Moon Ga-young is like moonlight behind a curtain, quiet at first, but impossible to ignore once it fills the room. She was born on July 10, 1996 (29 years old) in Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
Her screen image carries a soft charm, yet there is always a sense that something deeper is waiting beneath her calm smile. This mix of grace, mystery, and control has made her one of the most-watched South Korean actresses of her generation.
But Moon Ga-young’s fame did not happen overnight. She began as a child model in 2005 and made her acting debut in 2006 with Bloody Reunion. Step by step, she moved from child roles to mature characters in popular dramas.
Moon became known through Heartstrings, EXO Next Door, Tempted, Find Me in Your Memory, and The Interest of Love. Her role as Im Ju-kyung in True Beauty brought her major public attention and made her a familiar name among K-drama fans.
Her major awards include the MBC Drama Awards Excellence Award for Tempted and the Baeksang Arts Awards Best Actress Award for Once We Were Us.
Quick Facts of Moon Ga-young
| Full Name | Moon Ga-young |
| Profession | Actress, model, writer |
| Age | 29 years old |
| Date of Birth | July 10, 1996 |
| Nationality | South Korean |
| Zodiac/Sun Sign | Cancer |
| Birthplace | Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany |
| Current Address | South Korea |
| Gender | Female |
Moon Ga-young Early Life and Education
Moon Ga-young was born in Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, to South Korean parents. She is the second daughter in her family.
Moon spent her early childhood in Germany. In 2005, her family moved back to South Korea when she was in the third grade of elementary school.
Education
Moon Ga-young studied at an all-girls middle school and high school, Pungmoon Girls’ High School in Seoul.
She later enrolled at Sungkyunkwan University in 2015 and studied in the Department of Theater and Film.
| School | Pungmoon Girls’ High School, Seoul |
| Alma Mater | Sungkyunkwan University |
| Highest Qualification | Yet to be updated |
Moon Ga-young Personal Life
Moon Ga-young is currently single, but she has faced dating rumors with some public figures; none of them have been confirmed.
Rumoured-boyfriends
- She was rumored to be dating her Tempted co-star Woo Do-hwan, but their agency said they were close friends and were not dating.
- She was also linked to True Beauty co-star Cha Eun-woo through online rumors, but no credible media outlet confirmed the claim.
- There were also online rumors about Moon and football player Son Heung-min, but these claims were based on social media talk and were not confirmed by either side.
Overall, Moon Ga-young keeps her love life private and appears focused on her acting career.
Parents
Moon Ga-young’s father studied physics, and her mother studied music. Her parents met in Germany while studying abroad. She later moved to South Korea with her family when she was a child.
Siblings
It is known that she has a sister, but more details about her are yet to be updated.
| Relationship Status | Single |
| Rumoured-boyfriends | Woo Do-hwan, Cha Eun-woo, Son Heung-min |
| Parents | Father: Yet to be updated Mother: Yet to be updated |
| Siblings | Sister: Yet to be updated |
Moon Ga-young Career
Moon Ga-young started her career as a child model in 2005.
In 2006, she made her acting debut as a child actress in the film Bloody Reunion, also known as To Sir with Love.
After this, she appeared in early films such as Black House, Bunt, Our Town, Shadows in the Palace, and Do You See Seoul?
During the same period, she also worked in television dramas. Her early TV roles included Hometown over the Hill, Bittersweet Life, Princess Ja-Myung, Friend, Our Legend, The Reputable Family, and Bad Guy.
2011 to 2014: Teen Roles and First Lead Role
In 2011, Moon appeared in the MBC drama Heartstrings. She played Lee Jung-hyun, the younger sister of Lee Shin.
She acted along with Park Shin-hye, Jung Yong-hwa, Song Chang-eui, So E-hyun, Kim Yoon-hye, and Kang Min-hyuk.
In 2013, she appeared in the thriller film Killer Toon as Jo Seo-hyun. She also appeared in the drama Wang’s Family as Wang Hae-bak.
In the same year, she had a role in Who Are You?, along with So Yi-hyun, Ok Taec-yeon, and Kim Jae-wook.
In 2014, Moon played her first lead role in the Mnet mystery romance drama Mimi. She played the title character Mi-mi.
She acted along with Shim Chang-min, Shin Hyun-bin, Jung Ji-soon, and Son Ji-na. The drama had 4 episodes and aired from February 21 to March 14, 2014.
