Happy Children’s Day! Every year on May 5, South Korea celebrates Children’s Day as a way for the nation to honor kids and their dreams. It is considered a holiday, and like Christmas, Korean families gather together and parents bring their kids to restaurants, parks, and other places. Sometimes, Korean celebrities share photos of their younger selves on Instagram to celebrate the special day.
Here are some childhood photos and stories about twenty-three famous Korean actors, in random order:
Lee Joon-gi
Lee Joon-gi was born on April 17, 1982 in Busan. Besides his passion for performing arts growing up, he also attended martial arts classes as encouraged by his father. 1 2
Lee Minho
Lee Min-ho was born on June 22, 1987 in Seoul and is the youngest of two kids. His childhood dream was to become a professional football player so he joined a football class during elementary. However, he suffered from an injury and his interest changed into acting. 1 2
Kim Se-jeong
Kim Se-jeong was born on August 28, 1996 and grew up in North Jeolla Province. She has an older brother and her parents split when she was five. She was active in track and field during elementary to middle school and involved in a Theater Club in high school. 1 2
Lee Ji-eun / IU
Lee Ji-eun, also known as IU was born on May 16, 1993 in Seoul. Due to financial difficulties, she and her younger brother had to stay with their grandmother in Gyeonggi Province. She became passionate about singing during her middle school years, joining competitions and auditions. 1 2 3
Lee Jong-suk
Lee Jong-suk was born on September 14, 1989 and is the eldest of three siblings. It is said that he was an introverted kid who is shy to speak in front of people. However, he grew up with the passion for modeling. 1
Nam Joo-hyuk
Nam Joo-hyuk was born on February 22, 1994 in Busan. His childhood dream was to become a basketball player so he joined a basketball team for three years. However, he sustained an injury and his interest changed into modeling. 1
Kim Ji-won
Kim Ji won was born on October 19, 1992. She has an older sister and her childhood dream was to become a kindergarten teacher. She was discovered on the street by a director when she was in 9th grade. 1 2
Bae Doona
Bae Doona was born on October 11, 1979 in Seoul. Since her mother is a stage actress, she grew up in the world of theater, observing actors and learning their lines. 1
Lee Byung-hun
Lee Byung-hun was born on July 12, 1970 in a wealthy family. His father was a successful businessman and he has a younger sister. According to the actor, he was a mischievous child and passionate about cinema growing up. 1 2
Song Hye-kyo
Song Hye-kyo was born on November 22, 1981 but her birth was registered on February 26, 1982 after recovery from an illness. She was raised by her mother alone since her parents divorced when she was a kid. She was active in figure skating during elementary and described by her high school teacher as a cheerful girl. 1 2 3 4
Kim Seonho
Kim Seonho was born on May 8, 1986 and the only child of his parents. When he was a kid, he witnessed his mom being stabbed with a knife during home robbery, a traumatic event that caused him anxiety around people. He started to heal and gain confidence when he joined acting classes in high school. 1 2
Park Seo-joon
Park Seo-joon was born on December 16, 1988 and is the eldest of three brothers. It is said that his passion has always been acting ever since his childhood days. 1 2
Shin Mina
Shin Mina was born on April 5, 1984 and has two older siblings. She was passionate about modeling growing up. 1
Kim Woobin
Kim Woo-bin was born on July 16, 1989 and his childhood passion has always been modeling. 1
Son Sukku
Son Sukku was born on February 7, 1983 in South Korea but grew up as a young boy in Canada. He was a shy kid and gained confidence when he studied abroad. 1 2
Song Joong-ki
Song Joong-ki was born on September 19, 1985 in Daejeon and is the middle child of three siblings. He was an excellent young student and passionate about skating as a child and even represented his home city in a national competition. 1 2 3
Lee Junho
Lee Junho was born on January 25, 1990. His childhood dream was to become a film director and he joined a Theater Club during high school. 1
Yim Siwan
Yim Siwan was born on December 1, 1988 in Busan. He was passionate about arts and music as a kid. 1
Park Hyung-sik
Park Hyung-sik was born on November 16, 1991 and is the youngest of two kids. His mother is a piano teacher and singing has always been his passion. During middle school, he joined the school band as a vocalist. 1 2
Lee Seung-gi
Lee Seung-gi was born on January 13, 1987 and is the eldest of two siblings. He was a multi-talented kid who was active in music, sports, and academics. Throughout his school years, he was elected the president of the student council. 1
Jinyoung
Jinyoung was born on September 22, 1994. His childhood dream was to become an entertainer. So he joined auditions and took dance classes. 1 2
Lee Sung-kyung
Lee Sung-kyung was born on August 10, 1990 in Gyeonggi, South Korea. Although her family had financial difficulties in the past, she maintained a positive outlook in life growing up. 1
Han Hyo-joo
Han Hyo-joo was born on February 22, 1987. Her mother was a school teacher and her father was an air force officer. She was active in track and field as a child. 1
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