Son, who adorned a pure and innocent image in her films The Classic and A Moment to Remember, was given the title of the "Nation's First Love" in Korea. Her next films also gained massive popularity in East Asia particularly in Japan: A Moment to Remember, based on a famous Japanese series, set box office records in Japan and sold over two million tickets in Korea, and April Snow in which she co-starred with superstar Bae Yong-joon was also a hit in Japan and China.
Son further solidified her status as a Hallyu ( Korean Wave) star in 2003 by taking the lead in TV drama Summer Scent, the third installment of season-themed tetralogy Endless Love drama series directed by Yoon Seok-ho. Both were solid mid-level hits in Korea, and The Classic in particular - being a work of My Sassy Girl director Kwak Jae-yong - received wide exposure in regions such as Hong Kong and mainland China, and launched Son into East Asia stardom.
The biggest success of her early career was in the subsequent films Lovers' Concerto and The Classic. Her first high-profile role in cinema was in Im Kwon-taek's Chi-hwa-seon, which screened at Cannes and took home a Best Director award in 2002. Son Ye-jin was the voice of Jung Mi-jo in Park Ki-hyung's film Secret Tears in 2000, and then went on to take the leading role in television dramas such as Delicious Proposal, Sun-hee and Jin-hee, and Great Ambition. 1.3 2016–present: Critical acclaim and global recognitionĬareer 2000–2005: Beginnings and East Asia stardom.
1.2 2006–2015: Film roles in diverse genres.1.1 2000–2005: Beginnings and East Asia stardom.