2015 to 2017: Web Drama, Films, and Supporting Roles
In 2015, Moon played Ji Yeon-hee in the web drama EXO Next Door.
She acted along with EXO members Park Chanyeol, Doh Kyung-soo, Byun Baek-hyun, Oh Se-hun, Kim Jong-in, Kim Jun-myeon, Kim Min-seok, Zhang Yixing, Kim Jong-dae, and Huang Zitao.
The series aired on Naver TV Cast from April 9 to May 28, 2015.
In 2015 and 2016, she also worked in films such as Salut D’Amour, Island, Eclipse, and Twenty Again. These film roles added more range to her acting work after her child actress period.
In 2016, Moon appeared in the SBS drama Don’t Dare to Dream. She acted along with Kim Jung-hyun and Ahn Woo-yeon in a group of young characters in the story.
In 2017, she appeared in Live Up to Your Name as Dong Mak-gae, the loyal assistant of Heo Im, played by Kim Nam-gil.
She also starred in the KBS drama special Waltzing Alone.
2018 to 2019: Lead Roles in TV Dramas
In 2018, Moon played Choi Soo-ji in the MBC romance drama Tempted. She acted along with Woo Do-hwan, Joy, Kim Min-jae, Jeon Mi-sun, Shin Sung-woo, and Kim Seo-hyung.
In 2019, Moon played Han Soo-yeon in Welcome to Waikiki 2. She acted along with Kim Sun-ho, Lee Yi-kyung, Shin Hyun-soo, Ahn So-hee, and Kim Ye-won.
The drama aired on JTBC from March 25 to May 14, 2019.
2020 to 2021: Wider Public Recognition
In 2020, Moon starred as Yeo Ha-jin in Find Me in Your Memory. She acted along with Kim Dong-wook, Kim Seul-gi, Jang Young-nam, Lee Jin-hyuk, and Lee Seung-joon.
The drama aired on MBC from March 18 to May 13, 2020.
Later in 2020, she played Im Ju-kyung in the TVN drama True Beauty. This became one of her best-known roles.
She acted along with Cha Eun-woo, Hwang In-youp, Park Yoo-na, Jang Hye-jin, Park Ho-san, Lim Se-mi, and Kim Min-ki.
The drama aired from December 9, 2020, to February 4, 2021.
2022 to 2023: Fantasy Romance and Office Romance
In 2022, Moon starred as No Da-hyun in Link: Eat, Love, Kill.
She acted along with Yeo Jin-goo, Kim Ji-young, Ye Soo-jung, Lee Seol-a, Lee Suk-hyeong, and Lee Bom.
The drama aired on tvN from June 6 to July 26, 2022.
From 2022 to 2023, she played Ahn Su-yeong in The Interest of Love.
She acted along with Yoo Yeon-seok, Keum Sae-rok, Jung Ga-ram, Moon Tae-yoo, and Jung Jae-sung.
The drama aired on JTBC from December 21, 2022, to February 9, 2023.
2024 to 2025: Writing, New Dramas, and Film Work
In 2024, Moon released her first prose collection, Pata. In the same year, she also appeared in Daesung’s music video Falling Slowly, along with Kim Sun-ho.
In 2025, Moon starred as Baek Soo-jung in My Dearest Nemesis.
She acted along with Choi Hyun-wook, Lim Se-mi, Kwak Si-yang, Ko Chang-seok, and Son Sang-yeon. The drama aired on tvN from February 17 to March 24, 2025.
In 2025, she also appeared as Kang Hui-ji in the TVN drama Law and the City.
She acted along with Lee Jong-suk, Kang You-seok, Ryoo Hye-young, Im Sung-jae, Yum Hye-ran, and Lee Seo-hwan. The drama aired from July 5 to August 10, 2025.
Moon also starred in the 2025 romance film Once We Were Us. She played Jeong-won along with Koo Kyo-hwan and Kim So-yul.
The film was released in South Korea on December 31, 2025.
Upcoming Projects
Moon Ga-young has some new screen projects linked to her name, including one confirmed drama and some offers that are still under review.
Whale Star: The Gyeongseong Mermaid – 2027
- Moon Ga-young is confirmed to star in tvN’s historical romance drama Whale Star: The Gyeongseong Mermaid.
- She will play Heo Su-a, a maid who saves independence fighter Kang Ui-hyeon.
- The story is set in 1926 Gyeongseong during Korea’s Japanese occupation.
