Gregor's Top 30 Actors/Actresses from Korea
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- Choi Min-shik first made a name for himself in theater before breaking into the film world with a role in Park Chong-won's acclaimed film 'Our Twisted Hero' (1992). In the mid-nineties he continued to act in theater productions as well as in several TV dramas, including Moon Over Seoul with Han Seok-gyu. 1997 marked his return to motion pictures, with a role as a tough-talking police investigator in Song Neung-han's No. 3 (1997). His biggest role came in 1999, when he was cast in Korea's most successful film ever, Shiri (1999). His portrayal of a North Korean agent garnered him much praise and a Best Actor Award from the 1999 domestic Grand Bell Awards.
After starring in a theater production of Hamlet in spring of 1999, Choi took on the role of a husband who discovers his wife's infidelity in Happy End (1999), and in early 2001 starred as a third-rate gangster opposite Hong Kong actress Cecilia Cheung in the acclaimed Failan (2001). In 2003 he starred in the now classic Oldboy (2003). - Actor
- Director
- Writer
Lee Byung-hun was born in 1970 in Seoul, South Korea, and grew up in a wealthy family, thanks to his father, who was a successful businessman. He never dreamed of pursuing acting until a friend of his mother's suggested it. He auditioned for the KBS television network in 1991 and was accepted. His first project was a short lived TV series called "Asphalt My Hometown". Lee became popular, especially with the female crowd, in his next KBS project, "Tomorrow Love", in 1992. Though he continued to do TV series' throughout the 90s, he also tried his luck in feature films. Many of his earlier films were flops, until 2000, when he appeared in "J.S.A. Joint Security Area". The film became his first major blockbuster. Unfortunately, Lee's father passed away that same year. Over the years, Lee's popularity continued to grow, with successful TV series', like "Beautiful Days" and "All In", and features, such as "A Bittersweet Life" and "The Good, The Bad, The Weird". Lee was becoming an international celebrity. His success continued rising with the highly anticipated TV show "Iris" and his other feature films "I Saw the Devil" and "Masquerade". Having solidified his position as one of Asia's biggest stars, he is the only actor to sell out the Tokyo Dome with 45,000 screaming fans. In 2012, he was one of the first two Korean actors ever to be honored with a hand and foot print ceremony at The TLC Chinese Theater.
Lee's first foray into Hollywood films came in 2009 with a starring role in "G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra." Following the global success of that film, he signed on for "G.I. Joe 2: Retaliation," which was released in March 2013. His first period piece feature, "Masquerade" was released in late 2012, and was met with stellar reviews from both audiences and critics, and became the highest grossing period piece in Korean history. He next starred in "Red 2" opposite Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich, and Anthony Hopkins. The film premiered in Korea on July 18, 2013. Korea became the second highest grossing market for the film behind the US. In 2015, Lee has two Korean films, "Insiders" and "Memories of the Sword", along with Hollywood blockbuster Terminator Genisys (2015), where he plays a T-1000 robot. Lee has since filmed an independent US film, "Misconduct", opposite legendary actors Anthony Hopkins and Al Pacino, which is due for a 2016 release.- Song Kang-ho never professionally trained as an actor, beginning his career in social theater groups after graduating from Kimhae High School. Later, he joined Kee Kuk-seo's influential theater company with its emphasis on instinctive acting and improvisation, which proved to be Song's training ground. Although regularly approached to act in films, he always turned down the opportunity until taking a role as an extra in Hong Sang-soo's The Day a Pig Fell Into the Well (1996). In the following year, after portraying one of the homeless in Jang Sun-woo's docu-drama Bad Movie (1997), he gained cult notoriety for his scene-stealing performance in Neung-han Song No. 3 (1997) as a gangster training a group of young recruits, winning his first Best Actor award.
Since that time he was cast in several supporting roles before his high-profile role as Han Suk-kyu's secret-agent partner in Kang Je-kyu's blockbuster thriller Shiri (1999). In early 2000, Song became a star with his first leading role in the box office smash The Foul King (2000), for which he reputedly did most of his own stunts. But it was with his award-winning role as a North Korean sergeant in Joint Security Area (2000) that Song has come to the forefront as one of Korea's leading actors. Song also starred in Park Chan-wook's Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002), which centers around a father's pursuit of his daughter's kidnappers.
In 2002 Song starred in another major production by Myung Film titled YMCA Yagudan (2002), about Korea's first baseball team, which formed in the early 20th century. He came to international attention with the film The Host (2006), which reunited him with director Bong Joon Ho. With Snowpiercer (2013), his third collaboration with Bong, he made his debut in an English-language film with international theatrical distribution.
In 2008 he starred in Kim Jee-woon's film The Good the Bad the Weird (2008), where he played Tae-goo, the motorcycle-riding, walther-wielding counterpart to "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly"'s Tuco.
