In his 14-year career, Lee Min Ho has starred in a slew of hit Korean drama faves. He's acted in a variety of genres—from teen romances to action thrillers to fantasy and sci-fi. But, without a doubt, his success in television should also be attributed to his leading ladies over the years. Stars in their own right, these actresses have gone to headline some of the biggest and well-loved titles in the Hallyu industry! Get to know Lee Min Ho's seven Korean drama leading ladies:
1. Ku Hye Sun (Boys Over Flowers, 2009)
What's her role in the drama? Of course you'd know this one! Boys Over Flowers is a remake of the 2001 Taiwanese drama Meteor Garden and stars Ku Hye Sun as the quirky and feisty Geum Jan Di. She catches the eye of her schoolmate, F4 leader Gu Jun Pyo, and they start this rich-boy-poor-girl romance.
What's she been up to? Ku Hye Sun didn't only focus on acting after the massive success of Boys Over Flowers, but also worked in directing, writing, and singing. In 2019, she released her first best-selling novel Tears Are Shaped Like Hearts in 2019. But in the same year, she made headlines for her controversial divorce with Ahn Jae Hyun, her co-star in the 2015 drama Blood. She's since made her return to the public eye and recently held an exhibit for her artworks called Voyage – Again And Again.
2. Son Ye Jin (Personal Taste, 2010)
What's her role in the drama? In this rom-com, Son Ye Jin plays furniture designer Park Kae In who gets dumped by her longtime boyfriend. Badly in need of a roommate, she decides to take in the stylish Jeon Ji Hoo (Lee Min Ho)—only because she thinks he's gay.
What's she been up to? Son Ye Jin's acting credits swelled post-Personal Taste, having starred in several critically acclaimed films such as The Truth Beneath and The Negotiation, both released in 2018. In the same year, she made her television comeback in Something In The Rain alongside Jung Hae In. Most recently, Ye Jin gained worldwide fame in the mega-hit 2019 drama Crash Landing On You with Hyun Bin.
3. Park Min Young (City Hunter, 2011)
What's her role in the drama? The action drama stars Park Min Young as presidential bodyguard Kim Na Na. At the presidential palace, she crosses paths with IT expert Yoon Sung (Lee Min Ho), who's deep dark secret is to avenge his father's killers. To complicate things more, they fall in love.
What's she been up to? Park Min Young and Lee Min Ho's on-screen love story also developed off-screen because they ended up dating IRL! After her breakup with Min Ho in 2012, Min Young starred in several well-loved rom-coms, What's Wrong With Secretary Kim? (2018) alongside Park Seo Joon and Her Private Life (2019) with Kim Jae Wook.
4. Kim Hee Sun (Faith, 2012)
What's the drama about? In the fantasy-slash-period drama, Kim Hee Sun plays Yoo Eun Soo, a modern-day plastic surgeon who goes back to the Goryeo Dynasty after being kidnapped. She ends up falling in love with her captor, General Choi Young (Lee Min Ho).
What's she been up to? Kim Hee Sun has been consistently active in the entertainment scene after filming Faith. She received critical acclaim for her roles in the dramas The Lady In Dignity (2017) and Room No. 9 (2018).
5. Park Shin Hye (The Heirs, 2013)
What's her role in the drama? Park Shin Hye is the driven working student Cha Eun Sang who bumps into bad boy chaebol heir Kim Tan (Lee Min Ho) in the US. After a series of misadventures, they fall in love but have to part ways because of their different lives. But as fate has it, they end up back in South Korea as classmates in the famed Jeguk High School.
What's she been up to? Park Shin Hye has starred in top-rating dramas post-The Heirs: Doctors (2014), Pinocchio (2016), Temperature Of Love (2017), and Memories Of The Alhambra (2018). You'll see her next in the zombie thriller #Alive with Yoo Ah In which will be released in Korea in June. As for her personal life, she's currently in a relationship with actor Choi Tae Joon.
6. Jun Ji Hyun (Legend Of The Blue Sea, 2016)
What's her role in the drama? Jun Ji Hyun is a mermaid named Shim Cheong who crosses paths with Heo Joon Jae (Lee Min Ho), a conman, in a luxury resort—but he doesn't know she's a mermaid just yet. The fantasy drama also reveals that these two are actually reincarnations of their Joseon era counterparts.
What's she been up to? Legend Of The Blue Sea was Jun Ji Hyun's comeback drama after giving birth to her first child in 2016. Even though she hasn't starred in a drama since, she did make a cameo appearance in Kingdom Season 2 this year. Rumor has it that she'll be paired next with Ju Ji Hoon in a new drama titled Mount Jiri.
7. Kim Go Eun (The King: Eternal Monarch, 2020)
What's her role in the drama? In the fantasy and sci-fi drama, Kim Go Eun plays Detective Jung Tae Eul of the Republic of Korea whereas Lee Min Ho is Emperor Lee Gon of the Kingdom of Corea. They come from parallel worlds and fall in love instantly, but Tae Eul might just have the answers to Lee Gon's tragic past. There's so much working against their love story which makes it all the more epic.
What's she been up to? The drama just wrapped up, but prior to The King: Eternal Monarch, Kim Go Eun was catapulted to international fame with the success of 2016's biggest drama Goblin, co-starring Gong Yoo. In 2019, Go Eun starred in the romance film Tune In For Love opposite Jung Hae In.
***
What does your zodiac sign say about you? Subscribe to Cosmopolitan Philippines and find out!
Follow Jacinda on Instagram.