in the comments below your favorite series of Nam Joo-hyuk.