Ko Hyeon-jeong
Encyclopedia
Ko Hyeon-jeong is a South Korea
n actress.
A Dongguk University
Performing Arts major, she got her start as a runner-up in the Miss Korea
pageant in 1989, which launched her acting career. Her big break came in the 1995 SBS drama Sandglass. The drama dealt with modern Korean history from 1970 to the 1990s and was one of the highest rated dramas in Korean television history, with average ratings of 50.8 percent. People would rush home just to see a new episode, saying “it’s time to go home,” which meant they had to go home to watch Sandglass.
In May 1995, at the peak of her career, Ko married Chung Yong-jin, vice chairman and co-CEO of Shinsegae Group
and grandson of Samsung
founder Lee Byung-chull. The two first met in New York purely by coincidence when Chung had offered to help Ko find her seats at the Winter Garden Theatre
because her English was so bad. After the most talked-about wedding in Korea at that time, Ko announced her retirement from acting to focus on her new role as a chaebol
's wife. They had two children together, a boy and a girl. But after eight years of marriage, a messy divorce followed in November 2003, in which she temporarily lost custody of her children. Two years after the divorce, Shinsegae
passed down a ruling stating that none of its department stores are allowed to display any Ko-related material, including all her product endorsements. It is rumored that the ruling is still in effect.
In Korea, divorce is still a big blow to actresses but Ko is one of the few who've successfully overcome the stigma
.
In 2005 she staged a comeback in the melodrama Spring Days
, which she followed up with May-December
romantic comedy
What's Up Fox
? and police procedural
H.I.T
.
Ko regained her reputation as Korea's top actress in 2009 after playing royal concubine Lady Mishil in the hit historical drama Queen Seondeok
. She was not the titular lead character, but her interpretation of the power-hungry main rival to the queen was impressive enough to make viewers remember the show as Mishil’s story. The drama reached ratings of over 40 percent and won her the highest award at the MBC
Drama Awards and Baeksang Arts Awards. That same year, Ko surprised fans not only by appearing on a TV entertainment show (popular talk show Golden Fishery
hosted by comedian Kang Ho-dong) for the first time in 15 years but also addressing rumors surrounding her shrouded personal life.
Though plagued with production issues prior to airing, Ko returned to television ten months later in Daemul
, which means "big shot" in Korean. In the drama, Ko plays Seo Hye-rim, an anchorwoman who enters politics after the death of her war correspondent husband and becomes the nation’s first woman president. The 24-episode series revolves around an ordinary woman in extraordinary circumstances: how and why she became head of state and also the complicated schemes and plots surrounding her, her presidency, allies and enemies. Besides its star-studded cast (Ko starred opposite pan-Asian actor Kwon Sang-woo
), the show’s ratings was helped by its controversial plot, which included events from Korea’s recent past such as a presidential impeachment and the sinking of a Navy warship, and it topped its timeslot for 11 consecutive weeks. Ko repeated her feat by winning the top prize at the 2010 SBS Drama Awards. According to industry sources, Ko was reportedly paid W55 million per episode, setting a new record for a Korean actress.
In 2011 she published a book on skin care titled Ko Hyun-jung’s Texture. The actress has always been admired for her youthful appearance, largely attributable to her young and healthy skin which had made fans wonder about her beauty secrets. The book, arranged in the format of a documentary, contains Ko’s own philosophy on beauty classified under six themes -- texture, color, light, line, formality and scent -- as well as her ideas on leading a sound and healthy lifestyle in general. The book is co-written by another writer who observed the actress's everyday life for six months, describing it in detail. The book became a bestseller, with all 30,000 copies of the first edition selling out in just two days of release.
Ko also narrated the SBS documentary
The Last Tundra - Movie Edition which offers a very rare glimpse into the life of the Nenets
, the last reindeer herding nomad
s living in the Siberia
n tundra
.
Not content with her small screen success, Ko began her late-blooming movie career by going against her image and taking paycuts to star in non-mainstream films. She was part of the ensemble cast in arthouse films
Woman on the Beach
and Like You Know It All by auteur Hong Sang-soo
. She then starred in Actresses
, a semi-improvisation
al movie featuring six actresses each playing themselves. Director E J-yong, who was first inspired to make the film after going out for a drink with actresses Yoon Yeo-jeong
and Ko in 2007, said he focused on conveying the "reality" of the actresses' lives.
Ko will headline her next film, a crime caper with the working title Miss Go Project.
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n actress.
