Although he has been on a long hiatus since 2017 due to a battle with cancer, Kim Woo-bin is remembered for his hit roles in The Heirs and Uncontrollably Fond. Previous to that, he first came to public attention as a model in 2009 at Seoul Fashion Week, before making his small screen debut in 2011’s White Christmas. AM Entertainment has announced that Kim will be returning to the big screen in the upcoming sci-fi film, Alien.

Nam Joo-hyuk

Nam Joo-hyuk in the drama Start Up. Photo: TVN
Originally a basketball player, Nam shelved his dreams of playing for the national team when he tore his ligament in middle school. After moving to Seoul, he scored an official contract with an agency after winning a modelling contest. He debuted with Songzio’s spring/summer collection in 2013 at the age of 19 – but is now best known as the star of seasonal K-drama smash Start-Up , opposite the inimitable Bae Suzy.

The 10 top paid K-drama actors – revealed

Lee Jong-suk

Lee has been best buds with fellow model-turned-actor Kim Woo-bin since their runway days. He debuted in 2005 as the youngest model to walk at Seoul Fashion Week – at just 16 years old. He had a small role in 2010 Hallyu hit, Secret Garden, but his main claim to fame is 2013’s I Can Hear Your Voice. He is currently completing his compulsory military service.

Kim Young-kwang

The first Asian model to walk for Dior Homme, Kim’s impressive resume also includes work with Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood. You might remember him in romcom tear-jerker, On Your Wedding Day, as he played a boy who loved his high school crush all the way until her marriage to another man.

Lee Soo-hyuk

Lee has been walking runways and shooting covers for big names including GQ, Elle and Vogue since 2006. But he truly made a splash with his turn in 2015’s spooky historical romance The Scholar Who Walks the Night with Lee Joon-gi. In 2020, he made a comeback after military service with the drama, Born Again.

While none of these five stars are still active on the runway, fans can continue to watch them grow in their roles as actors, using the confidence and poise they learned in their modelling days.

Want more stories like this? Sign up here. Follow STYLE on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter .