21 best Korean movies of 2024
So most of you have probably ended up here because you thought the guy on the front of the MDL homepage was kind of cute :D whether or not you knew him in his iconic T.V. roles or recognized him as one of the most perfect Johnny’s that ever walked this earth. *cough* -Okay, okay, remember not biased not biased…- oh come on who are we kidding? This article is going to be so biased - just look at that face!
So yes, everyone who doesn’t yet know him, let’s just give you a brief background into the history of the most perfect man ever.
Ikuta Toma is a Johnny’s Entertainment (JE) artist. Just to quickly describe JE, most Johnny’s Entertainment artists are trained since a very young age to become idols and singers primarily. A few of them successfully foray into acting in lead roles, most of whom have very successful singing careers as well. Examples include: Matsumoto Jun, Ninomiya Kazunari, Yamashita Tomohisa and Nishikido Ryo.
Ikuta Toma is a little bit different because he has debuted in JE in an actor-only capacity, meaning he almost never promotes as a singer. He is the only actor talent managed by the agency, who has ‘debuted’ status (for those who argue there are more, yes of course there are more actor-only talents in Johnnys but I'm pretty sure Toma's the only one who has 'debuted'). For JE, this is a huge step away from their traditional talents. Toma's an anomaly in the Johnny's promotion method.
Ikuta Toma was prepped to sing and dance like all the other past Jrs. but when he didn’t debut as a singer he focused his attentions on his other passion, acting, and voila! A maestro of beautiful proportions was born. Toma was diligent and worked hard at perfecting his acting through taking on various different roles, which constantly pushed his ability to adapt and embrace his characters' wildly different personalities. I know as his fan, I can say that Toma’s acting has vastly improved throughout the years because of his ability to push himself and take on roles that aren't familiar to him (though like a true fan-lover that he is, once in a while I find him going back to fan favourite roles :DDD but we’ll talk more about that later)
I’m going to try and cover his most popular roles and some unknown ones so you get to know the characters that Ikuta Toma has helped me (and my friends) love. Without further ado, let's get down to business!
P.S. I've tried my best to avoid spoilers but I have included pictures...so some pictures are a bit spoiler-ific. Gomen nasaii!
HANA YORI DANGO 2 (Boys Over Flowers 2)
So this role was really really small scale for Toma, but god did he act like hell and make an impression on the audience, even as a one-episode cameo! He made that first episode so enjoyable to watch! Seriously! As a fan of the manga I knew the moment he came on the screen I had to hate this guy and sure enough Toma managed to make me do it even though I thought he was quite possibly the best looking guy on the show (a hard thing to do considering at this point I was a MatsuJun fangirl).
Now, his character is only on the show for the first episode of this drama, but he’s integral to the first episode plotline. He plays the hell out of the sexy, funny, charming and really two-faced Junpei! This drama I think was the one that started to pique Toma’s interest in playing conflicted characters as we’ve seen him take on this conflicting character roles later on in his career.
Trivia: This is the first time Oguri Shun and Ikuta Toma acted together J These two actors are now BFFL. (In case you don’t know – BFFL = best friends fo lyfe. Yay for acting bromance=real bromance!)
HANAZAKARI NO KIMITACHI E ~ IKEMEN PARADISE (2007) (For You in Full Blossom)
For those of you who know about Toma already, I have a feeling you’ll agree with me that Hana Kimi 2007 is considered his big break. Hell this was the drama that made him my Ichiban :) Before this drama, the public didn’t know too much about him other than the fact he used to be a really famous Johnny’s Jr., part of 4TOPS (a JE Jr. group that has now disbanded), and he hadn’t debuted yet as a part of an official JE idol group.
In Japan and Korea, I’m sure many of you know the public has a lot of reservation about idols trying to become actors. Toma and other Johnny's Entertainment artists are no strangers to these sorts of comments, but Hana Kimi managed to convince the industry and public alike that Toma deserved to be called an actor. This role gave him the freedom to break away from his image as a Johnny’s Jr.
Hana Kimi is a drama that has been made and remade a multitude of times in a variety of different countries and personally, I don’t think anyone has outdone Toma’s portrayal as Nakatsu nor been able to beat the cast chemistry that came in this version of the story. Toma really did pour all his heart into acting like the lovable fool that Nakatsu was and even though most people were rooting for the main couple Sano and Mizuki, everyone was experiencing hardcore second-lead syndrome (like guys 10x worse than the You're Beautiful second-lead syndrome because I know Yonghwa is considered second-lead prime example).
Nakatsu’s passion, jokes, comic timing and inner monologues were quite literally faultless in the drama. Without Ikuta Toma as Nakatsu, I don’t think Hana Kimi would have become as much of a J-Drama classic.
Also if you’re looking to get into J-Dramas I would suggest this drama VERY strongly. The proportion of comedy to romance to drama is perfect. The cast chemistry was amazing in part because of the strong friendships the actors ended up forming. To date you can see the cast of this drama hanging out, in public and in private. This drama helped propel the careers of quite a few other famous actors like: Mizushima Hiro, Okada Masaki, Daito Shunsuke, Mizobata Junpei and Yamamoto Yusuke (I'm not including Horikita Maki or Oguri Shun cause they were already pretty famous :)). Who are all fabulous in their own right J (Ikemen Paradise ftw :D!)
Trivia: It’s interesting to note that Oguri Shun and Toma share another BFFL in common J Matsumoto Jun. These guys are like the holy hot trinity of acting in Japan.
This drama is interesting, because Toma’s role is really quite ordinary. He portrays Takemoto Yuta, a regular guy who has these awesome friends. It’s about their lives at school and the problems they face as broke students who love/hate their lives (Yuta’s biggest problem fluctuates between his ‘meatless’ life and his crush, #collegelifeproblems).
For Toma, this drama was the perfect follow up to Hana Kimi. Takemoto is a very quiet sort of observer in his group of friends and sometimes this is his downfall. Takemoto chooses not to speak up for a multitude of reasons in the drama. Not going to lie, this drama made me cry a little (I was 16 when I watched it okay? + I cry pretty easily). Toma portrayed Takemoto far too perfectly. I still don’t know if I can rewatch this because I feel way too close to Takemoto and sometimes his life just sucks (because more than this being a traditional college/school drama it’s a drama about the reality of being in college and the mind boggling confusion you face as you make decisions that will decide the rest of your life).
Trivia: This is another strong cast with the likes of Narimiya Hiroki and Mukai Osamu on board :) (MUKAI OSAMU :O? WHAT HE HAD A DRAMA BEFORE ATASHINCHI NO DANSHI? Yes, yes he did -> it was this drama :) and he’s wearing glasses in it and looking damn fine cause he’s the handsome good-looking friend -thank you stylist-san- so go watch it).
MAOU (Devil)
I haven’t seen Maou. God yes I want to but I don’t know why I haven’t done it yet. I think I’m saving it for a rainy day (cause if you’re a Toma fan you know sometimes he only does like 1 thing a year T.T). I will tell you though that this drama is considered amazing by a large portion of the J-Drama community. My friend said this "Toma's character in Maou is conflicted as well, he has a sort of double life because Ohno Satoshi's character is after him for revenge and he is trying to run away from his past. His facial expressions as an actor are very very strong in this drama."
