1. Eunjung of T-ara
With a handful of minor/child roles in dramas and movies under her belt prior to debuting as T-ara, Eunjung is definitely one of the most experienced of the young idol-turned-actresses in recent years. She starred in
Coffee House alongside Kang Ji Hwan and Park Shi Yeon, and although the drama itself didn’t fare that well in ratings, it proved to be a valuable learning experience for Eunjung. Her role in
Dream High as the conflicted and ambitious Yoon Baek Hee won her much praise, and she went on to star in a few more movies this year.
Photo Credit: KBS/Dream High
2. Ga In of Brown Eyed Girls
When it was first announced that Ga In and her mock-husband Jo Kwon would play twins in the sitcom
All My Love, we scratched our heads wondering how the so-cool, so-chic member of Brown Eyed Girls would fare in a sitcom filled with embarrassing scenes of hilarity. Our worries flew out the window once we were presented with the insecure but proud, whiny but big-hearted character of Hwang Keumji, who Ga In pulled off flawlessly during the 135 episodes she was in before leaving the show. Not to mention her bare-faced acting debut in the 2010 tearjerker movie,
My Love By My Side, as a former athlete who resides in the same hospital as the main character played by Kim Myung Min.
Photo Credit: My Love By My Side, MBC
3. Jiyeon of T-ara
This versatile idol-turned-actress has proven her acting skills time and time again, from starring in
God of Study as a bubbly lovestruck high schooler to the cold, intense character of Yul in
Jungle Fish 2. Jiyeon has also done her fair share of work in movies, from voicing Juliet in the Korean release of
Gnomeo and Juliet to playing the terror-stricken high school student in horror movies like
Death Bell 2.
Photo Credit: KBS, MBC/Miss Ripley
4. Suzy of miss A
miss A’s maknae made her acting debut with the lead role in the JYP-Bae Yong Joon musical drama project,
Dream High. With her character Hyemi’s transformation from cold to warm, Suzy also showed great improvement in her acting with each episode, definitely contributing to the drama’s overall success.
Photo Credit: KBS/Dream High
5. Yoona of Girls’ Generation
After starring in dramas like 2007′s
You Are My Destiny and 2009′s
Cinderella Man, Yoona will be making her return to television screens as the heroine of
Love Rides The Rain alongside heartthrob actor Jang Geun Seok. The drama, which focuses on a couple who meet in college during the 1970s, is set to air in early 2012!
Photo Credit: iMBC
6. Krystal of f(x)
After landing a small role as a recurring character on the MBC sitcom,
More Charming By the Day, Krystal nabbed the role as the bratty teenage daughter in the third season of the ever-popular
High Kick series, alongside an all-star cast including Yoon Kye Sang, Lee Jong Suk, Ahn Nae Sang, Seo Jisuk, Baek Jinhee and more.
Photo Credit: MBC via Nate
7. UEE of After School
This busy actress recently starred in two different dramas that aired together. In
Birdie Buddy, UEE plays a simple average girl who dreams of becoming a pro golfer, while her character in
Ojakyo Brothers is the exact opposite — a rich girl from an elite family who lives a luxurious lifestyle. Because the two dramas aired together, viewers were able to compare and get a feel for the different dimensions of UEE’s acting abilities.
Photo Credit: tvN, KBS
8. Jihyun of 4Minute
4Minute’s leader debuted in
It’s Okay Daddy’s Daughter as a minor character who crushes on the main character, played by hottie Choi Jin Hyuk, who is also her older brother’s best friend. She has currently revived a similar character (cute, spunky, sometimes a little bratty) for the drama
A Thousand Kisses, which stars Ji Hyun Woo, Seo Young Hee, Ryu Jin, and Kim So Eun.
Photo Credit: iMBC via Daum
9. Min of miss A
This one might come as a surpris e to the non-K-movie buffs, but Min recently landed a role as Cannes award winner Jeon Do Yeon’s estranged and rebellious teenage daughter in the thriller action flick,
Countdown. Contrary to the charismatic Min we see onstage or the dorky kkap Min we see on variety shows, this idol-turned actress plays a troubled young teenager, and she received many praises from the cast and crew for her hard work and potential.
Photo Credit: Nate News, Movieweek
10. Lizzy of After School
After School’s Lizzy was originally supposed to be a one-time cameo as BEAST’s Doojoon’s pen pal from Busan in the sitcom
All My Love. The response to her cameo was overwhelmingly positive, and she eventually returned to become a regular cast member, throwing around her trademark “Aing~” and using her Busan satoori (dialect) to steal the hearts of viewers (and 2AM’s Jo Kwon)!
Photo Credit: iMBC, Nate.