Biography
Like the characters she plays, Ko Hyun-jung has had a life filled with drama.A Dongguk University
Dongguk University
Dongguk University is a private, coeducational university in South Korea. It operates campuses in Seoul, in Gyeongju City, North Gyeongsang province and in Los Angeles, United States...
Performing Arts major, she got her start as a runner-up in the Miss Korea
Miss Korea
Miss Korea is an annual national beauty pageant responsible for selecting Korea's representative to the Miss Universe pageant.The current titleholder is Lee Seong-hye. She won the title on August 3, 2011 in Seoul.-History:...
pageant in 1989, which launched her acting career. Her big break came in the 1995 SBS drama Sandglass. The drama dealt with modern Korean history from 1970 to the 1990s and was one of the highest rated dramas in Korean television history, with average ratings of 50.8 percent. People would rush home just to see a new episode, saying “it’s time to go home,” which meant they had to go home to watch Sandglass.
In May 1995, at the peak of her career, Ko married Chung Yong-jin, vice chairman and co-CEO of Shinsegae Group
Shinsegae
Shinsegae is a South Korean department store franchise, along with several other businesses, headquartering in Seoul, South Korea. The name of Shinsegae literally means "New World" in Korean...
and grandson of Samsung
Samsung
The Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
founder Lee Byung-chull. The two first met in New York purely by coincidence when Chung had offered to help Ko find her seats at the Winter Garden Theatre
Winter Garden Theatre
The Winter Garden Theatre is a Broadway theatre located at 1634 Broadway in midtown Manhattan.-History:The structure was built by William Kissam Vanderbilt in 1896 to be the American Horse Exchange....
because her English was so bad. After the most talked-about wedding in Korea at that time, Ko announced her retirement from acting to focus on her new role as a chaebol
Chaebol
Chaebol refers to a South Korean form of business conglomerate. They are global multinationals owning numerous international enterprises. The term is often used in a context similar to that of the English word "conglomerate"...
's wife. They had two children together, a boy and a girl. But after eight years of marriage, a messy divorce followed in November 2003, in which she temporarily lost custody of her children. Two years after the divorce, Shinsegae
Shinsegae
Shinsegae is a South Korean department store franchise, along with several other businesses, headquartering in Seoul, South Korea. The name of Shinsegae literally means "New World" in Korean...
passed down a ruling stating that none of its department stores are allowed to display any Ko-related material, including all her product endorsements. It is rumored that the ruling is still in effect.
In Korea, divorce is still a big blow to actresses but Ko is one of the few who've successfully overcome the stigma
Social stigma
Social stigma is the severe disapproval of or discontent with a person on the grounds of characteristics that distinguish them from other members of a society.Almost all stigma is based on a person differing from social or cultural norms...
.
In 2005 she staged a comeback in the melodrama Spring Days
Spring Days
-Synopsis:Loosely adapted from the popular Japanese drama, Heaven's Coins, Spring Days tells the story of Suh Jung-Eun , an elusive beauty who has suffered a trauma so great that she loses the will to speak. Go Eun-Ho is the doctor who helps Jung-Eun find a way to overcome her past...
, which she followed up with May-December
Age disparity in sexual relationships
Age disparity in sexual relationships refers to sexual relations between people with a significant difference in age. Whether these relationships are accepted and the question of what counts as a significant difference in age has varied over time; and varies over cultures, different legal systems,...
romantic comedy
Romantic Comedy
Romantic Comedy can refer to* Romantic Comedy , a 1979 play written by Bernard Slade* Romantic Comedy , a 1983 film adapted from the play and starring Dudley Moore and Mary Steenburgen...
What's Up Fox
What's Up Fox
What's Up Fox? is a 16-episode South Korean television drama broadcast by MBC in 2006.Variations of drama name:*Foxy Lady *Hey fox,what you want to do?-Synopsis:...
? and police procedural
Police procedural
The police procedural is a subgenre of detective fiction which attempts to convincingly depict the activities of a police force as they investigate crimes. While traditional detective novels usually concentrate on a single crime, police procedurals frequently depict investigations into several...
H.I.T
H.I.T. (drama)
H.I.T , also known as Homicide Investigation Team, is a Korean miniseries drama that aired on MBC from March to May 2007. It replaced the popular 81-episode Korean drama Jumong...
.
Ko regained her reputation as Korea's top actress in 2009 after playing royal concubine Lady Mishil in the hit historical drama Queen Seondeok
Queen Seondeok (TV series)
Queen Seondeok is a South Korean historical drama aired on MBC. It chronicles the life of Queen Seondeok of Silla.-MBC official synopsis:...