In 2015, Song Kang-ho works on 'The Throne', a period drama of palace intrigues par excellence and whose film is nominated that year for best non-English-language film and costumes at Satellite awards. Already in 2016 he makes his fourth collaboration with Korean director Kim Jee-woon and is none other than the critically acclaimed film "The Empire of Shadows." A period drama with a background of espionage intrigue with a very good technical bill. - Yunjin Kim (born November 7, 1973), also known as Kim Yun-Jin is a South Korean-American film and theater actress. She is best known for her role as Sun on the American television series Lost, and as the North Korean spy Bang-Hee in the South Korean film Shiri. She also starred as Dr. Karen Kim in the ABC drama series Mistresses.
Kim was born in Seoul, South Korea on November 7, 1973. She immigrated to the United States with her family in 1980. They lived in Staten Island, New York. She joined the middle school drama club in the 7th grade and performed in the musical My Fair Lady.
Kim attended high school at the prestigious Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, a public high school located in Manhattan. From there, she went on to study drama at the London Academy of Performing Arts and later earned her BFA degree in drama at Boston University. Kim has remarked that in her zeal to become Americanized quickly, she studied acting, academics and pronunciation with equal intensity. She is also a trained dancer and martial arts fighter.
After graduation, Kim devoted herself full-time to acting. She garnered several minor parts on MTV, in soap opera-style dramas on ABC, and on the off-Broadway stage. In 1997, she starred in Splendid Holiday, a Korean TV drama shot on location in New York. Kim decided to return to Korea. She was cast in the TV drama Wedding Dress and was also invited to act in Lee Kwangmo's feature Spring in My Hometown, although she ended up not taking this role. Her breakthrough debut came in the 1999 film Shiri, South Korea's first blockbuster film. Shiri became the highest-grossing film in Korean history at the time. In November 2000, she continued her association with Kang Je-gyu in The Legend of Gingko.
After acting in a Japanese film and a feature set in Los Angeles, Kim appeared in the sci-fi feature Yesterday. Then in 2002, Kim took the lead role in Ardor, the feature film debut of documentarist Byun Young-ju. The film was invited to screen in a non-competitive section at the 2003 Berlin film festival.
In 2004, Kim started appearing in the U.S. television series Lost, which ran for six seasons.
In May 2006, Maxim named Kim number 98 on its annual Hot 100 List. In October 2006 she was featured on the cover of Stuff, as well as an inside spread.
In 2013, she had a leading role in the ABC drama series Mistresses.
In 2018, Kim returned to Korean television by headlining the series Ms. Ma, Nemesis. - Actress
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Versatile and Charismatic, Jun Ji-Hyun is one of the most loved and respected actresses in her homeland of South Korea. She has won numerous accolades, including two Grand Bell Awards for Best Actress and a Baeksang Art Awards Daesang (Grand Prize) for Television. Jun Ji-Hyun's success in film and television has established her as a top Hallyu star. She is also called one of "The Troika," along with Kim Tae-Hee and Song Hye-Kyo, collectively known by the acronym "Tae-Hye-Ji."
South Korea's Seoul is where Jun was born. Her brother is five years her senior. Because of her height and trim figure, her mother and her mother's friends urged her to pursue a career in modeling or acting. She had always wanted to work as a flight attendant, but after one flight, she had second thoughts. She started her career as a model for Ecole Magazine in 1997 at the age of 16, following in the footsteps of her high school senior classmate. On the advice of a producer, she made her acting debut in 1998 and took on the stage name Jun Ji-hyun.
Her movie debut came in Hwaiteu ballenta-in (1999). This was followed by a role in Il Mare (2000), which proved to be a success. However, Jun's biggest breakthrough was in My Sassy Girl (2001), a romantic comedy that won her the Best Actress award at the Daejong Film Festival in 2002 nonetheless sparked an international breakthrough for Korean cinema and became an enormous sensation throughout Asia. Her reputation as one of the top actresses of her generation was cemented by the movie, which gave her the title "Nation's First Love." Decades after the movie that catapulted her to new heights in her career came out, she has kept growing under this label.
Her success has not been confined to Asian territories; in 2009, Jun Ji-Hyun made a crossover into Hollywood, taking on the lead role in Blood: The Last Vampire (2009). This move makes her one of the few South Korean actresses who have made it to Hollywood, cementing her position as Hallyu Queen!My Sassy Girl
Blood The Last Vampire
Assassination- Actor
- Producer
- Executive
Born as the youngest of three in Seoul, South Korea. He made his debut with a TV commercial in 1994 and applied for an open audition for a leading role in The Fox with Nine Tails (1994) opposite 'So-Young Ko'. This role launched his career as one of the most promising actors in Korea. He dropped out of high school and became a full-time actor, both for TV dramas and films. He did a couple of TV series and a film, but it was Beat (1997) that really made him an icon. He became very popular for his James-Dean-sort-of rebelliousness and lonely character in this movie and it's been his trademark. He has a keen interest in filmmaking, and his dream is to run his own film company.- South Korean actor Jang Dong-Gun starred in two record-breaking box office hits; one of which was 'Friend,' the highest grossing Korean film at the time. He gained widespread critical acclaim for his portrayal of a troubled high school student who chooses the life of organized crime, paving the way for him to star in the 2004 hit Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War (2004), about the Korean War, which again shattered box office records. Having achieved star status throughout Asia, Jang took on two more high-profile roles. Golden Globe nominated film 'The Promise' was a $30 million pan-Asian production by the Cannes Film Festival winning director Chen Kaige, in which Jang plays the leading role opposite Hiroyuki Sanada and Cecilia Cheung. 'Typhoon' by director Kwak Kyung-Taek (Friend), had Jang star as a modern-day pirate who has been betrayed by both North and South Korea and set another new standard for such a distinct kind of character.
