Go Hyun-jung

Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Go Hyun-jung

Role / Field:

Acclaimed South Korean actress known for dramatic roles and career comebacks.

Born:

1971-03-02

Century / Era:

1971s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Go Hyun-jung (Korean: 고현정; born March 2, 1971) is a South Korean actress and beauty pageant titleholder. She debuted in the entertainment industry as a Miss Korea runner-up in 1989 and went on to star in Sandglass (1995), one of the highest-rated and critically acclaimed dramas in Korean television history. She retired after marrying chaebol Chung Yong-jin in 1995, then returned to acting after their divorce in 2003. Go has since regained her top star status in Korea, becoming the highest-paid actress on TV after the success of her series' Queen Seondeok (2009) and Big Thing (2010). Go Hyun-jung graduated from Dongguk University with a degree in Performing Arts.

Career & Major Achievements

She was a runner-up in the Miss Korea pageant in 1989, which launched her acting career. Her big break came in the 1995 SBS drama Sandglass. The drama dealt with modern Korean history from 1970 to the 1990s and was one of the highest rated dramas in Korean television history, with average ratings of 50.8% and a peak of 64.5%. People would rush home just to see a new episode, saying "it's time to go home," which meant they had to go home to watch Sandglass. However, following her marriage, Go announced her retirement from the industry.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

She staged a comeback in the 2005 melodrama Spring Day, which she followed up with May–December romantic comedy What's Up Fox? and police procedural H.I.T. Not content with her small screen success, Go began her late-blooming movie career by going against her image and taking pay cuts to star in non-mainstream films. She was part of the ensemble cast in arthouse films Woman on the Beach and Like You Know It All by auteur Hong Sang-soo. She then starred in Actresses, a semi-improvisational movie featuring six actresses each playing themselves. Director E J-yong, who was first inspired to make the film after going out for a drink with actresses Youn Yuh-jung and Go in 2007, said he focused on conveying the "reality" of the actresses' lives.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1970: 1970 Milestone — The drama dealt with modern Korean history from 1970 to the 1990s and was one of the highest rated dramas in Korean television history, with average ratings of 50.
2. 1971 (1971-03-02): Birth of Go Hyun-jung — Acclaimed South Korean actress known for dramatic roles and career comebacks.
3. 1989: 1989 Milestone — She debuted in the entertainment industry as a Miss Korea runner-up in 1989 and went on to star in Sandglass (1995), one of the highest-rated and critically acclaimed dramas in Korean television history.
4. 1995: 1995 Milestone — She retired after marrying chaebol Chung Yong-jin in 1995, then returned to acting after their divorce in 2003.
5. 2005: 2005 Milestone — She staged a comeback in the 2005 melodrama Spring Day, which she followed up with May–December romantic comedy What's Up Fox?
6. 2007: 2007 Milestone — Director E J-yong, who was first inspired to make the film after going out for a drink with actresses Youn Yuh-jung and Go in 2007, said he focused on conveying the "reality" of the actresses' lives.
7. 2009: 2009 Milestone — Go has since regained her top star status in Korea, becoming the highest-paid actress on TV after the success of her series' Queen Seondeok (2009) and Big Thing (2010).

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Go Hyun-jung

True or False: “Go Hyun-jung's initial breakthrough role in the drama Sandglass was highly rated, but she did not retire until after her marriage to Chung Yong-jin.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): She announced her retirement from the industry following her marriage in 1995, though she later returned to acting after their divorce.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abd El-Razzak El-Sanhuri — Contemporary (Died in 1971) (1971): Pioneering Egyptian jurist, celebrated for authoring the revised Civil Code of 1948.
• Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi — Contemporary (Born in 1971) (1971): Iraqi militant leader and founder of the Islamic State (IS)
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• Abdelaziz Bouteflika — Shared historical date (03-02 · Born) (1937): Algerian politician who served as the seventh President of Algeria from 1999 to 2019.
• Anthony Albanese — Shared historical date (03-02 · Born) (1963): Australian politician who served as the 31st Prime Minister of Australia since 2022.
• Adriano Giannini — Historical peer (Born in 1971) (1971): Italian actor known for dubbing and roles in film and television.
• Ahn Jae-wook — Historical peer (Born in 1971) (1971): Acclaimed South Korean actor and singer known for his dramatic stage presence.
• A. J. Ayer — Historical peer (Died in 1989) (1989): Influential English philosopher known for logical positivism and emotivism.
• Abbie Hoffman — Historical peer (Died in 1989) (1989): Iconic American activist, co-founder of the Yippies, and counterculture figure.
• Adolf Butenandt — Historical peer (Died in 1995) (1995): Pioneering German biochemist known for sex hormones and pheromone discovery.
• 1971 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1971
• March 2 (03-02) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on March 2

Frequently Asked Questions about Go Hyun-jung