. She was not the titular lead character, but her interpretation of the power-hungry main rival to the queen was impressive enough to make viewers remember the show as Mishil’s story. The drama reached ratings of over 40 percent and won her the highest award at the MBC
Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation
Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC (Hangul : 문화방송주식회사, Munhwa Bangsong Jushikoesa) is one of four major national South Korean television and radio networks. Munhwa is the Korean word for "culture". Its flagship terrestrial television...
Drama Awards and Baeksang Arts Awards. That same year, Ko surprised fans not only by appearing on a TV entertainment show (popular talk show Golden Fishery
Goldfish (TV series)
Golden Fishery is a South Korean talk show broadcast on MBC. It first aired on the July 7, 2006 and has had a fairly stable audience share. Currently, Radio Star is the main segment in this program.- True Story Theatre :...
hosted by comedian Kang Ho-dong) for the first time in 15 years but also addressing rumors surrounding her shrouded personal life.
Though plagued with production issues prior to airing, Ko returned to television ten months later in Daemul
Daemul
Daemul is a 24-episode Korean drama broadcast by SBS. One of the most-watched TV series in South Korea in 2010, it gained success due to its stellar cast and story arcs taken from topical and controversial headlines...
, which means "big shot" in Korean. In the drama, Ko plays Seo Hye-rim, an anchorwoman who enters politics after the death of her war correspondent husband and becomes the nation’s first woman president. The 24-episode series revolves around an ordinary woman in extraordinary circumstances: how and why she became head of state and also the complicated schemes and plots surrounding her, her presidency, allies and enemies. Besides its star-studded cast (Ko starred opposite pan-Asian actor Kwon Sang-woo
Kwon Sang-woo
-Career:Kwon Sang-woo, the most visible example of the so-called "mom-zzang" movement, started his career as a fashion model in the late 1990s. His first acting experience was in the TV drama Delicious Proposal, and for the first few years of his entertainment career he received only minor roles...
), the show’s ratings was helped by its controversial plot, which included events from Korea’s recent past such as a presidential impeachment and the sinking of a Navy warship, and it topped its timeslot for 11 consecutive weeks. Ko repeated her feat by winning the top prize at the 2010 SBS Drama Awards. According to industry sources, Ko was reportedly paid W55 million per episode, setting a new record for a Korean actress.
In 2011 she published a book on skin care titled Ko Hyun-jung’s Texture. The actress has always been admired for her youthful appearance, largely attributable to her young and healthy skin which had made fans wonder about her beauty secrets. The book, arranged in the format of a documentary, contains Ko’s own philosophy on beauty classified under six themes -- texture, color, light, line, formality and scent -- as well as her ideas on leading a sound and healthy lifestyle in general. The book is co-written by another writer who observed the actress's everyday life for six months, describing it in detail. The book became a bestseller, with all 30,000 copies of the first edition selling out in just two days of release.
Ko also narrated the SBS documentary
Documentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
The Last Tundra - Movie Edition which offers a very rare glimpse into the life of the Nenets
Nenets people
The Nenets are an indigenous people in Russia. According to the latest census in 2002, there are 41,302 Nenets in the Russian Federation, most of them living in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug and Nenets Autonomous Okrug...
, the last reindeer herding nomad
Nomad
Nomadic people , commonly known as itinerants in modern-day contexts, are communities of people who move from one place to another, rather than settling permanently in one location. There are an estimated 30-40 million nomads in the world. Many cultures have traditionally been nomadic, but...
s living in the Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
n tundra
Tundra
In physical geography, tundra is a biome where the tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons. The term tundra comes through Russian тундра from the Kildin Sami word tūndâr "uplands," "treeless mountain tract." There are three types of tundra: Arctic tundra, alpine...
.
Not content with her small screen success, Ko began her late-blooming movie career by going against her image and taking paycuts to star in non-mainstream films. She was part of the ensemble cast in arthouse films
Art film
An art film is the result of filmmaking which is typically a serious, independent film aimed at a niche market rather than a mass market audience...
Woman on the Beach
Woman on the Beach
Woman on the Beach is the seventh feature film by South Korean director Hong Sang-soo, and was released in 2006.- Plot :Film director and screenwriter Kim Jung-rae asks his friend Won Chang-wook to drive with him from the homes in Seoul to the resort town of Shinduri, on the western coast of South...
and Like You Know It All by auteur Hong Sang-soo
Hong Sang-soo
Hong Sang-soo is a South Korean film director. Hong's directorial debut, The Day a Pig Fell into the Well , was praised by South Korean critics for its originality and won international film prizes...
