One of the reasons why we can boldly beat our chest and with all indignation refer to Rocky as a true all-rounder is because of his endless desire to constantly learn and be better. His passion is clearly so fierce that despite his already impressive laurels both with his group and as a soloist, there is still a burning desire to do more. Perhaps be more as well. His fiery passion has invariably put him at the top as one of the best performers in K-Pop today. And it perhaps is what will also be his driving force, yet another catalyst that would perhaps skyrocket him to fame as he slowly ventures into acting. The aim of this article is to spotlight his handful of works that capture and projects his impressive and natural acting ability.
A budding actor seeking an opportunity to shine
In 2014, Rocky first made his acting debut with a guest role as a trainee in the drama “Forever Young” and in 2015, he made a similar guest role appearance in the drama “Persevere, Go HaeRa”. We would say his path as an actor started to be cleared with his appearance as Rocky in the ASTRO web drama “To Be Continued”. Playing the role of a trainee set to make his debut with the group, we can perhaps not draw any difference between Rocky and the character he plays as he displayed the same fierce traits and passion as he does in real life. Playing on the time travel genre, the drama perhaps piqued the interest of viewers who weren’t just excited to see what the then-rookie group would show musically but also in acting as well. Following suit with more guest roles in web dramas like “Sweet Revenge” and “My Romantic Some Recipe”, true to his form, we can expect and predict that he has been picking up pointers on how to become a better actor and be more expressive with his emotions as well. In 2019, he made his acting comeback in the Naver TV drama “Soul Plate”, starring alongside his fellow ASTRO members and LABOUM’S SolBin. This healing yet comedic drama centers around the story of 6 angels who are descendants of Raphael, and were sent to earth to heal and comfort people with their soul food. While we must notably recognize that Rocky didn’t have as much screentime in this series, he however shines in his limited scenes and holds your attention with his expressive facial reactions and adorable antics. With his next drama, however, this fact would change as he gets an ample amount of time and lines to showcase his budding acting talents and make a note in the hearts of fans as an idol with the potential to become an acting-dol. The goosebumps I had with ROCKY’s acting in Find Me If You Can are no joke. I mean, somebody gets him a full-length drama PLEASE. Starring as Choi JeongSang in the drama “Find Me If You Can”, Rocky was able to grip the attention of the viewer with this more-fledged character. Contrary to his other roles, Choi JeongSang is seen as more mature, albeit still very naughty, witty, and hilarious. Right from the very second, he appears on the screen, there is a sense of elation that encloses the mind as the only reaction to his comical expression is a smile. As the series progresses, he displays his emotive range: from funny to romantic, desperate, sad, and angry. His acting in the series gradually put more depth into its storyline as it became more than a cute love triangle but more of a proper thriller. Rocky’s impressive acting garnered him a ton of praise from viewers of the series. Many were especially pleased with how natural he is at acting when this was perhaps his first proper acting role. Here are some quoted comments from viewers of the series. I’m not saying this because I’m an ASTRO stan but we need to realize that they were not mainly trained to be actors. They are idols. BUT, Rocky’s performance is just 😗🤌💋. I can’t explain it in words but he doesn’t act awkwardly, no cringe at all – he’s such a natural. This is his first main lead drama? a rookie actor? for his delivery of this character, saying I’m PROUD is an understatement. What a great actor, I wouldn’t be surprised to see more acting opportunities come his way after this. By 2021, he would earn another lead role in the web drama series “CheongchunhyangJeon”. The series depicts the story of a college student who is smart and dutiful but becomes shy and clumsy when next to the one he likes. It also spotlights various subplots that tackle on the struggles many youths face in their early 20s.
2022: Actor Rocky makes his mark
By 2022, it could be factual to say that whatever Rocky was doing to become a well-developed actor was working as we would justly see tangible results with his next role in the drama “Broke Rookie Star”. The success and appreciation of this series were not much of a shock to many fans as Rocky’s star power was guaranteed to make it popular. However, what came as a surprise, a very laudable one, was his impressive and natural acting. Playing the main role of HwiYeon, Rocky embodies the character of an idol who strives to make ends meet while also waiting for his big break. He shows us a glimpse at some of the realities that many idols face in retrospect of their fame and popularity. The idol-themed drama despite being a comedy doesn’t rely solely on the silliness or antics of Rocky and the other cast members but also it lets the real moral of the story be vividly seen and understood. Like many web dramas, while it does come with some plot holes in its storyline which earned it a mixed reaction from viewers, there were no mixed reactions when it came to Rocky’s acting as he delivered a close to stellar performance with his character, HwiYeon. This series earned both critical and commercial acclaim, bagging him his first two as an actor, the “Best Actor” awards at the Seoul Webfest Film Festival and LAWBEFEST in 2022.
Possible future roles
As Rocky slowly but surely continues to display his acting talents to the world, we hope many take notice and see his potential to become a rising star actor, one that can display an expressive range of emotions in the acting spectrum and touch the hearts of fans with his various roles. With 2023 fast approaching, he is one of the idols we would love to see make an acting comeback. While there are surely many roles he can play, which will enhance his acting skills, in the linked article, we mentioned we would love to see him star in a thriller series as we believe he has the emotional range to play a character in one. Here are 2 more roles we absolutely believe he will nail and want him to give a try.
1. Office Rom-com
A lead or supporting role in an office rom-com would be an exciting opportunity for Rocky. One thing about Rocky is that he brings the funny wherever he goes and naturally delivers it when required. With his witty and hilarious antics as well as his smart and quick-witted responses, he could very well play the quintessential role of the team member whom everyone loves and who infuses the comedy into the drama. Hopefully, though, he also gets a love line as well.
2. A college slice of life drama
With his visuals, body proportions as well as his age, Rocky is at the prime stage where he can fit into a college theme series. A melodrama that centers around the lives of the modern youth. Individuals who carry a heavy burden and actively try to navigate their way in a cruel and harsh world while in pursuit of their dreams. This kind of series would give Rocky a chance to dig deeper into his ability as an actor and show his colorful range of emotions as well. Do you agree with our thoughts on Rocky’s potential as an actor? What kind of series would you like to see him in the future? Let us know your opinions in the comments section below. ASTRO’s Rocky: The Enthusiastic All-Rounder Of K-Pop KPOP STORIES|Oct 19, 2022 Chances Are You’re Missing Out On ASTRO’s Rocky by FANS|Nov 23, 2022 7 Male K-Pop Idols Who Deserve To Be On The Covers Of Beauty Brand Products (Part 1) KPOP STORIES|Aug 3, 2022
