All About The 7 Young Stars Of "The Penthouse: War In Life"
Kudos to these kids from the Hera Palace! This makjang series wouldn't have been as successful as it is without their impressive performances
The Penthouse: War in Life Season 2 recently ended, and we still can't get over this makjang K-drama!
The core of this series has the characters competing endlessly in both real estate and education. There's the constant struggle to climb the social ladder and push for excellence in school. The main settings are the Hera Palace and the Cheong-ah Arts School, where all the conflicts, bullying, violence, and all sorts of crazy events take place.
As we wait for Season 3, which is reportedly set to be released this June, scroll through the galleries below to know more about the young stars of The Penthouse: War in Life: Kim Young-dae as Joo Seok-hoon, Kim Hyun-soo as Bae Ro-na, Han Ji-hyun as Joo Seok-kyung, Choi Ye-bin as Ha Eun-byeol, Jin Ji-hee as Yoo Jenny, Lee Tae-vin as Lee Min-hyeok, and Jo Soo-min as Min Seol-ah.
Kim Young-Dae
Kim Young-Dae
His personality is far from Joo Seok-hoon.
Kim Young-dae, 25, stars in “The Penthouse: War in Life” as Joo Seok-hoon, the son of top real estate entrepreneur Joo Dan-tae (Um Ki-joon) and his business partner Na Ae-gyo (Lee Ji-ah). Of his character here (which started out as a bully but eventually becomes a good guy who’s in love with Bae Ro-na), he tells “W Korea” magazine, “People often misunderstand me. Since the character is cold, people think I’m very serious like Seok Hoon too but it’s actually the opposite. I am a very talkative person and I’m often told that I am a klutz.” Joo Seok-hoon is a student at Cheong-ah Arts School, who is talented in playing the piano.
Photo Credit: SBS
He debuted as an actor in 2017.
This handsome up-and-coming oppa began acting just in 2017, starting with guest roles until he got his breakthrough role in fantasy rom-com “Extraordinary You” the following year. In “Extraordinary You,” Kim Young-dae’s role is a rich high school student who’s the main character in the comic book titled “Secret” and the leader of A3, the trio that’s made up of the most handsome and powerful boys in their school.
Photo Credit: Dazed Korea
If you can't get enough of him, you must check out his other K-drama "Cheat on Me, If You Can."
Last year, Kim Young-dae had supporting roles in K-dramas “When the Weather is Fine” as a top high school student and “Cheat on Me, If You Can” as a secret agent for the National Intelligence Service (for which he won the Netizen Award - Actor at the 2020 KBS Drama Awards); he also had a cameo in K-drama “True Beauty.” Prior to these, in 2019, he also had a minor stint in series “Item” as the young version of Ju Ji-hoon’s character.
Photo Credit: Dazed Korea
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He studied abroad in China.
Kim Young-dae was born on March 2, 1996 in Seoul. He studied abroad at the Fudan University, a prestigious school in China. After his first year in university, however, he shared with "W Korea" magazine that he returned to Seoul for vacation and that’s when he says he experienced the first twist in his life. He shares, “My uncle owns a business and my agency head happened to come in one day. He had just started his management business and was looking for new talent to hire. My uncle bragged to him about his nephew and showed him a photo of me.” He had been getting offers before, but what was different at the time was he was all grown up and “wanted to dive into something headlong.” His decision didn’t initially sit well with his parents but he eventually managed to convince them.
Photo Credit: Samsonite
Like his character Joo Seok-hoon, he can play the piano well.
In an interview with “The Star,” Kim Young-dae revealed his hobbies and interests. He likes watching films (he loves Pixar’s “Coco”), playing basketball, and collecting perfumes and artworks. He can also play the guitar and piano, and he’s currently into listening to rock ballads. In case you aren’t following him yet on Instagram, follow him now @youngdae0302; he only has a little more than a hundred posts but he already has 2.7 million followers as of this writing.
Photo Credit: NFL
Kim Hyun-Soo
Kim Hyun-Soo
She started out as a child star.
