If someone in the room says, “uy parang Filipino ‘yun ah!” while watching a film or a series, they’re right 99% of the time.
It’s no secret that we Filipinos love K-culture. Whether it’s eating samgyeopsal, streaming Butter, trying Korean makeup trends or binge-watching K-Dramas, it’s pretty obvious which of our Asian neighbors we resonate with the most. So, when we found out that some Filipinos have worked with our favorite Korean musicians or actors, it feels like a dream come true. While we wait for more titular roles and better representation of Filipinos on Korea’s big screen aside from the usual, scroll down below to see Filipinos who’ve appeared on K-Drama shows and films. Only the hawk-eyed fans will know!
READ MORE: Remember These Filipino Adaptations of Korean Movies and K-Dramas?
NOREEN JOYCE ESGUERRA (Record of Youth, Extraordinary You, True Beauty, Hi Bye Mama, The King: Eternal Monarch)
This may sound too good to be true, but this Filipina actress has starred in over 60 K-Dramas in her career. Noreen Joyce Esguerra really went from just a fan to meeting and working with actors like Seo Hyun Jin, Moon Ga Young, and Kim Seon Ho. She also works as a finance manager aside from doing minor acting roles on TV.
LESTER AVAN ANDRADA (The Flu)
Starring in the 2013 Korean film The Flu, Lester Avan Andrada played the Filipino immigrant “Monssai” and revealed his acting prowess all while speaking Korean and Tagalog. Upon digging deeper, we found out that Lester was initially educated in UP Los Baños as a Theater Arts Major student and went to Korea as an exchange student.
CHRISTIAN LAGAHIT (Squid Game, Crash Landing On You, Vincenzo, Space Sweepers, Descendants of The Sun)
Christian Lagahit, also known as player 276 in Squid Game has worked with some of the biggest names in the K-Drama scene. Under his screen name “Chris Chan,” he’s been acting since 2017 all while working as an English teacher and marketing consultant in South Korea.
LAUREN YOUNG AND EJAY FALCON (Where The Stars Land)
Back in 2018, Filipino actors Ejay Falcon and Lauren Young played the role of a married couple who almost failed to reunite because the husband was denied entry to Korea when his wife gave birth. The emotional scene was met with excellent reviews and opened more doors for Ejay. He was even hugged by actor Lee Je Hoon out of admiration!
NASH ANG (Arthdal Chronicles)
In the 2019 fantasy drama series Arthdal Chronicles, many Filipinos were shocked to hear an actor speaking in the Tausug dialect. It was revealed to be Nash Ang, who worked alongside Song Joong-Ki himself. We’re here for the representation!
DEVON SERON (You With Me)
Four years ago, Devon Seron got the lead role of Filipino-Korean film You With Me. She played the female protagonist who came from a well-off family and tried her hand in teaching when she moved to South Korea. Her co-actors were Hyun Woo and Jin Joo Hyung. Devon revealed that she almost didn’t get the role since she just gate-crashed the auditions, so getting the lead role came as a surprise.
CHERISH MANINGAT (Dr. Romantic, Romang, Mouse)
Cherish (or “Cherish unnie” as what her fans call her) started out in theatre until she branched out to having roles in films and TV series. She also shared what it was like working with the lead actress of Weighlifting Fairy, Lee Sung-Kyung, and revealed a touching moment with her on the first day of shooting the medical drama, Dr. Romantic. Cherish has a vlog where she documents her travels in Korea, and gives tips and tutorials on how to speak Korean.
MELANIE MELENCION (Start Up, Burning, The Golden Holiday)
Melanie Melencion absolutely knows the meaning of hustle. After all, she does acting, is an English teacher, and does modeling for commercials, too. Some Filipinos started calling her “toilet girl” after her minor role in Start Up when she asked Bae Suzy where the “toilet” is. Melanie has also appeared on Burning, Where Stars Land, and The Golden Holiday.
MON CONFIADO (The Golden Holiday)
Veteran actor Mon Confiado played the antagonist in the 2020 Korean action-crime film The Golden Holiday. After having roles mainly as a villain only on local dramas and action films, he finally makes his international debut in South Korea. The story revolves around a Korean family who goes on a vacation and ends up investigating about the whereabouts of the Yamashita treasure.
MAUI TAYLOR (The Taste Of Money)
In this erotic thriller movie in 2013, Korean film ‘Taste of Money’ enlisted Maui Taylor in its cast of characters. She was able to work with prominent Korean actors including Oscars 2021 Best Supporting Actress Youn Yuh Jung. The film became an official entry to the 65th Cannes Film Festival back in 2012.
