Cho Yeo-jeong
Cho in 2019
Born (1981-02-10) February 10, 1981 (age 43)
Seoul, South Korea
Other namesJo Yeo-jeong
Cho Yeo-jung
EducationDongguk University
OccupationActress
Years active1997–present
AgentHigh Entertainment
Korean name
Hangul
조여정
Revised RomanizationJo Yeo-jeong
McCune–ReischauerCho Yŏjŏng

Cho Yeo-jeong (Korean: 조여정; born February 10, 1981) is a South Korean actress. She is best known internationally for her role in the film Parasite (2019), which won four Academy Awards and became the first non-English language film to win the award for Best Picture.[1]

Cho is also known for her roles in the films The Servant (2010), The Concubine (2012), and Obsessed (2014), as well as the television series I Need Romance (2011), Lovers of Haeundae (2012), Divorce Lawyer in Love (2015), Woman of 9.9 Billion (2019–2020), and Cheat on Me If You Can (2020–2021).

Life and career

Cho Yeo-jeong was born in Seoul, South Korea. She debuted as a CeCi Magazine cover girl at the age of 16 in 1997, and began actively acting in 1999. Despite appearing in drama series, music videos, and TV commercials afterwards, she remained obscure. During this period, she was also unhappy with the limited roles being offered to her.[2][3]

Then Cho rose to the spotlight in 2010 by starring as the ambitious Joseon woman of lower class in the erotic period drama The Servant.[4] The R-rated movie, which was a newly adapted and tragic version of Korea's famous folktale The Story of Chunhyang, had been turned down by a number of actresses because it contained too many sex scenes. Cho, however, took advantage of the opportunity and it turned out to be a huge stepping stone in her career.[5][6] Upon the release of the film, Cho successfully escaped being "another pretty face" in Korea's entertainment scene.[2][3]

In 2011, Cho starred in hit cable series I Need Romance, a sexually frank and funny comedy about a group of single thirty-something girlfriends navigating the dating scene in Seoul, which boasted stylish and slick production values.

Few would have expected her to star in another period drama that required full nudity, as doing so may have stigmatized her in Korea's film industry. Despite the collective concerns expressed by local media that she was "going nude too often," in 2012 the actress chose another period thriller with explicit sex scenes.[7] She had admired the work of director Kim Dae-seung and wanted to work with him, so after reading his latest script, she pursued being cast as the complex titular character of The Concubine.[8] Despite the hype, the film was critically praised. In an interview for the film, Cho said that most of all, she wants to be seen as an adventurous and intriguing actress.[2][3][9]

In the 2012 romantic comedy series Lovers of Haeundae, Cho played the bright and cheerful daughter of a Busan gangster, who falls in love with the amnesiac undercover prosecutor living with them.[10] A year later, Cho's book Healing Beauty was published, containing tips and advice on health and beauty, based on the know-how she's amassed as an actress over her 16-year career.[11]

In 2013, Cho became involved in a publicized contract dispute when she signed a new contract with Bom Entertainment while her contract with Didim531 was still in effect.[12] The Korea Entertainment Management Association suggested that Cho avoid working with both agencies, and she joined Neos Entertainment in 2014.[13]

Cho starred in two movies in 2014. She reunited with director Kim Dae-woo (The Servant) in another erotic period film, this time set during the Vietnam War, titled Obsessed.[14] She also played an abducted wife in The Target, a remake of French action-thriller Point Blank.[15][16]

In 2015, Cho starred in the sex comedy Casa Amor: Exclusive for Ladies, which she said made her realize "how gratifying it is to see people laughing because of me." She said further, "Casa Amor: Exclusive for Ladies is the first film I've done in a long time whose story focuses on women. I hope that, building on the success of this film, more films featuring women's voices and experiences are made."[17]

Cho started in her first television series of 2020, Cheat on Me If You Can since Woman of 9.9 Billion in 2019.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role
2002 A Perfect Match Min-ah
2006 Vampire Cop Ricky Yeon-hee
2010 The Servant Chun-hyang
2012 The Concubine Shin Hwa-yeon
2014 The Target Jung Hee-joo
Obsessed Lee Sook-jin
2015 Casa Amor: Exclusive for Ladies Baek Bo-hee
2019 Parasite Choi Yeon-gyo / Mrs. Park
TBA Hidden Face Su-yeon[18]
The Interview Seon-ju[19]

