Fans are flabbergasted to know what Kim Tae Hee, Song Ji Hyo, Lee Seung Gi, and many more studied in university.
It is a common assumption that celebrities pursue the arts in their higher education. However, many of them actually entered showbiz with no training in entertainment at all, and despite heavy schedules, managed to attain great academic achievements.
Most shocking, though, will be the celebrities below, who studied super unexpected majors.
Kim Tae Hee
Kim Tae Hee is regarded as a perfect role-model in Korea with great beauty and intelligence, having attended the prestigious Seoul University. It is even more remarkable to know that the actress, now married to Bi Rain, is an alumnus of the Fashion Designing Department, which is the most competitive of the school. Even more impressive, her score for the entrance exam was among the nations’ top 1-1.5%.
While Kim Tae Hee did not become a fashion designer in the end, the actress did utilize her skill and participated in the designing of her wedding dress.
Nam Goong Min
Despite having graduated from Chung Ang Private University with a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Nam Goong Min chose acting – a completely unrelated career. His lack of training in the field, however, did not hinder the actor, and his acting skills are well-recognized by both critics and the audience. Looking at Nam Goong Min, it is truly surprising that he was an engineering student, instead of acting, economics, or business.
Lee Seung Gi
Nicknamed the “Nation’s Son-in-law”, Lee Seung Gi was a straight-A student throughout his education. The actor even received a scholarship while doing his undergraduate studies in International Trade and Commerce at Dongguk University. Even more impressive, he continued to earn more scholarships while getting his two master’s degrees, this time in Marketing and Trade Theory, as well as Finance and Cultural Contents. The actor is truly the best of the crop.
Song Ji Hyo
Well-known to the Asian audience as a member of variety show “Running Man”, Song Ji Hyo often struggles whenever math and science are mentioned. However, “the ace of Running Man” actually has a bachelor’s degree in Tax Accounting from Kyungmoon University, to the great surprise of the public.
Lee Sang Yoon
The “Nation’s Husband” Lee Sang Yoon has every quality a woman can dream of: He’s smart, talented, handsome, and extremely caring. In addition, the actor is also great in academics, with a shockingly high score in the university entrance exam, and used to major in Physics at Seoul University – a school so prestigious, it is dubbed the Harvard of Korea.
Minzy (2NE1)
The maknae of girl group 2NE1 graduated from Baekseok University in 2018, with a bachelor’s degree in Christian Theology – a major unfamiliar to the majority of people. It’s shocking to know that Minzy is interested in such religious studies.
Lee Bo Young
Before being crowned the 2000 Miss Korea and entering the Korean showbiz, Lee Bo Young used to attend Seoul Women’s University and majored in Korean Literature. The actress is well-educated, beautiful, and even has a stable career and a perfect marriage – an ideal life that many look up to.
Kim Heechul (Super Junior)
Fans of the famous idol Kim Heechul are familiar with his hilarious attempts at the English language in various variety shows. However, Heechul actually graduated from Sangji Youngseo College in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in English Tourism Translation and got a second degree in Informatics from Sangji University.
Honey Lee
Before getting famous as the 2006 Miss Korea, Honey Lee was the goddess of Seoul University. There, she graduated with high honors in traditional Korean music, and later got a PhD in Gukak – a traditional Korean instrument. Unfortunately, Honey Lee rarely shows this talent of hers.
Kim Ji Seok
Perhaps the most surprising of all when it comes to academic level, actor Kim Ji Suk has two degrees. He graduated with a bachelor’s in German from Hankuk University of Forgein Studies, before getting a master’s degree in Cultural Contents Planning from Kyung Hee University.
Han Ye Seul
Born in the USA, yet Han Ye Seul grew up in Korea, before returning to her birth country for education. Here, the beautiful actress attended Cerritos College, and graduated with an associate degree in Computer Graphics. Only after that did she enter the Korean showbiz as a model and actress.
Jung Eun Chae
Having starred in “The King: Eternal Monarch”, actress Jung Eun Chae proves that she has both beauty and a brain. The actress attended secondary school in the UK, and lived there for a total of 8 years. Then, she attended Central Saint Martin, a constituent college under the University of the Arts in London, and majored in Textile Design. Such an impressive profile!
Lucid Fall
Lucid Fall, whose real name is Jo Yeon Seok, is probably the Kpop star with the most impressive educational records. He used to major in Applied Chemistry at the prestigious Seoul University, before getting a master’s degree at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden, and a PhD at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland. In 2007, the singer became the first Korean to win the Best Thesis Award at the Swiss Chemistry Association in 2007, with a paper on polymer science.
Eric Nam
Little people know that Eric Nam is an alumni of Boston College. The idol majored in International Studies, and minored in Asian Studies – a quite unfamiliar field.
Hyelim (ex-Wonder Girls)
Due to her busy schedule, Hyelim only started her higher education after Wonder Girls disbanded in 2017. She enrolled in Hankuk University to study in the department of English for International Conferences and Communication and maintained her position as an honors student from start to end.
Lee Sem (9MUSES)
Before debuting with 9MUSES, Lee Sem earned a master’s degree in Public Administration from Yonsei University – one of the top three universities in Korea.
Lee Juck
The famous singer-songwriter Lee Juck is a remarkable alumnus of Seoul University’s Department of Sociology.
Ji Jin Hee
Famous actor Ji Jin Hee once studied the unfamiliar field of Visual Design at Myongji University. Jin Hee was working as a photographer when he was scouted by entertainment agency Sidus but had refused their offer. It was only after an economic depression that caused Jin Hee to lose his job did the actor finally enter showbiz.
Beenzino
Recognized rapper Beenzino greatly surprised the public when it was revealed that he had a degree in Sculpture from Seoul University.
Kam Woo Sung
Finally, we have another graduate from Seoul University – actor Kam Woo Sung. He graduated from this competitive school with a bachelor’s degree in Oriental Painting.
