Kdrama Child Actors: Trying Grown Up New Roles

Few kdramas are complete without a flashback that shows what happened when the lead characters were children, so there are lots of roles for talented child actors. And quite a few of those young actors successfully make the transition to larger roles when they become adults. Others take a break from acting and try new things. What's happening with your favorite kdrama child actors? Here are a few who are busy exploring new roles.

Fans have watched Lee Hyun Woo act since he was a nine-year-old in "Oolla Boolla Blue-jjang." By the time he was 16, he aced the role of the young Kim Yushin in "Queen Seon Duk" and when he was 19, he played the young Kim Soo in "Equator Man." He became a fan favorite that same year while playing Cha Eun Gyul, the charming soccer player in "To The Beautiful You."

Now he is on track to becoming a film star, as he is one of the three leads in the upcoming film, "Secretly Greatly." In this film, he plays Lee Hae Jin, a North Korean spy who disguises himself as a high school student. He's the youngest of three spies, with his fellow agents played by Park Ki Woong and Kim Soo Hyun.

Yeo Jin Goo, who in the last two years impressed viewers with his role as the crown prince in "Moon Embracing The Sun" and the young Han Jung Woo in "Missing You," is still in talks to appear in his first grown-up role in "Can't I Love?" The project has been temporarily postponed due to scheduling conflicts but there is no word as to when it will be revived or if there is another drama on his schedule.

His co-star in both those dramas, Kim So Hyun is trying something different. She began her career at age seven with a role in "Drama City." At 14, she already has five films and 24 dramas to her credit. But now she is trying her hand at being a host. Last month she signed on to be one of the new hosts of Music Core along with Noh Hong Chul and SHINee's Minho.

Yeo Jin Goo's other co-star in "The Moon Embracing The Sun" was Kim Yoo Jung, who played the young Heo Yeon Woo. The 14-year-old, who began her career at age seven in the drama "Thank You Life," is busy focusing on both print and runway modeling. She has a dozen films and more than a dozen dramas to her credit but no immediate plans for a new drama.

Lee Se Young who at 20 is already a veteran actress will appear in the new horror film, "Scary Story 2." Lee debuted when she was only five in the SBS drama "River Brothers." The winner of a KBS Child Actress Award for "Beijing My Love," has appeared in 15 dramas and five films. In "Scary Story 2" she will play an insurance agent who can hear ghosts.