In the world of entertainment, there exist what are called “Triple Threats”—performers who can sing, dance, and act. While Filipino celebrity culture sometimes breeds the expectation that entertainers should be able to do all three (even if a person might not necessarily have solid talents across all three skills), beyond our borders, performers often tend to focus on one field or the other—music or acting.
And in Korea specifically, while there are K-pop artists who have successfully transitioned from music to K-drama, they are still relatively few and far between. Often, even they tend to focus on one field more than the other.
One of the few exceptions is Korean superstar Kim Myung-soo, also known as L. Nicknamed after a character from the Japanese manga series Death Note, L is a true triple threat, successfully balancing both music and acting over a career spanning a decade and a half.
Jacket by Antonina
He started as a member of Infinite, a Gen 2 K-pop band that debuted in 2010. As a K-pop idol, he not only has amazing vocals, but he also dances like a true pro. Within just a few years of his idol debut, L also started acting and became a leading man in such K-drama series as One More Time and Angel’s Last Mission: Love. But he never stopped being a K-pop idol; rather, he found the perfect balance to showcase all his talents.
“I’m glad I get to show my fans both aspects of my career,” L shares when he sat down recently with Esquire Philippines for a photo shoot held at Raffles Makati. “I strive to do my best both as a singer and as an actor. I'm just very happy to show my fans the growth I've achieved in both aspects of my career."
L’s Artistic Evolution
Having started his career in music, it’s no surprise that L has a long discography with Infinite under his belt. That said, he has also released some solo work, the most recent of which was the album 24/7.
"24/7 was an album that reflected a lot of my fans' opinions," he reveals. "I listened to my fans and tried to figure out how I could make songs in various genres and with a voice tone different from when I debuted. I wanted a lot of variety in this album. It has ballads like those I sang in OSTs, songs that are a bit more exciting at a medium tempo, and R&B-style songs, too. There are various genres and acoustics. If you listen to it, you can experience a lot of different songs in 24 hours, as the title of the album suggests."
Jacket and pants by Antonina
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Despite his hectic schedule as a singer, L has somehow managed to also fit in a solid acting career. He fondly remembers how, through his company, he received proposals early on to also do some acting work. “I felt interested in acting, and it was fun, and I also wanted to show this to the fans who love me—both as a singer and (now) as an actor.”
Having had a vast array of acting roles, L shares one of his most important criteria when choosing a character to play. “Will I be able to deliver on this?” He carefully studies the character first before making a final decision.
When asked if he has had any particular role he felt was the most difficult or challenging, he replies, "Every character I've portrayed has been somewhat difficult. Every time I start a new project, I always find the roles challenging. But by the end of each project, the character becomes precious to me, close to my heart."
Suit and pants by Antonina; shirt by Orias
