36 Most Popular Korean Female Actors Of 2023

Korean actresses are just so enticing! The Korean film fraternity has managed to showcase some extremely talented Korean female actors who have a strong work profile which has enticed audience around the world

Whether it is the raw talent or the exotic beauty, there are some female actors who have managed to etch in our minds. 

We have gathered some information and trivia about some of the best Korean female actors that you must know about. 

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Related: List Of Popular Korean Actresses

Top Korean Female Actors 2022

Han Hyo Joo

Han Hyo Joo started her career with the sitcom Nonstop 5. In 2003, she won a beauty pageant conducted by food corporation Binggrae. 

This helped her gain attention and opportunities which later made her one of the most popular actresses in korean television.

Her notable performances include her role in Director Lee Yoon Ki’s independent film, “Ad-Lib night”. 

The story follows the life of a young woman who has an eerie overnight encounter with strangers which leads her to discover herself.

She became a household name after her role opposite Lee Seung-gi in Brilliant Legacy which stayed in the number one spot in the viewership rating chart for twenty consecutive weeks. 

In 2019, she bagged a Hollywood project as the main character in “Treadstone”, a television series where she is paired opposite Matt Damon.

She has won numerous awards including the Best New Actress award at the Korean Association of Film Critics awards and the Singapore International Film Festival. 

Song Hye Kyo

Age: 39 Years

Birthday: November 22, 1981

Popular Movies/Dramas:

• Fetish
• My Brilliant Life
• The Grandmaster
• My Girl and I

Awards: 

• Daesang, 2nd APAN Star Awards
• President’s Award, 7th Korean Popular Culture & Arts Awards

Song Hye kyo is one of the most popular Korean actresses. 

She rose to fame after her excellent performances in television drama series like Autumn in my heart (2000), All in (2003), Full House (2004), That Winter, The Wind Blows (2013), Descendants of the Sun (2014) and Encounter (2018).

She has also done noted roles in films like Hwang Jin Yi (2007), The Grandmaster (2013), My Brilliant Life (2014) and The Queens (2015). 

She established herself as a top Hallyu star with her excellent performances in television shows that have gained International recognition.

She was in the news for her relationship and marriage to Song Joong Ki, her co-star from the hit Television series “Descendants of the sun”. 

She later went on to get a divorce, two years later, which gained her a lot of media attention.

Related: List of Korean Actors Without Plastic Surgery

IU

IU is the stage name of Lee Ji-eun who is an accomplished singer, songwriter and actress. 

She was born in  Songjeong-dong, Seoul, South Korea and started attending acting classes at a very young age.

She started her singing career at the age of fifteen with a mini album, Lost and Found. Her most popular song was “Good day” which catapulted her career and she was at the top of South Korea’s Gaon Digital Chart for five consecutive weeks. 

The song also became a part of the “100 Greatest Korean Pop songs of the 2010’s” by Billboards in 2019.

She has also been a part of television shows and radio hostings. Her most popular roles include You’re the Best, Lee Soon-shin, Pretty Man, The Producers, Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo, My Mister, Persona and Hotel del Luna. 

She won the “Best New Actress” award at the 2014 KBS Drama Awards and has been nominated over 200 times for her singing and acting career.

Bae Suzy

Age:  26 years

Birthday: October 10, 1994

Popular Movies/Dramas:

• Architecture 101
• Ashfall
• Wonderland
• The Sound of a Flower
• Uncontrollably Fond
• Big
• Dream High

Awards: 

• Best New Actress award at the 48th Baeksang Arts Awards
• Outstanding Actress – Seoul International Drama Awards

She was born in Buk district, Gwangju. She was an online shopping model and attended the School of performing arts, Seol before she got into acting and singing. 

Bae Suzy started her acting career with the television series “Dream High (2011)”. 

She has a notable music career and she was a member of the Chinese-Korean girl group “Miss A”. They released the single “Bad girl Good girl” under JYP Entertainment and AQ Entertainment in 2010. 

The group later disbanded, according to an announcement made by JYP Entertainment on 27th December 2017.

Some of her notable work includes the tv reality show Invincible youth and the television drama Big and Gu Family book. 