Born and raised in Seoul, Korea, he made his debut in the MBC drama series 'Our Heaven' (1993). By the late 1990s, he had gained huge popularity in Korea, and he also became one of the very first Korean stars to garner a huge fan following in other parts of Asia. After acting in the critically acclaimed 'Nowhere to Hide' helmed by the internationally renowned director Lee Myung-Se in 1999, Jang went on to star in 'The Anarchists'(2000). In 2002, he also starred in the popular action blockbuster '2009 Lost Memories,' set in a futuristic Japan, and then took on a new challenge by appearing in the low-budget film 'The Coast Guard' (2002) by the controversial director Kim Ki-Duk.The Warriors Way - Made his film debut at the age of 5 in 1957 and has been one of the most popular actors in Korea ever since. Graduated from Korea University of Foreign Studies majoring in Vietnamese. Won the best actor award in Asia-Pacific film festival in 1993 for his role in the film 'White Badge' (based on the novel of the same title about the Vietnamese war viewed from eyes of a Korean soldier). He's one of few Korean actors who made a successful transition from a child prodigy to a mature adult actor. He is a 5-time winner of Baeksang Art Award (best actor) in Korea and won best actor award in several Korean and Asia-Pacific film festivals. He was selected the top Korean actor in recent popular polls and the best actor of the year in 1997 by the premier Korean movie weekly Cine21. His long-running series of TV commercial for a Korean instant coffee company enforced his image as an ideal husband and dad.Musa
- Lee Yeong-ae was born on 31 January 1971 in Seoul, South Korea. She is an actress, known for Lady Vengeance (2005), Joint Security Area (2000) and Bring Me Home (2019). She has been married to Jeong Ho-young since 24 August 2009. They have two children.JSA
Sympathy For Lady Vengeance - Actress
- Soundtrack
Kim Ok-bin was born on 29 December 1986 in Chollanam-do, South Korea. She is an actress, known for Thirst (2009), The Villainess (2017) and Yoo-Na's Street (2014).Thirst
The Villainess- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Apart from being a top star in film and TV, Jung-Jae Lee also works as a highly successful fashion model. One year after his debut on television in 1993, Lee was cast in his first film, a feature by Bae Chang-ho. His breakthrough came in late 1998 in the award-winning film An Affair by E-J Yong. This was followed up by another success, City of the Rising Sun, for which he received a Best Actor award at the domestic Chungryong Awards ceremony.
After starring in the Korean-Japanese coproduction Asako in Ruby Shoes, released in December 2000, Lee found considerable popular success in a melodrama titled Last Present, where he was cast opposite Lee Young-ae, and in the action/mystery/drama The Last Witness directed by Bae Chang-ho. He is also scheduled to appear in an international coproduction to be shot in Korea and directed by Chinese filmmaker Chen Kaige.New World
The Housemaid
Assassination- Won Bin, born November 10, 1977 in Jeongseon County, Gangwon Province, South Korea, is a popular actor. He is the youngest of five siblings (two older brothers and two older sisters). While growing up in Jeongseon County, Won Bin initially planned to become a car mechanic, but in 1996 entered an audition for cable TV company Je-il Broadcasting and won. In 1996, Won Bin made his television debut on the KBS Super Sunday variety show "Our Story". Won Bin's acting career then began in earnest with the KBS drama series "Propose" - Won Bin played a character on the short end of a one-sided love affair. His popularity quickly increased while appearing in several more youth orientated dramas - MBC's "Ready, Go!" and KBS's "Kwangki". His appearance in the 2000 KBS weekend drama "Tough Guy's Love" further gained more fans for Won Bin. He then shot to stardom with his popular role as Tae-seok in KBS's "Autumn in my Heart" - with his famous line "Eolmamyeon Doae?" (How Much?) becoming a much imitated slogan by his fans. Won Bin then made his move acting debut in the 2001 film "Guns and Talks" (Killerdeului suda). Three years later Won Bin would star in the action / war blockbuster "Taegukgi," which still ranks as one of the all time highest grossing films in South Korea. Won Bin then placed his acting career on hold while serving his two year mandatory military requirement, beginning in November, 2005. Won Bin was discharge early on June, 2006 due to an ACL injury to his knee. Won Bin would go through a year of rehab. His acting career then resumed in Joon-ho Bong's highly anticipated 2009 film "Mother". Won Bin played Do-jun, a young man with limited mental capacity who becomes accused of a murder. The film would screen at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival before opening #1 at the South Korean box office on May 28th, 2009.The Man From Nowhere
- Doona Bae was born in Seoul, South Korea. Her mother, Hwa-Young Kim, is a stage actress. Bae started out as a model. She soon moved to T.V. and movies, and it proved the right move. Her first movie was The Ring Virus (1999). Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000) (aka "Barking Dogs Never Bite") and Take Care of My Cat (2001) (A.K.A. "Take Care of My Cat") not only made Doona a household name in Korea but also won her critical acclaim as a serious young actress. Doona Bae is now busy making movies and T.V. shows.The Host
Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance
Cloud Atlas - Actress
- Soundtrack
Shin Min-A, born April 5th, 1984 with birth name Yang Min-A, is a popular South Korean actress & model. Her family consists of a father, mother, older sister & brother. In middle school, Min-A took a picture with her friends on a school picnic and sent the photo to teen magazine KiKi. From that picture she was chosen as a model for the magazine. Afterwards she would first appear in commercials and music videos. In 2001, Min-A made her acting debut in the movie "Volcano High" and would appear again two years later in "Madeleine". Her breakout performance would occur in the 2005 gangster film "A Bittersweet Life". Her character, Hee-soo, displayed a mixture of purity and maturity that captivated South Korean audiences. Since that time, Shin Min-A has received an assortment of acting offers from top Korean directors and expanded her acting repertoire by selecting various types of roles: from martial-arts comedy "My Mighty Princess" to 70's go-go dancer "Go Go 70s" to smaller independent film "Sisters on the Road".
