Having an actor for a mother or father does not necessarily mean you will follow in their footsteps. While talent does run in families, becoming a successful actor also requires an interest in acting, liking the spotlight and having the drive to succeed. And if your mother or father is successful as an actor, it can be intimidating. A rookie actor may find it hard to live up to an acting parent's reputation.
A few successful k-drama actors survived having successful actors as parents. While they may have found the connection helps an actor to land a first role, these actors had enough talent to succeed on their own.
Singer-actress Jang Nara is one of the actors who learned the craft from a parent. Her father Ju Ho Sang was a theater and film actor as well as a producer. She first appeared in a play with her father when she was an elementary school student. That play was "Les Miserables." They were later cast together in a Chinese drama. He has appeared in at least eight films and she currently stars in "Mr. Baek."
Jang Nara's older brother Jang Sung Won also acted in a few films and dramas.
Ha Jung Woo, who appeared in the films "The Berlin File," "The Terror Live" and "Fasten Your Seatbelt," is the son of veteran actor Kim Yong Gun. Kim has been acting since 1969 and can still be seen in dramas and films. Kim played the head of the music school in "A Secret Love Affair" and also had a role in "Doctor Stranger."
Choi Min Soo, who currently plays the corrupt prosecutor Moon Hee Man in "Pride and Prejudice," was born into a famous Korean acting family.
He is the son of actor Choi Moo Ryong and actress Kang Hyo Shil. His grandfather Kang Hong Shik was an actor and a director. His grandmother Jeon Ok was an actress, known as the "Queen of Tears." And he has an aunt who is a famous actress in North Korea.
Choi Min Soo has appeared in dozens of films and dramas, with his most recent drama roles being in "Faith: The Great Doctor" and "The Blade and the Petal."
Uhm Tae Woong, currently playing the husband in "Valid Love" did not have parents who are actors, but he did have an older sister to set an example. His sister Uhm Jung Hwa was recently seen in the drama "Witch's Romance."
