Heo Nam Jun

Who Is Heo Nam-jun?

Heo Nam-jun (Korean: 허남준) is a South Korean actor who has rapidly emerged as one of the most compelling forces in the Korean drama landscape. He was born on June 9, 1993, and has captivated audiences with his nuanced performances across a variety of genres.

In 2026, he swept both the Brand of the Year Awards and the 53rd Korea Broadcasting Awards in succession, showcasing a commanding presence in Korean entertainment.

Therefore, Heo Nam-jun is no longer simply a rising star. He is a fully arrived leading man. His journey from a quiet farm in Korea’s Gangwon province to the top of South Korea’s drama industry is both unlikely and unforgettable.

Early Life: A Gangwon Farm, a Music Dream, and a Change of Direction

Growing Up in Gangwon Province

Heo Nam-jun grew up on a farm in Korea’s Gangwon province. This rural upbringing gave him a quiet resilience and an authentic grounded quality that would later translate powerfully on screen.

Gangwon, located in the northeastern corner of South Korea, is known for its mountains and forests. It is far from the glittering world of Seoul entertainment. However, that distance never dimmed his ambitions.

First Dreams: Applied Music

Heo initially wanted to major in applied music for college. When it didn’t work out, he turned to acting and decided to pursue it as a career.

He has spoken candidly about this pivot. “I realized in high school that no matter how hard I worked, music just wasn’t going to work out for me,” Heo reflected in a 2024 press interview.

That honest self-assessment changed everything. He redirected his energy toward acting — and the decision proved to be one of the most consequential of his life.

Education at Sungkyunkwan University

Heo Nam-jun attended the Department of Acting at Sungkyunkwan University. Sungkyunkwan University, founded in 1398, is one of South Korea’s oldest and most prestigious institutions. Its College of Arts is well known for producing professional Korean entertainers.

Additionally, he completed his mandatory military service as a Sergeant in the Republic of Korea Army Missile Command, discharged from October 19, 2015, to July 18, 2017.

Career Journey: From Independent Film to the Top of South Korean Drama

Official Debut: Like the First (2019)

Heo made his acting debut in the 2019 film “The First Shot.” This independent feature introduced him to the industry. It was a quiet beginning. However, it planted a seed.

He was methodical from the start. Even in brief appearances, he brought intention and specificity. “Even in my brief appearance in Night of Paradise, I wanted to leave an impact on viewers,” he said, recalling how he focused on small physical details — shifting his weight, adjusting his walk — to make an impression.

Building the Foundation: Sweet Home, Snowdrop, Missing (2020–2023)

From 2020 onward, Heo steadily built his reputation through supporting roles in major productions. He left a strong impression as a supporting actor in the Netflix film Night in Paradise and the Netflix series Sweet Home Season 2.

Furthermore, he appeared in JTBC’s Snowdrop (2021) and KBS2’s The Matchmakers (2023). Each role was smaller. However, each role was executed with precision and purpose.

Regarding his time as a supporting actor, Heo Nam-jun remarked, “That period was actually more important.” He did not rush his rise. He built it carefully, one performance at a time.

The Breakthrough: Your Honor (2024)

2024 was the year everything changed.

In Your Honor, Heo Nam-jun gained wider attention for his role as Kim Sang-hyuk, a cold-blooded gangster whose presence escalates the moral and legal tensions at the centre of the story.

His approach to the villain was deliberately counter-intuitive. “For the villain in Your Honor, I tried not to act tough because truly strong and confident people never pretend to be tough,” he explained.

The result stunned Korean audiences. He was nominated for the Best New Actor Award by the 2024 APAN Star Awards for his performance in Sweet Home and Your Honor, and also earned a Blue Dragon Series Award nomination for Best New Actor for Your Honor. He then won the Best New Actor Award at the 2024 MBC Drama Awards for When the Phone Rings.

When the Phone Rings (2024–2025): The Warm Second Lead

While the villain role in Your Honor made people sit up and pay attention, his next role showed the other dimension of his talent entirely.

In MBC’s When the Phone Rings, Heo Nam-jun took on the role of Ji Sang-woo, a psychiatrist and a mystery-focused content creator with 200,000 subscribers. He hovers around Hong Hee-joo, with whom he volunteered for sign language services during their college days.

Heo Nam-jun candidly shared his reason for choosing this drama, saying, “I had a meeting with the director, and I enjoyed our conversation so much and thought that we were very communicative. This is why I decided to take on the role.”

The character earned enormous viewer affection. Heo Nam-jun, who went viral for his good looks and on-screen charisma, portrays Ji Sang-woo as a charming psychiatrist and content creator. His performance in the drama won him the Best New Actor Award at the 2024 MBC Drama Awards.

IU Music Video: Never Ending Story (May 2025)

In May 2025, Heo Nam-jun achieved something he described as a dream come true.

He played the romantic lead opposite IU in her nostalgic music video for the ballad “Never Ending Story.” IU is one of South Korea’s most beloved and celebrated artists. Being chosen as her music video partner is a significant cultural honor.

He once recalled how overwhelmed he felt. He said, “Until the day I went to the set, every single day was a party. Just the fact that the person named IU knew that I was alive and breathing in this world made me think I had no further regrets.”

He later called the experience the “biggest credit of his life” at that point. The two would reunite again, with Heo confirmed to appear in IU’s new album music video in 2026.

