In this post, you will learn about Do Ji-won, a South Korean actress who became so popular for her roles in movies like Ladies of the Palace (2001), Punch Lady (2007), Smile Again (2010), and Healer (2014). 

Do Ji-won’s cute photo clip from her Insta page

Do Ji-won still looks so beautiful in her 50s that people say her appearance closely resembles that of Miki Fujimoto, a Japanese actress who is also active on Instagram.

Miki Fujimoto, a Japanese actress who highly resembles Do Ji-won

Here I have summarized Do Ji-won’s profile, top starring roles in movies and dramas, reasons why she never married, incidents that happened when she was in her 30s, and her Instagram.

Profile of Do Ji-won

Name at Birth: Do Ji-won

Born on February 14, 1966

Born in Seoul

167cm

48 kg

Type B

Active in the industry from 1989

Agent: Namoo Actors

Siblings: 4 siblings, an older sister and two younger brothers (Names of her siblings are not known)

Do Ji-won in her angelic white dress

Do Ji-won was born as the second of four siblings to parents who run a textile factory. As a child, she was a tomboy who played with boys in a playful manner.

Do Ji-won in front of KBS broadcasting station

She started ballet in junior high school and went on to an arts high school, where she played the role of the queen in the school’s performance of “The Nutcracker. She received her Bachelor of Science in Dance from Hanyang University in 1988.

Then she joined the National Ballet Company, where she was selected as the model for the ballet company’s advertisements and this paved the way for her doubt in the entertainment industry. 

She left the company due to a foot injury. When asked about this, she said, “I have no regrets about quitting ballet, but it was before the performance of Giselle, and I regret that I finished without it.”

In 2001, she starred in her most acclaimed role as Park Gyeong Bin, the 4th consort of King Jungjong in Ladies of the Palace historical drama, which helped push her recognition to newer heights. 

In 2001, Do Ji-won got the Best Performance Award at the SBS Acting Awards for her role in “Women in Heaven,” which turned her into a national actress.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0XSTK0rRac

Even now in her 50s, she is known as a beautiful woman who brings smiles on the faces of people in their 20s and 30s.

Do Ji-won wishing the audience at the end of a day’s film shoot

Do Ji-won and Shin Se-kyung played the mother and daughter roles in the 2006 horror film Cinderella whose plot was centered on a serial killer who was targeting high school girls who had undergone facial plastic surgery. This movie was a big turning point in her career.

In the 2007 comedy drama Punch Lady, she starred as the lead role of a troubled housewife facing domestic abuse in the hands of her husband who is an expert in martial arts. When his tortures cross the limits, she starts learning martial arts and publicly challenges her husband announcing a duel on the ring.

Her other notable roles are as the estranged wife of Ahn Nae-sang in Three Brothers (2009), as the mentally challenged mother of Ji Chang-wook in Smile Again (2010). 

Smile Again was the talk of the town for a long time after its release. She too showed up her startling performance in movies like Healer (2014) and Unkind Ladies (2015)

In 1990, Do Ji-won won the Best New Actress award at the KBS Drama Awards for her role in Seoul Ddukbaegi. 

In 2001, she bagged the Top 10 Star Awards given at SBS Drama Awards. In the same year, she got the Top Excellence Award for an Actress for her notable performance in Ladies of the Palace. \

Her performance in Smile Again fetched her the Excellence Award for an actress in a daily drama at the 2011 KBS Drama Awards. 

What was Do Ji-won case?

In July 1998 at the age of 32, Do Ji-won was abducted by a man and woman in a car. 

After finishing her workout at a gym, she was about to get into her car parked in an underground parking lot when the two threatened her with a knife, blindfolded her, tied her mouth, and hands with tape, and locked her up in the trunk of their car.

After driving her for around five hours, the criminals withdrew 700,000 won from her cash card and fled after releasing her. On the next day, the criminals called her home and demanded more money threatening that they would harm the family for failing to fulfill their demand. 

Four months later, the perpetrators attached a piece of paper to Do Ji-won’s car demanding 50 million won. When the money was not immediately transferred, the criminals continued their threats for two months. She did not report the incident to the police.

It is unclear whether she was concerned that the incident would spread false rumors about her successful career as an actress, or if she did not resist the perpetrators for fear of inviting harm to the family members.

