Career
Debut (1995 to 2000)
Bae made her professional theater debut in 1995, during her second year of college. She was cast as an understudy for the role of Scarlett O'Hara in the play Gone with the Wind, directed by her late professor, Kim Hyo-kyung. The lead role was played by Park Sang-ah, while Lee Deok-hwa and Kim Kap-soo played the roles of Rhett Butler and Ashley, respectively. The play was staged at the Grand Theater of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts from July 29 to August 2, 1995.[5] Unfortunately, Bae did not have the opportunity to perform on the actual stage, as Park Sang-ah appeared for all performances without missing any shows.[6][7][8][9]
After her debut as an understudy, Bae wholeheartedly pursued her acting career by joining the theater troupe You Theater (극단 "유 you"). Her breakthrough on the professional stage came in February 1997 with a significant role in the play Taxi Driver, written and directed by Jang Jin. In the play, Bae portrayed Hwa-yi, a former lover of Deok-bae (played by Choi Min-sik) who coincidentally becomes one of the taxi passengers.[10][11]
Following that, Bae took on a chorus role in Leo Tolstoy's play Holstomer - The Story of a Horse, showcased at Hoam Art Hall from May 10 to June 1, 1997.[12] In October of the same year, she reprised her role as Hwa-yi in the (21st) Seoul Theater Festival: Taxi Driver - Where Are You Going?[13] Her next venture was in 1998 when she played Marianne A in Molière's play L'Avare at Culture and Art Hall Small Theater, running from February 21 to March 13, 1998.[14]
However, it was the musical Sworn Brother, directed by Kim Min-ki in 1998, that proved to be a turning point for Bae. At the age of 25, she landed the role of Gannan, a housemaid for a wealthy regimental commander who discovers she is pregnant with twins and faces challenges in raising multiple children.[9][15]
Career as Musical and Stage Actress (2000 to 2014)
In 2000, Bae joined the theater company Hakjeon (CEO Kim Min-ki) and began her career as a musical actress. She started as an ensemble cast member in the musical "Subway Line 1," which earned her a nomination for the Best Rookie Award at the 2001 Korean Musical Awards.[16] Later that year, Bae played the role of Serena in the musical Fame at LG Art Center from September 29 to October 15, 2000.[17]
In 2001, Bae acted as Bae Jang-hwa in Jeong Bok-geun's play Bae Jang-hwa Bae Hong-ryeon (directed by Han Tae-sook), which was performed at the small theater of the Dongsung-dong Literature Center in Seoul.[18][19] She also worked with the You Troupe again in the play A Midsummer Night's Dream where she played the role of Puck.[20]
In 2002, Bae acted in the musical "The Rehearsal," which was held at the Mesa Popcorn Hall in Namdaemun from the 26th to February 17.[21] Bae won the Best Rookie Actress Award at the 8th Korean Musical Awards for her performance in "The Rehearsal" in the same year. She then went on to play a role in the musical "Cheoyoung."[22]
In the middle of 2002 Bae was selected as Annette in musical Saturday Night Fever. She suffered an injury that stretched the ligaments in her right ankle. It turned 180 degrees while practicing. She was in a situation where She might have to give up her life as an actress. Bae participated in the practice with a cast on her legs for more than two months, and the whole practice! immersed in singing and acting practice alone. Bae said, “Six months ago, it was hell. I like to dance in this work, but I might never be able to dance again. I was so painful because of anxiety. But the role of Annette is better than dancing. Yoon Seok-hwa's encouragement and rebuke that singing and acting are more important. I put it out.”[23] She quickly overcame her injury with determination" and soon after, she rose to the lead role on a wider stage.[10][24]
The following year, Bae joined the 20th-anniversary production of the rock musical "Subway Line 1" by the theater company Hakjeon. "Subway Line 1" has a high reputation as an "Actor's Academy," having launched the careers of many famous actors, including Seol Kyung-gu, Bang Eun-jin, Jo Seung-woo, Jang Hyun-sung, and Hwang Jeong-min. The production was held from November 5 to 8, 2003, at the Grand Theater of the Seoul Daehak-ro Literature Promotion Agency.[25]
