Having kpop idols appear in kdramas and films is a successful formula for adding fans to the viewing audience. Every new wave of Hallyu dramas and films is bound to have a rookie or a veteran actor who is already well known to kpop lovers.
This season is no exception. Fans are loving miss A's Suzy in "Gu Family Book" and recently ZE:A's Park Hyung Sik gave an impressive first performance in "Nine: Nine Time Travels." Eugene's presence helps raise viewer ratings in the drama, "One Hundred Years' Inheritance" and Park Kyuri of Kara appears in the new comedy, "Nail Shop Paris."
For the most part singers-turned-actors do a great job. Fun performances by idols turned actors include 2PM's Taecyeon in "Dream High," Infinite's Hoya in "Dream High," Girls Generation's Yoona in "Love Rain," JYJ's Kim Jae Joong in "Protect the Boss," BigBang's TOP in "Iris" and 2PM's Chansung in "Level 7 Civil Servant."
A few of these idols go on to become respected actors. Perhaps the best example is JYJ's Park Yoo Chun who won awards for his performances in "Miss Ripley, "Sungkyunkwan Scandal" and "Missing You."
The coming months will feature a new round of kpop stars appearing in films and dramas. Girls Generation's Yuri was recently cast in the first Korean swimming-themed film, "No Breathing." Yuri will play Jung Eun," a girl who dreams of becoming a musician. One of her love interests in the film will be another popular singer-turned actor, winner of Superstar K talent show, Seo In Guk.
Beast singer Yong Jun Hyung is very excited about his new drama, Monstar, which starts this week. He never acted before but his musical background does help prepare him for the role and he is eager to portray the bad-tempered kpop idol Yoon Sul Chan. In the drama, Yoon Sul Chan's troublemaking ways get him kicked out of his group and sent to high school, where he joins the school band.
Singer Goo Hara of the pop group Kara is no kdrama rookie. She portrayed the president's daughter in the drama, "City Hunter" and appeared in a Japanese drama "Urikara."
She has signed on to appear in the next drama by Kim Kyu Tae, the director of "That Winter The Wind Blows." In the drama, Goo Hara will play a college student with cancer who spends her days crossing things off the bucket list of things she hopes to accomplish before she dies. In the end she finds romance. That short drama is expected to air in September.
