When you're an actor playing the role of an actor, do you still have to act, or do you get to be yourself? But it's always fun when we get to have a fly-on-the-wall experience of what it’s like to live life under the lens of an actor. Such roles provide a glimpse beyond the gloss and fandom, delving into whether stardom is truly as glamorous as it appears.

Here are 10 K-Dramas that put actors in the unique position of portraying actors, inviting us into their world, and shedding light on the reality behind the reel.

Love to Hate You

This is fun to watch with all the tropes and cliches that make it a classic rom-com. Yoo Tae Oh is the superstar in this one but he is also a very caring, supportive, and charming boyfriend to Kim Ok Bin, who plays an unapologetic female lead who owns her personal choices and decisions.

Record of Youth

Byeon Wooseok plays the character of a model turned actor, and is also Park Bogum's character's best friend. This drama gives a realistic insight into what it takes to make it on your own in the big, bad world of show business - and it takes a lot to make it.

Touch Your Heart

We've seen Lee Dong Wook and Yoo In Na as a couple in the popular K-Drama, Goblin, but they spoiled fans by giving us another drama of them together, and this time, they're the star of the show. This is a feel-good and simple love story where we have Yoo In Na plays the famous star, while Lee Dong Wook is a workaholic elite lawyer.

Sh**ting Stars

This drama gives us an enjoyable fly-on-the-wall experience of being a star and the people behind the star that helps them shine bright. In this rom-com, Kim Young Dae plays the superstar with issues of his own, while Lee Sung Kyung is the PR manager of his management company. The entertainment world is not easy both for those in front and behind the camera. 

Beauty Inside

Seo Hyun-jin's character is an A-list actress known as a troublemaker, and because of this, she has many rumors surrounding her. Lee Min-ki's character, on the other hand, is an executive director of an airline company. Watch how these two come together and be each other's comfort.

My Love From the Star

Imagine an extraterrestrial being encountering and succumbing to the charm of Earth's leading lady. That's the tantalizing premise of this 2013 romantic-comedy! An alien who first touched down on Earth in 1609 during the Joseon Dynasty finds himself again on the blue planet 400 years later, where he falls head over heels for a renowned female actor. This delightful series, boasting an illustrious cast including Jun Ji-hyun, Kim Soo-hyun, Park Hae-jin, and Yoo In-na, is undeniably worth adding to your watchlist!

Uncontrollably Fond

The relationship between Kim Woo-bin and Bae Suzy's characters is what you would call fate. They were both classmates who were separated during their teenage years due to an ill-fated relationship; however, as if destined, they later meet each other in adulthood as he is now a top actor-singer and she is a documentary producer.

Radio Romance

Kim So-hyun's character has always wanted to become a radio writer, but because she lacks writing skills, she was always forced to be an assistant writer. However, when her career is on the line, she goes out of her way to try and cast a top actor, hoping to save her show from cancellation.

My Love Eun Dong

This is a beautiful one. Joo Jin-mo's character is a famous actor who hired a ghostwriter to write his autobiography to find his long-lost love from when they met in 1995 when he was seventeen. However, this ghostwriter is somewhat... familiar.

Full House

This one is a classic, and it's a classic for a reason. This is an easy and light-hearted one to watch, as the chemistry between Song Hye Kyo's cheery and gullible character with Rain, who is an incorrigible and rakish superstar, will have you melting.