5 of Park Bo Gum's best dramas and movies to binge-watch before his fan meet in Singapore

MOONLIGHT DRAWN BY CLOUDS

1/5

You should know this already. But just in case you've been living under a rock...

Based on a web manhwa of the same title, this is a light-hearted story centred around the budding romance between the cheeky, swoon-worthy Crown Prince Lee Yeong (Park Bo Gum) and his adorable eunuch Hong Ra On, who is actually a girl in disguise. Ra On is played by Kim Yoo Jung, whom you might fondly remember as the amazing child actress in "The Moon That Embraces The Sun".

Think of it as a rom-com that's set during the Joseon dynasty. It may be a sageuk (historical drama), but there's none of the hand-wringing political intrigue usually associated with that particular genre of drama.

Instead, you can expect a good mixture of funny hijinks (like say, the Crown Prince's mischievous pranks on his favourite eunuch) and heartfelt romance (Park Bo Gum is ace at batting those moony eyes), mixed in with just the right amount of political scheming. 

What I appreciate most about this series is the sensitive balance between delivering tension and resolving conflicts – you never feel like your heart's being placed through the wringer for the sake of a sadistic plotline. 

As much as every aspect of the drama seems spot-on, right down to the the balance between conflict and mood-soaring happy moments, the best thing about the show is really Park Bo Gum. 

He's so expressive that you can trace his every changing emotion from his face alone – a bemused twitch of the eyebrow, a shift in the jaws to convey stonewalled anger or a tender look in his eyes that betrays love and concern. 

Spoiler alert: If you're rooting for our on-screen couple, you'll really want to speed up to episodes 7 and 8. 

Also known as "Love in the Moonlight"

I REMEMBER YOU

2/5

Park Bo Gum, Seo In Guk, Jang Na Ra. Do you really need any other reason to watch this?

Unlike so many other typical K-Drama heroines, Jang Na Ra's Cha Ji An character is no damsel in distress. Instead, she plays a feisty and hard-working defective whose martial arts chops regularly put the men around her to shame. Lee Hyun, played by Seo In Guk, is a brilliant (and extremely cocky) crime profiler who's assigned as consultant to the team while they track down the psychopath behind a recent spate of murders – possibly by the very same man who murdered his widowed father and kidnapped his brother. 

While Moonlight Drawn by Clouds may have been the drama that garnered Park Bo Gum international fame, anyone who has ever watched I Remember You will probably attest that this drama is the best representation of his acting chops. 

His role as Jung Sun Ho, the morally ambiguous defence lawyer to crooks and murderers, really showcases his nuanced acting abilities; he goes from sinister to hurt and vulnerable with the most minute of shifts in facial expression. It's rare to feel anguish and sorrow for a villain, but at times, Park Bo Gum's Jung truly brought on the tears, at least on my part. 

As much as I Remember You is a proper crime thriller with twists and turns every which way, there are also lots of tender and romantic moments between Cha Ji An and Lee Hyun to give your heart some respite from the chilling details of the cases. 

Also known as "Hello, Monster"

ANSWER ME 1988

3/5

Part of the "Answer Me" series of throwback dramas which also includes Answer Me 1997 and Answer me 1994, Answer Me 1988 revolves around the characteristic slice-of-life concept, tracing the teenage-to-adulthood years of its main cast. 

It's also often referred to as the drama that really got producers to sit up and notice Park Bo Gum, thanks to his beautiful portrayal of Choi Taek – a quiet, teenage genius at Baduk (a board game that’s similar to the Chinese Wei Qi) who's completely daft at everyday life, and hence mollycoddled by all his friends and neighbours. 

Instead of convoluted storylines, Answer Me 1988 focuses on the feel-good, tender ties of family, friendship and love, with nostalgia as its backdrop. 

And if you're the type to run away from melodramas, rest assured that this one is warm and fuzzy, and very entertaining to boot. If you do tear up at any point in time, it's probably because of the characters' sweet and sincere gestures to one another. 

Here, neighbours go all out to take care of everybody, sharing their food no matter how poor they are, and always being around to give a listening ear. Our teenage cast, full of adolescent idiosyncrasies and fluctuating emotions, may bicker endlessly, but they've always got each other's back. Plus, it's hilarious how everyone makes their way to Taek's room to hang out – even when he's not around. 

It's a great trip down memory lane too, and you might just find yourself searching for the songs, movies and toys you grew up with – or cringing at the awkward fashion trends that were all the rage back then!

Also known as "Reply 1988"

 

NAEIL'S CANTABILE

4/5

Although this was one of his smaller roles, Park Bo Gum plays it with just as much aplomb, this time as child prodigy cellist Lee Yoon Ho. Despite his late introduction to the cast (you gotta hang in there till episode 6 for Park Bo Gum!), he holds his ground well as love rival to the main lead, Cha Yoo Jin (Joo Won). 

Yoo Jin is a brilliant pianist who dreams of being an orchestra conductor, just like his idol and childhood mentor, the world-famous Vieira. But his ambitions are constantly thwarted by his arrogance, and more crucially and unbeknownst to him, because the very man who holds the key to his opportunities in university ─ Franz Stresemann, another internationally acclaimed conductor ─ hates Yoo Jin's father and Vieira with a vengeance.

It's only when he's forced to perform a duet with the free-spirited but talented goofball, Seol Nae Il (Shim Eun Kyung), does Yoo Jin start to learn how to view life through a different lens and the importance of friendship. 

Just when he starts to warm up to Nae Il, Yoon Ho's arrival in school forces him to get his act together. Unlike the proud and aloof Yoo Jin, Yoon Ho is friendly and down-to-earth, wearing his heart on his sleeve in pursuit of Nae Il. Park Bo Gum alternately channels charisma and puppy-eyed earnestness, and it's enough to make anyone raring to root for the second lead. 

Also known as "Cantabile Tomorrow"

COIN LOCKER GIRL

5/5

The story centres around Il Young (Kim Go Eun – side note: I've so much love for your quirky Ji Eun Tak role in The Lonely Shining Goblin!), a teenager adopted by a cold-blooded female mobster and groomed to be Mom's protege in the underworld. 

So who better to bring her to the light side than Park Bo Gum? He is faultlessly endearing as the sweet-faced Seok Hyun, whom she's been tasked to “eliminate” because his father absconded with debts owed to Mama Corleone. 

While Seok Hyun has a modest amount of screen time, it is his innocence and warmth that makes Il Young’s pivotal change of heart convincing. Unnerved by his kindness and devotion, Il Young couldn't bring herself to pull the trigger, and the pair end up getting hunted down by Mom’s minions. You’ll have to keep on watching to find out what happens next.

Also known as "Chinatown"