Why TWICE and ITZY Members Are Turning to Acting Now

Girl group members under JYP Entertainment are moving into acting one after another. Following TWICE's Dahyun and Sana, ITZY's Ryujin and Yuna have expanded into film and television. What ties them together is timing. None of them started acting early in their careers. They only stepped into it once their groups were fully established.

Dahyun made her screen debut last year in the film "You Are the Apple of My Eye." She followed with television work in the drama "Love Me." Sana recently confirmed her screen debut through the Korea-Japan co-production "Nyangi."

Ryujin made a cameo appearance in the JTBC weekend drama "New Employee Chairman Kang," showing early promise as an actor. Yuna will star in the new tvN Monday-Tuesday drama "The Office of My Bias," which premieres on the 3rd of next month. She plays a natural-born actor named Yoon Choi.

TWICE debuted in 2015. ITZY followed in 2019. Both groups spent their early years focused on albums and live performances, building the group's identity first. Individual acting activities only picked up once each group had secured a stable fandom and mainstream reach.

JYP has long been seen as a company that prioritizes group activity over solo work for its girl groups. The reference point industry watchers keep returning to is miss A. Suzy started acting in 2011 with the drama "Dream High" and cemented her status as an actor through the film "Architecture 101," which earned her the nickname "Korea's first love." As she expanded into acting and endorsements, her personal profile grew larger than the group itself. Some in the industry read JYP's later approach to girl groups as a response to that experience, with the label placing more weight on building the group brand first.

TWICE and ITZY took the opposite order. Rather than pushing individual names first, the label built the group brand and only then widened each member's activities. As a result, when Dahyun, Sana, Ryujin, and Yuna step into acting, they carry the TWICE and ITZY names with them from day one.

Group recognition becomes the foundation for individual work. Names like "TWICE's Dahyun" or "ITZY's Yuna" pull public and fandom attention on casting news alone. Years of expressing different concepts and emotions on stage, plus regular work in front of cameras for music videos and content, give them a base to build on as actors.

Individual success then feeds back into the group. Acting introduces members to viewers beyond the existing fan base, which raises each member's personal profile. That, in turn, expands interest in the group and lifts its overall brand value. The group serves as the platform for the individual, and the individual's success reinforces the group's reach. The moves read less like a career switch to acting and more like an effort to grow each member's personal IP.

The pressure that comes with acting also drops. When a young idol takes on acting early and the reception is weak, the criticism can spill onto the group. Once the group is on solid ground, an individual's acting results are far less likely to shape the group's future. It also gives members more room to plan long-term careers while continuing to release music.

One industry insider said, "Idols who have been active as a group for a long time already have public recognition and a solid fandom, so it's easier for their projects to draw attention. Their experience handling different concepts across stages and music videos becomes a real strength when they start acting."

The recent wave of JYP girl group members moving into acting looks less like a shift toward becoming actors and more like a broader effort to expand personal IP. The group brand opens the door for individual work, and each member's success loops back to strengthen the group. It is a cycle built to keep both sides growing at once.