8 Of The Most Iconic Grandmothers And Mothers In K-Drama History (2023)

It’s almost Mother’s Day! So, what better time to celebrate the best grandmothers and mothers in K-Drama history?

Although often hidden by the leads, these women have proved themselves time and time again that a mother can be an amazingly complex character Even if you don’t know their names, you have most likely found them in some of your favorite series and know them quite well.

It’s time to highlight these actresses’ hard work!

1. Kim Mi Kyung

It’s practically impossible to make a list about mothers without mentioning Kim Mi Kyung. She has been in many hit K-Dramas and has played a motherly role more times than we can count! In fact, this motherly queen has been impressing audiences since the ’80s!

Her emotional portrayals of these amazing mothers have made plenty of audiences cry buckets. She truly proved that a mother is not a character to be ignored.

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8 Of The Most Iconic Grandmothers And Mothers In K-Drama History (1)

Some of Her Eomma/Halmoni K-Dramas/Movies:It’s Okay to Not Be Okay,Hi Bye, Mama,Her Private Life,Go Back Couple,20th Century Boy and Girl,Another Miss Oh, andThe Heirs.

2. Kim Young Ok

Well known as the “Nation’s Grandma,” Kim Young Ok has been mastering the stage and screen since 1957! She is truly a master of her craft, and she knows it! Most K-Drama fans will recognize her and her characters. If they don’t, they need to watch more shows, stat! She has truly worked her way into everyone’s hearts with her kind demeanor.

8 Of The Most Iconic Grandmothers And Mothers In K-Drama History (2)

Some of Her Eomma/Halmoni K-Dramas/Movies: Coffee Prince,Birth of a Beauty,Shopaholic Louis,Welcome to Waikiki,Her Private Life,Love Alarm, andMouse.

3. Youn Yuh Jung

Largely gaining her popularity (and even an Oscar!) for her role as the grandmother in the American movie Minari, Youn Yuh Jung is a veteran in the industry and always delivers in her motherly roles. Not to mention she is extremely versatile, going from sweet to cold in moments for her roles.

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Some of Her Eomma/Halmoni K-Dramas/Movies:Minari,A Good Lawyer’s Wife, Be Strong, Geum Soon!, The King 2 Hearts, Canola,Boomerang Family, and The Old Garden.

4. Kim Hae Sook

With some giving her the title of “National Mother,” Kim Hae Sook has built an impressive resume of many motherly roles (and more)! She is usually the main lead’s mother, and more often than not, she sucks us in with a powerful performance that leaves us crying or thinking for days.

8 Of The Most Iconic Grandmothers And Mothers In K-Drama History (4)

Some of Her Eomma/Halmoni K-Dramas/Movies: Winter Sonata,Pinocchio,I Can Hear Your Voice,Autumn in My Heart, and Mother.

5. Lee Hyo Choon

Although she is probably much less known than the others on the list, most K-Drama fans will recognize her from one of the most iconic K-Drama memes ever. Yes, Lee Hyo Choon is the savage mother who performed the amazing “Kimchi Slap” in Everybody, Kimchi! Such a historical moment deserves a place on the iconic moms list! Not to mention the many motherly roles she has played over the years.

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Some of Her Eomma/Halmoni K-Dramas/Movies: Everybody, Kimchi!, Three Brothers, You Are The Only One, My Lovely Family, and Winter Sonata.

6. Kim Sun Young

Kim Sun Young has a wide variety of roles but has mostly become popular for her motherly roles… especially for Crash Landing On You and Reply 1988. Her wise-cracking nature, along with her loving and emotional side, has definitely made her an iconic actress.

8 Of The Most Iconic Grandmothers And Mothers In K-Drama History (5)

Some of Her Eomma/Halmoni K-Dramas/Movies:Crash Landing On You, Reply 1988, Because This Is My First Life, Backstreet Rookie,Moment at Eighteen, andHer Private Life.

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7. Lee Il Hwa

Lee Il Hwa is the perfect example of an actress showing just how versatile a mother figure can be. From ambitious, to weak, to long-lost birth mother, to neighborhood ahjumma, Lee Il Hwa has made herself known throughout much of the K-Drama community.

8 Of The Most Iconic Grandmothers And Mothers In K-Drama History (6)

Some of Her Eomma/Halmoni K-Dramas/Movies: Reply 1988,You Who Came From The Stars,Doctor Stranger,Her Private Life, A Man in A Veil,Choco Bank, andShe Was Pretty.

8. Lee Jung Eun

Although she became largely popular as her role of the housekeeper in Parasite, veteran K-Drama lovers will probably recognize her more as the mother in several popular series. Despite her chilling performance in Parasite, her mother characters are often the soft, sweet, and caring type, tugging at every viewer’s heartstrings.

8 Of The Most Iconic Grandmothers And Mothers In K-Drama History (7)

Some of Her Eomma/Halmoni K-Dramas/Movies:Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo,Fight For My Way, My Holo Love,While You Were Sleeping,The Light In Your Eyes, and Hi Bye, Mama!

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FAQs

Who is the famous grandma in Korea? ›

Kim Young-ok (Korean: 김영옥; born December 5, 1937) is a South Korean actress who debuted in 1957. She is known as South Korea's "National Grandma" for her many portrayals of grandmothers in film and television.

What is the Korean drama about grandmother? ›

Miss Granny (Korean: 수상한 그녀) is a 2014 South Korean comedy-drama film directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk. Na Moon-hee stars as a woman in her 70s who magically finds herself in the body of her 20-year-old self (Shim Eun-kyung) after having her picture taken at a mysterious photo studio.

What is considered as the most famous K drama so far? ›

On the top of this list is “What's Wrong With Secretary Kim,” which has already become a legendary rom-com in just a few years! Park Seo Joon plays Lee Young Joon, a boss whose secretary, Kim Mi So (Park Min Young), is ready to quit working for him.

Who is the most famous grandmother? ›

Queen Elizabeth II

One of the most famous grandmothers in history comes from the Royal Family. This Queen of England will without a doubt have some important wisdom for her grandchildren, as she has lived a long life filled with experiences that few could ever dream of.

Who is the Korean queen? ›

Heo Hwang-ok's rather unique background had been a subject of much discussion in South Korea among many historians. Despite her legendary status, many historians reject the idea that Queen Heo truly existed and have debunked her travel routes several times throughout history.

Is mother a Korean drama? ›

It is a remake of the 2010 Japanese TV series of the same title.
...
Mother (South Korean TV series)
Mother
Directed byKim Cheol-kyu
StarringLee Bo-young Heo Yool Lee Hye-young Nam Ki-ae Ko Sung-hee
Music byJeong Se-rin (Movie Closer)
Country of originSouth Korea
23 more rows

What are Korean dramas famous for? ›

Korean dramas have attracted international attention for their fashion, style, and culture. Their rise in popularity has led to a great boost to fashion lines. The “Korean Wave,” or Hallyu, has made great impacts on countries around the world.

What do you call a female oppa? ›

누나 (noona) to address a female friend who is older. Nuna is the opposite of oppa. While oppa is used exclusively by females when addressing older males, nuna is used exclusively by males when addressing older females. You may also see 누나 spelled as “Nuna.” Nuna is used in place of a person's name.

What do Korean kids call their aunt? ›

“Aunt” in Korean

You can call your mother's sister 이모 (imo) while your father's sister 고모 (gomo). However, the most common term for aunt in Korean is 숙모 (sungmo).

Who is the most famous K-drama actors? ›

Note: These estimated earnings do not include film projects, paid appearances, and brand/commercial endorsements.
  • Kim Soo-hyun. Above Kim Soo-hyun is the richest K-drama actor (Photo: Getty Images) ...
  • So Ji-sub. ...
  • Lee Young-ae. ...
  • Choi Ji-woo. ...
  • Hyun Bin. ...
  • Lee Min-ho. ...
  • Ji Chang-wook. ...
  • Jo In-sung.
Feb 24, 2023

What is the second highest rated drama in Korean TV history? ›

'Reborn Rich' is the second highest-rated K-drama.

Who is the youngest grandma? ›

25-year-old Rifca Stanesca became the youngest grandmother in the world 2 years ago, according to The Sun. When she was 12 years old she gave birth to her daughter, Maria after running off to marry her husband, Ionel Stanescu at the age of 11.

Who is the youngest grandma alive? ›

But a Romanian woman has been labelled the world's youngest granny after she became a grandmother at 23. First things first – how is that even possible? Well, we'll tell you… The Daily Mail reports that Rifca Stanescu from Romania gave birth to her daughter Maria when she was only 12 years old.

Who is the youngest mother and grandmother? ›

: The world's youngest grandmother is Nigerian, and she was only 17. Mum-Zi was just eight years and four months old when she gave birth to a baby girl in 1884. From Nigeria, on an island called Akwa Akpa, now known as the city of Calabar. The husband was how old?

Who is princess of Kpop? ›

Youngsters are completely mesmerised by this Korean wave. It was not a surprise that netizens went crazy to watch there favourite actress Nitanshi goel also known as Kpop princess with Korean singer Aoora ( who recently visited india for Kpop concerts in Mumbai and Jammu ) on a popular shopping platform Amazon .

