Jung Ryeo-won (born January 21, 1981) is a South Korean-born Korean Australian actress. She began her entertainment career as a singer in the now-defunct
girl group
A girl group is a music act featuring several female singers who generally harmonize together. The term "girl group" is also used in a narrower sense in the United States to denote the wave of American female pop music singing groups, many of who ...
Chakra
Chakras (, ; sa , text=चक्र , translit=cakra , translit-std=IAST , lit=wheel, circle; pi, cakka) are various focal points used in a variety of ancient meditation practices, collectively denominated as Tantra, or the esoteric or ...
, and first rose to fame in the hit television series ''
My Name Is Kim Sam-soon''. She is also known for her roles in ''
Two Faces of My Girlfriend
''Two Faces of My Girlfriend'' () is a 2007 South Korean romantic comedy film starring Bong Tae-gyu and Jung Ryeo-won.
This was Jung's first big-screen leading role, for which she won Best New Actress at the 28th Blue Dragon Film Awards in 2007 a ...
'', ''
Castaway on the Moon'', and ''
History of a Salaryman
''History of a Salaryman'' (; lit. "Salaryman Cho Han Ji") is a 2012 South Korean television series that aired on SBS from January 2 to March 31, 2012 on Mondays and Tuesdays at 21:55 for 22 episodes. Starring Lee Beom-soo, Jung Ryeo-won, Jung G ...
''.
Early life
The second of three children, Jung Ryeo-won was born in 1981, and emigrated to
Brisbane,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
in 1992 with her family. She encountered
discrimination
Discrimination is the act of making unjustified distinctions between people based on the groups, classes, or other categories to which they belong or are perceived to belong. People may be discriminated on the basis of race, gender, age, relig ...
in grade school, which made her determined to become fluent in
English. By junior high school, she had adapted to the Australian way of life. After attending
MacGregor State High School
MacGregor State High School (MSHS) is an independent public, co-educational, state secondary school, located in MacGregor, a southeastern suburb of Brisbane, Queensland Australia. The current principal is Brendan Barlow and there are currentl ...
, she graduated from
Griffith University with a major in international business.
Career
2000–2006: Chakra
While she was an
exchange student at
Korea University
Korea University (KU, ) is a private research university in Seoul, South Korea, established in 1905. The university is included as one of the SKY universities, a popular acronym referring to Korea's three most prestigious universities.
The ...
from
Griffith University in the 2000s, Jung was discovered on the streets of
Apgujeong
Apgujeong-dong (; ) is a ward of Gangnam-gu in Seoul, South Korea. It is considered one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in South Korea. It was reported that housing price of Apgujeong-dong is approximately US$28,300 per one square meter bKorea M ...
by
Lee Sang-min, thereby changing her life and career path. She was placed in the
K-pop
K-pop (), short for Korean popular music, is a form of popular music originating in South Korea as part of South Korean culture. It includes styles and genres from around the world, such as pop, hip hop, R&B, experimental, rock, jazz, gos ...
girl group
A girl group is a music act featuring several female singers who generally harmonize together. The term "girl group" is also used in a narrower sense in the United States to denote the wave of American female pop music singing groups, many of who ...
Chakra
Chakras (, ; sa , text=चक्र , translit=cakra , translit-std=IAST , lit=wheel, circle; pi, cakka) are various focal points used in a variety of ancient meditation practices, collectively denominated as Tantra, or the esoteric or ...
, along with Eeni, Eun and
Hwangbo; their first album was released in 2000. Jung's morale was at a low in 2002, saying she sometimes felt alienated from her fellow Koreans, and was uncomfortable with the sexy clothes she was made to wear as a singer.
2006–2012: Transitioning in acting
Chakra disbanded in 2004, and Jung pursued acting full-time. After undergoing 11 unsuccessful auditions that year, she said she began doubting her decision to become an actress. In 2005, she gained recognition in the
cult
In modern English, ''cult'' is usually a pejorative term for a social group that is defined by its unusual religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals, or its common interest in a particular personality, object, or goal. This ...
vampire
sitcom ''
Hello Franceska
''Hello Franceska'' () is a South Korean sitcom that aired on MBC from 2005 to 2006 on Sundays at 23:00 for three seasons.
