From Bit to Big Time: The K-drama roles that launched Korea's biggest stars

Tatler Asia

05-05-2025

2. Lee Jong-suk in 'I Can Hear Your Voice' (2013)
Above Lee Jong-suk (Photo: IMDB)
Lee Jong-suk had already turned heads in School 2013 , but it was I Can Hear Your Voice that made sure those heads stayed turnt. As Park Soo-ha, a high school student who can literally hear people's thoughts (thanks, traumatic childhood!), he brought both supernatural intrigue and emotional sincerity. His chemistry with Lee Bo-young was electric in that noona-romance way K-dramas do so well. The role required sensitivity, steel and a touch of melancholy—all of which Lee delivered with eerie grace. The nation fell in love, and the scripts kept pouring in. Now he's one of Korea's biggest stars. 3. Song Joong-ki in 'Sungkyunkwan Scandal' (2010)
Above Song Joong-ki (Photo: IMDB)
Before he was a stoic soldier in Descendants of the Sun or a vengeful antihero in Vincenzo , Song Joong-ki charmed his way into hearts as the swoon-worthy, fan-wielding Gu Yong-ha in Sungkyunkwan Scandal . A Joseon playboy with a brain and a smirk, Yong-ha wasn't just comic relief, he was the scene-stealer that made everyone ask, 'Who is that guy?' This role turned him from flower-boy side character to rising lead material overnight.
See more: The rise of the antihero: 10 K-drama characters who played by their own rules 4. Lee Min-ho in 'Boys Over Flowers' (2009)
Above Lee Min-ho (Photo: IMDB)
It's hard to imagine a time of Lee Min-ho wasn't one of Korea's biggest stars, but it wasn't so long ago. Curly-haired, punch-throwing, chaebol prince Goo Jun-pyo in Boys Over Flowers wasn't just Lee Min-ho's breakout role. He made arrogance loveable, perms trendy and set the gold standard for K-drama chaebols for years to come. The show may have had its wild moments, but Lee Min-ho's charisma made it a phenomenon that defined a generation of K-drama fans.
Don't miss: Red Flags? If he's anything like these K-drama leads, better swipe left 5. Gong Yoo in 'Coffee Prince' (2007)
Above Gong Yoo (Photo: IMDB)
Before becoming the stoic 'Oppa' in Goblin , Gong Yoo brewed up something special as Choi Han-kyul, the emotionally constipated coffee shop heir who falls for a barista he believes is a boy. Coffee Prince wasn't just a rom-com; it was an early exploration of gender identity and love that felt progressive for its time. Gong Yoo's layered performance—funny, awkward, vulnerable—sealed his place in K-drama royalty. 6. Hyun Bin in 'My Name is Kim Sam Soon' (2005)
Above Hyun Bin (Photo: IMDB)
This is the role that launched a thousand Hyun Bin fantasies. As Hyun Jin-heon, the brooding restaurant heir opposite the refreshingly real Kim Sam Soon (Kim Sun-a), Hyun Bin helped redefine what a leading man could be: sharp-tongued, emotionally guarded and a bit of a jerk...until he's not. The drama was a ratings behemoth and gave K-dramas their Bridget Jones moment, but it was Hyun Bin who emerged as the ultimate Mr Darcy in designer suits. This was long before Secret Garden or Crash Landing on You , but the blueprint was already there.
Don't miss: 8 unforgettable body swap K-dramas 7. Son Ye-jin in 'Summer Scent' (2003)
Above Son Ye-jin (Photo: IMDB)
Son Ye-jin had already been dubbed the 'Nation's First Love' after her turn in Lover's Concerto , but it was Summer Scent that marked her arrival in Hallyu drama royalty. As Shim Hye-won, a woman who receives a heart transplant and unexpectedly falls for the man whose girlfriend was the donor, Son showcased her signature ability to mix quiet emotional pain with romantic intensity. This role cemented her status as a melodrama queen long before Crash Landing on You reignited her not just as one of Korea's biggest stars but the world's. 8. Shin Min-a in 'My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho' (2010)
Above Shin Min-a (Photo: IMDB)
Though Shin Min-a was already a model-actress hybrid with screen credits in A Love to Kill , it was her charmingly offbeat performance as a nine-tailed fox in My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho that made her a household name. Playing Mi-ho, a mythical creature who falls for a hapless student (Lee Seung-gi), she balanced comedy, innocence and pathos in a way only Shin Min-a can. Her take on the Gumiho myth breathed new life into a well-worn K-drama trope. 9. Jun Ji-hyun in 'My Love from the Star' (2013-2014)
Above Jun Ji-hyun (Photo: IMDB)
Already a bona fide movie star thanks to My Sassy Girl , Jun Ji-hyun's transition to television was a seismic event. As Cheon Song-yi, the hilarious, self-absorbed A-list actress who falls for an alien professor (Kim Soo-hyun), she flexed both her comedic chops and star power. Not everyone can turn high-maintenance into high art and make ramyun and soju in couture look iconic. 10. IU in 'My Mister' (2018)
Above IU (Photo: IMDB)
Known first as a K-pop superstar, IU, also known as Lee Ji-eun, had already acted in several dramas, but it was her role as the jaded, emotionally scarred Lee Ji-an in My Mister that shattered any lingering doubts about her acting prowess. The rawness and quiet tension she brought to her scenes with Lee Sun-kyun turned a slow-burn drama into a deeply affecting character study. It marked her graduation from idol-actress to serious leading lady. 11. Song Hye-kyo in 'Autumn in My Heart' (2000)
Above Song Hye-kyo (Photo: IMDB)
It's hard to overstate the impact of Autumn in My Heart . This show practically launched the Korean Wave, and, of course, its lead actress as one of Korea's biggest stars. Song Hye-kyo, playing the tragically switched-at-birth Yoon Eun-suh, brought tears to an entire generation of viewers. Her chemistry with Song Seung-heon and Won Bin was legendary, and her expressive, unshowy acting style set the tone for many melodramatic heroines to come. It was the start of a long reign as a K-drama icon. 12. Park Shin-hye in 'You're Beautiful' (2009)
Above Park Shin-hye (Photo: IMDB)
Park Shin-hye had been working steadily since childhood, but You're Beautiful catapulted her to the ranks of one of Korea's biggest stars. As Go Mi-nam/Go Mi-nyeo, a girl who disguises herself as her twin brother to join a K-pop boy band (yes, really), she charmed viewers with her earnestness, slapstick timing, and sweet chemistry with Jang Keun-suk. It was peak gender-bending, idol-studded chaos—and Park Shin-hye made it all work. 13. Kim Tae-hee in 'Stairway to Heaven' (2003)
Above You can find the legendary Kim Tae-hee at the 8:24 mark.
Before she was a beauty standard, Kim Tae-hee was everyone's favorite villain. As Han Yoo-ri in Stairway to Heaven , she was all calculating stares and cold ambition, a performance so compelling it threatened to outshine the heroine. Later, she'd headline softer roles, but it was this deliciously hateable breakout that showed she had more than just a pretty face. 14. Bae Suzy in 'Dream High' (2011)
Above Bae Suzy (Photo: IMDB)
Suzy went from 'the visual' of girl group Miss A to breakout actress in one fell swoop thanks to Dream High . Playing Go Hye-mi, a haughty classical singer forced to survive the world of K-pop, Suzy embodied the teen drama heroine with ambition, vulnerability and charisma. The role kicked off her acting career and a long reign as CF queen, setting her up for future hits like While You Were Sleeping and Start-Up .