Then and Now: 13 Actresses That Started As Beauty Pageant Contestants

Today (July 15) is the day of the 2014 Miss Korea Pageant, hosted by Oh Sang Jin and Girls’ Generation‘s Sooyoung! In celebration of a tradition that crowns beauties all around the world, albeit at different times, here’s a look at some of the Korean actresses that started off as beauty pageant contestants, and photos of them then and now!

Kim Sung Ryung

1988 Miss Korea

Birthday: February 8, 1967 (age 47)

Height: 168cm

Past works: “The Fatal Encounter” (2014 film), “The Heirs” (2013 drama)

Go Hyun Jung 

1989 Miss Korea 1st runner-up

Birthday: March 2, 1971 (age 43)

Height: 172cm

Past works: “The Queen’s Classroom” (2013 drama), “Queen Seondeok” (2009 drama)

Oh Hyun Kyung

1989 Miss Korea

Birthday: March 25, 1970 (age 44)

Height: 170cm

Past works: “King’s Family” (2014 drama), “The Great Seer” (2012 drama)

1989 – Go Hyun Jung (1st runner-up) and Oh Hyun Kyung (Miss Korea)

Yeom Jung Ah

1991 Miss Korea 1st runner-up

Birthday: July 28, 1972 (age 41)

Height: 171cm

Past works: “The Spy” (2012 film), “Royal Family” (2011 drama) 

Kim Nam Joo

1992 Miss Korea Gyeonggi

Birthday: May 10, 1971 (age 43)

Height: 169cm

Past works: “My Husband Got a Family” (2012 drama), “Queen of Reversals” (2010 drama)

Choi Ji Woo 

1996 Isabelle Adjani Contest Daesang (this wasn’t a beauty contest, but a contest for Isabelle Adjani look-alikes..)

Birthday: June 11, 1975 (age 39)

Past works: “Temptation” (2014 drama – premiered July 14), “The Suspicious Housekeeper” (2013 drama)

Now for the 2000s contestants! Can you tell who they are?

Yoon Jung Hee (she is not one of the four pictured on the previous page)

2000 Miss Korea Gyeonggi second runner-up

Birthday: December 21, 1980 (age 33)

Height: 170cm

Past works: “The Firstborn” (2013 drama), “Family’s Honor” (2008 drama)

Lee Bo Young

2000 Miss Korea Daejeon Chungnam

Birthday: January 12, 1979 (age 35)

Height: 168cm

Past works: “God’s Gift – 14 Days” (2014 drama), “I Can Hear Your Voice” (2013 drama)

Park Shi Yeon

2000 Miss Korea Seoul second runner-up

Birthday: March 29, 1979 (age 35)

Height: 170cm

Past works: “Innocent Man” (2012 drama), “Coffee House” (2010 drama)

Son Tae Young

2000 Miss Korea second runner-up

Birthday: August 19, 1980 (age 33)

Height: 171cm

Past works: “Into the Flames” (2014 drama), “You’re the Best, Lee Soon Shin” (2013 drama)

Kim Sarang

2000 Miss Korea

Birthday: January 12, 1978 (age 36)

Height: 173cm

Past works: “Secret Garden” (2010 drama), “The King and I” (2007 drama)

Lee Da Hae

2001 Miss Chunhyang

Birthday: April 19, 1984 (age 30)

Height: 170cm

Past works: “Hotel King” (2014 drama), “Iris 2” (2013 drama)

Lee Honey

2006 Miss Korea

Birthday: March 2, 1983 (age 31)

Height: 173 cm

Past works: “Shark” (2013 drama), “Iron Daughters-in-Law” (2011 drama)

Lee Honey continued

2007 Miss Universe 3rd runner-up

(This was the best Miss Universe performance for Korea since Jang Yoon Jung’s 1st runner-up finish in 1988.)