Seung-jo is a cold, calculating genius. He views emotions as illogical distractions. For the first half of the series, he is brutally dismissive of Ha-ni. The magic of Playful Kiss is watching his icy exterior melt. While some newer K-Drama fans might find the "toxic male lead" trope dated, the character development Seung-jo undergoes is a classic blueprint for the "tsundere" archetype.