Dream High' is Kim Soo Hyun's first lead drama. In actual fact, in the drama, At the beginning of the drama, he acts the identity of a countryboy, until the end of the drama he achieved a rare 'countryboy's counter attack' which isn't seen much in korean dramas. He takes on the role as Song Sam Dong who is the main character of Dream High 1. Song Sam Dong lives in the countryside with his mother and dreams of becoming an owner of a stock farm. But when he gotten a chance to enter the arts school to learn, he releases his talent in the arts, moving towards his dreams.
In a certain sense, Song Sam Dong’s story is somewhat similar to Kim Soo Hyun’s arts experience: An ordinary and simple boy, because of a rare chance that he managed to learn the arts in theater school, while finding his dreams and walking onto the path of an actor.
He once mentioned during Shanghai’s Fanmeet that the role that he has acted before who is the most closest to his real personality, is Song Sam Dong. “Because his personality and mine are very alike, it’s that kind of once we are set on that certain goal, or something that we must accomplish, we will not matter about anything else and to work hard to accomplish that goal.”
'10 Years Promise' is a footnote to this kind of personality.
In 2010, when Kim Soo Hyun won the ‘Newcomer Award’ in SBS Drama Awards for ‘Giant’, he made some famous acceptance speech: “Please take care of me by giving me more attention in this ten years, I will become a real actor.” This phrase is being named as the ‘10 Years Promise’ by fans. From then onwards, whenever he wins awards every year, Kim Soo Hyun will countdown the time together with the fans.
In 2011, when Kim Soo Hyun won awards because of ‘Dream High’, he said “Now I’m left with 9 years. The upcoming 9 years, I will keep on working hard to become a very good actor, i will definitely present to everyone, my excellent acting skills.”
In 2013, when Kim Soo Hyun gotten ‘Best New Actor’, he said again “I’m quite ashamed to say that my ‘10 Years of Promise’, i’m still left with 7 years, please continue to give a lot of attention to me and the 7 years to come, I will definitely succeed.”