[Ishani's Picks] Top 10 K-Drama Cameo Roles That We Loved In 2021

2021 gave us some incredible content in terms of Korean entertainment and the popularity of K-Dramas skyrocketed all over the world. Fans who have been on this bandwagon for years now, know their actors very well. As such, it is always a pleasant surprise to see a well-known face on screen, especially when it is a cameo! Here are the top 10 K-Drama cameo roles that pleasantly surprised us in 2021, ranked in no particular order.

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Lee Jae-wook and Kim Hye-yoon in "True Beauty"

Lee Jae-wook and Kim Hye-yoon appear in "True Beauty" in an incredible cross-over between the drama and "Extraordinary You". What first appears as an alternate universe story where Dan-oh and Baek-kyeong end up together, quickly turns sour as Dan-oh comes to her senses and sets off to look for Haru. All the while, our male lead, Lee  Soo-ho (Cha Eun-woo) has mistaken this couple for his lady love Im Ju-kyung and another man, leading to jealousy and an awkward encounter.

Lee Joon-hyuk in "Our Beloved Summer"

Lee Joon-hyuk appears in the first couple of episodes of "Our Beloved Summer" as the uptight Jang Do-yoon who is also perceived to be a rival in love by Choi  Woong (Choi Wooshik). There is an obvious tension between Kook Yeon-soo (Kim Da-mi) and Jang Do-yoon and their visuals are simply stunning. Lee Joon-hyuk and Jang Do-yoon definitely made us wish for a new romance drama starring the actor.

Gong Yoo in "Squid Game"

Perhaps one of the most iconic cameos of 2021 that quite literally shook the world was Gong Yoo's appearance in "Squid Game". The lean, mean slapping machine made millions fall in love with him despite the short screentime. We cannot help but hope that he will return for "Squid Game - Season 2".

Kim You-jung in "One Ordinary Day"

In the very last episode of "One Ordinary Day", we see a cycle repeat. After closing Kim Hyun-soo's case, lawyer Shin Joong-han (played by Cha Seung-won) passes by another innocent-looking young woman in a holding cell. Just like we saw at the beginning of the story, he lends his hand (and his business card) to the woman as she looks at him with bloodshot eyes. This woman was none other than Kim You-jung, which has renewed hopes for the drama getting another incredible and rivetting season!

Kwon Yuri in "Racket Boys"

"Racket Boys" featured a lot of amazing cameos, especially that of professional badminton player, the legend himself: Lee Yong-dae. However, a cameo that made drama lovers and K-Pop lovers equally excited was the appearance of Kwon Yuri as Im Seo-hyeon. She is a force to be reckoned with in the badminton world and is faced with Han  Se-yoon (Lee Jae-in) during a match. To know the outcome, we suggest you watch the drama because it will most definitely be worth it!

Kim Ji-suk in "Work Later, Drink Now"

"Work Later, Drink Now" starts with a killer introduction sequence where Kim Hak-soo (Kim Ji-suk) meets the three leading ladies of the drama: Kang Ji-goo (Jung Eun-ji), Han  Ji-yeon (Han Sunhwa) and Ahn  So-hee (Lee Sun-bin). Hilarity ensues as their characters unravel in front of him under the influence of alcohol. Needless to say, there couldn't have been a better actor than Kim Ji-suk for this cameo because he gives us comedic gold with each dialogue.

Seo In-guk in "Navillera"

The moment Seo In-guk walked in as Hwang  Hee in "Navillera", fans all over the world swooned over him for more reasons than one. Firstly, this was his first appearance on the small screen since "Abyss" in 2019 and secondly, he looked absolutely majestic. It wouldn't be wrong to say that this cameo prepared us for his otherworldly visuals that we would get to see later in the year with "Doom at Your Service".

Jung So-min in "My Roommate Is a Gumiho"

Jung So-min makes a very short but impactful cameo in "My Roommate Is a Gumiho" as Jang Ki-yong's character Shin Woo-yeo's first love. The two are seen deeply in love in the past but in the present, there's something off about her. Lee Dam assumes that Woo-yeo's first love has been reincarnated, which makes her jealous but Woo-yeo is quick to catch the discrepancies. Jung So-min looked ethereally beautiful and mysterious at the same time, making her perfect for this role.

Lee Do-hyun in "Beyond Evil"

Lee Do-hyun plays the younger, brighter, and happier version of Lee Dong-sik in "Beyond Evil" right before the character's life is turned upside down and he does so with such brilliance and conviction that it sets up the perfect preface for Shin Ha-kyun version: the wounded and traumatized Lee  Dong-sik. With even such a short role, Lee Do-hyun proved once again that he is one of the finest actors of this generation.

Nichkhun and Hwang Chan-sung in "Vincenzo"

2PM members Nichkhun and Hwang Chan-sung made a parodic cameo in "Vincenzo" to support their fellow member Ok Taecyeon, who plays Jang Joon-woo in the drama. The cameo is hilariously set us as Jang Joon-woo is watching a drama on television, featuring Nichkhun and Hwang Chan-sung as actors. After a makjang-style face-off, one shoots the other and lets out an evil laugh. Needless to say, Jang Joon-woo is unfazed and rather annoyed as he angrily switches the TV off in disappointment. This cameo was definitely one of the funniest and most chaotic cameos in the drama and that is exactly why we love it.

By Ishani Sarkar