More recently in 2009, Shin Min-A participated in the project "Miracle Blue," which is a collaboration between herself, the Korean alternative band Loveholic and fashion design company Calvin Klein. In the music video "Miracle Blue," in which Min-a Shin sings, she performs as various characters displaying child-like innocence to sexy blonde haired singer.A Bittersweet Life- Song Ji-Hyo is a South Korean TV and film actress. She is well known for her portrayal of ballerina Min Hyo-Rin in Goong (2006), Lady Ye So-ya in Jumong (2006) and as the Queen in A Frozen Flower (2008).
She was co-MC with Kim Heechul of Super Junior on SBS's weekly live music show Inkigayo (1991), from November 11, 2007 to May 4, 2008. She was also the co-MC for the 2009 Dream Concert with Heechul, which was held at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on October 10.
She is a permanent cast member of SBS variety show Running Man (2010). She was originally a guest for the second (episode 2-3) and third landmark (episode 4-5). She officially joined the program in the fourth landmark (episode 6) but was unable to attend until the fifth landmark (episode 7). Some of her characters on the show are Mong (blank) Ji-Hyo, Ace Ji-Hyo, Bad Ji-Hyo and also one half of the Monday couple with Gary Kang.
On September 19, 2011, she was sent to an emergency room with breathing difficulties following an all-night shoot on the set of MBC television series Gye Baek (2011). This also led to her canceling her appearance on episode 63 and 64 of Running Man.Blood And Flowers
New World - Ryoo Seung-bum made a name for himself as an actor after debuting in the film DIE BAD (2000). The critically-acclaimed cult classic hit became a gritty debut that earned Ryoo the Best New Actor award at the 38th Grand Bell Awards. Known for his manic energy, casual demeanor and subtle ability to command a scene, over the years Ryoo Seung-bum has cemented his status as one of Korea's top actors of his generation.
Though he had been steadily impressing critics and audiences alike since his debut, it was CRYING FIST in 2005 that would change his career. He gained critical acclaim and many acting awards throughout his prolific acting career, including notable films like THE UNJUST (2010) and THE BERLIN FILE (2013).Arahan
New World
No Mercy - Shin Ha-kyun was born on 30 May 1974 in Seoul, South Korea. He is an actor and manager, known for Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002), Joint Security Area (2000) and Save the Green Planet! (2003).Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance
Thirst
Save The Green Planet - Actor
- Writer
- Director
Jung-woo Ha is a South Korean actor, film director, screenwriter and film producer. His breakthrough to stardom came with the role in Na Hong-jin's serial killer film The Chaser (2008).
Born as Kim Sung-hoon, Ha Jung-woo came from an acting family. His father Kim Yong-gun is a well-known veteran actor who has appeared in many movies and television series. Ha has said that since he was 4 or 5 years old, he has always dreamed of becoming an actor like his father. Before entering college, Ha studied at a private acting institute and at one point had actor Lee Beom-soo as his instructor. He then enrolled at Chung-Ang University as a theater major, where he acted on the stage.
In 1998, Ha began his military service, working in the Armed Forces Public Relations Department. He put his acting experience to good use during this time, appearing in 10 promotional films for the military.
Kim Sung-hoon made his acting debut in the 2002 SBS sitcom Honest Living and his feature film debut in the 2003 film Madeleine.
He made his directorial debut through the comedy film Fasten Your Seatbelt (2013).
In 2016, Ha starred again in two box office hits; Park Chan-wook's The Handmaiden, an adaptation of the Sarah Waters novel Fingersmith also set during 1930s Korea; and the survival thriller The Tunnel.The Handmaiden
The Chaser
The Yellow Sea- Jin-mo Ju first became interested in acting when he watched Richard Gere in "Officer and a Gentleman" at the age of ten. After graduating from Koyang High School, Ju entered the Incheon National University as a physical education major. Ju then entered South Korea's mandatory military service. After leaving the military, Ju pursued a job in civil service spending most of his time at the library studying for the civil service exam. It was during this time when a relative connected to a modeling business suggested that Ju take photos for a modeling job to make some extra cash. After landing several modeling gigs, Ju was cast as an extra in a Bacchus Energy Drink commercial in 1997. The original lead actor had difficulties on the set and Ju was selected by the director on set during filming to star in the commercial. Ju was then told by the director that he had a great voice and that he should become an actor. Ju then decided to pursue acting professionally, he worked backstage at a theater handing out pamphlets and closing the curtains; eventually Ju became a member of the theater company and his training as an actor began. It was also during this time that Ju was able to see and be inspired by the legendary South Korean actor Min-sik Choi when Choi performed on stage at the theater company.
