K-POP Idols Expanding into Acting – 13 Artists Achieving Success in Films and Dramas

K-POP idols are actively transitioning from music careers to film and drama projects. What was once a rare phenomenon, known as “idol actors,” has now become a standard trend, with 13 K-POP idols delivering successful performances in acting. TWICE’s Dahyun recently made her acting debut in the film “You Are My Apple Tree.” This movie is a remake of a Taiwanese youth romance film, in which Dahyun plays a diligent class president who develops emotional connections with a troublemaker student. Despite being only 26 years old and a rapper as well as singer-songwriter, Dahyun received positive reviews for her first acting role and won the Rising Star award at the 2024 Asia Star Awards. She also has upcoming roles in the sports drama “Sprint” and the drama “Love Me.” BLACKPINK’s Jisoo, following her appearance in the drama “Snowdrop,” is continuing to act in various projects such as “New Utopia” and “Monthly Boyfriend,” demonstrating her ability to move seamlessly between films and dramas. While serving as the main vocalist and handling songwriting, she simultaneously pursues acting careers. The number of former K-POP idols who are now actors has increased significantly compared to the past. Among girl groups, Girls’ Generation’s YoonA, Apink’s JungEunJi, miss A’s Suzy, and Girl’s Day’s Hyeri are all continuing their acting careers, while among boy groups, 2PM’s Lee JunHo and Ok TaecYeon, BTOB’s YuSeongJae, and EXO’s Do KyungSoo are active in acting. Yoon Kyesang of god is cited as a successful example of an artist who excels across both films and dramas. Particularly noteworthy is the emergence of “hybrid artists” like IU and Jisoo. These artists are leading a new trend by pursuing acting while continuing their music activities. IU, as a singer-songwriter, recently rose to global stardom through the Netflix drama “Squished,” which is regarded as her “career-defining work” since “My Mister.” It is reported that she expanded her acting range by successfully portraying the emotions of a mother who has lost her child. While in the past, idol actors tended to give up music to focus solely on acting, recent trends show an increase in artists who balance both music and acting. This reflects the evolution from idols centered around entertainment companies to “independent idols” who build their own artistic identities. Experts predict that the ability to敏锐ly identify and respond to what the public and fans desire will determine the success of idols in the future.