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Jung So-min – Age, Dramas, Boyfriend and Profile 2024

Ethan Caleb Mercer Mitchell • 2026-04-04 • Reviewed by Ethan Collins

South Korean actress Jung So-min has sustained a prominent career in television and film since her 2010 debut, transitioning from romantic comedy leads to complex fantasy and medical dramas. Born Kim Yoon-ji in Seoul, the 36-year-old performer has garnered international recognition through titles including Playful Kiss, Because This Is My First Life, and the hit series Alchemy of Souls, while maintaining a significant social media presence exceeding five million followers.

Her professional trajectory reflects deliberate genre diversification and strategic agency transitions, from initial recruitment at Bloom Entertainment to her current representation under IEUM HASHTAG. Beyond screen work, Jung trained extensively in classical ballet and traditional Korean dance throughout her youth, disciplines that informed her physical approach to acting despite her father’s initial nine-year opposition to her career choice.

Who is Jung So-min?

Born:1989, Seoul
Debut:2010
Breakthrough:Playful Kiss
Current Agency:IEUM HASHTAG
  • Born Kim Yoon-ji on March 16, 1989, making her 36 years old
  • Alumni of Korea National University of Arts with formal dance training
  • Debuted in SBS drama Bad Guy before landing first lead role months later
  • Previously dated actor Lee Joon from 2017 to 2020
  • Maintains Instagram presence @somin_jj with over 5 million followers
  • Received Excellence Awards at KBS Drama Awards for multiple performances
  • Starred in 2024 tvN drama Love Next Door as Bae Seokryu
Full Name Kim Yoon-ji (Jung So-min)
Date of Birth March 16, 1989
Age 36 years old
Birthplace Seoul, South Korea
Education Korea National University of Arts
Debut Year 2010
Notable Works Playful Kiss, Because This Is My First Life, Alchemy of Souls
Current Agency IEUM HASHTAG
Social Media Instagram @somin_jj
Family Younger brother

How old is Jung So-min and what are her personal details?

Jung So-min entered the world as Kim Yoon-ji on March 16, 1989, in Seoul, South Korea. Famous Birthdays confirms her current age as 36. Her artistic foundation began early with ballet training from elementary through middle school, followed by traditional Korean dance during high school. She subsequently enrolled at the Korea National University of Arts, developing technical performance skills that would later translate to screen acting.

Family background and early opposition

Her path to acting faced significant familial resistance. According to DramaBeans, Jung revealed that her father maintained strong opposition to her career choice, resulting in an awkward relationship lasting nine years. She has one younger sibling, though his name and personal details remain private. This strained parental dynamic persisted until her professional success established financial and artistic legitimacy.

Physical statistics and public presence

While specific height and weight measurements circulate unofficially, these figures lack verification from agency sources or confirmed interviews. Her public visibility centers primarily on Instagram, where she operates the verified account @somin_jj, accumulating over five million followers through personal and professional content sharing.

Unverified Physical Data

Specific height and weight measurements for Jung So-min appear in various online databases but lack confirmation from her agency IEUM HASHTAG or official profile statements. These details remain private.

What dramas has Jung So-min starred in?

Jung’s filmography spans nearly fifteen years across multiple genres, beginning with supporting roles before establishing leading lady status. Her career includes strategic hiatuses for education and deliberate genre shifts from romantic comedies to fantasy blockbusters and medical procedurals.

Breakthrough and early career (2010–2013)

She debuted in 2010 with a supporting role in SBS’s Bad Guy, immediately followed by her first leading performance in MBC’s Playful Kiss. Despite low domestic ratings, DramaBeans notes the series generated significant international popularity, establishing her overseas recognition. She paused professional activities in 2011 to focus on university studies. In 2013, she transitioned from Bloom Entertainment to SM Culture & Contents.

Genre expansion (2014–2020)

This period marked deliberate diversification. She portrayed a self-centered heiress in Big Man (2014) and appeared in the coming-of-age film Twenty. Her 2016 web drama The Sound of Your Heart opposite Lee Kwang-soo achieved over 100 million views on Chinese platform Sohu. She earned KBS Drama Awards recognition for My Father is Strange (2017) and Soul Repairer (2020), while signing with Jellyfish Entertainment in June 2017 following her SM C&C departure.

Recent successes (2021–2024)

Jung starred as Na Youngwon in JTBC’s fantasy epic Alchemy of Souls across 2021 and its 2022 second season. KProfiles documents her 2024 return to romantic comedy through tvN’s Love Next Door, playing Bae Seokryu. Her performance in the supernatural romance film Alice: Boy from Wonderland and disaster-medical drama D-Day further demonstrates her range.

Is Jung So-min dating Song Joong-ki?

