Many K-drama actresses started off with minor roles but became female leads.

In K-drama, several actresses began with a lead part. Not always; some had to start from the bottom. Below are 8 Korean actresses who had big breaks and currently play leading roles:

Han So Hee

Han So Hee made her acting debut 6 years ago and gained popularity after playing the female villain in "The World Of The Married". She landed her first main part in 2021 with "Nevertheless." Since then, all Koreans have heard of the actress.

Han So Hee compares to Song Hye Kyo, Kim Tae Hee, Son Ye Jin, Jun Ji Hyun, and Han Ga In.

Han So Hee's images were out of this world, and she never feared trying new roles. She's played the female lead in "Nevertheless," "My Name," and "Soundtrack #1," but they're all different.

Han So Hee is being likened to Song Hye Kyo, Kim Tae Hee, Son Ye Jin, Jun Ji Hyun, and Han Ga In, among others.

Kim Ji Won

Kim Ji Won never hesitated to test herself, starring in commercial K-dramas like "The Heirs" and "Descendants of the Sun" but also performing well in philosophical series and challenging roles.

Kim Ji Won's abilities were recognized, even if not all her ventures were successful.

Her newest K-drama, "My Liberation Notes", won over audiences and established Kim Ji Won's acting career. 

Lee Sung Kyung

Lee Sung Kyung shined in minor roles throughout her career. Lee Sung Kyung gained to fame with roles in "Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo", "Dr. Romantic 2," "Doctors," and "Cheese in the Trap."

The actress is struggling, though.

Lee Sung Kyung's recent work "Shooting Stars" received mixed reviews and poor ratings.

Shin Hye Sun

Shin Hye Sun, who isn't usually gorgeous in Korea, rose slowly to fame.

She played minor and second-lead parts before landing a lead.

Shin Hye Sun became a household celebrity in Korea with her appearance in "My Golden Life."

Shin Hye Sun's celebrity skyrocketed after "Mr. Queen"

Shin Hye Sun's varied, humorous, and "shameless" acting wowed foreign audiences in "Mr. Queen." 

Moon Ga Young

Moon Ga Young has years of acting expertise and an extremely seductive appearance, yet she struggled in K-drama.

The actress originally played female leads, then second leads in "Tempted" and "Don't Dare To Dream," before bursting with "True Beauty."

After "True Beauty," the actress became famous.

Moon Ga Young is finally receiving her due. Her series "Link" with Yeo Jin Goo is promising.

Seo Ji Hye

Seo Ji Hye, one of the most beautiful Korean actresses born in the 1980s, primarily played second leads and small roles.

Seo Ji Hye eventually gained popularity in 2019 with "Crash Landing On You."

After "Crash Landing On You," the actress gained notoriety.

In 2020, Seo Ji Hye starred in "Dinner Mate" with Song Seung Hun.

She also starred in the new Disney+ drama "Kiss Sixth Sense." Neither series became viral.

Lee Da Hee

Lee Da Hee, a fashion model, gave series like "I Hear Your Voice", "Secret Love", and "Search: WWW" an unequaled aura.

Lee Da Hee finally became the female lead of "LUCA: The Beginning" in 2019, but failed.

She will soon star with Kim Nam Gil and Cha Eun Woo in the Netflix series "Island," which has huge popularity potential. 

Kang Han Na

Kang Han Na has appeared in "Moon Lovers," "Start Up," and "My Roommate Is a Gumiho." Her imagery and acting impressed onlookers.

Kang Han Na finally landed a main role in "Bloody Heart" after years of portraying lesser characters, which might be her breakthrough.

Kang Han Na will hopefully get more prominent roles after this historical K-drama.

Source[1]

The hit drama Weak Hero 2 is taking over both streaming charts and fans’ hearts—and now it’s bringing massive attention back to the original Naver webtoon Weak Hero.

According to Netflix's Tudum Top 10 update on April 30, Weak Hero 2 pulled in a huge 6.1 million views (based on total watch time divided by full runtime) just three days after its release. It grabbed the #1 spot on the Global TOP 10 Non-English TV Series chart.

That’s not all—right after it dropped, the drama soared to the top of Korea’s TOP 10 Series and even made the TOP 10 charts in 63 countries, including Brazil, France, Mexico, Belgium, Morocco, Greece, Indonesia, and more.

This follows the success of Weak Hero 1, which previously ranked #8 and stayed on the global chart for five weeks straight.

With all eyes on the new season, fans are now rushing to read the original webtoon, leading to a massive jump in popularity.

The webtoon, which first started in May 2018 and wrapped up in November 2023, is famous for its intense storytelling and emotional depth.

It tells the story of Yeon Si Eun, a quiet and seemingly weak student who turns into a top fighter at a violent school—giving fans a unique and gripping coming-of-age story.

After Weak Hero Class 2 aired, many viewers started reading or re-reading the webtoon from beginning to end. As a result, sales of the webtoon have shot up more than 20 times compared to its average monthly sales after completion.

The series has also been turned into printed books, a mobile game, and even emojis, and has been exported to 9 countries, including North America.

When the first season of the drama premiered on Wavve in 2022, it held 45% of the platform’s total viewing share, proving its wide appeal.

Fans are now hoping for a new sequel season of the webtoon, and the franchise is being praised as a perfect example of how a strong original story can keep growing through great adaptations.

Source: [1]