5 Korean actors who struggled for years before hitting big: Kim Seon Ho, Shin Hye Sun still don’t compare with a Squid Game actor

It is not easy to become famous. Many Korean actors have had to exchange their youth to be known to the public.

The Korean entertainment industry is a competitive environment. Some actors are lucky enough to blow up after just one role, but there are also many actors who struggle for many years, keep playing supporting roles to bring their names closer to the public. 

Kim Seon Ho

Starting his acting career early, but only in musical plays, it was not until the age of 31 that Kim Seon Ho turned to television. Starting off late, Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha‘s Doo-sik gets many offers, both big and small, but couldn’t hit big yet. While many of his colleagues are already top actors and have solid careers, Kim Seon Ho was still busy looking for opportunities. Many people even mistakenly thought that he was just a rookie.

It was not until the broadcast of Start Up that Kim Seon Ho became more well-known in all over Asia thanks to the image of a “Good Boy“. After Start Up, his career took a big step forward. He is currently co-starring with Shin Min Ah as the male lead in the hit drama Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha and has received many positive reactions.

Sung Dong II

The “national father” in the hit series Reply used to have a pretty rough career. When he was young, Sung Dong II had a very outstanding appearance, so many said that he would soon go far in the industry. But for many years, Sung Dong II still only played supporting roles, his career couldn’t compare to other famous actors. It was not until he took on the role of the father in the Reply series, most notably Reply 1988, that Sung Dong II managed to bring his name closer to the audience. To this day, he still often appears in supporting roles, but they are “irreplaceable supporting roles“. Many viewers commented that, if it was not Sung Dong II in the role, no one could have left such an impression on the public.

Shin Hye Sun

Despite having both visual and talent, Shin Hye Sun did not have an easy career path. Receiving her first role in School 2013, the actress born in 1989 had many years of struggle on the set. She mostly played unnoticed supporting roles, although her flexible, steady performance was always appreciated by directors.

However, the efforts and perseverance of Shin Hye Sun finally paid off. She began to receive attention after the weekend drama “My Golden Life” of KBS.  The drama was a great success with ratings up to 47.5%, opening many opportunities for Shin Hye Sun. She then continuously received offers to play the female lead in Still 17, The Hymn Of Death,.. In 2020, the drama Mr. Queen, starring Shin Hye Sun, became a hit and one of the highest-rated productions in tvN history.

Jeon Yeo Bin

Before co-starring with Song Joong Ki in ‘Vincenzo‘, few people know that the talented actress Jeon Yeo Bin has had a difficult career.

Starting acting at the age of 26, Jeon Yeo Bin looked for opportunities through low-budget independent films. Working hard for many years, she even set a goal to give up her career if she is 30 years old and still has not succeeded. Finally, opportunity smiled at her in the movie ‘After My Death‘. For this role, she received many awards and nominations, including Actress of the Year at the Busan International Film Festival. Recently, Jeon Yeo Bin continued to appear in the movie “Night In Paradise” and the hit TV series “Vincenzo“. Her fame began to come closer to Asian audiences.

Lee Yoo Mi

Thanks to the hit ‘Squid Game‘, the actress born in 1994 got the opportunity to write a new chapter for her career.

Entering the profession in 2009, Lee Yoo Mi still only plays supporting roles. Her name didn’t leave too much impression on the audience’s hearts and the media. However, her acting was highly appreciated by the directors. She has appeared in many valuable art films with inner-depth roles such as ‘Park Hwa Young’, ‘The Whispering’, ‘Young Adult Matter’, etc. She has never played a lead role, but Lee Yoo Mi is still dedicated to each role she has. This year, luck finally smiled as she shined with ‘Squid Game‘.

Sources: kenh14