Does Royal Family of Korea still exist? ›

Is There Still a Royal Family in Korea? There is still an Imperial royal family of Korea. His Imperial Highness King Yi Seok has lived his entire life in Korea.

Who is the last princess of South Korea? ›

The story of the tragic life and death of Princess Deokhye, the last princess of the Korean Empire, is now widely known by the Korean people. In 2015, a collection of garments she wore as a member of the Korean imperial family was displayed to the public at the National Palace Museum of Korea.

Does Disney have Korean dramas? ›

Now you can watch Kdrama on Disney Plus in USA. Happy Streaming!

What is the Korean drama about a mom on Netflix? ›

Stream It Or Skip It: 'The Good Bad Mother' On Netflix, A Korean Dramedy About A Domineering Mother.

Why is mother Rated R? ›

Lots of blood and gruesome deaths and injuries from guns, crashes, stabbings, fires, and falls. A trained assassin uses what she learned in the military to torture and kill people. A mother is separated from her child, and the child is kidnapped and threatened with harm.

What is the most watched Korean drama in Netflix? ›

1. Squid Game. Not hearing anything about this show that made history in both Korean and International media would have been virtually impossible in the last two years. As the most watched show ever on Netflix, with at least 2.2 billion hours viewed, "Squid Game" has broken a series of records and received a few Emmies ...

Why are K-dramas so popular in america? ›

The answer comes from three converging factors: the Korean Wave, the rise of diversity in media, and the utter dominance of streaming services. The first of these factors, the Korean Wave, is a term used to describe the spread of South Korean culture across the world.

Which is the most popular drama in the world? ›

1. Succession (2018–2023)

Who is the famous grandma on TikTok? ›

Dolores Paolino dances, tells salty jokes and dresses up like Marilyn Monroe for her 2.4 million TikTok followers. She's 89.

What is older sister in Korean for a girl? ›

Older sister (for females): 언니 (eonni) Older brother (for males): 형 (hyeong) Older sister (for males): 누나 (nuna)

What do Korean kids call their grandma? ›

Korea: Halmoni is commonly used, although it can be spelled as Halmeoni or shorted to Halmi.

What do Korean parents call their child? ›

The word 애기 (aegi) is a cute way of saying 아기 (agi), which means “baby. This Korean term is used as a sweet way of saying “baby”.

Does Appa mean dad? ›

아빠 (appa) The informal way to say “father” in Korean is 아빠 (appa). Remember to use the word 우리 (uri), meaning “our,” instead of the word “my” when talking about your dad.

What is the opposite of Unnie? ›

To recap, you call a Korean guy oppa when you address an older male acquaintance as a female. You can use unnie to refer to an elder sister or an older female acquaintance if you're a girl. If you're a man, you use hyung to refer to an elder brother or an older male buddy.

What does Shi mean in Korean? ›

1. 씨 (shi) When added to a name, this essentially means Mr./Mrs./Miss. It's the most common and general honorific, and your go-to for someone who you're unfamiliar with but is at a relatively equal social and conversational standing.

Can you call your girlfriend Noona? ›

Noona (누나): This is a term for older sisters of boys, but can also be used for an older female friend and even a girlfriend, who is older than the boy.

What do Koreans call their cousins? ›

Another example would be calling your older cousin 사촌언니/누나/형/오빠 (sibling titles). In Korea, cousins are considered siblings too and you would use the same titles to address your cousins as you would for your siblings.

What do Korean boys call their older sister? ›

누나 (nuna, "older sister"), used by males to address a slightly elder female. 오빠 (oppa, "older brother"), used by females to address a slightly elder male.

What do Koreans call their little sisters? ›

The terms used to refer to siblings in Korean are: 동생 (dongsaeng): younger sibling. 언니 (eonni): a female's older sister. 오빠 (oppa): a female's older brother. 누나 (nuna): a male's older sister.

What is the longest Korean kiss? ›

The longest kiss scene in a drama was Suzy and Lee Seung Gi's double kiss scene in the drama “Gu Family Book,” which attracted a lot of attention when it first aired. Lee Seung Gi initiates the first kiss, which lasts for 50 seconds, and Suzy initiates the second, which lasts for 36 seconds, for a total of one minute ...

Which kiss is most famous? ›

"V-J Day in Times Square" Perhaps the world's most famous kiss was captured by photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt as sailors celebrated the end of World War II in Times Square. (Above is a statue rendering of that moment.) It was later discovered that the kiss occurred between George Mendonsa and Greta Zimmer Friedman.

What is the most extreme kiss? ›

05/8French kiss

Here comes the intense part! French kiss is an intense and passionate kiss on the lips. This also includes a lot of tongue-play and is shared by two partners who are deeply attracted or infatuated with each other. This kiss is truly one of a kind, as it leaves both quite breathless and wanting for more.

