Identical to the romantic genre, Korean dramas and movies in recent years have presented other genres that are quite popular with fans, such as horror, mystery, comedy and action genres.
Supported by several actors who not only rely on their acting talents, but also those who are able to practice martial arts to perform optimally in every challenging scene.
When action choreography and martial arts combine, they manage to perform fight scenes that look real and full of courage. Here are six Korean actors who have excelled in dramas and action movies. Who are they?
1. Lee Seung Gi
Being in the South Korean entertainment world, Lee Seung Gi’s name is familiar to fans of Korean dramas. As a famous drama actor Lee Seung Gi has always managed to amaze Korean drama lovers with the quality of acting through several challenging action dramas both physically and emotionally.
The drama starring Lee Seung Gi with the most popular action genre is the drama Vagabond (2019), as one of the dramas that makes Lee Seung Gi do a lot of dangerous scenes and full of fights.
Thanks to the totality of his martial arts acting that managed to amaze fans, Lee Seung Gi was awarded at the SBS Drama Awards in 2019 in the Best Actor category.
2. Ji Chang Wook
Born on July 5, 1987 in South Korea, Ji Chang Wook is one of the actors who is widely known for his roles in intense and thrilling action genre dramas.
Ji Chang Wook’s dedication to doing his own action scenes without stunt doubles in his dramas such as Healer, The K2 and the latest action drama The Worst Of Evil.
Ji Chang Wook himself has gone through intensive martial arts training to prepare himself when undergoing dangerous scenes, such as parkour, hand-to-hand combat, and the use of weapons.
3. Ahn Bo Hyun
Starting his career as a model before turning to acting, Ahn Bo Hyun is known as a multi-talented actor, and starred in many dramas with various genres including action.
In addition, the 1988-born actor is characterized by his athletic body, not only by chance but because of Ahn Bo Hyun’s background as a former boxing athlete.
The action genre Korean dramas starring Ahn Bo Hyun, namely the drama My Name (2021), Military Prosecutor Doberman (2022) and finally Flexx Cop (2024) are dramas that bring the actor’s name into account in the Korean drama action genre.
4. Lee Je Hoon
Known as an actor who started in the drama and romance genres, Lee Je Hoon in recent years has shown his acting skills in playing martial arts characters in the action genre.
The Korean dramas starring Lee Je Hoon in the action genre are the dramas Signal (2016), Taxi Driver Season 1 and 2 (2021 & 2023) and Chief Detective (2024).
Of all the dramas mentioned Lee Je Hoon managed to prove his martial arts acting skills with intense action scenes.
5. Hyun Bin
Hyun Bin is one of the most well-known and respected actors in South Korea, with a career spanning over two decades, Hyun Bin is known for his charisma, good looks, and broad acting abilities, making him successful in a variety of genres, including action.
Some of actor Hyun Bin’s most successful action genre dramas and movies include Crash Landing On You (2019), Memories of Alhambra (2018), The Negotiation (2018), Confidential Assignment (2017), and The Point Men (2023).
Proof that the martial arts acting skills of the husband of actress Son Ye Jin are quite calculated in the South Korean entertainment world.
6. Jang Dong Yoon
Not only good at acting in action genre dramas, it turns out that in the real world actor Jang Do Yoon does have martial arts skills. Since the heroic act of facing an armed robber at a convenience store in Gwanak District, Seoul that was done while a student at Hanyang University, Jang Dong Yoon’s name has received a lot of media attention and several entertainment agencies.
Starting his career in 2016, some of Jang Dong Yoon’s dramas and films that showcase the actor’s martial arts acting skills have brought success to the actor to date including the dramas The Tale Of Nukdo (2019), Search (2020), Oasis (2023) and the film Project Wolf Hunting (2022).
Not only captivating audiences with their charisma and physical appearance, but also with their dedication in performing authentic and mesmerizing action scenes, these are six actors who are good at martial arts acting. What do you think?
