Nam Ji-hyun (남지현)

Having been in some of the most successful dramas of South Korean television, award-winning child actor Nam Ji-hyun became famous for her child or teen version portrayals of lead actors. As an adult, she has starred in several popular k-dramas herself. No longer playing anyone’s younger persona, she has shown her ability to grab these life opportunities by the horns while further honing her skills as a versatile actor.

Photo from HanCinema / Hanyejin

Birthday: September 17, 1995 Instagram: @hyuniiiiiii_95917

She played the younger versions of Han Ji-hye in the k-drama East of Eden (2008), Lee Yo-won in Queen Seondeok (2009), Han Ye-seul in Will It Snow for Christmas? (2009), and Ku Hye-sun in Angel Eyes (2014). She then started to diversify her roles in the one-act drama Girl Detective, Park Hae-sol (2012), youth series To the Beautiful You, (2012), and family drama What Happens to My Family? (2014). She was also cast in the movies A Reason to Live (2011), Hwayi: A Monster Boy (2013), and The Tunnel (2016). It wasn’t long before she landed her first female lead role as a countryside woman in the 2016 rom-com series Shopaholic Louis opposite Seo In-guk. The main leads' characters couldn't be more different.

The following year, she starred as a prosecutor trainee with Ji Chang-wook in Suspicious Partner. While the legal drama enjoyed modest overall rating, it ranked first in brand reputation and the critical 20 to 49-year-old demographic segment. Could the high ratings in this segment be sparked by her hot kissing scene with Ji Chang-wook?

In 100 Days My Prince (2018), she portrayed the role of a feisty commoner, considered too old to be single. Her character is forced to marry the Crown Prince, played by Do Kyung-soo (D.O. of the k-pop group EXO), who earlier deflected his "reponsibility" and instead required all his subjects of marrying age to tie the knot. The romance sageuk (historical show) ranked fourth in South Korean cable TV history when the last episode aired.

Last year, she was cast as an uncompromising journalist in the loose k-drama adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel. The hit Netflix thriller Little Women co-starred Kim Go-eun, Park Ji-hu, and Wi Ha-joon. In between heart-stopping scenes are sweet interactions—Kang Hoon's character injects his sweet gestures, even though the reporter's response gives off friendzone vibes.

Late this year she will be releasing another thriller, the teen fantasy series High Cookie, co-starring Jung Da-bin, Choi Hyun-wook, and Kim Mu-yeol. She will portray a part-time factory worker who saves her younger sister from a swamp made by wish-granting but dangerous cookies.