Korean actor Kim Myung Soo has crushes on anime characters with long, wavy hair

Singer-actor Kim Myung Soo reads comments about his performance to find out the areas he can improve in

Better known as L of boyband Infinite, South Korean singer-actor Kim Myung Soo (left) says his ideal type is a feminine girl with long, wavy hair.
Better known as L of boyband Infinite, South Korean singer-actor Kim Myung Soo (above) says his ideal type is a feminine girl with long, wavy hair. PHOTO: PTO ENTERTAINMENT

South Korean actor Kim Myung Soo knows how his fans feel when their hearts were aflutter as they watched clips of his K-drama on the big screen at his fan meet here last Saturday evening.

That is because he, too, is prone to fall for the charms of female leads in movies and even in animated series.

"I always fall for the actresses in movies and dramas, and even the female actresses in animations. Just last night, I was watching an anime," he tells The Straits Times.

"My ideal type is a girly girl with long, wavy hair - they often appear in animes."

His current crush is Asuka Langley Soryu, heroine of Japanese sci-fi anime Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Better known as L of boyband Infinite, Kim, 25, has previously come to Singapore for concerts with his group. But Saturday's event was his first solo fan meet in Singapore. It was attended by 1,200 fans at the Resorts World Theatre at the Resorts World Sentosa.

These days, he is making a name for himself in K-dramas such as My Lovely Girl (2014) and The Master's Sun (2013).

Recently, he took on his first historical drama, The Emperor: Owner Of The Mask (2017), playing a commoner called Lee Sun who stands in for the king.

Concealing his identity with a mask in the show was a test of his acting chops, he says.

"At first, it was quite difficult because I could not express myself with my face. Later when I removed the mask, I found I could portray more detailed facial expressions."

For his performance in the show, he was named Actor of the Month in June by MBC Dramanet, one of the channels under South Korean broadcaster MBC.

Kim says: "A viewer commented that the character he saw was Lee Sun, rather than L or Kim Myung Soo. It meant that I portrayed the character well. It was really encouraging."

Like many other K-pop idols who turned to acting, he has had to endure criticism of his acting skills and put up with comments that he is just a pretty face.

"Rather than getting depressed by the negative comments, I try to motivate myself to do better. I read all the comments because I believe I can find out what I am lacking in and improve on those areas."

While his acting career is taking off, he is not turning his back on Infinite just yet.

Fans of the band, which were formed in 2010, were left concerned after last month's announcement that a member, Hoya, will be leaving the group.

The other six members have reportedly renewed their contract and will continue as Infinite, said the group's agency Woolim Entertainment. Infinite Only, released last year, was their final Korean album with the original line-up.

Assuring fans he will return as part of Infinite, Kim says: "I know our fans are waiting. There is no specific date, but there will be a comeback."

•The Emperor: Owner Of The Mask, My Lovely Girl and The Master's Sun are available on the Viu website and app.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on September 28, 2017, with the headline Korean actor Kim Myung Soo has crushes on anime characters with long, wavy hair. Subscribe