Five Song Hye-kyo Films to Watch

While typically receiving praise for her stunning appearance and talent for bringing out the best in Korean romance dramas, Song Hye-kyo has in fact persistently delved into a variety of genres, advocating excellent content and broadening her scope as an artist. The five films featured here exhibit the broad spectrum of her acting skills.

My Girl and I (2005) – Jeon Yun-su

This Korean version of the Japanese film Crying Out Love, In the Center of the World, based on the Kyoichi Katayama novel Socrates in Love, heralded Song Hye-kyo’s big-screen debut. Ten years after leaving his hometown, Kim Su-ho (Cha Tae-hyun) comes back for his high school reunion. While walking, he hears a girl’s voice beckoning to him. It is revealed that the day in question is the day that a girl named Bae Su-eun (Song) passed away—someone he hasn’t yet moved past.

In a flashback, Su-ho is shown dating the charming and popular Su-eun. Although their peers are quite envious of them, the couple’s love is unbreakable. Their lives begin to fall apart nevertheless, when Su-ho learns about Su-eun’s tragedy.

The movie is a fine instance of an emotionally charged romance that the actors expertly put together. In my mind, Song transcends stereotypes in how she serves her character.

Hwang Jin Yi (2007) – Chang Yoon-hyun

Her character choices have consistently encouraged her ascension. Hwang Jin Yi presents an enticing case here. Song plays the titular role, arguably the most famous courtesan or “gisaeng” in Korean history, adapted from Hong Seok-jung’s famed novel Hwangjini.

Jin-yi, before embarking on her life as a gisaeng, sleeps with Nomi (Yoo Ji-tae), a loyal family attendant. In time, she soars as one—exceedingly beautiful and brilliant. To the point where she is the center of attention, pampered by her clients. That, however, does not eliminate her sense of loneliness unless a bandit leader matching Nomi’s profile turns up in the vicinity and shakes up her life.

Make Yourself at Home (2008) – Soopum Sohn

Song was able to break out of her prior too-cute image thanks to her nuanced portrayal in Hwang Jin Yi. Besides, to broaden her horizons, she took on a yet more demanding role in the American independent film Make Yourself at Home (formerly titled Fetish).Song had an impressive run as Sookhy, a Korean woman living in suburban New Jersey whose obsession with the Caucasian couple living next door drives her nuts.

A Reason to Live (2011) – Lee Jeong-hyang

The actress, notably deft at drawing out a character’s deepest sentiments, captured with finesse the dichotomy of Da Hae’s (a documentary filmmaker’s) emotions in A Reason to Live. She is forced to radically reassess her decision to be empathetic after forgiving her fiancé’s 15-year-old offender upon learning that the guy killed a classmate shortly following his reprieve.

My Brilliant Life (2014) – E J-yong

Dae-soo (Gang Dong-won) and Mi-ra (Song) become parents at the age of 17 and elope after experiencing parental disapproval. Later, progeria, an uncommon genetic disorder causing its sufferers to age prematurely, is discovered in the newborn son of the couple, Ah-reum (Jo Sung-mok). His 16-year-old body is sickly and feeble, comparable to an 80-year-old. It becomes apparent that it’s unlikely he’ll live to see his 18th birthday. To cope, Ah-reum starts writing about how his young parents met and fell in love, expecting to present it to them as a gift on his 17^th birthday. Meanwhile, the parents, strain to pay for his medical bills and come to terms with Ah-reum deteriorating condition.

A sob story of love, life, and loss that makes you contemplate, bursting with emotions that linger with you long after the final credits have rolled. Excellent performances, and of course Song, who first portrays the bittersweet Mi-ra and then a suffering parent, doesn’t fail to make an impression with her well-timed expressiveness.