If a K-drama is telling a good story, it will probably want to delve into the past. If the K-drama is telling the story of the past well, it’s going to show us flashbacks. And if there’s a flashback in the story that goes back to childhood, it’s going to need child actors.
In recent years, there have been very few flashbacks for male leads that didn’t involve the incomparable Nam Da Reum. Before him was Yeo Jin Goo. On the other side of the equation, we have the stellar Kims — Kim Yoo Jung and Kim So Hyun — who played memorable roles like the young Heo Yun Woo and the young Yoon Bo Kyung in “The Moon Embracing the Sun.” But these child actors are growing up! Nam Da Reum had his first lead role in “The Great Shaman Ga Doo Shim.” Kim So Hyun, Kim Yoo Jung, and Yoo Jin Geo have moved on to leading dramas for quite some time now. So what happens next? Let’s take a look at the newest generation of child actors and spot the rising stars!
One of the first child actors that comes to mind is Jung Shi Yool. He played the young king in “The King: Eternal Monarch,” an adorable patient in “Hospital Playlist,” and most memorably, a reincarnated puppy with a VERY runny nose in “Tale of the Nine-tailed.” Jung Shi Yool brings a sincerity to his roles that makes him memorable and fun to watch. He interacts with the senior actors well and they seem to bring out the best in each other.
Park So Yi was perfect as the perceptive, precocious niece to Chae Hyun Seung (Ro Woon) in “She Would Never Know.” Her ability to emote well, in addition to being charming and loveable, made her a good fit for the drama as a whole. She also did an excellent job as the younger version of the sunny Goo Ra Ra in “Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol” and as the younger version of Sung Duk Mi in “Her Private Life.” Park So Yi’s list of credits is long and well deserved for such a young actor!
“Space Sweepers” was a standout movie last year for many reasons, one of which was Park Ye Rin as the android Dorothy. Her relationships with the crew of The Victory touched my heart, and it seemed like she had captivated them all as well. Park Ye Rin also had a moving role in “Sell Your Haunted House” as a young girl who dies too early and just wants to connect with her mother one more time.
In “My Secret, Terrius,” Kim Gun Woo and Ok Ye Rin play the twin children of Go Ae Rin (Jung In Sun). They are innocent mischief-makers who truly are just children growing up in a very strange situation. Their relationship with Jung In Sun and So Ji Sub seems sincere, and they add a lot of light and laughter to the drama. Both children have gone on to add other stellar dramas on their resumes, including “WATCHER,” “Uncanny Counter,” “Nobody Knows,” “Itaewon Class,” and many, many more.
Which child actors have you been noticing lately, K-drama fans? Drop down in the comments and let me know!
