Whether they play the moms (evil or good), the aunties, the neighborhood ahjumma, or the bad-a mentors, these ahjumma are like the backbone of the drama world. A show is always going to be better with a well placed ahjumma. I realized going into this that it is an infinite list, because there are so many wonderful ahjumma in the world. So I had to try really hard to narrow it down and put my personal top favorites. The cream of the crop in my opinion.
Lee Mi Sook
Also known as "My Bae" I've loved her since the beginning of my drama watching days, despite her being in the wreck known as Love Rain. I loved how different the roles she took were from Can We Get Married to Jealousy Incarnate. If I didn't know her, I would not know they were the same person. When I saw that she was basically the lead female in Money Flower, I knew I had to watch.
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| Because no one is worthy to! |
Kim Hye Ja
She is a freaking queen. I just love her so much, and with her experience she can do anything, really. I have really loved the last few dramas she has been in especially (Unkind Women and Dear My Friends). She is adorable, classy, and the best.
Kim Mi Kyung
She literally wins the title Ahjumma from Healer. If ever we are just talking about Ahjumma (capitalized) it is Kim Mi Kyung. She is my favorite mom, my favorite aunt, my favorite hacker ahjumma, my favorite everything. I will literally get excited to see that she is in a drama, and I will usually decided to keep watching it or start watching it once I find out. Just like in the Grand Prince, when this scene happened:
I might have come for Yoon Shi Yoon, but I stayed for Kim Mi Kyung.
Ra Mi Ran
Show stealer in Reply 1988 and Come Back Ahjussi, she was literally the deciding factor when it came to me deciding to brave the 50 episodes that was Laurel Tree Tailors. Even if her story ended up being one of my least favorite (that's not saying much) I still love her and will continue to watch shows just for her.
Cheetah Ahjumma forever!
Lee Il Hwa
The best mom in all the Reply series! I have to love her; she made me love her. We literally just got excited as we were catching up on some Witch's Court to see that she was the mom in that too. Literally was a "Is that who I think it is?" "Yep" "Yes!" type exchange.
I've been impressed to see her play such different moms too. All of the Reply moms were different. She's played evil moms, bitca moms, cool moms, awkward moms. She is just awesome and I love her.
Kim Sun Young
I am always excited to see Kim Sun Young in a cast, especially when she plays bad-a ladies like in Shopping King Louie or in One Line. That was actually one of our exciting moments of the One Line trailer, when we saw she was in it. She might be Sun Woo's oma for forever, but that only means she's dear to our hearts.
Hwang Young Hee
Hwang Young Hee usually plays the kind of mom who is my favorite, sassy and feisty. But I've loved her in every role I've seen her in, and While You Were Sleeping was no exception. I also super loved her as Jo In Sung's oma in Shopping King Louie.
Ye Ji Won
Honestly Ye Ji Won should have been on the Goddess list, but it's so hard to remember include everyone on a list, so I'm glad I realized she could fit on this one too, although she hardly seems old enough to be an ahjumma. She usually plays more of a noona character, and so masterfully well. I also aspire to be as cool as she is all of the time. She is classy AF and the ultimate show stealer, as exemplified in everything she's ever been in, but most especially in Another Oh Hae Young.
Yoon Yoo Sun
Probably my very first ahjumma love as the nervous farts aunt in My Girlfriend is a Gumiho, I have always loved Yoon Yoo Sun. I got really excited to see her play the villain in Doubtful Victory. It was her (plus Choi Won Young) who made me start it in the first place. I'm weird. I like seeing my favorites play villains. It proves they are awesome, and she is. It definitely was completely different from her previous roles, which I loved. She will continue to top my charts of best ahjumma.
Park Joon Geum
I couldn't leave the mom from Secret Garden off this list. She's been so many moms. She's like THE evil mom, but has also played so many awesome and adorable moms too. She was my favorite character in Laurel Tree Tailors, and I am not kidding. I love her when she is evil and I love love love her doing comedy. She always brings a smile to my face, even when she is dealing out the water slaps.
Oh Hyun Kyung
I loved her since High Kick Through the Roof and wish that I could look as good as her at my current age let alone at her age. She is flippin' gorgeous, and I'm always impressed with the variety of her skills. She is awesome at comedy especially, but can also play a sexy villainess. I'm down with her for whatever.
Especially if she is playing opposite Choi Won Young. I shipped them so hard!
Do Ji Won
I think she's the definition of classy. She was my OTP in Unkind Women, and I fell in love with her as the mom in Healer. I think she might have been the only decent adult in My Daughter Geum Sa Wol. I would love to see another ahjussi/ahjumma romance starring her and someone awesome. I would just love to see more of her on the screen, cuz I love her.
I have to stop now, or this might go on for forever, which might not be a bad thing. You can't celebrate awesome moms and ahjumma too much. You just can't. Although, this does seem to be just an extension of my Momance post I wrote a while back. It goes into more details about some of the moms these awesome women have played. There really are so many wonderful women to celebrate, and though this just scratches the surface, I'm glad I can celebrate them a bit. Catching up on the other editions might help too: Bitcas, Goddess, Tiny.
