Ryu Hye‑young has defied expectations and emerged from the long shadow of her iconic role in Reply 1988, where she played the sharp-edged elder sister, Sung Bo‑ra. Nearly ten years later, the 34-year-old actress is drawing attention for her dual starring roles in two very different dramas airing this summer.
Dual Roles Showcase Versatility
In tvN’s Law and the City, which premiered on July 5, Ryu Hye‑young portrays Bae Moon‑jung, a witty lawyer with eight years of experience. Her character is refreshingly human—sneaking manga and web novels at the office, napping on the job, cursing habitually, and diving headfirst into risky bets. Yet beneath the humor and brash exterior, Bae Moon‑jung is deeply loyal and sincere.
From July 18, jTBC’s The Good Man features Ryu Hye‑young as Park Seok‑hee, the youngest daughter of a crime family. Seok‑hee is a dependable emotional anchor for her mother and siblings—carrying the weight of trauma, resilience, and responsibility in every gesture and expression.
Entertainment media in Korea have lauded Ryu Hye‑young’s ability to feel effortless in both roles. Critics say she embodies coldness and warmth concurrently—delivering performances that are unique yet equally compelling across both projects. A Dailyan article on July 21 asserted that Ryu Hye‑young is finally stepping out of Sung Bo‑ra’s shadow.
Intentional Growth, Professional Commitment
Ryu Hye‑young—a Seoul-born actress who graduated in film from Konkuk University—began her career in 2007 in supporting roles. Her breakthrough came in 2015 with Reply 1988, which became tvN’s most popular drama at the time. Her role as Sung Bo‑ra—a brilliant but abrasive big sister—earned appreciation for its authenticity and controlled emotional depth.
Despite her early success, over the next nine years, Ryu Hye‑young appeared in only a handful of projects: two films (Love, Lies and The Mayor) and two dramas (Eun-ju’s Room and Law School). Though praised for her acting, she didn’t leave a lasting impression—leading fans and media alike to describe her as “struggling to recapture her glow.”
In Financial News, Ryu Hye‑young explained that her career pauses from 2018–2020 and 2022–2024 were necessary breathing spaces. She reflected: “I wanted to rediscover myself and realign my future.” Now, she’s determined to avoid being cast in similar archetypes, stating to Marie Claire, “I want to become a rich palette, not just a blank sheet of paper.”
This summer marks her return to visibility—first in the reality travel show Europe Outside Your Tent, then through thematic transformations in Law and the City and The Good Man. Director Um Tae-hwa once commented that Ryu Hye‑young’s defining quality is curiosity—the willingness to experiment, which is clearly evident now.
What’s Next
Ryu Hye‑young officially signed with VAST Entertainment (home to Hyun Bin) in June, signaling a renewed commitment to her craft across TV, film, and variety. Later this year, she will appear in the crime-psychological film Killing Time, playing Yeon Woo, a livestreamer coping with trauma after a tragedy on her own set. Though challenging physically and emotionally, Ryu Hye‑young credits the cast and crew’s support for helping her deliver a powerful performance.
With Reply 1988 almost a decade behind her and two strong dramas headlining her return, Ryu Hye‑young is finally reemerging—not as Sung Bo‑ra anymore, but as an actor with range, depth, and growing confidence.
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