INFINITE's L is proving his critics wrong by excelling in his first role in a historical drama in MBC's "Ruler: Master of the Mask." The K-pop idol and actor was recently selected as "Actor of the Month" of MBC's Dramanet.

According to a report by All Kpop, INFINITE's L impressed the viewers with his natural screen presence and his subtle effectiveness in his role as a commoner asked to assume the role of the crown prince. Many netizens have credited the idol for his calm and natural aura.

It can be recalled that the casting of INFINITE L's was met with much reservation from netizens who thought that he was not skilled enough as an actor to portray a serious role in a historical drama like "Ruler: Master of the Mask." In the MBC drama, L portrays the role of a butcher's son who leads a miserable life until he meets the crown prince Lee Sun, who asks him to act as the prince in his stead. So far, L is meeting fans' expectations and is contributing to the positive reception to the show which has topped the competition when it comes to ratings.

"Although many were initially opposed to L being cast for the role, the results appear to be a rather successful one," MBC Dramanet reps said regarding INFINITE L's selection as Actor of the Month.  "Thanks to L, the show topped number one on viewer's rating charts."

"Ruler: Master of the Mask" which premiered on MBC last May 10 has been consistently rising in the rating game, according to stats from AGB Nielsen. Starting with a 9.7 percent nationwide ratings, the show has reached 13.6 percent nationwide ratings for its 16^th episode. For the Seoul areas, the historical drama featuring Yoo Seung Ho and Kim So Hyun has jumped from 10.5 percent to 14.2 percent.