10 Best Dramas of Im Si Wan

When it comes to South Korean drama lovers, Im Si Wan's name is definitely familiar. He has played a role in various popular dramas covering various genres. Also, Im Si Wan is an active member of the second generation idol group known as ZE:A.

Since the group is no longer active, Im Si Wan now frequently graces the small and big screen as an actor. There are often negative stereotypes associated with idol stars who expand into acting.

However, Im Si Wan is an exception to this stereotype. His name consistently stands among Korean idol actors who are acknowledged by the public.

This is proven by his impressive portfolio of market-successful drama titles, such as "Misaeng", "Run On", "The Moon that Embraced the Sun", and many more. For those who are interested in knowing more about the amazing dramas where Im Si Wan has showcased his talent, check out the discussion below!

1. Misaeng

Are you curious about the life survival strategies of company workers? Then you should watch this drama by Im Si Wan. Misaeng is an adaptation of the webtoon of the same name by Yoon Tae Ho, with Im Si Wan playing the main character, Jang Geu Rae.

From a young age, Jang Geu Rae loved playing Baduk and made it as his life goal. However, his dream of becoming a professional Baduk player remains only a dream.

Now, Geu Rae finds himself struggling with the real world with only a certificate of equivalency exam. Through a connection, he lands an internship at One International, beginning his journey to adapt to the corporate landscape.

During its airing, "Misaeng" set the record for the highest cable TV ratings in Korea and earned many awards. Im Si Wan, as the lead actor, also gained recognition by winning awards at various prestigious events, including the 51st Baeksang Arts Awards as "Best New Actor."

2. Stranger from Hell

After completing his military service, Im Si Wan returned to entertain his fans with an OCN thriller drama, starring opposite actor Lee Dong Wook. "Strangers from Hell" is an adaptation of Kim Yong Ki's webtoon of the same name.

Im Si Wan takes on the important role of Yoon Jong Woo in the series. The narrative tells the story of Yoon Jong Woo, a young man from the countryside who moves to Seoul after getting an internship at a company. While looking for a place to settle down, Jong Woo finds an affordable apartment complex called Eden.

Jong Woo, although he feels uncomfortable with his new surroundings at first, decides to stay until he saves enough money to move elsewhere. However, things take a sinister turn when a mysterious incident occurs within the complex, causing Jong Woo to feel worried about his fellow residents.

As many K-Drama fans know, OCN specializes in producing gripping thriller series. Therefore, for those who have an interest in this genre and want to watch Im Si Wan skillfully bring complex and dark characters to life, "Strangers from Hell" undoubtedly deserves to be on your watch list.

3. The Moon Embracing the Sun

The Moon Embracing The Sun is an MBC historical drama, or sageuk, adapted from the novel of the same name written by Jung Eun Gwol. The storyline revolves around the romantic entanglement between Lee Hwon, a king during the Joseon Dynasty, and a talented shaman known as Wol.

Wol is, in fact, Crown Princess Heo Yeon-woo. However, an evil act done to her resulted in an incurable illness, and many believed her to be dead. However, without their knowledge, Yeon-woo did not die. Tragically, she lost all her memories and took on a new identity as Wol. Eight years later, she re-entered the palace, though as a shaman.

Im Si Wan is also part of the cast in this amazing sageuk drama. He played the character of Young Master Heo Yeom when he was 17 years old. Yeom played Yeon-woo's older brother and acted as a teacher to Lee Hwon. The success of this drama significantly boosted Im Si Wan's acting career, gaining attention from the public for his performance.

4. Run On

In his collaborative romance drama with actress Shin Sae Kyung, Im Si Wan had the opportunity to play the male lead character, Ki Seon Gyeom. Ki Seon Gyeom is a national sprinter known for his outstanding career and impressive track record in sprinting.

Despite Seon Gyeom's achievements, his hard-earned success is often overshadowed by his family background. In his personal life, he is a rather loner individual with few friends and tends to pull back from society. Even his fellow athletes found it difficult to communicate with him, often struggling to interpret his words.

However, fate brings Seon Gyeom to a woman named Oh Mi Joo, a translator who specializes in foreign film translation. Seon Gyeom, who faces difficulties in expressing himself, meets Mi Joo, who daily struggles with the complicated task of interpreting diverse dialog. This unexpected encounter brings a new dynamic into their lives.

5. Summer Strike

Summer Strike (2023) tells the story of the unexpected yet touching encounter between Lee Yeo Reom and An Dae Beom. Yeo Reom finds herself grappling with difficult times characterized by a series of heartaches.

She experiences a painful breakup with her boyfriend, followed by the tragic loss of her mother in a devastating accident. Overcome with deep sadness, Yeo Reom becomes emotionally drained and makes the decision to resign from her job and seek solace in a faraway place.

Her quest for peace takes her to a quaint seaside village, where she meets Dae Beom, played by Siwan. Dae Beom is also grappling with a sense of no purpose in his life. Their meeting unfolds as a heartfelt encounter between two people who want to find healing and meaning in their lives.

6. Tracer

Following the success of "Run On" in 2020, Siwan returned in a drama with a different storyline. In the 2022 drama "Tracer," Im Siwan plays Hwang Dong Joo, an employee at the National Tax Office. Dong Joo serves as the head of Division 5, and his main task is to track down funds hidden to avoid taxes.

