Celebrities turning into politicians is very common to see nowadays. All these people decide to leave the film industry behind and represent the life of an ordinary man in politics. The transition from the red carpet to the halls of power has been smooth for most of these celebrities over the past few years.
Having a popular and recognized name puts these celebrities a step ahead of potential competitors and makes it easy for them to get success in their political careers. These well-known faces decided to achieve success in the political arena with the help of the huge fan base they got through their excelled career in the industry. Even though it is not common to see celebrities joining politics in South Korea, some stars decided to take this step, and later, they even achieved success in politics.
1. Moon Sung-Keun
This South Korean actor debuted in the 1991 television series Asphalt Man. Well known for his charismatic performance on the silver screen, he decided to make an impressive debut in politics in 2009. In 2012, he became the temporary chairman of the Democratic United Party. Since then, he has generally made special appearances in movies.
2. Oh Shin-Hwan
Oh, Shin Hwan is a former South Korean actor and conservative politician. He started his career as an obscure actor in the 1991 Ride Together drama. Before entering politics, he also served as the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture director. He joined the Grand National Party in 2006. He ran as the Seoul Metropolitan Council member for Gwanak 1st constituency at the local elections and won the elections, making him the youngest person holding this position. He got elected as a Member of the National Assembly for Gwanak's 2nd constituency in 2015, making him the first conservative MP of the liberal-leaning constituency.
3. Shin Seong-Il
Kang Shin-Yeong, known as Shin Seong-il, was a South Korean actor, film director, producer, and former politician. He was a legendary actor with 500 films in over 40 years. He debuted in director Shin Sang-Oks' 1960 film A Romantic Papa and rose to fame through popular youth titles. In 1979, he became the chairman of the Korean Actors League and held the position for several consecutive terms. After a long time in the industry, he retired to pursue a political career. He got elected to the National Assembly. After losing twice in 1981 and 1996, he won a seat in the National Assembly in 2000, representing a Daegu district. In 2005, he was sentenced to five years for bribery and served two years in jail before he got released upon receiving a presidential pardon.
4. Yu In-Chon
This 71-year-old South Korean actor from Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, South Korea, graduated with a bachelor's degree in Theater and film from Chung-Ang University. Although he started his career as a TV actor, his fondness for play led him to found You Theater in the Gangnam area of Seoul in 1999. He got appointed as the Minister of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
5. Kim Eul-Dong
Eul Dong Kim is a politician and former actress in South Korea. She was the Saenuri Party's female chairperson and the 18th and 19th members of the National Assembly. She is the granddaughter of Kim Chewa-chin and the mother of actor Song Il-gook. She is also the daughter of Korean mobster Kim Du-han. She was unsuccessful in becoming a member of the national assembly in the 2016 20th General Election.
6. Choi Jong-Won
Choi Jong Won began his acting career in Theater and later made his screen debut in 1978 and came to be known as a veteran actor on stage, film, and television for over forty years. He entered politics in 2004 when he ran and lost in the 17th National Assembly elections as a Uri Party candidate. He ran again in the by-elections on July 28, 2010, under the Democratic Party, where he won as the lawmaker representing Gangwon Province in the 18th National Assembly. On September 16, 2010, he got elected as the head of DPs' Gangwon provincial chapter.
7. Jasmine Bacurnay Lee
Jasmine Bacurnay Lee is one of the most hated women in Korea because she is not ethnically Korean. She was born in the Philippines and became a naturalized citizen, and then she became the first member of Korea's Congress who is not ethnically Korean. Earlier, she was very much loved by the people of Korea because the movies she starred in were a big hits, and people loved them. On April 11, 2012, she was elected as a proportional representative in South Korea's National Assembly election, which she won. Her win was due to the victory of the ruling Saenuri Party, which she was a part of. She was excluded from the parties' list for the 2016 election and left office on May 29, 2016.
8. Lee Ju-Il
Lee Ju-il was a South Korean comedian, actor, and politician. In 1960, he began his comedy career at Defense Agency for Public Information Services, and in 1965, he debuted as a host of morning star performance groups. With TBC, he made his debut on television. During the 1980s, he was known as the "King of Comedy ." Thanks to such popularity, he entered the political world and served as the Representative of the Democratic Liberal Party for Guri-si Gyronggi-do from 1992 to 1996. He ended his political career, commenting, "I learned a lot about comedy," and returned to his career as a comedian in 1996.
9. Kang Boo-Ja
Kang Boo Ja is a South Korean actress. She dropped out of Chungnam National University's Korean Language and Literature program to pursue acting. In 1960, she made her acting debut and has spent more than five decades on the Korean stage, television, and film. Later she took a non-degree National Policy Course at Seoul National University's Graduate School of Public Administration and entered politics in 1992. She got elected as a lawmaker in the 14th National Assembly.
10. Shin Young-Kyun
Shin Young Kyun could have lived an easy life, but he aspired to be an actor after graduating from dental school. From playing the role of a king to that of a servant, he portrayed Korean men on the silver screen for 18 years. He did 317 films in genres from war to melodrama to period dramas starting from his 1960 debut film "Widow" to his last film "Flowers and Birds" in 1978. He was sick and tired of censorship in the 1970s and decided to stop acting. In the early 1980s, he led the Federation of Artistic & Cultural Organizations of Korea, one of the largest groups of Korean artists. Starting in the late 1990s, he was a two-term lawmaker. During an interview with the JoongAng Sunday, he said, "I didn't do those works out of political ambition. It was one way for me to gain clout and help my artist friends".
