Cover Who are the best K-drama actors of 2024? Experts weigh in (Photo: IMDb)
Who are the best K-drama actors of 2024? Experts weigh in (Photo: IMDb)
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12 outstanding K-drama stars have been deemed ‘best actors of 2024’—is your favourite on this list?
In recent years, K-dramas have grown by leaps and bounds in popularity in Asia and the rest of the world. Some would even argue that this growing popularity has pushed the industry to reinvent itself—by touching on social issues, allocating bigger budgets to enhance the shows’ aesthetics, and more. This year, in particular, several shows and actors have shone thanks to imaginative plots—such as Gyeongseong Creature Season 2, Queen of Tears, Gangnam B-Side and more.
Some 200 Korean entertainment industry insiders were recently invited by the Korean media Joynews24 to vote for their favourite actors of the year. Movie producers, entertainment reporters, consultants and TV station representatives selected 12 outstanding actors and the unforgettable roles they played this year. Read on to see if your favourite made it to the list.
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6th place: Choi Min-sik, Ji Sung, Chun Woo-hee, Sul Kyung-gu, Shin Min-a, Kim Hye-yoon
Above Chun Woo-hee (Photo: Instagram / @thousand_wooo)
Above Shin Min-a (Photo: Instagram / @illusomina)
Chun Woo-hee (Photo: Instagram / @thousand_wooo)
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Receiving three votes each from jury members, six actors placed sixth place in this year’s best actors in the Korean Dramas competition.
The selection includes Choi Min-sik, a veteran of the K-entertainment industry who challenged the thriller genre this year with his role in Exhuma. Ji Sung was on the list as well, thanks to his acting chops in Connection. Chun Woo-Hee also received three votes for her refreshing performance in The 8 Show.
Kim Hye-yoon captured the hearts of the audience with her role in Lovely Runner. Sul Kyung-gu, who recently won the Blue Dragon Film Award for Best Actor, was also part of the list for his role in The Whirlwind. Finally, Shin Min-a’s character in No Gain No Love was also appreciated by the jury.
5th place: Song Kang-ho, Park Shin-hye
Above “Parasite” actor Song Kang-ho (Photo: Instagram / @song.kang.ho)
Above Park Shin-hye (Photo: Instagram / @ssinz7)
“Parasite” actor Song Kang-ho (Photo: Instagram / @song.kang.ho)
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With seven votes each, Parasite actor Song Kang-ho and Park Shin-hye battled for the fifth place.
This year, for the first time in his career, actor Song Kang-hao took part in a K-drama series, Uncle Samsik, which depicted the March 1960 South Korean presidential election, also known as the Match 15 Election Fraud.
On the other hand, former child star Park Shin-hye came back from a hiatus this year with a groundbreaking villainous role in The Judge from Hell. She was previously known for You’re Beautiful, The Heirs, Pinocchio and The Doctors.
4th place: Kim Ji-won
Above “Queen of Tears” actor Kim Ji-won (Photo: Instagram / @geewonii)
“Queen of Tears” actor Kim Ji-won (Photo: Instagram / @geewonii)
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It’s not surprising that Queen of Tears’ actor Kim Ji-won earned a spot on this list. The K-drama was among the most popular in 2024, and it’s mostly due to Kim and her co-star Kim Soo-hyun’s skills and on-screen chemistry. She’s also known for her performances in The Heirs, Descendants of the Sun and Fight for My Way, among others.
3rd place: Kim Soo-hyun
Above “Queen of Tears” actor Kim Soo-hyun (Photo: Instagram / @soohyun_k216)
“Queen of Tears” actor Kim Soo-hyun (Photo: Instagram / @soohyun_k216)
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Kim Ji-won’s co-star in Queen of Tears, Kim Soo-hyun, earned the third spot on the list, with 34 votes. The actor previously stunned audiences with his performances in the highly popular Crash Landing on You (2019-2020), One Ordinary Day (2021) and It’s Okay to Not Be Okay (2020). But his portrayal of Baek Hyun-woo in Queen of Tears has catapulted him to a new level of fame.
2nd place: Jang Na-ra
Above Jang Na-ra (Photo: Instagram / @jangnara)
Jang Na-ra (Photo: Instagram / @jangnara)
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Jang Na-ra earned second place on this list with 36 votes. This year has been a busy one for the actor and singer, whose roles in Good Partner and My Happy Ending have kept the audiences captivated these past few months. She was previously known for her roles in The Last Emperess (2018-2019), Confession Couple (2017), Sell Your Haunted House (2021) and for her solo musical career.
1st place: Byeon Woo-seok
Above Byeon Woo-seok (Photo: Instagram / @byeonwooseok)
Byeon Woo-seok (Photo: Instagram / @byeonwooseok)
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Actor and model Byeon Woo-seok earned the first spot on the list, with 56 votes from the jury. This year, he shone through his interpretation of Ryu Sun-jae in Lovely Runner, a K-drama touching on fantasy, love and romance. The K-drama is based on a web novel titled Tomorrow’s Best, which was also serialised as a webtoon by illustrator Doong Doong.
While he started with supporting roles, like when he played IU’s ex-boyfriend in Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (2016), the actor gained more recognition over the years, including for his villain role in the K-drama Strong Girl Nam-soon (2023). His performances in Record of Youth (2020) and 20th Century Girl (2022) received praise and accolades as well.
This article was originally written in Chinese by Zoe Zw Hsu.
Salomé Grouard was Digital Editor and Front & Female Content Lead at Tatler Hong Kong. Primarily focused on managing Tatler Hong Kong’s digital platform and content, she also covers gender equality, the music scene and sports through interviews with industry leaders, experts and trendsetters.
Interview highlights include renowned conservationist Dr Jane Goodall, Korean actor Park Seo Jun, singer Jorja Smith, Chinese TV host Yue-Sai Kan, YouTuber Kimono Mom, Japanese rapper Awich, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighter Mikey Musumeci.
She has also produced stories on revolutionising sexual wellness in Asia, activism within the surfing community, Asian trans musicians reclaiming their narratives through music and looked at the toxicity of gym culture through the lens of the plus-size community. She also covers music festivals, such as Hong Kong’s Clockenflap and Bali’s Suara.
