K-Pop Girl Group Veterans Pivot to Acting as ITZY, (G)I-DLE Members Land Drama Leads

ITZY's Yuna and Ryujin, (G)I-DLE's Miyeon, and TWICE's Jeongyeon are leading a wave of veteran K-pop idols moving into lead acting roles.

K-pop girl group members entering their eighth to tenth year of activity are taking on lead acting roles at a noticeably faster pace. The shift goes beyond cameos and supporting parts. More idols are now headlining dramas while keeping up with their group schedules, with Yuna and Ryujin of ITZY and Miyeon of (G)I-DLE drawing fresh industry attention.

Yuna was recently cast as the lead in the Netflix drama "Don't Cross the Wall" (Dameul Neomji Masio). The series is a high-school romance set between a boys' school and a girls' school that share a single wall and compete for academic prestige. The two student council presidents fall into a first love under a strict school rule: any student caught dating faces expulsion. Moon Sang-min and Cynthia have also been confirmed for the cast.

Yuna debuted in 2019 as the youngest member of the five-piece group ITZY, formed by JYP Entertainment. She made her acting debut earlier this year with a special appearance in the tvN drama "Undercover Miss Hong" (Eondeokeobeo Miss Hong). She is also set to appear in a supporting role in "My Bias at Work" (Choeae-ui Sawon), scheduled for release later this year. Moving straight into a Netflix lead has accelerated her acting career. Industry insiders say "Don't Cross the Wall" drew heavy audition competition among up-and-coming actors, and that Yuna was ultimately chosen for her existing fanbase and broad public recognition.

Her ITZY bandmate Ryujin is on a similar path. Now in her eighth year since debut, Ryujin has announced lead roles this year in the films "Shave" (Myeondo), "Night on Earth" (Jisang-ui Bam), and "High School Detective" (Goding Hyeongsa). She is building her acting résumé alongside group activities.

TWICE is also showing signs of a wider acting push. Jeongyeon, the younger sister of actress Gong Seung-yeon, recently met with BARO Entertainment. According to an industry source, it is not only Jeongyeon. Other TWICE members, now several years into their careers, are expected to take on more acting work as well.

(G)I-DLE's Miyeon is also moving into acting in a more serious way. Since her 2018 debut, she has appeared in web dramas, but the public has known her mainly as the group's main vocalist and visual. She recently made a special appearance in the tvN drama "The Office Worker Who Sees Fate" (Unmyeong-eul Boneun Hoesawon) and has now been cast as the lead in a new season of "Cheongdam International High School" (Cheongdam Gukje Godeunghakgyo). The role is expected to mark a major step forward in her acting career.

The trend is tied to changes in the production environment. Production companies increasingly prefer idols with built-in fandoms and strong public recognition over lesser-known newcomers. Casting an idol can generate buzz before a project even airs and can extend a show's reach to global audiences through fan networks.

That has made auditions tougher for actors without an idol background. Casting decisions now favor performers who combine acting ability with name recognition and online buzz, and newcomers face a harder climb than before. In the past, idol-actors often faced complaints about weak acting. Recently, more idols are joining projects after extended preparation, and those complaints have become less common.

Industry observers also point to the nature of the idol market itself. Trends shift faster than they do in acting, and the market tends to favor younger artists. As idols rack up years in the business, it is natural for them to expand their solo work. Unless a group reaches the global top tier, building a long career through music alone is difficult, and that reality is shaping these career moves.

The paths of Yuna, Ryujin, Miyeon, and Jeongyeon show how veteran idols are widening their careers. They are holding on to their groups while stepping up as drama leads, and the industry continues to view idols with strong fandoms and public profiles as some of its most valuable casting assets.