Movie Stars That Lit Up The Screen In 2018 According to Gallup Korea Poll

Dec 13, 2018

Ever since 2007, Gallup Korea has held polls to decide the entertainers/movie stars/TV stars/pop stars/sports stars of the year.

To kick off the end of 2018, Gallup Korea has revealed the results for their poll on “movie stars that lit up the screen in 2018.” The poll was conducted from November 7 to 30 and included 1,700 men and women over the age of 13 all over the country.

Ma Dong Seok took first place in the poll with his role in this year’s hit film “Along with the Gods 2.” The contrast between his tough-looking exterior and his soft personality has also earned him the nickname “Ma-vely” (Ma + “lovely”). The actor is also well-known for his never-ending body of work, many of which go on to become hits at the box office: “Veteran” (2015), “Along with the Gods” (2017), and “Train to Busan.” In 2018 alone, on top of “Along with the Gods 2,” he appeared in “Champion,” “The Soulmate,” “The Villagers,” and “Unstoppable.”

In second place was Ha Jung Woo, who also starred in both “Along with the Gods” movies. He is another heavy-hitter at the box office, with films like “The Handmaiden,” “Tunnel,” and “Assassination” under his belt, and has appeared in the Top 5 of Gallup Korea’s “Movie Stars of the Year” poll every year since 2012.

Third place was Lee Byung Hun, a global star who kicked off 2018 with the film “Keys to the Heart.” Although he gained acclaim this particular year for his first drama role in years with tvN’s “Mr. Sunshine,” he is still mostly known as a movie actor rather than a TV actor, even appearing in Hollywood productions like “Misconduct” and “The Magnificent Seven.” In 2009 and 2012, he had risen as high as No. 1 on Gallup Korea’s “Movie Stars of the Year” poll.

Rounding out the top 5 were Song Kang Ho and Joo Ji Hoon. Song Kang Ho has not yet released a film in 2018, with his latest movie “Drug King” awaiting a December 19 release, but is still riding high on his impressive career to date, not least with 2017’s box office hit “Taxi Driver.” “Taxi Driver” catapulted him to the top of the poll in 2017, a feat that he previously accomplished in 2008 and 2013.

Joo Ji Hoon also starred in the “Along with the Gods” series, but this has been a landmark year overall in the young actor’s career. 2018 saw the release of two other movies in which he has starred, after “Along with the Gods 2”: “The Spy Gone North” and “The Dark Figure of Crime.”

Like 2016 and 2017, the top 5 movie actors chosen in 2018’s poll were dominated by male actors. The last time a female actress appeared in the top 5 was in 2016 (Jun Ji Hyun). The highest that a female actress has ever placed on the poll was in 2012 (Kim Hye Soo was third). Despite 2018 being a landmark year for female-led films in South Korea, the highest an actress placed on 2018’s poll was No. 14 (Kim Hye Soo, tied with another actor), No. 16 (Son Ye Jin, tied with another actor), and No. 19 (Han Ji Min).

Here are the top 10 movie stars of 2018, as picked through Gallup Korea’s survey: