From Kim Tae-hee in Hi Bye, Mama! to Son Ye-jin in Crash Landing on You, 8 of Korea’s top hallyu actresses who helped make K-drama a global success
The global success of Korean films and Netflix series in recent years has made these actresses international stars, but what about their earlier work?
From Kim Tae-hee and her tear-jerker, Hi Bye, Mama! to Son Ye-jin and the record-breaking North-South Korean love story Crash Landing on You, Korea’s top hallyu (or Korean wave) actresses from the early 2000s have made comebacks with a resurgence of hit drama series.
Born in the 80s, these actresses in their late thirties and early forties debuted more than decades ago, and while their looks don't show their age – their talent and range reveal the years of experience they've gained. In fact, much of Korean drama’s global success is all thanks to them.
Let’s get to know more about Korea’s top stars, their best works and where you might have seen them.
Kim Tae-hee
Recent work: Hi Bye, Mama! – one of this year’s best family dramas, and Kim’s comeback series after a five-year hiatus.
Kim first gained recognition for her role as the evil stepsister in Stairway to Heaven, a 2003 drama that became a hit in Korea and overseas. She was eventually cast for lead roles in Forbidden Love in 2004, Iris in 2009, and Yong-pal in 2015, which would win her top acting awards.
Son Ye-jin
Recent works: Pretty Noona Who Buys Me Food, a 2018 Netflix series that saw commercial success and marked Son’s small screen return after a five-year break; and Crash Landing on You this year with Hyun Bin, which was loved by fans all over the world.