3 Years Since “Sky Castle”: Where Are They Now And What Have We Learned?

3 Years Since “Sky Castle”: Where Are They Now And What Have We Learned?

Sky Castle was a JTBC drama that was first broadcasted on November 23, 2018.  As the drama did not have a well-known cast, its ratings were initially low with only 1.7%.  However, as the plot progressed with a storyline depicting Korea’s competitive education system that was relatable with many viewers, ratings began to skyrocket.  The drama ended with a rating of 23.8%, being the second highest rated Korean drama in cable television history. 

Aside from the amazing acting from the more experienced actors, those that played the children of the four main families in the drama caught the attention of many viewers in which most are still currently active in the industry.  As we are nearing the three-year anniversary of this drama, let’s take a look at how this drama propelled a couple of these children to popularity.

Jo Byung Gyu

Jo Byung Gyu played the younger son of the Cha family who strongly disagrees with his father’s method of teaching and studying.  Being known for his role in Sky Castle provided him casting opportunities in Arthdal Chronicles, Hot Stove League and the male lead role in The Uncanny Counter.  The success of these dramas has sustained his acting capabilities to the public and earned him Best New Actor award.

Kim Dong Hee

Kim Dong Hee played the older son of the Cha family, Jo Byung Gyu’s older brother.  His success in Sky Castle led him to a notable role in Itaewon Class and his first male lead role in Extracurricular.  Though he may not seem as active as his other Sky Castle cast mates, but he currently has two films under his belt, Season of You and Me and Believer.

Kim Hye Yoon

Kim Hye Yoon played the eldest daughter of the Kang family whose dream is to enter Seoul National University. The successful portrayal of her role in Sky Castle earned her Best New Actress award at 55^th Baeksang Awards and rose her to stardom.  Her rising popularity has provided her with first female lead role in Extraordinary You, in which she was once again recognized for her acting, winning both New and Excellence Actress awards.  She will be starring in the upcoming JTBC drama Snowdrop, so it will be exciting to see what she will bring to viewers this time.

Park Yoo Na

Park Yoo Na played the eldest daughter of the Cha family and lied about graduating from Harvard University.  Though her role was not as prominent as other children of the four main families, however, she has been recognized and took on eye-catching roles in successful dramas such as Hotel Del Luna and True Beauty.  She will be taking on her first female lead role in the film The Labyrinth.

Lessons Learned:

Sky Castle depicted one of the dark areas in current Korea society, its education system.  We see that parents are willing to spend fortunes and sacrifice anything to ensure their children graduate from one the three prestigious and most respected universities in Korea; Seoul National University, Korea University and Yonsei University; commonly known as “SKY.”  Graduating from these universities will cement your future career and social status as South Korea’s most influential individuals have graduated from the SKY universities.  

We cannot agree that education is very important for our personal growth and future but does it mean everything to a point where children lose their childhood and people lose themselves to a sea of competition?  I cannot further comment as it is a personal decision but one important lesson learned from this drama is the importance of cherishing our parents.  In the drama, the parents may be depicted as villains due to their obsession with their children’s education.  However, if we view this from a different angle, these parents are doing all this not for their personal benefit but solely for the future of their children.  They want to ensure that they become successful individuals who will not be looked down upon and be able to sustain themselves and their future family.  Their methods may be wrong, but I believe it all boils down to their unconditional love for us.  We may not agree with everything that our parents do but we know for sure that they love us so do try and take some time to appreciate them.

How did you like “Sky Castle”? Let me know in the comments below!