Hot Oppa; More Spotlight for Choi Jin-hyuk

I’ll start playing favouritism, hmmm, I never write about only one person in one-shot but I guess I’m going to. Sadly, my favourite oppa (Kang Dong-won) never really give me a space to write anything on him. He has a pretty straight way, so there’s only little side-story from him. It’s actually another reason I favour him most anyway: being far from paparazzi blitz (stay lowly, oppa!). Then, I’ll write about other oppa to fulfill my passion, kekeke. This is the first actor-oppa to have one article only about him here in my blog. Today’s spotlight is for Choi Jin-hyuk or previously known as Kim Tae-ho*).

Choi Jin-hyuk(최진혁) or Kim Tae-ho(김태호)

Date of Birth: February 9, 1985

Physique: 186 cm, 75 kg

This year is a spin-off year for Jinhyuk’s career. He finally got more spotlight and popularity. Firstly, I knew him as papa-Goo in MBC’s Goo Family Book because he played his role wonderfully and even better than the leading cast Lee Seung-gi (my personal assessment, hehehe). He transformed into lonely-cold-chaebol in his latest drama SBS’s The Heirs as Lee Min-ho half brother (I got to say they both share some similar handsome-factors, it’s so refreshing to watch them side by side). Long before those remarkable roles, I only caught a little glimpse of him on MBC’s Pasta. He is one of the three-Italian-trained-junior-chefs, I blamed No Min-woo for being too pretty, covering his charm all of those times, hahaha. He also featured in movie God’s Trick which will be released next year. God’s Trick co-star Jung Woo-sung then urged him to star a short-movie titled Beginning of a Dream (under Woosung-ssi directing), which is already released this year. He’s busy and busier. There is a talk that he favourably reviewed offer as lead character for upcoming drama Emergency Couple (working title), to romance the blank ace of SBS’s Running Man Song Ji-hyo. The drama will replace hit drama tvN’s Reply 1994, which, of course, rising up the excitement. Let’s hope for the good news!

Some Remarkable Evidences of His Works in Dramaland

Italian-trained-junior-chefs in MBC’s Pasta

Kim Tae-ho, the silent leader

No Min-woo, the pretty rocker boy

Hyun Woo, the goofball

With No Min-woo stood besides all the time, oppa you should just go shirtless!

He began to go under stage name Choi Jin-hyuk

Marking his first lead character for SBS’s It’s Okay, Daddy’s Girl

Handsome as always along with idols:

Super Junior’s Lee Dong-hae and CN.Blue’s Kang Min-hyuk

He ended marrying the daddy’s girl Moon Chae-won, happy ending!

A hot guy in tvN’s I Need Romance

This drama is described as Korean version of Sex and the City

I never watched it so I’ll leave it to your imagination…

He remained hot for SBS’s My Daughter the Flower

Handsome oppa in Channel A’s Panda and Hedgehog

Sadly, it’s written that Lee Dong-hae won Yoo Seung-ah’s heart after all

Don’t worry oppa, I certainly win you over Donghae, hehehe

A monster with twisted character

Living with scarred-heart in MBC’s Goo Family Book, ouch!

Finally, he can be with his forever-love Lee Yeon-hee

Lastly, the lonely-cold-chaebol in SBS’s The Heirs

Like I said before Jinhyuk & Minho are so good together

I deny the on-screen fact that they’re half-brothers

I smell some real blood relations (just kidding, hahaha)

Choi jin-hyuk also sings, wooo it’s a plus! I’m not saying his has such great vocal since he never took any vocal training. With right lyrics and tunes, he’s just so not bad! I also took a peek on him singing live, well there are few missed but overall he sang the song fine. So far, he only sings for his own dramas, lending his voice to fill soundtracks. He sings several songs portraying his character in some dramas**. I really don’t demand him to be a pro singer, please just keep your hard-working in acting. Singing for soundtrack is more than enough for me!

He has deep-heavy-masculine-husky vocal that left a strong impression for the listeners (me, for example, hahaha). Tough he mostly sings ballads, his vocal-colour depicts exactly his real appearance (yunno, it’s obvious opposite impression from Kim Jong-kook vocal and appearance). Here are his songs so far…

It’s Okay, Daddy’s Girl OST Part. 4

#1 죽을만큼(Enough To Die)

Panda and Hedgehog OST Part. 3

#1 사랑 도치(Inverted Love)

Goo Family Book OST Special

#1 잘 있나요(Best Wishes to You) (Acoustic ver.)

The Heirs OST Part. 7

#1 돌아보지 마(Don’t Look Back)

One more spoiler: He’s no doubly known as well-built actor so he got ABS!!! I found some revealing pictures and I’ll feel like a sin if I only kept it for my self. Enjoy the great views, pals!

His pictorial for High Cut, I guess he directs your palms to the right place, hahaha

He’s good in sport, no wonder...

Yo! The shirtless!!!

Tien’s Notes:

*) It’s common for celebrities (especially South Korean) to have stage name or even change their birth-name, for example: Hyun-bin (literally means “shining bright”) was actually born as Kim Tae-pyong. They took stage name to have trendier name and of course easier to pronounce and memorize. Furthermore, South Koreans believe that name also defines fate. They change their name to better ones so they’ll have better luck (believe it or not, your call). There are also some others who stay with their real name, for example: Kim Soo-hyun, Yeo Jin-goo, and my-forever-oppa Kang Dong-won.

**) It’s also common thing in dramaland anywhere that actor/actress sings the soundtrack, especially if they have singing-background. Some songs made to be hit, some are felt like passer-by. For example, Seo In-gook’s No Matter What for Master’s Sun OST is a good-ballad song. Tough the tune is not so catchy but Ingook’s talent made it into wonderful song. Seo In-gook is winner of 1^st season famous contest MNet’s Superstar K so no doubts for his vocal-ability. Other example, Kim Soo-hyun’s Dreaming for Dream High OST is a hit. The song is certainly a well-composed one, tough Soohyun’s vocal is just flat but he sang it alright anyway. One last example, Lee Minho’s My Everything for Boys Before Flower OST never got into my playlist. The song is actually OK, but Minho’s vocal made me feel meh. More surprise that I heard Lee Minho even released his own mini-album (what!). I never listen to his mini-album nor want to anytime soon, but I hope he improved his vocal-ability since he officially announced himself as a singer (please, for Minoz’s sake, hahaha). Btw, Minho also sings for The Heirs OST, more ouch! (Minoz, please don’t be mad, I’m not hater, I just try giving fairly examples here, hehehe)

It’s a great feeling to write about hot oppa. I think I’ll write more of it anytime later. Yay!

Salam Lestari, Tien ^^