Previously in Korean entertainment, there were many individuals who solely focused on one line of work. Whether it was being an idol, acting in K-Dramas, or standing on stage as a musical artist, they poured much of their effort into one particular field. However, now it's more common that these stars branch out, challenging themselves and presenting totally different sides to their supportive fans.

WJSN's Bona is but one of these celebrities who is constantly exploring new ventures. Now, netizens are beginning to know the idol-actress by her birth name: Kim JiYeon. She's stood on multiple stages across various genres over the years, showing the passion and perseverance necessary to succeed.

Bona's journey is anything but ordinary, but she's made the best of it every step of the way.

First Steps In The Entertainment Industry

Starship Entertainment

Coming forth, Bona began as a member of WJSN. Their debut with 'MoMoMo' was greatly received, becoming a source of vitamin-like energy for budding UJUNG. In a group of 10+ individuals, it was certainly a challenge for any member to receive an adequate amount of spotlight, but they made it work through various stages and music show performances.

Bona became a shining light that fans loved right from the start. Within such a short time, she mesmerized audiences with her stunning beauty, magical vocals, and radiant stage presence. In spite of WJSN being such a large group, Bona managed to take hold of the spotlight every chance she could, becoming the bias of millions across the globe. Although her career was just starting, a flower road was forming in front of Bona and her groupmates, and they were more than ready to walk along it.

Firm Foundation In The Idol Industry

After such a successful start to their career, the pressure was on Bona and the rest of WJSN to continue their upward trajectory. However, the idol actress continuously broke every expectation, and together with her group, they were able to release such memorable chart-topping hits like 'Save Me, Save You', 'As You Wish', and 'Boogie Up'.

With their resounding success, the girl group was able to travel the world, allowing even more individuals to see Bona's talent up close and in their home country. While many hoped to see her live, fancams were able to accurately show the idol's skills and just how much she improved over the years.

With natural allure and captivating aura, Bona joined the subunit, WJSN THE BLACK. A new side was unlocked for the artist, causing fans to go into a frenzy whenever she took the stage. And with their participation in Mnet's "Queendom 2", there was no doubt that Bona possessed a flexibility that allowed her to don on many different hats, showing her strength as an idol member.

Passion Of A Rising Actress

But the life as an idol isn't the only place where Bona's story lies. Very early on in her music career, she dabbled in the art of acting. While she was first casted in a guest role for "Chicago Typewriter", the star was able to showcase some of her acting potential through the quirky time travel romance, "The Best Hit".

She portrayed admirable promise, carrying the potential to stand among the greats, as long as continued to try and improve. Following shortly afterwards, she continued to land multiple roles through series like "Girls' Generation 1979", "Your House Helper", and "Homemade Love Story". Through every character, you could notice Bona making a conscious effort to refine her craft and become an actress fans could be proud of.

King Kong by Starship

These roles helped to lay down the foundation that Bona stands on today. Even just as a rookie actress, she had the grit and resolve to power through long days on set to complete every project with perfection.

Leading K-Drama Star

Bona then came across a role that would propel her acting career forever in the spotlight. Playing Go YooRim in the internationally popular "Twenty-Five Twenty-One", the entire world fell in love the idol-actress and completely acknowledged her acting prowess. She masterfully piloted the nostalgic feelings of youth and the competitiveness of a professional athlete. The struggles her character faced and the tough decisions she had to make plucked on everyone's heartstrings, making Go YooRim a second female lead K-Drama enthusiasts could not help but love.

She continued on her hot streak, landing the main female lead role in "Joseon Attorney: A Morality". Wearing a hanbok and caring for her people, she swept audiences off their feet over the course of the series. She was again proved that was she leading lady material and would continue to be so in the future.

And with the recent conclusion of thrilling mystery K-Drama, "Pyramid Game", Bona certainly solidified her status as a top acting star. Acting out her character of Sung SooJi, viewers were left speechless as she challenged the status quo and vowed to get rid of the harrowing "Pyramid Game". With this drama, netizens have gotten to meet Bona as Kim JiYeon, amazed at the fact that she is both an incredible actress and radiant idol.

