In a drama where nearly every character carries a red flag, Kim Do Hoon’s Kim Jae Oh in Dear X stands as the lone green light — a rare second male lead that viewers wish could step out of the screen and into real life.
Framed through the perspective of the cunning and often ruthless Baek Ah Jin (played by Kim Yoo Jung), Dear X builds a dark world of manipulation and power games. Yet in this murky moral landscape, Jae Oh emerges as a character full of warmth, loyalty, and quiet pain — making him more beloved than even the main lead Jun Seo (Kim Young Dae).
Jae Oh’s past is marred by tragedy: raised by an abusive, alcoholic father, he ends up accidentally killing the man in an attempt to protect his younger brother. After serving time in prison, he returns to society and continues to serve Ah Jin — the only person who ever acknowledged his worth — with unflinching loyalty.
“He’s funny, capable, and knows exactly when someone needs him,” one viewer commented, echoing the sentiment shared by many fans who were touched by his acts of selflessness. Whether it’s carefully placing his brother in safe hands before turning himself in or accepting rejection from his aunt with gentle understanding, Jae Oh consistently chooses grace over resentment.
Unlike the other characters marked as tools or obstacles by Ah Jin — her so-called “X” list — Jae Oh was always her “O.” It’s a symbolic nickname stored in her phone, playing on the Korean pronunciation of “Oh” in his name, but also representing someone she never wanted to lose or harm. Even in his final sacrifice to expose the monstrous Moon Do Hyeok, his last thoughts were of Ah Jin — a whisper of unspoken affection left unanswered in a voicemail.
Kim Do Hoon’s performance breathes life into Jae Oh with subtlety and emotional nuance. His expressive body language and instinctive improvisations — such as playfully calling Jun Seo “cục cưng” or crying during his last mission with Ah Jin — brought depth to a role that could have easily fallen into cliché.
Behind the scenes, Kim Do Hoon and Kim Yoo Jung also charmed fans. Though the duo faced dating rumors after visiting Vietnam in September, both agencies clarified it was a team trip. At a press conference, the actors laughed about the incident, sharing that they called each other and laughed for three minutes straight upon hearing the rumors.
While he may not fit the classic “flower boy” mold, Kim Do Hoon’s charisma lies in his versatility. From the brooding class president in Moving to the unhinged villain in The Escape of the Seven, and now the tragic hero in Dear X, he continues to carve his name as one of Gen Z’s most promising talents in Korean drama.
In the end, Jae Oh may be fiction, but the longing for a person like him is very real — and that’s a testament not just to the writing, but to the actor who gave him heart.
Sources: Netizenbuzz