Lee Jae Wook has been making headlines recently due to his new relationship with aespa's Karina. First spotted together as attendees at Milan Fashion Week, a source told media outlet Dispatch that the two probably felt "love at first sight."
ICYDK, the actor made his onscreen debut through Memories Of The Alhambra, where he played a supporting role as a hacker-programmer. He's since gone on to star in several notable K-dramas (including the new Disney+ release The Impossible Heir), so we put together a list of shows you can binge if you're just getting to know (and love) Jae Wook!
READ: 7 Must-Watch Korean Dramas Starring Lee Jae Wook
1. Memories Of The Alhambra (2018)
Cast: Hyun Bin, Park Shin Hye, Park Chanyeol
Where to watch: Netflix
Jae Wook's debut role was in the 2018 sci-fi romance Memories Of The Alhambra. Yoo Jin Woo (Hyun Bin) is the CEO of an investment company that specializes in optical devices. He travels to Granada, Spain to meet Jung Se Soo (Park Chanyeol), the creator of a groundbreaking AR game about medieval battles in the Alhambra. However, Se Joo has gone missing and instead Jin Woo meets Se Joo's older sister, hostel owner Jung Hee Joo (Park Shin Hye).
In the K-drama he plays Marco Han (AR game ID "marco"), programmer and hacker who is affiliated with—and accidentally killed by—Se Joo. Watch the full trailer here:
2. Extraordinary You (2019)
Cast: Kim Hye Yoon, Rowoon, Lee Jae Wook, Lee Na Eun
Based on popular webtoon July Found By Chance, Extraordinary You is a lighthearted campus drama about campus It Girl Eun Dan Oh's (Kim Hye Yoon) seemingly picture-perfect life. However, her worldview is flipped around when she discovers that she is an extra (not even the main lead!) in a comic book called Secret. Not happy with her predetermined ending, she decides to change her destiny. But will meeting mysterious Student Number 13/Ha Ru (Rowoon) lead to her happy ending?
Jae Wook plays Baek Kyung, a rude and arrogant student who has an abusive father and a greedy stepmother. He is engaged to Dan-oh, and they both are unhappy with their arranged marriage. However, he slowly becomes jealous of her developing relationship with Ha Ru. Watch the full trailer of Extraordinary You here:
3. Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol (2020)
Cast: Lee Jae Wook, Go Ara
Where to watch: Netflix
Gu Ra Ra (Go Ara) is a cheerful pianist whose life hits rock bottom when her family loses everything. While trying to survive her riches to rags life, she meets the mysterious Sun Woo Jun (Lee Jae Wook), a part-time worker with a warm heart. This romantic comedy will bring you to laughter and tears, as the two come to mean something special to each other.
Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol marked Jae Wook's first project where he played the main character! Watch the official trailer here:
READ MORE: Lee Jae Wook On Starring In A New Netflix K-Drama: 'I'm nervous and I feel a lot of pressure'
4. Alchemy Of Souls (2022)
Cast: Lee Jae Wook, Jung So Min, Go Yoon Jung, Hwang Min Hyun
Where to watch: Netflix
Fun fact: Jae Wook initially turned down his role in Alchemy Of Souls—"It was an incredibly difficult set-up and the situations were novel so it was hard to imagine [the script]. It was a script with new spaces and settings," he told Korean celebrity site Xportnews. However, the actor decided to take on the challenge of portraying Jang Uk. "From the actor's perspective, I'm incredibly satisfied with the results."
Watch the Alchemy Of Souls trailer here:
5. Death's Game (2023)
Cast: Seo In Guk, Park So Dam, Super Junior's Choi Siwon, Lee Do Hyun, Kim Jae Wook, Oh Jung Se
Where to watch: Prime Video
Death's Game is based on a popular webtoon, and follows Choi Yee Jae (Seo In Guk), who ends his life after struggling to hold a job for seven years. Insulted, Death (Park So Dam) dreams up an unusually cruel punishment: he will be reincarnated 12 times, "and no matter what body you wake up in, you will die no matter what." When Yee Jae protests, Death offers him one way out: "Depending on your efforts, you might be able to find a different version of your ending." Will he be able to escape death a dozen times?
Watch the official trailer for Death's Game here:
6. The Impossible Heir (2024)
Cast: Lee Jae Wook, Lee Jun Young, Hong Suzu
Where to watch: Disney+
The Impossible Heir tells the story of three individuals who form an unlikely alliance and scheme to take down South Korea's biggest conglomerate. Han Tae Oh (Lee Jae Wook) lives a difficult life at the bottom of the social food chain after his father was imprisoned for murder.
Kang In Ha (Lee Jun Young) is the illegitimate son of a chaebol chairman who wants to become heir to his father's company, while Na Hye Won (Hong Suzu) is constantly at the mercy of loan sharks due to her mother's gambling debts. Together, the three of them show how far they are willing to go for the sake of their goals.
Watch the official trailer for Impossible Heir here:
7. Hong Rang (2024)
Cast: Lee Jae Wook, Jo Bo Ah, Jung Ga Ram, Uhm Ji Won, Park Byung Eun, Kim Jae Wook
Where to watch: Netflix
The historical romance drama takes place during the Joseon dynasty. Hong Rang follows the story of titular character Hong Rang (Lee Jae Wook), a merchant's son who went missing when he was eight years old. After 12 years, he returns at the age of 20. Jae Yi (Jo Bo-ah), Hong Rang's half-sister, has been searching for him since his disappearance, and is relieved to have him back—until she suspects that he isn't the real Hong Rang.
Bonus: True Beauty (2020)
Cast: Moon Ga Young, Cha Eun Woo, Hwang In Youp, Park Yoo Na
Where to watch: Netflix
ICYMI, Lee Jae Wook and Kim Hye Yoon made a cameo appearance in True Beauty as their Extraordinary You characters! "A lot of the same staff members we worked with in Extraordinary You were there," he shared of their filming experience. "It feels really refreshing. It’s been about a year since the drama ended, so I was happy to see everyone again, and I really enjoyed filming."
Lee Jae Wook In Kill Boksoon (2023)
Jae Wook also appeared in the Netflix crime action movie Kill Boksoon as young Cha Min Kyu (the role played by Sol Kyung Gu).