No verified information confirms a romantic relationship between Jung So-min and Song Joong-ki. While search queries frequently associate the two names, available research indicates no official reports or agency confirmations of such a connection exist in the public record.

Confirmed relationship history

Jung maintained a three-year relationship with actor Lee Joon, her co-star from My Father is Strange. The couple began dating in October 2017, with both agencies publicly confirming the relationship. On June 26, 2020, representatives from both sides announced their amicable separation, marking her only publicly verified romantic involvement.

Unsubstantiated Rumors

Reports linking Jung So-min romantically to Song Joong-ki lack confirmation from IEUM HASHTAG, her representatives, or established Korean entertainment news outlets. These associations appear speculative.

Jung So-min family and recent news

Beyond her confirmed younger brother, specific family details including her sibling’s name, occupation, and military enlistment status remain undisclosed. The actress maintains strict privacy boundaries regarding her immediate family, consistent with her broader approach to separating public and private spheres.

Brother’s Military Status

Claims regarding Jung So-min’s brother completing or beginning mandatory military service cannot be verified through available public records or agency statements. This information remains private.

Career timeline and major milestones

  1. : Debut in Bad Guy; first lead role in Playful Kiss; wins Best New Actress at MBC Drama Awards — KProfiles
  2. : Temporary hiatus to complete university studies — KProfiles
  3. : Transitions from Bloom Entertainment to SM Culture & Contents — KProfiles
  4. : The Sound of Your Heart achieves 100 million views in China; wins Best Couple Award with Lee Kwang-soo — KProfiles
  5. : Signs with Jellyfish Entertainment; stars in My Father is Strange and Because This Is My First Life — KProfiles
  6. : Wins Excellence Award for Soul Repairer; relationship with Lee Joon ends — DramaBeans
  7. : Stars in Alchemy of Souls Season 1 and 2 — KProfiles
  8. : Leads tvN’s Love Next Door as Bae Seokryu — KProfiles

What is confirmed and what remains uncertain?

Established Facts

  • Born Kim Yoon-ji, March 16, 1989
  • Korea National University of Arts attendee
  • Dated Lee Joon October 2017–June 2020
  • Currently under IEUM HASHTAG
  • Filmography includes 2010–2024
  • Multiple KBS Drama Awards winner

Unverified Information

  • Exact height and weight measurements
  • Brother’s name and personal details
  • Brother’s military service status
  • Current relationship status
  • Song Joong-ki dating rumors
  • Projects scheduled beyond 2024

Background and artistic development

Jung’s movement background distinguishes her from peers without formal dance training. Her decade-plus experience in ballet and traditional Korean dance provided physical discipline that translates to on-screen presence, particularly in roles requiring graceful physicality. This training period coincided with her father’s opposition to her acting ambitions, creating a dual pressure of proving artistic legitimacy while mastering technical performance skills.

Her educational commitment—evidenced by the 2011 career pause to complete university studies—demonstrates prioritization of institutional training alongside practical industry experience. This balance between academic formalism and on-set learning characterized her early career development, informing her approach to character preparation and genre transitions.

Sources and verified statements

She revealed in an interview that she and her father had an awkward relationship for nine years because of his disapproval.

— DramaBeans Cast Profile

On June 26, 2020, both representatives announced the couple had broken up.

— KProfiles Biography

Summary

Jung So-min maintains an established position within the K-drama industry through consistent genre versatility and professional longevity spanning fourteen years. From her 2010 debut through her 2024 performance in Love Next Door, she has navigated agency transitions and public relationship disclosures while building a filmography recognized by major domestic awards. With confirmed past relationships and current agency status publicly documented, she continues professional activities under IEUM HASHTAG, though specific personal details including family information and physical statistics remain appropriately private.

Frequently asked questions

What is Jung So-min’s real name?

Her birth name is Kim Yoon-ji. She performs under the stage name Jung So-min.

How tall is Jung So-min?

Her exact height has not been officially disclosed by her agency or verified profile sources.

Who did Jung So-min date?

She dated actor Lee Joon, her co-star from My Father is Strange, from October 2017 until their confirmed breakup in June 2020.

What is Jung So-min’s latest drama?

She starred in tvN’s Love Next Door (2024) as Bae Seokryu.

Does Jung So-min have a brother?

She has one younger brother, though his name and personal details remain private as she maintains family privacy.

Is Jung So-min married?

No public records or agency statements confirm her marriage. She is publicly known to be single following her 2020 breakup.

Where did Jung So-min study?

She attended the Korea National University of Arts in Seoul.

Ethan Caleb Mercer Mitchell

About the author

Ethan Caleb Mercer Mitchell

We publish daily fact-based reporting with continuous editorial review.