Shim Eun-kyung

Shim Eun-kyung started out as Korea's go-to child star before turning into a certified box-office heavyweight. You probably remember her stealing scenes in retro comedy Sunny and carrying Miss Granny, where she showed off comic timing that left actors twice her age in the dust.

Then she did what few Korean stars dare to do. She packed her bags, learned Japanese from scratch, and swept the top acting honours in Tokyo. Let's be honest, taking on a foreign film industry is a gamble, but she pulled it off without missing a beat.