It is undeniable that the South Korean entertainment has produced popular Korean actors who are well-received by millions across the globe and whose fame range from acting to singing to striking visuals. Whether they played a crown prince, soldier, CEO, chaebol heir, goblin, or investor, these Korean stars became the ultimate drama hearthrobs for people of all ages.
In random order.
Lee Minho
Lee Minho’s fame is exceptional—being widely known as one of the biggest Hallyu actors and ultimate heartthrobs in South Korea and the world, he is certainly every girl’s first Korean crush. From his roles in KBS’ popular series, Boys Over Flowers (2009) to the American series, Pachinko (2022), he has been a bewitching presence on screen for more than a decade now. Referred to as “The King of Social Media”, he is followed by 32.1 million fans on Instagram as of writing and was the first Korean celebrity to garner 20 million followers on the said platform including Facebook.
Read seven more things to know about Lee Minho here.
Kim Soo-hyun
Multi-awarded actor Kim Soo-hyun not only wows the audience with his presence and performances on screen, he is also widely known as one of the highest paid Korean actors and regarded as “the King of product endorsements”. His most notable works include Moon Embracing The Sun (2012), My Love From The Star (2013), The Producers (2015), and It’s Okay To Not Be Okay (2020). So far, he has achieved 61 wins out of 86 nominations, including five Grand Prize (Daesang) awards. It was only in 2020 that he launched his official Instagram and as of writing, it is being followed by 14.1 million fans.
Read nine more things to know about Kim Soo-hyun here.
Park Bo-gum
Park Bo-gum is more than just a handsome face whose good heart and talent are worth the admiration—a great pianist, singer, actor, and good role model who carries himself well into the world, certainly a complete package for a heartthrob. His charisma was evident in tvN’s Reply 1988 (2015), KBS2’s Love In The Moonlight (2016), and tvN’s Record Of Youth (2020). Notably, he became the youngest Korean actor to be named Gallup Korea’s Television Actor of the Year in 2016 and the first actor to be placed number one in Forbes’ Korea Power Celebrity in 2017.
Read nine more things to know about Park Bogum here.
Park Seo-joon
Heartthrob Park Seo-joon is one of the most followed Korean actors on Instagram with 23.4 million followers as of writing and one of the most bankable Korean celebrities demanded by many brands. Remarkably, he became the first Korean actor to attain the Gold Play Button after hitting a million subscribers on his YouTube channel. He was also labeled the “Master of Romantic Comedy” after he impressed the audience with his onscreen visuals and performances in KBS2’s Fight for My Way (2017) and tvN’s What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim (2018). He also showed versatility as an actor in MBC’s Kill Me, Heal Me (2015), KBS2’s Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth (2016), and JTBC’s Itaewon Class (2020), gaining massive popularity not just in South Korea but also across Asia.
Lee Jong-suk
Lee Jong-suk is one of the Korean drama heartthrobs who makes heart swoon with his boy-next-door visuals and onscreen charms from romance to villain roles. So far, he has earned three Grand Prize (Daesang) awards for his performances in MBC’s W (2016) and Big Mouth (2022), and known as the youngest actor to receive the “Best Actor” award at the 2014 Grimae Awards for his performance in SBS’ hit series, Pinocchio (2014). His Instagram shows 25.2 million followers, so popular that a wax figure of him was displayed in a Hongkong post by Madame Tussauds, following the success of his first Chinese drama, Jade Lovers. In December 2022, Lee Jong-suk confirmed that he is happily in a relationship with singer-actress IU.
Ji Chang-wook
Ji Chang-wook, the certified dashing heartthrob, is certainly one of the most handsome faces and multi-talented actors in Korean entertainment. He began his career in musical theater before appearing on television and films, and best known for his works in Empress Ki (2013), Healer (2014), The K2 (2016), Suspicious Partner (2017), Backstreet Rookie (2020), Lovestruck In The City (2020), The Sound Of Magic (2022), and If You Wish Upon Me (2022). His Instagram shows a huge following of 23.1 million fans. So far, he has achieved 11 awards out of 26 nominations.
Hyun Bin
Hyun Bin, also known as Kim Tae-pyung, is a prominent film and TV actor who gained more international fans when he played Captain Ri in the mega hit series, Crash Landing On You (2019), making him Asia’s heartthrob. Whether he played roles for rom-com or action projects, he made hearts swoon with his unique visuals, height, charming dimples, and impressive performances. Some of his popular shows include My Lovely Sam Soon (2005), Secret Garden (2010), Confidential Assignment 1 & 2 (2017 & 2022), The Negotiation (2018), and Memories Of The Alhambra (2018). So far, he has achieved 19 wins out of 28 nominations, including two Grand Prize (Daesang) awards. He was also listed four times in Forbes Korea Power Celebrity. In March 2022, he married actress Son Ye-jin and became a father in November 2022.
Song Joong-ki
Song Joong-ki has always proven through his works that he is a phenomenal actor-heartthrob who makes his dramas popular and his characters iconic. The pretty boy rose to Hallyu stardom in the mega hit series, Descendants of the Sun (2016), which earned him multiple awards and advertisement deals. He impressed more people with his versatility as an actor in Arthdal Chronicles (2019), Vincenzo (2021), and Reborn Rich (2022). So far, he has achieved 32 wins out of 50 nominations including three Grand Prize (Daesang) awards. He was listed five times in Forbes Korea Power Celebrity and named twice as Gallup Korea’s Actor of the Year. It was only in 2021 that he launched his personal Instagram account, drawing 11 million followers so far. In January 2023, he announced marriage to a British and former actress, Katy Louise Saunders.