In 1999, Ju made his film debut as the lead in Dance Dance. His next role catapulted Ju into instant stardom when he was cast alongside Min-sik Choi and Do-yeon Jeon in the erotic thriller Happy End. In 2000, Ju's role in Happy End earned him the best supporting actor award at the Grand Bell awards-the Korean equivalent of the Academy Awards. His third role was in 1999's TV mini-series Sad Temptation about a young homosexual man. For this role Ju earned a nomination for the 36th Baeksang Arts Awards as the best new actor. Ju then immersed himself in Kim Ki Duk's experimental film Real Fiction. In 2001, Ju was cast as Choi Jung in the big budget historical action film Musa alongside Korean Super star Woo-sung Jung and Chinese actress Ziyi Zhang. After completing the film Wanee & Junah in 2001, Ju faced difficult times professionally. His next two lead roles in films were cancelled due to a lack of funding.
Ju then took a series of roles on television series; he starred in Punch, Bichunmoo, Fashion 70's, and the Queen of the Game. His next two film roles were in the comedy Liar and 200 Pounds Beauty-which became a box office hit. Ju's next film role was in 2007's melodrama Sarang for which Ju achieved great critical success. The role in Sarang also garnered Ju two awards at the 28th Blue Dragon Film Awards as Best Actor and for Popular Star. In 2008, Ju starred in Ha Yoo's A Frozen Flower. Ju's emotionally complex and powerful performance as the love torn King in the historical drama earned Ju critical success and a box office hit. At the 45th Baeksang Arts Awards, Ju received the best actor award for A Frozen Flower beating out the veteran Korean film actor Kang-ho Song. In 2010, Ju starred in A Better Tomorrow, a remake of John Woo's 1986 smash hit of the same name. In 2012 Ju starred in the historical film Russian Coffee. In 2013, Ju starred alongside popular Korean actress Ji-Won Ha in the historical TV series Empress Ki and also in 2013, Ju starred in Kyung-Taek Kwak's gangster film Chingu 2.Musa
Blood And Flowers - Jo In-Sung was born in July 28, 1981 in Seoul. He made his debut as a model. However, he started to have an acting career in 2000, however he received the public attention through the TV drama Piano alongside actor Go-Soo. He then starred in the 2003 romance movie The Classic. By 2004, he joined another TV-Series What Happened in Bali, alongside Ha Ji Won in which he won Baeksang Arts Awards for Best Actor in TV series. He's also famous for his high number for commercials for some brands. He did his mandatory military service from April 6 2009-May 4, 2011. One of his last works before serving was the Frozen Flower, in which he worked with the same director for A Dirty Carnival (2006). He made his comeback appearance in the television series That Winter, the Wind Blows, starring alongside Song Hye-Kyo. In 2016, he in a film alongside Jung Woo-Sung, which was directed by Han Jae-Rim.Blood And Flowers
A Dirty Carnival - Shin Hyun-june (b. March 24, 1968) was an athletics major at Yonsei University before starting a career in modeling and acting in 1989. His film debut came in veteran director Im Kwon-taek's stylish Son of a General series, set under the Japanese occupation in the 1920s. For the first half of the 1990s he continued working with Im Kwon-taek and also acted in Hwa-om-kyung, Jang Sun-woo's award winning film based on the Avatamska Sutra. In recent years Shin has turned more towards popular cinema, finding his greatest success in fantasy/sci-fi works such as The Gingko Bed, The Soul Guardians, and the Korean-Chinese coproduction Bi-chun-moo. His most recent work was the third film by director Jang Jin (The Spy), where he acted opposite TV star Won Bin and Shin Ha-kyun. He drew praise in his film for his acting, and the film went on to become hugely successful at the box-office. His next feature will be titled Blue, directed by Lee Jeong-guk.Bichonmoo
- Kwon Sang-woo was born on 5 August 1976 in Daejeon, South Korea. He is an actor, known for Once Upon a Time in High School: The Spirit of Jeet Kune Do (2004), My Tutor Friend (2003) and Lady President (2010). He has been married to Son Tae-Yeong since 28 September 2008. They have two children.Once Upon a Time In High-School
- Actress
- Soundtrack
As of her debut in South Korean films, Ye-jin Son became one of the stars of Chungmoore, the Korean Hollywood, notably appearing in the beautiful "Drunk on Women and Poetry" by the master Kwan-taek Im. In "April Snow", directed by Jin-ho Hur (2005), she questioned her pure innocent girl image, playing to perfection an ordinary housewife confronted to tragedy and to an unexpected love story.White Night
The Art of Seduction- Yoon So-yi was born on 5 January 1985 in South Korea. She is an actress, known for Hieoro (2009), Arahan (2004) and Shadowless Sword (2005).Arahan
