Ahn Hyo-seop has captivated viewers in the SBS Wednesday-Thursday drama ‘Sold Out Today’ with his sincere yet clumsy performance.
In the 7th episode of ‘Sold Out Today’ aired on the 13th, Matthew Lee (Ahn Hyo-seop), also known as ‘Mechuri’, realized his feelings for Dam Ye-jin (Chae Won-bin), bringing a close to his breathless emotional journey. ‘Mechuri’ has been praised for bringing the character to life, ranging from his cute and quirky side to his sincere nature of rushing forward for the person he loves without hesitation.
In this episode, ‘Mechuri’ couldn’t contain his excitement after Ye-jin’s surprise kiss, providing the classic fun and laughter of a rom-com through his clumsy antics. From bumping into the door while leaving Ye-jin’s room to crashing into furniture and tripping over a floor ledge, he expressed his flustered state with his whole body. Ahn Hyo-seop smoothly handled the slapstick acting, which could have been excessive, using his natural flexibility and excellent physical control to reach the peak of the ‘cute nerd guy’ trope.
Ahn Hyo-seop’s performance shone even more during the village festival scene. He portrayed human-like jealousy through his blatant checking of Eric (Kim Bum), who came to see Ye-jin. During a ‘body language’ game with Ye-jin, he led the scene in a pleasant direction with comic acting, giving quirky wrong answers because he couldn’t stop thinking about the kiss.
What captured viewers the most was ‘Mechuri’s’ consideration for Ye-jin. Although he seems indifferent on the surface, the way he watches Ye-jin’s every move raised the heart-fluttering index for viewers.
In particular, the scene where he noticed Ye-jin had sprained her ankle and sprinted the track for her, skipping the baton touch, became a confession more powerful than any fancy words. Additionally, the sincere expression he wore while silently chewing and swallowing egg rolls filled with eggshells made by Ye-jin further solidified the mysterious tension between the two.
Ahn Hyo-seop’s strong ‘straight-forward’ approach in the ending also grabbed viewers’ attention. When Ye-jin asked why he was so nice to her, he flipped the mood by asking, “Then why did you kiss me?” After Ye-jin’s honest confession, he responded with a trembling kiss, confirming their feelings for each other.
Ahn Hyo-seop is delivering a deep lingering impression beyond simple excitement through his dense emotional acting, depicting the process of a man who was clumsy in love gaining confidence and changing. Following the broadcast, hot reactions poured in on various communities and social media, with comments like “Ahn Hyo-seop really knows how to use his body, even falling is an art,” “My heart is sold out when he nonchalantly hands over a pain relief patch,” and “It was the moment Mechuri became an eagle.” Attention is now focused on the direction of the heart-pounding romance that ‘rom-com master’ Ahn Hyo-seop will portray in the remaining episodes.
Meanwhile, the SBS Wednesday-Thursday drama ‘Sold Out Today’, which is gaining romantic momentum thanks to Ahn Hyo-seop’s passionate acting, airs every Wednesday and Thursday at 9 PM.
