Choi Dae-hoon, Kim Sejeong Impress Veterans: "I Couldn't Make It as a Rookie"

Veteran Korean actors Kim Jung-nan, Ahn Suk-hwan, and Ahn Kil-kang say the younger generation of K-drama actors has set the bar so high that even established stars feel the pressure. The three sat down for a candid chat on Kim's YouTube channel, sharing set memories and offering their honest thoughts on the industry's rising talent.

On Sept. 21, the YouTube channel "Kim Jung-nan" posted a video titled "Even If I Don't Have One in Real Life, I Have Plenty of Husbands in Dramas. Kim Jung-nan's Husband Gathering." The guests were Ahn Suk-hwan and Ahn Kil-kang, who played Kim's on-screen husbands in the dramas "Bridal Mask" and "Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938," respectively.

Kim and Ahn Suk-hwan looked back on their time filming "Bridal Mask." Kim brought up actor Choi Dae-hoon, who played their on-screen son. "He was a rookie at the time, but he was already a great actor," she said.

Ahn Suk-hwan shared that his next project is a drama called "High School Queen" (Yeogosaeng Wanghu). When Kim asked who was starring, Ahn said "Sejeong," adding that the two had previously worked together on "The Uncanny Counter." He said the younger cast members impressed him so much during the script reading that he felt the pressure to keep up. "The kids are really good," he said. "At the reading, I just kept thinking, I'm the one who needs to keep up."

Kim and Ahn Kil-kang agreed, noting that there are so many talented young actors working today. "Maybe it's because they grew up with better training and watched so much great content," Kim said. Ahn Kil-kang added that the new generation acts "without hesitation."

Ahn Suk-hwan then delivered the line that stuck with everyone in the room. "If I were a rookie right now, I wouldn't be able to make a living," he said. "I was lucky to come up in the right era." Kim laughed at the remark and told him he was being too modest.

The exchange reflects a shift the Korean drama industry has been quietly acknowledging for years. As K-content pulls in bigger global audiences and streaming platforms raise production standards, younger actors are arriving on set already polished, well-trained, and comfortable in front of the camera. For the veterans who helped build the industry, that new baseline is something to celebrate, even if it comes with a humbling moment or two along the way.