Ohno and Toma outdid themselves in terms of performance and have created such a large fanbase that you’ll still find random pictures of the two of them from like 2009 frequently showing up on tumblr. (social media ftw!) For K-Drama fans you will be happy to know that Maou, which is regarded as one of the best J-Dramas ever, is actually based on a K-Drama with Joo Ji Hoon called Mawang. (woot :D)
NINGEN SHIKKAKU (No Longer Human)
For anyone who studies Japanese Literature, Ningen Shikkaku is pretty much considered an iconic novel in Japan. Set sometime in the 1920s I believe, the title loosely translates to ‘No Longer Human’. I couldn’t wait to watch this movie so I went out and bought the book and started reading it (bcuz I am a hardcore nerd :P). The book was so graphically horrifying that it took me two years to finally watch it on screen.First off, let me start by saying this movie is not for the light hearted and this movie made me admire Toma all the more as an actor. I don’t think Toma could have managed to just passively act in this role. He had to let himself fully embrace his character’s, Oba Yozo, flaws…of which there were MANY and like a true actor, he did it in an almost frightening way. This movie is dark, and twisted and heavy and Toma kept the integrity of the book alive in his portrayal of his character.
Oba Yozo is a character I am very conflicted about because a) he looks like Toma and I love Toma :D but b) I have never in my life hated and pitied a character in a story as much as I have Oba Yozo. To help you guys understand why I believe this role has such an impact on Toma as an actor I’m going to talk a bit about his character.
Oba Yozo is basically this guy who feels like he isn’t fully ‘human’, and not in the supernatural sense. He feels like he lacks something that would make him human. There is some inclination that this is a result of some previous trauma but it is never fully delved into. As a child, Oba Yozo learns to start ‘faking’ his feelings as a ‘human’ would.
Now that I’ve described his character hopefully you can see why I call this Toma’s developmental role and why this role made me both hate and love him. He wanted his audience to be conflicted and he succeeded. Do we condemn Oba for the way he lives his life? Or do we look a little deeper to see that Oba’s actually a part of all of us, albeit to a smaller extreme? He did a great job at making his audience think. Toma’s performance brought chills down my spine. Despite me hating this character, this movie is one of my favourite movies.
To act like someone who is faking their own reality is a tough performance. How do you ‘fake’ being what you are, being human when you don’t even know what it feels like to be human? It’s a very confusing performance but Toma managed to nail it well.
HANAMIZUKI (May Your Love Bloom for a Hundred Years)
Hanamizuki, oh what a redeeming movie you were for me after I watched Ningen Shikkaku. This movie stars the ever cute Aragaki Yui and I thought they made the most adorable pairing!
Here Toma plays Kouhei, a student who becomes a fisherman as the movie goes on. Toma is perfect as the tragic lover who understands that he loves a woman who is way out of his league. Kouhei’s passion, anger and sense of duty to his family come across perfectly. Throughout the movie we see Kouhei struggling between the two very real goals he has for himself: loving Sae who becomes more and more unattainable and keeping his family together.
The story is about a pair of lovers finding their way back to each other despite everything else that happens in their lives. I thought it was realistic and sweet. Go into this movie with low expectations and you won’t be disappointed (I’m adding this because it seems to be pretty lowly rated on account of everyone thought it’d be uber fabulous because of the cast…but it’s just supposed to be a muted romance! So I enjoyed it ^.^)
UNUBORE DEKA (Conceited Detective)
OKAY. So remember way back at the start of this article, I said once in a while we’ll see strong similarities between Toma’s characters?
If anyone in Toma’s roles is like Nakatsu, it’s Toma's Honjo Sadame, who is quite honestly the most perfect actor ever. Honjo Sadame is considered to have an ‘annoying’ face and that’s why when he gets cast in dramas it’s usually as a murder victim. (He’s so annoying it’s easy to see him killed off kekeke). Honjo Sadame is part of the Unubore 5, a group of guys who are basically unlucky in love.
Honestly, this drama is all about Nagase Tomoya shining but Toma as Sadame is equally a star in his own right. This drama is hilarious, and very easy to watch in my mind. It’s a light hearted detective drama. Sadame has a very interesting journey to becoming a functional guy who doesn’t just bum off the women he loves (yes Sadame is that type of guy).
This drama is perfect LOL material. I don’t want to become a Nagase pusher but his character Unubore IS PERFECT. And as a result Toma is perfect because in the drama he’s acting in another drama where he plays Nagase’s character in the original drama Unubore. Ergo Unubore inception!
