Lee Seung Gi, What a Nation's Darling!

*translation completed*

OK, since no one has posted the HQ scans, I’ll just translate the parts that I can read.

Among the Hallyu stars, Lee Seung Gi is not the type who is particularly good-looking or gives a “flower boy” feel, but he has been extremely successful in many fields including singing, acting and emceeing. It can be said he is showered with love from everyone, along with many nicknames like “nation’s younger brother,” “prince of ballad,” “emperor of variety,” and “nation’s umchinah.” He was the youngest winner of an entertainment Daesang, he is favored by the advertisers, he is a guarantee of ratings, and he’s also a student who gets all A’s even after becoming a celebrity and is pursuing a master’s degree. Countless Korean mothers wish to have a son like him. Countless Korean girls wish to have a boyfriend like him. This man, Lee Seung Gi, has almost achieved “perfection.”

“Nation’s younger brother” transforms into “nation’s man”

Now that people born in the late 90s have already entered the entertainment industry, Lee Seung Gi, who was born in the late 80s, can’t be called the “nation’s younger brother” any more. But he’s not worried. He has completed a magnificent transformation through a series of dramas: Brilliant Legacy, My Girlfriend is a Gumiho, The King 2Hearts, all male leads, all hit shows, they have turned him from “nation’s younger brother” to “nation’s man.”

In the recently ended The King 2Hearts, Lee Seung Gi played South Korea’s king Lee Jae Ha, who married Kim Hang Ah (played by Ha Ji Won), a female instructor from the North Korea Special Forces Unit, due to political reasons. After finishing the drama, even Lee Seung Gi’s aura has become like a king. Netizens also commented, “Lee Seung Gi now looks like a king no matter what he does.” Actually, this drama wasn’t easy to handle. It had a fictional background of “constitutional monarchy” and also touched on the sensitive political topic of North Korea – South Korea confrontation. The pressure on the leading actors/actresses could not be overlooked. If the characters weren’t handled well, their presence could be easily lost. In the beginning of the drama, the egocentric “tall handsome rich” prince wasn’t much different from the characters Lee Seung Gi portrayed in the past, so it was difficult to showcase his acting. But later on, the male lead character had to succeed to the throne after the late king’s assassination. When he shouted at the politicians who didn’t want to lose their vested interests, when he directly confronted the organization that threatened the royal family, when he risked his life to protect his loved ones, he showed off the masculine charm to the max. With natural acting, he portrayed the character vividly, and received a lot of praise while acting opposite veteran actors/actresses like Lee Soon Jae and Yoon Yeo Jung.

If Lee Seung Gi was just a multi-talented idol in the past, then he has gradually become a mature actor now. In order to film The King 2Hearts, Lee Seung Gi gave up his MC position on two popular variety programs, 1 Night 2 Days and Strong Heart, and it was not an easy decision. But through this drama, Lee Seung Gi’s acting career has entered the next phase. He has shattered the old notion that idol-turned-actors could only act in romantic comedies, and has been certified as a “brand-name actor.” This is Lee Seung Gi’s biggest gain.

“Quality Idol” is not simply a descriptor for him

If there is an idol in Korea who can work in every field of the entertainment industry like music, dramas, MC, and advertising, a true all-rounder, who can also reach the top in every field, without any scandals ever, then that person must be Lee Seung Gi. After debuting at the age of 17, he became popular quickly, without ever slowing down. He has always appeared in public with a natural, honest, upright, clean, kind, and humble image. To him, “quality idol” is definitely not just a descriptor, it has permeated deep into his bones.

From any parents’ standpoint, Lee Seung Gi is an exceptionally good child. A friend of Lee Seung Gi’s dad once wrote in his blog, “When I saw that kid, he was in his third year of middle school. He was already over 180cm tall, he was very handsome, he had very good grades, and he was the student body president at school. What impressed me the most was that he was a filial son that’s so rare nowadays. He respected his parents not because of what he was taught in terms of culture or morality; it was just his nature to do so. I idolized a singer in the past, but he was involved in scandals, smoked marijuana, lived a wild life in private, and that hurt me a lot when I was growing up. But I see hope in that kid, Lee Seung Gi. The people who like him, that kid will never disappoint them. He will be a positive influence on his young fans, and he will bring them hopes and dreams.”

He’s still a rookie when it comes to women

Even though Lee Seung Gi has always been a wonderful guy in the center of attention, his love life has been rather empty. Or maybe he just wants to maintain his mystique in this aspect, it’s hard to know. In many interviews, Lee Seung Gi has been asked about his ideal type. But his answers have always been diplomatic and obliging. For instance, while filming My Girlfriend is a Gumiho, he said, “My ideal girl is someone who’ll give her all once she falls in love, like Gu MiHo.” But while filming The King 2Hearts, he said, “My ideal girl is someone pure and innocent like Kim Hang Ah.” It’s almost like he didn’t say anything. But once in a while, he would answer it seriously. For example, he once said, “My preference in looks and personality is always changing. It’s hard to explain it in one sentence. But because I’m in the entertainment business, it’s hard to manage my own time. So I hope she’s understanding and considerate of me. I also hope that she’s cheerful, optimistic and likes to laugh. I’m very easily attracted to smiles/laughs that are natural, without any disguise. If she can laugh heartily because of my jokes, that will be the best.”

Because of the “difficult-to-approach” model student image he has maintained, and because there was a time when he didn’t even have a cellphone, Lee Seung Gi hardly has any female celebrities’ phone numbers. If other people don’t take the initiative to ask for his phone number, he feels too shy to ask them. That’s why the number of female celebrities’ phone numbers stored in his cellphone can be counted on the fingers of one hand. And that’s why he cried out on a TV program, “I’ve had a cellphone for a few years now. You can ask for my number anytime!” Even though he’s a male celebrity who has no luck with women right now, he must have had more luck with women back in school when he was always the student body president, right? Apparently, the answer is also “No.” “I always hung out with my guy friends. I thought that would make me look more manly, and it would make the girls approach me. But that was a misconception. I never received any chocolates on Valentine’s Day, not even from my mom or my younger sister. I get a lot of gifts now, but of course they are all from fans.” With Lee Seung Gi being like this, when a lucky girl becomes his wife one day, she won’t have to worry about her wonderful husband having any affairs.

Chinese-English translation by tryp96.wordpress.com
Please do not plagiarize or repost without a link back to my original post.

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