Moon Ga-young on Her Unique Childhood, Education, and the Power of Patience in Her Acting Journey
Actress Moon Ga-young continues to impress fans with both her on-screen presence and thoughtful worldview. On the April 9 episode of tvN’s “You Quiz on the Block,” the “My Dearest Nemesis” star opened up about her upbringing, family background, and the personal mantra that has guided her through two decades in the entertainment industry: patience.
A Childhood Rooted in Discipline and Music
Born in Germany, Moon moved to Korea at age 10, but long before that, she was already shaped by an environment of intellectual and artistic influence.
“My mother majored in piano and my father in physics,” she explained. “They met at a Korean volleyball tournament in Germany and later got married.”
With a mother surrounded by fellow musicians, Moon recalled having a musical upbringing filled with opportunity. “I received free lessons from her friends. I can still play the piano comfortably, and with enough practice, I can play the flute and violin too.”
Her academic life was just as unique. “My sister and I never had private academies or tutors,” she said. “Our dad taught us everything himself, using a whiteboard in the living room. Even if we had questions in the middle of the night while studying, he’d wake up and explain everything like a teacher.”
20 Years of Acting, and the Pressure of Being Forgotten
Moon Ga-young began acting as a child and has never taken a break since her debut. However, she admitted that her early years in the industry came with emotional challenges. “I debuted around the same time as stars like Kim Yoo-jung, Yeo Jin-goo, and Yoo Seung-ho. Back then, dramas would often start with child actors, so competition was fierce,” she said.
What troubled her the most was the lack of recognition for her early work. “I didn’t have a major breakout role as a child, and people didn’t remember me. That made me feel anxious and sad.”
Still, Moon never gave up, and that resilience became one of her defining traits, later expressed through her essay collection, which has now gone into its eighth print run.
“I’m Good at Waiting”: The Philosophy That Guided Her
Among the themes in her writing, Moon highlights “waiting” as a powerful virtue. “At auditions, when people asked what I’m good at, I’d say, ‘I’m good at waiting,’” she shared. “Waiting isn’t that different from enduring. If you stay in place, patiently and consistently, your time will come.”
Her words struck a chord not just with viewers, but with host Yoo Jae-suk, who praised her for donating the book’s royalties, 100 million KRW (~68,000 USD)—to Ewha Medical Center.
Moon Ga-young’s story is one of quiet strength, of a girl raised in a household of intellect and music, navigating a fiercely competitive industry with grace, and believing in the slow, steady power of persistence. As she marks 20 years in the spotlight, her message is clear: endurance matters, and every journey has its own pace.