These are the new wave, the new generation of actors that are spearheading the gush of Hallyu across the globe.

With their bright and fresh approach at big and small screen, they follow in the footsteps of Korea’s acting veterans — “sunbaes” of the industry when have had the opportunity to work with. Armed with youthful appearances, and unfound professionalism for their age… BlossomPOP presents why you should be on the lookout for the twenty faces of the future.

Here are ten of this generation’s young actresses that are bound to be leading ladies –

Shin Se Kyung
1990
She has been in multiple CFs, including one where she gets a peck from Big Bang’s TOP. After memorable roles on korean dramas such as Queen Seon Duk and Unstoppable High Kick, as well as participating in omnibus film Ogamdo… she has quickly rising to become Korea’s new sweetheart. She is currently one of the frontrunners for the female lead role in a new drama called My Girlfriend is a Gumiho, a Hong Sisters’ penned project that would have her star as the titular girlfriend who is actually a nine tailed fox.

Moon Chae Won
1986
She started with school themed productions such as Mackerel Run and Our School ET, but it was her role in drama Painter of the Wind where she plays against Moon Geun Young’s disguised character (oddly they won a Best Couple award) that gave a break into the limelight. As the spoiled, selfish, yet ultimately not evil Seung Mi, stepsister to Han Hyo Joo’s heroine, Chae Won gave a convincing portrayal of a girl caught between her own desires, a scheming, ruthless mother, and her own knowledge of right and wrong… in last year’s smashhit Shining Inheritance / Brilliant Legacy.

Seo Woo
1985
One look at this actress, and you wouldn’t even peg her for one that takes on daring roles on screen. She charmed viewers when she played the bubbly island lass Beojin in relatively unknown drama called Tamra, The Island, but her performance in such a series that had an almost cult following brought her luck in the silver screen, bagging roles in films such as artsy thriller The Housemaid, where she trades some dramating chops with none other than Korea’s Cannes Queen — Jeon Do Yeon, after a successful role in the seductive dark film Paju. She currently stars in a highly rated melodrama as spoiled rich girl in Cinderella Unni.

Park Shin Hye
1990
Her first acting role was the younger Jungsuh in weepy melodrama Stairway to Heaven, a character that grows up to be played by one the foremost Hallyu actresses, Choi Jiwoo. After her stint as a childhood actress in many more dramas, she went on to star in lackluster dramas such as Tree of Heaven and Goong S. Despite all that, she managed to rise into fame in mania drama You Are Beautiful where she plays a cross-dressing nun who joins a boyband and falls in love with its neurotic leader. Shin Hye is set to play cupid in the upcoming Cyrano de Bergerac-inspired movie, which has been updated for modern times and titled Cyrano Agency with Uhm Tae Woong.

Moon Geun Young
1987
Korea’s Little Sister — its a nickname that only Moon Geun Young managed to keep the longest, as she is probably the only actress of her generation to have wielded such affection from the Korean people. Her acting career started when she played young Eunsuh in the now classic kdramas Autumn in My Heart. It would be suprising however to know that she didn’t have any high profile roles on small screen, until she played the cross dressing title role in the critically acclaimed drama Painter of the Wind. She currently stars as the icy cold Eunjo in Cinderalla Unni.

Lee Si Young
1982
She caught the audiences’ attention after she portrayed a plastic surgery addicted girl bent on revenge in last year’s blockbuster hit Boys Over Flowers, even with less than five episodes to her credit. After the newfound fame, she weathered criticism of her own experience with plastic surgery and her high profile breakup with Park Junjin (a member of boyband Shinhwa) following their stint in reality show We Got Married. Scandals and rumors aside, Si Young continues on her path of acting stardom as she plays Shin Mi, a chaebol heir but acts nothing like one with her scrimping and frugal ways in drama Birth of the Rich.

Lee Min Jung
1983
Blink and you would have missed her, as Go Ara’s wheelchair bound bestfriend in Who Are You. Another Boys Over Flowers alum where she played Goo Joon Pyo’s on and off arranged fiance… Min Jung went on to star as leading actress in her own drama entitled Smile You. This little weekend drama that could be, where she starred as charming, spunky Seo Jo In  had Min Jung and her co-star Jung Kyung Ho behold while their ratings steadily climb toward upper 20%, a rare feat for a weekend series. Smile You has been since extended by 16 episodes. Her knack for playing well loved or detestable characters has since given her several CF opportunities, and starring roles in high profiled MVs.

Park Bo Young
1990
Effortless at looking cute and adorable, one wouldn’t mistake her for her real self — a serious young actress. She first entered the celebrity gossip scene last year, when photos of her with then hot commodity Lee Minho surfaced. Fangirls and netizens alike talked about her close relationship with the actor, with Bo Young herself denying any romantic relations between them. She then proved all of her detractors wrong when she  charmingly portrayed Cha Tae Hyun’s long lost teenager daughter in the comedy flick Speedy Scandal, a role that earned her first acting award.

Nam Ji Hyun
1995
She is the veritable “go to actress” for portraying realistic childhood roles, each showcasing her already impressive acting skills at her young age.  Ji Hyun first amazed viewers when she effortlessly played Han Ye Seul’s younger self in Will It Snow For Christmas — a bright young girl left emotionally wounded by the tragic death of her older brother. She can currently be seen the upcoming 1970s set action drama, Giant as Park Jin Hee’s younger self.

Im Joo Eun
1988
Rookie actress that surprised almost everyone in the industry when she beat over a thousand auditionees to land the titular role in horror drama Soul. Handling the role of a spirit possessed young girl with ease, she debuted with praises from critics and viewers alike, she had been dubbed as “the next Shim Eunha.” She is set to start with Big Bang’s Daesung in musical drama What’s Up.

Stay tuned for the second installment of our coverage, next up is ten of the most promising actors we believe will change Hallyuwood.