Hyde, Jekyll, Me: Hyun Bin x Two
“A chaebol executive with a split personality spars with a circus leader determined to save her troupe, which he’s trying to eject from his theme park.”
Hyde, Jekyll, Me (Viki)
This is the second K-drama that gives Hyun Bin a chance to show off his acting chops by playing two characters who are the polar opposites of each other. One of the ways the characters are physically different is their hairstyles (obviously) but this gives me the chance to talk about Korean men’s hair—and style in general.
When I first started watching K-dramas I thought the full-bang style was a bit old-fashioned. Being the presumptuous and uninformed American (that many of us are) I thought since guys here don’t wear their hair this way it meant it was “out of style.” Wrong. One thing I’ve learned from watching K-dramas is the men are so on-point when it comes to style and I would say ahead of the majority of men in the U.S. Yes, I realize this is TV so it doesn’t always reflect the everyday person—here or there—but we also know TV and movies help set fashion trends. I can even appreciate the fashion I see in K-dramas that are 10 years old.
I really like the fact there seems to be less distinction between what is considered feminine or masculine. You’ll see Korean men in all different colors including pink and other pastels, as well as the style and flair of various clothing you don’t typically see on men in the U.S. If you notice nothing else take note of their long coats. Talk about breathtaking. Those slo-mo scenes in so many dramas are everything!
You’ll also see make-up whether it’s obvious or just a light tint on their lips. They don’t call it androgynous it just is. In the U.S. we’re just beginning to erase those lines that try to force people into a lane (or construct) based on gender, but whether it’s intentional or not—Korea seems to be ahead of the game as it pertains to men’s fashion.
As for the hair. The full-bang look has grown on me and I prefer it to the swept-back look. One is considered casual, the other more formal—another thing that blurs the line when defining masculine and feminine. I think we would do well to adopt this in the U.S. because women have always had varying hairstyles depending on the setting, maybe it’s time for the guys to step up their game.
Back to the storyline. The title is really all you need to know. Just watch it and enjoy. It has all the elements you want in a K-drama. Humor, romance, intrigue—and Hyun Bin. You get the chance to love Hyun Bin and not care for him so much (at least his character) all in one drama!
Which actor (other than Hyun Bin) is also in Crash Landing On You and Memories of the Alhambra
Which webcomic is this K-drama based on?
Released: January 2015, Episodes: 20
Cast: Hyun-Bin (Koo Seo-Jin & Robin), Han Ji-Min (Jang Ha-Na), Sung Joon (Yoon Tae-Joo), Hyeri (Min Woo-Jung), Full Cast
[Update: 11/23/23] I just finished watching this drama for the second time. The first time I saw this would’ve been in my first month of watching K-dramas so it’s interesting to see how my perspective has evolved. The circus storyline is kind of weak for me but I liked the dual personality storyline. I was most impressed with Hyun Bin’s ability to make me see the two characters he was playing as separate and distinct people.
Changing a hairstyle or adding glasses is an obvious way to differentiate characters but I could tell when it was Seo-Jin or Robin just by Hyun Bin’s body language and the way he spoke. It made the characters very believable. It would be interesting to hear what it was like to portray those dual roles. Did they shoot in sequence or was the shooting schedule set up so there was no overlap in portraying both characters on the same day or too close together?
I heard Hyun Bin was originally offered the lead in Kill Me Heal Me but turned it down in favor of Hyde, Jekyll, Me. I would’ve loved to see him portray all those characters in the latter, but Ji Sung nailed that role.
Hyun Bin doesn’t seem to do as many dramas as he does movies (which aren’t always accessible outside of Korea) so this is a good option if you’re looking for more dramas featuring him.
