Jeon Jong-seo Age, Wiki, Boyfriend, Family, Career, Income

Jeon Jong-seo walked into the first audition of her life just three days after joining a talent agency, and walked out as the lead of a film bound for Cannes. She was born on July 5, 1994 (32 years old), in Seoul, South Korea.

She is a South Korean actress with a knack for characters who keep audiences guessing, from dreamy drifters to ruthless assassins.

Her debut as Shin Hae-mi in Lee Chang-dong’s Burning (2018) took her straight to the Cannes red carpet. Her unforgettable twilight dance in the film was never rehearsed. Every movement was her own, made up on the spot.

In 2020, she played the unhinged Oh Young-sook opposite Park Shin-hye in Netflix’s The Call. That chilling turn won her the Baeksang Arts Award for Best Actress in Film.

She has since led Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area (2022), Ballerina (2023), Wedding Impossible (2024), Queen Woo (2024) and Project Y, released in Korean theatres in January 2026, and has joined Hollywood’s Highlander remake.

Quick Facts of Jeon Jong-seo

Full Name	Jeon Jong-seo (전종서)
Her English Name	Rachel Jun
Profession	Actress
Age	32 years old
Date of Birth	July 5, 1994
Nationality	South Korean
Zodiac/Sun Sign	Cancer
Birthplace	Seoul, South Korea
Current Address	Yet to be updated
Gender	Female

Jeon Jong-seo Early Life and Education

Jeon Jong-seo was born in Seoul, South Korea, and grew up as the only child in her family.

Her early years were split between two countries. During her second year of middle school, her parents sent her to study in Canada, where relatives were already living.

She finished middle school at a private Christian school there and spent much of her teenage life far away from the Korean film world that would one day come looking for her.

Somewhere along the way, acting pulled her in. She returned to Korea in her high school years and joined the theatre and film department of Anyang Arts High School.

She also made it clear early on that she never wanted to be a mass-produced actor. Her own comparison was a plastic container, identical on the outside and empty when opened.

Education

Before leaving for Canada, she studied at Yeongwon Middle School in Seoul. She later completed middle school in Canada and graduated from Anyang Arts High School after coming home.

She then enrolled at Sejong University to study film, but the classes left her unconvinced. She later said she could not tell what the school was trying to teach or what she was meant to learn, and she later dropped out of the university to pursue her acting career more seriously.

So she went looking for her own teacher. She found one who told her that acting cannot be taught, only explored and questioned again and again. That small private acting academy, in her words, became her real school.

School	Yeongwon Middle School, Seoul (left in 2nd year); A private Christian middle school in Canada; Anyang Arts High School (Theatre and Film)
Alma Mater	Sejong University (Film, did not graduate)
Highest Qualification	High school graduate

Jeon Jong-seo Personal Life

Jeon Jong-seo guards most of her private world closely, but her love life is one chapter she has never tried to hide. Her family story, on the other hand, came out slowly and only years after it began.

Boyfriend and Relationship

Jeon Jong-seo is in a relationship with film director Lee Chung-hyun, the man who directed her in The Call. On December 3, 2021, her agency at the time, My Company, confirmed the news. They explained that the two had stayed close after The Call (2020) and had recently become a couple.

From day one, she treated it as nothing to hide. She said they had never kept the relationship secret because there was simply no reason to.

Their bond also runs through their work. After The Call, they reunited on the Netflix film Ballerina (2023), and Lee even made a surprise cameo in the final episode of her drama Wedding Impossible in 2024.

On marriage, the couple has stayed relaxed. In 2023, Lee said the right timing might come naturally as they keep seeing each other, but that there were no concrete plans yet. As of 2026, they are in their fifth year together, with no wedding announced.

Who is Lee Chung-hyun?

Lee Chung-hyun is a South Korean film director and screenwriter born on January 26, 1990. He first made waves in 2015 with Bargain, a short film he shot in a single day using 5 million won of his own savings. It won top honours at the Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival and the Paris Korean Film Festival. He made his feature debut with The Call (2020), followed by Ballerina (2023).

Father

Her father’s name is not publicly known. Around the time of her debut, her father was diagnosed with spinocerebellar atrophy, a rare condition that affects the brain. For years she quietly carried this while her career took off.

