Wonder Girls' Park Ye Eun is the latest in a long line of idol girls to make the transition to kdrama actress. Given the success of previous kpop/kdrama stars she will probably not be the last.
Park Ye Eun's first drama role will be the resourceful, cheerful Bong Soon, in the tvN drama, "Basketball." In this drama, she works as a maid for a Japanese family during the colonization era.
Also known as Yenny, Park Ye Eun had a cameo in "Dream High" but this will be her first lead role in a kdrama.
She has plenty of successful examples of kpop/kdrama transition to inspire her.
Girls Generation's Im Yoona has now appeared in six dramas and won praise for her role as the gentle gardening student in "Love Rain." Singer IU, Tara's Ham Eun Jung and Miss A's Suzy Bae did a great job of playing performing arts students in the drama "Dream High." A Pink's main vocalist Jung Eun Ji appeared in "Reply 1997" and as the quirky Moon Hee Sun in "That Winter, The Wind Blows."
Eugene appears in the successful drama, "One Hundred Year's Inheritance." Kim Yu Jin, also known as UEE, was a member of the girl group After School before getting good reviews in "Queen Seonduk" and appearing in "You're Beautiful."
The current season of drama hits features quite a few successful female kpop stars. Suzy is earning top ratings for her portrayal of Dam Yeo Wool, Lee Seung Gi's comrade and love interest in "Gu Family Book." IU has earned good reviews for her performance in "You're the Best Lee Soon Shin."
Kara's Han Seung Yeon plays the role of Maid Choi in the drama "Jang Ok Jung" and Kara's Park Gyuri plays the lead role of a girl pretending to be a boy so she can work in "Nail Shop Paris."
Although Park Ye Eun admitted to being nervous about her career shift and her upcoming role in "Basketball," she actually has more experience than many singers who make the transition to acting. She has studied acting since 2009 and has appeared in two American films, "The Wonder Girls' and "The Last Godfather," as well as appearing in Korean musicals.
The new drama, "Basketball" will show how people used the sport to survive the hardships they faced during colonization period. The drama is partly based on a true story about how Korea entered a basketball team in the 1948 Olympics before the country was divided in two. It will air in September.
