13 Korean Child Actors Who Went On To Become Famous Lead Stars
They've definitely gone from cute and sweet, to alluring and oh-so-swoon-worthy
Now this is what we call growing up!
Everyone with a dream they conceived when they were little hopes to make it reality when they're older, but actors and actresses who began as child actors and are now some of the biggest stars in entertainment have definitely won the lottery of life.
This rings truest for some of Korea's most recognizable stars who owe their rise to stardom to a commercial role, a bit part, or even an audition where they beat the odds. Making it as a child actor is one thing, but sustaining momentum and proving oneself year after year? That's a league of its own, and making a name for yourself in an arena like that requires a killer combo of talent and dedication.
Get to know these Korean child and teen actors-turned-leading ladies and men.
Check out the gallery below:
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Korean Child Actors-Turned-Lead Stars
Korean Child Actors-Turned-Lead Stars
By Metro.StyleMay 31 2023, 2:58 AM
Kim Yoo-jung
Kim Yoo-jung is only 22, yet got a headstart in the industry when she began acting at a tender age of four! Young as she was when she broke into the scene, critics were quick to predict a quick rise to fame for her considering her maturity for a child artist and because of the sheer amount of hours she was willing to dedicate to work. Before she became a teenager, she had already starred in at least 10 productions.
Photo Credit: @you_r_love
Park Shin-hye
The 32-year-old actress, who last starred in the series "Sisyphus: The Myth," has been in the entertainment industry for about two decades now. She debuted as an actress back in 2003 when she was only 13 years old, starring in K-Drama "Stairway to Heaven" as the young version of actress Choi Ji-woo's character Han Jung-su. She's been unstoppable, and has had projects every year since. She tied the knot with actor Choi Tae-joon in January 2022, and the two welcomed their first child, a boy, in May 2022.
Photo Credit: @ssinz7
Kim So-hyun
She was 11 years old when she was signed by an agency, and in the same year, made her big screen debut! Kim So-hyun, now 23, has more than 40 entries in her filmography mostly comprising of TV roles, with the very first one dating to 2006 when she got her first acting job at age seven. More than being a successful child actress, Kim So-hyun is also lauded for seamlessly transitioning from child-friendly roles to made-for-teenager characters and mature roles.
Photo Credit: @wow_kimsohhyun
Yeo Jin-goo
Most of Yeo Jin-goo's roles as an up-and-coming child actor required him to play younger versions of a show or film's leading man, but there were a handful of times when he eclipsed his adult counterparts! His third and fourth K-Dramas earned him the award for Best Child actor, an experience that taught him how to take acting more seriously. He was 13 when he decided to pursue acting as a profession and has gone on to headline series and films and is almost always a sure winner at Korean awards ceremonies. He's only 25, and yet he's achieved so much.
Photo Credit: @yeojin9oo
Yoo Seung-ho
Yoo Seung-ho's acting origins are the stuff of every aspiring actor's dreams. He entered the industry by luck; his mother sent in a headshot to an agency that put him in a commercial. Less than a year later, he was auditioning for roles in dramas and films—and getting them, too. It's only been up and forward for this 29-year-old actor who made it, big thanks to a great combo of chance, good looks, charm, and talent!
Photo Credit: @dandyoo93
Kim Sae-ron
Talk about making big impressions as a child! In Kim Sae-ron's first-ever big screen project, she was invited to the Cannes Film Festival, officially making her one of the prestigious event's youngest (if not the youngest) attendee in its history. She was nine at the time, and 11 years later, that brings us to today where she continues to master portraying the kinds of roles that got her recognition in her career's beginnings. Kim Sae-ron, 22, is a broody, melancholy presence on-screen as an adult actor, but those she's worked with in her earlier years had consistently noted that she was always a great fit for serious, dramatic roles.
