In 1990, the year she turned 17, she entered show business as a commercial model. In 1992 she began acting in the drama Our Heaven. In 1995 she appeared in KBS 2TV’s Our Sunny Days of Youth, which peaked above 60 percent in ratings.
The breakthrough yearThe year she turned 24, her first film, Contact, was released. She won best new actress at that year’s Blue Dragon and Grand Bell awards, and several outlets describe the film as when she rose to stardom.
In 1998 her second film, A Promise, drew 700,000 admissions in Seoul alone. In 1999 she won best actress at the Blue Dragon Film Awards for The Harmonium in My Memory, and Happy End was released.
In 2003 she played Lady Jeong in Untold Scandal. In 2005, You Are My Sunshine was released, and she won the grand prize at the SBS Drama Awards for Lovers in Prague. In 2006 she won best actress at the Grand Bell Awards for You Are My Sunshine.
In 2007 she married and, a little over two months later, won best actress at the Cannes Film Festival for Secret Sunshine. She was the first Korean actress to do so. In 2009 she gave birth to her first daughter. In 2010, The Housemaid was invited to the Cannes competition.
In 2014 she became the first Korean actor to serve as a juror at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2016 she won best actress in film at the Baeksang Arts Awards for The Shameless, and appeared in The Good Wife, her first drama in 11 years. In 2017 the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival held a special program of 17 of her films.
In 2019, Birthday was released. In 2020 she won best actress in film at the Baeksang Arts Awards for Birthday. In 2023, tvN’s Crash Course in Romance and the Netflix film Kill Boksoon followed one after another.
In 2024 she returned to the stage in The Cherry Orchard after 27 years. In 2025, Netflix’s The Price of Confession was released. The year she turned 53, Possible Love, in which she appears, won the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize at the Venice International Film Festival.
Jeon Do-yeon (born Feb 11, 1973) debuted as a commercial model in 1990, the year she turned 17, and became known with her first film, Contact, released on Sep 13, 1997, the year she turned 24. In 2007, the year she turned 34, she won best actress at the Cannes Film Festival for Secret Sunshine.
Ages are by calendar year (the year minus the birth year), birthdays aside.
She entered show business as a commercial model. Shin Dong-A says it was for a Johnson & Johnson commercial, and Yonhap News Agency says for a cosmetics company.
Source 02 · Shin Dong-A (Korean) · Kill Boksoon and Jeon Do-yeon · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Who is the woman of Cannes, Jeon Do-yeon? · opens in a new tabSource 09 · Dong-A Ilbo (Korean) · Press conference for The Cherry Orchard · opens in a new tabSports Chosun says she began acting in earnest in this drama.
Source 03 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Jeon Do-yeon and Jung Woo-sung, 30 years since their debuts · opens in a new tabSource 07 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Who is Jeon Do-yeon, Cannes best actress? · opens in a new tab The year follows Sports Chosun’s 2020 article. The same outlet’s 2007 article gives 1994 for this drama, so the articles differ.Sports Donga says she was gradually gaining popularity from this drama.
Source 03 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Jeon Do-yeon and Jung Woo-sung, 30 years since their debuts · opens in a new tabSource 04 · Sports Donga (Korean) · The start of the legend of Our Sunny Days of Youth · opens in a new tabShe played the younger sister of Ha Hee-ra’s character. The drama started at 24.9 percent for its first episode and peaked above 60 percent.
Source 04 · Sports Donga (Korean) · The start of the legend of Our Sunny Days of Youth · opens in a new tabSource 05 · Ilgan Sports (Korean) · The jewel found by Our Sunny Days of Youth · opens in a new tabSource 08 · TV Report (Korean) · Jeon Do-yeon, from nasal-voice actor to goddess of acting · opens in a new tabShe left the stage after this play and worked in film and television.
Source 09 · Dong-A Ilbo (Korean) · Press conference for The Cherry Orchard · opens in a new tabHer first film, in which she starred with Han Suk-kyu, won her best new actress at that year’s Blue Dragon and Grand Bell awards. Shin Dong-A and Ilgan Sports say she rose to stardom overnight with this work.
Her second film, with Park Shin-yang, drew 700,000 admissions in Seoul alone. It won her best actress in film at the Baeksang Arts Awards.
Source 10 · OhmyNews (Korean) · Looking back at the film A Promise · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Who is the woman of Cannes, Jeon Do-yeon? · opens in a new tabWon for The Harmonium in My Memory. Her name was also on the list of Popular Star Award winners at the same ceremony.
