Actors Byeon Woo Seok and IU have been officially named Korea’s top advertising models for 2025 — and this title didn’t come from just anyone. It was chosen by real advertising professionals who know the industry inside and out.
According to the Busan International Marketing Advertising Festival, Korea’s only global event focused on advertising and digital content, Byeon Woo Seok and IU received the highest number of votes in a special online poll.
The survey ran for two months starting in March and included votes only from active advertisers, marketers, and professionals in the field — not regular consumers. That’s why this recognition is seen as extra meaningful and trustworthy.
Byeon Woo Seok, who was named rookie model of the year just last year, showed incredible growth by landing the top spot this year.
Thanks to the huge success of his tvN drama Lovely Runner, he started the “Sun Jae craze” and quickly rose as a global star. With his honest and clean image, brands love working with him because he builds trust with the public.
IU continues to prove why she’s one of Korea’s most beloved stars. For the second year in a row, she was picked as the top female advertising model. Loved by fans of all ages, IU has been shining in both music and acting. Her Netflix drama When Life Gives You Tangerines was a major hit around the world, and her album Kkot Galpi 3 also topped music charts.
Now, the two stars are teaming up for the first time ever in the highly anticipated MBC drama 21st Century Prince’s Wife, which is set to air in early 2026. The story takes place in a fictional modern-day Korea with a constitutional monarchy.
IU plays Seong Hee Joo, a rich woman who’s frustrated because she wasn’t born into royalty, while Byeon Woo Seok plays Yi An Daegun, a noble-born prince who struggles because he has no real power or wealth. The drama promises a romantic and witty take on breaking down social class barriers.
With both of them ruling the ad world and the drama world, Byeon Woo Seok and IU are clearly the stars to watch in 2025.
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