20 Korean Drama Actors & Actresses Who Were Born In Busan, South Korea

Busan Tower, Gamcheon Culture Village and Haeundae Beach are some of the great tourist locations in Busan. However, the city of Busan in South Korea is not only popular for its amazing sceneries and huge beaches, but it is also the birthplace of some of the most famous Korean actors in the industry.

Below are 20 Korean artists who were originally from the astounding city of Busan.

20.

Lee Si-eon

Lee Si-eon, born on July 3, 1982, is a South Korean actor who graduated from the Seoul Institute of the Arts with a degree in Broadcasting and Entertainment. His acting career began in 2009 with an appearance in the series “Friend, Our Legend” and later became one of the main hosts on MBC’s variety show “I Live Alone,” which he was part of from 2016 to 2020. In 2021, Lee and his girlfriend, Seo Ji-seung, announced their engagement and soon got married the same year.

19.

Tae In-ho

Tae In-ho was born on May 2, 1980, and is known for his appearances in “Shadow Island,” “Sijipeuseu: The Myth,” and “New World.” His birth name is Park Sang-Yeon, and he has starred in several movies and television series as well. All these projects have contributed to establishing his name as an expert in the Korean drama scene.

18.

Ko Chang-seok

Ko Chang-seok, also from Busan, is an actor known for his roles in “Lady Vengeance,” “The Host,” and “The Front Line.” He is married to Lee Jung-eun. Recently, he has made appearances in various drama series, including “Glitch,” “The Good Detective 2” and “Today’s Webtoon.” Ko is a well-regarded actor in the Korean drama world and has had success both on television and in film. He continues to take on interesting projects that excite viewers. His talents are sure to keep us captivated for years to come.

17.

Hyomin

Hyomin was born in Busan as Park Sun-young. She is a well-known actress and singer. She first rose to fame as part of the girl band T-ara and its subunit T-ARA N4 in 2009 with their single “Lie.” In 2014, she made her debut as a solo artist with her mini album “Make Up.”

In 2018, she and the remaining members of T-ara left MBK Entertainment but chose not to disband the group. She is loved by fans worldwide for her acting and singing prowess.

16.

Yeo Minhee

Yeo Minhee is known for her work in “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” where she played Dr. Cho’s Assistant. Her other films include “Kotchebi” and “A Perfect Turn.” She is also active in the theater industry with productions like “Under the Umbrella” and “Hear Me Now.”

15.

Kim Min-joon

Kim Min-joon is an actor whose career began with modeling before making a groundbreaking debut in “Damo.” Kim has starred in many titles since then, including “Kangryeok 3Ban,” “Sa-rang” and “Yeui-eomneun geotdeul (No Mercy for the Rude).” In October 2019, he married fashion designer Dami Kwon (sister of BIGBANG’s G-Dragon) and announced their pregnancy in November 2021. On Feb. 4, 2022 they welcomed a baby boy.

14.

Kim Seul-gi

Kim Seul-gi is an actress famous for her roles in “Discovery of Love,” “Surplus Princess” and “Lookout.” She attended the Seoul Institute of the Arts and was recruited to tvN’s “Saturday Night Live Korea” in mid-2011, which increased her popularity. Her acting prowess was later recognized by the APAN Star Awards and KBS Drama Awards when they awarded her Best New Actress in 2014 for “Discovery of Love.” Since then, she has been nominated for and won various awards for different roles.

13.

Sandra Yi Sencindiver

Sandra Yi Sencindiver is an American-Danish-Korean actress. Living between the United States and Denmark, Sandra is fluently bilingual in English and Danish. She received classical training at the National Theatre School of Performing Arts and is well known for her work in”Bäckström” and “2900 Happiness.”

Sandra is an active stage artist, both performing on the Danish theatre scene and as an artistic director at a theatre company that works toward diversifying the arts.

12.

Kim Min-suk

Kim Min-suk’s acting credits include “Descendants of the Sun,” “Defendant” and “Because This Is My First Life.” He first gained recognition when he auditioned on the talent show “Superstar K3,” though he failed to advance. His acting career began when he was cast in tvN’s “Shut Up! Flower Boy Band.”

11.

Jung Eun-chae

Jung Eun-chae is an actress best known for her roles in “Nobody’s Daughter Haewon,” “Haunters” and “L.U.C.A.: The Beginning.” Her work was recognized with a Best New Actress award at the 33rd Korean Association of Film Critics Awards in 2013 for her performance in “Nobody’s Daughter Hae-Won.”

In 2017 she starred in “The Table” and “The King.” In 2020 she starred in “The King: Eternal Monarch.”

10.

Kim Hae-sook

Veteran actress Kim Hae-sook is renowned for her works in movies such as” Thirst,” “The Handmaiden” and “The Thieves.” Her impressive body of work has earned her numerous awards, including Best Actress at the 2016 SBS Drama Awards for her performance in the long-running drama “Yeah, That’s How It Is,” Best Supporting Actress at the 2015 Daejong Film Awards for her work in “The Throne” and Best Supporting Actress at the 2012 KOFRA Film Awards Ceremony and 2012 Daejong Film Awards for her role in “The Thieves.”