As his illness worsened and climbing stairs became hard for him, the family home filled with support equipment. Her parents later moved to a house better suited for a wheelchair, where he passed away after a long fight in February 2023.

Mother

Her mother’s name is also not publicly known. After her father’s death, Jeon lived with her mother for a while. She later shared that her mother eventually told her she would rather live alone than keep living with her, as their daily routines were so different.

Jeon has said that spending that time together showed her a different side of her mother. Today, she lives on her own in the home the family once shared, the place where she says she was happiest.

Jeon Jong-seo has no siblings. She is the only child in her family.

Relationship Status	In a relationship
Boyfriend	Lee Chung-hyun (film director, dating since 2021)
Parents	Father: Yet to be updated (passed away) Mother: Yet to be updated

Jeon Jong-seo Career

Jeon Jong-seo did not climb the usual ladder of small roles and supporting parts. She started at the very top, with a lead role in a Cannes competition film, and has spent every year since trying something nobody expected from her.

Her path has moved from art house cinema to Netflix thrillers, romantic comedies, a historical epic, and now a Hollywood blockbuster.

The Audition That Changed Everything (2017 to 2018)

In August 2017, Jeon Jong-seo walked into her first-ever audition for director Lee Chang-dong’s Burning. She had joined her agency only three days earlier and had no experience in the industry at all.

She did not even chase the part at first, believing she had no chance. Yet she beat the competition and won the lead role of Shin Hae-mi, a free-spirited young woman, opposite Yoo Ah-in and Steven Yeun.

The film’s most talked-about moment, Hae-mi’s twilight dance, was written into the script but never choreographed. The movements were her own, made up in the moment.

Burning opened in Korea on May 17, 2018, a day after she walked the Cannes red carpet. The film competed for the Palme d’Or and became the first Korean film to reach the final nine-film shortlist for Best Foreign Language Film at the 91st Academy Awards.

Critics abroad took notice. She won Best New Performer at the 2019 Asian Film Critics Association Awards and was named in The Hollywood Reporter Critics’ list of 15 international breakout talents of 2018.

Thrills, Hollywood and a Baeksang Win (2019 to 2021)

For her second film, she teamed up with first-time feature director Lee Chung-hyun on the mystery thriller The Call. She played Oh Young-sook, a woman from the past connected by phone to Park Shin-hye‘s Seo-yeon, living in the same house 20 years later.

The cast also included Kim Sung-ryung, Lee El, Park Ho-san, Oh Jung-se and Lee Dong-hwi. Its cinema release was cancelled in March 2020 because of COVID-19, so Netflix released it directly on November 27, 2020.

Her turn as a frighteningly unpredictable villain became the talk of the year. It won her Best Actress at the 57th Baeksang Arts Awards, along with Best Actress at the 30th Buil Film Awards and the 20th Director’s Cut Awards.

Hollywood came calling only a year after her debut. Director Ana Lily Amirpour had noticed her in Burning, and after an audition, Jeon flew to New Orleans in June 2019 to film Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon, alongside Kate Hudson, Craig Robinson and Ed Skrein.

She played Mona Lisa Lee, a young woman with strange powers who escapes a mental asylum and tries to survive on her own in New Orleans.

In May 2021, she signed with the American agency United Talent Agency under her English name, Rachel Jun.

Later that year, she surprised fans with a lighter role in the romantic comedy Nothing Serious, directed by Jeong Ga-young. She played Ham Ja-young, a single woman in her late 20s who swears off relationships, opposite Son Suk-ku.

Series Debut and Streaming Success (2022)

Jeon made her series debut in Netflix’s Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area, the Korean remake of the Spanish hit. She played Tokyo, a North Korean migrant worker who turns to robbing gangsters before joining the Professor’s crew.

The heist team included Yoo Ji-tae as the Professor, Park Hae-soo as Berlin, Lee Won-jong as Moscow, Kim Ji-hun as Denver, Jang Yoon-ju as Nairobi, Lee Hyun-woo as Rio, Kim Ji-hoon as Helsinki and Lee Kyu-ho as Oslo. Kim Yun-jin played negotiator Seon Woo-jin.

In August 2022, she signed an exclusive contract with Andmarq. That October, she led the TVING original Bargain, a series adapted from Lee Chung-hyun’s own short film.

