Like physical ability, talent is apparently something that runs in the family, too. This passing on of the gift for acting or singing can be seen this fall in the rush of second-generation male stars dominating both big and small screens.
When Kim Joo-hyeok played the role of a stuffy assistant teacher on "KAIST" in 1999, he easily could have passed as an extra picked up on the set. Not only was his delivery of lines awkward, his overall performance was just plain bad, critics said. But experience gained on the job eventually led him to landing his first major role as a detective in the 2002 thriller "Say Yes", which he starred alongside Choo Sang-mi and Park Joong-hoon. It wasn't long before critics were writing that he was a chip off the old block, as it was no secret that he was the son of actor Kim Moo-saeng, who passed on last spring. The younger Kim has gone on to take the male lead in "YMCA Baseball Team", "Mr. Handy" and other box office hits. Today he stars in the most-watched weekend soap "Lovers in Prague" as a detective in love with the president's daughter. (In real life, he's taken by actress Kim Ji-soo.)
Having debuted as the lead in Im Kwon-taek's 1999 production of "Chunhyang", Jo went on to make memorable performances in melodrama "The Classic", psycho-thriller "H", gangster saga "Low Life", proving that there was more to him than his sweet boy-next-door looks. But in 2004, he showed fans that there was still more by debuting in local musical scene as the lead of "Jekyll & Hyde". His singing and dancing came as no surprise as his father happened to be Cho Kyung-soo, a famous singer in the 1970s. Since then, he has taken on the lead in the local stage production of "Hedwig" and film "Marathon" - "Running Boy", a touching story of an autistic young man. These days he is shooting "Tomabaem", opposite "Welcome to Dongmakgol" heroine Kang Hye-jeong. Kang also happens to be his off-screen sweetheart.
Since early this year, Choi Kyoo-hwan has slowly been making a mark with a few minor yet memorable roles in soap operas. But if you find his face remotely familiar you may be thinking of Choi Joo-bong, the actor known for his comical facial expressions and exaggerated voice and laugh. Choi Kyu-hwan is the veteran actor's son. Junior Choi's accomplishments to date include a small part in the SBS drama "Toji, the Land", a small-screen recreation of Park Kyong-ri's critically acclaimed novel of the same name, and currently a reprising role in MBC's hit sitcom "Hello Francesca". He also makes frequent appearances in television variety programs, where he does impersonations of his father from time to time.
In newcomer Lee Sang-won's case, the saying "Like Father, Like Son" should be changed to "Like mother and father, like son". Lee is the eldest son of popular actor Lee Yeong-ha and actress Seon-woo Eun-sook. The younger Lee recently transferred from a U.S. college, where he had been majoring in business, to Dongkuk University's school of theater and cinema. These days, he has a small role in the KBS weeknight soap "Bizarre Bunch". He didn't let the producers know about his celebrity parents until later when his father joined the cast as one of the main characters.
Tae Ji-na (51) and Eru (22)
The chubby little boy whom proud father and trot music superstar Tae Ji-na introduced to fans years go has undergone a great transformation. Now, at 22, he's lost his baby fat and, taking after his father, is pursuing a career as a singer. Eru, whose real name is Cho Sang-hyeon, is currently enrolled in the Berklee College of Music, and just last month released his first album "Begin to Breathe". His first single "Tasi Taeonado" is slowing climbing the charts and as of Oct. 18 is at number 22 in online music site Bugs Music. He not only sings but also writes his own music and plays both piano and alto saxophone.
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