No matter what stage the idol-actress stands on, she's sure to turn heads and have people joyfully chanting her name.

When did you first start following WJSN's Bona/Kim JiYeon? Are you excited for her next challenge?

Reflecting on the third week of March, the K-Drama landscape sparkled with series that intricately spun enchanting narratives and introduced memorable characters. These shows infused an additional layer of thrill into the new year, transforming the third week of March into a period brimming with endearing on-screen tales.

By the use of extensive data collection that involves analyzing netizen's reactions to various online platforms such as news websites, online communities, social media platforms, and videos, Good Data Corporation shows an insight into the Korean entertainment industry by providing a weekly ranking of the most talked about actors and dramas in Korea.

Wondering which K-Dramas and actors are trending in Korea at the moment? Read on to find out!

Hottest Korean Drama (On TV & OTT) For The 3rd Week Of March

The most talked about drama was...

"Queen of Tears" 

tvN

The K-Drama "Queen of Tears" first aired on March 9th, and it has since found its way to the top of the most-talked-about ranking. Viewers are relishing the stellar cast, comedic highlights, and fun plotline of the show, eagerly awaiting its next episodes.

Here is the full ranking of the Hottest Korean Dramas for the 3rd week of March:

1. "Queen of Tears"

2. "Pyramid Game"

3. "Wonderful World" 

4. "Wedding Impossible"

5. "Chicken Nugget"

6. "Flex X Cop" 

7. "Nothing Uncovered" 

8. "Beauty and Mr. Romantic"

9. "Hide"

10. "The Third Marriage" 

Hottest Korean Actor (On TV & OTT) For The 3rd Week Of March

The most talked about Korean actor was... 

Kim JiWon - "Queen of Tears" 

tvN

Kim JiWon has once again topped the ranking, having captivated the hearts of many K-Drama fans with her spot-on acting and gorgeous visuals. Numerous viewers are delighting in the complexity of her character, brought to life through her compelling portrayal on screen.

Here is the full ranking of the Hottest Korean Actors for the 3rd week of March:

1. Kim JiWon  - "Queen of Tears"

2. Kim SooHyun - "Queen of Tears"

3. ASTRO's Cha EunWoo - "Wonderful World"

4. Jun JongSeo - "Wedding Impossible"

5. Moon SangMin - "Wedding Impossible" 

6. Ahn BoHyun - "Flex X Cop" 

7. Jang DaA - "Pyramid Game"

8. Kim NamJoo - "Wonderful World"

9. Kim HaNeul - "Nothing Uncovered"

10. WJSN's BoNa - "Pyramid Game" 

It looks like "Queen of Tears" generated quite the buzz (again) in the third week of March. Other popular dramas included "Pyramid Game", "Wedding Impossible", and more.

Make sure to check out these shows and their talented cast members!

With all the amazing webtoons-based dramas that have been released in the past couple of years, we have only become more excited about upcoming K-Dramas linked with webtoons.

The webtoon "The Mermaid I Loved" is a special case because the story was first written as a script for a drama production. The drama production is on its way and the webtoon was pre-released. The drama's production company, Group Eight, thought that in releasing it first as a webtoon they could showcase some of the various deep sea adventures of the story and also help garner attention for the drama.

"The Mermaid I Loved" by Cosmic Bom Bom and Bubal on NAVER

The romance fantasy adventure webtoon “The Mermaid I Loved” ("내가 사랑한 물고기," literal translation, “The Fish I Loved”), written by Cosmic Bom Bom and Bubal (우주봄봄 and 부발), tells the story of a man whose intermittent transformations into a mermaid become increasingly uncontrollable as he experiences the emotion of love and spends time with a woman who he finds himself more and more attracted to. The season 1 of the webtoon ended on March 13th with 31 episodes.

Given the webtoon’s popularity, Group Eight is looking forward the positive effect the webtoon will have on the upcoming drama’s viewership. They have built a solid portfolio with dramas based on webtoons like "Taxi Driver", "My ID is Gangnam Beauty" and "A Good Day To Be A Dog". Among their awaited projects is the reboot of the popular drama "Princess Hours" (2006).

