HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Son Ye-jin (born Son Eon-jin on January 11, 1982) is a South Korean actress. She rose to fame in 2003 for '' The Classic'' and ''
Summer Scent ''Summer Scent'' () is a 2003 South Korean television series starring Song Seung-heon, Son Ye-jin, Ryu Jin, and Han Ji-hye. It is the third installment of season-themed tetralogy '' Endless Love'' drama series directed by Yoon Seok-ho. It aired ...
'', which were followed by the commercially successful ''
A Moment to Remember ''A Moment to Remember'' (; lit. "Eraser in My Head") is a 2004 South Korean film based on the 2001 Japanese television drama ''Pure Soul''. It stars Son Ye-jin and Jung Woo-sung and follows the theme of discovery in a relationship and the burden ...
'' (2004) and '' April Snow'' (2005). Her early roles in films garnered her the title "Nation's First Love" in Korea. She since has won various acting recognitions and acted in high-profile films including ''
My Wife Got Married ''My Wife Got Married'' () is a 2008 South Korean romantic drama film. Directed by Jeong Yoon-soo and starring Kim Joo-hyuk and Son Ye-jin in the lead roles, the film is adapted from a bestselling novel of the same name by Park Hyun-wook. Pl ...
'' (2008), '' The Pirates'' (2014), the 2016 films ''
The Truth Beneath ''The Truth Beneath'' (, lit. "There Is No Secret") is a 2016 South Korean thriller film directed by Lee Kyoung-mi, her second directorial outing after 2008's '' Crush and Blush'', and co-written by Park Chan-wook. The film stars Son Ye-jin and K ...
'' and '' The Last Princess'', and ''
The Negotiation "The Negotiation" (originally titled "Labor Negotiation") is the nineteenth episode of the third season of the American comedy television series ''The Office'', and the show's forty-seventh episode overall. The series depicts the everyday lives ...
'' (2018). She has also acted in the successful television dramas ''
Alone in Love ''Alone in Love'' (; lit. ''Love Generation'') is a 2006 South Korean television series starring Kam Woo-sung, Son Ye-jin, Gong Hyung-jin and Lee Ha-na. It is based on the Japanese novel by Hisashi Nozawa, which was published in 1996 and won t ...
'' (2006), ''
Personal Taste ''Personal Taste'' (; lit. "Kae-in's Taste" or "Kae-in's Preference"; also known as ''Personal Preference'') is a 2010 South Korean television series, starring Son Ye-jin and Lee Min-ho. It is adapted from Lee Se-in's 2007 novel of the same na ...
'' (2010), ''
Something in the Rain ''Something in the Rain'' () is a 2018 South Korean television series directed by Ahn Pan-seok and starring Son Ye-jin, Jung Hae-in and Jang So-yeon. The series marks Son Ye-jin's small screen comeback after five years. It aired from March 30 ...
'' (2018), ''
Crash Landing on You ''Crash Landing on You'' () is a 2019–2020 South Korean television series written by Park Ji-eun, directed by Lee Jeong-hyo and starring Hyun Bin, Son Ye-jin, Seo Ji-hye, and Kim Jung-hyun. It is about a successful South Korean businesswom ...
'' (2019–2020), and ''
Thirty-Nine ''Thirty-Nine'' () is a 2022 South Korean television series directed by Kim Sang-ho and starring Son Ye-jin, Jeon Mi-do, and Kim Ji-hyun. The series revolves around the life, friendship, romances, and love of three friends who are about to tur ...
'' (2022). She has been included in Forbes Korea Power Celebrity 40 for four consecutive years 2019–2022.