Gong Yoo
Known for his roles in MBC’s Coffee Prince (2007), Train To Busan (2016), and tvN’s Guardian: The Great And Lonely God (2016), Gong Yoo became one of the most notable Korean actor-heartthrobs across Asia. So far, he has achieved 14 wins out of 26 nominations, including one Grand Prize (Daesang) award, and was listed twice in Forbes Korea Power Celebrity. He launched his official Instagram in December 2021 and it is being followed by 3.7 million fans, as of writing.
Lee Joon-gi
Singer-actor Lee Joon-gi attracted audiences with his multiple talents, good looks, and versatility as an actor. Besides singing and dancing, he is also known to be skilled at taekwondo and other forms of martial arts that he often displays during action scenes in some of his dramas. Some of his notable works include The King and the Clown (2005), Moon Lovers Scarlet Heart Ryeo (2016), Lawless Lawyer (2018), Flower Of Evil (2020), and Again My Life (2022). So far, he has achieved 44 wins out of 66 nominations, including one Grand Prize (Daesang) Award, three trophies from Baeksang Arts Awards, and three wins from Grand Bell Awards. His Instagram shows 6.6 million followers, as of writing.
Kim Seonho
From his role as Han Ji-pyeong in tvN’s Start-Up (2020) to Hong Dusik in tvN’s Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (2021), Kim Seonho became a powerhouse Hallyu actor in less than a year—gaining a huge fan base and attracting brands across Asia. Besides his charming visuals, the “dimple prince” made fans swoon over his striking performances, built from years of experience in theater. So far, he has achieved 18 wins out of 22 nominations, including one trophy from Baeksang Arts Awards. He was also named Gallup Korea’s TV Actor of the Year in 2021 and listed once in Forbes Korea Power Celebrity. His Instagram shows a huge following of 8.5 million fans.
Lee Jun-ho
Idol-actor Lee Junho captured people’s hearts with his alluring visuals and excellent portrayal of Crown Prince Yi-san in MBC’s The Red Sleeve (2021), making him one of the ultimate Korean heartthrobs. The iconic role earned him multiple awards, including one Grand Prize (Daesang) award and two wins from Baeksang Arts Awards. He is also known for his works in Good Manager (2017), Rain Or Shine (2017), and Wok Of Love (2018). So far, he has achieved 18 awards out of 24 nominations, and his Instagram shows 2.7 million followers.
Lee Seung-gi
Heartthrob Lee Seung-gi is known as a multi-talented Korean artist—a soulful singer whose voice can magically calm your mind—a variety entertainer and host who engages well with the audience—a versatile actor who can perform a variety of roles from action to psychopathy to drama to romance. He is known for his drama works in Brilliant Works (2009), My Girlfriend Is A Gumiho (2010), The King 2 Hearts (2012), Vagabond (2019), Mouse (2021), and The Law Cafe (2022). So far, he has achieved 38 wins out of 60 nominations in television and film, including three Grand Prize (Daesang) awards. He was also listed 11 times in Forbes Korea Power Celebrity.
Cha Eun-woo
With his handsome looks and talent, it’s hard to resist admiring the idol-actor, Cha Eun-woo, whose immense popularity is shown through his Instagram with a huge following of 33.4 million followers, the most followed account among the Korean actors, as of writing. He is known for his drama works including Gangnam Beauty (2018), Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung (2019), True Beauty (2020), and Island (2022-2023). So far, he has achieved 16 awards out of 22 nominations, and listed once in Forbes Korea Power Celebrity.
Nam Joo-hyuk
Known for his roles in Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo (2016), The Light In Your Eyes (2019), The School Nurse Files (2020), Start-Up (2020), and Twenty-Five Twenty-One (2022), model-actor Nam Joo-hyuk became one of the ultimate Korean heartthrobs with a huge following of 18.5 million followers on Instagram. So far, he has achieved 13 awards out of 30 nominations.
Jung Hae-in
Following his roles in While You Were Sleeping (2017), Prison Playbook (2017), Something In The Rain (2018), D.P. (2021), and Snowdrop (2022), Jung Hae-in rose to stardom and became one of the most followed heartthrobs on Instagram with 10.8 million followers. So far, he has achieved 18 wins out of 28 nominations, including one trophy from Baeksang Arts Awards and one win from Grand Bell Awards. He was also listed twice in Forbes Korea Power Celebrity.
Ahn Hyo-seop
Widely known for his iconic role as Kang Tae-moo in Business Proposal (2022), Ahn Hyo-seop became one of the swoonworthy Korean actors, gaining more fans not just in South Korea but also across Asia. He also made hearts flutter in Dr. Romantic 2 (2020) and Lovers Of The Red Sky (2021). So far, he has achieved 11 wins out of 21 nominations, including one trophy from Baeksang Arts Awards. He was also listed once in Forbes Korea Power Celebrity and his Instagram shows a huge following of 10.5 million followers.
Song Kang
Song Kang won hearts with his striking visuals on screen and versatility as an actor, playing various roles from horror to melodrama to romance. The heartthrob gained popularity in Love Alarm (2019), Sweet Home (2020), Navillera (2021), and Nevertheless (2021), and attracted 15.2 million followers on Instagram. So far, he has achieved four awards out of nine nominations.
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