The first and second seasons aired from January 24 to August 1, 2005 for 29 episodes. The third season, with new cast memb ...
'', then made her breakthrough in the romantic comedy ''
My Name Is Kim Sam-soon''. The series was a massive success with average ratings of over 37%, and 50.5% for the finale. Jung was praised for her portrayal of a fragile but good-natured character who fights for the hero's love,
and eventually became one of the few successful singer-turned-actresses in the country.
Her follow-up series ''
Autumn Shower
''Autumn Shower'' () is a South Korean television drama broadcast from September to November 2005 on MBC.
Plot
Choi Yoon-jae (Oh Ji-ho) ends up in a car accident causing the passenger, his wife Kyu-eun (Kim So-yeon), to go into a coma. Park Yeon ...
'' received low ratings, but she rebounded with ''
Which Star Are You From
''Which Star Are You From'' () is a South Korean television drama that aired on MBC in 2006.
Plot
Kim Rae-won plays Choi Seung-hee, a young director who just made a successful international film debut. Following his success in Australia, he ...
?'', in which she played a country bumpkin living in the mountains of
Gangwon Province. She was cast in her first movie leading role as a girl with
multiple personality disorder in 2007's ''
Two Faces of My Girlfriend
''Two Faces of My Girlfriend'' () is a 2007 South Korean romantic comedy film starring Bong Tae-gyu and Jung Ryeo-won.
This was Jung's first big-screen leading role, for which she won Best New Actress at the 28th Blue Dragon Film Awards in 2007 a ...
'', and though it was not a box office hit, she won Best New Actress at the
Blue Dragon Film Awards
The Blue Dragon Film Awards () is an annual awards ceremony that is presented by ''Sports Chosun'' (a sister brand of the ''Chosun Ilbo'') for excellence in film in South Korea.
The Blue Dragon Film Awards considers only blockbusters and popula ...
.
As the titular character in 2009's ''
Princess Jamyung'', Jung starred in her first
period drama. She then played a
hikikomori in ''
Castaway on the Moon'', arguably her most notable film yet.
Both her 2011 big screen projects had elements of romance. She played a teacher in a small South Korean village who meets a North Korean officer in the
war comedy/drama ''
In Love and War'', and in
Kwak Kyung-taek's melodrama ''
Pained
''Pained'' (; lit. "Pain") is a 2011 South Korean film directed by Kwak Kyung-taek. Kwak's first feature in three years, it is a romantic melodrama set in Seoul, which is a departure from the director's previous Busan-based masculine thrillers and ...
'', she played a
hemophiliac
Haemophilia, or hemophilia (), is a mostly inherited genetic disorder that impairs the body's ability to make blood clots, a process needed to stop bleeding. This results in people bleeding for a longer time after an injury, easy bruising, ...
who falls for her opposite, a man with
analgesia, the inability to sense physical pain.
Jung began 2012 by starring as the heroine in quirky series ''
History of a Salaryman
''History of a Salaryman'' (; lit. "Salaryman Cho Han Ji") is a 2012 South Korean television series that aired on SBS from January 2 to March 31, 2012 on Mondays and Tuesdays at 21:55 for 22 episodes. Starring Lee Beom-soo, Jung Ryeo-won, Jung G ...
''. Playing one of the most unusual female characters in
Korean drama history, she delivered a fun, no-holds-barred performance as a red-haired, constantly swearing, selfish, reckless rich snob, but injected heart and raw emotion into a character that could've otherwise been very unlikable. Critics and audiences were impressed with her performance, and her series nabbed the top spot on the Monday and Tuesday primetime ratings lineup while she later won a Top Excellence Award at the
SBS Drama Awards.
