Kang Dong-won, Park So-dam Named Most Promising Actors for New Year

Kang Dong-won(left) andPark So-dam

Kang Dong-wonandPark So-damhave been voted 2016's most promising male and female actors.

In a survey conducted by Yes24 at the request of the Chosun Ilbo, Kang received 246 votes, beating outHa Jeong-woo(186) andYoo Ah-in(172) among male stars.Si WanandHwang Jeong-minfollowed with 98 and 88 votes.

NewcomerPark So-dam(186 votes) was a surprise winner among actresses, edging out veteransSon Ye-jin(144),Kim Hye-soo(111) andJeon Ji-hyeon(101). Another young actress,Park Bo-yeong, came in fifth with 81 votes.

The poll questioned 3,461 people, of whom 63 percent were women, from Dec. 28 to 31.

Kang has unique qualities as an actor, making fantasy seem real and bringing a sense of fantasy to realistic scenes. Since his debut in 2003, he has appeared in 15 films and three TV dramas. In his latest film,"The Priests", Kang proved that his ability to set fashion trends extends even to a priest's simple clerical shirt and tab collar. The film attracted 5.44 million viewers.

Park started to get serious attention with her supporting roles in"The Silenced"and"The Priests"last year, during which she also appeared in"C'est Si Bon","Veteran"and"The Throne". She has worked on many small-budget and independent films since her 2013 debut.