. She then starred in Actresses
Actresses (film)
Actresses is a 2009 South Korean film directed by E J-yong.- Plot :Six actresses—Yoon Yeo-jeong, Lee Mi-sook, Ko Hyeon-jeong, Choi Ji-woo, Kim Min-hee and Kim Ok-bin, each portraying themselves—come together for a Vogue magazine photo shoot on Christmas Eve, resulting in a clash of egos between...
, a semi-improvisation
Improvisation
Improvisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment and inner feelings. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or...
al movie featuring six actresses each playing themselves. Director E J-yong, who was first inspired to make the film after going out for a drink with actresses Yoon Yeo-jeong
Yoon Yeo-jeong
-Biography:When Yoon was a freshman at Hanyang University majoring in Korean literature, she was chosen as a TV actress in a public recruit by TBC TV. Yoon was cast in the lead role in Mister Bear one year after her debut, and gained popularity...
and Ko in 2007, said he focused on conveying the "reality" of the actresses' lives.
Ko will headline her next film, a crime caper with the working title Miss Go Project.
TV series
- DaemulDaemulDaemul is a 24-episode Korean drama broadcast by SBS. One of the most-watched TV series in South Korea in 2010, it gained success due to its stellar cast and story arcs taken from topical and controversial headlines...
(SBS, 2010) - Queen SeondeokQueen Seondeok (TV series)Queen Seondeok is a South Korean historical drama aired on MBC. It chronicles the life of Queen Seondeok of Silla.-MBC official synopsis:...
(MBCMunhwa Broadcasting CorporationMunhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC (Hangul : 문화방송주식회사, Munhwa Bangsong Jushikoesa) is one of four major national South Korean television and radio networks. Munhwa is the Korean word for "culture". Its flagship terrestrial television...
, 2009) - H.I.T.H.I.T. (drama)H.I.T , also known as Homicide Investigation Team, is a Korean miniseries drama that aired on MBC from March to May 2007. It replaced the popular 81-episode Korean drama Jumong...
(MBCMunhwa Broadcasting CorporationMunhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC (Hangul : 문화방송주식회사, Munhwa Bangsong Jushikoesa) is one of four major national South Korean television and radio networks. Munhwa is the Korean word for "culture". Its flagship terrestrial television...
, 2007) - What's Up FoxWhat's Up FoxWhat's Up Fox? is a 16-episode South Korean television drama broadcast by MBC in 2006.Variations of drama name:*Foxy Lady *Hey fox,what you want to do?-Synopsis:...
? (MBCMunhwa Broadcasting CorporationMunhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC (Hangul : 문화방송주식회사, Munhwa Bangsong Jushikoesa) is one of four major national South Korean television and radio networks. Munhwa is the Korean word for "culture". Its flagship terrestrial television...
, 2006) - Spring DaysSpring Days-Synopsis:Loosely adapted from the popular Japanese drama, Heaven's Coins, Spring Days tells the story of Suh Jung-Eun , an elusive beauty who has suffered a trauma so great that she loses the will to speak. Go Eun-Ho is the doctor who helps Jung-Eun find a way to overcome her past...
(SBS, 2005) - Sandglass (SBS, 1995)
- Farewell (SBS, 1994)
- My Mother's Sea (MBCMunhwa Broadcasting CorporationMunhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC (Hangul : 문화방송주식회사, Munhwa Bangsong Jushikoesa) is one of four major national South Korean television and radio networks. Munhwa is the Korean word for "culture". Its flagship terrestrial television...
, 1993) - Women's Room (MBCMunhwa Broadcasting CorporationMunhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC (Hangul : 문화방송주식회사, Munhwa Bangsong Jushikoesa) is one of four major national South Korean television and radio networks. Munhwa is the Korean word for "culture". Its flagship terrestrial television...
, 1992-1993) - A Love Without Fear (SBS, 1992)
- Eyes of Dawn (MBCMunhwa Broadcasting CorporationMunhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC (Hangul : 문화방송주식회사, Munhwa Bangsong Jushikoesa) is one of four major national South Korean television and radio networks. Munhwa is the Korean word for "culture". Its flagship terrestrial television...
, 1991) - Love on a Jujube Tree (KBS, 1990)
Films
- Miss Go Project (2012)
- The Day He ArrivesThe Day He ArrivesThe Day He Arrives is a 2011 South Korean film written and directed by Hong Sang-soo. The film is in black and white. It premiered on 19 May 2011 in the Un Certain Regard section of the 64th Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Yu Jun-sang as Seong-jun...
