Moon Ga-young

Moon Ga-young (born July 10, 1996) is a German-born South Korean actress and model. In 2005, she started on her career as a child model. The following year, in 2006, she made her debut as a child actress with the film Bloody Reunion.

She is best known for her roles in Heartstrings (2011), Exo Next Door (2015), Tempted (2018), Welcome to Waikiki 2 (2019), Find Me in Your Memory (2020), True Beauty (2020–2021), Link: Eat, Love, Kill (2022), and The Interest of Love (2022–2023).

Early life
Moon was born on July 10, 1996, in Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, to South Korean parents as the second daughter of two siblings. Her father, who majored in physics, and her mother, who studied music (piano), met as international students in Germany and got married. In 2005, her family moved back to South Korea when she was in third grade of elementary school.

Moon graduated from an all-girls middle school and high school. Moon is also fluent in German and English thanks to her time in Germany. She can also plays the piano, flute, and dances ballet.

2005–2010: Early career as child actress and model
Moon was scouted in the street as a child model for a clothing magazine while her mother pushed her in a stroller in Germany. Upon returning to South Korea in 2005, Moon's uncle and mother submitted photos of her and her older sister for a modeling contest just for fun. However, Moon was chosen as a model for children fashion catalogue.

Beginning her acting career in 2006, Moon was a child actress who appeared in both film and television. Her initial debut was in the 2006 film Bloody Reunion. She slowly made notable appearances on big screen, lending her voice to Black House (2007) and taking on minor roles in Shadows in the Palace (2007), Our Town (2007), and Do You See Seoul? (2008).

Subsequently, she embarked on a series of television drama projects, commencing with the 2007 drama Hometown over the Hill, followed by Bitter Sweet Life (2008), Ja Myung Go (2009), Friend, Our Legend (2009), The Reputable Family (2010), and Bad Guys (2010). She actively worked as a child actor alongside Yeo Jin-goo, Kim Yoo-jung, and Kim So-hyun. However, during middle school, she experienced a significant growth spurt of over 10 centimeters and took a break from acting, both willingly and partially, because she became too tall for child roles.

2011–2016: Teen roles, transition into adulthood and career breaktrough
She was well-loved for her portrayal of Jung-hyun, the little sister of Lee Shin (acted by Jung Yong-hwa) in MBC's Wednesday-Thursday drama Heartstrings (2011), directed by Pyo Min-soo and scripted by Lee Myung-sook.

When she was a high school girl, Moon acted as mysterious girl Seohyun in Lee Si-young's Killer Toon, directed by Kim Yong-gyun and released on June 27, 2013. This breakthrough performance significantly contributed to her rise in popularity.

In 2013, Moon was cast in KBS's weekend drama Wang's Family, a series written by Moon Young-nam and directed by Jin Hyun-wook. In the show, Moon portrayed the character Wang Hae-bak, who is the fourth daughter of the Wang family. Hae-bak, a high school student, is constantly absorbed in her smartphone and rarely engages in conversations with her family members. However, she surprises everyone with her exceptional academic performance and her knack for making things happen.

In April 2013, she gained attention for her captivating performance alongside Baekhyun on SBS's Inkigayo. As a result, she unexpectedly soared to the top of real-time search terms on various portal sites.

Additionally, Moon was chosen to play the character Oh-reum, a ghost with a captivating backstory, in tvN's new Monday-Tuesday drama titled Who Are You? The series, starring So Yi-hyun, Ok Taec-yeon, and Kim Jae-wook, premiered on July 29, 2013. Moon's character appears in episodes 1 and 2 of the show.

In 2014, Moon, made her debut as an adult actress, she was a third-year high school student at the time. She took on her first leading role as the title character in Mimi, a four-episode mystery/romance drama that was aired on the cable channel Mnet. Moon starred alongside Changmin from the group TVXQ. In the drama, she portrayed the role of Mimi, an innocent girl who harbors a secret and suffers from an unnamed illness.

In November 2014, Moon successfully completed her college scholastic test. In January 2015, she enrolled as a freshman in the Class of '15 at Sungkyunkwan University's Department of Acting and Arts. She chose to join the Department of Theater and Film at the university to pursue her passion for both acting and classical literature.

In April 2015, Moon portrayed the female protagonist in the web drama Exo Next Door, which aired on Naver TV Cast.

In 2016, Moon took on supporting roles in the SBS television series Don't Dare to Dream. In the show, she portrayed the character of Lee Ppal-gang, a fearless high school student with a laid-back personality. Ppal-gang, along with her friends Chi-chi (played by Kim Jung-hyun) and Dae-gu (played by Ahn Woo-hyun), Ahn Woo-yeon forms a trio known as the "three musketeers." With her focus on academics and a rebellious spirit, Ppal-gang builds a barrier against the cold-hearted adults who have caused her pain, rendering them powerless.

In 2017, Moon took on a supporting role in Live Up to Your Name. In the drama, she portrayed the character Dong Mak-gae and impressed with her cross-dressing acting skills. Dong Mak-gae is depicted as a loyal assistant to Heo Im (played by Kim Nam-gil).

2017 to present: Leading actress and critical acclaim


In 2017, she starred in the drama special Waltzing Alone. It was her first adult role since turning 20, and she portrayed a class of 2009 student, who was slightly older than her actual age. Kim Min-sun, the character she played was a job seeker who was not very lovable and started late in her career. At 28 years old, Kim Min-sun was struggling with dating and finding a job.

