Have you ever experienced second lead syndrome?
While watching a K-drama, you start to fall for the second lead rather than the main lead. You unexpectedly start rooting for the second lead. You want the female lead to end up with the second lead.
If it sounds familiar, you’ve experienced the second lead syndrome.
What is Second Lead Syndrome?
While watching K-dramas, many viewers find themselves drawn to the second lead instead of the main one. You feel empathy for their pain, root for their happiness and secretly wish the story would break the rules and let them win the love they deserve. This emotional attachment is known as Second Lead Syndrome.
Popularity of Second Leads
Second leads are frequently designed to be more relatable, consistent and green-flag characters compared to the often colder or more complex main male leads. Here is why second leads frequently steal the spotlight:
Underdog Sympathy
The viewers know from the start that the second lead is unlikely to get the girl; they feel more sympathy for them, which translates into intense fan devotion. The selflessness and unrequited love of the second lead creates a lasting and emotional impact on the audience.
Better Characterisation and Development
Relatability
The second lead’s struggles with unrequited love are more relatable than the high-drama romance of the main couple. While the main lead is often a perfect but flawed individual, the second lead sometimes has more realistic and grounded traits.
Better Chemistry and Dynamic
The second lead has more on-screen chemistry with the female lead than the main actor does. They often start as the best friend or the comfort person, making their fate more heartbreaking and compelling.
Popular Second Leads
Here are some iconic examples of those who captivated audiences with their emotional depth and dedication to the main character:
Yoon Ji Hoo of Boys Over Flowers
Ji-hoo is an iconic second lead who creates intense second lead syndrome due to his gentle and protective nature compared to the main lead’s aggressive approach. Kim Hyun-joong’s portrayal of a quiet, musical and artistic character is considered a defining example of the second lead trope in K-dramas.
Han Seo Jun of True Beauty
Seo-jun is a typical bad boy with a soft heart who falls for the female lead. Many viewers felt his love was more mature and present as he supports her and cares for her sincerely. Viewers found his character more heartbreaking and deserving of the happy ending than the male lead, especially due to his emotional scene in the finale.
Han Ji Pyeong of Start-Up
Han Ji-pyeong’s character was overwhelmingly favoured by viewers over the main lead due to his emotional depth, unwavering support for the female lead and tragic backstory. His character provided a deeply sincere and green-flag romance that left many viewers heartbroken when he did not end up with the female lead.
Kim Jung Hwan of Reply 1988
In Reply 1988, Kim Jung-hwan was widely perceived as the main lead for most of the series due to his extensive screen time and slow-burn romance with the female lead. But his heartbreaking and unrequited love left many viewers devastated. The viewers found themselves betrayed by the writers as they misguided the audience, and they started to trend for justice for the second lead.
Stories with strong second leads stay with the audience longer because they reflect real-world emotional loss and create lingering emotions beyond the ending. Second lead syndrome adds emotional realism to storytelling by teaching us that the ones who walk away with a broken heart are the ones who know the most about love.
Written by – Soni Maurya
About the author –
Hello everyone, I am Soni Maurya. I am a postgraduate student of English Literature and am also learning Korean. My interest in Korean culture began with music and gradually grew into a genuine passion as I explored its language, culture, and traditions. I truly enjoy researching and learning new things, as well as creating my own work.