Career


2000–2005: Beginnings and East Asia stardom

Son Ye-jin was the voice of ''Jung Mi-jo'' in Park Ki-hyung's film ''Secret Tears'' in 2000, and then went on to take the leading role in television dramas such as ''
Delicious Proposal ''Delicious Proposal'' () is a 2001 South Korean television series starring Jung Joon, Son Ye-jin, So Yoo-jin and So Ji-sub. It aired on MBC from February 7 to March 29, 2001 on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:55 for 16 episodes. Plot The drama ...
'', ''Sun-hee and Jin-hee'', and ''Great Ambition''. Her first high-profile role in cinema was in
Im Kwon-taek Im Kwon-taek (born December 8, 1934) is one of South Korea's most renowned film directors. In an active and prolific career, his films have won many domestic and international film festival awards as well as considerable box-office success, and h ...
's ''
Chi-hwa-seon ''Chi-hwa-seon'' or ''Chwi-hwa-seon'', (also known as ''Painted Fire'', ''Strokes of Fire'' or ''Drunk on Women and Poetry''), is a 2002 South Korean drama film directed by Im Kwon-taek about Jang Seung-eop (commonly known by his pen name, Owon), ...
'', which screened at
Cannes Cannes ( , , ; oc, Canas) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a communes of France, commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions I ...
and took home a
Best Director Best Director is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards. It may refer to: Film awards * AACTA Award for Best Direction * Academy Award for Best Director * BA ...
award in 2002."Actors and Actresses of Korean Cinema: Son Ye-jin"
. ''Koreanfilm.org.'' Retrieved April 20, 2012.
The biggest success of her early career was in the subsequent films '' Lovers' Concerto'' and '' The Classic''. Both were solid mid-level hits in Korea, and '' The Classic'' in particular — being a work of ''
My Sassy Girl ''My Sassy Girl'' ( ko, 엽기적인 그녀, Yeopgijeogin Geunyeo, That Bizarre Girl) is a 2001 South Korean romantic comedy film directed by Kwak Jae-yong, starring Jun Ji-hyun and Cha Tae-hyun. The film is based on a true story told in a series ...
'' director
Kwak Jae-yong Kwak Jae-yong (born 22 May 1959) is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. He studied physics at Kyung Hee University. He achieved success with his debut film '' Watercolor Painting in a Rainy Day'' in 1989, but the failure of his next ...
— received wide exposure in regions such as Hong Kong and mainland China, and launched Son into East Asia stardom. Son further solidified her status as a ''Hallyu'' ( Korean Wave) star in 2003 by taking the lead in TV drama ''
Summer Scent ''Summer Scent'' () is a 2003 South Korean television series starring Song Seung-heon, Son Ye-jin, Ryu Jin, and Han Ji-hye. It is the third installment of season-themed tetralogy '' Endless Love'' drama series directed by Yoon Seok-ho. It aired ...
'', the third installment of season-themed tetralogy '' Endless Love'' drama series directed by Yoon Seok-ho. Her next films also gained massive popularity in East Asia particularly in Japan: ''
A Moment to Remember ''A Moment to Remember'' (; lit. "Eraser in My Head") is a 2004 South Korean film based on the 2001 Japanese television drama ''Pure Soul''. It stars Son Ye-jin and Jung Woo-sung and follows the theme of discovery in a relationship and the burden ...
'', based on a famous Japanese series, set box office records in Japan and sold over two million tickets in Korea, and '' April Snow'' in which she co-starred with superstar Bae Yong-joon was also a hit in Japan and China. Son, who adorned a pure and innocent image in her films ''The Classic'' and ''A Moment to Remember'', was given the title of the "Nation's First Love" in Korea. In 2006, she became the highest-paid Korean actress in Korean television series when she was guaranteed a talent fee of KRW 50 million (plus incentive) per episode for her lead role in SBS drama ''
Alone in Love ''Alone in Love'' (; lit. ''Love Generation'') is a 2006 South Korean television series starring Kam Woo-sung, Son Ye-jin, Gong Hyung-jin and Lee Ha-na. It is based on the Japanese novel by Hisashi Nozawa, which was published in 1996 and won t ...
''.


2006–2015: Film roles in diverse genres

Son then cast off her nice girl image in her next projects. She took on the roles of a
con artist A confidence trick is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust. Confidence tricks exploit victims using their credulity, naïveté, compassion, vanity, confidence, irresponsibility, and greed. Researchers have def ...
in '' The Art of Seduction'', an ambitious reporter in ''
Spotlight Spotlight or spot light may refer to: Lighting * Spot lights, automotive auxiliary lamps * Spotlight (theatre lighting) * Spotlight, a searchlight * Stage lighting instrument, stage lighting instruments, of several types Art, entertainment, an ...
'',"Spotlight Shows Lives of Reporters"
. ''
The Korea Times ''The Korea Times'' is the oldest of three English-language newspapers published daily in South Korea. It is a sister paper of the ''Hankook Ilbo'', a major Korean language daily; both are owned by Dongwha Enterprise, a wood-based manufacturer ...
''. May 13, 2008.
a
femme fatale A ''femme fatale'' ( or ; ), sometimes called a maneater or vamp, is a stock character of a mysterious, beautiful, and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers, often leading them into compromising, deadly traps. She is an archetype of ...
in ''
Open City In war, an open city is a settlement which has announced it has abandoned all defensive efforts, generally in the event of the imminent capture of the city to avoid destruction. Once a city has declared itself open the opposing military will be ...
'', and a divorcée in the critically acclaimed series ''
Alone in Love ''Alone in Love'' (; lit. ''Love Generation'') is a 2006 South Korean television series starring Kam Woo-sung, Son Ye-jin, Gong Hyung-jin and Lee Ha-na. It is based on the Japanese novel by Hisashi Nozawa, which was published in 1996 and won t ...
''. In 2008, her portrayal of a
polyandrous Polyandry (; ) is a form of polygamy in which a woman takes two or more husbands at the same time. Polyandry is contrasted with polygyny, involving one male and two or more females. If a marriage involves a plural number of "husbands and wives" ...
woman in ''
My Wife Got Married ''My Wife Got Married'' () is a 2008 South Korean romantic drama film. Directed by Jeong Yoon-soo and starring Kim Joo-hyuk and Son Ye-jin in the lead roles, the film is adapted from a bestselling novel of the same name by Park Hyun-wook. Pl ...
'' bagged her Best Actress honors from the prestigious
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 ...
and other local award-giving bodies. After filming the dark mystery '' White Night'', Son wanted to do a more fun project, so she chose the romantic comedy series ''
Personal Taste ''Personal Taste'' (; lit. "Kae-in's Taste" or "Kae-in's Preference"; also known as ''Personal Preference'') is a 2010 South Korean television series, starring Son Ye-jin and Lee Min-ho. It is adapted from Lee Se-in's 2007 novel of the same na ...
'', followed by the horror-romantic comedy film '' Spellbound'' which became one of the top-grossing films in 2011 and by far the most successful Korean romantic comedy movie in recent years. In 2012, Son starred in her first blockbuster '' The Tower'', a remake of the 1974 Hollywood
disaster film A disaster film or disaster movie is a film genre that has an impending or ongoing disaster as its subject and primary plot device. Such disasters may include natural disasters, accidents, military/terrorist attacks or global catastrophes such as ...
''
The Towering Inferno ''The Towering Inferno'' is a 1974 American disaster film directed by John Guillermin and produced by Irwin Allen, featuring an ensemble cast led by Paul Newman and Steve McQueen. It was adapted by Stirling Silliphant from the novels '' The Towe ...
''. She returned to television in 2013 in the revenge drama ''
Shark Sharks are a group of elasmobranch fish characterized by a cartilaginous skeleton, five to seven gill slits on the sides of the head, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the clade Selachimo ...
'' (also known as ''Don't Look Back: The Legend of Orpheus''), then headlined '' Blood and Ties'', a thriller about a daughter who suspects that her father was involved in a kidnap-murder case. Son reunited with ''Shark'' costar
Kim Nam-gil Kim Nam-gil () is a South Korean actor, producer, director, singer and philanthropist. He is best known from leading roles in disaster blockbuster '' Pandora'' (2016); crime thriller ''Memoir of a Murderer '' (2017); adventure film '' The Pirate ...
in the 2014 period adventure film '' The Pirates'', which received mixed reviews but was a commercial hit with more than 8.6 million admissions at the end of its theatre run and won Son the Best Actress award at the
Grand Bell Awards The Grand Bell Awards (), also known as the Daejong Film Awards, is an awards ceremony presented annually by The Motion Pictures Association of Korea for excellence in film in South Korea. The Grand Bell Awards retains prestige as the oldest co ...
. The Pirates is one of the highest-grossing Korean films of all time, along with other Son Ye Jin's movies, The Tower and The Last Princess. Son next starred in the
black comedy Black comedy, also known as dark comedy, morbid humor, or gallows humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally considered serious or painful to discus ...
'' Bad Guys Always Die'' opposite Taiwanese actor
Chen Bolin Chen Bolin (; born 27 August 1983), also known as Wilson Chen, is a Taiwanese actor. Early life and education Chen was born on 27 August 1983. While in high school, Chen participated in the Taiwanese variety show ' due to his similarity to Tak ...
, a Chinese-Korean co-production that was filmed on Jeju Island.