She played Park Joo-young, a sharp negotiator who sees opportunity after an earthquake traps a group of dangerous people inside a collapsing building. She shared the screen with Jin Seon-kyu and Jang Ryul.

She called it the most physically demanding project of her career so far, partly because each episode was shot to look like one continuous take. The series won Best Screenplay at Canneseries, and Jeon earned the Beyond Cinema Award at the 2023 Marie Claire Asia Star Awards.

Action, Romance and a Queen (2023 to 2024)

In 2023, she reunited with Lee Chung-hyun for the Netflix action film Ballerina. She played Jang Ok-ju, a former bodyguard seeking revenge for the death of her best friend Min-hee, played by Park Yu-rim, against a criminal played by Kim Ji-hoon.

In February 2024, she stepped into her first television romantic comedy, tvN’s Wedding Impossible, based on a webtoon. She played Na Ah-jeong, a struggling actress who agrees to a fake marriage with her best friend of 15 years, the chaebol heir Lee Do-han, played by Kim Do-wan.

Later that year, she took on her first historical role in TVING’s Queen Woo. She played Woo-hee, a Goguryeo queen caught in a power struggle after the king’s sudden death, who has just 24 hours to secure a new king. The cast included Kim Moo-yeol, Jung Yu-mi, Lee Soo-hyuk, Park Ji-hwan, and Ji Chang-wook.

Variety Shows and Public Appearances

Off screen, Jeon has made a handful of well-received television appearances. She appeared as a guest on Knowing Bros (episode 220) and Salon Drip Season 2 (episode 10), and hosted the first episode of SNL Korea Reboot Season 6 in 2024.

On March 17, 2024, she threw the ceremonial first pitch at a preseason game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Kiwoom Heroes, a moment that went viral among baseball fans.

Her Recent Work (up to 2026)

Jeon reunited with her close friend Han So-hee for the crime noir Project Y, directed by Lee Hwan. She played Lee Do-kyung, who makes a living as a private call taxi driver, while Han played Mi-seon. Together, they steal dirty money and gold bars to escape a hopeless life.

The cast also featured Kim Shin-rok, Jung Young-joo, Lee Jae-kyoon, YooA and Kim Sung-cheol. Jeon has said she agreed to the film largely because Han was on board, and that having her friend on set gave her comfort and strength.

The film premiered at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival, screened in Busan, and won Best Film at the London East Asian Film Festival. It opened in Korean cinemas on January 21, 2026.

Her Upcoming Projects

Her next big step is Hollywood again. She joined Amazon MGM’s remake of Highlander, directed by John Wick filmmaker Chad Stahelski, with Henry Cavill as Connor MacLeod. Her character belongs to the Watchers, a secret group that keeps an eye on the immortals.

The ensemble also includes Russell Crowe, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan and Jeremy Irons, with filming moved to early 2026 after Cavill’s injury.

Back home, she is leading the occult mystery Stoneborn (Bawi), from the team behind the hit Exhuma. She plays Hee-jin, who returns to her hometown after her younger sibling’s suspicious death, alongside Sul Kyung-gu and Seo Eun-soo.

She has also been cast in Netflix’s period action film Dochabi (working title), directed by An Tae-jin. She plays Ahai, a Jurchen woman in hiding who fights alongside Kim Do-hoon’s Tae-san, with Lee Joon-gi, Lee Sang-yi and Bae In-hyuk also in the cast.

Jeon Jong-seo Filmography

In under a decade, Jeon Jong-seo has built a body of work that moves from Cannes competition cinema to Netflix thrillers, a tvN romantic comedy, a TVING historical drama and a Hollywood franchise. Most of her lead roles share one thread: women who refuse to be predictable.