Kim Hyun-soo started acting at the young age of 11. The year she debuted, in 2011, she already worked on five projects—from K-dramas “49 Days,” “Deep Rooted Tree,” “Living in Style,” and “High Kick: Revenge of the Short Legged” to the film “Silenced.” Through the years, she’s been a favorite for roles that portray the young versions of the characters of some of the top Korean actresses like Jun Ji-hyun in K-drama “My Love from the Star” (for which she was named the Best Young Actress at the APAN Star Awards in 2014), Son Ye-jin in film “Be With You,” and Lee Bo-young in K-drama “Mother.”
Photo Credit: SBS
She's an award-winning actress.
The projects that earned Kim Hyun-soo acting nominations were film “Silenced” (from the 2012 Grand Bell Awards) and “Bridal Mask,” “Good Doctor,” “The King’ Dream,” and “Gunman in Joseon” all from KBS Drama Awards from 2012, 2013, and 2014. Last year, for her role in “The Penthouse: War in Life,” she received a Best Young Actress award at the SBS Drama Awards. In the said makjang series, Kim Hyun-soo is Bae Ro-na, the daughter of Oh Yoon-hee (Eugene) who’s a great soprano singer like her mom and desperately wants to enter the prestigious Cheong-ah Arts School.
Photo Credit: @hoduent
She has played pretty varied roles.
Other notable roles of the talented Kim Hyun-soo were “Gunman in Joseon” where she portrayed a slave and “Solomon’s Perjury” where her character is a top student who has to act as a prosecutor in a school trial because of a murder incident that took place in their campus. On the big screen, she also impressed with her role as a pregnant teenager in “Familyhood” and the daughter of Joseon’s best swordsman in “The Swordsman.”
Photo Credit: @hoduent
She attended the well-known Chung-Ang University.
Kim Hyun-soo was born on June 23, 2000 in the Gyeonggi Province of South Korea. She attended Chung-Ang University, and took up Theater and Film; the university’s notable alums include top Hallyu stars Hyun Bin, Jang Na-ra, Kim Hee-ae, Kim Soo-hyun, Lee Min-ho, Park Shin-hye, among many others. She’s currently managed by HODU&U Entertainment, the same agency of Kim Hye-soo (“Hyena”), Ha Yoon-kyung (“She Would Never Know”), and Kang You-seok (“Start-Up”).
Photo Credit: @hoduent
Her ideal man is...
Once, she was asked about who her ideal man is, and she pointed out her "My Love from the Star" co-star Kim Soo-hyun, commenting, "I like good-looking [men]." If you like Kim Hyun-soo, follow her on social media. She started her Instagram account in January 2018, but as of writing, her account which has almost 800,000 followers hasn’t been verified yet.
Photo Credit: @hyeon0_0soo
Han Ji-Hyun
Han Ji-Hyun
"The Penthouse: War in Life" is a breakthrough project for her.
“The Penthouse: War in Life” is such a breakthrough project for this 25-year-old actress, who was born on March 21, 1996. Prior to this high-rated drama, which is set to return for a third season this year, Han Ji-hyun only had a minor part in the series “The Wind Blows.”
Photo Credit: SBS
She wowed with her portrayal of a villainous high school student.
In “The Penthouse: War in Life,” she plays the character of Joo Seok-kyung, the daughter of famous real estate player Joo Dan-tae (Um Ki-joon) with his business partner Na Ae-gyo (Lee Ji-ah); she and her twin brother Joo Seok-hoon (Kim Young-dae) were raised by the “penthouse queen” Shim Su-ryeon (also played by Lee Ji-ah) who resembles their biological mother. Seok-kyung comes from a rich and influential family, and is a bully in school.
Photo Credit: SBS via @hanjiji54
She describes her "The Penthouse: War in Life" character as "bright like a child."
