1. IU
In a chart dominated by idol groups, IU is one of the most successful solo artists. The singer made her debut almost 13 years ago and has an excellent acting career in addition to her unmatched singing career. Her feature film debut occurred in 2017 with a cameo in the thriller 'Real.' In 2018, she was the unifying factor in four short films created by Netflix and combined as an anthology titled 'Persona' (directed by critically acclaimed directors Lee Kyoung-mi, Yim Pil-sung, Jeon Go-woon, and KIM Jong-kwan). Her relationship with KIM led to her casting in his second feature film, 'Shades of the Heart' (2019), which was chosen as one of the Jeonju Cinema Projects of the Jeonju International Film Festival. IU revealed that she had always wanted to be an actor before she ever considering to be a singer.
2. Suzy (Miss A)
The singer-actress, better known as "Suzy", is well-known for her multifaceted range in both the K-pop industry (as a member of popular girl group Miss A) and the K-drama and K-movie industries. Through Architecture 101, she made her cinematic debut (2012). In her own country, for which she has been titled "The Nation's First Love" following her blockbuster film debut. Some of her other popular movies that followed were 'The Sound of a Flower (2015), 'Real' (2017), 'Ashfall' (2019), 'Live Your Strength' (2020) and Wonderland (2022) being the most recent ones.
3. TOP (Big Bang)
T.O.P is the stage name of Choi Seung-hyun, a South Korean rapper and actor probably most famous as one of the five members of the K-pop boy band 'Big Bang'. He also dabbled in acting, starring in films such as '19-Nineteen' (2009), '71: Into the Fire' (2010), 'Commitment' (2013), 'Tazza: The Hidden Card' (2014), and 'Out of Control' (2017). For the movie ‘71: Into the Fire’, in which he played his most appreciated role, T.O.P received multiple awards such as the Korean Wave Popularity Award, Best New Actor and Most Popular Stars in 2010, followed by Best New Actor once again and Most Popular Actor in 2011.
4. D.O (EXO)
Doh Kyung Soo, commonly known as D.O., is a South Korean singer, actor, and part of the South Korean-Chinese boy band EXO. D.O. made his film debut in the film ‘Cart’. For his role in Cart, D.O. was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 52nd Grand Bell Awards. He also recorded the film's OST, ‘Crying Out’. Critics rated D.O. first out of 40 idol actors featured in the industry in 2014. D.O. has been chosen as one of 200 performers (100 males and 100 females) to appear in the Korean Film Council's Korean Actors 200 campaign (KOFIC).
5. BoA
Kwon Boa is a South Korean singer and actress who performs in South Korea, Japan, and the United States under the stage name BoA, meaning Beat of Angel also known as the Queen of Korean Pop. With ‘Big Match’, singer BoA made her domestic film debut to great acclaim. Action films demand much more from an actress than just exceptional acting, and BoA surpassed expectations with her expertise. BoA spent five months of special action training before filming to prepare for the role. BoA captivated audiences in ‘Big Match’ with her skill in action situations. As the sole female performer in the action scenes, she held her own, impressing audiences with her energy, force, and expression.
6. Junho (2PM)
Lee Jun-ho (born January 25, 1990) is a South Korean singer, songwriter, dancer, composer, and actor who goes by the moniker Junho. He is a member of the 2PM boy band from South Korea. Junho made his cinematic debut in the action-thriller Cold Eyes, where he wowed audiences with his acting prowess. The film was a hit, with over 4.5 million admissions. He then appeared in the indie film Twenty, directed by Lee Byung-heon, opposite Kim Woo-bin and Kang Ha-neul. Junho was cast as a double in his debut Japanese film, ‘Rose and Tulip’, penned by famous manga artist Akiko Higashimura, in early 2018. The same year, he was cast in the historical comedy film Gibang Bachelor, for which he also received critical acclaim.
7. Eunjung (T-Ara)
Hahm Eun-jung (nicknamed Eunjung) is a South Korean singer and actor. She is a member of the T-ara girl group and its subgroup T-ara N4. Hahm was confirmed as the lead actress in the Thai romantic comedy Micro Love in 2015, making her the first female idol to appear in a Thai film. Flowers of Evil, a thriller directed by Cho Sung-kyu, starred Hahm in 2016. She is also well known for her commendable performances in 'White: The Melody of the Curse' (2011), 'Missing 2' (2017), 'I Will Song' (2021), etc.
8. Suho (EXO)
Kim Jun Myeon, often known as Suho, his stage name is a South Korean singer and actor. He is the leader and lead vocalist of the South Korean-Chinese boy band EXO and its sub-unit EXO-K. Suho was cast as the main character, dubbing the voice of the lead Bernard in the Christmas film Saving Santa (2013), together with A-Pink's Jung Eunji and Shin Dong-Yeob. Moreover, he is betting on expanding his career beyond dancing and singing his through Exo's hit songs, 'Growl,' 'Call Me Baby,' and 'Ko Ko Bop' during punishing global tour schedules with his new film, the sub-hour-long, Samsung-sponsored ‘The Present’ (2019), screening at IFFAM's opening night.
9. Yoona (Girls Generation)
Yoona's career as a K-Pop idol began after training for five years, when she debuted as a member of the girl group Girls' Generation in 2007. In addition to her work as an idol, she began her acting career in 2008. Her cinematic work includes Confidential Assignment (2017) and Exit (2019), both of which are among South Korea's highest-grossing films, with the latter serving as her first leading role. Her most recent project is the film 'Miracle' (2021), in which she co-stars with actors Park Jung Min and Lee Soo Kyung. Yoona and actor Park Jung Min had both posted trailers for their future film, which is set to be released in June 2021. Yoona has been well acclaimed and admired by the public eye.
10. Jung Jin Young (B1A4)
Jung Jin Young was born in the South Korean city of Chungju. He was the former leader of the Korean boy band B1A4, which debuted in 2011 under the banner of WM Entertainment. Jinyoung made his acting debut in the 2012 television drama "The Thousandth Man" with a minor appearance and has since appeared in the blockbuster hit film "Miss Granny" (2014). His most recent work can be found in 'The Dude in Me' (2019), for which he received much praise.
