Beauty Queens Turned K-Drama Stars: Honey Lee, Lee Bo Young, More [Updated 2023]
Apart from numerous K-pop idols who successfully transitioned to becoming TV stars, a slew of beauty queens like Honey Lee and Lee Bo Young tossed their crowns and sashes and tried like luck on the small screen.
Interestingly, apart from their achievements in pageantry, most of them made it big in the entertainment industry.
Here's a list of beauty queens turned K-drama actresses, and a glimpse of their current and upcoming movies and small screen projects!
Lee Bo Young
One of OG beauties, Lee Bo Young won Miss Korea Daejeon Chungnam in 2000. After this, she entered modeling and eventually saw an opportunity in acting.
Lee Bo Young debuted as an actress in 2003 and landed her first-ever K-drama in SBS' "Baeksutalchul."
After years in the industry, she managed to solidify her career and won multiple awards for her series "I Can Hear Your Voice" and "Whisper."
She appeared in the thriller mystery K-drama "Mine" with fellow beauty queen turned actress Kim Seo Hyung.
This 2023, she is slated to come back with the office K-drama "Agency."
Kim Seo Hyung
The "Mine" star was crowned Miss Gangwon in 1992 and soon found her way to Kdramaland.
Debuting in 1994, Kim Seo Hyung appeared in multiple KBS shows, followed by her first ever Kdrama appearance in "Breathless."
Interestingly, the 5'6 stunner joined the cast of "Lovers on Paris" where she played Ha Gi Joo's (Park Shin Yang) ex-wife, Baek Seung Kyung.
Honey Lee
The 2006 Miss Korea mesmerized fans with her angelic beauty. After bagging the crown, she was hailed as 3rd runner-up for Miss Universe 2007.
Honey Lee's claim to fame in showbiz is the 2016 Kdrama "Please Come Back, Mister," where she took the role of Song Yi Yeon, a famous actress and Cha Jae Gook's (Choi Won Young) ex-wife who was caught up in a scandal.
The beautiful actress married her non-celebrity beau in 2022, and gave birth to their firstborn in June.
Also, last year, she wrapped up her K-drama "One the Woman."
Go Hyun Jung
The 51-year-old beauty was hailed as Miss Korea's 1st runner-up in 1989.
Her success in the pageantry world has paved the way for her to try acting. Successfully, she landed a leading role in the 1995 series "Sunglass" together with award-winning actor Lee Jung Hae.
After the top-rated series, Go Hyun Jung went on a 10-year hiatus and returned for the romance drama "Spring Day."
She starred in the 2021 SBS series "Reflection of You" with "Hospital Playlist" actress Shin Hyun Bin.
Lee Da Hae
Capping off the list of beauty queens turned K-drama stars is Lee Da Hae.
Famous for her roles in "My Girl," "The Slave Hunters," and "Green Rose," she was crowned 71st Miss Chunhyang Pageant in 2001.
Her last K-drama was in 2018, titled "Nice Witch."