Of her evil character in “The Penthouse: War in Life,” Han Ji-hyun tells “Cosmopolitan Korea,” “When I got the role of Joo Seok Kyung, I thought, ‘Wow, how do I act like her? She’s too strong!’ However, when I read the script, I felt that not only does she have a bad side but she is also bright like a child, so I became drawn to her. I’m grateful to play Joo Seok Kyung, and I enjoy acting as her.”
Photo Credit: SBS
One of her dream roles is "a spectacular queen" in a period piece.
Since she has just debuted as an actress, Han Ji-hyun naturally has a long list of dream roles. She enjoyed playing the villainous Joo Seok-kyung, so she’d like to do more of that but she hopes to be given the chance to play a nice character someday too. “I really want to star in a historical drama, especially as a villain. I want to try saying, ‘You wench,’ like they did in the drama ‘Ladies of the Palace.’ I want to try to play the role of a spectacular queen. I guess there are so many roles I want to play,” she shares with "Cosmopolitan Korea."
Photo Credit: @hanjiji54
She became a social media star, thanks to her buzzworthy, high-rated K-drama.
Proof of how much Han Ji-hyun made an impact with her role in “The Penthouse: War in Life” is the fact that her Instagram following grew by 1000x. Her account @hanjiji54 just had 1,500 followers prior to the launch of the series. And now, after Season 2 concluded, as of this writing, she now has 1.5 million followers on Instagram. The 5’5” actress is fond of posting selfies and OOTDs that show off her model-esque figure.
Photo Credit: Needly via @@hanjiji54
Choi Ye-Bin
Choi Ye-Bin
"The Penthouse: War in Life" is her first-ever K-drama.
“The Penthouse: War in Life” is the first-ever K-drama of Choi Ye-bin, but she did work on films and a play back in 2019. In the series, this 22-year-old actress made headlines for her over-the-top portrayal of the character Ha Eun-byeol, the daughter of famous soprano singer Cheon Seo-jin (Kim So-yeon) and doctor-turned-businessman Ha Yoon-cheol (Yoon Jong-hoon) who’s constantly pressured by her mother to excel in school, eventually leading her to suffer from mental illness. Ha Eun-byeol is also extremely competitive and is a bully in school.
Photo Credit: SBS
She found it challenging to portray Ha Eun-byeol.
In an interview on SBS Power FM’s “Lee Yoon’s Young Street,” Choi Ye-bin admitted it was emotionally draining to portray Ha Eun-byeol especially for the scenes where she needed to harass the other characters. She says, “After filming a scene where I had to harass someone, I just felt really sorry. There were many times when I was miserable because I wasn’t sure if it was okay for a person to treat another person like that.”
Photo Credit: Buckaroo
She and her on-screen mom Kim So-yeon have a different dynamic behind the scenes.
On-cam, Choi Ye-bin and her “The Penthouse: War in Life” mother Kim So-yeon may always be fighting and shouting at each other. Behind the scenes, however, it’s a different story, as the two are very close and both have bright personalities. A Soompi article says, “According to the drama’s production staff, no matter what scene they’re filming, Kim So Yeon and Choi Ye Bin always brighten up the set with their positive energy and radiant smiles.”
Photo Credit: Buckaroo via @yebin__
She and Kim So-yeon are under the same agency.
Because of the popularity she currently enjoys from her buzzworthy series, Choi Ye-bin has been thrust into the limelight, which can be both a good and a bad thing. Recently, she faced bullying accusations when a netizen claimed to be her classmate in middle school and posted about how the rising actress tormented her "on purpose" before. Choi Ye-bin’s agency, J,Wide-Company, has since denied the allegations. Speaking of J,Wide Company, it’s the same agency that handles the careers of “The Penthouse: War in Life” star Kim So-yeon, as well as that of Kim Tae-ri (“Mr. Sunshine”), Jeon Yeo-been (“Vincenzo”), and Lee Bo-young (“Mother”).
Photo Credit: @yebin__
Her Zodiac sign is Virgo.
