From thriller to romance dramas, here are some of the year’s Korean actors who played central characters and made them iconic by their visuals and performances, in random order:
Song Hye-kyo as Moon Dong-eun
Moon Dong-eun is a central character in Netflix’s The Glory (2022-23) whose life depicts the face of trauma resulted from school violence and parental abandonment. She spends years carefully plotting to ruin the lives of her tormentors, achieving her desired revenge in the end. She’s smart, detail-oriented, and executes her goals seamlessly. Although she’s breaking inside, she never backs down until she sees justice is served her way. Song Hye-kyo won the Best Actress in TV at the 59th Baeksang Arts Awards.
Uhm Jung-hwa as Doctor Cha
Cha Jeong-suk is a mother and doctor in JTBC’s Doctor Cha (2023). She gives up her medical career to focus on her family as a full time housewife, only to find herself getting back on medical residency after 20 years. However, when she begins doctorate training, she goes through a lot of troubles including her marriage life. She’s a bubbly character who gives you laughter, a warm mother whose love tugs at the heartstrings, a doctor who loves not just her profession but her patients, and a strong woman who makes you root for her. Uhm Jung-hwa achieved one of the most buzzworthy drama actors of the year and was praised domestically and internationally for her portrayal as the warm and fun-loving Doctor Cha.
Lim Ji-yeon as Park Yeon Jin
Park Yeon Jin is a central antagonist in Netflix’s The Glory (2022-23). She leads a group of highschool bullies and finds pleasure in tormenting poor classmates from physical violence to emotional manipulation. However, everything in her life starts to crumble including wealth, power, career, and family when her highschool victim, Moon Dong-eun, re-appears to take revenge. She is feisty and cunning who gets anything she wants with her power even if it means committing a crime. Lim Ji-yeon won the Best Supporting Actress in TV at the 59th Baeksang Arts Awards.
Kim So-yeon as Ryu Hong Joo
Ryu Hong Joo is a powerful and fashionable mountain god in tvN’s Tale Of The Nine-Tailed 1938 (2023). After several years of being apart with her childhood bestfriends, Lee Yeon and Cheon Moo Yeong, she reunites with them in Gyeongseong in the year 1938 with memories intact. She still clings onto the promises they made as kids and tries with all her wit to protect the sacred friendship amid intense tension between them and war against the dark forces. Kim So-yeon impressed with her stunning visuals and striking action-packed performances.
Yoo In-na as Yeon Bora
Yeon Bora is a best-selling author for romance novels and popular coach for dating in ENA’s Bora! Deborah (2023). Her personal love life gets tested when her long-time boyfriend cheats and breaks up with her. She goes through the rough process of heartache, whining here and there, drinking to death, making a mess in public, until she gets a public backlash resulting to a career downfall. Meanwhile, she meets a publisher who abhors her dating advices but soon becomes the newest chapter of her romance and career. The rom-com drama is one of the most popular Korean titles on Amazon Prime Video and Yoo Inna was praised for her charming performance.
Shin Hae-sun as Ban Ji Eum
Ban Ji Eum is a unique character in tvN’s See You In My 19th Life (2023). She reincarnates every time she dies and vividly remembers all her past lives. During her 18th life, she meets a young boy she learns to love but her life was cut short after a tragic accident. So, she sets out to reconnect with him in her 19th life but soon realizes it’s never easy than expected. Shin Hae-sun is receiving praises for her acting range and in portraying the webtoon character, Ban Ji Eum, like no other.
Kim Tae-ri as Gu San Yeong
Gu San Yeong is a struggling young woman who gets entangled in mysterious deaths surrounding shamanism in SBS’ Revenant (2023). Following the death of her father who was a folklore professor, she receives a relic that has a generational curse. A vengeful demonic spirit latches upon her and people around her start committing suicide. A wealthy folklore professor and a detective help her dig deep into the case and find solutions to break the curse. Kim Tae-ri stuns again with her performance as a dual personality, shifting roles between a normal person and a demon possessed.
Lee Bo-young as Go A In
Go A In is a Creative Director at a leading advertising agency in JTBC’s Agency (2023). Despite growing up in poverty, she managed to attain career success with her intelligence and diligence. Although she gets bullied at the workplace for her non-popular school background and being a woman, she remains focused with her goals proving her antagonists that she has what it takes to become the most qualified employee. Amid strong oppositions, she becomes the first female executive member of a large advertising agency. Lee Bo-young was admired for her dynamic performance, representing women leadership.