The perpetrator, who was unable to receive the money, parked in front of Do Ji-won’s house late at night to wait for the next opportunity to commit the crime. The suspect was caught by the police and was arrested under suspicion while taking a nap in his own car. 

The criminals, a man and woman in their 20s, said during the investigation that they picked up the broadcaster’s notebook in an alley in Seoul, saw Do Ji-won’s contact information and schedule written in it, and decided to commit the crime.

The notebook contained information about 1,000 celebrities, and the criminals checked about 20 of them, all of whom were actresses. The perpetrators were subsequently sentenced to 10 years and 5 years in prison.

Why is Do Ji-won Not Married?

Do Ji-won has never married until now. 

Perhaps because she has looked so good in her roles wearing wedding dresses, there were rumors among netizens that she was married as they have mistaken her image for an actual image of cladding a wedding attire. 

The reason for her unmarried status could be one of the following. One, when asked why she did not marry, she said, “It’s because I’ve been working hard, isn’t it?” Another time she said, “I just haven’t found a partner until now.” During interviews, the questions regarding her marriage seemed to have troubled her. 

According to some sources, Do Ji-won is not the type of person who socializes much and rarely goes out when she is not working.

Ji Chang-wook, who co-starred with Do Ji-won in “Laugh to the Tone,” was troubled because he said he could not have a conversation with Do Ji-won.

Ji Chang-wook, who co-starred with Do Ji-won in Laugh to the Tone 

As for why they don’t interact, some people around them say it may be because she is physically weak. Once she collapsed and was hospitalized during the filming of “My Cousin Geumsa Wol.”

In Korea, where drinking is considered important, the fact that she can hardly drink alcohol may also make it difficult for her to socialize.

Is the Kidnapping One Of The Reasons Why Do Ji-won Doesn’t Want To Married?

It is also said that the kidnapping incident she went through may be a major factor that is stopping her from getting married. They say that this incident might have traumatized her, making her avoid people.

Perhaps the reason why she has been working hard with her career is to forget about it.

Whatever be the case, the episode of her abduction for extortion must have been the most significant and traumatic event in Do Ji-won’s life.

When asked who will make the ideal life partner for her, she said, “ A serious person who is firm in his intentions and does his best in the work he is entrusted with. My ideal man is understanding, sincere, and easy to be with. He is also very easy to get along with.”

Do Ji-won’s Instagram

Do Ji-won has posted a lot of cool pictures of her on her Insta account. She is seen often getting so sentimental about her friends, evident in her messages accompanying the pictures posted. 

We see Do Ji-won as a nice personality, kind, friendly and talented too. Here are a few pictures sourced from her Insta account. 

Do Ji-won admiring one of the best settings in nature
Do Ji-won at KBS coffee shop
Do Ji-won bidding farewell with her pals on the final show of One Love
Do Ji-won celebrating Christmas
Do Ji-won eagerly waiting for someone?
Do Ji-won enjoying the sunset sea at the end of a shooting
Do Ji-won flying with her passions
Do Ji-won in front of the camera at Queen of 7 Days shooting
Do Ji-won looks pretty with colorful edits
Do Ji-won on a rainy Wednesday
Do Ji-won preparing the recording site for thanksgiving day program
Do Ji-won preparing to enjoy the spring time
Do Ji-won starring in Queen of 7 Days
Do Ji-won wishing a Happy New Year on January 1, 2020
Do Ji-won with actress Jung Yumi at Bravo, My Life shooting
Do Ji-won with her pals at the Namoo Actors
Do Ji-won with SBS staff after filming
Do Ji-won with SBS staff and cast just before the last episode of Bravo, My Life
Do Ji-won with Seohyun during their first meeting

Finally

The first incident occurred in July 1998 and the culprit was arrested in November, and the incident was only reported in January 1999.

Everything came to the limelight only after the case was already over, and it was big news at that time.

Many of her fans had not known anything about the entire episode of her abduction and the ransom she paid to save herself and her family. The release of the news left them in anguish.

This grave incident has left an indelible mark on her life and attitude. 

It is hard to understand that she did not report the incident to the police in the modern sense, but there seemed to be no comment from her about the incident because it would have been digging up the old wounds.

Categorized in:

Tagged in: