Throughout Korean television history, K-drama lovers have been treated with some iconic cameos. From Squid Game surprising fans with superstar Gong Yoo’s brief but impactful role to Crash Landing on You offering viewers the captivating screen presence of Kim Soo-hyun, here is a list of K-dramas that feature the best cameos of all time.
Cameos are guest appearances of well-known people, usually celebrities, in TV shows and films. These brief roles are unexpected, meant to catch viewers off guard and add fresh dynamics to the show or movie.
Leading the list of K-dramas with iconic cameos is the global Netflix hit Squid Game. A Hwang Dong-hyuk directorial, the thriller story featured an impressive guest appearance by Goblin fame Gong Yoo. Donning the role of a mysterious salesman responsible for recruiting suitable players for the game, the K-drama star left fans intrigued with his powerful performance. Squid Game went on to become one of the most-watched series on Netflix, with over 1.65 billion hours of viewership in the first 28 days of release.
Meanwhile, Vincenzo fame Song Joong-ki’s cameo in the 2024 Kim Soo-hyun starrer Queen of Tears is considered one of the most impactful Korean drama cameos of all time. So much so that, according to Nielsen Korea, his cameo episode recorded an average nationwide rating of 16.1 per cent, marking an all-time high for the first half of the Netflix series.
Not to forget actor Kwak Dong-yeon’s special appearance in the critically acclaimed 2020 hit It’s Okay to Not Be Okay. Talking about Kwak’s guest role, the production team of the Emmy-nominated series shared with Soompi, “The character of Kwon Ki Do requires a very impactful and difficult performance, and we are grateful to Kwak Dong Yeon for being so passionate about his role. We hope viewers will be intrigued by Kwon Ki Do, who hides sadness behind his bright expressions.”
Check our complete list on K-dramas to watch!
These K-dramas are a must-watch for their iconic celebrity cameos
Directed by: Kim Hee-won and Jang Young-woo
Cast: Kim Soo-hyun, Kim Ji-won, Park Sung-hoon, Kwak Dong-yeon
Episodes: 16
Synopsis: Hong Hae-in ( Kim Ji-won), the heiress of Queens Group conglomerate, marries Baek Hyun-woo (Kim Soo-hyun), the legal director of the group. However, the couple’s life is soon turned upside down after a crisis. Will Hyun-woo and Hae-in face the situation together, or will they fall apart?
About the cameo: Song Joong-ki and Kim Ji-won fans were elated at the duo’s on-screen reunion in Queen of Tears. Song made a special appearance as Hae-in’s (Kim) divorce attorney in episode 8 of the Netflix K-drama. Song’s character was a homage to his previous hit on-screen roles. His character was introduced as “the youngest heir of a conglomerate family” — a reference to his role in the 2022 K-drama Reborn Rich; “a former soldier stationed abroad” — a reference to his role in the 2016 K-drama Descendants of the Sun; “someone who came here on a spaceship” — a reference to his role in the 2021 film Space Sweepers; “a werewolf” — a reference to his role in the 2012 film A Werewolf Boy; and “Vincenzo Cassano” — a reference to his 2021 K-drama Vincenzo.
Directed by: Kim Chul-gyu
Cast: Park Gyu-young, Kang Min-hyuk, Lee Chung-ah
Episodes: 12
Synopsis: Salesperson Seo A-ri (Park) has been a fashion enthusiast since childhood and wants to enter the world of celebrities. Soon, luck plays its part, and her Instagram grabs attention for her pocket-friendly DIY outfits. A-ri gains a massive following. But when her success doesn’t go well with a group of powerful influencers, A-ri gets consumed by the uglier side of fame.
About the cameo: Seol In-ah fans were delighted when the Business Proposal fame actor made a captivating cameo in episode four of the K-drama Celebrity. Seol played the role of Korean actress Song Yeon-woo, who is desperate to extend her contract with Han Jun-kyung’s (played by Kang) beauty company.
Directed by: Kim Jin-won
Cast: Jeon Yeo-been, Ahn Hyo-seop, Kang Hoon
Episodes: 12
Synopsis: Han Jun-hee (Jeon), who is still grieving her deceased boyfriend Koo Yeun-jun (Ahn), is mysteriously taken back to 1998. There she ends up as a high school student and soon discovers that her school’s most popular boy, Nam Si-heon, resembles Yeun-jun. Is fate giving her a second chance at love?
About the cameo: A story based on the 2019 Taiwanese show Someday or One Day, this romance K-drama had a cameo appearance by Ahn’s bestie, singer-actor Ro Woon. The latter plays the role of Tae Ha, who is in love with Yeun-jun.
Directed by: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Cast: Lee Jung-jae, Jung Ho-yeon, Wi Ha-joon, Oh Yeong-su
Episodes: 9
Synopsis: A total of 456 players risk their lives to play a series of children’s games with fatal twists, to claim a reward of around USD 38 million (INR 312 crore approx).
About the cameo: Korean superstar Gong Yoo’s role as a friendly salesman, who is responsible for recruiting debt-ridden people into a series of games held in a mysterious place in Korea, is a K-drama cameo that will be remembered for years to come.
