Actors from South Korea

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary South Korean Actors of all time. This list of famous South Korean Actors is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography's online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of South Korean Actors.

1. #1

   

   Lee Byung-hun

   b. 1970

   HPI 68.1541 languages

   Actor Lee Byung-hun is most famous for his intense performances in acclaimed South Korean films like Joint Security Area, A Bittersweet Life, and I Saw the Devil, as well as his Hollywood roles in blockbusters such as the G.I. Joe series, Terminator Genisys, and The Magnificent Seven, while gaining massive global...Read moreShow less

   Actor Lee Byung-hun is most famous for his intense performances in acclaimed South Korean films like Joint Security Area, A Bittersweet Life, and I Saw the Devil, as well as his Hollywood roles in blockbusters such as the G.I. Joe series, Terminator Genisys, and The Magnificent Seven, while gaining massive global recognition as the enigmatic Front Man in Netflix's hit series Squid Game. Something surprising about him is that he never intended to become an actor and only auditioned on a whim after a friend of his mother suggested it as a joke, yet he went on to become a pioneering Korean star in Hollywood and the first to present an award at the Academy Awards.

2. #2

   

   Lee Jung-jae

   b. 1972

   HPI 67.0343 languages

   Actor Lee Jung-jae is most famous for his iconic role as the desperate gambler Seong Gi-hun (Player 456) in Netflix's global phenomenon Squid Game, which made him the first Korean actor to win a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series and earned him nominations at major awards like the Golden...Read moreShow less

   Actor Lee Jung-jae is most famous for his iconic role as the desperate gambler Seong Gi-hun (Player 456) in Netflix's global phenomenon Squid Game, which made him the first Korean actor to win a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series and earned him nominations at major awards like the Golden Globes, while he has also built a stellar career in Korean cinema with standout performances in films like Il Mare, New World, The Thieves, and Assassination, and ventured into Hollywood with a role as a Jedi Master in the Star Wars series The Acolyte. Something surprising about him is that he never planned to become an actor at all—he was working part-time at a café and aiming for a career in interior design when he was discovered by a designer, leading to modeling gigs and eventually his unexpected rise to stardom.

3. #3

   

   Ma Dong-seok

   b. 1971

   HPI 66.6735 languages

   Actor Ma Dong-seok, also known internationally as Don Lee, is most famous for his breakout role as the tough yet compassionate husband Sang-hwa in the global hit zombie thriller Train to Busan (2016), which propelled him to international stardom, followed by his iconic portrayal of the no-nonsense detective Ma Seok-do...Read moreShow less

   Actor Ma Dong-seok, also known internationally as Don Lee, is most famous for his breakout role as the tough yet compassionate husband Sang-hwa in the global hit zombie thriller Train to Busan (2016), which propelled him to international stardom, followed by his iconic portrayal of the no-nonsense detective Ma Seok-do in the massively successful The Outlaws (2017) and its sequels in The Roundup series, establishing him as one of Korea's top action stars and most bankable leading men in films like The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil (2019), while crossing over to Hollywood as the powerful Eternal Gilgamesh in Marvel's Eternals (2021). Something surprising about him is that before entering acting, he worked as a personal trainer in the United States, where he trained renowned MMA fighters like Mark Coleman and Kevin Randleman, and he was also once an arm-wrestling champion.

4. #4

   

   Lee Min-ho

   b. 1987

   HPI 66.1976 languages

   Actor Lee Min-ho is most famous for his breakout and iconic role as the arrogant yet charismatic chaebol heir Gu Jun-pyo in the massively popular K-drama Boys Over Flowers (2009), which launched the second wave of the Korean Wave (Hallyu) globally and earned him the Baeksang Arts Award for Best New Actor, followed by...Read moreShow less

   Actor Lee Min-ho is most famous for his breakout and iconic role as the arrogant yet charismatic chaebol heir Gu Jun-pyo in the massively popular K-drama Boys Over Flowers (2009), which launched the second wave of the Korean Wave (Hallyu) globally and earned him the Baeksang Arts Award for Best New Actor, followed by leading roles in hit series like City Hunter (2011), The Heirs (2013), The Legend of the Blue Sea (2016), The King: Eternal Monarch (2020), and his critically acclaimed performance in the Apple TV+ multilingual series Pachinko (2022–present), cementing his status as one of the world's most beloved and consistently top-ranked Korean actors. He has also starred in films such as the action thriller Gangnam Blues (2015) and is set for upcoming projects including the thriller film Assassins and potential dramas like Scent of the Night. Something surprising about him is that he survived not one but two serious car accidents—first in 2006, which left him in a coma for a month and required a year of hospitalization with a metal plate in his thigh, and another in 2011 on the set of City Hunter—yet he persevered to become a global superstar.