- She will act along with Choi Woo-shik, Heo Nam-jun, Yoo Jae-myung, Kang Han-na, Kim Yeo-jin, and Gong Seung-yeon.
- The drama is planned to air on tvN in 2027.
Two Piece – Under Review
- Moon Ga-young has received an offer to star in the film Two Piece.
- The film is directed by Min Yong-geun, who is known for Soulmate.
- Reports say she may play one of the central characters.
- Her casting has not been officially confirmed yet, so this project should be marked as under review.
Scent of the Night – In Talks
- Moon Ga-young has also been reported to be in talks for the historical romance drama Scent of the Night.
- Lee Min-ho has also received an offer for the same drama.
- The drama is linked to director Lee Eung-bok, who worked on Descendants of the Sun, Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, Mr. Sunshine, and Sweet Home.
- Since both actors are still reviewing offers, this project is not confirmed yet.
Moon Ga-young Awards and Achievements
Here are her major wins and nominations:
Key Wins
- 2018: The Excellence Award, Actress in a Monday-Tuesday Drama, at the MBC Drama Awards for Tempted.
- 2020: Best Couple Award with Kim Dong-wook at the MBC Drama Awards for Find Me in Your Memory.
- 2021: The Emotive Award, Actress, at the Asia Artist Awards for True Beauty.
- 2023: The Best Acting Performance Award at the Asia Artist Awards for The Interest of Love.
- 2026: Best Actress in Film at the Baeksang Arts Awards for Once We Were Us.
Key Nominations
- 2010: Nominated for Best Young Actress at the KBS Drama Awards for The Reputable Family.
- 2013: Nominated for Best Young Actress at the KBS Drama Awards for Wang’s Family.
- 2017: Nominated for Best Actress in a One-Act/Special/Short Drama at the KBS Drama Awards for Waltzing Alone.
- 2018: Nominated for Best New Actress at the MBC Drama Awards.
- 2021: Nominated for Popularity Award, Actress, at the Asia Artist Awards.
- 2020: Nominated for the Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Wednesday-Thursday Miniseries, for Find Me in Your Memory.
Moon Ga-young Controversies
Moon Ga-young has not been linked to any verified major personal or legal controversy:
2025: Her Dolce & Gabbana airport outfit at Incheon International Airport led to an online debate, with some people calling it bold fashion and others questioning the styling choice.
2026: Her casting with Choi Woo-shik in the drama Gorae Byul – The Gyeongseong Mermaid received backlash from some webtoon fans who felt the actors did not match the original characters.
2026: Her casting with Choi Woo-shik in the drama Gorae Byul – The Gyeongseong Mermaid received backlash from some webtoon fans who felt the actors did not match the original characters.
Moon Ga-young Net Worth
Moon Ga-young’s net worth is around $5 million, and it is known that she charges $20,000–$30,000 per episode.
| Net Worth in Dollars (Approx.) | $5 million |
| Salary | $20,000–$30,000 per episode |
Moon Ga-young Height, Weight, and Physical Stats
Below are the physical stats of Moon Ga-young:
| Height | In centimetres: 169 cm In meters: 1.69 m In feet & inches:m 5 feet 6.5 inches |
| Weight | In kg: 50 kg In lbs: 110 lbs |
| Body Measurements | 32-24-34 inches |
| Hair Color | Dark Brown |
| Eye Color | Brown |
Moon Ga-young Instagram, X, Facebook
 @m_kayoung | |
| X |  @ilovekayoung |
 @Moon Ga Young |
Interesting Facts About Moon Ga-young
- Moon Ga-young can speak German and English because she spent part of her childhood in Germany.
- Moon can play the piano and flute, and she has also learned ballet.
- She is best known for dramas like True Beauty, Find Me in Your Memory, Tempted, and The Interest of Love.
FAQs
Who is Moon Ga-young?
Moon Ga-young is a South Korean actress, model, and writer.
What is Moon Ga-young’s age?
Moon Ga-young is 29 years old. She was born on July 10, 1996, in Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
Where did Moon Ga-young study?
Moon Ga-young studied at Sungkyunkwan University.
When did Moon Ga-young start acting?
Moon Ga-young made her acting debut in 2006 with the film Bloody Reunion.
What dramas is Moon Ga-young known for?
Moon Ga-young is known for Heartstrings, EXO Next Door, Tempted, Welcome to Waikiki 2, Find Me in Your Memory, True Beauty, Link: Eat, Love, Kill, and The Interest of Love.