However, he does not work alone, he is assisted by a team consisting of Seo Hye Young and Oh Young, who give him guidance and direction. Before taking on this managerial role, Dong Joo was an accountant responsible for managing the secret funds of a large company.

7. The King in Love

The King in Love is the closing drama before Im Si Wan carries out his military service. In the drama set in the Goryeo dynasty based on the novel by Kim Yi-Ryung,

Im Si Wan acted with idol-actor Im Yoo Na and model-actor Hong Jong Hyun. His character Won is a young man who has won the title of Crown Prince since he was 3 years old.

Aside from being inherited from his father who was the King of Goryeo and his grandfather who was the Yuan Emperor, Won was also born with an alluring face and charisma. However, behind his gentle smile, Won had a strong ambition for power.

Won has a most trusted friend named Wang Rin. He comes from the royal family and also serves as his guard. Once upon a time, a beautiful woman named Eun San came into their lives.

After the meeting, the three became good friends. However, a beautiful friendship turns into tragedy when Won and Wang Rin have feelings for Eun San.

8. Triangle

MBC's melodrama, "Triangle," tells the story of three brothers who were separated during childhood after their father died and their mother left.

Two decades later, an unexpected event reunites the brothers, each of whom has taken a different path in life and assumed a new identity. However, their changed circumstances leave them unable to recognize each other.

Im Si Wan plays the youngest brother, Jang Dong Woo, who is adopted by a wealthy luxury resort owner and given the new name Yoon Yang Ha.

Yang Ha is a typical cold person. However, his heart begins to melt when he meets a young woman named Oh Jung Hee. In an attempt to win her affection, Yang Ha finds himself unwittingly competing with Heo Young Dal, a man he remains unaware of as his sibling.

Im Si Wan's portrayal of Jang Dong Woo, aka Yoon Yang Ha, earned him the title of "Best New Actor" at the MBC Drama Awards in 2014.

9. Standby

After the legendary sitcom "High Kick Season 3" finished airing, MBC's sitcom slot was replaced by a new sitcom made by director Jeon Jin Soo entitled "Standby". This sitcom centers on the daily lives of all workers who join the broadcasting company TV11.

With the TV station as its main setting, "Standby" chose Ryu Jin Haeng as its main character. He is a news anchor who has big dreams of becoming a prime time news anchor. Unfortunately, his dreams and abilities are not aligned.

Im Si Wan here participated by bringing the character of a final year high school student with the same name as him. In the story, Si Wan is the son of Ryu Jin Haeng's fiancée. After her mother died in a tragic accident, Si Wan lived in a sauna until Jin Haeng tried to take care of her.

At school, Si Wan is the best student who is smart in all fields. Then, he also fell in love with a sweet careless girl named Jung So Min.

10. Man from the Equator

In this drama, Im Si Wan plays the character of the young version of the main character. The character he plays, Lee Jang Il, will later be taken over by actor Lee Joon Hyuk.

Jang Il comes from a humble background, born into a financially underprivileged family. During his youth, he excelled academically and harbored great aspirations to achieve success.

However, Jang Il's greed and insatiable ambition drove him to betray his close friend, Kim Sun Woo. Although his determination and ambition propel him to the position of public prosecutor, he is still overshadowed by his sins of the past.

In contrast, Kim Sun Woo managed to rise from the pitfalls and become successful. Driven by unwavering determination, Sun Woo is determined to uncover the mystery of his adoptive father's death and take revenge on Jang Il.

11. My Catman

My Catman is a collaborative web drama co-produced by MBC and Chinese company Shanghai Ulike Media. Marking his first venture into cross-country collaboration dramas, Im Si Wan took on the lead role alongside Chae Soo Bin and Kim Myung Soo, also known as L Infinite.

Consisting of 10 episodes, "My Catman" weaves a romantic story that involves Im Si Wan's character, Ji Baek, in a love triangle with Ho Yeon and Mi Oh.

Ji Baek is described as a quiet and mysterious person, while Ho Yeon is a famous celebrity known for his warm and loving personality. Conflict ensues when both men are attracted to a young woman named Mi Oh.

The web drama, characterized by its romantic comedy genre, was honored at the Seoul WebFest Awards in 2017, winning Best Web Series and Special Jury Prize.

12. Waiting for Love

Waiting for Love, also known as "Expect Dating", is a special drama that aired on KBS in 2013. This unique drama marked the collaboration between Im Si Wan and BoA, who is his senior in the music industry. With only 2 episodes, "Waiting For Love" invites viewers to witness the journey of love through the eyes of four different main characters.

Among them is Im Si Wan's character, Jung Jin Kook, a dental student with few dating experiences. Jin Kook has been holding feelings for an older classmate named Yeon Ae. Although dating is nothing new for Yeon Ae, her love life always doesn't end well.

In her quest for a successful love, Yeon Ae seeks out advice from a love expert. Her efforts finally paid off, as she got into a relationship with Jin Kook. However, even when involved with Jin Kook, Yeon Ae still received help from the love expert. This became a source of misunderstanding in Yeon Ae and Jin Kook's relationship.

This collection presents a variety of dramas starring actor Im Si Wan. These dramas serve as a strong testament to his exceptional acting skills, eliminating the negative stereotypes that are associated with idol actors.

Im Si Wan's versatility can be clearly seen in the diverse range of characters and genres that he has masterfully portrayed. It's safe to say that you will definitely be impressed by this handsome actor's acting skills. So, are you interested in starting Im Si Wan's drama marathon?