5. #5

   

   Kim Hye-ja

   b. 1941

   HPI 66.1018 languages

   Actor Kim Hye-ja is most famous for her iconic portrayal of the archetypal, self-sacrificing Korean mother in long-running television series like Country Diaries (1980–2002), which made her a beloved household name over decades, as well as in dramas such as What Is Love? (1991), Mom's Dead Upset (2008), The Light in...Read moreShow less

   Actor Kim Hye-ja is most famous for her iconic portrayal of the archetypal, self-sacrificing Korean mother in long-running television series like Country Diaries (1980–2002), which made her a beloved household name over decades, as well as in dramas such as What Is Love? (1991), Mom's Dead Upset (2008), The Light in Your Eyes (2019), Our Blues (2022), and the recent Heavenly Ever After (2025), while earning international acclaim for her powerful, intense lead performance as a fiercely protective mother in Bong Joon-ho's acclaimed noir thriller film Mother (2009), which won her numerous Best Actress awards. She is widely regarded as the "nation's mother" in South Korea for her wholesome, enduring image that also led to nearly 30 years of product endorsements. Something surprising about her is that she is a dedicated humanitarian who has been actively involved in charity work for decades, including as a World Vision ambassador, starting with relief efforts in Ethiopia around 20 years ago, and she dropped out of Ewha Womans University (where she studied art) to pursue acting despite beginning her career later at age 29.

6. #6

   

   Song Joong-ki

   b. 1985

   HPI 65.8868 languages

   Actor Song Joong-ki is most famous for his breakout role as the charming playboy Gu Yong-ha in the historical drama Sungkyunkwan Scandal (2010), which launched him to stardom, followed by massive global success as the heroic special forces captain Yoo Si-jin in the blockbuster military romance Descendants of the Sun...Read moreShow less

   Actor Song Joong-ki is most famous for his breakout role as the charming playboy Gu Yong-ha in the historical drama Sungkyunkwan Scandal (2010), which launched him to stardom, followed by massive global success as the heroic special forces captain Yoo Si-jin in the blockbuster military romance Descendants of the Sun (2016)—earning him the Daesang (Grand Prize) at major awards and creating the "Song Joong-ki Syndrome"—alongside acclaimed performances in films like the emotional fantasy A Werewolf Boy (2012), the mafia action series Vincenzo (2021), the revenge drama Reborn Rich (2022), and more recent projects such as My Youth (2025) and upcoming rom-com Love Cloud. He has also gained praise for his versatility in Netflix films like Space Sweepers (2021) and My Name Is Loh Kiwan (2024). Something surprising about him is that before acting, he was a competitive short-track speed skater for 12 years, representing his hometown Daejeon at national levels and winning awards, but an injury forced him to quit and shift focus to academics, where he excelled as a straight-A student and even placed second in a national TV quiz show before being scouted into entertainment.

7. #7

   

   Song Hye-rim

   1937 - 2002

   HPI 65.7418 languages

   Song Hye-rim was the consort of King Taejo of Goryeo and the mother of King Songjong of Goryeo. She is famous for her beauty and her intelligence.

8. #8

   

   Kim Young-ok

   b. 1937

   HPI 64.6915 languages

   Kim Young-ok is most famous for her prolific career as a South Korean actress, appearing in over 200 films and TV dramas since the 1950s, often in memorable supporting roles. A surprising lesser-known fact is that she began acting at the age of 16 during the Korean War, showcasing remarkable resilience in a turbulent...Read moreShow less

   Kim Young-ok is most famous for her prolific career as a South Korean actress, appearing in over 200 films and TV dramas since the 1950s, often in memorable supporting roles. A surprising lesser-known fact is that she began acting at the age of 16 during the Korean War, showcasing remarkable resilience in a turbulent era. Her lasting legacy includes inspiring generations of performers and receiving prestigious awards, solidifying her as a pioneering figure in Korean entertainment.

9. #9

   

   Gong Yoo

   b. 1979

   HPI 64.2045 languages

   Actor Gong Yoo is most famous for his charismatic breakout role as the eccentric coffee shop heir Choi Han-kyul in the iconic romantic comedy drama Coffee Prince (2007), which skyrocketed his popularity across Asia, followed by his legendary portrayal of the immortal goblin Kim Shin in the fantasy hit Guardian: The...Read moreShow less

   Actor Gong Yoo is most famous for his charismatic breakout role as the eccentric coffee shop heir Choi Han-kyul in the iconic romantic comedy drama Coffee Prince (2007), which skyrocketed his popularity across Asia, followed by his legendary portrayal of the immortal goblin Kim Shin in the fantasy hit Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (aka Goblin, 2016–2017), and his chilling cameo as the enigmatic Recruiter (the ddakji-flipping salesman) in Netflix's global phenomenon Squid Game (2021–2025), while also earning acclaim for intense film performances in the zombie apocalypse blockbuster Train to Busan (2016) as the devoted father Seok-woo, the historical thriller The Age of Shadows (2016), and the social drama Silenced (2011). He has continued starring in projects like The Trunk (2024), Wonderland (2024), and upcoming Netflix series such as Tantara (set for late 2026) alongside Song Hye-kyo. Something surprising about him is that his stage name "Gong Yoo" is a combination of his father's surname "Gong" and his mother's "Yoo," which also means "share" in Korean, inspiring him to live a life of sharing positivity, and he never intended to become an actor—he initially pursued it casually after university while working as a model and VJ, yet became one of Korea's most respected and versatile leading men.

10. #10

    

    Kim Soo-hyun

    b. 1988

    HPI 64.0950 languages

    South Korean actor