5 things to know about Korean drama actress Gong Hyo-jin – as the ‘queen of romantic comedies’ turns 40
Let’s look back on the life and work of one Korea’s most popular comedic actresses, most recently spotted in When the Camellia Blooms
South Korean actress Gong Hyo-jin celebrates her 40th birthday on April 40 – or her 41st, if you follow the Korean tradition of being recorded as 1 at birth. Whichever way you count it, it’s undeniable her skin is as glowing as ever – much like her career.
Known as Korea’s “queen of romantic comedy”, Gong proves that she’s a multifaceted actress for her various roles in romcoms, black comedies, mystery films and indie productions.
Can you believe she didn’t actually intend to pursue a career in acting? Here are five things you need to know about the award-winning actress.
Before her acting debut, she was a model
Gong was not interested in acting at all before she ventured into the industry. She was working hard on her modelling career when she took up a supporting role in a horror film, Memento Mori (1999). At first, Gong didn’t take it too seriously and couldn’t wait for the filming schedule to end.
When the film was released, Gong wasn’t fond of her on-screen debut – she called herself ugly. Although it wasn’t a hit, the model started receiving calls from agencies and felt encouraged to pursue a career in acting.
Crush and Blush helped her break out
When she worked on Crush and Blush (2008), Gong says that she “stopped trying to look pretty”. Even so, the actress felt liberated after the movie was released. What else could she be scared of after her big red face was shown in theatres?
Strangely enough, Gong believes she may have developed the same blushing disorder her character had because she began to blush whenever she felt anxious. It was worth it though; she received three best actress awards for her role as the blushing high schoolteacher.