Here are 10 Korean actresses in their early to mid-30s who are currently dominating the Korean film industry. These talented women, born between 1990 and 1994, are known for their strong personalities and impressive performances. They are shaping the future of Korean cinema and are definitely ones to watch. Let’s take a closer look at these rising stars.
Kim Tae Ri (Born in 1990)
Kim Tae Ri has always walked a challenging path in her career, from her role as Sook Hee in The Handmaiden and Go Ae Shin in Mr. Sunshin to Captain Jang in Space Sweepers, Na Hee Do in Twenty-Five, Twenty-One, and Jeongnyeon in Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born. She made her name known to the public in 2016 with a bold performance in The Handmaiden, directed by Park Chan Wook. Since then, she has appeared in films and shows covering a range of genres, from 1987, which portrays a painful chapter of modern Korean history, to Mr. Sunshine, where she played a noble family’s heir who fights to save Joseon. In Twenty-Five, Twenty-One, she took on fencing, and in the recently aired drama Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born, she delivered a flawless performance of traditional Korean opera. With each project, Kim Tae Ri continues to push her limits and grow as an actress.
Park Bo Young (Born in 1990)
Park Bo Young is already in her 18th year as an actress. She debuted in 2006 with the drama Secret Campus, where her youthful look and large, expressive eyes often led to her being typecast in schoolgirl roles. For an actress, being confined to one image can be frustrating. Reflecting on this in an interview, Park once shared, “I was aware of my girlish image and worked to change it. I didn’t want to be seen as just the typical cute girl when I first started.” However, she didn’t let that hold her back. In 2023, she revealed a new side of herself with more layered performances in the film Concrete Utopia and the Netflix drama Daily Dose of Sunshine, showcasing a deeper, more mature dimension to her acting.
Kim Go Eun (Born in 1991)
Kim Go Eun was named Best Actress at the 45th Blue Dragon Film Awards on November 29th for her role in the film Exhuma. She made history as the first actress born in the 1990s to win this award. She shared her love for acting, saying, “I love acting. Of course, it’s tough and difficult at times, but the joy is immense. I’m grateful to be an actress.” This recognition comes just 12 years after her debut in the 2012 film Eungyo, which won her several newcomer awards and marked her as a rising star.
Early in her career, Kim Go Eun became known for her natural, slice-of-life acting style, which made her a standout in romance dramas like Cheese in the Trap (2015) and Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (2016). These roles matched her approachable image, which the public loved. Over the years, she has expanded her acting range, taking on roles in various genres, including the musical Hero (2022), the crime thriller Little Women, and the occult film Exhuma (2024). Kim Go Eun’s versatility has solidified her reputation as a well-rounded actress.
Ahn Eun Jin (Born in 1991)
Ahn Eun Jin is well-known as one of the “Legendary Incoming Class of 2010” from the Korea National University of Arts, alongside actress Kim Go Eun, introduced earlier. This legendary group refers to the students who entered the school in 2010 and have since become prominent figures in the film industry, including Kim Go Eun, Kim Sung Cheol, Lee Sang Yi, Lee Yoo Young, Park So Dam, and Ahn Eun Jin.
Ahn Eun Jin first captured public attention in 2020 by playing OB-GYN resident Chu Min Ha in the drama Hospital Playlist. Since then, she has appeared in two to three films and dramas every year, steadily establishing her career as an actress. Then, last year, she showcased her true talent in the MBC drama My Dearest. Ahn Eun Jin played Yoo Gil Chae, the daughter of a frivolous nobleman, portraying a strong woman who retains her dignity even amidst the trials of war, earning her a large fanbase.
Go Ah Sung (Born in 1992)
Go Ah Sung is a well-known actress who started her career as a child actor. However, even during her child acting days, she didn’t give off a typical “child actor” vibe through her mature image. In Bong Joon Ho’s 2006 film The Host, she was just 14 years old but held her own on screen with talent that matched seasoned actors like Byun Hee Bong, Song Kang Ho, Bae Doona, and Park Hae Il.