Currently, there are no actors cast for “The Mermaid I Loved”. Fans of the webtoon are waiting for the announcement of the cast. We can already think of actors and actresses who would be perfect for the roles!

"The Mermaid I Loved" by Cosmic Bom Bom and Bubal on NAVER

We at Kpopmap have thought up a cast of actors who would suit this drama amazingly.

1. Sim Kai (심카이), a mermaid and 3rd generation chaebol

Sim Kai is the lead male character. He discovered he was a mermaid 12 years ago and he pretends to be a human.

"The Mermaid I Loved" by Cosmic Bom Bom and Bubal on NAVER

"The Mermaid I Loved" by Cosmic Bom Bom and Bubal on NAVER

When he shares physical touch with a woman, his fish scales begin to appear and he transforms back into his mermaid form. Because of this, he avoids all contact with women and has been single his whole life.

But due to his handsome looks, he has a lot of girls chasing after him, so he hired YaNa to pretend to be his girlfriend. However, he can’t help himself from having physical contact with YaNa even if it means he won’t be able breathe.

"The Mermaid I Loved" by Cosmic Bom Bom and Bubal on NAVER

Kai is the son of the jewelry brand Inoroo, or 3rd generation chaebol, but he is not interested in the family business and instead prefers performing as a mermaid at the aquarium.

The actor must possess features suitable for long hair and a muscular physique to be able to portray a mermaid. He should exude charm and look dazzling in a suit, while also being capable of conveying a mix of cynicism, cuteness, and panic in his expressions. Comfort with underwater filming is also mandatory.

Moon SangMin, WEi's Kim YoHan, Baek SungChul, Kim MyungSoo (INFINITE's L), and Chae JongHyeop could be a good match.

LOOKMEDIA / Awesome Entertainment / WEi Official / Chae JongHyeop Instagram / KEYEAST

Not only would they look stunning with long hair and looks amazing in suits, but their facial features would perfectly match the character's. Beyond their physical attributes, all five actors possess the talent and ability to convey Kai through the right facial expressions. The genre of fantasy romance suits them impeccably. Each actor would bring their unique colors and charms to the character, making him stand out on screen. Additionally, we can anticipate excellent chemistry with the lead actress.

Vote for your pick in the poll below!

2. Jung YaNa (정야나), an easy-going part-time student

"The Mermaid I Loved" by Cosmic Bom Bom and Bubal on NAVER

Jung YaNa (24 years old) is the lead female character. She is a student who works a part-time job and has an easy-going personality.

She accidentally kisses Kai when she meets him for the first time, and shocked to see him suddenly fall very sick, she calls the ambulance. She ends up more shocked when she sees him put his face into a dirty bucket of water used for cleaning.

"The Mermaid I Loved" by Cosmic Bom Bom and Bubal on NAVER

"The Mermaid I Loved" by Cosmic Bom Bom and Bubal on NAVER

The actress should possess a mix of cuteness and strength, capable of expressing a wide range of emotions, and especially comedy. The character experiences rapid and extreme changes in emotions, so the actress should be able to show these transitions convincingly. Additionally, she should look just like a regular student, but be able to become a stunning lady with expensive clothes.

Kang MinAh, WJSN's Bona (Kim JiYeon), Chae SooBin, Girl's Day's HyeRi, and Seor InA could be a good match.

H& Entertainment / King Kong by Starship / Creative Group Ing / GOLDMEDALIST

All five actresses have demonstrated their talented acting and are well-suited for a character like YaNa. Each of them possesses the ability to portray the youthful, cute, and fiery vibes of the female lead character. Comedy and expressive acting would not be an issue for any of them, so it would be a smooth portrayal of the character without overdoing it and making viewers laugh. No need to mention that they would all bring great chemistry with the lead actor! Being a romance, it is crucial.

Vote for your pick in the poll below!

The webtoon is not available in English officially yet, but you can read it in Korean here.

"The Mermaid I Loved" by Cosmic Bom Bom and Bubal on NAVER

Let us know who you want to see cast!

Note: The aim of the vote is for Kpopmap readers to share their opinion about their preference for the cast. It is not affecting the cast of the production team.