Is Seohyun the next K-pop idol to turn K-drama queen? The Girls’ Generation maknae now starring in Netflix’s Private Lives opposite Go Kyung-pyo

For fans of K-pop group Girls’ Generation, Seohyun is considered to be the vocalist who has improved the most over her career – and as the youngest member of the group’s star continues to rise, her acting career is taking off too. Bagging increasingly versatile roles, her latest sees her playing a con artist named Cha Joo-eun in K-drama Private Lives that debuted in earlier this month.

Is Seohyun on the way to becoming the next K-drama queen? That statement might not be as far fetched as you think. STYLE takes a look at how much she’s flourished as a multifaceted artist in the decade since her debut, her best and brightest moments, and how hard she’s worked to get to where she is now.

“Power maknae”

An only child, Seohyun hails from a family of musicians. Her mother, who runs a music school, taught her to play the piano and the violin. Seohyun dreamt of becoming a pianist and studying abroad to hone her skills, but in fifth grade, she was scouted by an SM Entertainment agent.

In 2007, after six years of training, Seohyun debuted with Girls’ Generation at the tender age of 16, and would remain part of the group for a decade. As the youngest member, Seohyun is known as the “maknae” – and one of K-pop’s more prominent ones at that. She is considered the harmoniser of the group, praised for her stable vocal range, and her ability to sing well live and adapt to various genres.

In 2012, a Girls’ Generation subgroup was formed, called TTS, featuring the group’s power vocalists: Taeyeon, Tiffany and Seohyun. It prompted Seohyun to explore songwriting, and she began co-writing lyrics for Girls’ Generation and TTS.

Theatre darling

Showing a desire to carve out her own path early on, Seohyun jumped into musical theatre with both feet even while she was busy being an idol. She realised her fondness for acting, and in 2014, accepted her first lead role in the novel-turned-drama (and now musical) Moon Embracing the Sun. 

The following year, she was cast as Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With The Wind, and was praised for her acting. According to online news site Osen, Seohyun “exceeded expectations”, and for a theatre rookie with little experience, brought character to the role. Reviewing the performance, Osen said of her singing: “It wasn’t powerful but it was pure like a girl, while also robust and sharp.”

In her third musical, Seohyun played Sophie in Mamma Mia!, joining a star-studded cast of industry veterans. Despite having big shoes to fill, Seohyun was lauded for her drive to improve and she quickly became a fresh face in the world of theatre with great potential. She also boasted a solid fan base always eager for her next appearance on stage.

Going solo