Aema cast and character guide: Who plays whom in the Netflix K-drama 

Netflix’s latest K-drama, Aema, depicts the struggles of two actresses who find themselves questioning their self-worth and come together to fight the villains of their lives who exploited them and many other young women.

The synopsis of Aema reads as:

"In the vibrant yet male-dominated world of 1980s Korean cinema, the sensational erotic film "Madame Aema" is set to make its mark, sparking both excitement and controversy. The story centers on two actresses with clashing personalities who are united by a shared struggle against the industry's exploitative nature."

The six-part series narrates the story of Hee-ran and Joo-ae, who, despite their differences, come together to bring down Jung-ho and reveal the truth about how he has exploited numerous young women who wanted to make their dreams of working in the industry come true.

Here’s the cast and character guide of Netflix’s Aema.

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Aema cast and character guide

From big industry names like Lee Hanee and Jin Seon-kyu, to skilled actors like Bang Hyo-rin, this K-drama has become the newest hit on Netflix.

Here’s the complete list:

1) Lee Hanee as Jung Hee-ran

Hanee is one of the two protagonists of Aema, and she plays Hee-ran, a rising actress. She works under Jung-ho’s company, Shinsung Films, and is still under his contract. Apart from working in the films that he brings, Hee-ran also had to be a part of the banquets that he organises, where powerful men from various backgrounds s*xually exploit women.

Aema is Hee-ran’s journey of destroying these banquets and letting everyone know what Jung-ho does to the women.

Lee Hanee has been seen in acclaimed films such as I Am the King and Extreme Job. She also appeared in both seasons of The Fiery Priest, starring Kim Nam-gil.

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2) Jin Seon-kyu as Gu Jung-ho

Seon-kyu’s Jung-ho is the main villain in Aema. He is a powerful man in the industry as the CEO of Shinsung Films, and has destroyed the lives of numerous young women by taking them to the banquets. Initially, it is not known that he is the organiser of the banquets, but after learning about this, Hee-ran vows to bring the man down.

Seon-kyu needs no introduction when we discuss K-dramas and K-movies. The Baeksang nominee has appeared in hit films such as Extreme Jobs, The Outlaws, and Space Sweepers, among others.

Other than films, he has also appeared in K-dramas such as Through the Drakness and Revenant, among several others.

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3) Bang Hyo-rin as Shin Joo-ae

Apart from Hee-ran, there is another actress, Joo-ae, who is ready to do anything to be successful in the industry. Just like all the other young actresses, she is also sent to the banquets, but her reaction to men trying to inappropriately touch her is bold and brave. She later provides the courage that Hee-ran needs to expose the reality of the banquets.

Hyo-rin has appeared in K-dramas such as The Chairman Is Level 9, and will be appearing in Knock Off starring Kim Soo-hyun.

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4) Cho Hyun-chul as Kwak In-woo

While numerous men in the Netflix series are seen as the culprits due to their involvement in the banquets. However, some characters like Hyun-chul’s In-woo become a huge part of Hee-ran’s fight against men like Jung-ho. He is a rookie director who directed the film Aema, in which the lead actresses are depicted as strong female protagonists rather than female characters that can be objectified.

Cho Hyun-chul has also been part of popular K-dramas such as Hotel del Luna, D.P., and Memories of the Alhambra, among others.

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Supporting cast and character guide of Aema

The supporting cast and character guide of Aema are as follows:

1) Jang Nam-su as Park Yeong-bae: Hee-ran’s manager

2) Lee Hong-nae as Yang Seok-won: A Democratic People’s Voice reporter who helps Hee-ran in collecting evidence against Jung-ho

3) Lee So-e as Hwang Mi-na: Jung-ho’s girlfriend who dies of an overdose, and is one of the main reasons why Hee-ran decides to speak up

4) Park Hae-joon as Lee Jae-geon: A sleazy reporter who writes a demeaning article about Joo-ae

5) Kim Jong-soo as Kwon Do-il: Director who lets Hee-ran speak her truth in the Daejong Awards.

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