Lee Do-hyun starred in one of the best horror movies of 2024, and I cannot wait to see which roles he will tackle next following hisSweet Homesuccess. Despite only appearing in the latter half of the third season, Lee Do-yun’s Eun-hyeok stole the show inSweet Home3. Now a cold neohuman with memories but no feelings, Eun-hyeok was almost a different character and allowed Lee Do-hyun to do something different from season 1.Sweet Home3was not his only major screen role in 2024, though, as Lee Do-hyun was also inthe horror movieExhuma.
Between supporting roles in Netflix originals and popular broadcast shows where he played the lead,Lee Do-hyun’s K-drama careerhas been very impressive. The 29-year-old actor broke big withHotel de Lunain 2019, after which he was cast as the lead in18 Againin 2020. In that same year, Lee Do-hyun played Eun-hyeok inSweet Home, which remains one of the most popular Korean shows on the streaming service. AfterSweet Home,Exhuma, and evenThe Gloryto a certain extent,Lee Do-hyun is becoming a horror icon.
Lee Do-hyun Needs To Make Another Horror K-Drama After Exhuma
Lee Do-hyun Starred In The Supernatural Horror Exhuma
Having watched Lee Do-hyun inExhuma, I would love to see him in another supernatural K-drama afterSweet Home.Exhumatells the story of a family who seeks to find out what is wrong with their son, whose illness seems to be caused by a curse. Lee Do-hyun plays Bong-gil, a shaman apprentice to Hwa-rim (played by Kim Go-eun). SeeingLee Do-hyun and Kim Go-eunin the same movie would have been enough to makeExhumaworth watching, but the film also delivered on every other aspect. Scary and intense,Exhumais one of the best horror movies of the year.
Exhumais available to rent on Apple TV.
With a 93% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes,Exhumawas also a box office hit. It is currently the highest-grossing South Korean movie of 2024 and the sixth-highest-grossing of all time, which isn’t surprising given how good it was. Director and screenwriter Jang Jae-hyun creates an atmosphere of tension that sets the tone for the entire movie. The cast ofExhuma, which also includes names such as Choi Min-sik and Yoo Hae-jin, is one of the best things about the film.Lee Do-hyun gives one of his most interesting performances, especially in the latter half of the movie.
I Love Sweet Home, But I Wanna See Lee Do-hyun In Other Horror Roles
Sweet Home Was More Of An Action Show Than An Horror One
While Lee Do-hyun has already been in a very popular supernatural K-drama,Sweet Home, I would love to see him in other horror-oriented roles. As Eun-hyeok,Lee Do-hyun was one of the leads in season 1 but missed most of seasons 2 and 3.The first season ofSweet Homewas a more traditional survivor horror series, with the characters working together to survive the apocalypse. The Song Kang-led K-drama got darker and more inventive in season 2, introducing new characters and concepts not in the source material.
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As great asSweet Homewas, it was often more of an action series than a horror one. For example,in his triumphal season 3 return, Lee Eun-hyeok fought Cha Hyun-suin an intense battle full of visual effects. Hyun-su was a special infectee, whereas Eun-hyeok was a neohuman. Theend ofSweet Homeseason 3was also very action-packed and saw Eun-hyeok and Hyun-su teaming up against Sang-won’s army of special infectees. AlthoughSweet Homehad some scary scenes, its fantastical aspect made it less frightening than a more traditional horror movie or TV show.
Lee Do-hyun’s Career Has Been Incredibly Diverse
From Romantic K-Dramas To Intense Thrillers
Lee Do-hyun’s performance inExhuma,his first feature film, is a reminder of how diverse his career has been.Sweet Homewas his first Netflix original show and launched his career to new heights, but it was not the last one. In 2022, Lee Do-hyun starred inThe Glory, one of Netflix’s best original Korean shows. WhileThe Glorywas technically arevenge K-dramawith no supernatural elements, it was arguably a horror show as well given how dark and twisted the story was. In addition to his darker roles,Lee Do-hyun has also shined in lighter K-dramas.
Exhuma
Yoon Bong-gil
In18 Again, based on17 Again, he plays the younger version of the main character and is the heart and soul of the show. InYouth of May,Lee Do-hyun and Go Min-si reunitedfor a very different K-drama fromSweet Home.A period piece,Youth of Maywas about a love story that came to be during the Gwangju Uprising. InThe Good Bad Mother, Lee Do-hyun plays one of his most challenging characters – Kang-ho, who suffers from a brain injury and has to start a new life.
Cast
When a renowned shaman (KIM Go-Eun) and her protégé (Lee Do-hyun) are hired by a wealthy, enigmatic family, they begin investigating the cause of a disturbing supernatural illness that affects only the first-born children of each generation. With the help of a knowledgeable mortician (YOO Hai-jin) and the country’s most revered geomancer (CHOI Min-sik), they soon trace the affliction’s origin to a long-hidden family grave located on sacred ground.
