Fascinating, stylish, mesmerizing, beautiful, stunning, there are a lot of adjectives we could use to characterize these South Korean Queens who rule over the entertainment industry. Throughout the years (and their long careers), they have proven one can be talented and popular, but also wow people with enchanting visuals.
So, here’s a top 10 of some of the most appreciated actresses in Dramaland, who also happen to be beauty queens. Do you have any favorite? Anyone you would’ve added? Let me know in the comments below.
Note: There are a lot of incredible South Korean actresses out there, so naturally picking only 10 among them was hard work. Therefore, I have established some criteria in order to choose these wonderful women:
– They need to be popular and appreciated by the audience (through prices, reputation, hit dramas…)
– They are still active in the industry and work regularly on various dramas/movies
– They need to be known for their features, style, timeless beauty…
11. Park Min Young
Known as the Queen of Rom-Coms, Park Min Young started her acting career quite early on. Making her debut in the successful sitcom Unstoppable High Kick, she rose to stardom by endorsing popular roles such as Yoon Jane in Glory Jane, Chae Young Shin in Healer, Kim Mi So in What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim or Sung Deok Mi in Her Private Life. Her graceful looks and stunning figure allow her to rock every outfit she wears, turning her into an iconic personality in Dramaland. And, she has shared the screen with many famous actors over the last decades like Lee Min Ho in City Hunter or even Song Joong Ki and Yoo Ah In in Sungkyunkwang Scandal. What a lucky woman!
10. Park Shin Hye
Despite the feminine, sexy and charming looks showcased by Park Shin Hye, the actress actually first displayed a child-like style, as she appeared on screen for the first time at the age of 13 in the famous melodrama entitled Stairway to Heaven. She then starred in a series of highly appreciated dramas (Tree of Heaven; You’re Beautiful; Heartstrings; The Heirs), especially among teenagers, before embodying more adult characters in Pinocchio, Doctors, Memories of the Alhambra, Sisyphus: The Myth. The older she got, the bigger her popularity grew. Indeed, she was awarded several prices throughout her career such as: Most Popular Actress for Miracle in Cell N°7 at the 49th BaekSang Arts Awards in 2013 and at the 51st BaekSang Arts Awards in 2015 for her performance in the movie The Royal Tailor. If you don’t know Park Shin Hye’s past roles, you may actually know her from her most recent movies #Alive and The Call, both released in 2020 with a more serious vibe. In terms of visuals, Park Shin Hye dazzles us with her natural beauty, sometimes combined with the charismatic aura of a femme fatale. The caterpillar has really turned into a beautiful butterfly.
9. Bae Suzy
Over the years, Bae Suzy has risen to high popularity turning into Nation’s First Love. She was first discovered back in 2010 as the youngest member of the girls band Miss A, before pursuing an acting career. Ever since her debut in hit drama Dream High, Suzy has continuously wowed us with her amazing performances in various genres such as historical with Gu Family Book, melodrama with Uncontrollably Fond, action/SF/thriller with While You Were Sleeping, intense action with Vagabond, romance with Start-Up and dark with the recent Anna. Despite her young age (born in 1994), she was already awarded valuable prices several times like Best Actress, Most Popular Actress or Best Couple. Grace, gorgeousness and style and some of the many attributes that characterize this stunning beauty, who’s definitely carved her name in the entertainment industry.
8. Han Hyo Joo
New fans in Dramaland probably know Han Hyo Joo for her excellent roles in the recent dramas Happiness and W: The Two Worlds; or iconic movies like The Pirates: The Last Treasure, Illang: The Wolf Brigade, The Beauty Inside or the unforgettable Love 911 in 2012. Others may have fallen in love with that beautiful actress some years ago, when she starred in Shining Inheritance alongside Lee Seung Gi in 2009 or in Spring Waltz in 2006. But, no matter where we know her from, we can all agree on the fact that Han Hyo Joo is not only a great performer, but also a mesmerizing actress envied for her plastic and visuals that never seem to age.
7. Gong Hyo Jin
The recipient of the Popularity Award in 2012, 2013 and 2015, is now unknown to no one in the field. Starting her movie career at the end of the millennium (in 1999) in Memento Mori; and debuting in dramas in 2001 with Beautiful Days, Gong Hyo Jin has climbed the success ladder very fast for the past two decades. She embodied memorable characters in hit dramas such as Biscuit Teacher and Star Candy, Pasta, The Greatest Love, The Master’s Sun, It’s Okay That’s Love, Jealousy Incarnate and When the Camellia Blooms; so a lot of iconic roles in highly appreciated masterpieces. The actress and model may be 42 now, but she still has that rock’n’ roll aura, making her badass, charismatic and surely attractive.