BOKURA GA ITA ZENPEN & BOKURA GA ITA KOUHEN (We Were There)
So when Toma was filming Hanamizuki, he teased his fans by saying that was the last time he’d probably be a high schooler (well the dude is already 29 this year :O! happy birthday Toma :D!) But sorry Toma, the script gods from heaven had a different plan for you (thank god! I’m sorry I’m not over Toma being in high school, even if I am out of high school myself now :O)
Here we have what I think is one of the best Asian romance movies of 2012. Bokura Ga Ita is actually split into two movies and has Toma playing the conflicted role of Yano Motoharu to Yoshitaka Yuriko’s Nanami Takahashi. Yano’s a character that Toma’s a little bit familiar with now. Yano is the most perfect boy in high school who all the girls crush on…but Yano’s past makes him a little different from Toma’s normal hot as hell high schooler with amazing hair (Nakatsu style!)
There’s something clearly torturing Yano. He says and does these weird things. He pushes Nanami away from him almost cruelly. He doesn’t know what he wants and yet he does. He doesn’t know how to get it, and he always makes wrong decisions knowing he doesn’t want to face the consequences. He’s basically a teenage boy with SERIOUS issues. The confusion of Yano’s character and the slow and steady way with which Toma portrays Yano learning how to let go of his past and embrace his future is beautiful. Bokura Ga Ita is a very popular manga series and the fact that the fans didn’t all end up uprising for this old guy playing their beloved Yano really speaks to Toma’s perfection as Yano.
(Not to mention, YES TOMA FINALLY YOU’RE BACK TO BEING A RED HEAD FOR A LITTLE WHILE – keh I love when he's a redhead :D)
OSOZAKI NO HIMAWARI (Late Blooming Sunflower)
Now I’m not done with this drama, but I’m in the process of watching it. Toma takes on Joutaro who is someone I think all of us know in today’s economy and age. Joutaro is a perpetual temp worker always looking to catch his big break, the new kid in the small town, etc.
I don’t want to say much more than that but I’m interested in seeing how Toma handles a slice of life drama :) From what I’ve seen Joutaro is an adorable, if sometimes oblivious and easily frustrated, character. He also speaks up whenever he’d like and becomes what seems to be an immovable pain of a presence for our main female heroine (who I LOVE. Maki Yoko is fabulous in this drama and this drama really is unique in the way that it pulls you in even with it's somewhat dull sounding premise I promise).
I’m looking forward to finishing this drama! I’m especially happy since it has high ratings on MDL :D!
Nou Otoko (Brain Man)
So this movie is uber new. I’ve heard online that the subtitles just came out so it might be a while before I get to watch it and actually review it but I think I just wanted to show you guys how versatile he is *coughabscoughdamnthoseabs*. In this Toma takes on a man who is an emotionless serial killer. I’ve heard that even though it’s gory it’s almost comical in a way and that he really outdid himself. Suzuki Ichiro is an emotionless killing machine who feels no remorse behind his actions. To prepare for the role, Toma became socially withdrawn for one month prior to filming so he could really understand his character's mind. I have no doubt in my mind that he did excellently :D and that he probably 'killed' his role :D
OTHER NOTABLE DRAMAS/MOVIES
VOICE
Genji no Monogatari (Tale of Genji)
Akihabara@DEEP
Mogura No Uta (Or Mole's Song, trust me...everyone should at least see the trailer for XD because it's actually hilarious)
And that's all folks :) I hope you enjoyed reading this immensely long Stalker's Guide (but like a true Stalker would say trust me, it could have been 10x longer XD). I hope you're all interested in Ikuta Toma a little more now and that you check out the dramas/movies listed above! I guarantee you'll love them!
I look forward to reading all your comments! And I hope you come to love Ikuta Toma just as much as I do in the near future :)!
If there is an actor or an actress that is worthy of a Stalker's Guide in your opinion, and you have watched enough dramas of his/hers to prove it, please contact Elisabetta about it.