Also in 2003, Bae was selected to play the role of Sophie in the musical Mamma Mia! She initially auditioned for the role of Sophie's friend but impressed the directors with her acting skills, and they gave her the lead role instead. This role served as a foundation for her career as a lead actress in major musical productions.[26][27] The Korean premiere of musical Mamma Mia! was held at the Seoul Arts Center Opera Theater from January to April 2003, attracting a total audience of 200,000 and earning 14 billion won.[28]
In 2004, Bae starred in the encore performance of Saturday Night Fever.[24] Later that year, in the autumn, she appeared as the main character in the musical Crazy for You, which was a Broadway masterpiece by choreographer Susan Stroman. The performances were held at the Sejong Performing Arts Center and ran until October 3, 2004.[29][30] In December 2004, Bae reprised her role as Sophie in Mamma Mia! The musical opened at the Daegu Opera House on January 15, 2005, and was performed for approximately six weeks, with around 50 shows.[31]
Bae, along with Moon Hye-young, was double-cast as Susan in the Korean production of the musical Tick, Tick... Boom! Directed by Shim Jae-chan, the production ran from May 23 to 29, 2005. This was the first work of "Musical Favorites," a series prepared by Shinshi Musical Company (CEO Park Myung-sung) to commemorate the opening of the New City Musical Theater (formerly Polymedia Theater) in Daehak-ro.[32][33] Bae received praise for her cute acting in the production.[34]
Later in 2005, Bae initially auditioned for the role of Aida, but instead landed the role of Amneris in the first Korean premiere of the musical Aida. Her performance in this production earned her the Best Actress Award at the 11th Korean Musical Awards in 2005.[35][36][37]
From 'Mamma Mia' last year to 'Aida', I just looked ahead, and I think you acknowledged that. 'Amneris' is a person who needs to strike a balance between youthfulness and seriousness, so it's not easy to digest, but it's a very attractive character. I did a lot of research in my own way.
—
Bae Hae-sun, Korean Musical Award Interview[38]
In 2006, Bae played the role of Camille Claudel in the musical Camille Claudel. Camille Claudel, a 19th-century French sculptor and lover of Rodin, is a tragic figure who struggled between her love life and art world and spent 30 years in a psychiatric hospital. The Korean premiere of the musical, which was the fifth work in the "Musical Favorites" series by Sinsie, was held from July 7, 2006, as an open run at the Daehakuro Shinshi Musical Theater.[39][40][9]
In late 2006, Bae and Kim Seon-yeong, were double-cast as Eva Perón, in the musical Evita, which opened in November.[41] Evita is a rock opera musical that premiered in 1978 in London's West End, and later opened on Broadway in 1979. It tells the story of Eva Perón, who rose from poverty to become an influential political figure in Argentina.[42]
In 2007, Bae was appointed as ambassador for The Musical Awards with actor Oh Man-seok.[43]
In 2007, Bae was triple-cast as lead role in the musical Dancing Shadow with Kim Bo-kyung and Kim Sung-jo as title role Shinda. The male protagonist Solomon was played by Shin Sung-rok. Produced by Shinshi Musical Company, the musical Dancing Shadow based on the play written by playwright Cha Beom-seok was first planned in 1999. The musical script was written by Ariel Dorfman. The composition was commissioned by Eric Woolfson, and directed by Paul Gerington. The work held a workshop in England on September, 2006.[44]
In 2007, Bae and Ock Joo-hyun played the role of Roxie Hart, the murderess, in the first South-Korean production of the Broadway musical Chicago. The Shinshi Musical Company produced the popular musical, which was held at the Sejong Center for two weeks from September 18 to September 30, 2007.[45]
In 2008 Bae reprised Roxy Hart in the encore performance of South-Korean production of the Broadway musical Chicago.[46] Followed by role as Casino showgirl in Eric Woolfson musical Gambler.[47]
In winter 2008, Bae, acted in role Catholic actress Catherine in the musical The Last 5 Years. The play opened on November 28, 2008, at Chungmu Art Hall in Sindang-dong, Seoul and ran to February 22, 2009.[48]
Bae made her return to the play stage for the first time in 8 years, taking on a new challenge in the opening play of the Seoul Theater Festival called "Women of Picasso." The play is an omnibus that weaves together the monologues of four women who loved Pablo Picasso (1881-1973), including Bae's character Francois, a painter who was 40 years younger than Picasso. Unlike other women who have not been able to escape Picasso's shade, Francois is an independent woman who leaves the house with her children when Picasso cheats.[49] "Women of Picasso" was performed at the Towol Theater of the Seoul Arts Center on April 16 and 26, 2009.[50][51]
