Son Ye-jin (손예진)

Biography

Son Ye-jin is a renowned South Korean actress known for her elegance and versatile acting. Born on January 11, 1982, in Daegu, she rose to fame through romantic films like The Classic and A Moment to Remember.

A graduate of Seoul Institute of the Arts, she has showcased her range in both melodramas and thrillers. Her global fame grew with Crash Landing on You, where she starred opposite Hyun Bin, whom she married in 2022. Son Ye-jin is also known for her love of reading and active philanthropy.

Early Foray into Acting (2000-2002)

Her professional journey commenced in 2000 with a voice role as Jung Mi-jo in Park Ki-hyung’s film Secret Tears, marking her official debut in the industry. Following this, she swiftly transitioned into television, securing leading roles in a series of popular dramas, including Delicious Proposal (2001), Sun-hee and Jin-hee (2001), and Great Ambition (2002). These early television appearances were instrumental in laying the groundwork for her burgeoning public recognition within Korea.  

A significant cinematic milestone in her nascent career was her first high-profile role in Im Kwon-taek’s Chi-hwa-seon (2002). This film garnered international attention by being screened at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival and earning a Best Director award, providing Son Ye-jin with early exposure on a global stage and hinting at her burgeoning talent.  

Rise to Stardom and “Nation’s First Love” (2003-2004)

The year 2003 proved to be a pivotal period for Son Ye-jin’s career. Her performances in the films Lovers’ Concerto and The Classic achieved significant commercial success within Korea. The Classic, in particular, directed by Kwak Jae-yong, who was renowned for My Sassy Girl, received extensive exposure in Hong Kong and Mainland China. This widespread acclaim effectively launched Son Ye-jin’s East Asia stardom and established her as a key figure in the burgeoning Hallyu (Korean Wave) phenomenon.  

She further cemented her status as a Hallyu star in the same year by taking the lead role in the television drama Summer Scent, which was the third installment of the popular season-themed tetralogy Endless Love. Her portrayal of an innocent and pure image in these early romantic roles, most notably in The Classic and the commercially successful A Moment to Remember (2004), affectionately earned her the enduring title “Nation’s First Love” in Korea.

Diversifying Roles and Gaining Critical Acclaim (2006–2015)

This decade marked a conscious and successful effort by Son Ye-jin to move beyond her initial “nice girl” image and delve into more complex and diverse characters. She embraced challenging roles such as a cunning con artist in The Art of Seduction (2006), an ambitious reporter in Spotlight (2008), a captivating femme fatale in Open City (2008), and a divorcée in the critically acclaimed series Alone in Love (2006). Her portrayal of a polyandrous woman in My Wife Got Married (2008) garnered significant critical triumph, earning her Best Actress honors at the prestigious Blue Dragon Film Awards and other local bodies.  

She continued to push artistic boundaries with the dark mystery White Night (2009), the romantic comedy series Personal Taste (2010), and the highly successful horror-romantic comedy film Spellbound (2011), which became one of the top-grossing films of 2011. In 2012, she starred in her first major blockbuster, The Tower, a disaster film remake, demonstrating her capability to lead large-scale productions. Her return to television in 2013 saw her headline the revenge drama Shark (also known as Don’t Look Back: The Legend of Orpheus), followed by the thriller Blood and Ties (2013).  

In 2014, she reunited with her Shark co-star Kim Nam-gil in the period adventure film The Pirates. Despite receiving mixed reviews, the film was a significant commercial hit, attracting over 8.6 million admissions and earning Son Ye-jin the Best Actress award at the Grand Bell Awards. This film, alongside The Tower and The Last Princess, is recognized as one of her highest-grossing Korean films. She also broadened her international reach with the Chinese-Korean co-production black comedy Bad Guys Always Die (2015).  

Global Recognition and Continued Acclaim (2016–Present)

This period solidified Son Ye-jin’s status as a formidable actress, marked by significant critical and commercial triumphs. In 2016, her performance in the political thriller The Truth Beneath received widespread critical acclaim, earning her Best Actress awards at the 25th Buil Film Awards and 17th Busan Film Critics Awards. She delivered an “outstanding” and emotionally complex portrayal of Princess Deokhye in the biopic The Last Princess (2016), which was a major box office hit, grossing over US$40.35 million worldwide and leading to multiple accolades.  

In 2018, she starred with So Ji-sub in the romantic film Be with You, which surpassed 1 million viewers within seven days of its release. The same year, her return to television with JTBC’s romantic drama Something in the Rain achieved considerable commercial popularity and garnered her rave reviews for her nuanced performance. Concurrently, she co-starred with Hyun Bin in the crime thriller The Negotiation (2018), a collaboration that would prove serendipitous for their personal lives.  

Her reunion with Hyun Bin in the globally successful romantic drama Crash Landing on You (2019–2020) became a cultural phenomenon. This drama was a massive success, becoming the fifth-highest-rated Korean drama in cable television history and firmly cementing her global recognition, particularly in Japan, where it consistently ranked in Netflix’s TOP10 for 72 consecutive weeks. Her consistent popularity and influence were formally recognized by Forbes Korea, where she appeared on their Power Celebrity 40 list for four consecutive years from 2019 to 2022.  

Son Ye-jin was also scheduled to make her Hollywood debut in 2022, starring opposite Sam Worthington in filmmaker Andrew Niccol’s The Cross, though filming was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Her recent television work includes Thirty-Nine (2022) and the upcoming Scandals (TBA).

Relationships & Family

Son Ye-jin’s highly anticipated relationship with actor Hyun Bin blossomed after their widely acclaimed collaboration on the romantic drama Crash Landing on You (2019-2020). Their connection, however, predates CLOY, stemming from their first co-starring role in the 2018 crime thriller The Negotiation. A friendship gradually developed through repeated collaborations, backstage interactions, and extensive post-shoot conversations. Hyun Bin himself has spoken about the organic nature of their love story, stating, “It all just happened organically,” through constant communication during and after their work together.  

Their relationship was officially confirmed on January 1, 2021 , following years of public speculation and dating rumors. On February 10, 2022, both Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin announced their engagement through heartfelt letters posted on their social media accounts. They married in a private ceremony on March 31, 2022, an event widely dubbed the “wedding of the century” by fans, attended by their parents and close friends. On June 27, 2022, Son Ye-jin announced her pregnancy , and she gave birth to their son on November 27, 2022, whom they affectionately nicknamed “Alkong”.  

Since their nuptials, the couple has maintained a notably private home life, expressing their affection subtly through shared parenting responsibilities, candid photos, and smiling appearances at press events, rather than through performative social media posts.