2019 was a great year for Korean dramas, and one of the best series that wrapped up the year (and the decade!) was When The Camellia Blooms. The award-winning thriller rom-com captivated so many fans with its gripping storyline and stellar cast led by Gong Hyo Jin.
Naturally, you'll get curious about the charming actress who, BTW, is turning 40 this year. But did you know that a lot of her dramas got double-digit viewership ratings in Korea? That's a difficult feat to achieve, but Gong Hyo Jin somehow has that ~superpower~. Aside from having superb acting skills, she seems to have a knack for picking scripts that interest many viewers. Here are just some of Gong Hyo Jin's TV dramas and movies that will make you love her even more.
Hello My Teacher (2005)
Gong Hyo Jin plays Bo Ri, an aspiring teacher who aims to work in her old school. She's cool and easygoing, and she just wants to redeem herself from her bad reputation. She's so relatable that you'll really enjoy watching her. Another reason to love the drama? Her leading man: Gong Yoo. He plays one of her troublemaker students who eventually falls in love with her (they just have a five-year age gap in the plot, so it's not that weird, we swear!) The two (who are besties IRL) became known as the Biscuit Teacher and Star Candy couple because of this drama.
Pasta (2010)
Seo Yoo Kyung, the heroine of this romantic comedy that's portrayed by Gong Hyo Jin, hopes to become an elite chef. Initially, she works as a kitchen assistant in an Italian restaurant. After finally getting promoted to assistant pasta chef, the head of the kitchen gets replaced by Chef Choi Hyun Wook. Played by Lee Sun Kyun, the new head chef is out to eliminate women from his kitchen, including the ambitious Yoo Kyung. But she won't take it without a fight, of course, because of her drive to further her career.
The Master's Sun (2013)
This fantasy drama (horror genre) was written by the Hong sisters—the same duo behind My Girl, My Girlfriend Is A Gumiho, A Korean Odyssey, and Hotel Del Luna. Gong Hyo Jin's character was named Kong Sil, a woman who can see and hear ghosts. She incidentally meets Joong Won (played by So Ji Sub) and discovers that somehow, the ghosts that haunt her disappear when she touches him. She decides to find out more about the mystery and pursues to get to know Joong Won more.
It's Okay, That's Love (2014)
Here, Gong Hyo Jin plays Ji Hae Soo, a psychiatrist who is passionate when it comes to her career but cynical when it comes to love and personal relationships. She meets Jang Jae Yeol (played by Jo In Sung), a mystery novel author and radio DJ with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Their personalities clash at first, but they eventually realize how compatible they are after being forced to live in the same house.
The Producers (2015)
The realistic series revolves around the producers of variety shows on KBS, a national television network in South Korea. Among the producers were PD Ye Jin (played by Gong Hyo Jin) who was behind Music Bank in the drama. She works alongside seasoned PD Joon Mo (played by veteran actor Cha Tae Hyun), rookie PD Seung Chan (played by Kim Soo Hyun), and a snarky K-pop singer named Candy (played by IU).
Jealousy Incarnate (2016)
This drama is set on a broadcasting station, too, but this time, Gong Hyo Jin plays a weather forecaster named Pyo Na Ri. Because of a temporary work contract, she reunites with anchor Lee Hwa Shin (played by Jo Jung Suk), whom she had feelings for in the past. Both fiercely competitive, Na Ri and Hwa Shin vie to be the station's most valuable employee but end up falling for each other.
When The Camellia Blooms (2019)
Three years after Jealousy Incarnate, Gong Hyo Jin returns to the small screen as Dong Baek, a single mom who runs a bar in the provincial town of Ongsan. She crosses paths with Hwang Yong Sik, a hot-headed country bumpkin played by Kang Ha Neul. Yong Sik falls madly in love with Dong Baek at first sight and does all he can to woo and protect her, especially as she finds herself on the receiving end of death threats from a serial killer.
The actress has starred in several movies, too. Check out some of her box office hits:
Sisters On The Road (2009)
In this indie film, she plays the illegitimate sister of Myung Eun (played by Shin Min Ah). They reunite after the sudden death of their mom, and they set out to find Myung Eun's real father.
Love Fiction (2012)
Ha Jung Woo plays a writer and part-time bartender who's stuck writing his second novel. He meets the character played by Gong Hyo Jin at a party abroad and falls in love at first sight.
Missing (2016)
The mystery film features Gong Hyo Jin as Han Mae, a Korean-Chinese nanny who gets hired to take care of an infant of a divorcee (played by Uhm Ji Won). One day, Han Mae disappears with the child and leaves the mom desperate to find them.
Hit-And-Run Squad (2019)
Gong Hyo Jin plays Lieutenant Eun Shi Yeon, who gets demoted to a police unit that's focused on just hit-and-run crimes. There, she works with a young, brainy constable played by Ryu Jeon Yeol. They go after Jung Jae Chol (played by Jo Jung Suk), a former race car driver who runs a shady business.
Crazy Romance (2019)
The movie is about Jae Hoon and Sun Young (played by Kim Rae Won and Gong Hyo Jin) who are both reeling from heartbreaks. Jae Hoon got dumped by his fiancée while Sun Young's boyfriend cheated on her. They meet at work and eventually mend their hearts together.
We can't wait to see what else Gong Hyo Jin has going on in her career! Any guesses on what role she plays next?
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