Source 11 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · 20th Blue Dragon Film Awards · opens in a new tab The date of the ceremony could not be confirmed from the article, so only the month of the report (Dec. 14, 1999) is given.Segye Ilbo says her nude scenes drew attention.
Source 12 · Segye Ilbo (Korean) · Contact: Jeon Do-yeon and director Jang Yoon-hyun · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Who is the woman of Cannes, Jeon Do-yeon? · opens in a new tabNewsen says she won for The Harmonium in My Memory.
Source 13 · Newsen (Korean) · 43rd Grand Bell Awards best actress · opens in a new tabSource 47 · Kukmin Ilbo (Korean) · 43rd Grand Bell Awards · opens in a new tab Kukmin Ilbo gives the winning film as Happy End, which differs from Newsen.She appeared with Sol Kyung-gu. They met again 18 years later in Birthday.
Source 14 · My Daily (Korean) · Birthday released · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Who is the woman of Cannes, Jeon Do-yeon? · opens in a new tab The year follows My Daily. Yonhap News Agency gives this film as 2000.She appeared as an older-woman-younger-man couple with Jo In-sung.
Source 03 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Jeon Do-yeon and Jung Woo-sung, 30 years since their debuts · opens in a new tabSource 08 · TV Report (Korean) · Jeon Do-yeon, from nasal-voice actor to goddess of acting · opens in a new tabShe starred with Bae Yong-joon and Lee Mi-sook, as Lady Jeong (Sukbuin).
Source 15 · Newsis (Korean) · First showing of the film Untold Scandal · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Who is the woman of Cannes, Jeon Do-yeon? · opens in a new tabShe played two roles and appeared with Park Hae-il. Ilgan Sports reports that she cried for the first time watching her own film.
Source 16 · Ilgan Sports (Korean) · Stage greetings for My Mother, the Mermaid · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Who is the woman of Cannes, Jeon Do-yeon? · opens in a new tabDirected by Park Jin-pyo and starring Hwang Jung-min, it was based on a true story.
Source 17 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · First week of You Are My Sunshine · opens in a new tabWon for Lovers in Prague, in which she appeared as the president’s daughter.
Source 18 · Newsen (Korean) · 2005 SBS Drama Awards · opens in a new tabWon for You Are My Sunshine. It was her first Grand Bell best actress award in six years, since 2000.
Source 13 · Newsen (Korean) · 43rd Grand Bell Awards best actress · opens in a new tabSource 47 · Kukmin Ilbo (Korean) · 43rd Grand Bell Awards · opens in a new tabShe held a private wedding ceremony with a businessman at the Shilla Hotel in Jangchung-dong, Seoul.
Source 19 · Dailian (Korean) · Private wedding · opens in a new tabWon best actress at the closing ceremony for Lee Chang-dong’s Secret Sunshine. She was the first Korean actress to win it.
Source 20 · Newsen (Korean) · Wins best actress at Cannes · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Who is the woman of Cannes, Jeon Do-yeon? · opens in a new tabSource 07 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Who is Jeon Do-yeon, Cannes best actress? · opens in a new tabShe received the order in the minister’s office at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. It is the fourth of the five classes of the Order of Cultural Merit.
Source 21 · Newsen (Korean) · Okgwan Order of Cultural Merit · opens in a new tabIn Lee Yoon-ki’s film she appeared with Ha Jung-woo, as Hee-su.
Source 22 · Seoul Shinmun (Korean) · Press screening of A Good Day to Have an Affair · opens in a new tabShe gave birth to a daughter at an obstetrics clinic in Gangnam, Seoul.
Source 23 · Nocut News (Korean) · Birth of her first daughter · opens in a new tabHer agency announced the honor of Chevalier. Nocut News says her 2007 Cannes best actress credential reportedly counted heavily.
Source 24 · Nocut News (Korean) · French Order of Arts and Letters · opens in a new tab The date is the agency’s announcement. The date of the presentation could not be confirmed in articles.Im Sang-soo’s film made the list of competition entries at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival, alongside Lee Chang-dong’s Poetry.
Source 25 · Herald Economy (Korean) · Poetry and The Housemaid invited to the Cannes competition · opens in a new tabShe signed with the management company that launched by taking on Gong Hyo-jin.
