TL;DR: Yerin Ha is the Korean-Australian actress taking over our screens as the lead in Bridgerton Season 4. After a gritty start in the Halo series, she’s shifting into the high-glamour, high-drama world of the Regency era. If your teen is suddenly obsessed with "Cinderella stories" or Regency fashion, it’s likely because of her. While she’s a fantastic talent, her projects range from "intense sci-fi violence" to "very mature romance," so you’ll want to check the ratings before hitting play.
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If you haven’t heard the name Yerin Ha yet, you’re about to hear it a lot. She is the breakout star of 2025 and 2026, and for good reason. Born in Sydney, Australia, to Korean parents, she comes from an acting lineage—her grandmother is the legendary Korean actress Son Sook.
Yerin first hit the mainstream radar in the Halo (the show), playing Kwan Ha. It was a role that involved a lot of dirt, space-politics, and combat. But her most recent pivot is what has the internet (and likely your kids' social feeds) on fire: she was cast as Sophie Baek, the love interest for Benedict Bridgerton in the fourth season of Netflix’s juggernaut, Bridgerton.
This is a massive cultural moment. Not only is she the first East Asian lead in the "Bridgerton-verse," but the showrunners even changed the character’s surname from the book’s "Beckett" to "Baek" to honor her heritage. It’s a win for representation, but it also means she’s now the face of a show that is... well, famously "spicy."
It’s a bit of a whiplash career move, and it's worth noting because your kids might follow her from one project to the next.
In Halo, the vibe is gritty, violent, and very much "adult sci-fi." If your kids are gamers who love the Halo Infinite or the classic Master Chief lore, they might have already seen her. Kwan Ha’s storyline was one of the more polarizing parts of the show, but Yerin’s performance was undeniably strong.
Now, she’s moved into Dune: Prophecy and Bridgerton. These are very different flavors of "mature." Dune: Prophecy is dense, political, and often dark—think Game of Thrones but in space. Bridgerton, on the other hand, is the ultimate "guilty pleasure" romance.
Why Teens (and Tweens) are Obsessed
The "Bridgerton effect" is real. Even if your 13-year-old isn't watching the show (and we’ll get to why they maybe shouldn't in a second), they are seeing the aesthetic everywhere.
- The "Glow Up" Factor: Yerin’s transformation from a dusty rebel in Halo to a stunning debutante in Bridgerton is the kind of content that thrives on TikTok and Instagram.
- Representation: For Asian-American and Asian-Australian kids, seeing a lead who looks like them in a genre (Regency romance) that has historically been very white is a huge deal.
- The Soundtrack: Bridgerton is famous for its orchestral covers of pop songs (like Taylor Swift or Billie Eilish). This makes the show feel accessible to a younger audience, even if the content isn't always age-appropriate.
Learn more about the "Bridgerton" aesthetic and its influence on teen fashion
Here is where we have to be the "uncool" but intentional parents. Yerin Ha is a phenomenal actress, but the projects she chooses are firmly in the TV-MA or R-rated territory.
The Vibe: Beautiful costumes, witty banter, and high-stakes social climbing. The Reality: It is essentially a romance novel come to life. Season 4, featuring Yerin Ha, follows the "Cinderella" trope, but it includes graphic sexual content. It is NOT a family-friendly show. Screenwise Advice: This is a "watch it first" or "watch together with a fast-forward finger" show for older teens (16+). For younger teens, it’s a hard pass.
The Vibe: High-budget sci-fi action based on the iconic game. The Reality: It’s much more violent than the games. There’s significant gore, swearing, and some brief nudity. Screenwise Advice: If your kid plays the Halo games, they’ll want to see this. Just be aware it’s a hard TV-MA.
The Vibe: The origin story of the Bene Gesserit (the space witches from the movies). The Reality: It’s heady, slow, and contains "prestige TV" levels of violence and mature themes. Screenwise Advice: Most kids will find this boring, but if they loved the Dune movies, they might try to tune in. Best for ages 15+.
If your kid is asking about Yerin Ha because they saw a clip of her looking like a princess, but they aren't ready for the TV-MA heat of Bridgerton, here are some "cleaner" ways to scratch that itch:
To get that "Regency Vibe" (without the spice):
- Pride & Prejudice (2005): The gold standard. It’s romantic, beautiful, and completely PG.
- Emma (2020): Starring Anya Taylor-Joy, this is colorful, funny, and very stylish.
- The Selection (Book Series): If they want that "Cinderella at a ball" feeling, this YA book series is a massive hit with the middle school crowd.
To get that "Sci-Fi Action" fix:
- Star Wars: Ahsoka: Great female leads, solid action, and much more family-friendly than Halo.
- The Mandalorian: The ultimate "watch together" sci-fi show.
Check out our full guide on Regency-era media for teens
One of the best things about Yerin Ha’s rise is the opportunity to talk to our kids about why her casting matters. For a long time, Asian actors were relegated to sidekicks or "nerd" tropes. Yerin is the romantic lead. She is the one being chased, the one everyone is swooning over.
This is a great time to ask your kids:
- "Why do you think people are so excited that Sophie is being played by a Korean actress this season?"
- "Do you notice a difference in the types of roles Asian actors are getting now compared to older movies we've watched?"
It’s a way to engage with their media consumption that goes beyond "turn that off, it’s too sexy." It shows you’re paying attention to the cultural shifts they care about.
If your teen is watching Bridgerton (because let’s be real, they often find a way), don’t panic. Instead of a lecture, try a "No-BS" conversation.
"I know Yerin Ha is amazing in this, and I get why the show is popular. But we need to talk about the fact that it’s basically an R-rated movie broken into episodes. How do you feel about the romance scenes? Do they feel realistic to you, or more like a fantasy?"
Using Yerin Ha as the entry point—focusing on her talent and her career trajectory—makes the conversation about media literacy rather than just rules.
Yerin Ha is a star on the rise, and she’s bringing a lot of "grown-up" media into the peripheral vision of our kids. She is talented, hardworking, and a great example of the diversifying face of Hollywood.
However, her current filmography is a bit of a minefield for younger viewers.
- Ages 0-12: Keep them away from her main projects for now. Stick to the Pride & Prejudice vibe.
- Ages 13-15: High supervision. If they are watching Bridgerton, it should be with a conversation about what they're seeing.
- Ages 16+: They are likely already watching. Use it as a bridge to talk about representation and the difference between "Hollywood romance" and real life.
- Check your Netflix settings. If you don't want your middle schooler stumbling into Bridgerton Season 4 just because they like the "Cinderella" thumbnail, make sure their profile is restricted to TV-14.
- Watch a trailer together. Watch the trailer for Dune: Prophecy or Bridgerton with your teen. Ask them what they think the "vibe" is. It’s a low-stakes way to gauge their interest and maturity.
- Explore her roots. If you have an older teen interested in acting, look up interviews with Yerin Ha talking about her grandmother and her training at NIDA in Australia. It’s a cool look at what it takes to actually make it in the industry.
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