One of South Korea’s most renowned actors,Gong Hyo-jinhas starred in several Korean movies and TV shows, but which of herK-dramasare her best? Beginning her career in 1999, Hyo-jin got her breakout role in the 2002 film,Emergency Act 19, where she took on the role of Min-ji. Since making it big, Gong Hyo-jin has continued to mesmerize audiences with her great acting skills which earned her several awards.
With over 41 credits to her name,Hyo-jin is recognized for being a versatile actor. Fromromantic K-dramasto mystery Korean TV series, there are very few genres that the award-winning actor hasn’t been in. Her most recent work,When the Stars Gossip, which has her working alongside Lee Min-ho,another talented K-drama actor, further proves that Hyo-jin has the range, emotional vulnerability, and screen presence needed to nail any role she is cast in.
Sangdoo, Let’s Go To School!
Cast
Sangdoo, Let’s Go to School! follows Sang-doo, who navigates a life fraught with challenges, including supporting his daughter’s hospital expenses by unconventional means. At 27, he reconnects with his first love, Chae Eun-hwan, prompting him to enroll in high school as her student, aiming to rekindle their romance.
A compelling K-drama, Sangdoo, Let’s Go To Schoolis a terrific show starring Gong Hyo-jin occurs in two timelines: the past and the present. When Cha Sang-doo and Chae Eun-hwan were kids, they had secret crushes on each other but were forced to part ways due to family drama. Several years later, they are now adults living completely different lives.Sang-doo, who still has feelings for Eun-hwan, is determined to win her affection, but unfortunately, she is in a relationship with his daughter’s doctor.
AlthoughSangdoo, Let’s Go To School!features a love triangle, a trope that has been used countless times in Korean dramas, the actors in the show bring a fresh perspective to the story. While Hyo-jin and Rain were breakout stars inSangdoo, Let’s Go To School!, the rest ofthe cast also does a great job bringing Director Lee Hyung-min’s vision to life. Hyo-jin as Eun-hwan is a joy to watch. She perfectly embodies her character’s mannerisms and brings life to her story.
Don’t Dare to Dream
Don’t Dare to Dream is a 2016 romantic drama centering on a weather girl who reencounters her former crush, an arrogant reporter at her TV network. However, her romantic interest shifts as she becomes drawn to his charismatic best friend.
Directed by Park Shin-woo and Lee Jung-heum,Don’t Dare to Dreamis aworkplace romance K-drama.Don’t Dare to Dreamcenters around Gong Hyo-jin’s character, Pyo Na-ri, a woman who worked her way to the top of a broadcast station and became a contract weather forecaster. Na-ri has a crush on her workmate, Lee Hwa-sin, but he doesn’t feel the same way about her. However, he begins to become jealous when she starts dating his best friend.
Gong Hyo-jin made her screen debut in the 1999 film Memento Mori, before becoming a massive TV and film star in the 21st century.
Don’t Dare to Dreamis a great workplace romancethat is made even more entertaining because of the chemistry between the cast in the K-drama. Hyo-jin once again shows that she gives an incredible performance in romantic comedies, making it easy to like her character. WhileDon’t to Dare Dreamis a romance K-drama, it also features other subplots such as a cancer storyline.
The Greatest Love
The Greatest Love is a South Korean romantic comedy series centered around the evolving relationship between a beloved national figure and a woman widely disliked by the public. As their feelings deepen, they navigate societal perceptions and personal courage, challenging the boundaries of popular opinion and individual desire.
Starring Gong Hyo-jin as Gu Ae-jung,The Greatest Lovetells the story of her character’s romance with Dokko Jin. Ae-jung is a disgraced former pop star trying to make money to support her family. One day, she reveals one of Jin’s secrets on a TV show, which begins a feud between the two. Despite his initial dislike of Ae-jung, Jin begins to fall for her as he gets to interact more with his archenemies.
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The 16-episode K-drama includes elements that fans of the genre enjoy such a love triangle, an enemies to lovers story, and great chemistry between the characters.The Greatest Loveis funny, witty, and has a romantic yet deep storyline that makes it one of Hyo-jin’s best K-dramas. The Korean series’ deep themes of fame and its pitfalls make it entertaining from start to finish.
When the Stars Gossip
This romantic drama series follows an astronaut and a space tourist who, despite their differing backgrounds and missions, become entangled in space, leading to unexpected romantic developments.
Six years after her last K-drama role,Hyo-jin returned to the small screen as Eve Kim in the romantic space drama,When the Stars Gossip.Starring Lee Min-hoas Gong Ryong, the K-drama centers around a love story that takes place in space. Ryong is forced to go to space as a tourist in order to complete a secret mission. He encounters Eve, the commander of the space station and ends up falling for.
When the Stars Gossipwas one of themost anticipated K-dramas of 2025as it saw both Gong Hyo-jin and Lee Min-ho return to acting in Korean TV shows after they both took a break from the genre.The K-drama offers a sweet love story and a premise that hasn’t yet been seen in romantic K-dramas.The lead characters, Ryong and Eve, have great chemistry that comes as no surprise given that they are played by some of South Korea’s most seasoned actors.
