02-05-2025
Moon Woo-jin: The K-drama flashback king who plays every leading man's younger self
2. Park Seo-joon in 'What's Wrong with Secretary Kim?' (2018)
Before Park Seo-joon's character, Lee Young-joon, became the epitome of a narcissistic yet charming CEO, Moon Woo-jin portrayed his nine-year-old self, Lee Sung-hyeon. Through his performance, Moon Woo-jin laid the emotional groundwork for the character's complex personality, especially highlighting the traumatic events that shaped his adult demeanour. No spoilers, but Woo-jin was able to demonstrate fear, courage and maturity in a few short scenes. 3. Kim Soo-hyun in 'It's Okay to Not Be Okay' (2020)
In this emotionally charged drama, Moon Woo-jin took on the role of young Moon Gang-tae, the character eventually played by Kim Soo-hyun. His portrayal of a boy burdened with responsibility and emotional scars added depth to the narrative, making the adult character's struggles all the more poignant. 4. Cha Eun-woo in 'My ID is Gangnam Beauty' (2018)
Moon Woo-jin plays the young Do Kyung-seok, a quietly intelligent boy neglected by his mother and emotionally scarred long before the series begins. His childhood scenes lay the groundwork for why the adult Kyung-seok distrusts appearances—and why his eventual love feels hard-won and real. 5. Kim Kyung-nam in 'The King: Eternal Monarch' (2020)
In this fantasy romance, Moon Woo-jin portrayed the younger versions of both Kang Shin-jae and Kang Hyeon-min, characters played by Kim Kyung-nam. His dual performance showcased his versatility and set the stage for the intricate storyline involving parallel universes and complex identities. 6. Park Hae-joon/Park Bo-gum in 'When Life Gives You Tangerines' (2023)
Although Park Bo-gum was initially associated with the role of Yang Gwan-sik, it's Park Hae-joon who portrayed the middle-aged version of the character. Moon Woo-jin played the teenage Gwan-sik, capturing the character's formative years with subtlety and emotional depth. His role was small, but it was impactful, demonstrating Gwan-sik's lasting devotion and his optimism for their future. 7. Chae Jong-hyeop in 'Castaway Diva' (2023)
As the young Kang Bo-geol, Moon Woo-jin delivers one of his more heroic turns—helping the female lead escape abuse and survive on a deserted island. His quiet bravery and emotional warmth become the emotional foundation for Bo-geol's adult actions, turning an otherwise quirky rom-com into a layered survival-meets-healing story. 8. Lee Seung-gi in 'Vagabond' (2019)
In a drama where conspiracies span continents and every second person might be a double agent, it's Moon Woo-jin who quietly anchors the emotional stakes. He plays young Cha Dal-gun (Lee Seung-gi), a boy already hardened by tragedy and abandonment long before the adult Dal-gun becomes a stuntman-turned-avenger. Woo-jin appears in flashbacks that show the early loss, desperation, and flashes of rage that shaped Dal-gun's obsessive need to uncover the truth behind his nephew's death. He doesn't say much, but his fierce gaze and clenched jaw do all the heavy lifting. In a series packed with explosions, it's young Dal-gun's implosions that hit hardest.
Also read: 10 most expensive Korean dramas to make: CLOY, Vincenzo, Vagabond and more 9. Kim Nam-gil in 'The Fiery Priest' (2019, 2024)
Before he was punching gangsters and quoting the Bible with John Wick levels of rage, Kim Nam-gil's Father Kim Hae-il was just a traumatised little boy—and Moon Woo-jin plays him with raw, unsettling precision. As the young Hae-il, Woo-jin captures the boy's early brushes with violence, abandonment and unchecked anger. His eyes do most of the talking: wide with fear, then narrowed with rage. It's in these flashbacks that we understand why this ex-NIS agent-turned-priest is so volatile and fiercely protective. Without Woo-jin's simmering performance, Father Kim's spiritual angst might've just read as theatrics. But thanks to those childhood scenes, his path to redemption hits harder than a crucifix in a bar fight.