Choi Ye-bin was born on September 2, 1998. She attended the Korea National University of Arts whose notable alums include Kim Go-eun (“The King: Eternal Monarch”), Kim Jung-hyun (“Mr. Queen”), Lee Je-hoon (“Signal”), and Park So-dam (“Parasite”). Her Zodiac sign is Virgo, and those under this sign are known for being kind, detail-oriented, hardworking, creative, and introspective.
Photo Credit: @yebin__
Jin Ji-Hee
Jin Ji-Hee
She has been acting since 2003.
Jin Ji-hee may not have as much exposure in “The Penthouse: War in Life” as the previously mentioned rising actors in this list, but she actually has the meatiest filmography among them all. The 22-year-old has been acting since 2003, debuting in a movie titled “Yellow Handkerchief.”
Photo Credit: @gayeongkim via @2xj_hee
She once played the younger version of Park Min-young's K-drama character.
As she was a child star, she has portrayed the young versions of top Korean actresses’ on-screen characters in several projects: Park Min-young’s Princess Ra-hee in “Ja Myung Go,” Moon Geun-young’s Yoo Jung in “Goddess of Fire,” and Ha Ji-won’s Jin-ok in “The Huntresses.”
Photo Credit: @2xj_hee
She has taken on lead roles in K-dramas before.
She may have played a supporting role in “The Penthouse: War in Life,” but she’s actually taken on lead roles and was tapped as part of the main cast in K-dramas before, like “High Kick Through the Roof,” “Schoolgirl Detectives” and “Becky’s Back,” as well as films “Hansel and Gretel, “ “Boomerang Family,” and “The Throne.” The 2009 TV series “High Kick Through the Roof” earned her her first acting award, the Best Young Actress, at the MBC Entertainment Awards; she earned several more acting nominations in the years that followed.
Photo Credit: SBS
She looked deep into the feelings of Yoo Jenny to portray the character's change of heart best.
In “The Penthouse: War in Life,” Jin Ji-hee’s character is Yoo Jenny, the daughter of Hera Palace club member Kang Ma-ri (Shin Eun-kyung). Jenny starts out as one of the bullies until she becomes the target of school bullies. Of this character, Jin Ji-hee tells “Sport Chosun,” “Jenny is the child who has undergone the biggest change of heart among Herakids, but to show that change, she paid a lot of attention to her early feelings. There was a form of Jenny who grew up in Season 1, and by extending it, her hair is also mature with medium feet. I tried to make it look good, and I focused a lot on how to express the detailed feelings, the feelings of the mother and daughter, and the various pains suffered by Herakids in terms of acting.”
Photo Credit: @2xj_hee
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She’s currently an artist under C-JeS Entertainment.
Jin Ji-hee was born on March 25, 1999 in Seoul. Like Kim Hyun-soo, she also attended Chung-Ang University. She’s currently an artist under C-JeS Entertainment whose talents include Ra Mi-ran (“Black Dog: Being a Teacher”), Ryu Jun-yeol (“Reply 1988”), Kim Hye-eun (“Itaewon Class”), and Yoo Sang-hyun (“18 Again”). Follow her on Instagram @2xj_hee.
Photo Credit: @2xj_hee
Lee Tae-Vin
Lee Tae-Vin
He plays the role of a bully in "The Penthouse: War in Life."
Lee Tae-vin’s character in “The Penthouse: War in Life” is one of the Herakids, Lee Min-hyeok, who’s the son of the Hera Palace club members Lee Kyu-jin (Bong Tae-kyu) and Go Song-ah (Yoon Joo-hee). Rich, spoiled, and disloyal, Lee Tae-vin is often an accomplice in bullying incidents in and out of Cheong-ah Arts University.
Photo Credit: SBS
He had a tough time portraying Lee Min-hyeok.
Here’s an interesting thing about Lee Tae-vin: back in high school, his IQ came out as 140. The relevance of that fact to his character in “The Penthouse: War in Life” is that Lee Min-hyeok is not a bright student, making it a bit challenging for him to portray. In an SBS interview, Lee Tae-vin shares, “To be honest, it was difficult to act because I had to play a dumb character.”
