9 Awesome K-Drama Stars Who Are 21 And Under
17-year-old actor Yeo Jin Goo has an extensive acting resume, which spans several prominent Korean dramas and movies. He currently stars as Jung Jae Min, a popular high school student with mommy issues, in "Orange Marmalade."
While the first three episodes of the KBS2 series heavily focused on his attraction to Baek Ma Ri (Seolhyun), episode 4 provided an in-depth exploration of his fractured personality. While most of the students at his school are unaware of his tragic past, Ma Ri and Han Si Hoo (Lee Jong Hyun) begin to see his darker, angst-ridden side.
Yeo Jin Goo brilliantly portrays the role, while exhibiting flawless chemistry with Seolhyun. In "Orange Marmalade," Seolhyun breaks out of the trappings of a K-pop idol, delivering a performance which excels past the expectations that viewers would have for a 20-year-old actress.
In addition to the "Orange Marmalade" stars, here are 7 other awesome actors and actresses who are 21 and under.
Please note that Korean ages were not used to compile this list.
1. Yeo Jin Goo
Yeo Jin Goo debuted as a child actor in the 2005 film, "Sad Movie." He received acclaim for his performance opposite Kim Yoo Jung and Kim So Hyun in the period drama, "Moon Embracing the Sun."
2. Seolhyun
Seolhyun debuted with AOA in 2012. She pursued solo acting activities with a supporting role in the 2012 series, "My Daughter Seo Young." Prior to her appearance in "Orange Marmalade," Seolhyun experienced increased attention for her portrayal of Kim Seon Hye, opposite Lee Min Ho, in the film noir "Gangnam 1970."
3. Kim Yoo Jung
15-year-old "Angry Mom" star Kim Yoo Jung is one of the most highly regarded child actresses in Korea. Her acting debut was in the 2004 film "DMZ." Kim Yoo Jung has an extensive resume, which exceeds most adult actors and an impressive emotional range.
4. Yook Sung Jae
5. Nam Joo Hyuk
6. Kim So Hyun
Kim So Hyun and her "Who Are You: School 2015" co-stars make up one of the most interesting acting teams of stars who are 21 and under.
Kim So Hyun is an impressive actress whose performance extends past that of a 15-year-old. She has been acting since she was 7 and was recently named as the female lead in the melodramatic film, "Pure Love."
20-year-old acting idol Yook Sung Jae is a member of BtoB, who recently impressed audiences with his performance on the variety show, "Masked Singer."
Nam Joo Hyuk is a 21-year-old model-turned-actor who captured the attention of K-Drama fans in "The Idle Mermaid" before starring in "Who Are You: School 2015."
7. Kim Sae Ron
Kim Sae Ron is a 14-year-old actress who rose to fame through strong performances in action films including "The Man from Nowhere." In 2014, she starred opposite INFINITE's Woo Hyun and Sung Yeol in the supernatural teen drama, "Hi! School Love On."
8. Nam Ji Hyun
19-year-old actress Nam Ji Hyun began her career as a child star in Korean dramas including "East of Eden." In 2014, she received attention from her strong performances in "Angel Eyes" and "What Happens to My Family."
9. Hyeri
Girl's Day member Hyeri appeared in her first supporting role in the 2012 series, "Tasty Life." The 20-year-old acting idol has been very busy with roles in the past year, including her portrayal of Lee Ye Hee in "Seonam Girls High School Detectives" and the role of fan girl Min Woo Jung in "Jekyll, Hyde and I." In addition to these roles, Hyeri was recently announced as a lead cast member in "Reply 1988."
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About the writer: Adrienne Stanley is a contributing writer for Kpopstarz, KDramastars, MTV Iggy and CJ Entertainment's KCON blog. Her passions include a love of K-pop and Asian drama. When she is not writing she is hanging out on Twitter (@retrogirladdy).
