Kim Yoo-jung, Kim So-hyun, Yoo Seung-ho … the Korean child actors who became adult K-drama stars

Nov 15 , 2020

Korea’s “little sister” Kim Yoo-jung did something many haven’t managed to: gone from successful child star to successful adult actor. Photo: Zapzee

Moon Embracing the Sun nurtured many child actors before they grew up and moved on to bigger things – like Kim Yoo-jung falling for Park Bo-gum in Love In The Moonlight, and Kim So-hyun wowing with her role in Reset

It can’t be easy to give up an ordinary teenage life to concentrate on acting. Even if you have outstanding acting skills, there’s an inevitable loss of privacy that comes with making it to the big screen, or the risk of being typecast for future roles as you get older à la Daniel Radcliffe. Still, some young actors have manage to pull off the near impossible – here are some that managed it.

Yeo Jin-goo

When we talk about child actors, Yeo Jin-goo cannot be left out. He made his debut with the 2005 film Sad Movie and has continued acting ever since.

However it was 2012 drama Moon Embracing the Sun (or The Moon That Embraces The Sun) that can be seen as a turning point for the young actor. The successful series saw him play the part of a young Lee Hwon (in which the adult Lee was played by It’s Okay Not to Be Okay’s Kim Soo-hyun) and was much loved by the show’s fans for his sweet, emotional performance.

Then in 2013, he took one of the lead roles in director Jang Joon-hwan’s Hwayi: A Monster Boy and showed the world a more mature style of acting. The storyline was never going to be the easiest – it featured violent kidnapping and murder – but his portrayal of a boy becoming a monster received rave reviews. Last year, Yeo Jin-goo bagged the lead in two dramas, The Crowned Clown and Hotel Del Luna – seemingly improving with each new project.

Kim Hyang-gi

Kim Hyang-gi, who started acting when she was just 29 months old, has appeared in so many projects that she once described film sets as her own personal “playground”.

She garnered much praise for her touching performance in The Queen’s Classroom – especially for a scene in which she bravely confronts her perfectionist teacher. But it was 2017’s fantasy thriller Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds which kicked off a new chapter in her career.