Rookie Watch: Kim Min Jae
Kim Min Jae continues to draw attention as a rising star in Korean entertainment. His breakout role was in the 2015 Mnet musical series, "Persevere, Goo Hae Ra." His portrayal of Sa Gi Joon, an ill-tempered idol group leader, placed the 18-year-old actor on the radar of K-Drama viewers.
He followed the buzz generated by his appearance on the teen series with a three-episode guest role on the popular weekend series, "Producer," where he revitalized the spoiled pop star role alongside 2NE1's Dara, WINNER's Kang Seung Yoon and Kim Ji Soo.
He currently stars in the tvN weekend drama, "Twenty Again." In "Twenty Again," Kim breaks away from the trappings of portraying a K-pop idol to take on the role of Kim Min Soo, a 20-year-old college freshman who attempts to balance his educational and romantic pursuits. Min Soo maintains seemingly impossible goals and attempts to strictly follow the instructions of his father. However, his relationship with Oh Hye Mi (A Pink's So Na Eun) could take a similar course to that of his parents.
In addition to possessing notable acting skills, Kim Min Jae delivered a head-turning performance when he auditioned for a spot on "Show Me the Money 4." While he did not advance through the competition, producers for the program noted his attractive appearance, which has been likened to Song Joon Ki and Yeo Jin Goo.
While his role in "Twenty Again" is noteworthy, he is also set to take on the upcoming OnStyle mini-series, "Because It's the First Time." Kim stars as Seo Ji An, in the series which marks the K-Drama return of SHINee's Minho.
"Because It's The First Time" has the potential to be one of the most-talked about youth series of 2015 due to the combination of screenwriter Jung Hyun Jung and director Lee Jung Hyo, who last worked together on "I Need Romance 2." Jung is responsible for the scripts of the "I Need Romance" trilogy and "Discovery of Romance."
"Because It's The First Time" could serve as a welcome alternative to the current influx of dramas that are focused on the dynamics of mother and daughter-in-laws or the unending stream of melodramas.
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About the writer: Adrienne Stanley is a contributing editor for KDramaStars. She is also a contributing writer for KpopStarz, MTV Iggy, Viki and CJ Entertainment's KCON blog. Her passions include a love of K-pop and Asian drama. When she is not writing, she is hanging out on Twitter (@retrogirladdy).