9.

Heo Sung-tae

“Squid Game” fans will be familiar with the name Heo Sung-tae, who was born in Busan on Oct. 20, 1977. The South Korean actor has more than 60 film and television credits to his name, having graduated from Pusan National University, where he majored in Russian. He rose to fame through 2016’s “The Age of Shadows” as Ha Il Soo and gained recognition through SBS’s talent show “Miraculous Audition.” Before acting, Heo worked in the Russian market for LG Corporation and joined a shipbuilding company’s planning and coordination department. His first lead role was “Insider” in 2022, yet he achieved international fame with his part in “Squid Game.”

8.

Kang Ha-neul

When you think of Kang Ha-neul, you know you’re dealing with an experienced actor. He made a name for himself at a young age, earning acclaim and recognition on the television show “My Mom! Super Mom!” He really found fame playing the rival to an Olympic track star on “To the Beautiful You,” which was a major hit with fans and critics worldwide. In 2019, he won the Best Actor award at the 56th Baeksang Arts Awards for his performance in the series “When The Camellia Blooms.” Kang also made it to 23rd place on the Forbes Korea Power Celebrity list in 2020.

7.

Cho Jin-woong

Any fans of “Signal” out there? Aside from Lee Je-hoon, Cho Jin-woong is the other main actor in the series. Born as Jo Won-Joon on March 3, 1976, in Busan, Choi has earned numerous awards for his acting talents, such as Grand Prize (“Signal”) from the tvN10 Awards, Best Actor (mini-series) (“Signal”) in 2016 APAN Star Awards and Best Supporting Actor in the 35th Blue Dragon Film Awards.

6.

Kim Hye-soo

Kim Hye-soo is a South Korean actress who has won awards such as the Icon Award at the 2019 BaekSang Arts Awards, Best Actress for “Signal” at the tvN10 Awards, Best Actress for “Coin Locker Girl” at the 2015 Korean Association of Film Critics Awards and Grand Prize for “The Queen of Office” at the 2013 KBS Drama Awards. She studied at Dongguk University and Sungkyunkwan University Graduate School.

5.

Jang Hyuk

If you are an action movie or K-drama fan, you must know Jang Hyuk. He is an acclaimed South Korean actor born in Busan in 1976. He has been married to Kim Yeo-Jin since 2008, and they have three children. His trademark is his athletic and stunt skills which he learned from his practice of Jeet Kune Do for over a decade, as well as his former career as a professional Taekwondo athlete. He is best known for his roles in “Windstruck,” “The Slave Hunters,” “Deep Rooted Tree” and many more.

4.

Kim Jung-hyun

Kim Jung-hyun is a South Korean actor from Busan who made his silver screen debut with “Overman” and small screen debut with “Don’t Dare to Dream.” His performance in the drama series “The Rebel” won him the Best New Actor award at the 2017 MBC Drama Awards. He also starred in “School 2017” and “Time.”

Kim Jung-hyun returned to television in 2019 with the hit tvN drama “Crash Landing on You,” earning critical praise for his role. In 2020, he was the male lead in the tvN series “Mr. Queen” and contributed vocals to the soundtrack with the song he wrote himself. He is known for his versatility and complex character portrayals.

3.

Lee Joon-gi

Lee Joon-gi was released from the South Korean military in 2012 and has announced his return to acting with multiple fan meetings in Korea, Japan and China. After his release, he partook in many photo shoots for magazines such as “Episode J,” which is dedicated exclusively to him.

Born in Busan on April 17, 1982, he is commonly referred to as the “Kkonminam” (pretty boy or flower boy) of Asia. Joon-gi returned to the small screen last year with the SBS drama “Again My Life” after a six-year hiatus from terrestrial television.

2.

Im Si-wan

Im Si-wan is a K-pop idol-turned-actor who was born in Busan on Dec. 1, 1988. Born Im Woong-jae, the artist legally changed his name when he was still training to be part of the K-pop group ZE:A. Si-wan has starred in several movies and TV shows since launching his acting career in 2012 with MBC’s famous historical drama “Moon Embracing the Sun.”

Some of Si-wan’s notable big-screen appearances include 2013’s “The Attorney,” 2016’s “A Melody to Remember” and 2017’s “One-Line.” His drama series credits include 2012’s “Reply 1997,” 2013’s “Pure Love,” 2014’s “Triangle,” 2019’s “Strangers From Hell” and 2020’s “Run On.” His latest projects were “Summer Strike,” “Missing: The Other Side 2,” “Emergency Declaration” and “Unlocked.”

1.

Gong Yoo

International fans will surely remember him as the “Goblin,” but Gong Yoo has also had a long and successful career as an actor in Korea, starting with supporting roles before scoring a breakout role in the series “Coffee Prince.”

After fulfilling his mandatory military conscription duties, Gong made numerous hits on both the big screen and small screen, including “Train to Busan,” “Silenced,” “The Age of Shadows” and “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God.” In 2013, he was appointed an ambassador by UNICEF for the 24th year since the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Away from the spotlight, Gong is known to be rather reclusive. He does not even have social media accounts.