Song Ji Hyo: rose from zero to hero, outshined former co-star Yoon Eun Hye, complicated dating rumors with Running Man cast members
From the beautiful yet cunning second female lead of “Princess Hours” to the ace of “Running Man”, Song Ji Hyo boasts distinctive charms and outstanding visuals through decades in the industry.
Song Ji Hyo, who is now 41 years old, has been active in the acting industry for over 20 years. Alongside her acting project, Song Ji Hyo is also highly regarded as a variety personality, particularly through the TV show “Princess Hours”. It can be said that the actress has made a lasting mark in the minds of the Korean public.
From the hated second female lead of “Princess Hours” to a famous historical actress
Born in 1981 at Gyeongsang, Korea, Song Ji Hyo’s real name was originally Cheon Seong Im, later changed to Cheon Soo Yeon. Contrary to the thoughts of many, “Song Ji Hyo” is just a completely unrelated stage name, which, according to the actress, includes “Song” from the Song Seung Hun – Song Hye Kyo couple in “Autumn In My Heart”, and “Ji Hyo” as it’s memorable and catchy.
Despite having always wanted to become an actress, Song Ji Hyo graduated with a bachelor degree in tax accounting, and her first job was at a coffee shop. However, her life started to change after she appeared in the music videos for “And I Love You” (Lee Soo Young) and “Just Say Goodbye” (JTL).
Afterwards, Song Ji Hyo started with several roles on the big screen, before hitting it big as the second female lead of the major hit K-drama “Princess Hours” in 2006. At the time, the audience swooned over Song Ji Hyo’s youthful and innocent visuals, despite her character in the K-drama not being quite pleasant. Now, Song Ji Hyo has gotten even more popular than the female lead of “Princess Hours”, actress Yoon Eun Hye.
After “Princess Hours”, Song Ji Hyo transformed into a historical actress with roles in “Jumong” and “A Frozen Flower”. The latter was a huge box-office hit, however was deemed as a controversial work due to its many risqué adult scenes. Even now, many audiences are shocked when they watch the rather bold interaction between Song Ji Hyo and Jo In Sung in this movie.
Exploded in fame via “Running Man”, boasting an “everlasting beauty”
After the aforementioned hit, Song Ji Hyo’s later acting projects didn’t achieve much success. However, she managed to become a variety star via the world-famous variety show “Running Man”.
Before Jeon So Min entered the Running Man cast, Song Ji Hyo used to be the only female member of the program. She is well-loved for her dedication while playing games, wits, and “chemistry” with fellow member Kang Gary, creating the once-iconic “Monday Couple”. While Kang Gary has left the show and got married, breaking this loveline, “Monday Couple” remains a notable mark in the Korean show history. In addition, Song Ji Hyo would often go viral for her visuals on Running Man. The actress often adorns no makeup, and yet still look drop-dead gorgeous even next to female guests.
In 2016, Gary announced his departure from “Running Man”, and rumors had it that SBS planned to kick Song Ji Hyo and fellow member Kim Jong Kook from the show. However, fans of the program protested strongly, and with their love and dedication for “Running Man”, the dup decided to stay.
Alongside her variety appearances, Song Ji Hyo still frequently takes up new projects and reviews her images, with works like “Emergency Couple”, “Ex-Girlfriends’ Club”, “Lovely Horribly”, “Intruder”, and so on. Throughout time, the actress has only gotten more beautiful, and her appearance seems to show no sign of age.
Previously, Song Ji Hyo’s weird short hairstyle was harshly criticized by netizens, who said the actress looked like an old auntie in this style. However, her visuals defeated all odds, and now at the age of 41, Song Ji Hyo still looks ages younger.
A private person with numerous dating rumors
Despite being rather private about her life, Song Ji Hyo is often shipped with various male stars. As of the moment, her only confirmed relationship was with the CEO of C-Jes Entertainment Baek Chang Joo. In particular, the couple announced their relationship back in 2012, after Dispatch published photos of their dates. However, they separated soon after the confirmation, and Song Ji Hyo never confirms any other relationships.
Previously on “Running Man”, Song Ji Hyo was rumored to be dating Kang Gary – her “Monday Couple” partner, but Gary got married and ended all gossip. Later on, SpartAce started to rise, and netizens started to suspect Song Ji Hyo and Kim Jong Kook’s relationship.
However, Kim Jong Kook himself denied the rumors, saying that he only ever regarded Song Ji Hyo as his family. In return, the actress also refuted any romances between her and Jong Kook, though the public isn’t inclined to believe them.