6. Shin Min Ah
A charming face, a ravishing smile that would melt anyone’s heart, and a certain cuteness which emanates from her; add a perfect sense of style and an incredible amount of versatile roles to the list; and you get Shin Min Ah. Thanks to her performance in the hit movie A Bittersweet Life back in 2005, the young woman got catapulted to the rank of most sought after Korean actresses. Ever since, Shin Min Ah has wowed us with complex and varied roles, ranging from rom-com (My Girlfriend is a Gumiho) to slice-of-life stories (Our Blues). A beautiful career for a beautiful actress!
5. Ha Ji Won
Where to begin when it comes to Ha Ji Won’s career? The actress was first noticed for her role in box-office hit Sex is Zero, then starred in a series of rom-com during the 2000s like 100 Days with Mr. Arrogant or Love So Divine. Meanwhile, she propelled her drama career to the next level in 2003 starting with the historical drama Damo: The Legendary Police Woman. She went on playing in the melodrama What Happened in Bali, whose ending became a buzz-worthy topic in 2004; followed by her most iconic role in 2010 Secret Garden and 2012 Empress Ki. You probably won’t find a more versatile actress, capable of playing rom-com, melodramas (Chocolate), slice-of-life (Curtain Call), action (The King 2 Hearts); more devoted worker, as Ha Ji Won learned boxing for the movie Miracle on 1st Street for instance; or even more prized celebrity. All in all, Ha Ji Won received more than 15 awards throughout her acting career. Apart from that, the top actress has many strings to her bow, as she is also a singer and painter. Finally, her unchanging visuals and warm smile add even more to her already great description.
4. Song Hye Kyo
Considered as one of the most beautiful women in Korea, Song Hye Kyo doesn’t only owe her popularity to her stunning beauty. She’s also managed to rise to stardom thanks to her unforgettable roles in All In (2003), Full House (2004), Worlds Within (2008), That Winter the Wind Blows (2013) and above all Descendants of the Sun (2016). The international success of this last drama allowed Song Hye Kyo to be recognized on the foreign stage as well, opening new doors to the actress and model. She then continued her career with Encounter and Now We Are Breaking Up, while working as an ambassador across the world for the jewelry house Chaumet and cosmetics brand Sulhwasoo. These campaigns allowed Song Hye Kyo to display her charms, beauty and charism, and to live up to her own name as a visual goddess and timeless beauty.
3. Son Ye Jin
Before the hype surrounding the 2019-20 hit drama Crash Landing on You, Son Ye Jin was already well known and popular in Dramaland. Making her debut in 2000, she rose to fame thanks to the 2003 movie The Classic, followed by a bunch of other appreciated works like A Moment to Remember and Spellbound. In 2010, the top actress received the Most Popular Stars award at the 31st edition of the Blue Dragon Film Awards. That same year, she appeared in one of her most renowned drama Personal Taste alongside Lee Min Ho. Over the last decade, Son Ye Jin has proven to be a versatile and excellent artist, performing perfectly in slice-of-life dramas like Something in the Rain and Thirty-Nine; historical pieces such as in The Last Princess (2016) up to action movies like The Pirates (2014) or The Negotiation (2018). The visual queen remains as beautiful as ever, wowing us with her mesmerizing beauty and outstanding facial features. Not to mention her love story straight out of a fairy tale with actor Hyun Bin that became a very hot topic this year!
2. Jun Ji Hyun
Some may know her as Gianna Jun, others as Jun Ji Hyun; no matter the name, what needs to be remembered is that everyone knows who she is. The queen of cinema at the beginning of the 2000s got her breakthrough with the hit movies Il Mare (2000), My Sassy Girl (2001) and Windstruck (2004). She then made a name for herself on television by starring in the popular drama My Love from the Star in 2013 alongside Kim Soo Hyun. The fantasy romance sparked trends in fashion and make-up both in Korea and on the international stage, allowing Jun Ji Hyun to affirm her position as a top star in the entertainment industry. Meanwhile, she managed to get herself known in Hollywood too, appearing in the movie Snow Flower and the Secret Fan for instance. She went on ranking high in the box-office with Assassination in 2015 and going home with several awards for her performance in Legend of the Blue Sea. The model most recently appeared in two works written by Kim Eun Hee (to whom we owe Kingdom): Kingdom: Ashin of the North and Jirisan. Apart from being one of the most powerful and recognized actresses in South Korea, Jun Ji Hyun is also seen as a timeless beauty, with enchanting visuals and flawless style.
1. Kim Tae Hee
For many years, Kim Tae Hee has dominated the entertainment industry as one of the most beautiful and talented actresses, a statement that is accurate even today. She’s best known for her roles in Stairway to Heaven (2003), IRIS (2009), My Princess (2011), Yong Pal (2015) and the most recent Hi Bye Mama! (2020). On top of having amazing visuals, the top actress also shows she has brains, as she graduated from Seoul National University. Along with Jun Ji Hyun and Song Hye Kyo, she belongs to the trio of goddesses ‘Tae-Hye-Ji’ embodying Korean beauty. Finally, her wedding with actor-singer Rain back in 2017 became a very hot topic, and they remain today one of the most powerful couples in the South Korean entertainment.
Once Upon a Drama 