K-drama Actors Who Started As K-pop Idols And Where To Watch Them

The Korean wave (Hallyu) has hit the world in a way that we are swaying to Korean music and drooling over K-drama actors.

The Korean band culture has immensely influenced us, to an extent that the fans have overcome the language barrier. As much as we love devouring the seasons of these binge-worthy drama series, witnessing one of your favourite k-pop idols showing their acting skills fires the enthusiasm in a k-drama lover.

The Korean idols, who ace at singing and dancing on stage, have often surprised us with their acting talent. Although these artists are widely popular, there might be some k-drama actors you aren't aware of actually debuted as idols.

Here are 10 k-drama actors who actually debuted as k-pop idols:

IU

The South Korean soloist Lee Ji-eun, who is known by her stage name IU, has emerged as one of the most sought-after singers as well as an actor. The k-pop idol made her acting debut with the teen-drama series Dream High in 2011. The promising actor won the BaekSang Arts Awards in the year 2019.

The Korean actor, who is an equally brilliant singer, has time and again exhibited her acting prowess on the screen. Reportedly, IU is roped in as a star in Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda's Korean language directorial debut, tentatively titled Broker.

Where to watch: Hotel del Luna, Persona, My Mister, Dream High and Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo

Joy

The member of a leading South Korean girl group Red Velvet, Park Soo-young, is well-known for her mononym Joy. She made her first solo appearance on television with the variety show We Got Married. After a few years, Joy made her debut as an actor with the TvN’s series The Liar and His Lover, which earned her praises for her performance.

The k-pop idol was last seen in her 2018 drama series titled Tempted alongside Woo Do-hwan. The Korean series was inspired by the French novel Les Liaisons dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos.

Where to watch: Tempted and The Liar and His Lover

Kwon Na-ra

The k-pop idol joined the girl group, Hello Venus, she was one of the founding members, with her stage name Nara. She rose to prominence as an actor after featuring in SBS's romantic comedy-drama Suspicious Partner, which was her debut lead role. Nara has made it to the list of prominent k-drama actors over the years.

Recently, she came into the limelight for the recent drama that released on Netflix, The Itaewon Class, based on the webtoon of the same title.

Where to watch: Itaewon Class, The Immortal, Secret Royal Inspector, and Doctor Prisoner

Bae Suzy

Suzy, the JYP artist, before entering the k-drama industry, joined the girl group, Miss A. Following 10 months of training, she took to the stage in 2010 at the age of 15. The actor earned many accolades for her debut teen show, Dream High, which shot her to fame at the age of 16.

Later on, she earned the nickname ‘Nation’s First Loves’ from her fans after featuring in Architecture 101. Currently, her latest series titled Start-up is streaming on Netflix.

Where to watch: Start-Up, Vagabond, Dream High and While You Were Sleeping

Kim Se jeong

Se jeong was one of the participants on the reality survival show Produce 101, which gave her the chance to debut as a k-pop idol with the group I.O.I. Although the group disbanded in 2017, Se Jeong, the actor, survived in the entertainment industry.

She also won the KBS K-Drama Hallyu Star Award in the year 2019. After a successful first season of her show The Uncanny Counter, the Korean actor returned to the screen with the second instalment in earlier this year.

Where to watch: The Uncanny Counter, I Wanna Hear Your Song and School 2017

Choi Soo-young

Popularly known as Sooyoung, the Korean singer debuted with the renowned k-pop group Girls Generation. However, in 2017 she decided to part ways with the music label SM entertainment to focus on her acting and solo music career. Prior to this, she began her acting career with The Third Hospital in 2012. And most recently she starred in the South Korean television series title Run On which aired worldwide on Netflix.

Where to watch: Run On, Man in the Kitchen, Dating Agency: Cyrano, and Tell Me What You Saw

Hye-ri

Lee Hye-ri joined the girl group Girl's Day as the youngest member in 2010. After almost a decade, the k-pop group disbanded but Hyeri continued as an actor. She starred in the series titled Reply 1988, which emerged as the highest-rated dramas in Korean cable television history.

Additionally, the actor garnered praises for her performance and bagged numerous awards for the show. She has recently been roped in for another drama titled When The Flower Blooms, Think of The Moon.

Where to watch: Reply 1988, Two Cops, Miss Lee, and My Roommate Is a Gumiho

Eunji

Jeong Eun-ji, who debuted as a k-pop idol, is a singer, actor and voice artist. As part of the group Apink, Eun Ji was introduced to the world of entertainment. In March 2021, the Korean girl group marked their 10 years journey in the industry. This month, they have a digital single scheduled to celebrate their anniversary.

Besides being a member of the popular k-pop idol group, Eun-ji has exhibited her talent as an actor on the screen. Her acting debut in the k-dramas was with one of the highest-rated Korean series, Reply 1997. The show is part of the Reply franchise, which is a nostalgic anthology television series. The actor bagged numerous awards for her critically-acclaimed performance.

Where to watch: Reply 1994, Trot Lovers, and Untouchable

Krystal Jung

The Korean-American artist was spotted by SM entertainment at the age of 5, while she was visiting South Korea. She earned a cameo in the boy group Shinhwa's Wedding March music video. However, her parents turned down the offer of Krystal joining the label at a young age.

Later, in 2009, she joined the South Korean girl group f(x). She rose to prominence as an actor after featuring in the teen drama The Heirs. This year, Krystal will star in the Netflix film titled Sweet & Sour.

Where to watch: Prison Playbook, The Legend of the Blue Sea, and The Heirs

Yoona

Following five years of training, Im Yoon-ah aka Yoona debuted as a member of the widely famous Korean girl group Girls' Generation. She has featured in numerous k-drama and You Are My Destiny earned her praises as well as the Best New Actress award at the KBS Drama Awards.

Yoona is named among the top idols who are brilliant k-drama actors as well. Among her latest works was the k-drama titled Hush, based on the novel Silence Warning written by Jung Jin-young.

Where to watch: Hush, The King in Love, The K2 and Chinese Hero Zhao Zi Long