My Favorite Korean Celebrities
*Not in any particular order
1. Gong Minzy
This woman is outstandingly talented. She is a decent rapper, has established herself to have amazing vocals, and need I even mention her dancing? Despite all that, she’s still a very humble person. Her abilities are extremely well-rounded, and I also love how she’s started participating in variety shows - they really allow her to show off her own personality and aptitude.
2. Song Ji Hyo
Ji Hyo is one untamable woman, and I love that. She’s easygoing and carefree, but her ire can intimidate anyone. Even the guys who work alongside her in the variety show Running Man can be cowed when she really gets serious. In addition, she’s very multi-talented - she has a wide acting range, but she’s also enough of a badass to be labeled the “Ace” of the cast members ofRunning Man - and that is no easy feat.
4. Lee Yoo Ri
Lee Yoo Ri is an amazing actress who also has a wide range. She took South Korea by storm in 2014 with her role as Yeon Min Jung, a ruthless and selfish woman who will let no one stand in her way of obtaining her goals. However, she was also fantastic in the drama Father Is Strange in 2017, where she plays a fiery lawyer. Despite playing these tough-as-nails characters, Lee Yoo Ri is generally very polite, playful, and optimistic - but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have her own tenacity. Suffice to say that during her appearance in Running Man, she pushed the Tiger himself off the designated platform and into the mud, literally.
4. Seo Woo
Yet another actress on this list, and one that is exceptional at captivating the audience with her portrayal of antagonistic roles. Her acting in the film The Housemaid had me quaking in my boots - there was this scary intensity in her eyes, and her voice was eerily soft and sweet in the most venomous way posible. In reality, though, Seo Woo is rather courteous and well-mannered, and it makes her acting all the more incredible.
5. Kim Jong Kook
Ah, The Commander, Mr. Capable, The Tiger, Spartakook, Kook-minator - the list of nicknames goes on and on. Although on Running Man, Kim Jong Kook seems temperamental and appears to be a pro at nagging pretty much everyone else, it’s obvious that he really does care a lot about his fellow cast members. They’re all practically family, after all. He’s also quite the gentleman, and his singing is wonderful - it always makes me melt.
6. Cha Seung Won
Cha Seung Won is an outstanding actor. His range is nothing short of staggering, and as someone who has watched many of his works, I can safely say that he is masterful at any and all of his portrayals. Be it a pretentious and arrogant but somehow lovable top actor, an outwardly harsh cop who is haunted by his perceived role in his son’s death, a frighteningly badass detective who struggles against his inner femininity, or an extremely powerful millennia-old demon who has dedicated a thousand years to saving the love of his life, Cha Seung Won acts out each character with skill, style, and charm. Although he’s extremely well-known and well respected in Korea, he remains kind, down-to-earth, and reliable.
7. Lee Dong Wook
From what I’ve seen of Lee Dong Wook, he is many things - a self-aware, easygoing person, a talented actor, and a good friend. He can go from portraying a widowed doctor who fights against the corrupt bureaucracy of ancient Korea for the sake of his beloved daughter, to an adorably clingy boyfriend, to a centuries-old Grim Reaper who lost his love hundreds of years ago. Not to mention, he was absolutely hilarious during his appearances on Running Man, during which he erupted into a play fight with his close friend, Song Ji Hyo, gave her a piggyback ride, and temporarily lost all ability to function at the prospect of bungee-jumping off the tower in Macau (Ji Hyo had to lightly slap him to get him to gather his wits).
8. Yoo Jae Suk
A natural leader with enough talent to be labeled “The Nation’s MC”, there is nothing that can’t be loved when it comes to Yoo Jae Suk. He’s fit, snarky, clever, and absolutely hilarious. In addition, it’s easy to see how much he cares about the numerous people that he works with, regardless of how many verbal battles occur between himself and his cast mates. Besides that, he just puts people at ease with his easygoing, humorous charm.