Escaping Nugudom: Top 10 Rising Oppas of 2017

Nugu (누구) – this term literally means “who” in Korean but is often used to describe those who are unpopular or unknown. Let’s list down our Top 10 Oppas who escaped nugudom this year. Though some of them may be familiar or a bit known to us, their popularity reached new heights this 2017.

Jung Hae-in (정해인)
Birthday: April 1, 1988 Age: 29
While You Were Sleeping (SBS)

❤ You might remember Jung Hae-in as Kim Go-eun’s (Ji Eun-tak) crush, Tae-hee oppa in Goblin.

❤ Remember in Reply 1988 Episode 13 when Deok-sun and Jung-hwan went to a concert and a former classmate tells the latter how pretty she has become, then later Jung-hwan “accidentally” bumped him in the bathroom? Well, that guy’s actually Hae-in oppa.

Name: Kim Jung-hyun (김정현)
Birthday: April 5, 1990 Age: 27
School 2017 (KBS2)

❤ Oppa played as Gong Hyo-jin’s hot-headed little brother in Jealousy Incarnate and Yoon Kyun-sang’s (Hong Gil-dong) rival in Rebel: Thief Who Stole the People.

❤ Jung-hyun also starred in the KBS2 drama special Buzzcut Love which aired last November 5.

Nam Da-reum (남다름)
Birthday: June 13, 2002 Age: 15
While You Were Sleeping (SBS)

❤ Do you remember the handsome boy whom Kim Shin rescued from his abusive step father in Goblin? Yep, that’s Da-reum.

❤ He also played as the young Lee Jong-suk in the 2014 SBS series Pinocchio and the young Kim Hyun-joong (Yoon Ji-hoo) in the 2009 hit drama Boys Over Flowers.

Kim Min-kyu (김민규)
Birthday: December 25, 1994 Age: 23
Because This Is My First Life (tvN)

❤ He took part in tvN’s 2016 police drama Signal and also starred in OCN’s Meloholic which aired its finale episode last December 5.

❤ Min-kyu oppa also appeared as one of Nam Joo-hyuk’s teammate in School 2015.

❤ Oppa made the ladies’ hearts go pit-a-pat during an episode of I Can See Your Voice where he was one of the mystery singers. Watch him here:

Jang Dong-yoon (장동윤)
Birthday: July 12, 1992 Age: 25
School 2017 (KBS2)

❤ Dong-yoon acted alongside Chae Soo-bin and B1A4’s Jinyoung in the KBS2 drama special If We Were a Season which aired last September 3.

❤ Jang Dong-yoon also starred in the MV of Bolbbalgan4’s hit song Galaxy. Watch him here:

Choi Woo-shik (최우식)
Birthday: March 26, 1990 Age: 27
Fight for My Way (KBS2)

❤ You might remember Choi Woo-shik oppa as the handsome baseball player in Train to Busan.

❤ Woo-shik oppa also starred in IU’s Old Story MV (listen to it, it’s heart-breaking ) and was the main lead in two of my favorite Day6 MVs, Congratulations and You Were Beautiful (if you’re going through a heartbreak, these songs will speak to your heart 💔). Watch him here:

Yoon Hyun- min (윤현민)
Birthday: April 15, 1985 Age: 32
Witch at Court (KBS2)

❤ Oppa was a former athlete who played for professional baseball teams Hanhwa Eagles and Doosan Bears.

❤ He was named Best New Actor in a Special Project Drama for My Daughter, Geum Sa-wol during the 2015 MBC Awards and is currently dating his leading lady in the said series, Baek Jin-hee.

Choi Tae-joon (최태준)
Birthday: July 7, 1991 Age: 26
Suspicious Partner (SBS)

❤ This charming oppa is a host of Hello Counselor and won the New Wave Award at the 2017 Asia Artist Awards held last November 16.

❤ Tae-joon oppa also appeared in We Got Married with Apink’s Bomi as his wife.

Jang Ki-yong (장기용)
Birthday: August 7, 1992 Age: 25
Go Back Couple (KBS2)

❤ This oppa is also a model under YGKPlus, the agency of Nam Joo-hyuk, Lee Sung-kyung and Produce 101/JBJ’s Kwon Hyun-bin.

❤ Ki-yong oppa starred in IU’s The Red Shoes and Friday MVs.

Cha Eun-woo (차은우) born as Lee Dong-min (이동민)
Birthday: March 30, 1997 Age: 20
The Best Hit (KBS2)

❤ This visual oppa is a member of Fantagio’s boy group Astro, which debuted in 2016.

❤ Watch Eun-woo oppa during Astro’s comeback stage at M Countdown for their new song Crazy Sexy Cool.

BONUS

Woo Do-hwan (우도환)
Birthday: July 12, 1992 Age: 25
Save Me (OCN)

❤ Do-hwan oppa top-billed KBS2’s crime drama Mad Dog. He also starred in Netflix series Dramaworld where he played the role of Seung-woo, Liv Hewson’s bestfriend.