K-drama fans may have noticed that many actors have the same family name. That may be due to the fact that five most common family names Kim, Lee, Park, Choi and Jung are used by half of the Korean population. And in a few cases, two actors may even have the same family and given name.
In any country, you are likely to meet someone with the same or a similar name to yours, but given the fact that half of Korea's population has one of five last names, those odds could be higher in Korea. While that's not usually a problem in most professions, name recognition is important when you are a celebrity.
A few k-drama actors decided to pursue acting only to discover that someone else had the same last name. That's what happened to Kim Woo Bin, whose birth name is Kim Hyun Joong. That name already belonged to SS501 singer and actor Kim Hyun Joong. So, he decided to avoid the confusion and changed his name.
Choi Jin Hyuk was born Kim Tae Ho but that's the name of the famous television director who created the variety show "Infinity Challenge." Kim Tae Ho the actor became Choi Jin Hyuk.
But occasionally a newbie actor discovers that he or she shares a name and decided not to change it. That's why there are two actresses named Jung Yu Mi. The Jung Yu Mi that was born on January 18, 1983 is the one that appeared in "Discovery of Love." The Jung Yu Mi that starred in "Maids" was born on February 23, 1984.
And how about Lee Min Ho? Most people know Lee Min Ho as the actor from "Boys Over Flowers," "The Heirs" and "Gangnam Blues." He was born in 1987. But there is another Lee Min Ho who was born in 1993. He played the young prince Yang Myung in "The Moon Embracing The Sun."
Neither Jung Yu Mi nor Lee Min Ho seriously considered changing their names.
And occasionally another celebrity does not have exactly the same name, but a name close enough to cause confusion.
Actor and singer Kim Bum's real name is Kim Sang Bum but there's also a Kim Ki Bum who's also a singer and actress. Kim Ki Bum, born in August of 1987 is a member of the band Super Junior and he's had a few drama roles in Korea and China. Kim Bum, who appeared in "Boys Over Flowers," The Woman Who Still Wants to Marry" and "Goddess of Fire: Jeonjii," was born on July 7, 1989. He released two solo singles.
Casting lists can be confusing. Fortunately, the solution is simple. Keep watching dramas. Once you've seen a drama starring any of these actors, it's easier to know which actor is which.
