11 Korean Actors That’ll Make You Say, “Woah, I Didn’t Realize They’ve Been Acting That Long”

K-Dramas always surprise us with their amazing storylines and sometimes shock us with some surprise cameos, but what may be even more surprising is just how long some actors and actresses have been in the industry. From child actors to megastars, here are some Korean actors that will surely surprise you with how long they’ve actually been acting!

 

1. Park Shin Hye (15 years)

Park Shin Hye has been stealing hearts from her very first role in 2003’s Stairway to Heaven where she played the young Jeong Seo. Since then the actress has continued to prove her acting chops and has starred in some of the biggest K-Dramas around.

 

2. Kim So Hyun (12 years)

She might have just turned 19 but Kim So Hyun already has 12 years of experience in the entertainment industry! The young actress started out her career in 2006’s Drama City and then was in two dramas the following year, A Happy Woman and Que Sera Sera.

 

3. Gong Yoo (17 years)

Before he was the man of everyone’s dreams in Coffee Prince or was the immortal hero who stole our hearts in Goblin, Gong Yoo played the musically talented Hwang Tae Young in 2001’s School 4.

 

4. Yoo Seung Ho (18 years)

The I Am Not A Robot star has been in the business a lot longer than you might expect. If you’re a longtime K-Drama fan you might remember the heartbreaking role of the child with leukemia on 2000’s Daddy Fish, which was actually played by Yoo Seung Ho. If that’s not ringing any bells then maybe, you knew that he rose to child actor fame in “The Way Home”.

 

5. Rain (15 years)

Rain might have already stolen hearts as a singer but throughout the years we have all come to love him as an actor too! His debut role was in 2003’s Sang Doo! Let’s Go To School where he played the lead character Cha Sang Doo. Ever since then, he’s been killing it as an actor and singer and has even proven his acting chops in Hollywood!

 

6. Baek Sung Hyun (24 years)

Baek Sung Hyun may be most recognized for his roles in While You Were Sleeping and Doctors but he’s been acting for a lot longer than that. His breakout role was in Stairway to Heaven with Park Shin Hye, however, his first ever role was in the 1994 film “I Wish For What Is Forbidden To Me” when he was only 5-years-old!

 

7. Moon Geun Young (19 years)

Moon Geun Young actually started her road to stardom as a child model. She made her debut when she was only 12 and around this time also made her first onscreen appearance in the 1999 documentary drama On The Road. A year later and she would take on the role of young Eun Suh in Autumn In My Heart and the rest is history!

 

8. Kim Yoo Jung (15 years)

The Moon Embracing The Sun actress may not be very old but she’s been acting since she was 4-years-old. While most of her appearances were small parts, by the time she was in fifth grade Kim Yoo Jung had already appeared in 13 K-Dramas and 15 movies! And in 2008, she received her first acting award as “Best Child Actress” for her role in Iljimae.

 

9. Lee Hyun Woo (13 years)

The 25-year-old actor started off his career at the age of 12 with various roles in a number of large-scale productions like King Sejong the Great and The Return of Iljimae. He then rose to even more fame in the series Master of Study in 2010 and has since starred in a number of K-Dramas and movies.

 

10. Han Seung Yeon (25 years)

Before Han Seung Yeon was a member of KARA she was actually a child actress who made her debut in the 1993 film “Dead Ends”.

 

11. Lee Min Ho (15 years)

Lee Min Ho may be one of the most recognizable actors in K-Drama and has made many people fall in love with him over the years. But it all started with his role as Park Du Hyeon in 2003’s Secret Campus.