(2011) - The Last Tundra - Movie Edition (2011) (documentaryDocumentaryA documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
narrator) - ActressesActresses (film)Actresses is a 2009 South Korean film directed by E J-yong.- Plot :Six actresses—Yoon Yeo-jeong, Lee Mi-sook, Ko Hyeon-jeong, Choi Ji-woo, Kim Min-hee and Kim Ok-bin, each portraying themselves—come together for a Vogue magazine photo shoot on Christmas Eve, resulting in a clash of egos between...
(2009) - Like You Know It All (2009)
- Woman on the BeachWoman on the BeachWoman on the Beach is the seventh feature film by South Korean director Hong Sang-soo, and was released in 2006.- Plot :Film director and screenwriter Kim Jung-rae asks his friend Won Chang-wook to drive with him from the homes in Seoul to the resort town of Shinduri, on the western coast of South...
(2006)
Awards
- 2010 SBS Drama Awards: Daesang/Grand Prize (DaemulDaemulDaemul is a 24-episode Korean drama broadcast by SBS. One of the most-watched TV series in South Korea in 2010, it gained success due to its stellar cast and story arcs taken from topical and controversial headlines...
) - 2010 SBS Drama Awards: Top Ten Stars (DaemulDaemulDaemul is a 24-episode Korean drama broadcast by SBS. One of the most-watched TV series in South Korea in 2010, it gained success due to its stellar cast and story arcs taken from topical and controversial headlines...
) - 2010 Seoul International Drama Awards: HallyuKorean waveThe Korean Wave, also known as the Hallyu , refers to spread of South Korean culture around the world. The term was coined in China in mid-1999 by Beijing journalists surprised by the fast growing popularity of Korean entertainment and culture in China...
Special Award for Actress (Queen SeondeokQueen Seondeok (TV series)Queen Seondeok is a South Korean historical drama aired on MBC. It chronicles the life of Queen Seondeok of Silla.-MBC official synopsis:...
) - 2010 Korea Broadcasting Awards: Best Actress (Queen SeondeokQueen Seondeok (TV series)Queen Seondeok is a South Korean historical drama aired on MBC. It chronicles the life of Queen Seondeok of Silla.-MBC official synopsis:...
) - 2010 Baeksang Arts Awards: Daesang/Grand Prize for TV (Queen SeondeokQueen Seondeok (TV series)Queen Seondeok is a South Korean historical drama aired on MBC. It chronicles the life of Queen Seondeok of Silla.-MBC official synopsis:...
) - 2010 Korea Producers & Directors' (PD) Awards: PD Award, Acting category (Queen SeondeokQueen Seondeok (TV series)Queen Seondeok is a South Korean historical drama aired on MBC. It chronicles the life of Queen Seondeok of Silla.-MBC official synopsis:...
) - 2009 MBC Drama Awards: Daesang/Grand Prize (Queen SeondeokQueen Seondeok (TV series)Queen Seondeok is a South Korean historical drama aired on MBC. It chronicles the life of Queen Seondeok of Silla.-MBC official synopsis:...
) - 2009 Job Korea: Actress of the Year (Queen SeondeokQueen Seondeok (TV series)Queen Seondeok is a South Korean historical drama aired on MBC. It chronicles the life of Queen Seondeok of Silla.-MBC official synopsis:...
) - 2005 SBS Drama Awards: Top Ten Stars (Spring DaysSpring Days-Synopsis:Loosely adapted from the popular Japanese drama, Heaven's Coins, Spring Days tells the story of Suh Jung-Eun , an elusive beauty who has suffered a trauma so great that she loses the will to speak. Go Eun-Ho is the doctor who helps Jung-Eun find a way to overcome her past...
) - 2000 SBS Drama Awards: Big Star Award
- 1992 Baeksang Arts Awards: Best New Actress for TV (Love on a Jujube Tree)
- 1989 Miss Korea PageantMiss KoreaMiss Korea is an annual national beauty pageant responsible for selecting Korea's representative to the Miss Universe pageant.The current titleholder is Lee Seong-hye. She won the title on August 3, 2011 in Seoul.-History:...
: First Runner-up
External links
- Ko Hyun-jung at De Chocolate E&TF
- Fan Site at Daum
- Ko Hyeon-jung at HanCinema
- Hyun-jung Go at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...