Hyun Bin, Lee Min-ho, Park Seo-joon … and 5 more Korean drama actors in their 30s making a comeback
Have you noticed how many Korean leading men are over 30? From Crash Landing’s Hyun Bin and Itaewon Class’ Park Seo-joon to The King’s Lee Min-ho and Kingdom’s Ju Ji-Hoon, today’s top dramas are defined by actors making a comeback in 2020
The year 2020 has seen many of Korea's biggest hallyu actors of the early 2000s making huge comebacks on the small screen, crossing genres and taking on challenging roles a second time around. Here, we run down eight thirty-something actors set to make our hearts flutter this year, and look back at the earlier dramas that catapulted them to global fame the first time around.
Ju Ji-hoon, 38
2020 comeback: Hyena and Netflix’s Kingdom
Ju achieved hallyu status early in his career, starring in Princess Hours as the unaffectionate crown prince Lee Shin who eventually grows to love his wife in an arranged marriage. Princess Hours was a huge hit locally and all over Asia, and Ju’s performance won him best new actor at the MBC Drama Awards.
Hyun Bin, 37
2020 comeback: Crash Landing on You, currently third highest-ranked drama in Korean cable history, and the show that proved Hyun an ageless oppa, with a growing fan base that spans generations.
Hyun had long “crash landed” on fans' hearts even before his role as Captain Ri. He first made waves in 2005’s My Lovely Sam-soon, a certified K-drama classic, and then in 2010’s Secret Garden, a drama that sparked fashion and music trends across Asia, and is known for its iconic scenes often referenced in pop culture.
Jo Jung-suk, 39