In the Know with Purplenette
Veteran Actresses That We Couldn't Do Without
I see tons of articles about the young actors and actresses that are usually the main characters in dramas. Of course they are important to a drama. However, what some people fail to realize is that we also need those veteran actresses who play the mothers, mother-in-laws, grandmothers, etc. Without them dramas would be boring. Here are just a few of the amazing women that keep us entertained in Korean dramas.
This article does have SPOILERS, but I give fair warning.
Yang Mi Kyung is a beautiful, 52-year-old actress who has been acting since 1985. The same year in which she won the KBS Best New and Upcoming Actor Prize. Most recently she has won the 2012 MBC Golden Acting Award for The Moon that Embraces the Sun and May Queen.
Yang Mi Kyung can execute kind and unkind characters. In May Queen she portrayed both as Lee Geum Hee.
Yang Mi Kyung
Yang Mi Kyung can execute kind and unkind characters. In May Queen she portrayed both as Lee Geum Hee.
SPOILER ALERT: Geum Hee finds out that the man she has been married to for many years actually killed her first husband and intended to have her daughter killed. She finds out her daughter is still alive and the circumstances of the traumas her daughter has been through in life. She turns from sweet mother and wife to ticked-off and vengeful in an instant. It is actually remarkable to see. Her character runs through a large range of emotions and it is very believable. I also think she is beautiful and can only wish to look that good at 52.
If you haven’t watched May Queen, then you should if nothing more than to see this awesome actress.
Jun In Hwa
Jun In Hwa is a 48-year-old actress that has been acting since 1988. She most recently won a 2012 MBC Golden Acting Award for Feast of the Gods and a 2012 KBS Top Excellence Award for King of Baking, Kim Tak Goo. She is now acting in A Hundred Year's Inheritance.
In King of Baking, Kim Tak Goo, she portrays Seo In Sook who is just plain mean. SPOILER ALERT: Seo In Sook has a reason for the things she does. Her husband only marries her out of convenience after his mother has denied his wish to marry the woman he loves. He and In Sook have two girl children and her mother-in-law pressures her for a male child. Her husband then cheats on her with his true love and conceives a male child whom is Tak Goo. In Sook is afraid that Tak Goo will become heir so she seduces her husband’s secretary and conceives a male child of her own hiding that her husband isn’t the father. In Sook leaves her mother-in-law for dead after she finds out the birth secret. She also tries to kill Tak Gu. Jun In Hwa is perfect performing this certifiably crazy character. I have never loved to hate a character as much as this one. In my mind that makes her one of the best actresses out there. She is also very beautiful and it is totally unfair that she looks that good at that age. I would never have guessed she was 48.
If you haven’t seen King of Baking, Kim Tak Goo, then you should. I know some of you are adverse to melodramas, but if you are ever going to make an exception, then this will be the drama to do it.
Kim Young Ok is a 76-year-old actress who has been acting since 1976. She is amazingly versatile. She has acted in 3 to 4 dramas a year since 2001. On the other hand, in the last few years she has been in 5 or 6 dramas a year. They may be supporting roles, but it amazes me that she works so much. In 2011 she was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the SBS Drama Awards.
It is hard to pick just one drama to feature, because she has been in so many that I love. I enjoy her characters regardless of their qualities. If she is kind or mean, I still like her. SPOILER ALERT: Her role in Protect the Boss is one of my favorites, because she protects her grandson and his love throughout the drama. It is rare to see a family member do that. She is tough, but ends as a softy in Coffee Prince.
I can’t even begin to list the dramas that she is in, so just check her out on MDL. You will be amazed.
Kim Bo Yun is a 56-year-old actress, and she has been acting since 1976. She has been in 100+ dramas, including Dangerous Women and Indomitable Daughter-in-law. She won the Golden Acting Award in a serial drama for Golden Fish at the 2010 MBC Drama Awards.
Honestly, I have not seen all of her dramas, because watching a list of dramas that long is daunting to me. Most recently I saw her act in Feast of the Gods and she blew me away. In Feast of the Gods she portrays Baek Seol Hee. This character is slightly crazy, extremely quirky, and has lots of evil within her...I totally loved her.
Kim Young Ok
Kim Young Ok is a 76-year-old actress who has been acting since 1976. She is amazingly versatile. She has acted in 3 to 4 dramas a year since 2001. On the other hand, in the last few years she has been in 5 or 6 dramas a year. They may be supporting roles, but it amazes me that she works so much. In 2011 she was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the SBS Drama Awards.
It is hard to pick just one drama to feature, because she has been in so many that I love. I enjoy her characters regardless of their qualities. If she is kind or mean, I still like her. SPOILER ALERT: Her role in Protect the Boss is one of my favorites, because she protects her grandson and his love throughout the drama. It is rare to see a family member do that. She is tough, but ends as a softy in Coffee Prince.
I can’t even begin to list the dramas that she is in, so just check her out on MDL. You will be amazed.
Kim Bo Yun
Kim Bo Yun is a 56-year-old actress, and she has been acting since 1976. She has been in 100+ dramas, including Dangerous Women and Indomitable Daughter-in-law. She won the Golden Acting Award in a serial drama for Golden Fish at the 2010 MBC Drama Awards.
Honestly, I have not seen all of her dramas, because watching a list of dramas that long is daunting to me. Most recently I saw her act in Feast of the Gods and she blew me away. In Feast of the Gods she portrays Baek Seol Hee. This character is slightly crazy, extremely quirky, and has lots of evil within her...I totally loved her.
SPOILER ALERT: First she is in a competition to become a Master Chef in a traditional royal cuisine restaurant where she tries to hurt her rival to win. In the meantime she has left her children at home, locking one of her children in a closet and he dies. Her remaining son wants nothing to do with her. She is ambitious and spends most of the drama trying to get back at the person she feels has wronged her. Her acting is really good as she faces her own failings and the love she has for her son.
Feast of the Gods is not my favorite drama, but I found myself more concerned with Bo Yun’s character than any other in the drama. I actually finished this drama solely to see what would happen to her.
Geum Bo Ra is a 50-year-old actress that graduated from Anyang High School of Art. I always find it impressive when a person knows what they want from that early age and succeeds in making their dream come true. I couldn’t find her debut date, but I’m sure it wasn’t long after graduation in approximately 1982. The earliest drama I can find is West Palace from 1995.
I enjoyed her most as Jo Dal Soon in May Queen. Yes, another amazing actress from May Queen.
Geum Bo Ra
Geum Bo Ra is a 50-year-old actress that graduated from Anyang High School of Art. I always find it impressive when a person knows what they want from that early age and succeeds in making their dream come true. I couldn’t find her debut date, but I’m sure it wasn’t long after graduation in approximately 1982. The earliest drama I can find is West Palace from 1995.
I enjoyed her most as Jo Dal Soon in May Queen. Yes, another amazing actress from May Queen.
SPOILER ALERT: Dal Soon plays the stepmother to the lead character Hae Joo. At first, she hates Hae Joo, because she thinks Hae Joo is a product of her husband cheating on her. I can’t even begin to go through all of the experiences she and the family go through. In the end she comes to love Hae Joo and becomes her strongest supporter. She is hard and sometimes unpleasant, but it is out of the love she has for children which includes Hae Joo.
There are a lot of great actors in May Queen. Again it is a melodrama, but I really think that it is a good drama in which Bo Ra shines.
Cha Hwa Yun is a 53-year-old actress. I couldn’t find her debut date and could only find drama/movies back to 2008. If it is true that she hasn’t acted much before 2008, then this woman is phenomenal! She won Best Supporting Actress – Special Planning Drama for Temptation of an Angel in 2009 at the SBS Drama Awards. She also won a Golden Acting Award for A Thousand Kisses at the 2011 MBC Drama Awards. In the last few years, she has been in 5 dramas a year. Most recently, she acts in Queen of Ambition and A Hundred Year’s Inheritance. She will also be appearing in Thorn Flower.
I have seen her in so many dramas that it is really hard to pick a favorite character. However, she really cracked me up in Protect the Boss. I don’t know if her character was supposed to be funny, but I couldn’t even take her seriously for a minute. She is also in Missing You, Five Fingers, Equator Man, etc. All are really good supporting roles.
I have not seen A Thousand Kisses, but knowing that she is in it has spurred my curiosity. It may be my next long drama commitment.
These are just a few of the veteran actresses out there that make our Korean drama world complete. I’m sorry that I’m limited to only Korean actresses. I mostly watch Korean dramas and Japanese movies so I really couldn’t venture out into other countries.
Please leave comments of other veteran actresses that you enjoy. I LOVE recommendations. If you have a drama with a great veteran actress, then please let me know. I will totally watch it. I'm sure other drama lovers will too.
There are a lot of great actors in May Queen. Again it is a melodrama, but I really think that it is a good drama in which Bo Ra shines.
Cha Hwa Yun
Cha Hwa Yun is a 53-year-old actress. I couldn’t find her debut date and could only find drama/movies back to 2008. If it is true that she hasn’t acted much before 2008, then this woman is phenomenal! She won Best Supporting Actress – Special Planning Drama for Temptation of an Angel in 2009 at the SBS Drama Awards. She also won a Golden Acting Award for A Thousand Kisses at the 2011 MBC Drama Awards. In the last few years, she has been in 5 dramas a year. Most recently, she acts in Queen of Ambition and A Hundred Year’s Inheritance. She will also be appearing in Thorn Flower.
I have seen her in so many dramas that it is really hard to pick a favorite character. However, she really cracked me up in Protect the Boss. I don’t know if her character was supposed to be funny, but I couldn’t even take her seriously for a minute. She is also in Missing You, Five Fingers, Equator Man, etc. All are really good supporting roles.
I have not seen A Thousand Kisses, but knowing that she is in it has spurred my curiosity. It may be my next long drama commitment.
These are just a few of the veteran actresses out there that make our Korean drama world complete. I’m sorry that I’m limited to only Korean actresses. I mostly watch Korean dramas and Japanese movies so I really couldn’t venture out into other countries.
Please leave comments of other veteran actresses that you enjoy. I LOVE recommendations. If you have a drama with a great veteran actress, then please let me know. I will totally watch it. I'm sure other drama lovers will too.