Who is the most loved Korean actor? ›

According to a 2022 survey conducted across 26 countries worldwide, around nine percent of respondents stated that their favorite South Korean actor was Lee Min-ho. Lee had a lead of over six percentage points over the runner-up, Gong Yoo.

Who is the No 1 handsome Korean actor? ›

Who is the No. 1 Korean actor? According to the aforementioned list of handsome Korean actors, Lee Min Ho, Ji Chang Wook, Kim Soo Hyun, Park Seo Joon and Hyun Bin are some of the most handsome Korean stars. These stars have a massive fan following that transcends boundaries of distance and religiously follows them.

Who is the biggest star in Korean? ›

Answer: Among the most popular K-drama actors are Song Hye-kyo, Song Joong-ki and Lee Min-ho. Each of them are better known for their television appearances than big screen performances.

What is the highest viewed TV show in Korea? ›

TV Series, South Korea (Sorted by Popularity Ascending)
  • Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (2021– ) ...
  • Twenty Five Twenty One (2022) ...
  • Island (2022– ) ...
  • Itaewon Class (2020) ...
  • Jinny's Kitchen (2023– ) ...
  • Snowdrop (2021– ) ...
  • The King: Eternal Monarch (2020) ...
  • What's Wrong with Secretary Kim (2018) TV-G | 60 min | Comedy, Mystery, Romance.

Which Korean drama has the highest rating 2023? ›

The first 2023 K-Drama to see the top 50 cable dramas list is Alchemy of Souls Season 2, the follow-up to Season 1 (while both dramas aired in 2022, Season 2 finished airing in January 2023 and thus is included in this list).

Why are Korean queens called Mama? ›

Jeonha/Mama (전하/마마) — Your Majesty/Royal Highness. These phrases can be used with or instead of royals' titles as a way of addressing them. That's why you'll often hear people call the king “jeonha” (“Your Majesty”) or address a queen as “daebi-mama” (대비마마). “Pyeha” (폐하) is another common way of saying “Your Majesty.”

What is the most popular Korean family? ›

Kim, Lee and Park have traditionally been the most common surnames in Korea.

Who is the queen of TikTok? ›

Olivia Dunne's been dubbed 'The Queen of TikTok' after stunning new look. The LSU gymnast has become a social media sensation. Celebrities.

Who is the oldest TikTok grandma? ›

Usually, the stars on TikTok are teens and young adults, but 79-year-old Sharon Barber is sharing her wisdom with a massive audience. She now has 2.3 million followers and 29.2 million likes.

Who is the queen of TikTok in America? ›

Charli D'Amelio is an American social media personality and the most followed TikTok female in the world.

Who is the famous TikTok family? ›

Charli and Dixie D'Amelio's TikTok famous family expands its empire.

Who is the mom that runs on TikTok? ›

Earlier this week when Samantha MacIntyre started her eight-mile morning run, she did not anticipate it would end with her calling the police with concerns about her safety. In a TikTok video that has since gone viral, MacIntyre, who lives in Idaho and has nearly 300,000 followers on the platform, documented her run.

Who is the first queen in Korean? ›

Queen Seondeok

What do Korean call their king? ›

The most commonly used word for how to say king in Korean is 왕 (wang). In some situations, you may also see the words 제왕 (jewang) and 국왕 (gukwang) used.

What does Ma Ma mean in Korean? ›

In Korean "mam-ma" means food.

Who are the richest families in Korea? ›

The top 10 richest in South Korea are:
  • Seo Jung-jin; $5.7 billion.
  • Kwon Hyuk-bin; $5.1 billion.
  • Kim Beom-su; $5 billion.
  • Hong Ra-hee; $4.9 billion.
  • Mong-koo Chung; $4.1 billion.
  • Kim Jung-min & Jung-youn; $3.6 billion.
  • Cho Jung-ho; $3.4 billion.
  • Lee Boo-jin; $3.3 billion.
Apr 17, 2023

What are the richest families in Korea called? ›

Chaebol derived from the McCune–Reischauer romanization, chaebŏl, of the Korean word jaebeol (재벌, from jae "wealth or property" + beol "faction or clan" – also written with the same Chinese characters 財閥 as zaibatsu in Japan.

Who is the most respected Korean? ›

The celebrities with the best reputation in South Korea
  • Lim Young Woong.
  • Girls' Generation's YoonA.
  • Lee Seung Gi.
  • Park Bo Gum.
  • Kim Hye Soo.
  • Han Ji Min.
  • BTS.
  • RM.
May 25, 2022

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