A Hundred Memories (2025): First Major Lead

In A Hundred Memories (2025), Heo plays Han Jae-pil, a university student and the handsome son of the president, nicknamed “The Prince on a White Horse” due to his attractive looks and privileged background. This role marked his first major male lead in a mainstream Korean drama.

The coming-of-age melodrama, set in 1980s Korea, allowed him to show emotional depth and warmth alongside his established range.

When the Stars Gossip (2025): Sci-Fi Romance

He secured a role as a space scientist in tvN’s sci-fi romance When the Stars Gossip, an expensive tentpole venture starring heavyweights Lee Min-ho and Gong Hyo-jin. He played Lee Seung-joon in this highly anticipated production, further confirming his place among the most in-demand actors in Korea.

My Royal Nemesis (2026): Global Breakthrough

My Royal Nemesis (2026) is the drama that took Heo Nam-jun from Korean fame to global recognition.

In the SBS TV romantic comedy, Heo played his very first leading role as Cha Se-gye, a ruthless and powerful conglomerate CEO often dubbed a “monster of capitalism,” whose orderly life gets completely upended when he crosses paths with Shin Seo-ri, played by Lim Ji-yeon — a struggling modern actress whose body has been possessed by the soul of a notorious, fierce Joseon-era royal villainess.

Since its premiere on May 8, the time-travel romance grew into one of the year’s most popular K-dramas, catapulting Heo Nam-jun into the spotlight. The drama also streams on Netflix, bringing his performance to a worldwide audience.

Cradling his Korea Broadcasting Award trophy, Heo Nam-jun said, “This year I was lucky to meet a wonderful project and received love beyond my merits, and I am so happy to be receiving an award that is more than I deserve.”

Awards and Recognition: A Career in Full Bloom

Heo Nam-jun swept the 2026 Brand of the Year Awards and the 53rd Korea Broadcasting Awards in succession. These are two of South Korea’s most prestigious entertainment awards. Winning both in the same year is a rare feat.

Below is his full awards record.

Awards Summary

Year	Award Ceremony	Category	Work	Result
2024	MBC Drama Awards	Best New Actor	When the Phone Rings	Won
2025	16th Korea Drama Awards	Best New Actor	When the Phone Rings / When the Stars Gossip	Won
2024	APAN Star Awards	Best New Actor	Sweet Home / Your Honor	Nominated
2025	Baeksang Arts Awards	Best New Actor – Broadcasting	Your Honor	Nominated
2025	Blue Dragon Series Awards	Best New Actor	Your Honor	Nominated
2026	Brand of the Year Awards	Male Actor (Drama)	My Royal Nemesis	Won
2026	53rd Korea Broadcasting Awards	Best Actor Award	My Royal Nemesis	Won

Filmography: A Complete Career Overview

Television Dramas

Year	Title	Network	Role	Notes
2020	Missing: The Other Side	OCN	—	TV debut
2020	XX	MBC	—	—
2021	Snowdrop	JTBC	—	—
2023	The Matchmakers	KBS2	—	—
2023	Sweet Home 2	Netflix	—	—
2024	The Impossible Heir	SBS	—	—
2024	Sweet Home 3	Netflix	—	—
2024	Your Honor	ENA	Kim Sang-hyeok	Breakthrough villain role
2024–2025	When the Phone Rings	MBC	Ji Sang-woo	MBC Drama Awards – Best New Actor
2025	When the Stars Gossip	tvN	Lee Seung-joon	Sci-fi romance
2025	A Hundred Memories	JTBC	Han Jae-pil	First major male lead
2026	My Royal Nemesis	SBS/Netflix	Cha Se-gye	Korea Broadcasting Award – Best Actor
2026	Perfect Crown	MBC	Kim Yeon-jun	Special appearance
2027	Whale Star: The Gyeongseong Mermaid	tvN	Song Hae-su	Upcoming

Films

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2019	Like the First	—	Acting debut
2021	Night in Paradise	—	Supporting
2021	Double Patty	Han Sang-wook	—
2021	Hostage: Missing Celebrity	—	—
2022	Takeoff: Standing on the Waves	—	—
2024	I, the Executioner	—	—

Music Videos

Year	Song	Artist
2025	“Never Ending Story”	IU
2026	New album title track (TBA)	IU

What’s Next: Whale Star: The Gyeongseong Mermaid (2027)

Heo has been cast in the tvN production Whale Star: The Gyeongseong Mermaid, a historical period romance set in 1926 Seoul, based on Na Yoonhee’s webtoon. The series is currently filming and is scheduled to release in 2027.

He plays Song Hae-su in the upcoming series, starring alongside Moon Ga-young and Choi Woo-shik. Regarding his role, Heo introduced it as “the heaviest and most solemn character I have ever portrayed so far.”

Therefore, even at the peak of his current fame, he continues to challenge himself and reach for new dimensions as an actor.

Personal Life: Private, Grounded, and Family-Oriented

Heo Nam-jun keeps his personal life largely private. He is currently unmarried. He has no confirmed public relationship.

Nam-jun’s brother is also a new dad. Last January, the actor posted a sweet Instagram picture holding his nephew. These small, warm glimpses remind fans that behind the villains and chaebol heirs is a man who treasures family deeply.

His Instagram handle is @namjun0609 — a nod to his June 9 birthday.