The month of May 2024 saw some interesting Korean content on television and film screens, with many top K-drama actors making their mark in the industry. According to the Korean Business Research Institute’s data, this month’s brand reputation rankings saw some interesting observations. The rankings are based on many factors, including media appearances, media traffic, and community interactions, among others.
The data took a total of 100 actors who made their appearances in television, films, or any OTT content from April 28 to May 28, 2024. The top K-drama actors of May 2024 include Ma Dong-Seok, Kim Soo-Hyun, Byeon Woo-Seok, and others. Check out more details about their work below.
Ma Dong-Seok
Ma Dong-Seok appeared in the most recent hit film The Round-Up: Punishment. The movie became the fastest film of 2024 to surpass a total of 10 million moviegoers at the Korean box office. The film follows the story of detective Ma Suk-Do (Ma Dong-Seok), who works on a drug dealer case and discovers how a death related to the case uncovers an online illegal gambling industry. He received a brand reputation index of 22,328,245.
Furthermore, the actor previously worked on other dramas and movies, including Team Bulldog: Off-duty Investigation, 38 Task Force, Start-up, and Badland Hunters.
Byeon Woo-Seok
Byeon Woo-Seok appeared on the popular tvN K-drama Lovely Runner in May 2024, which recently concluded its 16-episode run. The series follows the journey of fan girl Im-Sol (Kim Hye-Yoon), who travels back in time to save her favorite idol Ryu Sun-Jae’s (Byeon Woo-Seok) life. The drama became one of the most beloved series of the year. Viewers also loved the lead characters and the cast members’ chemistry on the show. Lovely Runner is available to stream on Viki. The actor earned a brand reputation index of 14,359,529.
Previously, the actor worked on Strong Girl Namsoon, Moonshine, Soulmate, and 20th Century Girl, among other dramas and movies.
Kim Soo-Hyun
Kim Soo-Hyun appeared on the hit tvN K-drama Queen of Tears and created a record in the network’s history. The series became the most-watched tvN drama, beating the popular Crash Landing on You with a record-breaking 24.850% viewership rating nationwide. It follows the tumultuous love story of a married couple, chaebol heiress Hong Hae-In (Kim Ji-Won) and her husband, Baek Hyun-Woo (Kim Soo-Hyun). Furthermore, Kim Soo-Hyun received a brand reputation index of 14,045,842. Viewers can watch the series on Netflix.
Soo-Hyun’s previous works include It’s Okay to Not Be Okay, My Love from the Star, Moon Embracing the Sun, Real, and Secretly Greatly, among others.
Park Ji-Hwan
Park Ji-Hwan appeared in the hit movie The Roundup: Punishment alongside Ma Dong-Seok. He played arcade chairman Jang Yi-Soo in the movie. Considering his impeccable role and the movie’s success, it is only natural that the actor ranked fourth in the brand reputation rankings of May 2024. He earned a brand reputation index of 9,788,806.
Ji-Hwan’s other works include Seoul Busters, Gyeongseong Creature, Our Blues, and Hansan: Rising Dragon.
Kim Moo-Yeol
Kim Moo-Yeol earned significant success while portraying the main villain in the hit film The Roundup: Punishment. He essays the role of Baek Chang-Ki, the head of the gambling organization. He appeared alongside fellow lead actors Ma Dong-Seok, Park Ji-Hwan, Lee Dong-Hwi, and others. The actor also appeared in Sweet Home Season 2, Trolley, The Devil’s Deal, and Space Sweepers.
Park Sung-Hoon
Park Sung-Hoon plays the role of a villain in the hit tvN K-drama Queen of Tears. The actor plays Yoon Eun-Seong, who tries to sabotage the lead couple’s relationship. In this process, he hurts both Hong Hae-In (Kim Ji-Won) and Baek Hyun-Woo (Kim Soo-Hyun). Meanwhile, Park Sung-Hoon’s role as a villain was noteworthy and remained one of the top villain roles in the history of K-drama. Previously, he showed his versatile acting skills in The Glory, Psychopath Diary, Hail to Hell, and My Only One.
Other top K-drama actors in May 2024 include Kang Dong-Won, Son Suk-Ku, Song Geon-Hee, Jang Ki-Yong, Lee Do-Hyun, Lee Je-Hoon, and others.
