Jun Ji-hyun

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This is a Korean name; the family name is Jun.
Jun Ji-hyun

Jun Ji-hyun at a promotional event in 2009
Born Wang Ji-hyun
(1981-10-30) 30 October 1981
Seoul, South Korea
Other names Gianna Jun
Jeon Ji-hyun
Alma mater Dongguk University
Theater and Film
Occupation Actress
Years active 1997–present
Agent Culture Depot Co., Ltd
Spouse(s) Choi Jun-hyuk (m. 2012)
Korean name
Hangul 전지현
Hanja 全智賢
Revised Romanization Jeon Ji-hyeon
McCune–Reischauer Chŏn Chihyŏn
Birth name
Hangul 왕지현
Hanja 王智賢
Revised Romanization Wang Ji-hyeon
McCune–Reischauer Wang Chihyŏn

Jun Ji-hyun (born 30 October 1981), also known as Gianna Jun, is a South Korean actress. She is best known for her role as "The Girl" in the romantic comedy My Sassy Girl (2001), one of the highest grossing Korean comedies of all time. Other notable films include Il Mare (2000), Windstruck (2004), The Thieves (2012), and The Berlin File (2013).

Career

Wang Ji-hyun was born in Seoul, South Korea. Her childhood dream was to become a flight attendant, but at the age of 16, she was discovered on the street by a fashion editor.[1] Using the stage name Jun Ji-hyun, she began her career as a model for Ecole Magazine in 1997.

Jun first became well known as a commercial model and as a TV actress. Although she made her film debut in the little-watched White Valentine in 1999, it was not until later in the year when she was featured in a commercial for Samsung My Jet Printer that she became a popular sensation. The dancing and attitude expressed in the ad made her into an icon for Koreans in their late teens and early twenties.[2]

After continuing her TV and modelling career, Jun made her first well-publicized film appearance in late 2000 with Il Mare. A handsomely shot melodrama set on Ganghwa Island, the film did respectably well at the box office (despite opening on the same day as blockbuster Joint Security Area) and solidified her status as a star.[2]

Jun's breakout film was comedy My Sassy Girl, which became a huge hit both in Korea and throughout Asia with its tale of a gullible college student and his slightly unhinged girlfriend. The film spent two weeks at No. 1 in Hong Kong, and turned her into Korea's most recognizable star in the Chinese-language market.[3][4][5] She also won as Best Actress at the 2002 Grand Bell Awards. Two years then passed before she appeared in her next film, an "occult thriller" titled The Uninvited which wowed critics but failed to catch on with viewers.[6] Throughout this time she was a constant presence in TV ads and on billboards in Korea and also in other Asian countries.[2][7][8]

2004 saw her return to the big screen in another film by Kwak Jae-yong, the director of My Sassy Girl. Windstruck cast her in the role of a policewoman, but many viewers felt it was too similar to My Sassy Girl. There were also signs that her popularity had started to suffer because of overexposure in advertisements.[9][10] Nonetheless, Windstruck became the best-performing Korean film in Japan at the time, where My Sassy Girl was not as well known.[2][11][12] In a 2005 survey of influential movie producers, she was ranked among the top ten most bankable stars in Korea.[13]

Jun's next project Daisy teamed her with Jung Woo-sung (who frequently appeared together with her in Giordano and 2% Lotte Chilsung Water advertisements), and drew attention for its 100% location shooting in the Netherlands, and for using the Hong Kong director Andrew Lau (Infernal Affairs). Nonetheless the film disappointed at the box-office and drew weak appraisals from viewers.[2][14]

In late 2006 it was announced that Jun would be making her long-predicted jump to Hollywood to take the lead role in Blood: The Last Vampire.[15] The international co-production, which was filmed in China and Argentina in 2007, is the live-action adaptation of a popular Japanese anime.[2] She went through three months of hard training to play the sword-wielding martial arts heroine.[16] During the filming and promotions for the movie prior to its 2009 release,[17][18][19] she adopted the Westernized name Gianna Jun.[20][21] "Gianna by True Religion" was launched by the luxury blue jeans brand in 2008, its first celebrity line. Jun was reportedly involved in every stage of their production, from design to deciding on fit and wash and their decoration with accessories.[22]

For the film A Man Who Was Superman, Jun cut off her signature long silky hair to play a cynical documentary producer who meets an odd, Hawaiian-shirt-clad modern-day hero who battles urban apathy and preaches the virtues of lending a hand. Of initially feeling pressured at the opportunity to work with acclaimed actor Hwang Jung-min, she said, "Although luck was probably involved, I think it's destiny for an actor to 'meet' new work. On the first day I met him, I realized that I have much to learn from him, not only from his acting, but also as an individual."[23][24]