- Ko Ah-sung was born on 10 August 1992 in Seoul, South Korea. She is an actress, known for Snowpiercer (2013), The Host (2006) and Heard It Through the Grapevine (2015).The Host
Snowpiercer - Cho Yeo-jeong was born on 10 February 1981 in South Korea. She is an actress, known for Parasite (2019), The Servant (2010) and Obsessed (2014).The Concubine
Parasite
The Servant - Actor
- Director
- Writer
Yoo Ji-tae was born on 13 April 1976 in Seoul, South Korea. He is an actor and director, known for Oldboy (2003), Ditto (2000) and Mai Ratima (2012).Oldboy
Into The Mirror
Natural City- Actor
- Location Management
Lee Jung-Jin was born on 25 May 1978 in Seoul, Korea. He is an actor, known for Pieta (2012), Hae-jeok, discowang doeda (2002) and Hundred Year Inheritance (2013).Once Upon a Time In High-School
Pieta- Stunts
- Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Doo-hong Jung was born on 14 December 1966 in South Korea. He is an actor and assistant director, known for Veteran (2015), G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013) and The Berlin File (2013).Arahan
City Of Violence- Actor
- Soundtrack
Hwang Jung-Min is one of the highest-grossing movie stars in South Korea, starring in many iconic box office hits such as ODE TO MY FATHER (2014), VETERAN (2015), THE WAILING (2016) to name a few, and is the third actor in Korea to become a member of the "100 million Viewer Club" in Korea, along with Song Kang-ho from PARASITE.
Hwang started his career in musical theatre, making his acting debut in LINE 1 in 1995. In 2001, Hwang landed his first acting role in a feature film after successfully auditioning for the role of Kang-su in WAIKIKI BROTHERS.
Since that time Hwang has frequently displayed his level of depth as an actor by performing in a wide range of roles: a scene-stealing mob boss in NEW WORLD, where his performance was singled out by The New York Times, an ordinary hardworking man in ODE TO MY FATHER ( the second highest-grossing film in Korean cinema history), and an unforgettable performance as a shaman in THE WAILING, a globally acclaimed horror film.- Claudia Kim, is a South Korean actress and model. She has appeared in the television series Queen of the Game (2006-2007) and Marco Polo (2014-2016), as well as the films Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), The Dark Tower (2017), and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018).
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Sexy and Charismatic, Uhm is considered to be one of the most influential women in the Korean entertainment industry and is known as a Triple Threat, finding success in both music and film. Her legacy and career reinventions have given her the nickname of "Korean Madonna".
Uhm began her career in 1989 as a chorus member for the broadcasting company MBC. She starred in the 1993 romance drama film, On a Windy Day, We Must Go to Apgujeong and released her debut studio album, Sorrowful Secret, that same year. Though both releases found limited audiences, the album's lead single, "Pupil", helped to establish a sensual image for Uhm.
She pivoted to dance music with 1996's "Sad Expectation", and found success with "Rose of Betrayal" from her third studio album, After Love (1997). Subsequent releases Invitation (1998) and 005.1999.06 (1999) were bolstered by a string of hit singles: "Poison", "Invitation", "I Don't Know", and "Festival", which gained status as her signature songs.
Starting in 2001, Uhm began to concentrate efforts on her acting career. Her performance in the 2002 erotic comedy Marriage Is a Crazy Thing won Best Actress at the 39th Baeksang Arts Awards, a category she received another nomination for in 2006 with Princess Aurora and won again in 2012 with Dancing Queen.
Her 2000s musical output saw declining commercial reception but greater appeal with critics. Uhm began experimenting with electronica on Self Control (2004), and funk on Prestige (2006), the latter of which won Best Dance and Electronic Album at the 4th Korean Music Awards. In 2008, she experienced a commercial resurgence with the single "D.I.S.C.O". Following a nearly decade-long hiatus from music, she released her tenth studio album The Cloud Dream of the Nine in 2017.Princess Aurora- Actress
- Writer
Seo Yeong-hie was born on 13 June 1980 in Seoul, South Korea. She is an actress and writer, known for The Chaser (2008), Bedevilled (2010) and All for Love (2005).Bedevilled
The Chaser- Actress
- Soundtrack
Tae-ri Kim is a South Korean actress. Kim started her career appearing in theater productions and modelling in TV adverts. She made her feature film debut in Park Chan-wook's film The Handmaiden (2016) where she was chosen from among 1,500 candidates who auditioned for the role. Park's first impression of Kim reminded him strongly of his first meeting with actress Kang Hye-jung, who had her career breakthrough in Park's film Oldboy (2003).
