K-Pop Idols Turned Successful Actors: Male Edition

Critics used to go in hard on idols who had plans to become actors and for good reason too. Why would someone who is a singer delve into another division of the entertainment industry that is not their original craft or what they are good at? But despite the negative comments, there have been a handful of idols who have found huge success in the world of acting. Let's take a look at three male idols we went from idol stardom to actor extraordinaire.

Yoochun of JYJ made an announcement back in 2010 that he would making his acting debut in "Sungkyunkwan Scandal." Everybody was hesitant about his decision to jump into acting, but the idol megastar killed it as Lee Sunjoon in the fusion historical drama. What impressed critics and audiences most, were his decisions in choosing follow-up projects. Instead of going down familiar and cliche routes, he instead insisted on tackling projects that were outside of the norm. He co-starred in "Miss Ripley," "Rooftop Prince," and "Missing You." The singer won the BS Drama Acting Awards in 2010, Paeksang Arts Awards, MBC Drama Awards, and the SBS Drama Awards just last year. Wait to prove them wrong!

Solo singer Lee Seung Gi was loved as a ballad singer before he took on acting. With a string of hits, and the love of the nation, Lee Seung Gi took a chance on becoming an actor and in 2005 debuted in the weekend drama, "The Infamous Chil Sisters." From then on he held the lead role in the historical drama, "Brilliant Legacy," "My Girlfriend is a Non-eTailed Fox," "The King 2 Hearts," and in "Gu Family Book." Each of these dramas were a huge ratings hit with audiences and the singer has own a handful of awards such as the "Top 10 Stars" award, "Best Couple" award with actress Shin Min Ah, and he is a two-time winner of the "Excellence in Acting" award. The drama "Gu Family Book," was the most watched drama in the Monday-Tuesday time slot for a whopping 12 weeks!

Who would have ever thought that Shinhwa's resident goofball Kim Dong Wan would ever be taken as a serious actor? Before becoming a member of the longest boyband in Korea, Kim Dong Wan was an actor. He had roles in a handful of popular dramas including "Children of Heaven," and "Farewell to Sorrow." Just two years ago in 2011, he was the male lead in "The Peak," where his work and film was recognized by the Worldfest-Houstin International Film Festival. It took the grand prize home in the TV Special -Dramatic segment.

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Yoochun
Lee Seung Gi
Kim Dong Wan
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