Chogiwa – Currently, Korean dramas have gone global and well known worldwide. The more famous a drama is, will make the names of the cast even more famous. The list below is the name of successful actors who actually debuted as idols.
Some names even mostly known as actors instead of idols. There are also some people who adores them don’t even know that they once debuted as idols and not as actors. In the top ten male idols turn successful actors below, is one of them your bias idol?
#1 Park Hyung Sik from ZE:A
The first male idol turns successful actor is Park Hyung Sik. Due to his charming smile and excellent acting skill, most people know him as an actor though the fact said otherwise. He debuted with ZE:A as main dancer in 2010.
In acting field, Park Hyung Sik took several small steps before he landed several successful roles in hit dramas. He started getting all the recognition from his small role in The Heirs, then the second lead male in High Society, he also landed prominent role in Hwarang: The Poet Warrior with several well-known idols. However, in Strong Girl Bong-Soon he experienced the raising popularity until he also landed a lead role in Suits, a remake drama from American television series with the same title.
Fans should wait a little bit longer for Park Hyung Sik to come back with his movie or drama project because right now he is in his mandatory military service and expected to come back in January 2021.
#2 Kim Myungsoo or L from Infinite
Kim Myungsoo who is also well known for his stage name L debuted in 2010 with Infinite as vocalist. Though L decided to leave Woollim Entertainment in 2019 but he still continues performing with the band.
His popularity is starting to raise after he starred in a historical drama The Emperor: Owner of the Mask in 2017 though his acting career started in 2011. He then got some big roles in some more hit dramas such as Ms. Hammurabi, Angel’s Last Mission: Love, Meow the Secret Boy and then his upcoming drama Secret Royal Inspector.
Even in Infinite, L is not only well known as vocalist but also from his visual. That is why besides his acting skills, he also well known for his unique feature and charming smile.
#3 Cha Eun Woo from ASTRO
Cha Eun Woo has been one of the hot topics today especially when the teaser of his upcoming drama True Beauty just released yesterday. In True Beauty, Eun Woo will play Lee Su-Ho a straight A student with attractive and good looking but bad in attitude. He is very cold to everyone around him, until he met Im Jukyung (played by Moon Ga Young).
Cha Eun Woo’s filmography is not as long as other male idols turn successful actors but he has made his own mark in Korean drama field and more people now know him as Do Kyung Seok from Gangnam Beauty or as MJ in Hit the Top. He also played as Prince Dowon in Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung.
Eun Woo debuted in 2016 with ASTRO under Fantagio. ASTRO is one of the Korean boy group which reached commercial success since their debut time but not a lot of people realise now that Eun Woo is an idol but instead more people known as an actor.
#4 Do Kyungsoo or D.O from EXO
The next male idol turns successful actor is Do Kyungsoo from EXO, who is also well known for his stage name D.O. He debuted in 2012 as main vocalist of EXO K under SM Entertainment.
He started his acting career in 2014 as supporting role in drama It’s Okay, It’s Love and debut movie at the same year as supporting role in movie Cart. Kyungsoo received praises from his acting in his debut drama and movie, he even received several awards. Since then he stepped firmly in acting field by getting several lead roles in dramas and movies such as Hello Monster, web drama Be Positive, 100 Days my Prince.
Not only in drama, Do Kyungsoo also received praised from his acting in several movies such as Pure Love with Kim So Hyun, My Annoying Brother, Room No. 7, Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds, Along with the Gods: The Lasts 49 days and his last movie project is Swing Kids.
Kyungsoo’s acting is even more well known after he participated in military musical Return: The Promise of the Day. Even during his mandatory military service, Do Kyungsoo never stops showing off his acting skill. And just last week, he confirmed to play lead role in one of the highly anticipated sci-fi movies directed by Kim Yong Hwa.
EXO is probably in hiatus but each of the member is still busy with their own career and Do Kyungsoo is now not only well known as an idol but also a male idol turns successful actor.
#5 Yook Sungjae from BtOB
Yook Sungjae started his acting career in Monstar as a supporting role, but then he started to be well known as praised as actor when he got role as Sung Joon in Reply 1994. His acting career is just becoming brighter and brighter when he starred in Who Are You: School 2015 with Kim So Hyun and then as Goblin’s nephew Yoo Duk Hwa in Guardian: The Lonely and Great God when he acted along Gong Yoo and Lee Dong Wook. He also got prominent roles in The Village: Achiara’s Secret and Mystic Pop-up Bar.
Not a lot of people who know that Yook Sungjae is actually a male idol turns successful actor who once debuted as vocalist from boy group BtOB. Debuted from the first time 2012, the group has reached commercially success in both Korea and Japan.