She has won numerous awards like  the Best Newcomer award in the Variety category at the KBS Entertainment Awards for her performance in Invincible Youth 2. 

Kim So Hyun

She is affectionately known as “Nation’s little sister” after her wonderful performances in television series that was widely accepted by the audience. 

So Hyun was born in Australia but later moved to South Korea in 2003 at the age of four. 

She attended the Yongin Munjung Middle School in 2015 and was homeschooled for the rest of her secondary education. She is currently pursuing theatre at Hanyang University. 

After this rise in fame, she was also appointed as the National Representative of Honorary Smile to represent Korea’s smile and kindness at the Pyeongchang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games 2018.

Some of her most popular works are television series like Love Alarm 2, River where the moon rises, The tale of Nokdu, Radio romance, While you were sleeping, Goblin, Reset, Who are you: School 2015, Nightmare teacher, Loving you a thousand times etc. 

Jun Ji Hyun

She is also known as Gianna Jun and is an actress signed under Cultural Depot. Her acting career took off with the 1999 movie “White Valentine”. 

Her popularity soared after she starred in a Samsung commercial for the My Jet printer. She became a favourite among teens and young adults with her excellent performance in it.

Ji Hyum’s most popular role to date is her role in the film “My Sassy girl”. The film was one of the highest grossing Korean comedies of all time. 

She appears in other famous roles in the movies “My love from another star” and “The Legend of the blue sea”.

After being discovered on the streets by a magazine editor at the age of 16, she started a modelling job for Ecole magazine. 

She is one of the most successful celebrities in South Korea with a number of brand endorsements and advertisements to her name.

Hi Jyun got married to Choi Jun Hyuk in 2012. Her husband is the grandson of hanbok designer Lee Young Hee and son of fashion designer Lee Jung Woo.

Park Shin Hye

Age: 31 years old

Birthday:  February 18, 1990

Popular Movies/Dramas:

• Call
• #Alive
• Miracle in Cell No. 7
• My Annoying Brother

Awards:

• Best Newcomer in a Variety Show at the MBC Entertainment Awards.
• “Most Popular Actress” Film Category, Baeksang Arts Awardsßin

Park Shin Hye grew up in the Songpa District in Seoul, South Korea.Her career began with an appearance in the music video “Flower” by singer Lee Heung Han. 

She attended the Youngpa Girls’ High School and later went to Chung-Ang university where she studied for eight years and graduated in theatre studies.

One of her most popular roles is in the romantic comedy music drama “You’re Beautiful” in which she starred as a cross-dressing heroine. 

The series gained huge popularity in Japan and she became a household name there.

She also won accolades for the comedy film Cyrano Agency which was about a dating agency that helps its customers win the hearts of people they are interested in.  

Lee Sung Kyun

Lee Sung kyun won the Local Supermodel Contest in 2008 after which she started her stint as her model. Her noted work includes Record of youth, Once Again, Dr. Romantic, About Time, While you were sleeping, Doctors, Cheese in the trap, Flower of the Queen etc.

She is also a singer and a model. She was awarded the “Best new actress award” at the MBC drama awards for her role in “Flower in the Queen”.

Park Bo Young

Park Bo Young started her career with the movie “Equal” which was created by her video production team when she was in middle school.

Her other well-known roles include the hit films Scandal Makers (2008), A Werewolf Boy (2012) and On Your Wedding Day (2018), and television series like Oh My Ghost (2015), Strong Girl Bong-soon (2017) and Abyss (2019).

She was caught in a legal dispute with her management agency because of which she had to take a break from acting for a few years. 

But she reestablished herself with a perfect comeback.

She starred in the hit film “A werewolf boy” opposite actor Song Joong ki which was a massive success.

She has won numerous awards including the “Best New Actress” and “the popularity” award at the “45th Baeksang Arts Awards” and the “Best actress” award at the Seoul Awards.

Kim Yoo Jung

Kim Yoo Jung was known as “Korea’s little sister” while she was a child actress. She was born in Seoul and attended the Goyang High school of Arts. 

Yoo Jung was known as one of the most popular child actresses during her stint as an actress at the age of four.

