Heo Namjun Buys Low? Success!

Actor Heo Nam-jun is gaining immense popularity playing the role of Cha Se-gye in the SBS Friday-Saturday drama "Brave New World." The drama is a romantic comedy about a notorious Joseon-era villainess reincarnated 300 years later as a nameless modern actress, Shin Seo-ri (played by Lim Ji-yeon), who then meets the wicked chaebol Cha Se-gye (played by Heo Nam-jun). The drama recorded its highest viewership rating of 10.5% and entered the top 10 in 39 countries on Netflix, ranking second in global TV shows (non-English).

One of the reasons for the drama's success is its cliché-subverting romance structure. Cha Se-gye, who appears to be a 'chaebol male lead' or a 'bad boy' on the surface, is praised for his characterization as a devoted pushover when it comes to love. Heo Nam-jun is recognized for portraying these charms both comically and poignantly.

In the drama, Cha Se-gye, played by Heo Nam-jun, is a character who wears a mask to hide his unstable position. However, after meeting Shin Seo-ri, who is strong-willed and from the Joseon era, he gradually becomes swayed, becomes more honest, and begins to reveal his most vulnerable inner self.

Heo Nam-jun started from the image he showed in previous works but revealed his potential for melodrama as the romance developed. His chemistry with Lim Ji-yeon is excellent, but his eye acting was particularly outstanding. The sharp gaze that creates tension transforms into a honey-dripping look when he falls in love, which is being evaluated as a definite 'discovery.'

Through "Brave New World," Heo Nam-jun has taken on essentially his first leading male role in a romance. Previously, he was active mainly in genre dramas such as Netflix's "Sweet Home" seasons 2 and 3. Although he showed his charm in his previous work "A Hundred Memories," the narrative scope left something to be desired.