The Handsome "Best New Actor" (TV) Nominees At The 57th Baeksang Arts Awards

Kim Young-Dae for “The Penthouse: War in Life”

In “The Penthouse: War in Life,” the 25-year-old Kim Young-dae takes on the role of Joo Seok-hoon, the music-savvy son of villainous top real estate entrepreneur Joo Dan-tae (Um Ki-joon). Though he’s yet to have a K-drama that’s truly centered on his character, “Penthouse” (which is returning for season 3 this June) was a breakthrough project for him. It was in 2017 when Kim Young-dae began his acting career. If you want to be acquainted with this young hottie, the K-drama titles to check out are “Extraordinary You,” “When the Weather is Fine,” and “Cheat on Me, If You Can” (which earned him his first-ever award, the Netizen Award - Actor, at the 2020 KBS Drama Awards). What’s reportedly next for him is a lead role in the K-drama “School 2021.”

Photo Credit: Kinloch

Photo Credit: Dazed Korea

Photo Credit: The Star Magazine

Lee Do-Hyun for “18 Again”

K-drama fans may easily recognize Lee Do-hyun for his roles in “Hotel del Luna,” “Clean With Passion for Now,” or “Prison Playbook,” but what really solidified his status as leading man material is the coming-of-age series “18 Again.” In this K-drama that was based on the 2009 film and Zac Efron starrer “17 Again,” this 26-year-old actor was cast as the 18-year-old version of actor Yoon Sang-hyun’s character, who’s been given the chance to go back to his younger self in order to fix his life and marriage. Last year, he also starred in the apocalyptic horror series “Sweet Home” and had a cameo in 2021’s “Beyond Evil.” He stars in an upcoming K-drama, “Youth of May,” which will be released this May 3. He only started his career in 2017, but he’s already had notable achievements.

Photo Credit: Netflix

Photo Credit: Yuehua Entertainment

Photo Credit: Dazed Korea

Song Kang for “Sweet Home”

Dubbed as “The Son of Netflix,” Song Kang has been making waves for Netflix titles “Love Alarm” (seasons 1 and 2) and “Sweet Home” as well as the ongoing series “Navillera.” The 27-year-old heartthrob debuted as an actor in 2017 with a supporting role in the K-drama “The Liar and His Lover.” After his supporting roles in series “Man in the Kitchen” and “When the Devil Calls Your Name,” Song Kang’s popularity soared with “Love Alarm.” What was next for him was the apocalyptic horror series “Sweet Home,” wherein his character is a suicidal high school student who later gains an unusual power in the midst of an unexplainable disaster. “Navillera” isn’t over yet, but Song Kang is already gearing up for his next K-drama, “I Know But.”

Photo Credit: Netflix

Photo Credit: Banila Co.

Photo Credit: Carin

Na In-Woo for “River Where the Moon Rises”

He is perhaps the most surprising nominee in this bunch—surprising in a sense that he only needed little time to prove what he’s truly capable of. If you’ve been updated with K-drama news, you’ll know that Na In-woo was only a replacement for actor Ji Soo, who had to leave the show a few episodes into the series because of bullying and sexual harassment allegations. When the nominees for the 57th Baeksang Arts Awards were announced, “River Where the Moon Rises” hadn’t even finished airing yet. Still, Na In-woo delivered a remarkable performance as On Dal, a peace-loving man who’ll do anything to protect Princess Pyeonggang (Kim So-hyun). This 26-year-old has been acting since 2013, but “River Where the Moon Rises” gave him his first-ever lead role. He also previously took on two other roles in a period drama setting: “Mystic Pop-Up Bar” and “Mr. Queen.”

Photo Credit: Cube Entertainment

Photo Credit: Cube Entertainment

Photo Credit: Cube Entertainment

Nam Yoon-Su for “Extracurricular”

The youngest nominee in this Best New Actor category is 24-year-old Nam Yoon-su. He’s also the most rookie here, as he only began acting last year, but he has shown huge potential in the projects he has worked on so far. He’s nominated for his role as a school bully whose girlfriend sidelines as a sex worker in the teen crime drama “Extracurricular.” Last year, Nam Yoon-su also had a minor role in the series “Birthcare Center” and, this year, he was also a cast member in “Beyond Evil.” This up-and-coming actor is also reportedly joining the cast of the upcoming series “Affection” which stars Park Eun-bin and Rowoon.

Photo Credit: @nam_yoonsu

Photo Credit: @nam_yoonsu

Photo Credit: @nam_yoonsu