K-Drama Actors & Idols You Didn't Know Have Something To Do With Malaysia
You might still be able to spot some of them in Malaysia!
By Tamara Jayne — 12 May 2022, 10:09 AM
1. K-drama actor Tang Jun Sang is half-Malaysian
You might remember him from Crash Landing On You and Move To Heaven. Not many might know that the K-drama actor Tang Jun Sang is actually half-Malaysian. The star explained to Korean media about his last name, saying that his dad is Malaysian-Chinese while his mum is a South Korean born in a multi-cultural family.
The 17-year-old actor first garnered attention through popular K-drama series, Crash Landing On You. He later headlined in two other K-dramas, Racket Boys and Move To Heaven.
2. Stray Kids K-pop idol Han Ji-sung grew up in Ampang for awhile
Han Ji-sung from K-pop boy band, Stray Kids, first came to Malaysia with his family when he was eight or nine years old. He lived in Ampang for six years, where he attended Fairview International School.
According to several biographies, his parents urged Han to enrol in a college in Malaysia. But he wanted to become a singer and made an agreement with them that if he wasn't signed by a talent agency in South Korea within a year, then he would move back Malaysia to pursue his studies.
Fortunately, he managed to secure a place as a trainee in JYP Entertainment and three years later, he became a singer and rapper.
Watch the video below to hear him talk about his love for bak kut teh and mangosteens:
3. K-drama actor Seo Kang-joon studied in Malaysia
South Korean actor Seo Kang-joon who starred in Cheese In The Trap, Grid, and Are You Human? studied in Malaysia for one year and seven months.
He revealed this little nugget on an episode of Law of the Jungle when he impressed cast members with his slight knowledge of the English language and could interpret for the group.
In this interview, he also explained that he lived in a dorm in Malaysia because his dad knew a friend here. The reason for his stay in Malaysia, he explained, was because his parents wanted him to learn English and to "see more of the world".
4. IN2IT K-pop idol Isaac Voo is Malaysian
K-pop idol Isaac Voo debuted as part of six-member (originally eight) South Korean boy band, IN2IT. The 27-year-old is actually from Sabah, making him the first Malaysian K-pop idol!
He started by joining a K-pop dance competition, which eventually led him to represent Malaysia on a larger scale, against other countries in South Korea. During this time, he decided to stay on to pursue his dreams of becoming a K-pop star.
SAYS did an interview with him last year to find out more about his journey. You can read his story here.
5. South Korean actress Chae Song Ah lives in Johor and owns K-BBQ restaurant, Sae Ma Eul
Chae Song Ah, a South Korean actress who appeared in multiple Korean dramas like Good Doctor, My Strange Hero, and Glorious Day, currently lives in Johor. Together with her husband, they opened and run the popular Sae Ma Eul Korean barbecue restaurant.
It is the seventh outlet in Malaysia, with other branches in Mont Kiara, Jaya One, Kota Damansara, Sri Petaling, Kepong, and one in Penang.
6. Cravity K-pop idol Kim Taeyoung lived in Malaysia for two years
K-pop band Cravity's Taeyoung lived in Malaysia between the ages of four and six before he moved back to South Korea. Although there's not much information on why or how he ended up here, the K-pop star did try to show off his Bahasa Melayu skills in this video when he understood what the word 'cinta' meant:
7. TWICE K-pop idol Sana and boy band GOT7 visited Shah Alam to shoot a music video for their song 'A'
In 2014, South Korean boy band GOT7, together with TWICE's Sana, shot a music video for their song 'A' in Holy Smoke Cafe in Section 13, Shah Alam.
Malay words, such as makanan laut, farmasi, mee hoon, sup, and laksa can be seen on signboards and banners in several of the scenes in the music video.
You can also spot a few shops like 99 Speedmart at 1:21 and Tesco (now known as Lotus's) at 1:39:
