Cho Yeo-jeong is a South Korean actress. She is best known internationally for her role as Mrs. Park in the 2019 Academy Award-winning film Parasite. She is also known for her leading roles in the films The Servant and The Concubine, as well as for starring in the television seriesI Need Romance.
Life and career
Cho Yeo-jeong was born in Seoul, South Korea. She debuted as a CeCiMagazine cover girl at the age of 16 in 1997, and began actively acting in 1999. Despite appearing in drama series, music videos, and TV commercials afterwards, she remained obscure. During this period, she was also unhappy with the limited roles being offered to her. Then Cho rose to the spotlight in 2010 by starring as the ambitious Joseon woman of lower class in the erotic period dramaThe Servant. The R-rated movie, which was a newly adapted and tragic version of Korea's famous folktale The Story of Chunhyang, had been turned down by a number of actresses because it contained too many sex scenes. Cho, however, took advantage of the opportunity and it turned out to be a huge stepping stone in her career. Upon the release of the film, Cho successfully escaped being "another pretty face" in Korea's entertainment scene. In 2011, Cho starred in hit cable series I Need Romance, a sexually frank and funny comedy about a group of single thirty-something girlfriends navigating the dating scene in Seoul, which boasted stylish and slick production values. Few would have expected her to star in another period drama that required full nudity, as doing so may have stigmatized her in Korea's film industry. Despite the collective concerns expressed by local media that she was "going nude too often," in 2012 the actress chose another period thriller with explicit sex scenes. She had admired the work of director Kim Dae-seung and wanted to work with him, so after reading his latest script, she pursued being cast as the complex titular character of The Concubine. Despite the hype, the film was critically praised. In an interview for the film, Cho said that most of all, she wants to be seen as an adventurous and intriguing actress. In the 2012 romantic comedy series Haeundae Lovers, Cho played the bright and cheerful daughter of a Busan gangster, who falls in love with the amnesiac undercover prosecutor living with them. A year later, Cho's book Healing Beauty was published, containing tips and advice on health and beauty, based on the know-how she's amassed as an actress over her 16-year career. In 2013, Cho became involved in a publicized contract dispute when she signed a new contract with Bom Entertainment while her contract with Didim531 was still in effect. The Korea Entertainment Management Association suggested that Cho avoid working with both agencies, and she joined Neos Entertainment in 2014. Cho starred in two movies in 2014. She reunited with director Kim Dae-woo in another erotic period film, this time set during the Vietnam War, titled Obsessed. She also played an abducted wife in The Target, a remake of French action-thriller Point Blank. In 2015, Cho starred in the sex comedy , which she said made her realize "how gratifying it is to see people laughing because of me." She said further, "Casa Amor: Exclusive for Ladies is the first film I've done in a long time whose story focuses on women. I hope that, building on the success of this film, more films featuring women's voices and experiences are made."
