Metro.Style Most Beautiful Korean Actresses: Song Hye-Kyo And Her Career Highlights
Life in the limelight was always in the cards for this A-list actress!
Not all actresses can say that they were right about feeling bound for greatness.
But for Song Hye-kyo—a leading celebrity from the generation of Hallyu stars who first introduced Korean pop culture to the world almost two decades ago—this was exactly the case! Enjoying local and international fame, a massive fan base, and the constant approval of even the most discerning film critics there are, Song Hye-kyo has established herself as one of the most iconic Korean actresses.
Who would have thought she had dreams of becoming a professional figure skater at first? But her stars had other plans for her. This stunning actress has become a very recognizable name for K-Drama fans everywhere (including those right here in the Philippines!).
She's nominated in Metro.Style's Most Beautiful Korean Actresses poll. At 38 years old, she's as youthful and glowing as ever, and that most definitely deserves to be celebrated along with her wonderful career.
Get to know ageless beauty Song Hye-kyo and her career-defining moments in the gallery below!
Get to Know Actress Song Hye-Kyo
Get to Know Actress Song Hye-Kyo
A high school-aged Song Hye-kyo always knew that she wanted to be a performer, but what kind, only time would tell. At first, she thought she was going to make it as an athlete—a figure skater, to be exact! It fit her svelte figure and it required elegance and grace which she obviously has, but there was something about the competitiveness of the sport that didn't quite sit well with her artistic sensibilities. Before college, Song Hye-kyo had quit the dream and went in search of another outlet to express her growing desire to perform.
Photo Credit: @suecommabonnie via @kyo1122
College came around soon enough, and like many young women hoping to build a career in front of an audience, she took up film. Even at this point, it wasn't clear to Song Hye-kyo that acting was for her; she simply enjoyed movies for their art, but seeing herself in them? That wasn't in the picture just yet. She tested the waters with small-time modeling gigs and when she saw (and felt) that she was a natural in front of the camera, she started to dream of bigger and better things, and there was no stopping her since.
Photo Credit: @suecommabonnie via @kyo1122
The late 90s were Song Hye-kyo's practice round for a glowing career in show business that would skyrocket for her come the new millennium. K-Drama "First Love" is considered her official acting debut, and it was followed up with a handful of bit parts and supporting roles in more TV series. It didn't take long at all for Song Hye-kyo to make her breakthrough with 2000's "Autumn in My Heart." The series wasn't only a hit in South Korea, but a commercial success across Asia, effectively making her one of the first Korean stars to enjoy international popularity!
Photo Credit: @suecommabonnie via @kyo1122
Before she turned 20, Song Hye-kyo had already earned the title of one of Korea's original Hallyu stars, and she would continue to live up to the title in her projects that followed. Easily moving back and forth between TV and film, Song Kye-hyo was paired with top-billed actors like Rain, Lee Byung-hun, and Hyun Bin. New as she was in the industry, she proved that she could match the talents of more experienced co-stars. There was one major goal that she set for herself, however: to break out of the mold that directors and producers limited her to, and prove that she had the versatility to shine, regardless of genre.
Photo Credit: @suecommabonnie via @kyo1122
At 22 years old, and already enjoying international success, Song Hye-kyo stepped back from her career's first peak to work on herself. Purposely wanting to live a life away from the limelight for a few months, she moved to Seattle on her own to accomplish two things: learn English, and more importantly, figure out what she wanted to get out of her career for her personal fulfillment. Though grateful for her commercial and critical success, a young Song Hye-kyo sought more than fame; acting to her was an extension of who she was, and it became more and more important to her to be able to express that onscreen.
Photo Credit: @kyo1122
Her brief US holiday proved to be transformative. She returned to South Korea with a more self-assured stance of who she was as an actress and found confidence in her decisions that she didn't have before; no longer passively agreeing to what others thought was best for her career, Song Hye-kyo took on a more active role in shaping her future in and outside of acting. Sooner than later, she was exploring other ways to express her creativity; she expanded her work into photography, documentaries, music, and fashion, a move that would make her the superstar that she is today.
Photo Credit: @kyo1122
Some of the must-see titles from the first half of her career are Korean TV and film classics. She starred in shows "All In," "Full House," and "The World That They Live in," and landed leading roles in movies "My Girl and I," "Hwang Jin-yi," and "Camellia - Love for Sale." Speaking for herself, she points out "A Reason to Live" as the film that helped her grow up; with this project, she felt she had the most difficulty getting in character and breathing life into a complex story. In the end, it was a rite of passage for her career.
Photo Credit: @suecommabonnie
Her career's second half, beginning in the early 2010s, had a lot more room for experimental projects. She worked overseas in foreign films, starred in adaptations, and secured her status as one of South Korea's most iconic actresses with "That Winter, The Wind Blows" in 2013 and "Descendants of the Sun" in 2016. Her most recent project was in 2018 via K-Drama "Encounter." After almost two decades in the industry, Song Hye-kyo doesn't shy away from saying she takes breaks from acting from time to time to recharge.
Photo Credit: @suecommabonnie via @kyo1122
Outside of show business, Song Hye-kyo also participates in philanthropic work (she loves animals!) and tourism-focused initiatives. When it comes to her personal life, she was briefly married to her "Descendants of the Sun" co-star Song Joong-ki. The couple divorced after 20 months of marriage.
Photo Credit: @kyo1122
You may still vote for Song Hye-kyo in Metro.Style's Most Beautiful Korean Actresses poll. Click here to vote! Voting is until September 29, Tuesday, 11:59 p.m.
Lead photos from Chaumet
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