Bae Doona is a South Korean actor, model, and photographer who began her career as a model in 1999 before moving into acting with the television drama series ‘School.’ In the same year, she starred in ‘The Ring Virus,’ a Korean adaptation of the popular Japanese horror film ‘The Ring.’ She was, however, destined to become one of the few South Korean actors to carve out a niche for herself on the international stage. Her film ‘Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance’ was a box office success in the United States, and she and director Park Chan-wook became Hollywood and European movie stars. Apart from notable work in Korea, such as ‘Doomsday Book’ and ‘Saving my Hubby,’ director Bong Joon-horror ho’s comedy picture ‘The Host’ also made it huge overseas, and she was suddenly becoming an international icon. She finally made her Hollywood debut in The Wachowskis’ mega-budget film ‘Cloud Atlas,’ and more recently in Netflix’s ‘Sense8,’ also directed by The Wachowskis. Aside from film roles, she has appeared in television shows such as ‘Someday,’ ‘Gloria,’ and ‘Beating Heart.’
Childhood and Adolescence
Bae Doo-na was born in a well-respected household in Seoul, South Korea on October 11, 1979. Her mother, Kim Hwa-young, was a seasoned stage performer, and it was Bae’s first introduction to the entertainment industry. She’d follow her mother about all the time, and she’d be amazed by all the passions she saw while the actors were practicing their lines during the play rehearsals.
The event had a profound effect on her, and while she enjoyed what she saw in there, she had a deep conviction that only unique people were capable of bringing anything extraordinary to life. Bae, on the other hand, couldn’t stop himself from rehearsing lines with the performers and closely examining their demeanor and demeanor. Later interviews revealed that it consumed a significant portion of her childhood, and that the experience she gained at the theatre rehearsals was far superior to any film school she could have attended. But, in the end, it wasn’t the right time for her to start thinking about being an actress.
She grew up in Seoul with great artistic ambitions, thanks to her mother’s constant discussions about the intricacies of acting at her home, which piqued Bae’s interest in acting as a career during her adolescence. And when she told her parents about her ambitions, there was no way they could say no, so she enrolled in Konkuk University’s Department of Fine Arts to further her education in filmmaking and acting.
In the late 1990s, Bae attended Hanyang University, when she was accidently discovered by a talent agency while roaming around Seoul with her friends. She accepted the invitation to appear in COOLDOG’s catalog, and after a few more modeling gigs, her desire of becoming a film actor became more and more evident to her, prompting her to drop out of college and begin applying for roles in films and television.
Career of Bae Doona
She made her movie debut in the TV drama ‘School’ in 1999, but it was her performance in the film ‘The Ring Virus’ that garnered her global attention. The film was eagerly anticipated by Korean moviegoers because it was a remake of the very successful Japanese horror film ‘The Ring,’ and director Park Chan-wook was attempting to establish himself in the Korean film business at the time.
When Chan was seeking for actresses for his film ‘Barking Dogs Never Bite,’ he came across Bae and was immediately drawn to her previous roles. When the film was released in 2000, it became a cult sensation, indicating that this would be one of Bae’s most fruitful partnerships. Bae wore almost little makeup in the film, which was unusual for Korean actors at the time, earning her praise. In the same year, she also starred in the drama series ‘Mothers and Sisters.’
She then appeared in two somewhat popular films, ‘Plum Blossom’ and ‘Take Care of My Cat,’ before reuniting with Park Chan-wook for ‘Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance,’ a revenge thriller. This was the first installment of Chan’s legendary retribution trilogy, and it went on to be a huge economic and critical success in Korea. Bae’s next two films, dubbed ‘Tube’ and ‘Spring Bears Love,’ were enormous failures that opened doors for her to gain more roles.
This had a bad impact on Bae, so she took a vacation from movies and focused on her other passion, photography. In 2005, she had a strong comeback in the Japanese film ‘Linda Linda Linda,’ and later that year, she starred in the experimental television series ‘Beating Heart.’
Then, in 2006, came ‘The Host,’ helmed by internationally recognized director Bong Joon-ho, which became the biggest grossing Korean film of all time and an international blockbuster upon its release.
After then, Bae appeared in a few TV shows, including ‘Someday’ and ‘How to Meet a Perfect Stranger.’ These two parts solidified her reputation as the best active South Korean actor with a keen sense of script. She was praised for her performance as a high school teacher in the horror film ‘Air Doll’ in 2009, and later for her role as a singer in the television shows ‘Master of Study’ and ‘Gloria.’
During that period, she developed a sizable international following, notably among American directors. 2012 was a big year for her because it was the start of her collaborations with the cult Hollywood filmmaking team The Wachowskis, with the mega-budget experimental film ‘Cloud Atlas,’ which starred Bae in a variety of characters. The film received critical acclaim around the world for its bold storytelling tactics and ground-breaking visual effects.
Bae later returned to Korea to play a female police officer in the 2014 film ‘A Girl at My Door.’ Bae won the title for Best Actress at the Asian Film Awards for her remarkable performance in the film, which went on to screen at the renowned Cannes Film Festival. Bae became so emotionally attached to the character that she volunteered to work on it for free.
Wachowskis sought her again in 2015 for the space opera ‘Jupiter Ascending,’ in which she played a bounty hunter in a cameo role. It was followed by work with the directors for the series ‘Sense8,’ which would make her a household name in America. The Netflix philosophical TV series followed a group of people from all over the world who were telekinetically linked to one another. The series was a critical and commercial triumph, and Bae became America’s favorite Korean actress.
She just starred in the show ‘Tunnel,’ and she is set to be in the upcoming film ‘Drug King,’ which is another ambitious undertaking.
Bae has received numerous honors for her acting, including the Blue Dragon Award, the Busan Film Critics Award, and a Director’s Cut Award, among others.
Personal Experiences of Bae Doona
Bae Doona is very active on social media sites, and she maintains in touch with her fans via Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook as her fan base continues to increase with each of her endeavors.
Bae is rumored to be dating Jim Sturgess, and the couple has discussed getting married, but neither party has confirmed anything.