Additionally, legendary Korean actor Lee Byung-hun, who has starred in multiple Hollywood films like Terminator Genisys and The Magnificent Seven, was also seen making a guest appearance in Squid Game. He played the role of Hwang In-ho, the missing older brother of police officer Hwang Jun-ho (played by Wi).
Directed by: Park Shin-woo
Cast: Kim Soo-hyun, Seo Ye-ji, Oh Jeong-se
Episodes: 16
Synopsis: Psych ward caretaker Moon Kang-tae (Kim), along with his brother Moon Sang-tae (Oh), meets introverted writer Ko Moon-young (Son) in one of her book reading events. Soon, the trio grow fond of each other and begin a journey of self-discovery. But, when Moon-young and Sang-tae discover that they share a tragic childhood, the group’s relationships are put to the test.
About the cameo: Written by acclaimed South Korean writer Jo Yong, this Korean drama enjoyed an impressive cameo by Kwak Dong-yeon. The actor played Kwon Ki-do, a psychiatric patient emotionally abused by his political family.
Directed by: Kim Sung-yoon
Cast: Park Seo-joon, Kim Da-mi, Kwon Nara
Episodes: 16
Synopsis: Park Sae-ro-yi’s (Park) life changes after he is expelled from school and put behind bars for hitting Jang Geun-won (Ahn), the heir to the biggest restaurant chain in Korea. Upon release, Sae-ro-yi opens a restaurant on Seoul’s popular Itaewon Street and decides to make it a competitor of the powerful Jang family’s established food company.
About the cameo: An adaptation of Jo Gwang-Jin’s 2016 webtoon of the same name, Itaewon Class showcased a cameo by actor Park Bo-gum, who portrayed the role of a chef in the K-drama.
Directed by: Oh Choong-hwan and Bae Hyun-jin
Cast: Nam Joo-hyuk, Kim Sun-ho, Kang Han-na
Episodes: 16
Synopsis: Entrepreneur Seo Dal-mi (Bae) aspires to become Korea’s own Steve Jobs and works hard to climb the success ladder in the world of tech. When she comes across Nam Do-san (Nam), the founder of the struggling company Samsan Tech, she decides to join him. Soon sparks fly between the duo, and together they strive to grow their careers.
About the cameo: After his amazing K-drama cameo in The Crowned Clown, Yeo Jin-goo made an appearance in Start-Up as the voice of Young Sil, an AI assistant used by Han Ji-pyeong (played by Kim). He also appears in the last episode of the show as the owner of a start-up company.
Directed by: Lee Jung-Hyo
Cast: Hyun Bin, Son Ye-jin, Seo Ji-hye, Kim Jung-hyun
Episodes: 16
Synopsis: South Korean heiress Yoon Se-ri (Son) lands in North Korea after an unfortunate paragliding collision. There she is rescued by army officer Ri Jeong-hyeok (Hyun), who offers to help her return to her country. However, his neighbours soon spot Se-ri with him and to keep her identity hidden, Jeong-hyeok ends up calling Se-ri his fiance. Will their relationship delay Se-ri’s journey back to South Korea?
About the cameo: A-lister Kim Soo-hyun, reprising his character Won Ryu-hwan — a North Korean spy disguised as a village freak — from his 2013 hit Secretly, Greatly, is considered one of the best K-drama cameos of all time. Another CLOY cameo that made viewers swoon was when superstar Choi Ji-woo made an appearance as herself to surprise North Korean soldier Kim Joo-muk (played by Yoo Su-bin). Yoo’s character Joo-muk was a huge fan of Choi’s 2003 hit K-drama Stairway to Heaven.
Directed by: Oh Choong-hwan
Cast: IU, Yeo Jin-goo, Shin Jung-keun, Bae Hae-sun
Episodes: 16
Synopsis: Korea’s Hotel Del Luna has always been the talk of the town due to its mysterious CEO Jang Man-wol (IU). Little do the people know that Man-wol’s past mistakes have trapped her in the hotel for eternity. Chung Myung (Lee), a thousand-year-old firefly guard, is in charge of ensuring Man-wol’s safety. However, things start to change when Man-wol falls for Del Luna’s new manager, Koo Chan-sung (Yeo).
About the cameo: Veteran Korean actor Cha Chung-hwa makes an appearance as a water ghost in the first episode of this supernatural romance K-drama. Another memorable cameo in the K-drama was when Lee Joon-gi and IU reunited on screen after their 2016 hit Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart. Lee portrayed the role of a priest in Hotel Del Luna.
Directed by: Oh Hyun-jong and Nam Sung-woo
Cast: Lee Sung-kyung, Nam joo hyuk, Kyung Soo-jin
Episodes: 16
Synopsis: Campus heartthrob Jung Joon-hyung (Nam) takes an interest in weightlifting champion Kim Bok-joo (Lee) due to her jolly nature. Desperate to date her, Joon-hyung pursues Bok-joo. While his proposal takes Bok-joo by surprise, she realises that Joon-hyung had been a crucial part of her childhood and that they went to elementary school together.
About the cameo: One of Lee Sung-Kyung’s best K-dramas to watch, Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo features a memorable cameo by A-lister Lee Jong-suk. One of the highest-paid K-drama actors, Lee appeared in the final episode as a customer in Bok-joo’s father’s restaurant.
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