Song Ji Hyo | |
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Song Ji-hyo at the press conference for "Crime Squad", 2011
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Born |
Cheon Seong-im 15 August 1981 Pohang, North Gyeongsang, South Korea |
Education | Kyungmoon University (now Kookje College) - Tax and Accounting |
Occupation | Actress, Television Personality |
Years active | 2001-present |
Agent |
Namoo Actors (2005-2011) C-JeS Entertainment (2011-2015) Make You Company (2016-present) |
Korean name | |
Hangul | |
Hanja | |
Revised Romanization | Song Ji-hyo |
McCune–Reischauer | Song Chihyo |
Birth name | |
Hangul | |
Hanja | |
Revised Romanization | Cheon Seong-im |
McCune–Reischauer | Ch'ŏn Sŏngim |
Cheon Seong-im (born 15 August 1981), better known by her stage name Song Ji-hyo, is a South Korean actress and model. She first made her acting debut in Wishing Stairs (2003), one of the films in the Whispering Corridors film series. Her notable roles include being the ballerina Min Hyo-rin in the popular television series Princess Hours (2006), Lady Ye So-ya in Jumong (2007), the Queen in the movie A Frozen Flower (2008), and Oh Jin-hee in Emergency Couple (2014).
Song gained international fame for being the only female member of the popular Korean variety show Running Man, which made her popularity rise across Asia. Her strong and easy-going personality endeared her to many Korean and international fans.
Song was born in Pohang, one of the main seaport cities in North Gyeongsang, on 15 August 1981. She has a younger brother and a younger sister. She attended Daerim Elementary School, Hwagye Middle School and Ilsan Convention High School. Song dreamed of being an actress during her high school years after watching Park Shin-yang in the 1998 South Korean film, Promise. She graduated with a tax and accounting degree from Kyungmoon University (now Kookje College), located in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi. Before entering the acting world, it was revealed that Song was cast while working on a part-time job at a cafe.
Before Song's debut as an actress, she was a model for Kiki Magazine. She chose "Song Ji-hyo" as her stage name as she was inspired by the two famous actors Song Seung-heon and Song Hye-kyo. Song then appeared in the music video for Lee Soo-young's "And I Love You" and appeared in another music video for JTL's "Just Say Goodbye". She also made a cameo appearance in the last episode of the television drama Age of Innocence.