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| Actress Go Yoon-jung in the drama series "Moving" / Courtesy of Disney+ |
By Jung Han-byul
Young Korean actresses in their twenties are currently enduring a tough stretch with work opportunities being few and far between. The relative scarcity of actresses in this age bracket with both acting chops and broad name recognition means that only a handful of established actresses have found work from recent casting calls. In the middle of all this, Go Yoon-jung has bucked the wider trend by rolling out two consecutive hits with her appearances in the drama series "Alchemy of Souls: Light and Shadow" and "Moving."
They have each earned a positive reception among fans and critics in Korea and abroad. "Alchemy of Souls: Light and Shadow" peaked at number six on Netflix's global top 10 ranking in non-English TV. "Moving" was the most popular TV show worldwide on Disney+ for the 34th week of 2023, as reported by FlixPatrol, a streaming data analytics company. In the process, Go Yoon-jung has established herself as a top-drawer actress with major roles in both of these dramas.
Fans have praised Go Yoon-jung's performance in "Alchemy of Souls: Light and Shadow," which features explosive action sequences and a sizzling romantic chemistry with actor Lee Jae-wook. She portrays a warmhearted, yet fearless college athlete in "Moving," with Go attending a sports academy in real life to prepare herself for the role. One of the most memorable and talked about scenes from the drama series is a 17-on-1 fight that takes place in a mud pit, which left a lasting impression on many viewers.
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| Go Yoon-jung from "Alchemy of Souls: Light and Shadow" / Courtesy of tvN |
In recent years, Han So-hee and Kim Se-jeong have taken up much of the spotlight on actresses under 30. Han's breakout came in the drama series "The World of the Married," "Nevertheless" and "My Name," and she has also become one of the most recognizable figures in advertising. Kim Se-jeong starred in "The Uncanny Counter" in 2020, "Match Made in Heaven" last year and is currently in the headlines once again for her role in "The Uncanny Counter 2: Counter Punch."
There are also others who discovered fame at a very early age as child actresses, including Kim Yoo-jung, Kim So-hyun and Kim Sae-ron, who are often referred to as "the Kim Troika." However, Kim Sae-ron's career is now in jeopardy following a drunk driving incident last May, where she ran her vehicle into a tree and an electrical transformer while driving under the influence. She recently unveiled a teaser of her music collaboration with singer Christine Collister titled "Bittersweet," but fan reactions have been divided in the wake of last year's incident. The controversy surrounding Kim Sae-ron and the damage to her reputation has only fueled the current dearth of popular young actresses under 30.
Some observers are pinning their hopes on Go Yoon-jung to end the ongoing drought of twenty-something young actresses, and those in the entertainment industry have frequently mentioned Go as a promising, up-and-coming actress to keep an eye on. She certainly hasn't put a foot wrong in her career thus far, demonstrating her wide range as an actress in different genres such as romance and action.
However, some skepticism remains as Go's debut came relatively recently in 2019 with tvN's "He is Psychometric," and she has only just established herself as an actress playing lead roles. But Go has shown a clear determination to get better as she continues to grow and develop as an actress, revealing in a recent interview that she is aspiring to become an actress who arouses passion and curiosity. Her next drama series "Death's Game" is scheduled to be released in December on the streaming platform TVING.
Jung Han-byul (onestar101@hankookilbo.com) is a reporter at The Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times. This article, previously published in The Hankook Ilbo, has been translated as part of a news-sharing program.