In 2009, Bae and Baek Min-jung both played the role of Milady in the musical adaptation of The Three Musketeers. The musical was highly anticipated and was performed from May 12 to June 21 at the Grand Theater of Chungmu Art Hall.[52]
In 2010, Bae played the role of Nannell Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's older sister, in the Austrian musical Mozart. The musical was performed at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul from February 19 to 21, 2010, and was the first Austrian musical to be introduced in Korea. The musical portrays Mozart's musical journey, including his relationships with the people around him, such as his father Leopold, his guardian Archbishop, and his lover Constance.[53]
In 2011, Bae acted the role of Jang Mi-joo in the play Chrysanthemum Fragrance.[54]
In 2012, Bae played the role of the daughter-in-law in the Korean production of Bob Goepfert's musical "The Memory Show." The musical, which focuses on the recovery of a family, especially the relationship between a mother and daughter, was performed at Elim Hall in Daehangno, Seoul, starting on August 28 and running until November 25, 2012.[55]
Bae acted opposite Park Ho-san in the Kim Min-jung musical "Eric Satie." Park Ho-san played the role of Eric Satie, while Bae played Susan, the woman Satie loved. Directed by Park Hye-sun, the musical was held from November 22 to December 1, 2013, at the Grand Theater of Daehak-ro Arts Theater in Dongsung-dong, Seoul.[56][57]
In her final project in 2013, Bae played the role of Agatha Christie (1890-1976), the acclaimed British mystery novelist, in Kim Soo-ro's musical "Agatha." Kim Soo-ro collaborated with Kim Tae-hyung, a star director of Daehak-ro, and presented the musical as part of the "Kim Soo-ro Project 8th."[58] The performance production company, Asia Bridge Contents Co., Ltd., announced on November 26, 2013, that "Agatha" would be performed at Dongguk University's Lee Hae-rang Arts Theater starting on December 31, 2013. The performance ran until March 2, 2014.[59]
Debut in television (2015 to present)
After spending around two decades as a stage actress, Bae made her television debut in 2015. Bae had been offered numerous television roles since her early 30s, but she had to turn them down due to her tight performance schedule. However, after the MERS outbreak, one of her performances was postponed, which left a gap in her schedule.[60][61] The SBS drama Yong-pal, written by Jang Hyuk-rin and directed by Oh Jin-seok, was searching for an actress with excellent acting skills but not well-known. They offered Bae the role with the recommendation from their crew. One of the production crew had seen Bae's acting in the play Scorched Love and had the intention of proposing a role that required good acting skills to her later. Bae's first on-screen role was that of Nurse Hwang, the nurse in charge of the 12th-floor VVIP ward where Han Yeo-jin (played by Kim Tae-hee), the heiress of Hanshin Group, was being treated. Nurse Hwang left a strong impression on viewers due to her peculiar behavior, treating comatose Han Yeo-jin as her exclusive property.[62][63][64]
After her successful television debut Bae went back to the stage with the role of Liz on the play Tabasco. It was a reunion project with director Park Hye-sun, who worked with Bae on musical Eric Satie.[65] In this work, a middle-aged couple in their 40s who have lived without any change for over 20 years, an actress obsessed with past glory, and an overseas migrant worker who are afraid of being deported look back on their lives through the disappearance of their winning dog, Tabasco, at a dog show. Theatrical company Sagae Tampa announced on August 14, 2015, that the play will perform at Daehangno Arts Theater in Seoul from the November 10 to 26, 2015.[66]
In 2016, Bae and Seo Yi-sook shared the role of Juliet's nanny, in the play Romeo and Juliet.[67] In the same year Bae acted as Sophie in American playwright Terrence McNally play Master Class, based on the true story of the legendary opera singer Maria Callas (1923-1977). She acted opposite veteran actress Yoon Seok-hwa.[68][69] In autumn 2016, Bae played the role of doctor Geum Seok-ho in Don't Dare to Dream.[70]
