Moon Ga-young

Moon Ga-young (; born July 10, 1996) is a South Korean actress and model. In 2005, she started on her career as a child model. The following year, in 2006, she made her debut as a child actress with the film '' Bloody Reunion''.

She is best known for her roles in '' Heartstrings'' (2011), ''Exo Next Door'' (2015), '' Tempted'' (2018), ''Welcome to Waikiki 2'' (2019), ''Find Me in Your Memory'' (2020), '' True Beauty'' (2020–2021), '' Link: Eat, Love, Kill'' (2022), ''The Interest of Love'' (2022–2023) and ''My Dearest Nemesis'' (2025).

Early life

Moon was born on July 10, 1996, in Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, to South Korean parents as the second daughter of two siblings. Her father, who majored in physics, and her mother, who studied music (piano), met as international students in Germany and got married. In 2005, her family moved back to South Korea when she was in third grade of elementary school.

Moon graduated from an all-girls middle school and high school. Moon is also fluent in German and English as a result of her time in Germany. She can also play the piano, flute, and perform ballet.

Career

2005–2010: Early career as child actress and model

Moon was scouted in the street as a child model for a clothing magazine while her mother pushed her in a stroller in Germany. Upon returning to South Korea in 2005, Moon's uncle and mother submitted photos of her and her older sister for a modeling contest just for fun. However, Moon was chosen as a model for children fashion catalogue.

Beginning her acting career in 2006, Moon was a child actress who appeared in both film and television. Her initial debut was in the 2006 film '' Bloody Reunion''. She slowly made notable appearances on big screen, lending her voice to '' Black House'' (2007) and taking on minor roles in ''Shadows in the Palace'' (2007), ''Our Town'' (2007), and '' Do You See Seoul?'' (2008).

Subsequently, she embarked on a series of television drama projects, commencing with the 2007 drama ', followed by ''Bitter Sweet Life'' (2008), ''Ja Myung Go'' (2009), ''Friend, Our Legend'' (2009), ''The Reputable Family'' (2010), and ''Bad Guys'' (2010). She actively worked as a child actor alongside Yeo Jin-goo, Kim Yoo-jung, and Kim So-hyun. However, during middle school, she experienced a significant growth spurt of over 10 centimeters and took a break from acting, both willingly and partially, because she became too tall for child roles.

2011–2016: Teen roles, transition into adulthood and career breakthrough

She was well-loved for her portrayal of Jung-hyun, the little sister of Lee Shin (acted by Jung Yong-hwa) in MBC's Wednesday-Thursday drama '' Heartstrings'' (2011), directed by Pyo Min-soo and scripted by Lee Myung-sook.

When she was a high school girl, Moon acted as mysterious girl Seohyun in Lee Si-young's ''Killer Toon'', directed by Kim Yong-gyun and released on June 27, 2013. This breakthrough performance significantly contributed to her rise in popularity.

In 2013, Moon was cast in KBS's weekend drama ''Wang's Family'', a series written by Moon Young-nam and directed by Jin Hyun-wook. In the show, Moon portrayed the character Wang Hae-bak, who is the fourth daughter of the Wang family. Hae-bak, a high school student, is constantly absorbed in her smartphone and rarely engages in conversations with her family members. However, she surprises everyone with her exceptional academic performance and her knack for making things happen.

In April 2013, she gained attention for her captivating performance alongside Baekhyun on SBS's ''Inkigayo''. As a result, she unexpectedly soared to the top of real-time search terms on various portal sites.

Additionally, Moon was chosen to play the character Oh-reum, a ghost with a captivating backstory, in tvN's new Monday-Tuesday drama titled '' Who Are You?'' The series, starring So Yi-hyun, Ok Taec-yeon, and Kim Jae-wook, premiered on July 29, 2013. Moon's character appears in episodes 1 and 2 of the show.

In 2014, Moon, made her debut as an adult actress, she was a third-year high school student at the time. She took on her first leading role as the title character in '' Mimi'', a four-episode mystery/romance drama that was aired on the cable channel Mnet. Moon starred alongside Changmin from the group TVXQ. In the drama, she portrayed the role of Mimi, an innocent girl who harbors a secret and suffers from an unnamed illness.

In November 2014, Moon successfully completed her college scholastic test. In January 2015, she enrolled as a freshman in the Class of '15 at Sungkyunkwan University's Department of Acting and Arts. She chose to join the Department of Theater and Film at the university to pursue her passion for both acting and classical literature.

In April 2015, Moon portrayed the female protagonist in the web drama ''Exo Next Door'', which aired on Naver TV Cast.

In 2016, Moon took on supporting roles in the SBS television series ''Don't Dare to Dream''. In the show, she portrayed the character of Lee Ppal-gang, a fearless high school student with a laid-back personality. Ppal-gang, along with her friends Chi-chi (played by Kim Jung-hyun) and Dae-gu (played by Ahn Woo-hyun), Ahn Woo-yeon forms a trio known as the "three musketeers." With her focus on academics and a rebellious spirit, Ppal-gang builds a barrier against the cold-hearted adults who have caused her pain, rendering them powerless.

In 2017, Moon took on a supporting role in ''Live Up to Your Name''. In the drama, she portrayed the character Dong Mak-gae and impressed with her cross-dressing acting skills. Dong Mak-gae is depicted as a loyal assistant to Heo Im (played by Kim Nam-gil).

2017–2023: Leading actress and rising popularity

In 2017, she starred in the drama special ''Waltzing Alone''. This marked her first adult role since turning 20, as she portrayed a 2009 high school graduate who was slightly older than her actual age. Her character, Kim Min-sun, was a struggling job seeker who was not very likable and was late in starting her career.