2016–present: Critical acclaim and global recognition

In 2016, Son reunited with ''My Wife Got Married'' co-star
Kim Joo-hyuk Kim Joo-hyuk (3 October 1972 – 30 October 2017) was a South Korean actor. He was known for his leading roles in the films ''My Wife Got Married'' (2008), ''The Servant (2010 film), The Servant'' (2010), and ''Yourself and Yours'' (2016), his s ...
in ''
The Truth Beneath ''The Truth Beneath'' (, lit. "There Is No Secret") is a 2016 South Korean thriller film directed by Lee Kyoung-mi, her second directorial outing after 2008's '' Crush and Blush'', and co-written by Park Chan-wook. The film stars Son Ye-jin and K ...
'', a political thriller; where she received acclaim for her performance. She won Best Actress at the 25th
Buil Film Awards The Buil Film Awards () is a South Korean film awards ceremony hosted by the ''Busan Ilbo'' newspaper. It began in 1958 as one of the earliest film awards in the country. During the 1950s and 1960s, it was the biggest film awards event in the B ...
and 17th
Busan Film Critics Awards Established in 2000, the Busan Film Critics Awards is run by the Busan Film Critics Association (BCFA), a small but independent-minded group of critics based in Busan, South Korea. Each year they announce their choices shortly before the opening o ...
for her performance. She then played
Princess Deokhye Princess Deokhye (Korean: 덕혜옹주, ''Deokhye-Ongju''; Japanese: 徳恵姫, ''Tokue-hime''; 25 May 191221 April 1989) was the last princess of the Korean Empire. She was born on May 25, 1912, at Changdeok Palace, in Seoul, as the youngest ...
in the
biopic A biographical film or biopic () is a film that dramatizes the life of a non-fictional or historically-based person or people. Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character's real name is used. They differ from docudra ...
'' The Last Princess'', helmed by ''April Snow'' director
Hur Jin-ho Heo Jin-ho (; born August 8, 1963) is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. Career Heo Jin-ho graduated from Yonsei University with a degree in philosophy and went on to study filmmaking at the Korean Academy of Film Arts. His first st ...
. The film drew positive reviews by critics and went on to become a box office hit, grossing US$40.35 million worldwide. Sung So-young of the ''
Korea JoongAng Daily ''Korea JoongAng Daily'' is the English edition of the South Korean national daily newspaper ''JoongAng Ilbo''. The newspaper was first published on October 17, 2000, originally named as ''JoongAng Ilbo English Edition''. It mainly carries news a ...
'' praised the film for being "interesting enough to hold the audience's interest from beginning to end", even though she felt the screenwriter's (Hur) imagination went too far in several scenes. She said major events from Princess Deokhye's life were portrayed well, and the film's biggest virtue was how it made audiences want to know more about her. Rumy Doo of ''
The Korea Herald ''The Korea Herald'' is a leading English-language daily newspaper founded in 1953 and published in Seoul, South Korea. The editorial staff is composed of Korean and international writers and editors, with additional news coverage drawn from int ...
'' said Son Ye-jin proved herself a "sensitive and technically refined performer." Son was praised by critics for her "outstanding" performance in her portrayal of "the unfathomable depths on the emotional ups and downs of Deokhye"; winning multiple accolades for her performance. In 2018, Son starred alongside So Ji-sub in the romance film '' Be with You'', based on the Japanese novel of the same name. The same year, Son returned to the small screen after five years with JTBC's romance drama ''
Something in the Rain ''Something in the Rain'' () is a 2018 South Korean television series directed by Ahn Pan-seok and starring Son Ye-jin, Jung Hae-in and Jang So-yeon. The series marks Son Ye-jin's small screen comeback after five years. It aired from March 30 ...
''. The series achieved commercial popularity, and Son received rave reviews for her performance. Son also starred in crime thriller ''
The Negotiation "The Negotiation" (originally titled "Labor Negotiation") is the nineteenth episode of the third season of the American comedy television series ''The Office'', and the show's forty-seventh episode overall. The series depicts the everyday lives ...
'', alongside
Hyun Bin Kim Tae-pyung (born September 25, 1982), better known as Hyun Bin, is a South Korean actor. He gained widespread recognition for his role in the 2005 romantic comedy TV drama '' My Name is Kim Sam-soon''. Since then, he has appeared in leading ...
, playing a professional negotiator working to save hostages. In 2019, Son reunited with
Hyun Bin Kim Tae-pyung (born September 25, 1982), better known as Hyun Bin, is a South Korean actor. He gained widespread recognition for his role in the 2005 romantic comedy TV drama '' My Name is Kim Sam-soon''. Since then, he has appeared in leading ...
in the global hit romance drama ''
Crash Landing on You ''Crash Landing on You'' () is a 2019–2020 South Korean television series written by Park Ji-eun, directed by Lee Jeong-hyo and starring Hyun Bin, Son Ye-jin, Seo Ji-hye, and Kim Jung-hyun. It is about a successful South Korean businesswom ...
'' as a rich heiress who falls in love with a North Korean commission officer. The drama was a huge success and is the third-highest-rated Korean drama in cable television history. Son is set to have her Hollywood debut in 2022 as she stars opposite
Sam Worthington Samuel Henry John Worthington (born 2 August 1976) is an Australian actor. He is best known for playing Jake Sully in ''Avatar'' and its sequel, ''Avatar: The Way of Water''; Marcus Wright in ''Terminator Salvation'', and Perseus in '' Clash o ...
in filmmaker
Andrew Niccol Andrew Niccol (born 10 June 1964) is a New Zealand screenwriter, producer, and director. He wrote and directed ''Gattaca'' (1997), '' Simone'' (2002), ''Lord of War'' (2005), ''In Time'' (2011), '' The Host'' (2013), and ''Good Kill'' (2014). H ...
's upcoming work ''The Cross''. Shooting for the film is planned to take place beginning April 2021 in
Hwaseong City Hwaseong () is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. It has the largest area of farmland of any city or county in Gyeonggi Province. Seoul Subway Line 1 passes through Hwaseong, stopping at Byeongjeom Station. Suin Bundang Line also passes ...
, South Korea.