Photo Credit: @taevin.lee
He was a K-pop idol.
Before his stint in “The Penthouse: War in Life,” Lee Tae-vin appeared in K-dramas “365: Repeat the Year” and “Rich Man.” But what really marked his foray into the entertainment industry was his debut with the six-member K-pop boy group Myteen in 2017 as a rapper and sub-vocalist. Le Tae-vin left the group in December 2018, however, and months after his departure from Myteen, the group disbanded in August 2019.
Photo Credit: @taevin.lee
Follow him on Instagram!
Lee Tae-vin started his Instagram account shortly after he left Myteen, with his first post dating back to January 21, 2019 (a day before his birthday!). As of this writing, he has almost 350,000 followers on the social media platform, thanks in part to the popularity of “The Penthouse: War in Life.”
Photo Credit: @taevin.lee
He studied abroad in New Zealand.
This 5’10” actor was born on January 22, 1996 in Busan. When he was a child, he wanted to become a genetic engineer. He studied abroad in New Zealand, so he’s fluent in English. He loves cats, has a plushie collection, and is into painting as well (check out his artworks, posted on Instagram account @470sw).
Photo Credit: @taevin.lee
Jo Soo-Min
Jo Soo-Min
It was a short yet impactful "The Penthouse: War in Life" stint for her.
Jo Soo-min’s “The Penthouse: War in Life” exposure may have been brief, but her character proves to be key in the K-drama’s narrative. She breathed life into the character of Min Seol-ah, who’s seen falling off Hera Palace and dying in episode 1. Later, it’s revealed that she’s the daughter of “penthouse queen” Shim Su-ryeon (Lee Ji-ah).
Photo Credit: @soominn_j
She had no idea who murdered her character until the very end.
Her character falling off a building wasn’t an accident though—she was murdered! As to who pushed her, that was a mystery that took many episodes to unfold. Jo Soo-min shared in an interview with @star1 magazine that she actually had no idea who the real culprit was until the very end. “I was actually so sure that it would be Joo Dan Tae that I was really surprised when it was revealed that Oh Yoon Hee (Eugene) was the culprit,” she says. “Thanks to the love from fans, I’ve been very happy. I tend to read the comments a lot, and there were very funny responses, such as putting in a national petition to bring Sul Ah to life.”
Photo Credit: @soominn_j
She's been acting since 2006.
Although “The Penthouse: War in Life” really boosted her popularity, it’s amazing to know that she has actually been acting since 2006. She truly is no rookie. Her first-ever K-drama is “Seoul 1945.” Her other K-dramas include “Mom’s Dead Upset,” “Brain” and “Melody of Love.” What gave her her first lead role in a series is “Birthday Letter” which is set in the Japanese colonial rule era; it earned her the Best Actress award in a One-Act/Special/Short Drama at the 2019 KBS Drama Awards.
Photo Credit: Awesome Entertainment
She's under Awesome ENT talent agency.
This 22-year-old is an artist under Awesome ENT, of which K-drama stars Park Seo-joon (“Itaewon Class”), Kim Yoo-jung (“Backstreet Rookie”), and Kim Do-wan (“Start-Up”) are also part. Last year, she had three series released: “Ending Again,” “The Penthouse: War in Life,” and “Royal Secret Agent.” Of working on period drama “Royal Secret Agent,” Jo Soo-min tells @star1 magazine, “Since it was my first time trying a historical drama, everything from the clothing to the way of speech was charming.”
Photo Credit: @soominn_j
She's currently the face of beauty brand Mamonde.
Jo Soo-min was born on March 5, 1999. Her Zodiac sign is Pisces, and those under this sign are known for being bold, energetic, and eager to learn. Proof of her rising star status is her current endorsement with beauty brand Mamonde.
Photo Credit: @soominn_j
Lead photos from SBS | Gallery photos from @youngdae0302 @hyeon0_0soo @hanjiji54 @yebin__ @2xj_hee @taevin.lee @soominn_j
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