When The Camellia Blooms
When The Camellia Blooms is a South Korean television series that follows the life of Dong-baek, a single mother who runs a bar named Camellia. Set in the small town of Ongsan, the series explores the challenges she faces, including societal judgment and the complexities of love, as she navigates relationships with local residents. The drama intertwines romance with suspense and human emotions, presenting a heartfelt narrative.
One of the most popular romance andmystery K-dramas of all time,When the Camellia Bloomsis a story about a woman who has had a difficult life but never gives up. Oh Dong Baek, played by Gong Hyo-jin, is a single mother who moves to Ongsan with the hope of starting a new life there. While in the small town,she opens a bar called Camellia and embarks on a romance with Yong-sik.
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When the Camellia Bloomsis one of those K-dramas that features incredible character development.The show spends enough time on each of the main and supporting members of its cast and carefully shows their growth throughout its episodes. Gong Hyo-jin’s Dong-baek is a force to be reckoned with and her resilience, humor, and charm make her stand out in the romantic K-drama. During the time of its premiere,When the Camellia Bloomsbecame one of the highest-rated Korean series, and was beloved by both audiences and critics.
It’s Okay, That’s Love
It’s Okay, That’s Love is a South Korean television series starring Jo In-sung and Gong Hyo-jin. Set in the world of psychiatry and mental health, the series follows the intertwined lives of a mystery writer and a psychiatrist, delving into their personal struggles and relationships. The show was written by Noh Hee-kyung and directed by Kim Kyu-tae.
Also known asAlright, This Is Love,the K-drama sees Ji Hae-soo and Jang Jae-yeol fall in love with each other. Jae-yool is a mystery author with a sad past that leads him to have obsessive compulsive disorder. Gong Hyo-jin plays Hae-soo inIt’s Okay, That’s Love. Hae-soo is an ambitious psychiatrist who has a negative attitude towards love. Although Jae-yeol and Hae-soo don’t initially like each other, their feelings eventually evolve into love.
Hae-soo doesn’t believe in love and can be skeptical when it comes to romantic relationships.
Gong Hyo-jin’s character inIt’s Okay, That’s Loveis different from any other roles she has played in her previous romantic K-dramas. Hae-soo doesn’t believe in love and can be skeptical when it comes to romantic relationships. However, it’s her fear and anxiety about love that makes her relationship with Jae-yeol even more heartwarming as she chooses to be with him, instead of giving in to what she is afraid of. The fact that the K-drama also delves into mental health also makes it stand out in Hyo-jin’s career as very few Koream series at the time delved into this subject.
The Master’s Sun
The Master’s Sun, released in 2013, follows Joo Joong-won, a CEO of a conglomerate, and Tae Gong-shil, an outcast with the ability to see ghosts. Their intertwined lives navigate through a series of complex events as they address unresolved issues of spirits, leading to unexpected relationships.
The romantic K-drama,The Master’s Sun, focuses on the escapades of Joo Joong-won and Tae Gong-shil. Joong-won is a cold rich man who is forced to spend time with Gong-shil. Gong-shil has a are ability of seeing ghosts, but her encounter with Joong-won shows her that there’s a way to block out her visions. In return for staying by his side, Joong-won enlists her help in helping him recover some money he lost.
[The Master’s Sun] sets itself apart with its burts of humor, tender moments, and a romance for the ages.
WhileThe Master’s Sun blendsromance and fantasy in a way that has already been done before, the K-drama sets itself apart with its burts of humor, tender moments, and a romance for the ages. The K-drama is probably one of the most important Korean TV series in Gong Hyo-jin’s career because she showcased her acting range by how she embodied her complex character. In every scene, Hyo-jin has great screen presence and manges to convey emotions that pull audiences in.
Ruler of Your Own World
Ruler of Your Own World is an MBC Korean drama series released in 2002. Written by In Jung-ok and directed by Park Sung-soo, the series follows the intertwined lives of complex characters navigating personal challenges and relationships, set against the backdrop of contemporary South Korea.
Although Hyo-jin has been in a number of K-dramas throughout her acting career,Ruler of Your Own Worldstands out as her best. Released in 2002, the K-drama centers around three people: Song Mi-rae (Gong Hyo-jin), Go Bok-su (Yang Dong-geun), and Jeon Kyung (Lee Na-young). The three characters' lives become intertwined after Bok-su steals Kyung’s wallet, and he decides to leave his long-term girlfriend, Mi-rae, to pursue a relationship with Kyung.
Ruler of Your Own Worldplayed a huge role in putting Hyo-jin on the map as a K-drama actorto look out for. The K-drama did not have record-breaking viewership numbers or international recognition. However,Ruler of Your Own Worldstands out as Hyo-jin’s best K-drama because of how authentic it is. The premise of the K-drama is interesting and the acting in the Korean television series perfectly captures the director’s vision.Ruler of Your Own Worldshowed thatGong Hyo-jinhas the potential to make it big one day.
