Eye Candy : Lee Seung Gi for Star1

Fresh off his discharge from military service, Lee Seung Gi brings his signature adorable boy next door charm and good looks to the pages of Star1 magazine. Technically he was discharged on October 31 but I may have been too busy gushing over the SongSong couple's wedding to give Seung Gi a proper welcome back.  I really missed him during his 18 month absence but I did keep tabs on how he was doing in the army. Seung Gi was a member of the special forces and of course an exemplary soldier.  It's no surprise the Korean Army was using him as the face of their organization on their promotional materials since he always maintains a positive image as a model citizen who will never embarrass any organization he represents.

For his K-drama comeback, the multi-talented 30 year old will be reuniting with the writing team of the Hong Sisters who wrote My Girlfriend Is A Gumiho and Cha Seung Won his You're All Surrounded co-star. The drama entitled Hwayugi (A Korean Odyssey) is loosely based on the 16th-century Chinese novel  Journey to the West. Seung Gi takes on the role of the mischievous Monkey King along with Cha Seung Won as the Bull Demon King, Oh Yeon Seo as the Monk and Lee Hong Ki channeling the Pig God.  These characters come together in the modern human world and fight to bring peace to mankind.The teasers make this show look like a fun mythical fantasy with touches of comedy. I really hope it will be lighter rather than drama laden because there's enough misery in the real world now that I don't need to watch it onscreen. Hwayugi will premiere on TVN on Dec. 23. And if that's not enough to keep him busy, Seung Gi will also be a regular on the upcoming SBS variety show  Jipsabu (All the Butlers) which has male celebrities visiting famous figures at home and spending the night while  learning about their lifestyles and achievements. Other regulars include Lee Sang Yoon, Yook Sung Jae and Yang Se Hyung. It sounds fun and a little like a more civilized1N2D which is where Seung Gi really came into his own. I became a big fan after watching him on that show because of how he always conducted himself with such humility, impeccable manners and respect for others. Good Boys > bad boys always! Now all we need is for Seung Gi to work on some new music... You can watch Hwayugi exclusively on Viki.

Photos: Star1