In 2010, she acted opposite Chinese actress Li Bingbing in the English-language film Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, based on Lisa See's bestselling novel of the same name, which was directed by Wayne Wang (The Joy Luck Club). The film, set in remote 19th-century China, features the lifelong friendship between two women, Lily and Snow Flower, and their imprisonment imposed by the strict cultural codes of conduct for women at that time.[25][26][27][28] She was photographed by Annie Leibovitz for the July issue of the American edition of Vogue, the first Korean actress to be included in the iconic fashion magazine.[29][30]

As part of the star-studded cast of The Thieves, Jun was a scene stealer in Choi Dong-hoon's heist film about thieves from Korea and China who team up together to steal a diamond worth US$30 million, which is locked in a special room at a casino in Macau.[31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38] The Thieves became the second top-selling Korean film of all time.[39]

She played a translator married to a North Korean intelligence agent in the 2013 spy thriller The Berlin File, and director Ryoo Seung-wan praised Jun's action scenes and her North Korean dialect.[40][41][42][43]

14 years after Happy Together in 1999, Jun made her highly anticipated return to television in fantasy romance You Who Came From the Stars.[44] Kim Soo-hyun (Jun's costar in The Thieves) plays an alien who landed on earth 400 years ago during the Joseon Dynasty, then falls for a present-day top actress (played by Jun).[45][46]

Controversy

In 2006, Jun along with six other South Korean stars (Jung Woo-sung, Kim Sun-ah, Jo In-sung, Ji Jin-hee, Cha Tae-hyun and Yang Jin-woo) sued local monthly movie magazine Screen for commercially using their pictures without permission.[47] Seoul Central District Court ruled in 2007 that the publisher must pay from ₩5 million to ₩15 million to each star for infringing their publicity rights.[48]

In 2009, police discovered that Jun's cell phone had been illegally cloned. Seoul Metropolitan Police arrested a private detective identified as Kim, who testified that it was ordered by SidusHQ (Jun's then-agency of 13 years), for which he was paid ₩6.4 million in cash by the brother of CEO Jung Hoon-tak. Police believed Jun’s management company used the cloned phone to keep tabs on her, in an attempt to exert control over all aspects of her life. SidusHQ denied those allegations.[49][50][51][52][53] Jung Hoon-tak was later cleared after police could not find any concrete evidence of his direct involvement.[54] Kim was sentenced to one year in prison for invasion of privacy, Jung's brother received suspended jail terms.[55] Because of the scandal, many expected her to leave once her contract expired, but she surprisingly extended her contract with SidusHQ for one more year. Then in 2011 she set up her own management agency J&Co. Entertainment.[56]

In 2011, SidusHQ CEO Jung Hoon-tak was accused of illegally using Jun's bank account to pocket profits from a merger and acquisition. Jung allegedly made ₩200 million after purchasing a stake in the junior KOSDAQ-listed Stom E&F in 2009 with an account under Jun's name and announcing through a public filing several months later that he would buy Stom E&F. Jung and Stom E&F's former CEO Kwon Seung-shik were reported for gaining unfair profits by leaking information on the M&A beforehand. Upon investigation by the Financial Supervisory Service, Jun testified that she had not even been aware of such an account existing under her name.[57] Jung issued a denial.[58]

Personal life

More than 600 guests, including celebrities and close friends and family of the star, attended her wedding to banker Choi Jun-hyuk on 13 April 2012 at Shilla Hotel in Jangchung-dong, central Seoul. Choi is the grandson of famed hanbok designer Lee Young-hee,[59] and the son of fashion designer Lee Jung-woo.[60][61][62][63][64][65] Jun graced the cover of Elle Korea's May 2012 edition as well as the magazine's China, Singapore and Taiwan editions with a pictorial of herself in various wedding gowns.[66]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role
1999 White Valentine Jung-min
2000 Il Mare Eun-joo
2001 My Sassy Girl The Girl
2003 The Uninvited Yeon
2004 Windstruck Yeo Kyung-jin
2006 Daisy Hye-young
2008 A Man Who Was Superman Song Soo-jung
2009 Blood: The Last Vampire Saya Otonashi
2011 Snow Flower and the Secret Fan Sophia/Snow Flower
2012 The Thieves Yenicall
2013 The Berlin File Ryun Jung-hee

Television

Year Title Role Network
1997 The Season of Puberty MBC
1998 Fascinate My Heart Ga-young SBS
1999 Happy Together Seo Yoon-joo SBS
2013 You Who Came From the Stars Cheon Song-yi SBS

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.
1999 SBS Drama Awards Best New Actress Happy Together Won
Baeksang Arts Awards Best New Actress White Valentine Won
2002 Grand Bell Awards Popularity Award My Sassy GirlWon
Best Actress Won
2013 Asian Film Awards Best Supporting Actress The Thieves Nominated
Baeksang Arts Awards Best Supporting Actress The Thieves Nominated
Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival Producer's Choice Award The Thieves, The Berlin File Won [67][68]
Mnet 20's Choice Awards 20's Movie Star - Female The Berlin File Nominated

