Cha Eun-woo’s K-Drama Roles Ranked: From True Beauty to Island

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Cha Eun-woo initially gained attention as a singer, but he’s become a well-known K-drama actor over the last decade. He started his career in 2016 as a member of the K-pop group Astro, joining the many idols who also pursue acting. However, his career has consistently revolved around Korean dramas.

Before becoming a famous actor, Cha Eun-woo actually inspired the creation of several popular characters in webtoons and TV series – even some iconic K-drama male leads. While he first gained recognition as a romantic actor, he’s consistently shown he can do much more. Between acting, modeling, and his growing music career, Cha Eun-woo has demonstrated he’s incredibly talented in multiple areas.

Top Management

2018

Cha Eun-woo often started his acting career using his musical talents, and the K-drama Top Management was a special show that combined both. The story revolves around Yoo Eun-sung (Seo Eun-soo), a former idol trainee who begins managing S.O.U.L., a made-up boy band with Cha Eun-woo playing a member named Woo Yeon-woo.

This drama stands out from typical idol stories because Eun-sung can foresee the future, helping her to revamp S.O.U.L.’s image and make the group internationally famous. While the acting and music are excellent, Top Management is generally considered Cha’s most difficult K-drama to get into.

Because Top Management is only available on YouTube Premium or YouTube TV, a lot of fans probably haven’t even discovered the show, much less watched it. It’s a shame, because Top Management had the potential to be very popular if it had been on a more widely used streaming service.

Gangnam Beauty

2018

The K-drama Gangnam Beauty (also called My ID Is Gangnam Beauty) is often credited with helping launch Cha Eun-woo to stardom. Many viewers found his portrayal of Do Kyung-seok incredibly charming, and the show’s central love story, while a bit predictable, offered a heartwarming message.

This K-drama, based on a popular webtoon, centers on Kang Mi-rae (played by Im Soo-hyang), a college student who had plastic surgery to escape years of bullying. Now, as she navigates newfound popularity and deals with constant scrutiny from others, Do Kyung-seok offers unwavering support and encourages her to embrace her true self.

Do Kyung-seok’s character challenges conventional beauty ideals, though the show’s messages about society sometimes felt a bit simplistic. Jung Cha was particularly captivating, but this ironically became a weakness; many viewers lost interest whenever scenes didn’t include her character.

Hit The Top

2017

Cha Eun-woo made his first appearance in a TV drama with Hit the Top, and even with a small part, he stood out. The K-drama Hit the Top centers around Yoo Hyun-jae (played by Yoon Shi-yoon), a popular idol from the 1990s who finds himself in the present day. He soon discovers he vanished in 1994 and was believed to have died.

Like many K-dramas, this story has unexpected plot twists, but Cha doesn’t play a central role in the main conflict. He portrays MJ, a supporting character who connects with Hyun-jae through their shared love of music. In a future storyline, MJ’s entertainment company forces him to claim Hyun-jae’s songs as his own.

Though not the main character, Cha made a surprisingly strong impression in Hit the Top. He brought valuable depth to the show’s story and world, and many fans are still hoping for official releases of the songs he performs.

Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung

2019

Many rising male actors in K-dramas eventually star in historical dramas, and Cha Eun-woo was no different. In Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung, he played Yi Rim, a prince from the Joseon Dynasty who preferred writing romance novels as ‘Maehwa’ to getting involved in palace intrigue.

Yi Rim is considered the outcast of his royal family, and his only real connection is with Goo Hae-ryung, a new historian – a character loosely based on the historical records of the Joseon Dynasty.

Despite having an interesting idea, Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung is generally considered one of the less successful K-dramas created by Cha. The story became overly complicated with its confusing plot and shifting timelines, which overshadowed the beautiful costumes and overall visual appeal, making it a beautiful show with a weak story.

A Good Day To Be A Dog

2023

I’m a huge fan of Cha Eun-woo, and he always does so well in romantic dramas. But his role in A Good Day to Be a Dog is something totally different! He plays Jin Seo-won, a math teacher, and the twist is he’s terrified of dogs because of something that happened to him when he was a kid. It’s definitely his most unique part so far.

In a funny and unexpected turn of events, the woman he loves – Han Hae-na, played by Park Gyu-young – is magically cursed to transform into a dog every time she has her first kiss. This unusual couple must deal with typical relationship challenges, plus a bizarre supernatural problem that stands in their way.

While the connection between Jin Seo-won and Park Gyu-young offers some sweet scenes, the drama struggles because it tries to balance lightheartedness with very serious issues. The show’s core idea is quite silly, but it spends too much time on heavy topics, creating a mismatched and unsettling tone that’s hard to enjoy.

Island

2022

While the Prime Video series Island aimed to attract K-drama fans, it received mixed reactions from viewers. However, the show was a smart career choice for Cha, allowing him to challenge himself as an actor and move beyond roles where he typically played romantic leads.

The role on the island was a departure for Cha, and his performance as Priest Johan was a gamble that proved successful. As the small group of main characters fought terrifying creatures, Cha’s serious acting stood out, revealing his hidden talent for dramatic roles.

Father Johan was a particularly memorable character in terms of appearance, but the confusing plot of Island unfortunately overshadowed some excellent acting and exciting action scenes.

Wonderful World

2024

Premiering in 2024, the K-drama Wonderful World has quickly become a fan favorite, exploring themes of revenge, grief, and the imperfections of the justice system. The story centers around Eun Soo-hyun (played by Kim Nam-joo), a writer devastated by the unexpected loss of her son. In contrast, Cha Eun-woo plays Kwon Seon-yul, a character who lost his parents at a young age.

The connection between Soo-hyun and Seon-yul’s stories is deeply moving, and actor Cha delivered a strong performance with his straightforward portrayal of Seon-yul. Despite being flawed and driven by revenge, Seon-yul remains a sympathetic character thanks to Cha’s ability to convey emotion.

Although Wonderful World is still finding its footing, Kwon Seon-yul’s performance will likely be remembered as one of Cha’s finest achievements, even with the drama’s debated ending.

True Beauty

2020

Cha Eun-woo truly shines as Lee Su-ho in True Beauty, a role that seems tailor-made for him. Many consider True Beauty to be one of the best teen romance K-dramas of recent years. Like Gangnam Beauty, it explores similar ideas, but with a more developed storyline, a stronger supporting cast, and thoughtful observations about society.

As a huge fan of character development, I was really struck by Lim Ju-kyung’s story. It wasn’t about simply becoming beautiful and suddenly having everything fall into place, even though she did become an amazing makeup artist. What I loved most was that Su-ho didn’t need a ‘glow-up’ to like her – he never saw a difference between the ‘before’ and ‘after’ versions of Ju-kyung, and that felt so much more genuine than a typical romance.

Cha’s character isn’t just a typical charming lead; his emotional complexity is what truly elevates True Beauty from being simply good to genuinely great. While Cha Eun-woo is sure to shine in future K-dramas, True Beauty established a high bar that will be difficult for any show to surpass.

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2025-11-13 20:54