Kim also starred in 1987: When the Day Comes (2017) and Little Forest (2018).The Handmaiden- Actress
- Production Manager
- Camera and Electrical Department
Kim Min-hee was born on 1 March 1982 in South Korea. She is an actress and production manager, known for The Handmaiden (2016), On the Beach at Night Alone (2017) and The Day After (2017).The Handmaiden- Woo Seo was born on 7 July 1985 in South Korea. She is an actress, known for The Housemaid (2010), Misseu Hongdangmu (2008) and Cinderella's Sister (2010).The Housemaid
- Lim Soo-jung was born on 11 July 1980 in South Korea. She is an actress, known for A Tale of Two Sisters (2003), I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK (2006) and All About My Wife (2012).A Tale Of Two Sisters
I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK - South Korean fresh face Ha Ji-won is a very talented actress. She first came to theater in 2000 and won an award for best new actress. Her big break was "Sex is zero" and "True or Dare". In 2003, she was cast as Chae-oak in the famous Korean TV drama "Damo" and was stated as South Korean's most promising actress. Ha Ji-won has just finished filming "Duelist" and "Daddy Long Legs". She is now planning to further her English studies in New Zealand.Sex Is Zero
- Lee Bo-young was born on 12 January 1979 in South Korea. She is an actress, known for I Hear Your Voice (2013), A Dirty Carnival (2006) and Once Upon a Time (2008). She has been married to Ji Sung since 27 September 2013. They have two children.A Dirty Carnival
- Han Hye-jin was born on 27 October 1981 in South Korea. She is an actress, known for No Mercy (2010), Jumong (2006) and 26 Years (2012). She has been married to Sung-Yueng Ki since 1 July 2013.No Mercy
- Actress
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Chun Woo-hee was born on 20 April 1987 in Incheon, South Korea. She is an actress, known for Han Gong-ju (2013), The Wailing (2016) and Sunny (2011).The Wailing- Han Ga-in was born on 2 February 1982 in Seoul, South Korea. She is an actress, known for Bad Boy (2010), Haereul poomeun dal (2012) and Architecture 101 (2012). She has been married to Yeon Jeong-hun since 26 April 2005. They have one child.Once Upon A Time In High-School
- Lee Na-ra was born on 22 August 1980. She is an actress, known for Forgotten (2017), Moebius (2013) and The Tiger (2015).Moebius
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Kim Hee-seon was born on 11 June 1977 in Daegu, South Korea. She is an actress, known for The Myth (2005), Wonderful Days (2014) and Bichunmoo (2000). She has been married to Ju-Young Park since 21 October 2007. They have one child.Bichunmoo- Park Si-yeon was born on 29 March 1979 in Busan, South Korea. She is an actress, known for A Love (2007), Last Knights (2015) and Dachimawa Lee (2008). She has been married to Park Sang-hun since 19 November 2011. They have one child.The Scent
- Lim Ji-yeon was born on 23 June 1990 in Seoul, South Korea. She is an actress, known for Obsessed (2014), High Society (2015) and The Glory (2022).The Treacherous
- Kwak Do-won is a Korean musical actor who also played roles on the small and big screen. He played many notable roles in various production such as: "The Yellow Sea", "Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time", "The Attorney", "The Wailing", and many more. Since his appearance in "Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time", Kwak Do-won got a lot more recognition from critics and the publicThe Wailing
- Kim Sae-Ron is a popular South Korean actress who first debuted at the age of 9. She is best known for her roles in Korea and the films, "A Brand New Life" and "The Man From Nowhere". She won the Best New Actress award at the 8th Korean Film Awards for her role in the film, "The Man From Nowhere". She attended the Cannes Film Festival when the film, "A Brand New Life", was shown there is a special screening, becoming the youngest actress to be invited to the festival.The Man from Nowhere
- Actress
- Composer
- Soundtrack
Han Hyo-Joo (born February 22, 1987 Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province) is a South Korean film and television actress. She is best known for her leading roles in television drama series: Spring Waltz (2006) (2006); Shining Inheritance (2009) (2009); Dong Yi (2010)(2010) and W (2016) (2016) as well as the film Cold Eyes (2013) (2013), for which she won Best Actress at the 34th Blue Dragon Film Awards. Her mother was an elementary school teacher before becoming an inspector for public schools, and her father was an air force officer. As a child, she was good in sports, particularly track and field. In her sophomore year of high school, she moved to Seoul and attended Bulgok High School, despite the objections of her strict and conservative father. She then entered Dongguk University, where she joined the theater and film department. She chieved the grand prize for the Miss Bing-Geure (Korean food company) contest in 2003, which attracted the attention of the entertainment world. Then she began to appear in a minor role in the sitcom titled Nonstop (2000) in 2005. She even continued with a stint in 2006's Spring Waltz (2006). In 2006, she became popular through her brilliant acting and got signed by the popular independent filmmaker known as Yoon-ki Lee, who cast her in his film Aju teukbyeolhan sonnim (2006). The movie became a success and was listed in festival favorite and brought several honors to the director and of course Han. After her debut, she won the Best New Actor honor at the Korean Association of Film Critics Awards. Her success let her star in two big TV series, Il Ji Mae (2008) and Dong Yi (2010). Both series became hit, and she even achieved good ratings from Korean viewers. Later, she appeared in another indie film known as Dal-lyeo-la