2015 was a significant turning point for her. With the successive releases of films like The Beauty Inside, Office, and Right Now, Wrong Then, she firmly established herself as an adult actress. In particular, in the horror film Office, where she played the lead role of Mirye, an intern, she delicately portrayed the image of a realistic office worker struggling to survive among regular employees.
Park Eun Bin (Born in 1992)
Park Eun Bin particularly shines in television dramas. She has captivated viewers in series such as Extraordinary Attorney Woo (ENA, 2022), Hot Stove League (SBS, 2019) and Hello, My Twenties! (JTBC, 2016). Her reputation as a “go-to actor,” celebrated for delivering compelling performances in every project, likely stems from her remarkable ability to bring a sense of calm and stability to every role she takes on.
Park Gyu Young (Born in 1993)
Originally an ordinary college student, Park Gyu Young began her acting career after a chance opportunity to appear as a cover model. Since her debut in 2016, she spent about four years taking on roles of all kinds, including minor parts and special appearances, before making her name widely known with the 2020 Netflix series Sweet Home. Following that, she appeared in several Netflix original dramas, such as Celebrity and Squid Game 2, earning the nickname “Netflix’s Daughter.”
Park Gyu Young continues to surprise audiences with her ability to transform into completely different characters. She exudes a free-spirited energy in Netflix’s Sweet Home, a playful innocence in KBS’s Dali and Cocky Prince, a bold confidence in Netflix’s Celebrity and a lively charm in MBC’s A Good Day to Be a Dog. This outstanding versatility only increases the anticipation for her future endeavors.
IU (Born in 1993)
Some celebrities shine as singers, actors, or entertainers, but IU excels at all three. Since debuting as a singer in 2008 and as an actress in 2011, she has shown exceptional talent in each field, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the best in the industry.
In the early days of her acting career, IU earned praise for roles that matched her bubbly image. Characters like Kim Pil Sook in KBS’s Dream High, Lee Soon Shin in You’re the Best and Kim Bo Tong in Bel Ami showcased the pure and lovable charm of “singer IU” and allowed her natural persona to blend seamlessly into her acting roles. However, in 2018, IU achieved a striking transformation in the tvN drama My Mister, where she played Lee Ji An—a dark, emotionally withdrawn character deeply scarred by life’s hardships. This role was quite different from IU’s image at the time, but director Kim Won Seok was determined to cast her. His decision proved right, as IU exceeded expectations with a powerful performance that solidified her status as “actress IU.”
Jeon Jong Seo (Born in 1994)
Jeon Jong Seo made her debut in the 2018 film Burning as a rising actress who was difficult to define in just a few words. Lee Chang Dong, the director of Burning who discovered her, praised her as “an actress unlike any seen before in Korean cinema.” Jeon Jong Seo delivered a memorable performance with an enigmatic gaze and subtle movements. She went on to prove that her breakthrough in Burning was no coincidence with her next project, The Call. Her acting, with its subtle expressions and detailed control of her facial movements, proved that director Lee Chang Dong was right to recognize her talent.
Since then, Jeon Jong Seo’s career has been nothing short of groundbreaking. She expanded her range by flawlessly tackling the romantic comedy genre in the 2021 film Nothing Serious, which seemed an unexpected fit for her. In 2022, she surprised audiences once again with her Hollywood debut in Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon, further cementing her reputation as an extraordinary talent.
Park Ji Hyun (Born in 1994)
The film The Hidden Face has been making waves thanks to Park Ji Hyun’s bold nude performance. Not only did she handle intense bed scenes, but she also earned praise for her delicate portrayal of a character’s shifting emotions throughout the story.
Park Ji Hyun has charmed audiences with her graceful and confident presence in dramas like SBS’s Do You Like Brahms? and JTBC’s Reborn Rich. Notably, she left a strong impression on viewers as Mo Hyun Min, the daughter-in-law of the Sunyang Group, in the hit 2022 drama Reborn Rich. Her stable and compelling acting in the role solidified her place in the public eye.
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