In 2017, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of her debut, Bae and two actors decided to do musical project Tick, Tick... Boom! The 2017 Korean production opened at Daehak-ro TOM on August 29. It was running until October 15, 2017.[71]
Bae was selected to play the role of Dorothy Brock in the 2017 season of musical 42nd Street. The production presentation of the musical 42nd Street was held at the Millennium Seoul Hilton Grand Ballroom in Jung-gu, Seoul on the afternoon of July 17, 2017.[72]
In 2018, she appeared in two feature films, On Your Wedding Day and Dark Figure of Crime. Then, Bae reprised her role as Dorothy Brock in 2018 season performance of Broadway musical 42nd Street. This season was the 22nd anniversary of the Korean license adaptation. It was ended on August 19, recorded an average seat occupancy rate of 95% and a total of 38 sold-out seats, renewing the record for the highest number of sold-outs. It also performed at the Daejeon Arts Center on August 25, followed by performances at Sohyang Art Center in Busan, Gumi Culture and Arts Center, and Ulsan Hyundai Arts Center.[73]
In 2019, Bae reunited with Hwang Jung-min after 20 years, Bae starred as Jocasta in play Oedipus.[74] The two characters she played on the small screen in 2019 confirmed her acting range to the public. Choi Seo-hee, the room service manager of the drama Hotel del Luna was a person who has a warm relationship with the main casts as well as having her own narrative. Her potrayal made viewers cry and laugh. However Lee Gil-ja of the drama VIP was a rich customer and played a significant role in portraying the department store ecosystem in the drama.
In the end of 2019, Bae went back to theater and challenged herself with role Alan in play The 100 Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared.[75] In addition to the 100-year-old Alan, Bae also appears as various characters such as Franco, Stalin, Song Mei-rin (wife of Taiwan's first president, Chiang Kai-shek), Dr. Eklund (Swedish Institute of Nuclear Physics), and Kim Jong-il.[76]
In 2020, Bae was double-cast with Jung Jae-eun in role wife in 1980 West End and Broadway play by Ronald Harwood, The Dresser.[77]
Bae appeared in two dramas in a row, KBS's drama Into The Ring and tvN's drama It's Okay to Not Be Okay. Bae played the role of Won Won-jeong, an elite politician who has served as a spokesperson for the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the head of the administrative bureau, the head of the Planning and Coordination Office, and the deputy mayor. Her delicate acting as Kang Eun-ja, a patient suffering from psychotic depression.[78] In May 2020, it was announced that Bae will reprise her role as Dorothy Brock in Broadway musical 42nd Street in June 20 to August 23, 2020. 2020 season performance attracted more attention as it entered the Charlotte Theater after 10 years.[79][80] In SBS drama Alice, Bae played Kim In-sook, who is traumatized by the loss of her son, who has had a heart defect since birth, but raises Jin-gyeom (played by Joo Won), whom her husband brings to her, as if she were her own son.[78]
In 2021, Bae played a villain role in TVING Original Series Happiness. Her role was Oh Yeon-ok, representative of Building 101 who lived in unit 1202.[81][82]
In 2021, Bae starred as title role Cha Jeong-won, a former prosecutor and conservative opposition lawmaker, in black comedy drama Political Fever.[83][84]
In 2022 Bae was cast in Netflix Original Series All of Us Are Dead as Park Eun-hee, a member of the National Assembly representing Hyosan.[85] In September 2022, Bae signed an exclusive contract with management agency Lead Entertainment.[8] In late 2022, Bae reprised her role as Dorothy Brock in the 26th anniversary of the musical 42nd Street. It was opened at the CJ Towol Theater in the Seoul Arts Center on November 5, 2022. It was running until January 15, 2023, and ended its performance in Seoul with the highest ever record: an unprecedented sold-out. Bae also joined 2022 regional tour. Starting with performances in Busan (February 3–5), then followed by Goyang (February 10–12), Changwon (February 17–19), Daegu (February 24–26), Cheonan (March 3–5), Jinju (March 10–12), Suwon (March 17–19), Jeonju (March 24–26), Seongnam (March 31–April) 2), Yeosu (April 7–9), Daejeon (April 14–16), and Incheon (April 21–23).[86]
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