Actors are always looking to challenge themselves and push their boundaries by taking up challenging roles. International projects help them in doing just that. This opens up a door to new opportunities and challenges actors to acclimate to new characters according to another culture and language. Here we take a look at ten actors who took up international projects -
1. Lee Byung Hyun
Lee Byung Hyun is a very successful actor in South Korea with shows and films like Mr. Sunshine, Inside Men, The Good, The Bad, The weird, and Masquerade under his belt. He took up quite a few roles in Hollywood as well. He is known internationally for his work in the G.I.Joe series as Storm Shadow, Terminator Genesis, and The Magnificent Seven.
2. Rain
The K Pop star turned actor is a massive star in Korea. He had actively worked in commercially successful shows like Full House, A Love to Kill, and I am a Cyborg, But it's Okay. He took up Hollywood projects like Speed Racer, Ninja Assassin, and The Prince.
3. Lee Joon Gi
Lee Joon Gi is one of the top actors that Korea has to offer. With his stellar performances in his home country, he established himself as a dependable lead actor and became one of the top Hallyu stars. He has worked on projects like Criminal Minds, The King and The Clown, Time Between Dog and Wolf, and The Flower of Evil to name a few. He was also seen in the last installment of the Resident Evil series and has also worked in the Korean-Japanese film Virgin Snow.
4. Kim Yun Jin
Kim Yun Jin has been active in the industry for the past two decades and has garnered a reputation of being an outstanding actress. She has worked in movies like Shiri, Yesterday, and Ardor. She was also part of the critically acclaimed American show Lost and went on to work in ABC drama series Mistress.
5. Song Kang Ho
Song Kang Ho has been constant in his work and artistry. He has proved with each of his projects what a great actor he is. Sang found global fame after starring in the award-winning film Parasite. He has been a constant in Parasite's director Bong Joon Ho's projects, starring in his internationally acclaimed movies like Snowpiercer and Okja. Apart from these, he has had a glorious career in his home country with movies like Memoirs of Murder, Taxi Driver, and The President's Barber under his belt.
6. Bae Doona
Bae Doona is insanely talented and has solidified her place as a dependable actor and performer, both domestically and internationally. She has been involved in projects like Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, The Host, and Kingdom in her country. She has also worked with a Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda in Air Doll and with the Wachowskis in their films Jupiter Ascending and Cloud Atlas.
7. Ma Dong Seok
Ma Dong Seok garnered international fame after appearing in the commercially successful film The Train to Busan. He has also steadily grown in the reputation in his home country with his roles in shows and films like Bad Guys, The Bros, and Along with the Gods. He is set to appear as Gilgamesh in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the movie Eternals. Eternals will also be his Hollywood debut project.
8. Claudia Kim
Claudia Kim is a successful model and actor who has appeared in commercially successful projects both internationally and domestically. She has been part of shows like 7th Grade Civil Servant, Brain, and Stand By in her home country. She found international fame after appearing in movies like Marco Polo, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald in which she played Nagini.
9. CL
CL is a former member of 2NE1 and a very successful solo artist. She has worked with international artists like Black Eyed Peas, Lil Yachty and also worked on the soundtrack for My Little Pony: The Movie. She also made her acting debut in Hollywood with Mile 22 in 2018.
10. Jun Ji Hyun
Jun Ji Hyun is a beloved actress and found commercial success with shows like My Love from the Star, Legend of the Blue Sea, and My Sassy Girl. She is one of the most successful Hallyu stars and has also featured in Hollywood projects. She has worked in Blood: The Last Vampire in 2006 and Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, which talked about the struggles of conservative lifestyles of Chinese women.