Television series

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1999 How Am I?
Last War
You Don't Know My Mind Yang Mi-ri
2000 Roll of Thunder
2002 The Rustic Period Ae-ran
Royal Story: Jang Hui-bin Royal Consort 'Gwiin' Kim
2003 South of the Sun Noh Hye-in
A Problem at My Younger Brother's House Oh Dan-bi
2004 Terms of Endearment Na Ae-ri
I'm From Chosun Lee Han-sol
2006 So In Love Lee Sun-joo
2008 War of Money: The Original Choi Ji-in
2009 The Road Home Jang Mi-ryung
Hometown Legends "Myo-jeong's Pearl" So-won
2011 I Need Romance Sunwoo In-young [20]
2012 Lovers of Haeundae Go So-ra [10]
2015 Divorce Lawyer in Love Go Cheok-hee
2016 Babysitter Lee Sang-won's wife
Love in the Moonlight Cameo (episode 1)
2017 Ms. Perfect Lee Eun-hee [21]
2019 Beautiful World Seo Eun-joo [22]
Woman of 9.9 Billion Jeong Seo-yeon [23]
2020–2021 Cheat on Me If You Can Kang Yeo-ju novel writer [24]
2021 High Class Song Yeo-uol [25]
2022 Behind Every Star Herself Cameo [26]

Variety show

Year Title Notes Ref.
1997 Ppo Ppo Ppo (Kiss Kiss Kiss) Host [27]
2001 21st Century Committee Cast member
Fairyland Ggumdongsan Host
2003 Soulmates Cast member
2008 We Got Married - Season 1 paired with Lee Hwi-jae
2010 Girls on Top - Season 2 Host
Fox's Butler Cast member
2011 O'live Beauty On-Air Host
2012 Saturday Night Live Korea
2013 Law of the Jungle in Caribbean/Maya Jungle Cast member
2019 Surfing House [28]
2021 Saturday Night Live Korea Host (Episode 5) [29]

Music videos

Year Song Artist(s) Role
2011 "Even Now" ( 난 좋아) Sung Si-kyung Lead Actress
2019 "Fever" J. Y. Park feat. Superbee & Bibi Main Actress

Ambassadorship

Year Title Ref.
2021 Korean seafood export ambassador [30]

Musical theatre

Year Title Role
2005 Grease Sandy

Discography

Year Song title Artist Notes
2011 "Aegyo (Charm)" Jo Yeo-jeong and Kim Jeong-hoon Track from
I Need Romance OST
"Winter Story" Jo Yeo-jeong, Park Si-hoo,
Park Si-yeon, Nam Gyu-ri,
Jo Dal-hwan, Ryohei Otani,
Choi Sung-joon and Jung Woo-jin 		Eyagi Entertainment
Christmas 2011 single

Book

Year Title Publisher ISBN
2013 Healing Beauty[31] Paper Book ISBN 9788997148295

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2010 Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival Fantasia Award — Won
Grand Bell Awards Best Actress The Servant Nominated
Blue Dragon Film Awards Best New Actress Nominated
Popular Star Award Won
Korea Best Dresser Swan Awards Best Dressed, Movie Actress category — Won
2011 Baeksang Arts Awards Best Actress (Film) The Servant Nominated
Korea Drama Awards Special Award for Cable TV I Need Romance Nominated
Style Icon Awards SIA's Discovery — Won
2012 Buil Film Awards Best Actress The Concubine Nominated
KBS Drama Awards Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries Lovers of Haeundae Nominated
Netizen Award, Actress Nominated
Best Couple Award with Kim Kang-woo Nominated
2013 SBS Entertainment Awards Popularity Award Law of the Jungle in Caribbean/Maya Jungle Won
2014 Buil Film Awards Best Supporting Actress Obsessed Nominated
Korean Association of Film Critics Awards Won
Grand Bell Awards Nominated
Blue Dragon Film Awards Nominated
2015 KOFRA Film Awards Won
Baeksang Arts Awards Best Supporting Actress Nominated
SBS Drama Awards Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries Divorce Lawyer in Love Nominated
2016 KBS Drama Awards Best Actress in a One-Act/Special/Short Drama Babysitter Won
2017 KBS Drama Awards Excellence Award, Actress in a Mid-length Drama Perfect Wife Won
Netizen Award, Actress Nominated
2019 KBS Drama Awards Top Excellence Award, Actress Woman of 9.9 Billion Won [32]
Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries Nominated
Netizen Award, Actress Nominated
Chunsa Film Art Awards Best Actress Parasite Won [33]
Blue Dragon Film Awards Won [34][35]
Buil Film Awards Nominated [36]
New Mexico Film Critics Best Supporting Actress Won [37]
IndieWire Critics Poll 15th place [38]
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards Nominated [39][40]
2020 Critics Choice Awards Best Acting Ensemble Nominated [41]
Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Won [42]
Baeksang Arts Awards Best Actress – Film Nominated [43]
KBS Drama Awards Top Excellence Award, Actress Cheat on Me If You Can Nominated
Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries Won
Netizen Award, Actress Nominated
Best Couple Award with Go Jun Won
2021 APAN Star Awards Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries Woman of 9.9 Billion Nominated

Listicles

Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement
Publisher Year Listicle Placement Ref.
Forbes 2020 Korea Power Celebrity 40 30th [44]
The Screen 2019 2009–2019 Top Box Office Powerhouse Actors in Korean Movies 43rd [45]

References

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