There are strict conditions to qualify as a k-drama girl-next-door: (1) must have "accessible" beauty and physical features that women can relate to, (2) must be simple and humble in demeanor yet gutsy when needed, and (3) must be surprisingly strong and/or interested in sports.
Jung So-min fits these criteria and more.
Photos from Instagram @somin_jj, Netflix, and marie claire
Read more about her.
In celebration of our girl K-rush, we take a select sample of Jung So-min's decade-long filmography that helped establish her quintessential girl-next-door persona.
Playful Kiss (2010) | My Father Is Strange (2017) | Because This Is My First Life (2017) | Hundred Million Stars from the Sky / The Smile has Left Your Eyes (2018) | Homme Fatale (2019, film) | Alchemy of Souls Part 1 (2022) | Love Reset (2023, film) | Love Next Door (2024)
Playful Kiss (2010)
Available on Netflix, Prime Video, Viki (territories and periods vary)
Photos from MBC/HanCinema
In this MBC rom-com series adapted from the hit Japanese manga Itazura Na Kiss, Jung So-min plays high school student Oh Ha-ni. Though she struggles academically, she is tenacious in pursuing her love interest, the smart but cold Baek Seung-jo (Kim Hyun-joong, Boys over Flowers). When an incident forces her family to live with Seung-jo's family, will Seung-jo continue to reject Ha-ni in this forced cohabitation situation?
While Ha-ni is the opposite of today's empowered female lead, Jung So-min portrayed her so charmingly that it cemented her place in the crowded rom-com sphere. Furthermore, the series was so popular overseas back then that it was sold to 12 countries, earning USD 3 million in revenue.
My Father Is Strange (2017)
Available on AppleTV, Kocowa, Netflix, Viki, Viu, YouTube @KBSWorldTV (territories and periods vary)
Photos from KOCOWA+ BLOG and KBS2
In this KBS2 weekend family drama, she portrays Byun Mi-yeong, a timid agency manager with a history of depression. Ahn Jong-hee (Lee Joon, Bloody Heart), an unpolished actor in her agency, introduces himself as the long-lost son to her father so he can move in with her family. Sparks soon fly between Mi-yeong and Jong-hee, but being half-siblings, they are torn about acting on their feelings. Could revealing a well-kept family secret break down this barrier or break the family apart?
Achieving 36.5% AGB Nielsen peak nationwide ratings, the popular K-drama was extended by two episodes to a total of 52. Jung So-min and Lee Joon's chemistry must have been too intense to contain on screen that they dated in real life for three years.
Because This Is My First Life (2017)
Available on AppleTV, Disney+, Netflix, Viki, Viu (territories and periods vary)
Photos from tvN/HanCinema
As Yoon Ji-ho in the tvN female friendship and contemporary romance k-drama, she is a disillusioned and burnt-out screenwriter in her 30s. She finds the most practical way to rent an apartment without the social scorn—get married to the socially awkward landlord (Lee Min-ki, My Liberation Notes). Both sensible adults, they will surely keep their relationship strictly as landlord and tenant, right? ;)
The feminist series challenges the concepts of love, marriage, and gender roles. Although its domestic ratings were low, it has a cult following—the story is thoughtfully crafted, and its relatable characters caught in modern problems find logical solutions. Unlike some of Jung So-min’s earlier roles, her Ji-ho is competent, stands up for herself, strives for something other than a man, has devoted friends (Esom, LTNS, and Kim Ga-eun, King the Land), and has a male lead who respects her.
Hundred Million Stars from the Sky / The Smile Has Left Your Eyes (2018)
Available on AppleTV, Viki, Viu (territories and periods vary)
Photo from tvN/HanCinema
The tvN melodramatic thriller cast her as Yoo Jin-kang, a warm-hearted ad designer who meets a mysterious microbrewery worker named Kim Moo-young (Seo In-guk, Café Minamdang). Thinking Moo-young is linked to a murder case, her detective brother Yoo Jin-gook (Park Sung-woong, Life on Mars) stumbles upon their shocking connection. Will the enigmatic man wipe her eyes' smile, or help heal her childhood scars—or both?
A remake of the 2002 Japanese drama Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi, the series is enhanced by its moving original soundtrack, including “Star,” a duet by Jung So-min and Seo In-guk. Even though it was completed a few years back, fans still can't get over the strong chemistry between the leads and the heartbreaking layers of revelation throughout the drama.
Homme Fatale (2019, film)
Available on Prime Video, Viki (territories and periods vary)
Photo from HanCinema
She portrays Hae-won, a woman who takes care of her brother. While she is out on the street one day, Joseon’s first male gisaeng (courtesan) named Heo-saek (Lee Jun-ho, The Red Sleeve) notices and befriends her. Is it love at first sight? But since a nobleman later proposes to her, does the ill-fated relationship between her and the gisaeng even have a chance?
Though the romance sageuk (historical show) is tagged as "comedy," it touches on heavy themes such as classism and sexism—more specifically, the gisaeng's right to love or be loved and women's freedom to openly seek relief from their loneliness.
Alchemy of Souls Part 1 (2022)
Available on Netflix (territories and periods vary)
Photos from tvN/HanCinema
She plays Mu-deok, whose body hosts an extra soul, that of the wanted assassin Naksu (Go Youn-jung, Moving). While recovering after using the forbidden spell “Alchemy of Souls,” she disguises herself as a maid and teaches rookie mage Jang Uk (Lee Jae-wook, Extraordinary You) practical magic. Will their unusual setup lead to the fulfillment of their goals—or their death?
Written by the Hong sisters, Part 1 of the ambitious multi-genre hit k-drama remained 21 weeks in the Netflix Global Top 10 TV (Non-English) and reached Top 10 TV in 44 countries. It's not surprising, given that the combination of stunning settings, colorful costumes, computer graphics, and wuxia (Chinese fantastical martial arts genre) is a visual treat. The cast, especially Jung So-min, drew rave reviews: Mu-deok's banter with Jang Uk, her interactions with the other characters, glimpses of her fighting skills despite her clumsiness, and her spunk in the face of danger. Part 2 continues with the unraveling of more mysteries surrounding Mu-deok and the mages.
Love Reset (2023, film)
Available on Viki (territories and periods vary)
Photo from HanCinema
Movie producer Hong Na-ra (Jung So-min) and lawyer No Jeong-yeol (Kang Ha-neul, The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure) lose their memories in a car accident just 30 days before their divorce is finalized. Inadvertently, this gives them a chance to rediscover their love even in the midst of their families' interference.
Jung So-min had such a palpable chemistry with Kang Ha-neul that their rom-com film ranked sixth overall in the box office for that year.
Love Next Door (2024, ongoing)
Available on Netflix (territories and periods vary)
Photo from tvN/Netflix/HanCinema
In the highly anticipated series of the year, rom-com queen Jung So-min plays Bae Seok-ryu, a high-achieving project manager in one of the top tech companies in the US who comes back home unannounced. Seok-ryu's life seems to erupt into even more chaos when her mom's friend's son Choi Seung-hyo (Jung Hae-in, D.P.) moves back in next door. Their past resurfaces, leading to a series of comedic and heartwarming encounters. As they navigate their rekindled relationship, both characters confront their personal growth and unresolved feelings.
Fans are so delighted with the Jung-Jung couple that the series has ranked in the Netflix Global Top 10 TV (Non-English) for five weeks and in the Top 10 TV in 53 countries.
Photos from ELLE KOREA, marie claire, Instagram @somin_jj, and Netflix
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