#6 Choi Siwon from Super Junior
The next male idols turn successful actor is Choi Siwon. Who doesn’t know him anyway debuted with Super Junior in 2005, Choi Siwon has been well known from his charming smile and the main visual of Super Junior. While other Super Junior members prefer solo career in music, Choi Siwon prefers to choose acting.
He started his acting debut in 2005 in drama Eighteen Twenty-Nine as supporting role. Then he started getting lead roles for several hit dramas such as in Oh! My Lady, Poseidon, Revolutionary Love, My Fellow Citizens.
Now, Choi Siwon is mostly well known as actors instead of idols. However, he is still busy with several music projects like when he sang the original soundtrack for drama Oh! My Lady and She Was Pretty.
#7 Jung Yong Hwa from CNBLUE
Jung Yong Hwa well known as an actor who played several successful dramas but he is a truly idol because he started his career as a musician and in 2009 he debuted with CNBLUE in Japan and in 2010 in Korea. CNBLUE reached commercially success in both Japan and Korea and Yong Hwa himself has been well known not only as singer but also music composer and producer.
In 2009, Jung Yong Hwa started to step on acting field by taking a supporting role in drama You’re Beautiful, whereas he acted along Jang Geun Seuk, Park Shin Hye and Lee Hong Ki of F.T. Island. Since then he also has been well known as actors especially when he reunited with Park Shin Hye as lead role in musical drama Heartstrings. His acting careers continued with Marry Him If You Dare, The Three Musketeers and his last drama is in 2017 The Package before his enlistment to military in March 2018.
He has finished his mandatory military service last year but it seems he more focus on his music first before he starts to act again.
#8 Seo In Guk as Solo Singer
The next male idol turns successful actor is Seo In Guk. Most Korean dramas lovers who like seeing Seo In Guk in dramas or movies don’t know that he debuted as a singer and not as an actor. His career started in 2009 when he won the music program “Superstar K” in Mnet.
Seo In Guk started his acting career in 2012 from drama Love Rain as supporting role but then step by step his acting got huge recognition from his filmography such as Reply 1997, The Sons, The Master’s Sun. He continued to step firm in acting field by taking some more lead roles in dramas and movies such as in Some Kind of Goodbye, High School King of Savvy, The King’s Face, Hello Monster, Squad 38, Shopaholic Louise and The Smile Has Left Your Eyes.
It seems like Seo In Guk more busy acting than singing though he also contributed in Original Soundtracks he plays such as soundtrack for Love Rain and two soundtracks for Reply 1997 whereas he sang with Jung Eun Ji. He also sang the soundtracks for Master Sun, High School King of Savvy, Tomorrow with You and his last drama with Jung Soo Min The Smile Has Left Your Eyes.
#9 Ok Taechyon from 2PM
Ok Taechyon debuted as the main rapper of group 2PM in 2008 under JYP Entertainment. Only two years after his debut with 2PM, Taechyon started to taste acting field in 2010 as supporting role in Cinderella’s Sister. However, his name was started to be well known as actor when he starred in Dream High as Go Hye Mi’s (Bae Suzy) first crush. In this drama he also played with his bandmate Woo Young and some well-known idols and actors such as IU, Kim Soo Hyun and Park Jin Young himself.
Since Dream High, Taechyon’s career as actor is just getting brighter and brighter because he always get the lead role for all of his dramas after that such as Who Are You?, Wonderful Days, Assembly, Bring it on Ghost, Save Me and his last drama project is The Game: Towards Zero.
Not only in drama, Taechyon also starred in several movies such as Marriage Blue, House of the Disappeared and his upcoming movie project Hansan which is expected to be released in 2021.
#10 Jin Young from B1A4
Jin Young is of course supposed to be on the list of male idol turns successful actor. He debuted with B1A4 in April 2011 under WM Entertainment. He is not only well known as a singer but also got praised for his music producing skill. He debuted as actor in 2013 through drama She is Wow and in 2014 his movie debut, Miss Granny whereas he wrote the closing song of the movie.
Since then he started getting prominent role in certain dramas such as in Warm and Cozy, Love in the Moonlight, If We Were a Season, My First First Love. He also played in a web drama Love Detective Sherlock K and movie The Dude in Me.
Today, Jin Young seems like more comfortable as actor and music producer instead of going on the stage as idol. His upcoming project is
Those are only the top ten of male idols turn successful actors. Actually, there are more of them, one example of a successful actor who used to be an idol is Lee Seung Gi. Right now, people know him as an actor but in the beginning of his career, he started as a solo singer. Just like Seo In Guk, who is now known as successful actor instead of an idol.