She then starred in ''
Never Ending Story'', a romantic comedy about two people diagnosed with terminal illness who decide to spend their remaining time together preparing for death. In June 2012, Jung's contract with Won Entertainment expired and she signed with
Bae Yong-joon
Bae Yong-joon (; born August 29, 1972) is a South Korean businessman and former actor. He has starred in numerous television dramas, including, notably, ''Winter Sonata'' which became a major part of the Korean Wave. Bae retired from acting af ...
's agency,
KeyEast. Later that year, she played an idealistic screenwriter in ''
The King of Dramas
''The King of Dramas'' () is a 2012 South Korean television series, starring Kim Myung-min, Jung Ryeo-won and Choi Siwon of Super Junior. It is a satirical dramedy about what goes on behind the scenes in making a TV drama. It aired on SBS fro ...
''.
2013–2017: Acting setback
In January 2013, Jung unveiled her official website, through which she hopes to connect with her fans. Messages from the actress are uploaded in the "From rw" section. She then reunited with ''Pained'' costar
Kwon Sang-woo in the
medical drama
A medical drama is a television show or film in which events center upon a hospital, an ambulance staff, or any medical environment. Most recent medical drama (film and television), dramatic programming go beyond the events pertaining to the chara ...
''
Medical Top Team'', playing a charismatic and ambitious
thoracic surgeon.
Jung next played an impatient and careless radio producer in the cable series ''
Bubble Gum
Bubble gum or bubblegum is a type of chewing gum, designed to be inflated out of the mouth as a bubble.
Bubble gum flavor
While there is a bubble gum "flavor" – which various artificial flavorings including esters are mixed to obtain – it ...
'' in 2015; she and co-star
Lee Dong-wook previously appeared together in the 2003 sitcom ''Do the Right Thing''. In 2017, she starred in the legal procedural drama, ''
Witch at Court'', playing a highly ambitious prosecutor who speaks her mind and is known for her aggressive investigation tactics. For her portrayal, she received the Top Excellence Award at the 2017 KBS Drama Awards.
2018–present: Return in television and continued work
In 2018, Jung starred in the black comedy film ''
Gate
A gate or gateway is a point of entry to or from a space enclosed by walls. The word derived from old Norse "gat" meaning road or path; But other terms include ''yett and port''. The concept originally referred to the gap or hole in the wall ...
''. She then starred in the SBS' gastronomy drama ''
Wok of Love
''Wok of Love'' () is a 2018 South Korean television series starring Lee Jun-ho, Jang Hyuk and Jung Ryeo-won. It aired on SBS from May 7 to July 17, 2018 on Mondays and Tuesdays at 22:00 ( KST) for 38 episodes.
Synopsis
A charming love story ...
''.
In 2019, Jung starred in the legal television series ''
Prosecutor Civil War''.
In September 2020, Jung's contract with
KeyEast expired. She subsequently signed with H & Entertainment. In July 2022, Jung renewed her contract with H & Entertainment.
Other activities
Jung published ''Ryeo-won's Sketchbook'' in 2007, which contained her drawings and writings about her
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
faith. Though she hasn't received formal instruction in fine arts, Jung likes to express herself through drawing in her spare time. Two of her artwork pieces were sold at a charity auction in 2012.
In March 2014, Jung began hosting ''Art Star Korea'' on cable channel StoryOn, an audition program/
reality show
Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unfamiliar people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 19 ...
featuring
contemporary artists.
She also participated in the program '살아보니 어때'.
Filmography
Television series
Web series
Film
Music video
Discography
Book
Awards and nominations
References
External links
*
Jung Ryeo-wonat
KeyEast
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jung, Ryeo-won
1981 births
K-pop singers
Living people
South Korean female idols
South Korean women pop singers
People educated at MacGregor State High School
Griffith University alumni
Korea University alumni
South Korean film actresses
South Korean television actresses
Australian people of South Korean descent
21st-century South Korean singers
21st-century South Korean women singers