Fan casting fantasies never seem to die, and at the top of that wishlist is probably the desire to see Kpop idols as villains in psychological thrillers. Owing to their charm and endearing onscreen presence, most Kpop stars who’ve had the chance to star in K-dramas so far have mostly come up as leading men (commonly referred to as Flower boys) of romantic comedies or romance sagas. While this move has been appreciated by many fans, simply because at least it has resulted in their beloved singers finding a new professional frontier, this strategic choice of placing these celebrities in such stereotypically charming roles, only seeks to perpetuate the same narrative of them being characterised as likeable personas.
On the contrary, a few Kpop actors have forayed into the other side of things and experimented with this idea of being “bankable” puppets. Lee Jun-ho, EXO’s Doh Kyung-soo, 2PM’s Taecyeon, and INFINITE’s L to name a few, have come forward to play darker characters, stepping away from their usual borders of status quo. Much like them, with this article, we explore the further possibilities of seeing Kpop idols in psychological thriller, playing the daunting and twisted rival of the common-place and straightforward heroic protagonists.
Kpop Idols as Villains
SEVENTEEN Wonwoo
SEVENTEEN fans have been severely disappointed by the group’s label in terms of them not letting Jeon Wonwoo have a chance to shine as an actor, which they believe to be something that he’d excel at, and so do we. Wonwoo is often recognised as the introverted member of the group, who chooses to be a listener more than a talker. However, this disposition of his nature should never be mistaken for him being passive or lacking emotional intelligence. As soon as he steps on the stage, it’s as if a demon possesses him, something that especially comes across whenever the group opts for darker concepts, as seen in the Fear MV.
His stage presence is unmatchable, and the same intense passion for performing is reflected in his special stage performance titled Joker, seen at SEVENTEEN’s first world tour ‘Diamond Edge’. The moment Wonwoo unmasks himself, revealing his terrifyingly menacing reactions, it all speaks to make this case even stronger, proving that he’d be a frighteningly apt casting choice as a villain in a thriller series. His deep and husky voice would be the cherry on top for such a role.
NCT Taeyong
It’s but natural for a K-pop idol to film some or the other VCR or video that requires them to tap into their acting bone. NCT’s leader, Taeyong has earned these opportunities through a few skits, one of them coming along with his stint as a SuperM member. From what it seems like in the initial moments of it, his character appears to be stuck in time or so it seems, only for it to be revealed that he plays an immortal character who’s been visiting the same cafe for a long time to see his true love, despite her having turned old in these past years.
Taeyong has the voice, the body language and the charm, and yet again these K-pop group centric activities have restricted his persona to being a flower boy or someone who always finds himself in the middle of a romantic arc. However, if this was to be turned around, his deep voice and expressive eyes, matched with appealing visuals that could easily deceive the romantic plot if needed, would make him a great choice as one of the most suave Kdrama villains we’d love to watch.
Red Velvet Seulgi
The look sported by the Red Velvet member in her special unit song Monster with Irene speaks volumes on the fact that she slays the vamp aesthetic. If anything else, she even dove into the conflicting back and forth dynamic of switching between good and evil in her debut solo mini album, 28 Reasons. Much like how her album too explored the grey idea how no one absolutely or strictly resides in the domain of either of the two sides, rather people exhibit both sides to this complex dichotomy one way or another, it would be a blessing to see Seulgi take over such a character in a Kdrama too somewhere down the line.
Therein, she won’t simply resort to portraying a single-minded ruthless villain, rather emerge as an anti-hero. That way, she won’t just be at odds with the protagonist, but also her own self and the complex idea of having to deal with this psychological tussle of who she is.
GOT7 Jinyoung aka Park Jinyoung
Jinyoung’s “innocent boyish” charm has won many hearts in the K-pop sphere. On top of that, he’s made a name for himself in the acting industry as well. His versatile performances and talents have assisted him in bagging quite a few leading roles over the years. However, he’s yet to play a full-fledged villain role. Many fans have brought up his performance in Dream Knight as a representation of acting chops and abilities to bring alive a hateful antagonist. However, psychological thrillers exact more energy out of actors, especially those playing the sadistic villain type.
Years ago, Jinyoung and few other GOT7 members were recruited to endorse Bausch & Lomb Thailand, which when Park came to the front with his role as a bully in a short film/extended version of an advertisement, titled Sanctuary. Not only does he manage to switch over to the bad side and effectively convince the fans of his ingrained malicious habits, but he’s also able to seamlessly show a twisted side to his character, proving that sometimes it’s better just not to trust certain people.
The fact that he’s able to pull off a convincing performance like that even in a mere advertisement, only leaves you hoping to see him play the big bad in a psychological thriller, because as always, whether he’s the good guy or not, his eyes do all the talking for him.
BTS V aka Kim Taehyung
Taehyung’s gravelly voice is the typical go-to for a quintessential villain casting choice. Moreover, the air of mystery his persona is shrouded in further adds to the characterisation of such an inexplicably veiled identity. Without even intentionally going for it, V’s inscrutable cold aura exudes an air of intimidation around his personality. He’s already played a nice and sweet character in Hwarang, unfortunately meeting a fated end. Maybe if he were to play a Kdrama villain, his character could turn it all around and sadistically take the lead.
We even have proof of his abilities to slay such a role as seen in the brief outing of the Blood Sweat and Tears music video, wherein he played a fallen angel. Again, there too, his eyes and expressions were enough to inspire fear in the fans about his acting capabilities. And, when he too has expressed his desire to play such an enigmatic character, stating that he finds himself more attracted to such roles, listing Heath Ledger’s Joker as one such memorable renditions, then what’s stopping showrunners from following through by casting him in such a light?
CL aka Kim Chae-rin (ex 2NE1 member)
Straight up without a doubt, CL would rock the badass look of a boss villain. Her intimidating aura finds a push from her innate confidence, as has often been represented in her onstage performances as well. Once again, a convincing villain’s eyes do all the talking for them, and in CL’s case, her sharp gaze is loud and clear enough to instantly make people go down on their knees and bow to the queen.
Stray Kids Hyunjin
Hyunjin may appear to be a tad bit on the softer side owing to his ethereal visuals. However, his “soft boy” image also coincides with his innate sensuality that has often been represented in choreographies like that of the unit song Red Lights, performed by him and Bang Chan. The same sensual appeal, if tapped into the right way by the right director for a story that fits, can be distorted to make way for a sweet deception from his character’s side.
The heart-winning smile that has the potential to hold people’s hearts, equally holds the ability to turn into a nightmare. In that way, Hyunjin would be a good choice to play a character with a darker and vicious alter ego, much like how he can also easily fit into the evil twin trope.
Which of these Kpop actors as villains’ choices would you like to see playing the antagonist in K-dramas? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
Also read: 6 BTS Jimin Solo Songs That Define Brilliance: Closer Than This, With You and More