Weighing in on SLS (Second Lead Syndrome)

In my previous post, I talked about my severe case of Second Lead Syndrome) SLS over Shin Hyuk in She Was Pretty. Choi Siwon did an outstanding job of making this annoying goof-ball lovable and yearn-for-able. (Counting the days until August 18th of next year!) His performance in this drama made me not be able to wait to see his next drama, hopefully where he gets the girl! (Maybe Hwang Jung Eum?) Today, I thought I would discuss other dramas that have given people SLS. If you've never heard of SLS, here's the definition by The One-Eyed Kin blog

Second Lead Syndrome (SLS) is known as the overwhelming support and admiration given to the second male lead of a drama or an anime to win the lead female and succeed in whatever endeavor undertaken when,

1. The female lead shows no signs of liking the second lead.
2. When the male lead has secured the affections of the female lead.
3. When the second lead has no chance of winning over the female lead.

I would add to this definition that it occurs when the female lead is *conflicted* over which man to choose, even though her heart belongs to the lead (as inexplicable as that might be).

It's a fairly common phenomenon among k-drama viewers. I've felt it before, but never this strongly. It's never made me stop watching a drama. There were a few I wish I had stopped watching, but I like to finish what I start. I think the biggest influence on whether I catch a case of it is whether or not I like the lead. For example:

1. You're Beautiful -- this is the first drama that popped into my head when I was extremely disappointed that the second lead did not get the girl. I was super annoyed that the heroine didn't pick Shin Woo (Jung Yong Hwa), particularly because he'd been there for her all along. This was early in my k-viewing, so I didn't realize that silent support is a hallmark of a second lead, particularly when he has feelings for the heroine. (The always nice guy practically always finished last in k-dramas.) I was *mad* partially because I really couldn't stand the lead; he was just too grumpy and hostile throughout the entire drama for me to like him.
2. Flower Boy Ramyun Shop -- unlike most people I've come across, I never jumped on this ship either. I couldn't get past the fact that he was *her student* on top of being an arrogant, spoiled chaebol's son. It *wasn't* romantic how he harassed her, she was a pushover for most of it and he was so spoiled throughout almost all of the series. Kang Hyuk (Li Ki Woo) was a much better man and fit for the heroine. But she didn't choose him.
3. Medical Top Team -- most of this drama was forgettable for me, except for Joo Ji Hoon's performance as Seung Jae and the intensity with which I *hated* the lead. (You can read my review here.) I was really irked that the heroine chose badly.
4. Creating Destiny -- the love triangle in this drama was with the 2nd leads, rather than the OTP. I liked the hero and was glad that he ended up with the heroine. His best friend had a noona romance with his sister and I wanted her to pick him. The sister ended up choosing the guy who got her pregnant and then dumped her and wouldn't do anything to support his child, rather than Kyu Han (Jung Suk Won). It still irks me when I think about it. Kyu Han made her feel attractive and desirable again and he who would have been there for her always. It felt like a major cop-out by the writers, since the reunited family would be more socially acceptable.

      These dramas had me really rooting for/liking the loser in the love triangle. There have been some dramas that I felt like the heroine should have picked the second lead, but I liked the hero, so it didn't bother me:

1. Boys Over Flowers -- yes, Ji Hoo was her soulmate. Yes, she liked him first. But Jun Pyo won me over once he started liking her and yes, he was a better fit for Jan Di.
2. Shining Inheritance/Brilliant Legacy -- I felt bad for Joon Se (Bae Soo Bin). He'd supported and helped the heroine throughout the entire series and was heartbroken when she picked the lead. But I liked the lead and I was glad when the OTP got together.
3. Suspicious Housekeeper -- Woo Jae (Park Ji Bin) got a bum deal. This might not count in some people's books, because it was the teen sub-plot, but it left me with the same feeling. Even though he was there for her and obviously liked her , she had eyes for another boy. I liked the other boy, so I was glad that he ended up happy, but I still wanted Woo Jae to get the girl.
4. She's So Lovable -- this is the first k-drama I ever stopped watching due to boredom and frustration with the writers over where the story went. You can read my review here. Needless to say, if I had control over the story, the hero would have always had only brotherly affection for the heroine and would have ended up in love with the female second lead. Shiwoo (L from Infinite) would have ended up with the heroine. This would have been a much more interesting story.
5. Zhong Wu Yen -- this is a t-drama rather than a k-drama, but I still felt like the second lead should have won. For most of the series, the lead was a pouty man-child that I didn't like. But he won me at the end when started to act like a grown up. The second lead, Huo Hua/Howard (Chris Wu), started out as a bitter jerk, but quickly changed to be super awesome and rescued the heroine more than once.