ja-jeon-geo (2008) and earned a lot of respect from the series cinema-goers for her performance. In the year 2010, she established her as one of the best mainstream actresses of that year. She played a lead role in the series Shining Inheritance (2009). The series was so hit that it increased the endorsements deals for Han. She even received big drama awards at the South Korean award function. Han appeared as a blind telemarketer in the emotional drama film known as Always (2011) in 2011. Her acting skills went on to open the Busan International Film Festival that year. She played the role of a queen in her next film which was a period action drama Masquerade (2012). The drama series went on to become the highest grossing South Korean film of that time. She had also played an action thriller film Cold Eyes (2013), the film received good response from the critics and slowly became one of the top-grossing films of the year. Han was also awarded as Best Actress awards at the Blue Dragon Film Awards and the Buil Film Awards for her performance. Moreover, she had played many movies including, Miracle: Devil Claus' Love and Magic (2014), The Beauty Inside (2015), Golden Slumber (2018) and many more. She returned to the small screen with series W (2016), an MBC's fantasy suspense alongside actor Lee Jong-suk. She has also achieved and won the Top Excellence award at the 5th APAN Star awards and also MBC Drama Awards for her well performance. Recently, she also starred in the thriller, Golden Slumber (2018) in 2018, with Gang Dong-won. Moreover, she was cast as the female lead in sci-fi action thriller Illang: The Wolf Brigade (2018).Inrang- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Kim Yoon-seok was born on 21 January 1968 in Danyang County, North Chungcheong Province, South Korea. He is an actor and director, known for The Chaser (2008), Another Child (2019) and 1987: When the Day Comes (2017). He has been married to Joo-ran Bang since 2002. They have two children.Chaser- Director
- Writer
- Actress
Hyeon-jin Park is known for Like for Likes (2016), 6 nyeon-jjae yeonae-jung (2008) and Love and Leashes (2022).Natalie- Jeon Jong-Seo was born in Seoul, the only child in the family. Jeon attended a middle school in Canada and then graduated from Seoul Arts High School. After high school, she attended Sejong University majoring in film. In 2018 she took a break from university to pursue her acting career more freely.Burning
- Actress
- Director
- Writer
Moon So-ri was born on 2 July 1974 in Busan, Korea. She is an actress and director, known for The Handmaiden (2016), Oasis (2002) and The Running Actress (2017). She has been married to Joon-Hwan Jang since 24 December 2006. They have one child.The Handmaiden- Actor
- Soundtrack
Choi Woo-sik was born on 26 March 1990 in Seoul, South Korea. He is an actor, known for Parasite (2019), Okja (2017) and Set Me Free (2014).Parasite
The Witch- Kim Byeong-Ok was born on 11 October 1960 in South Korea. He is an actor, known for Oldboy (2003), New World (2013) and Lady Vengeance (2005).
- Kim Da-mi is a South Korean actress. She is best known for playing the titular role in action-mystery film The Witch: Part 1 - The Subversion (2018) (2018). She is also known for her role in the television series Itaewon Class (2020) (2020) and Our Beloved Summer (2021) (2021-2022).
In 2018, Kim Da-mi played the role of a high school student in mystery thriller film Marionette (2017). The same year, she played the lead role of Koo Ja-yoon in the action-mystery film The Witch: Part 1 - The Subversion (2018), directed Park Hoon-jung, where she was chosen from among 1,500 candidates who auditioned for the role. She received universal acclaim for her strong performance in a challenging role that included intense fighting scenes, and winning a large number of newcomer awards. Thanks to the success and popularity of The Witch: Part 1 - The Subversion (2018), a sequel is scheduled to be produced.The Witch - Actress
- Manager
Kim Hye-Soo is a South Korean actress and one of the most popular teen stars of the 1980s and 1990s. She is known for her headstrong independence and regularly playing strong-willed, sophisticated women. During the height of her fame, Kim was referred to as the "Pencil Board Star" of the 1980s due to the popularity of pencil boards printed with her image. She has also been named a part of the "Troika of the 1990s" in Korea along with her contemporaries Kim Hee-Sun and Shim Eun-Ha for their nationwide fame. In 1993, Kim led the main role in the film First Love and gained critical acclaim for her portrayal of the archetypal innocent girl, winning a Blue Dragon Film Award for Best Leading Actress and earning her the title "Nation's First Love" although the film was a box-office failure.
n 1985, Kim was featured in a commercial for Nestlé Milo and as well as the first K-pop music video, Cho Yong-Pil's title song Empty In The Air. In 1986, Kim made her film debut on Kambo when she was a first-year high school student. She also won Best New Actress for Kambo at the 23rd Baeksang Arts Awards. Kim went on to play the leading roles in the television series Samogok (1987), Sun Shim-Yi (1988), and Senoya (1989). She co-starred with Roh Joo-Hyun in When The Flowers Bloom And The Birds Cry (1990). In 1991, she landed the main role in Lost Love.
Over two decades, she amassed a massive filmography of leading and supporting roles, notably in the television series Did We Really Love? with Bae Yong-Joon and Revenge and Passion with Ahn Jae-Wook, as well as the film Tie a Yellow Ribbon (1998). In the 2000s, Kim focused more on her career in film rather than television, featuring in Kick the Moon, YMCA Baseball Team, and Three. At this time, she reinvented her image as a glamorous and confident Femme Fatale in Hypnotized (2004).Hypnotized