References

  1. ↑ Wang, Ping (23 January 2006). "New image for sassy Girl". CCTV International. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Paquet, Darcy. "Actors and Actresses of Korean Cinema: Jeon Ji-hyun". Koreanfilm.org. Retrieved 2012-04-18. 
  3. ↑ Yeo, Shi-dong (24 November 2002). "My Bizarre Girlfriend Gets Highest Model Contract Ever". The Chosun Ilbo. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  4. ↑ Jeong, Hyeon-seok (10 February 2004). "One Interview After the Other for Jeon Ji-hyun". The Chosun Ilbo. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  5. ↑ "Top Korean Female Star Makes Waves in the Chinese Mobile Market". The Chosun Ilbo. 7 May 2004. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  6. ↑ "A Tale of Two Jeons". The Chosun Ilbo. 1 April 2004. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  7. ↑ Hong Joo-hyun, Wohn Dong-hee (20 January 2005). "Beauty brands seek Korean faces". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  8. ↑ Shim, Seo-hyun (10 December 2011). "Jun Ji-hyun replaced as Elastine’s go-to girl". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  9. ↑ "Jeon Ji-hyun Cedes Advertising Power to Jang Dong-gun". The Chosun Ilbo. 30 March 2007. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  10. ↑ "When Stars Bank on Advertising Only". The Chosun Ilbo. 5 September 2009. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  11. ↑ "Windstruck to Premiere in Hong Kong". The Chosun Ilbo. 28 May 2004. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  12. ↑ Walsh, Bryan (31 May 2004). "A Force to Reckon With". Time. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  13. ↑ "Jang Dong-gun Voted Korea's Most Bankable Star". The Chosun Ilbo. 20 October 2005. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  14. ↑ "Jeon Ji-hyun Vehicle Aims Straight for the Tear Ducts". The Chosun Ilbo. 19 March 2006. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  15. ↑ "Jeon Ji-hyun Looks to Confound Critics in Vampire Film". The Chosun Ilbo. 18 May 2009. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  16. ↑ "Korean Stars Make Beeline for Hollywood". The Chosun Ilbo. 9 July 2009. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  17. ↑ "Jun hypes vampire movie". Korea JoongAng Daily. 5 June 2009. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  18. ↑ Yoon, Susan (24 September 2009). "Taking a shot at Hollywood". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  19. ↑ Garcia, Cathy Rose A. (5 June 2009). "Jun Ji-hyun Shines but Blood Disappoints". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  20. ↑ Frater, Patrick (22 May 2007). "Korean star reborn in Blood: Jun Ji-hyun changes name". Variety. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  21. ↑ Mike, Fury (22 January 2010). "Interview with Gianna Jun – Jade Screen". MikeFury.net. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  22. ↑ "Actress Jeon to Launch Line of Blue Jeans". The Chosun Ilbo. 21 March 2008. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  23. ↑ Lee, Hyo-won (8 January 2008). "Jun, Hwang Become Super Heroes". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  24. ↑ "Actress Jeon Ji-hyun Making Korean Comeback". The Chosun Ilbo. 28 September 2007. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  25. ↑ "Jun Ji-hyun Cast in Snow Flower". The Korea Times. 7 January 2010. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  26. ↑ "Jeon Ji-hyun to Star in Chinese Movie". The Chosun Ilbo. 5 February 2010. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  27. ↑ "Jun Ji-Hyun Interview at Cannes (By Dispatch)". Soompi. 23 May 2011. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  28. ↑ "Jeon Ji-hyun Narrates Hollywood Trailer". The Chosun Ilbo. 28 March 2011. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  29. ↑ "Jeon Ji-hyun to feature in July Issue of Vogue". The Chosun Ilbo. 28 March 2011. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  30. ↑ Powers, John (28 June 2011). "Eastern Promise: Gianna Jun and Li Bing Bing". Vogue. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  31. ↑ Lee, Jin-ho (13 June 2012). "Jun Ji Hyun Talks about Kissing with Kim Soo Hyun for The Thieves". enewsWorld. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  32. ↑ Hong, Grace Danbi (5 July 2012). "Jun Ji Hyun is Just Getting Started as an Actress". enewsWorld. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  33. ↑ "'The Thieves' Jun Ji Hyun, "A Competition With Kim Hye Soo? I Can't Even Compete With Her Breasts."". Korea Portal. 11 July 2012. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  34. ↑ Lee, Hye-ji (11 July 2012). "Jun Ji-hyun "The success of My Sassy Girl gave me both light and shadow"". 10Asia. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  35. ↑ Lee, Jin-ho (15 July 2012). "Star Dictionary 2.0: Jun Ji Hyun, "My Sassy Girl Was A Sweet Disaster". enewsWorld. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  36. ↑ "Jeon Ji-hyeon satisfied with her role in new movie". The Korea Herald. 23 July 2012. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  37. ↑ Lee, Jin-ho (22 July 2012). "Interview: Jun Ji Hyun Invites Everyone Into Her Veil of Secrecy". enewsWorld. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  38. ↑ "Jeon Ji-hyun Gets Back into Groove with The Thieves". The Chosun Ilbo. 4 August 2012. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  39. ↑ "The Thieves Emerges as Most Popular Korean Movie". The Chosun Ilbo. 4 October 2012. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  40. ↑ Sunwoo, Carla (5 January 2013). "Jun Ji-hyun injured in action scene". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2013-01-09. 
  41. ↑ Oh, Mi-jung (9 January 2013). "Jun Ji Hyun Says She Had to Pretend She was Awkward in Action Scenes for The Berlin File". enewsWorld. Retrieved 2013-01-09. 
  42. ↑ Lee, Jin-ho (3 February 2013). "Interview: Jun Ji Hyun Says She's Become More Confident Following Her Marriage". enewsWorld. Retrieved 2013-02-04. 
  43. ↑ Jeong, Ji-won (7 February 2013). "Jun Ji-hyun starts anew". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2013-02-07. 
  44. ↑ "Jeon Ji-hyun Back in My Sassy Girl Mode for TV Soap". The Chosun Ilbo. 21 December 2013. Retrieved 2014-01-08. 
  45. ↑ Bae, Ji-sook (17 December 2013). "Gianna Jun proves aging is good: Actress to return to small screen with Kim Soo-hyun on My Love from the Star". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2014-01-08. 
  46. ↑ Won, Ho-yeon (26 December 2013). "Jun Ji-hyun back on TV, sassier, flashier than ever". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2014-01-08. 
  47. ↑ Kim, Seo-jung (20 March 2007). "Stars break new ground in publicity rights case". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  48. ↑ "Stars Win Suit Over Unauthorized Photos". The Chosun Ilbo. 15 November 2007. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  49. ↑ Bae, Ji-sook (20 January 2009). "Actress Spied Over Duplicated Phones". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  50. ↑ Jang Joo-young, Park Sun-young (21 January 2009). "Top actress' cell phone cloned to eavesdrop". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  51. ↑ "Who Spied on Jeon Ji-hyun?". The Chosun Ilbo. 21 January 2009. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  52. ↑ "Jeon Ji-hyun Scandal Turns Searchlight on Agencies". The Chosun Ilbo. 21 January 2009. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  53. ↑ Jang, Joo-young (23 January 2009). "Man who cloned star's phone arrested". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  54. ↑ "Jeon Ji-hyun's Agent Cleared of Phone Cloning". The Chosun Ilbo. 17 April 2009. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  55. ↑ "Jeon Ji-hyun Cell Phone Rigger Gets Jail". The Chosun Ilbo. 27 March 2009. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  56. ↑ "Jeon Ji-hyun Stars in Jeans Catalogue". The Chosun Ilbo. 9 February 2011. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  57. ↑ Kim, Jessica (7 April 2011). "Jun Ji-hyun investigated by financial watchdog in Jan". 10Asia. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  58. ↑ Kim, Jessica (7 April 2011). "IHQ chief denies using Jun Ji-hyun's bank account illegally". 10Asia. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  59. ↑ Sunwoo, Carla (23 March 2012). "Designer talks about actress granddaughter-in-law Jun Ji-hyun". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  60. ↑ Cho, Chung-un (13 April 2012). "Actress Jun Ji-hyun ties the knot". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  61. ↑ Kwon, Mee-yoo (13 April 2012). "Actress Jun ties knot with designer's grandson". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  62. ↑ "Today's Photo: April 14, 2012". The Chosun Ilbo. 14 April 2012. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  63. ↑ Lee, Jin-ho (14 April 2012). "Jun Ji Hyun Ties Knot With Banker". enewsWorld. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  64. ↑ Han, Ah-yeong (14 April 2012). "Jun Jihyun reveals her love story and propose". StarN News. Retrieved 2012-12-26. 
  65. ↑ "Jeon Ji Hyun marries Choi Jun Hyuk in lavish ceremony". Channel NewsAsia. 16 April 2012. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  66. ↑ Sunwoo, Carla (20 April 2012). "Jun Ji-hyun to star in wedding pictorial for Elle Asia". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 
  67. ↑ Lee, Eun-ah (10 July 2013). "Lee Byung-hun, Jun Ji-hyun to Receive Producers Award at Puchon Film Fest". TenAsia. Retrieved 2013-07-11. 
  68. ↑ Lee, Sun-min (11 July 2013). "Lee, Jun named Producers' Choice". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2013-07-11. 

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