Personal life


Relationship and marriage

On January 1, 2021, it was confirmed that Son had been in a relationship with actor
Hyun Bin Kim Tae-pyung (born September 25, 1982), better known as Hyun Bin, is a South Korean actor. He gained widespread recognition for his role in the 2005 romantic comedy TV drama '' My Name is Kim Sam-soon''. Since then, he has appeared in leading ...
, her co-star in ''
The Negotiation "The Negotiation" (originally titled "Labor Negotiation") is the nineteenth episode of the third season of the American comedy television series ''The Office'', and the show's forty-seventh episode overall. The series depicts the everyday lives ...
'' (2018) and ''
Crash Landing on You ''Crash Landing on You'' () is a 2019–2020 South Korean television series written by Park Ji-eun, directed by Lee Jeong-hyo and starring Hyun Bin, Son Ye-jin, Seo Ji-hye, and Kim Jung-hyun. It is about a successful South Korean businesswom ...
'' (2019–2020), since the year prior, after ''Crash Landing on You'' concluded. On February 10, 2022, Son and Hyun Bin announced their engagement in letters posted on their social media accounts. They married in a private ceremony on March 31, 2022, attended by their parents and friends of both families. On June 27, Son announced that she was pregnant with the couple's first child, and she gave birth to a son on 27 November 2022.


Philanthropy

On February 27, 2020, Son donated million to Community Chest of Korea in Daegu to help fight the spread of COVID-19. Daegu is Son's hometown. On March 8, 2022, Son and Hyun Bin donated million to the Hope Bridge Disaster Relief Association to help those affected by the massive wildfire that began in Uljin, Gyeongbuk and spread to Samcheok, Gangwon.


Filmography


Film


Television series


Awards and nominations

Son has been the recipient of many awards throughout her career. She currently has won a total of 51 awards out of 72 nominations.


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Son, Ye-jin 1982 births Living people 21st-century South Korean actresses Best Actress Paeksang Arts Award (film) winners Best Actress Paeksang Arts Award (television) winners People from Daegu Seoul Institute of the Arts alumni South Korean film actresses South Korean television actresses Best New Actress Paeksang Arts Award (film) winners