This K-drama male lead hasn’t done anything notable, to the point audiences believe that his role is simply to be handsome.
The on-going K-drama “Bitch X Rich” has been receiving huge attention from a wide range of viewers. So far, 6 episodes have aired, presenting a dramatic story about the life of a poor female student, who transferred to a prestigious international school, where class discrimination is heavily prevalent.
With “Bitch X Rich” having finished over half of its journey, there have been contrasting comments regarding the drama’s storyline, as well as the female lead character, Kim Hye In (played by Lee Eun Saem).
Alongside these, one of the two male leads in the drama, Lee So Mang (played by Yoo Jung Hoo), also got the audience doubtful. In particular, despite being one of the four main characters featured on the drama poster, Lee So Mang brings a completely “out of place” atmosphere compared to the other three major characters, raising questions about his role.
In “Bitch X Rich”, So Mang is a student at Chungdam International School. Before Hye In enrolled in the school, the two got to know each other by chance, when Hye In saw So Mang in the women’s restroom and misunderstood him as a pervert. Later on, when Hye In became a transfer student at Chungdam International School, So Mang became the first student she met, since he volunteered to assist new students.
Now, 6 episodes into the series, Hye In gets herself involved in a case and is isolated by the school’s leader, Baek Je Na (played by Yeri). Meanwhile, the remaining male lead, Seo Do Eon (played by Lee Jong Hyuk), intentionally approaches Hye In to investigate the same case.
It can be seen that while Kim Hye In, Baek Je Na, and Seo Do Eon are all entangled with each other, Lee So Mang is completely unconnected, and has so far only appeared to provide comic relief. Whenever this character appears, he breaks the tense atmosphere in the drama, leaving viewers confused about his actual role.
Even now, it remains a question if Lee So Mang will be able to contribute anything to the female lead’s journey, with only 4 episodes left until the end of the drama.
Regarding Lee So Mang’s appearance, many viewers have joked that this character only exists to be handsome and serve as the “eye candy”. While young actor Yoo Jung Hoo did an excellent job, it simply doesn’t change that he may be too out-of-place, if not “useless” to the overall storyline.
Source: k14