The following year, in 2018, Moon took on the lead role in the romance drama '' Tempted'', based on the 18th century French novel ''Les Liaisons dangereuses''. She played Choi Soo-ji, the daughter of a medical foundation chairman who schemes to seduce Kwon Si-hyeon (played by Woo Do-hwan). Moon's performance earned her an Excellence Award as Best Actress in a Monday-Tuesday Drama at the MBC Drama Awards.

On July 3, 2018, Moon she transferred her agency from SM C&C to Keyeast, which had been acquired by SM Entertainment in March 2018.

In 2019, Moon was cast as a main character in the comedy series ''Welcome to Waikiki 2''. She portrayed Han Soo-yeon, the first love interest of three best friends (played by Lee Yi-kyung, Kim Seon-ho), and Shin Hyun-soo). After her wedding is called off due to her father's failed business, Soo-yeon has to learn how to support herself financially.

The following year, in 2020, Moon starred as the female lead in the romance series ''Find Me in Your Memory''. She played Yeo Ha-jin, a former model who has successfully transitioned into acting and become a prominent influencer, but has intentionally distanced herself from her past. She meets Lee Jung-hoon (Kim Dong-wook), a news anchor with hyperthymesia, a rare condition that allows him to remember nearly every moment in his life. It was broadcast on MBC TV from March 18 to May 13, 2020.

Later in 2020, Moon took on the lead role of Lim Ju-kyung in the tvN series '' True Beauty'', alongside Cha Eun-woo, Hwang In-youp, and Park Yoo-na, which aired in December 2020. It was based on the Line Webtoon of the same name by Yaongyi, which depicts a high school girl who, after being bullied and discriminated against because of being perceived as ugly, masters the art of makeup to transform herself into a true beautiful lady.

In 2021, Moon and Yoon Kye-sang starred in the music video for the song "Cheers" from the album "Reconnect" by AKMU's Lee Chan-hyuk, Colde, and Sogumm, which was produced by Code Kunst. The video was directed by Kwon Oh-jun of AR Film. This project was part of Elle Korea's 'Reconnect 2021' initiative, which aims to support courage and youth in the midst of challenging daily life.

In 2022, Moon collaborated once again with director Hong Jong-chan for the tvN fantasy-melodrama '' Link: Eat, Love, Kill''. She took on the role of Noh Da-hyun, the main character who works as a trainee at Jihwayang restaurant. Meanwhile, Yeo Jin-goo played the character of Eun Gye-hoon, a sous chef at Jihwayang restaurant and Da-hyun's love interest.

Towards the end of 2022, Moon starred in the JTBC office-romance drama ''The Interest of Love''. She played Ahn Soo-young, a head teller at KCU Bank's Yeongpo branch, who views love as fragile like a sandcastle. Her outlook changes when a man brings excitement into her life.

2024–to present: Debut as writer and recent projects

In February 2024, Moon made her debut as a writer with the publication of her first prose collection, Pata, which explores her inner thoughts and reflections. The book received significant attention when it went on pre-sale on February 27, selling around 2,000 copies. The high pre-order sales quickly led to a second printing being confirmed, which is seen as a notable accomplishment in South Korea's publishing industry. In July 2024, the publisher Wisdom House announced that Pata had signed translation and publishing contracts in Taiwan with AtmanBooks and in Indonesia with ShiraMedia.

Also in February 2024, Moon collaborated once again with director Hong Jong-chan for Daesung's "Falling Slowly" music video. Moon also reunited with her Welcome to Waikiki 2's costar Kim Seon-ho for the project. The song and music video were released on March 5.

On July 1, 2024, Moon signed an exclusive contract with management company Peak J Entertainment. On July 12, the television network tvN announced that Moon and Choi Hyun-wook have been cast in mini-series '' Black Salt Dragon''.'''' The series is based on a webtoon of the same name by Hye Jin-yang. The drama is directed by Lee Soo-hyun, known for ''Delightfully Deceitful'' and written by Kim Soo-yeon. It was produced by Studio N and planned by Studio Dragon.

Endorsements

Moon debuted in the entertainment industry as a commercial model in 2005.

In early 2021, Moon was selected as an exclusive model for hair brand Vodana. In May, cosmetics brand Dermafirm (CEO Han Yoon-jae) selected Moon as the brand's exclusive model. Moon also reunited with her Welcome to Waikiki 2's costar Kim Seon-ho for outdoor-clothing brand models Nau.

In 2022, Moon was selected as the model for the sports fashion brand Lecoq Sportive. She is also an exclusive model for vegan cosmetics brand Dinto.

In September 2023, Moon attended Dolce & Gabbana's Spring/Summer 2024 show at Milan Fashion Week. Following the event, Moon was recognized as the artist who had the most significant impact in the event and generated high media value, as indicated by the marketing platform Lefty. Pictorial of Moon wearing Dolce & Gabbana's Fall-Winter collection were featured in W magazine's November issue. She was later officially announced as the brand's ambassador in November 2023. Moon also appeared as a model for Calvin Klein in December 2023.

In 2024, Moon attended Milan Fashion Week for the Dolce & Gabbana fall/winter 2024 show. In addition, Moon reunited with Cha Eun-woo as advertising models for Hanwha Life Insurance commercial. In March 2024, Moon was named a Tumi luggage global ambassador.

Filmography

Film

Television series

Television shows

Hosting

Music video appearances

Ambassadorship

Book

Awards and nominations

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Moon, Ga-young
Living people
1996 births
South Korean expatriates in Germany
South Korean television actresses
South Korean film actresses
South Korean female models
South Korean child actresses
South Korean web series actresses
Actresses from Karlsruhe
Sungkyunkwan University alumni