Source 26 · Segye Ilbo (Sports World) (Korean) · Exclusive contract with Management Soop · opens in a new tab The articles give no contract date, so only the month of the report (Aug. 2, 2011) is given.Her first film in about a year and five months since The Housemaid, she played an ex-convict for fraud.
Source 27 · Star Today (Korean) · Countdown released · opens in a new tabA true story of a housewife jailed in Martinique after being mistaken for a drug courier; she played Song Jeong-yeon. It was No. 1 at the box office on its first day.
Source 28 · OSEN (Korean) · Way Back Home No. 1 on opening day · opens in a new tabThe Cannes Film Festival organizing committee announced its jury list. She was the first Korean actor on the jury.
Source 29 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Named a Cannes juror · opens in a new tabShe starred with Kim Nam-gil in Oh Seung-uk’s film. It was invited to the Un Certain Regard section of the 68th Cannes Film Festival.
Source 30 · Star News (Korean) · The Shameless in Un Certain Regard at Cannes · opens in a new tabWon for The Shameless. She had also won best actress at the Buil Film Awards and the Film of the Year Awards for the film.
Source 31 · My Daily (Korean) · 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards · opens in a new tabIt was her first drama in 11 years since Lovers in Prague in 2005. She played Kim Hye-kyung, returning as a law firm attorney.
Source 32 · Newsen (Korean) · The Good Wife first airs · opens in a new tabIn a special program arranged by the 21st festival, 17 of her films were shown. She held a press conference in Bucheon that day.
Source 33 · Sports Donga (Korean) · BIFAN special program on Jeon Do-yeon · opens in a new tabA story of those left behind after the Sewol ferry disaster; she played Sun-nam. It was her first project with Sol Kyung-gu in 18 years.
Source 14 · My Daily (Korean) · Birthday released · opens in a new tabShe played Yeon-hee, appearing with Jung Woo-sung. It was No. 1 at the box office on its first day.
Source 34 · Sports Today (Korean) · Beasts Clawing at Straws · opens in a new tabSource 03 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Jeon Do-yeon and Jung Woo-sung, 30 years since their debuts · opens in a new tabWon for Birthday.
Source 35 · My Daily (Korean) · 56th Baeksang Arts Awards · opens in a new tabShe starred with Ryu Jun-yeol, as Bu-jeong. It was her first drama in five years.
Source 36 · The Fact (Korean) · Lost first airs · opens in a new tabIt was her first project with Song Kang-ho since Secret Sunshine.
Source 37 · Star News (Korean) · Screening of Emergency Declaration · opens in a new tabShe played Nam Haeng-seon, who runs a side-dish shop, with Jung Kyung-ho.
Source 38 · OSEN (Korean) · Crash Course in Romance first airs · opens in a new tabIn Byun Sung-hyun’s film she played Gil Bok-soon, a killer in the contract-killing industry.
Source 39 · News1 (Korean) · Kill Boksoon released · opens in a new tabIt opened at LG Arts Center Seoul and she played Song Do-yeong. It was her first stage play in 27 years, since Educating Rita in 1997.
Source 40 · The Kyunghyang Shinmun (Korean) · The play The Cherry Orchard · opens in a new tabSource 09 · Dong-A Ilbo (Korean) · Press conference for The Cherry Orchard · opens in a new tabIn Oh Seung-uk’s film she played Su-yeong, a former police officer just out of prison.
Source 41 · Newsen (Korean) · Revolver released · opens in a new tabShe played An Yun-su, accused of killing her husband, with Kim Go-eun.
Source 42 · JTBC (Korean) · The Price of Confession released · opens in a new tabLee Chang-dong’s film won the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize at the closing ceremony of the 83rd Venice International Film Festival. She has worked with Lee on Secret Sunshine.
Source 43 · News1 (Korean) · Possible Love wins the Venice Grand Jury Prize · opens in a new tabSource 44 · Ilgan Sports (Korean) · Press screening of Possible Love · opens in a new tabEND OF SELECTED RECORDSSelected records, 1990–2026 · not a complete list of work. “Key moment” is an editorial label, not a measure of success.
What did they do, and at what age?
AgeTrail lines up the key moments of a life by age.
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Film & TV · South Korea
Feb 11, 1973 —
Ages are counted from the birth year 1973: the year of the event minus 1973, birthdays aside. “Key moment” labels and the connecting story are AgeTrail's editorial reading.
Fact-checked: 2026.09.22 · An independent archive, not affiliated with the person or their agency.