     
Other second leads I felt bad for, but it made sense why the OTP came to be:

1. Kang Woo (Seo In Guk) in The Master's Sun -- because the OTP belonged together! and he had a much more interesting relationship with the second female lead.
2. Kim San (Alex) in Pasta -- because he bought a restaurant for her and never even told her he liked her. He deserved not to get the girl for being such a wet noodle.
3. Pil Joo (Yoo Kye Sung) in The Greatest Love -- because he was a nice guy but just not right for her like Dokko Jin was; it really didn't end up hurting him all that much that he didn't get the girl
4. Hwi Kyung (Park Hae Jin) in My Love from Another Star -- again, he was supportive but the hero was too awesome for you to want anything but the OTP
5. Min Hyuk (Kim Sung Soo) in Full House really, deep down, liked someone else and by the end looked like he was going to get her
6. Hyung Joon (Kim Jae Wook) on Who are You (tvN) was a ghost. How would that work? 
7. Dr. Seo Yoon Jae (Gong Yoo) in Big -- the guy really did love his fiance, but she ended up falling for the lead after he ended up in Yoon Jae's body. He never made her really feel appreciated when he had her, in spite of loving her, so the heroine developing feelings for someone else wasn't a stretch.
8. Moo Won (Kim Jae Joong) in Protect the Boss was intrigued by the heroine early on, but the lead fell for her early on, too, and Moo Won always really liked someone else (who he eventually ended up with)

        

9. In Marriage Not Dating, Yeo Reum (Jung Jin Woon) was much more easy going and expressive, but the lead, Gong Ki Tae (Yun Woo Jin), won me almost from the beginning, so there was never any question in my mind that he would and should get the girl
10. Yoo Yun Suk and Sung Joon in Gu Family Book -- while I loved both of them I also loved Kang Chi all the time and he was a better match for the heroine. Neither ever really pursued the heroine, either, so they brought their heartache on themselves.
11. Do Han (Joo Sang Wook) in Good Doctor was the object of the heroine's crush and he briefly felt something back, but his heart always belonged to the second lead.
12. Sang Hee (Sung Joon) in Lie to Me never showed that he was serious about anything, even when he was pursuing the heroine. She fell for the lead, which worked out best in the end, since that would have been the second time he ruined the romance of the lead.
13. Jong Soo (Lee Phillip) in Secret Garden -- again, he may have supported her dreams, but he never actually indicated her was interested.
14. Lee Yul (Kim Jung Hoon) in Goong -- some people seemed to include him in their SLS lists, but I never did. He may have initially seemed like a better match but his shady behavior killed any good will I felt for him.
15. Jeremy (Lee Hong Ki) in You're Beautiful -- also someone on many people's lists. Even though I felt bad when he cried on the bus, he just didn't seem emotionally mature enough to be a serious contender.
16. Hang Sung (Lee Sun Kyun) in Coffee Prince may have developed an interest in the heroine, but his heart always belonged to the second female lead.

     
Other people that ended up on people's lists (I didn't include them on mine because I haven't watched the series):

1. Chilbong (Yoo Yun Suk) in Answer Me/Reply 1994 is a universal mention. 
2. Jae Shin (Yoo Ah In) in Sungkyunkwan Scandal
3. Chun Soo (Lee Pil Mo) in Emergency Couple 
4. Jae Won (Kim Ji Hoon) in Flower Boy Next Door
5. Young Do (Kim Woo Bin) in The Heirs -- technically, I have watched this series, but I dropped it after 4 chapters, so I wasn't really invested in anyone and I didn't see any of his relationship with the heroine 

If you're suffering from SLS, there's a show I can recommend. It's a t-drama rather than a k-drama, but since you're probably reading subtitles anyway, you probably won't mind. It's called Substitute Princess/King Flower. You can read my series overview here. Beware that there might be a spoiler in there and in this recommendation, so if you don't want to know how it ends, stop reading.

  
Da Hua with Terry (left) and Guan Jun (right)
When the series started, James Wen (Lin Guan Jun) was the lead and Chris Wu (Ouyang Tai, aka Terry) was the second lead. As the series progressed, Terry's role got bigger and Guan Jun's role got smaller. Da Hua (the heroine) is torn between the two, but it was obvious to me that her feelings were childhood crush versus adult love. How it was even a contest between Guan Jun and Terry, I don't know, since Guan Jun went from being her brother to being a self-righteous, possessive, jealous jerk and Terry was always supportive, non-pressuring, considerate, kind (and the adjectives could keep on coming). From the beginning, Chris Wu always played him with such charisma that *he* seemed like the main lead and James Wen was just the nuisance in their love affair. (I'm not the only one who felt this way.) A vast majority of the audience was on Team Terry and actually influenced the outcome so that they got the ending they were clamoring for. Why couldn't more k-dramas be like that?!