10 Top K-Drama Actresses You Didn't Know Started As Models

Bae Doona

Louis Vuitton muse Bae Doona started her modeling career in 1999. She was scouted by a modeling agency in Seoul while she was in university. Her first project as a model was for a catalog for a hip and young fashion brand. In the same year after completing her studies, Bae Doona switched to acting just in time for an opening role in K-drama ’School’. Fast forward to 2016, she was named as one of Nicolas Ghesquière’s muses! Since then she has represented the brand both in Paris, U.S., and South Korea. Did we mentioned that she has also walked in a Louis Vuitton fashion show?

Photo Credit: Photo from Louis Vuitton

After two decades, Bae Doona still remains as a fixture in the entertainment industry with starring roles in 'Sense8' and 'Kingdom'. Her latest role in ‘The Silent Sea’ is definitely what you should be watching out for!

Photo Credit: Photo from Hancinema (Kingdom)

Gong Hyo-jin

After her brief stay in Australia, Gong Hyo-jin started her career back in South Korea as a model. In 1997, she first appeared in advertisements and catalogs. After a year and a half in the fashion industry, she made her acting debut in ‘Memento More’. Hyo-jin is famously known for her femme fatale energy. With her tattoos, jet black hair, and her looks, we’re not surprised that she has bagged partnerships with Valentino and Dior.

Photo Credit: Photo from Amuse Korea

Hyo-jin’s performances in ‘It’s Okay, That’s Love’ and ‘When The Camellia Blooms’ will forever remain in our watch list. We can’t wait to see more of her soon!

Photo Credit: Photo from Hancinema (When The Camellia Blooms)

Han Ye-seul

Surprise! We bet you didn’t notice Han Ye-seul in her fresh pixie cut. The model turned actress has always been experimental with her looks. For her latest campaign with Didier Dubot, she sported a pixie cut wig! If you take a look at her journey from the fashion industry to the k-drama industry, you would be proud of how far she has come. After winning the SBS Supermodel contest in 2001, she simultaneously launched her modeling and acting career in the hopes of making it big someday! Now at 39, Ye-seul has conquered the glossy pages of Harper’s Bazaar, Grazia, W Magazine, Elle, and High Cut.

Photo Credit: Photo from Didier Dubot

Although we ultimately miss seeing her in our small screens, we will be rewatching ’Birth Of A Beauty’ and Big Issue’ over and over again.

Photo Credit: Photo from Hancinema (Big Issue)

Jun Ji-hyun

This babe won’t be needing any introduction. Jun Ji-hyun is the face of the Hallyu wave. Ji-hyun first became well known as a commercial model. After starring in a commercial for Samsung she became a popular sensation and the face of South Korea’s youth. Through the years, Ji-hyun has starred in the covers of Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, W Magazine, and Marie Claire! Her covetable status in the fashion industry gave her ambassadorships from Dior and Alexander McQueen.

Photo Credit: Photo from Alexander McQueen

Ji-hyun will forever remain iconic as our sassy girl, the most beautiful mermaid, and a fierce warrior but she will always be a fashion girl at heart. We’re so excited to see her in ‘Kingdom: Ashin of the North’ and ‘Cliffhanger’! How about you?

Photo Credit: Photo from Hancinema (Kingdom: Ashin of the North)

Kim Hyo-jin

Kim Hyo-jin was the luckiest girl alive when she started modeling for teen magazines in 1999. After juggling modeling and minor acting roles for over 5 years, Hyo-jin bagged her first big role in ‘Everybody Has Secrets’ and I Am Happy’. Apart from mainstream films and TV dramas, Hyo-jin has also ventured in theater. Did we mention that she also took an acting leap into queer cinema as a bisexual in ‘Five Senses of Eros’ and a lesbian in ‘Life is Peachy’?

Photo Credit: Photo from Styler

Her latest drama ‘Private Lives’ is her proof of life. Although she has been mainly active in film through the years, we would still love to see her in a 16-epsiode drama!

Photo Credit: Photo from Hancinema (Private Lives)

Lee So-young (Esom)

Lee So-young or better known as Esom started her career as a model. Although there is little known history of how she started, we know for sure that her short modeling career gave her a boost in the acting industry. Esom has starred in the covers of Harper’s Bazaar, Marie Claire, 1st Look, Dazed, Allure, and Elle.

Photo Credit: Photo from Dazed Korea

Best known for her leading role in ‘Scarlet Innocence’, Esom continues to challenge the tide of K-drama with her acting range and experimental looks. Have you seen her in ‘Taxi Driver’? If you haven’t then you should!

Photo Credit: Photo from Hancinema (Taxi Driver)

Lee Sung-kyung

Lee Sung-kyung started her career as a model but she also quickly ventured into acting and singing! After competing in a local supermodel contest in 2008, Sung-kyung’s modeling career skyrocketed thanks to a number of designers from Seoul Fashion Week that continuously made her the star of each runway show. Did you know that she also worked alongside Nam Joo-hyuk before they were casted as lovers in ‘Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo’?

Photo Credit: Photo from Front Row

Luxury brands such as Gucci, Valentino, and Louis Vuitton have long had Sung-kyung under their radars. After her cameo in ‘Record of Youth’, it won’t be long until we will be seeing her again on our screens with her high fashion looks.

Photo Credit: Photo from Hancinema (Record of Youth)

Im Jin-ah (Nana)

Although she didn’t really consider her modeling career as her debut moment in the industry, Nana is still a fashion girl at heart. She first started as a model for catalogs for some local fashion brands. After debuting with girl group ‘After School’, she conquered the runway as one of the main models for the Tokyo Girls Collection fashion show. A favorite in both Tokyo and Seoul Fashion Week, Nana became an instant star on the runway.

Photo Credit: Photo from W Korea

Even as a fairly new face in the K-drama industry, we still think that her dramas are worth the watch! If you need to catch up on Nana’s filmography, make sure to watch ‘Kill It’, ‘The Swindlers’, and ‘Oh My Master!’.

Photo Credit: Photo from Hancinema (Oh My Master!)

Shin Min-ah

In case you don’t know it yet, Shin Min-ah became one of the most in-demand and highest paid commercial models in South Korea. In fact, Min-ah starred in a shoot for Elle Korea with model turned actor Jamie Dornan! A darling in the cover of magazines and on screen, there’s no doubt that Min-ah has been a star since day 1.

Photo Credit: Photo from Elle Korea

Her roles in ‘My Girlfriend Is A Gumiho’, ‘Oh My Venus’, ‘Tomorrow With You’, and ‘Chief Of Staff’ are all proof of her greatness. Do check out her latest K-drama ‘Seaside Village Cha Cha Cha’ once it hits the shores of the PH!

Photo Credit: Photo from Hancinema (Chief Of Staff)

Song Hye-kyo

There’s no better way to end this line-up without one of the biggest hallyu stars that have ever graced our screens. Song Hye-kyo was definitely destined to be famous in the fashion and entertainment industry. Ever since she won first place in a modeling contest in 1996, she fueled her career in the fashion industry as a catalog and uniform model. Hye-kyo juggled small roles from a string of various dramas and sitcoms along with her modeling jobs up until her breakthrough performance in ‘Autumn In My Heart’ in 2000. Her popularity went off the charts after she played a starring role with Rain in ‘Full House’ and the rest is history! As the face of Fendi, Bottega Veneta, and Chaumet in South Korea, we think its safe to say that Hye-kyo has it all!

Photo Credit: Photo from Fendi

After a much-deserved break in the drama industry, Hye-kyo is back with not one but two dramas entitled ‘Now, We Are Breaking Up’ and ‘Glory’.