Park Gyu-young as Seo Ari
Seo Ari is a door-to-door seller who becomes a top celebrity overnight in Netflix’s Celebrity (2023). Born with a golden spoon, she is knowledgeable about authentic brands and lavish lifestyle. However, her father dies, leading to her family’s bankruptcy. Growing up, she learns to survive life selling make-up and beauty products, until she becomes entangled with social media influencers, learning to become one. Soon, she surpasses them all, gaining millions of followers and growing her own brand business. However, she gets accused of murder, becoming a victim of public hatred amid rising popularity that leads to a business collapse. Park Gyu-young draws attention with her intense performance.
Jeon Do-yeon as Nam Haeng Seon
Nam Haeng Seon is a hardworking single mother who runs a banchan shop in tvN’s Crash Course In Romance (2023). When her daughter faces struggles with the college entrance exams, she enrols her in an academy class under a popular math instructor but soon realizes it’s never easy than expected. Besides the cut-throat competition among students and parents, she also becomes entangled with the school’s politics all the while falling in love with her daughter’s professor. Jeon Do-yeon captivated audiences with her warm and fun-loving character.
Kim Ok-vin as Yeo Mi Ran
Yeo Mi Ran is a lawyer who hates losing to men both in love and career in Netflix’s Love To Hate You (2023). Struggling to look for a new job, she gives her best shot at an all-men entertainment law firm. Her male co-lawyers question her ability to handle celebrity cases but soon extol her as the best talent in the company. However, she faces new challenges when a popular actor changes her perspective in love, becoming her new-found romance but causing career breakdown. Kim Ok-vin flashes charms onscreen with her wit and feistiness.
Kim Hee-ae as Hwang Do Hee
Hwang Do-hee is a seasoned employee working as a powerful fixer for a huge company in Netflix’s Queenmaker (2023). After dealing with her powerful boss in a heated conversation about an employee’s death, she gets expelled from her work and removed from her luxurious benefits including her home and car. Determined to expose the company’s crimes, she uses her skills and intelligence as a campaign manager to transform a human rights lawyer into the next city mayor and guide her through the gripping political showdown, taking down criminals. Kim Hee-ae was praised for her phenomenal performance.
Ra Miran as Jin Young Soon
Jin Young Soon is a hardworking single mother who runs a pig farm at the countryside in JTBC’s The Good Bad Mother (2023). Following her husband’s death that involves politics, she resolves to raise her only son to become a powerful prosecutor. Her son achieves success in the law firm but grows emotionally distant from her, transforming like one of the political monsters. When the son falls into an accident, he loses his memory and behaves like a 7-year-old again. This time, the mother uses the opportunity to raise her son anew focusing on the things that her son wants the most rather than hers. Ra Mi-ran impressed with her performance as a tough but loving mother.
Lee Sung-kyung as Dr. Cha Eun Jae
Cha Eun Jae is one of the best surgeons at Doldam Hospital in SBS’ Dr. Romantic 3 (2023). She used to struggle with anxiety issues in performing surgeries, vomiting and taking pills, during her early years in medical training. She meets Dr. Kim Sabu who dedicates his life in guiding her, becoming one of the skillful doctors at Doldam. Her once rival, Seo Woo-jin, also becomes her love interest over the years. In season three, she faces new challenges as her father, a tough competitor of Kim Sabu, arrives at Doldam to take over the new trauma center, while her mother questions Seo Woo-jin’s presence in her life. Lee Sung-kyung instills women empowerment as she portrays Cha Eun-jae’s struggles and wins in personal life and medical career.
Lim Yoona as Cheon Sa Rang
Cheon Sa Rang is the best talent at King Hotel who gets entangled with the chairman’s son in JTBC’s King The Land (2023). Despite workplace bullying, she continues to work with diligence and gives her best smile for customer service, landing a new job at the VIP section where she meets the chaebol heir. She faces new challenges with the chairman’s son who hates smiling faces but soon overcomes the tension between them with her genuineness. Not only she makes hotel guests satisfied and bosses proud, she also wins the chaebol’s heart with her irresistible charms. Lim Yoona delights anew with her rom-com character.
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