It’s always heartening to see our favorite child actresses grow up into beautiful, fine ladies. If you’ve been an avid K-Drama watcher since the beginning of Hallyu (or even way before that!) like me, you’d surely have noticed a few child actresses taking on adult lead roles in the recent years.
We’ll definitely take time to adjust ourselves to seeing them as adult actresses capable of pulling off romantic kiss scenes, but we don’t have to worry too much about that–because they have solid acting skills!
Shin Se-Kyung
Left: “The Great Queen Seondeok.” Right: “Black Knight.“
Born: July 29, 1990 (Age 29).
Debuted: 1998 (Age 8), featured on Seo Taiji’s solo album Take Five.
Shin Se-Kyung made her first breakthrough with the 2009 drama “High Kick Through the Roof.” Following that, she took on multiple acting projects that turned out to be rather well-received! Her better known dramas are, “The Girl Who Sees Smells,” “Six Flying Dragons,” “The Bride of Habaek,” and “Black Knight.”
Where can we find her on KOCOWA?
Lead/supporting roles: Black Knight (2017-2018), The Girl Who Sees Smells (2015), When a Man Falls in Love (2013), Tree With Deep Roots (2011).
Child roles: The Great Queen Seondeok (2009).
Sulli
Left: “Ballad of Seodong.” Right: “To the Beautiful You.“
Born: March 29, 1994 (Age 25).
Debuted: 2005 (Age 11), with Drama City.
Wait… Isn’t Sulli a member of Korean girl group f(x)?
Way before that, she has already gained attention with her role as the young Princess Seonhwa of Silla in the 2005 drama “Ballad of Seodong.”
In 2012, Sulli plays Koo Jae-Hee in the drama “To the Beautiful You,” a female lead who chopped off her long locks and disguised as a boy to get into an all-boys school. This series is still one of her most representative works so far!
Where can we find her on KOCOWA?
Lead/supporting roles: To the Beautiful You (2012), Oh! My Lady (2010).
Nam Ji-Hyun
Left: “The Great Queen Seondeok.” Right: “Suspicious Partner.“
Born: September 17, 1995 (Age 24).
Debuted: 2002 (Age 7).
As a child actress, Nam Ji-Hyun is best known for her roles in “Angel Eyes,” “The Great Queen Seondeok.”
But her adult lead roles helped her gain viewers’ love and recognition for her acting skills! All the dramas where she plays the female lead were really popular so far.
Let me guess, you’ve watched at least one of these? “100 Days My Prince,” “Shopping King Louie,” “Suspicious Partner.”
Where can we find her on KOCOWA?
Lead/supporting roles: Suspicious Partner (2017), Shopping King Louie (2016).
Child roles: Angel Eyes (2014), The Great Queen Seondeok (2009), East of Eden (2008).
Kim You-Jung
Left: “Love in the Moonlight.” Right: “The Moon Embracing the Sun.”
Born: September 22, 1999 (Age 20)
Debuted: 2003 (Age 4), with Crown Sando biscuit ad.
Kim You-Jung quickly gained public attention with her great acting skills as the young version of the female lead character in “The Moon Embracing the Sun.”
The actress took her time to transition into an adult actress slowly before taking on romance dramas. And for her first romance drama “Love in the Moonlight,” she didn’t disappoint. Kim You-Jung had some unbelievable, heart-fluttering chemistry with Park Bo-Gum that could make you forget she was a child actress!
Where can we find her on KOCOWA?
Lead/supporting roles: Love in the Moonlight (2016), Angry Mom (2015), Secret Door (2014).
Child roles: May Queen (2012), The Moon Embracing the Sun (2012), Grudge: The Revolt of Gumiho (2010), Jewel in the Crown (2010), Cain and Abel (2009).
Kim So-Hyun
Left: “The Moon Embracing the Sun.” Right: “The Tale of Nokdu.“
Born: June 4, 1999 (Age 20)
Debuted: 2006 (Age 7), with Drama City.
Similarly, Kim So-Hyun gained recognition through the drama “The Moon Embracing the Sun” with her villainous role.
Unlike Kim You-Jung, Kim So-Hyun‘s romance scenes have been rather mild so far. It’s most likely because she mainly took on high school dramas that kept things rather innocent and pure. But it seems like we’ll be getting some sizzling chemistry soon in the currently airing drama “The Tale of Nokdu“!
Where can we find her on KOCOWA?
Lead/supporting roles: The Tale of Nokdu (2019), Radio Romance (2018), The Emperor: Owner of the Mask (2017), Page Turner (2016), Who Are You (2015).
Child roles: The Girl Who Sees Smells (2015), Rooftop Prince (2012), The Moon Embracing the Sun (2012), The Thorn Birds (2011).
Kim Sae-Ron
Both: “Listen to My Heart.“
Born: July 31, 2000 (Age 19)
Debuted: 2009 (Age 9), with movie A Brand New Life.
Kim Sae-Ron is better known for her child roles in movies, such as “A Brand New Life” and “Man From Nowhere.” She had her first adult role in the drama “Mirror of the Witch,” where she starred opposite Actor Yoon Si-Yoon.
Where can we find her on KOCOWA?
Lead/supporting roles: Hi! School Love On (2014).
Child roles: Glamorous Temptation (2015), Listen to My Heart (2011).
Subscribe to KOCOWA and watch these beautiful actresses here!
Who’s your favorite child actress?! Let me know in the comments below!
5 Comments
My fave is Nam Ji Hyun.
Some of my favorite drama’s start out with the characters childhood! Talk about setting the stage! By the time the leads show up in some of these drama’s a western show would have ended 2 hours ago.
Park Shin-hye in stairway to heaven.
you already got Kim Yoo-jung in Dong Yi as well as the other actresses you posted
Does Shin Min-a count in beautiful days?
Han So-hee as young Eun-young in spring waltz
Lee Ae-jung (RIP) in Autumn in my Heart/Beautiful Days
Jo Jung-eun in Dae Jang-geum
Kim Yoo Jungieeee
\
Kim Yoo Jung😍💕
Ooh definitely Saeron~~~