In 2018, she starred in the romance drama Tempted, based on the 18th century French novel Les Liaisons dangereuses. Moon Ga-young played the role of Choi Soo-ji, the daughter of the chairman of the Myeongjeong Medical Foundation and who is trying to have Kwon Si-hyeon (Woo Do-hwan). Her performance won her an Excellence Award as Best Actress in a Monday-Tuesday Drama award at the MBC Drama Awards.

On July 3, 2018, Moon had transferred from SM C&C to Keyeast. Keyeast was acquired by SM Entertainment in March 2018 and integrated into SM Entertainment Group. SM C&C talents transferred to Keyeast.

In 2019, Moon was cast as one of the main cast of the comedy television series Welcome to Waikiki 2. She portrayed Han Soo-yeon, first love of three best friend Lee Joon-ki (Lee Yi-kyung), Cha Woo-sik (Kim Seon-ho), and Kook Ki-bong (Shin Hyun-soo). After her wedding is called off, due to her father's failed business, she has to learn how to earn money for herself.

In 2020, Moon was cast as the female lead in the romance television series Find Me in Your Memory. Moon played the role of Yeo Ha-jin, the lead female character in the drama. Ha-jin is a former model who has successfully transitioned into acting and has gained recognition as a prominent influencer. However, she has intentionally distanced herself from her past and lives a carefree life on her own terms. Her path crosses with Lee Jung-Hoon, portrayed by Kim Dong-wook, who works as an anchorman at a broadcasting station. Jung-Hoon possesses a unique condition called hyperthymesia, a condition that allows him to remember nearly every moment in his life. It aired on MBC TV from March 18 to May 13, 2020.

Moon also starred as the female lead, Lim Ju-kyung, in the tvN series True Beauty, alongside Cha Eun-woo, Hwang In-youp, and Park Yoo-na, which aired in December 2020. It was based on the Line Webtoon of the same name by Yaongyi, which depicts a high school girl who, after being bullied and discriminated against because of being perceived as ugly, masters the art of makeup to transform herself into a true beautiful lady.

In 2021, Moon and Yoon Kye-sang were featured in music video for the title track "Cheers" (with Elle Korea), from the album Reconnect, directed by Kwon Oh-jun of AR Film. Elle's second music project in 2021, 'Reconnect 2021', supports courage and youth in the face of intense daily life. The project brought together actors Yoon Kye-sang and Moon, producer Code Kunst, and musicians AKMU Lee Chan-hyuk, Colde, and sogumm.

In 2022, Moon collaborated once again with director Hong Jong-chan for the tvN fantasy-melodrama Link: Eat, Love, Kill. She took on the role of Noh Da-hyun, the main character who works as a trainee at Jihwayang restaurant. Meanwhile, Yeo Jin-goo played the character of Eun Gye-hoon, a sous chef at Jihwayang restaurant and Da-hyun's love interest.

In the end of 2022, Moon acted in JTBC office-romance drama The Interest of Love. She portrayed the character of Ahn Soo-young, a head teller at the Yeongpo branch of KCU Bank, who holds the belief that love is like a fragile sand castle that can crumble at any moment. However, her perspective takes an unexpected turn when a mysterious man enters her life, leaving her with a sense of exhilaration.

Moon made her debut as a writer in February 2024. Her agency, Keyeast, announced on the 19th that her first prose collection titled 'PATA' would be published on March 6. 'PATA' explores Moon 's inner thoughts as she bravely confronts herself and the world around her. The book garnered significant attention on its first day of pre-sale opening on the 27th, selling approximately 2,000 copies. The number of orders continues to rise, leading to a second printing being confirmed. The immediate reprinting of the book shortly after pre-order sales began is considered a remarkable achievement in the publishing industry.

In the same month, Moon and Kim Seon-ho officially confirmed their appearances in Daesung's "Falling Slowly" music video, the song was released on March 5, with the music video directed by television director Hong Jong-chan.

Endorsements
Moon debuted in the entertainment industry as a commercial model in 2005.

In early 2021, Moon was selected as an exclusive model for hair brand Vodana. In May, cosmetics brand Dermafirm (CEO Han Yoon-jae) selected actress Moon Ga-young as the brand's exclusive model. Moon also reunited with her Welcome to Waikiki 2's costar Kim Seon-ho for outdoor-clothing brand models Nau.

In 2022, Moon was selected as the model for the sports fashion brand Lecoq Sportive. She is also an exclusive model for vegan cosmetics brand Dinto.

In September 2023, Moon participated in Milan Fashion Week, where she attended Dolce & Gabbana's Spring/Summer 2024 show. Following the event, Moon was recognized as the artist who had the most significant impact and generated high media value among all the participants at Fashion Week, as indicated by the marketing platform Lefty. On October 31, 2023, photos of Moon wearing the 2023 Fall-Winter women's runway collection from the renowned Italian luxury brand were featured in the November issue of W magazine. In November 2023, Moon was announced as the new Dolce & Gabbana ambassador. In December 2023, Moon appeared as a model for Calvin Klein.

In 2024, She attended Milan Fashion Week the Dolce & Gabbana's fall/winter 2024 show. In addition, Moon reunited with Cha Eun-woo as advertising models for Hanwha Life Insurance commercial.