Some of her best-known roles include Dong Yi, Moon Embracing the Sun, and May Queen. Her older sister is also an actress. 

She has also starred in a lot of acclaimed historical period dramas which gained her the name “Sageuk fairy”.

In February 2018, she announced that she would take a break from acting after suffering from thyroid issues. 

Another claim to fame is that she became a part of the Forbes Korea Power Celebrity list in 2017. At 17, she is the youngest to be included in the list.

Son Ye-jin

Truly taking the world by storm with her sensational acting in the recent romantic drama series in 2019, ‘Crash Landing on You’, Son Ye-jin, a versatile actress, has now become a popular actress not only in South Korean but all over the world.

She started her career back in 1999 after graduating from the Seoul Institute of the Arts. Some of her noteworthy films include ‘The Classic’, ‘Alone in Love’, ‘Something in the Rain’ and many more.

Ye-Jin is now included in the Forbes list of Korea Power Celebrity 40, for 3 consecutive years 2019 till present.

Nam Ji-hyun

Nam Ji-hyun is a South Korean actress who started her career in 2002 as a child actress best known for the series ‘East of Eden’, ‘Angel Eyes’ and many more.

She has even acted in teen dramas like ‘To the Beautiful You’. Nam Ji-hyun has been nominated for and has won over 10 awards.

Ji-Hyun is still active in her acting career, rising to fame after playing the lead female role in the 2017 Korean romantic drama ‘Suspicious Partner’.

This K-drama has a rating of 7.9/10 on IMDB, one of the world’s most popular movie and series reviewing sites.

Ho Yeon Jung

I’m sure Ho Yeon Jung is one of the frequently heard names of late in not only South Korea but all over the world after she made her television debut in the super popular Netflix series ‘Squid Game’ in 2021.

Her phenomenal acting has caught the eyes of many. She started her career as a model in 2010 and is now also working her way up in the acting industry.

She has recently been nominated for the category ‘Female Actress Popularity Award’ in the Asia Artist Awards 2021.

Joon Ji Hyun

Age: 39 years

Birthday: October 30, 1981 

Popular Movies/Dramas: 

• Legend of the Blue Sea
• My Sassy Girl
• Kingdom
• My Love From The Star

Awards: 

• Grand Bell Awards for Best Actress
• Daesang for Television at the Baeksang Art Awards

Ha Ji Won

Age:  43 years

Birthday: 28 June 1978

Popular Movies/Dramas:

• Secret Garden
• Empress Ki
• Sex is Zero
• Hospital Ship

Awards: 

• Blue Dragon Film Award Popular Star Award – Female
• Baeksang Arts Award for Best Actress – Television 2004

Shin Min Ah

Age: 37 years

Birthday: April 5, 1984 

Popular Movies/Dramas:

• A Bittersweet Life
• My Love
• My Bride
• Oh My Venus
• Tomorrow
• The Naked Kitchen

Awards: 

• New Star Award – SBS Drama Awards
• Forbes Korea Power Celebrity 
• Outstanding Korean Actress – 11th Seoul International Drama Awards, 2016

Ku Hye Sun

Age:  36 years

Birthday: November 9, 1984

Popular Movies/Dramas:

• Daughter
• Peach Tree
• Boys Over Flowers
• Mystery Pink
• Blood

Awards: 

• Minister Commendation at the 14th Annual Republic of Korea Design Award 
• Korea Fulfillment Award
• Ministry Award for “sharing happiness” 
• Best Young Director – 6th Seoul Senior Film Festival 

Gong Hyo Jin

Age: 41 years

Birthday:  April 4, 1980 

Popular Movies/Dramas:

• Crazy Romance
• Door Lock
• Hit-And-Run Squad
• My Son

Awards: 

• Best New Actor, TV category – Baeksang Arts Awards
• Rising Star Award, New York Asian Film Festival

Yoon Eun Hye

Age: 36 years

Birthday: October 3, 1984

Popular Movies/Dramas:

• After Love
• Little Black Dress
• Missing You
• Coffee Prince
• My Fair Lady

Awards: 

• Best Actress award, 2006 Grimae Awards
• Best Actress, 44th Baeksang Arts Awards

