When I was still new to the Hallyu wave, one thing that baffled me the most about Korean celebrities was how they managed to stay young and vibrant, even in the process of aging. And that curiosity gave birth to our article on the Korean anti-aging secrets. One of the ways Koreans take advantage of their slow aging abilities is by acting in roles that are way younger than their actual age, and they perform so brilliantly that we end up believing them.

I know you’re curious and want to know the details of what I’m talking about, so here are 5 recent (2020-2023) K-dramas where actors in their 30s acted as teenagers and aced it.

Itaewon Class- Park Seo Joon and Bo Hyun Ahn

Synopsis: Itaewon class is the story of a young man who seeks revenge on the owner of a pub who made his life miserable and he meets a young lady who helps him with his goal. Park Seo Joon and Bo Hyun Ahn started as high school kids in this hit series before moving up to portray adult life. You won’t believe they were both 31 years old when the series was filmed in 2020! Their acting was top-notch and convincing, wasn’t it?

It’s Okay Not to be Okay-Seo Ye Jin

Synopsis: The series tells the story of a man employed in a psychiatric ward and a woman who is a popular writer of children’s books. In this series, 31-year-old Seo Ye Jin pulled off the role of a high school girl as the story spins off to their past when they were still high students. She did well, and they impressed us. The many awards the series swept are proof of that.

True Beauty- Hwang In-Youp

Synopsis: True Beauty is the story of a high school senior who covers her face with makeup and fears other people seeing her real face. She later came across a boy who soon found out her secret. For sure, playing the role of a high school student at 30 was an effortless job for Hwang In Youp because he looked nothing like a 30-year old in the drama!

Twenty-Five Twenty-One

Synopsis: In a time when dreams seem out of reach, a teenage fencer pursues big ambitions and meets a hardworking young man who seeks to rebuild his life. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I found out Kim Tae Ri was 31 years old when she acted in this series. This is because when the story progressed to their life after high school, I was so convinced she was a teenager that I wondered how they made her look like an adult. I’ll admit they fooled me.

A Time Called You- Jeon Yeo Been

Synopsis: After losing her boyfriend and still mourning him, a young lady finds herself in the year 1998 in the body of a different person. Starring in the lead role, Jeon Yeo Been was 34 years old when she acted as a teenager in the series. Did someone see how she brought that role to life?

Now that we all accept the fact that we were all tricked by the fabulous performances of these amazing actors, we should not forget to give some accolades to all the crew members who worked together with them to make sure we were entertained. Have you watched these K-dramas?

If you have, whose age surprised you the most? We’ll await your answers in the comment section. If you have not watched these series, take this as your sign to binge-watch and be prepared to be amazed.