More Foreign Faces in Korean Dramas

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia

Staff Reporter

Perhaps a reflection of the growing awareness of an increasingly multiracial Korea, a growing number of foreign faces are appearing on Korean television. More and more Korean dramas are casting foreign-born actors and actresses, although in supporting roles.

In recent years, hunky actors like Daniel Henney and Dennis Oh, who are partly Korean, have won the hearts of fans, even though they can barely speak Korean.

Now, it's the turn of good-looking and fluent Korean speakers like exotic British-Japanese Eva Popiel and blonde Belgian Julian Quintart to make a splash on the entertainment scene.

Foreign Beauties

Eva Popiel, a young Japanese-British woman who attracted attention after appearing in the hit KBS talk show ``Beauties Chatterbox,'' is now parlaying her popularity into an acting career.

At the press conference for the KBS1 daily series ``I Hate You, But It's Fine,'' Popiel attracted media attention because this is her first acting role, though she may have even overshadowed the drama's lead stars Han Ji-hye, Kim Ji-suk and Cho Dong-hyuk.

Popiel admitted it was hard at first, but she received a lot of support and help from her co-stars. When asked if she made a lot of mistakes when acting, she replied ``only a little.'' Her co-star Kim Chan-woo had nothing but praise for Popiel, saying she is very beautiful and hard-working.

Popiel plays the role of Sonia, a young woman from Kazakhstan who has come to Korea to work at an events company. She has been working in Korea for three years, sending money back to her family in Kazakhstan. The show will air on KBS1 at 8:25 p.m. from Monday to Friday, starting Sept. 3.

Other foreign women who have appeared in ``Beauties Chatterbox'' are also branching out into the entertainment industry.

Japanese woman Saori Chang has signed up with an entertainment agency and appeared in other variety shows, while Canadian Luvada Dunford has been seen in television commercials

Meanwhile, Cambodian beauty contest winner Ka Cho had a minor role in the drama series ``How to Meet a Perfect Neighbor,'' which starred Kim Seung-woo and Bae Doo-na. The drama was filmed on location in Cambodia. Ka Cho, whose real name is Pov Theavy, won the Beautiful Woman and Handsome Man 2006 competition in Phnom Phen last year.

The presence of foreign faces in Korean television is a welcome trend. However, it remains to be seen whether foreign actors and actresses can go beyond the stereotype and create more meaningful characters.