Photo Credit: @ron_sae
Lee Hyun-woo
There was no way that Lee Hyun-woo wasn't destined for life onstage, and in front of the camera. Discovering his talents for acting and singing before he turned 13 and making it big before his 18th birthday, he proved to be a versatile actor who was just as effective on film and in front of a live audience. It's not often that celebs easily cross over between mainstream media and musical theater, making Lee Hyun-woo, 29, an especially rare gem in the industry. Following the completion of his mandatory military service, he returned onscreen with the series "Money Heist: Korea - Joint Economic Area."
Photo Credit: @hihyunwoo
Lee Se-young
Lee Se-young's child acting career began like that of many others, but what set hers apart is how a five-year break between her earliest projects and the second half of her still-active career wasn't a setback. She could officially call herself an actress at age 12, then returned to the screen to take on acting full-time as a teenager. The 29-year-old actress recently became buzzworthy for her K-drama "The Red Sleeve," and will star in a new one titled "The Law Cafe."
Photo Credit: @se_young10
Moon Geun-young
It might have taken a little while longer for Moon Geun-young, now 35, to find her big break, but her longevity in the industry proves that it was worth the wait! She started acting when she was 12, but really only caught the attention of filmmakers and critics at 16. Despite being diagnosed with Compartment Syndrome (a painful condition that could require lifetime management), she continues to act and more impressively, went on to become a face of Korean stars' charitable activities.
Photo Credit: Vita Energy
Nam Ji-hyun
When they're young, most Korean celebs dream of diving deep into the world of acting. They do it as a profession, and they go to school for it and train for it, too. 26-year-old Nam Ji-hyun, however, chose to study Psychology despite being a critically acclaimed actress who showed her promise as early as the age of 9. She's been cast in many dramatic and period-specific roles ever since, with the occasional romantic project. She will star in a new series titled "Little Women."
Photo Credit: @hyuniiiiiii_95917
Moon Ga-young
Moon Ga-young, now 26, has more films to her name than series titles despite gaining footing in the industry with her continued starring in K-Dramas. This South Korean actress, who was born in Germany, was 10 when she got her first projects in 2006, and has acted every year until 2020 with only 2012 as a break! Her 2020 series "True Beauty" further boosted her popularity.
Photo Credit: @m_kayoung
Kim Hyun-soo
You may remember Kim Hyun-soo in her role as the young Cheon Song-yi (Jun Ji-hyun) in the hit K-Drama "My Love from the Star." Although she's just 22 now, her filmography already features titles she can be truly proud of. She started out as a commercial model back when she was just a kid, debuting as an actress in 2011 when she was 10 years old. She recently made waves for her role in the series "Penthouse: War in Life" which ran for three seasons.
Photo Credit: HanCinema
She has portrayed the young version of actresses Lee Yo-won ("49 Days,"), Shin Se-kyung ("Deep Rooted Tree"), Jin Se-yeon ("Bridal Mask"), Lee Young-ah ("Dream of the Emperor"), Jun Ji-hyun ("My Love from the Star"), and Lee Bo-young ("Mother") | She starred in K-Dramas "Solomon's Perjury," "Mother," and "Penthouse: War in Life"
Park Eun-bin
She’s been acting since the age of five, and was a favorite to portray the young versions of characters in K-dramas. Park Eun-bin made her acting debut via the 1998 series “White Nights 3.98,” but the first time she starred in her own K-drama was in 2012 with “Operation Proposal” alongside her fellow child actor Yoo Seung-ho. This 29-year-old actress has worked consistently year after year since, and has become buzzworthy for her recent K-dramas, the latest of which is the top-rated series “Extraordinary Attorney Woo.”
Photo Credit: @eunbining0904
Her must-watch K-dramas include: "Operation Proposal," "Hur Jun, the Original Story," "Secret Door," "Hello, My Twenties!," "Father, I'll Take Care of You," "Judge vs. Judge," "The Ghost Detective," "Hot Stove League," "Do You Like Brahms?," "The King's Affection," and "Extraordinary Attorney Woo"
Photos from @you_r_love @wow_kimsohyun @ron_sae @hihyunwoo @se_young10 @yeojin9oo, Awesome Entertainment, and Janus
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