Lee Young Ae

Age: 50 Years

Birthday: January 31, 1971

Popular Movies/Dramas:

• Dae Jang Geum

Saimdang, Memoir of Colors

• Lady Vengeance
• Bring Me Home
• Last Present

Awards: 

• Best New Actress, SBS Drama Awards

• Best Actress, 25th Chunsa Film Art Awards
• 10th Anniversary Hallyu Achievement Award, 10th Seoul International Drama Awards

Choi Ji Woo

Age: 46 years

Birthday: June 11, 1975 

Popular Movies/Dramas:

• Actresses
• Like for Likes
• Everybody Has a Little Secret
• Crash Landing On You

Awards: 

• Baeksang Arts Award for Most Popular Female in Television
• Asia Star Awards, 7th Asia Model Festival Awards
• Inducted into the Star Hall of Fame, 4th Seoul International Drama Awards

Son Ye Jin

Age: 39 years

Birthday: January 11, 1982

Popular Movies/Dramas:

• Crash Landing on You
• Something in the Rain
• The Negotiation
• The Classic
• Personal Taste

Awards: 

•  Grand Bell Award for Best Actress
• Best Actress, 25th Buil Film Awards
• Best Actress, 17th Busan Film Critics Awards 

Kim Go Eun

Age: 30 years

Birthday: July 2, 1991

Popular Movies/Dramas:

• Guardian: The Lonely and Great God

The King: Eternal Monarch

• Eungyo
• A Muse
• Cheese In The Trap

Awards: 

• Grand Bell Award for Best New Actress
• Chanel ambassador for South Korea, 2014
• Best New Actress, 32nd Korean Association of Film Critics Awards

Park Bo Young

Age: 31 years

Birthday: February 12, 1990

Popular Movies/Dramas:

• Strong Girl Bong‑soon
• Doom at Your Service
• Oh My Ghost
• Abyss
• A Werewolf Boy

Awards: 

• Blue Dragon Film Award Popular Star Award – Female
• Best Young Actress, 14th SBS Drama Awards
• 23rd KCA Consumer Day Awards, Best Actress
• Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Commendation, 8th Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards

Park Min Young

Age: 35 Years

Birthday: March 4, 1986

Popular Movies/Dramas:

• The Cat
• Anyang
• Paradise City
• Healer
• City Hunter
• Her Private Hunter
• What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim

Awards: 

• Female Character of the Year,  tVN Joy Festival
• Fashion Artist Award, Top Chinese Music Awards
• Best Actress of the Year, Soompi Awards

Yo-won Lee

Age: April 9, 1980

Birthday: 41 years

Popular Movies/Dramas:

• Perfect Number
• May 18
• Fists of Legend
• My Little Brother
• Queen Seondeok 
• Different Dreams

Awards:

• Best New Actress, 38th Baeksang Arts Awards
• Top 10 Stars, SBS Drama Awards
• Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Drama Special, SBS Drama Awards
• Top Excellence Award, Actress, MBC Drama Awards

Hye-jin Han

Age: October 27, 1981

Birthday: 39 years

Popular Movies/Dramas:

• Be Strong, Geum-soon!
• Jumong
• Jejungwon
•  Healing Camp, Aren’t You Happy

Awards:

• 2012 SBS Entertainment Awards: Excellence Award in a Talk Show
• 2011 KBS Drama Awards: Popularity Award
• 2006 MBC Drama Awards: Top Excellence Award, Actress

So-Young Ko

Age: October 6, 1972

Birthday: 48 years

Popular Movies/Dramas:

• Ms. Perfect
• Love Wind Love Song
• Beat
• Perfect Wife
•  If the Sun Rises in the West

Awards:

• Best Actress prize, Grand Bell Awards ceremony

Kim Tae-hee

Age: 41 years

Birthday: March 29, 1980

Popular Movies/Dramas:

• Hi Bye, Mama!
• Yong‑pal
• Iris
• Stairway to Heaven

Awards:

• Most Popular Actress, TV category Baeksang Arts Awards
• Top Excellence Acting Award, Korea Drama Awards

Yu-ri Sung

Age:  40 years

Birthday: March 3, 1981 

Popular Movies/Dramas:

• Runway Cop
• A Boy’s Sister
• Summer Snow
• Maybe

Awards:

• New Star Award, SBS Drama Awards 2002
• Most Popular Actress (TV), 44th Baeksang Arts Awards
• Producer’s Award, SBS Entertainment Awards

Yeon-su Oh

Age: 48 Years

Birthday: 27 October 1971

Popular Movies/Dramas:

• Bitter Sweet Life
• Bad Guy
• Jumong
• IRIS 2: The Movie

Awards:

• 1990 MBC Drama Awards: Best New Actress
• 2006 MBC Drama Awards: Special Award, Actress in a Large-scale Historical Drama
• 2006 MBC Drama Awards: Special Award, Actress in a Large-scale Historical Drama
• 2010 3rd Style Icon Awards: Fashionista

Chang-suk Kim

Age: 72 Years

Birthday: 15 January 1949

Popular Movies/Dramas:

• Daughters-In-Law
• Testimony
• You
• Begin Again
• Mother’s Garden

Awards:

• Grand Bell Special Acting Award
• Baeksang Arts Award for Most Popular Female in Television
• Blue Dragon Film Award Popular Star Award – Female

Yeon-hee Lee

Age: 33 years

Birthday: 9 January 1988

Popular Movies/Dramas:

• The Game: Towards Zero
• Splendid Politics
• The Package
• Reunited Worlds
• A Millionaire’s First Love 

Awards:

• Grand Prize, 2nd SM Best Youth Contest
• Fashionista Award, 7th Asia Model Festival Awards
• Popularity Award, Korean Film Actors’ Guild Awards

Moon Chae-Won

Age: 34 years

Birthday: 13 November 1986 

Popular Movies/Dramas:

• Flower of Evil
• The Innocent Man
• Criminal Minds
• Good Doctor
• It’s Okay, Daddy’s Girl

Awards:

• Best New Actress, 32nd Blue Dragon Film Awards
• Top Excellence Award, KBS Drama Awards
• Producers Choice Award, 19th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival

Eun-ha Shim

Age: 48 Years

Birthday: 23 September 1972 

Popular Movies/Dramas:

• Christmas in August
• Trap of Youth
• The Last Match
• Art Museum by the Zoo

Awards:

• Best New Actress,  30th Baeksang Arts Awards 1994
• Best Actress, 18th Korean Association of Film Critics Awards
• Popularity Award, 37th Grand Bell Awards
• Popularity Award, 38th Grand Bell Awards

Kim Yoo Jung

Age: 22 Years

Birthday: 22 September 1999

Popular Movies/Dramas:

• Love In The Moonlight
• The Moon Embracing The Sun
• Red Sky
• Backstreet Rookie
• Because I Love You
• Cirlce of Atonement

Awards:

• Best Young Actress – APAN Star Awards, 2012
• Top Buzz Star: Female – Yahoo! Asia Buzz Awards, 2016
• Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries Fantasy/Romance Drama – SBS Drama Awards, 2020

Shi-ra Chae

Age: 53 Years

Birthday: 25 June 1968

Popular Movies/Dramas:

• The Moon of Seoul
• Eyes of Dawn
• Goodbye To Goodbye
• Breathing Underwater
• Empress Chun Chu

Awards:

• Best New Actress,  26th Baeksang Arts Awards 1990
• Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Weekend Drama – MBC Drama Awards, 2018
• Grand Prize (Daesang) – KBS Drama Awards 1999
• PD Award – SBS Awards 2021

FAQs about the Most Korean Popular Actresses

Which Korean actresses have appeared in Hollywood movies?

Korean Actress	Hollywood Movie
Bae Doona	Sense8, Jupiter Ascending, Cloud Atlas
Claudia Kim	Avengers: Age of Ultron, Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald
Jun Ji Hyun	Blood: The Last Vampire
Lee Chae Rin	Mile 22
Jeon Jong Seo	Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon

These Korean female actors have managed to win the hearts and minds of views all across the world and not just in South Korea.

Despite Korean culture’s emphasis on beauty, we can confidently say that these actresses are so successful because of their immense talent. 

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