We don’t know about you but Bae Doona is one of those actors who make us think, "God, she’s cool." There’s something in the way she carries herself: Confident, free-spirited, and just so freaking badass. The actress has captivated fans in the much-awaited Netflix series, The Silent Sea. Set in the future, the Earth has been drained of its natural resources and a special team is sent on a secret mission to an abandoned research facility on the moon. And if that isn’t enough to excite you, the too-good-to-be-true cast will definitely have you binge-watching all episodes of the drama in one seating. Apart from Bae Doona, we can look forward to seeing Gong Yoo, Lee Joon, Kim Sun Young, Lee Moo Saeng, and Lee Sung Wook in The Silent Sea.
It looks like the cast has been getting along quite nicely. She had a guest appearance on an episode of tvN’s You Quiz On The Block and when Kingdom was brought up, she smiled cheekily and said, "Isn’t it great? I think it was very well-made. I would monitor myself during filming and say, 'I think I did great.' Gong Yoo tells me that there’s no one who has such high self-esteem as me." LOL! Keep reading and get to know Bae Doona a little better:
Facts about Bae Doona
1. Bae Doona was born on October 11, 1979.
The 42-year-old says she’s always been a shy and quiet person, which is an accurate representation of Libras who "possess a natural talent for understanding and working with people." They don’t believe in half-assing anything as they have an exacting eye and exceptionally high standards when it comes to any job.
2. She started her career as a model.
Bae Doona, whose name means "beautiful star," was scouted by an agency in 1998 and she only agreed to do it to make money while attending university. ICYDK, she was studying film and drama at Hanyang University at the time. Before she graduated, she made a career shift into acting, first appearing in the drama School in 1999. That same year, she was the ghost in The Ring Virus, a remake of the popular Japanese movie, Ring. Btw, Bae Doona is *still* modeling; she attends and walks in fashion shows, and she’s a favorite among designers.
3. Barking Dogs Never Bite is the role that changed her life.
Directed by the brilliant Bong Joon Ho, Bae Doona always speaks highly of this film. She regards it as the one that shifted her perspective. In an interview with L’Officiel USA, she said, "Every film is important because you always learn something. But it was my first film that shaped my convictions as an actress. I am thinking in particular of Bong Joon Ho’s Barking Dogs. He brought me a new vision of my work. Before I met him, I tended to associate acting with beauty and glitter. Kwak Ji Kyun’s Plum Blossom has also profoundly influenced my style of play. He taught me to put myself in the shoes of a character. I’m not sure I’d be able to play with all my heart if I hadn’t worked with him."
In 2006, she and the acclaimed director reunited for The Host, which became the highest-grossing film in South Korean box office history. Fun fact: To prepare for the role, Bae Doona learned archery for months.
4. She made her Hollywood debut in Cloud Atlas.
Written and directed by the Wachowskis, this movie is based on a novel involving several plots happening at different points in time. Speaking about the experience, Bae Doona said, "They have become as important as my mother; they have my respect and my trust. When they contacted me to participate in Cloud Atlas, I couldn’t believe it. We first met on Skype and I made a demo tape that I sent them. They gave me an important role despite my lack of English proficiency. I believe that a certain understanding developed between us at that time. Thanks to them, I have had opportunities that are not given to all the actors. Most importantly, it is the passion they bring to their work that has made our collaboration so enjoyable. They made me want to surpass myself and enabled me to overcome fear and limits."
She worked with the Wachowskis again in 2015 when she accepted a supporting role in Jupiter Ascending, and then again in Sense8.
Not long after, she starred in a movie called A Girl at My Door where she played an elite police officer who was transferred to a small town and decides to protect a 14-year-old girl from domestic abuse.
5. She’s interested in photography.
In fact, in 2008, Bae Doona held an exhibition for her third photo essay book titled "Doona’s Pasttime in Seoul." She shared, "When I was traveling in other countries, some foreigners who didn’t even know it well made belittling remarks about Seoul, and I felt really bad every time. After traveling extensively overseas, I haven’t found any other city that is as wonderful as Seoul."
6. She dated actor Jim Sturgess.
A fact she confirmed during an interview in 2014: "Jim Sturgess is my boyfriend. He has been by my side since around the time I chose to appear in A Girl At My Door. Until now, media reports said we were just friends, but those are the words of my former manager." The two worked together on Cloud Atlas and reportedly broke up in 2015.
In 2018, she was linked to Son Seok Gu, who joined the cast of Sense8 in season two, but their agency, SBD Entertainment, quickly denied that report.
7. Her mom is a theater actress.
Yes, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree, but apparently, they don’t have the same acting techniques. She begged her mom to teach her about acting but her mother refused, focusing instead on giving her advice when it comes to taking on roles. Bae Doona said, "When I chose some films featuring nudity, I was only 20 or so and I was really nervous and hesitant. My mom said, ‘If you want to be a good actress you cannot be afraid of nudity’. She said, 'You can do whatever you want or need to for the film, you can even take off your clothes for a film, as long as you don’t take off your clothes in real life.' She always said the most important thing for acting is confidence."
8. She doesn’t believe in following fashion trends.
She also doesn’t have a fashion icon in mind because everyone’s personal style is different. It’s also such an intimate part of a person that it’s "more important to grow closer to the ideal self you want, rather than how you want to be seen by others."
9. She’s the first Korean to land a cover on Vogue US.
In April 2019, Bae Doona graced the cover of Vogue and rubbed elbows with Scarlett Johansson and Deepika Padukone. The issue featured 14 amazing, talented women from all over the world.
10. She starred in a biopic titled Red Carpet Dream.
It’s a web-based film that hit closer to home: The director, Bae Doo Han, is the actress’ older brother. The 90-minute piece of work was part of the Busan International Film Festival’s 20th-anniversary celebration. It was all about Bae Doona’s 20 years in the industry. Wow!