Jeon Jong-seo Movies

Year	Title	Role	IMDb
2018	Burning	Shin Hae-mi	7.4
2020	The Call	Oh Young-sook	7.1
2021	Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon	Mona Lisa Lee	6.2
2021	Nothing Serious	Ham Ja-young	6.5
2023	Ballerina	Jang Ok-ju	6.3
2026	Project Y	Lee Do-kyung	5.6

Jeon Jong-seo TV Shows

Year	Title	Role	Platform	IMDb
2022	Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area	Tokyo	Netflix	5.9
2022	Bargain	Park Joo-young	Prime Video	6.6
2024	Wedding Impossible	Na Ah-jeong	Prime Video	6.9
2024	Queen Woo	Woo-hee	Prime Video	7.3

Jeon Jong-seo Upcoming Projects

Year	Title	Role	Platform
TBA	Highlander	Member of the Watchers	Theatrical (Amazon MGM)
2027	Stoneborn	Hee-jin	Theatrical
TBA	Dochabi (working title)	Ahai	Netflix

Jeon Jong-seo Awards and Achievements

Jeon Jong-seo’s trophy shelf filled up fast, and almost entirely through film. Her debut in Burning drew praise from international critics, while The Call turned that early promise into Best Actress wins at three major Korean ceremonies in the same season.

Her Major Wins

• Asian Film Critics Association Awards (2019): Won Best New Performer for Burning (2018).
• Baeksang Arts Awards (2021): Won Best Actress in Film for The Call (2020).
• Buil Film Awards (2021): Won Best Actress for The Call (2020).
• Director’s Cut Awards (2022): Won Best Actress in Film for The Call (2020).
• Marie Claire Asia Star Awards (2023): Won the Beyond Cinema Award for Bargain (2022).

Her Key Nominations

• Blue Dragon Film Awards (2018): Nominated for Best New Actress for Burning (2018).
• Buil Film Awards (2018): Nominated for Best New Actress for Burning (2018).
• Grand Bell Awards (2018): Nominated for Best New Actress for Burning (2018).
• The Seoul Awards (2018): Nominated for Best New Actress for Burning (2018).
• Asian Film Awards (2019): Nominated for Best Newcomer for Burning (2018).
• Baeksang Arts Awards (2019): Nominated for Best New Actress in Film for Burning (2018).
• Chunsa Film Art Awards (2019): Nominated for Best New Actress for Burning (2018).
• Chlotrudis Awards (2019): Nominated for Best Supporting Actress for Burning (2018).
• International Cinephile Society Awards (2019): Nominated for Best Supporting Actress for Burning (2018).
• International Online Cinema Awards (2019): Nominated for Best Supporting Actress for Burning (2018).
• Asian Film Awards (2021): Nominated for Best Actress for The Call (2020).
• Blue Dragon Film Awards (2021): Nominated for Best Actress for The Call (2020).
• Chunsa Film Art Awards (2021): Nominated for Best Actress for The Call (2020).
• Baeksang Arts Awards (2022): Nominated for Best Actress in Film for Nothing Serious (2021).
• Director’s Cut Awards (2022): Nominated for Best New Actress in Film.
• Grand Bell Awards (2023): Nominated for Best Actress in a Series for Bargain (2022).
• APAN Star Awards (2023): Nominated for the Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries, for Bargain (2022) and Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area (2022).

Other Recognitions

• The Hollywood Reporter (2018): Named in the Hollywood Reporter Critics’ list of 15 International Breakout Talents of 2018 for Burning.
• Cine 21 (2020): Ranked 3rd among new actresses to watch in 2021, tied with Han So-hee, and 3rd among actresses to watch in 2021.
• Korean Film Council (2021): Selected for Korean Actors 200, a list introducing actors who represent the present and future of Korean cinema to the global film industry.
• Cine 21 (2024): Included in the “Korean Film NEXT 50″ list of actors.
• Cannes Film Festival (2018): Walked the Cannes red carpet with her very first film, as Burning competed for the Palme d’Or.

Jeon Jong-seo Controversies

Jeon Jong-seo has stayed largely free of major scandal, but a few moments have drawn public criticism since her debut.

• Airport attitude criticism before Cannes (2018): On her way to Cannes in May 2018, she hid her face from reporters at Incheon Airport, and some netizens called her unprofessional. In 2024, she revealed she had been crying that day because her father had been diagnosed with a rare illness.
• School bullying allegations (2024): In April 2024, an anonymous user claimed she had bullied classmates in middle school. Her agency called the claims completely false and promised legal action, and at the Queen Woo press event, she personally denied the allegations again. No evidence has been made public since.
• Selfies during national mourning (2024): In late December 2024, she posted car selfies during the national mourning period for the Jeju Air crash. After netizens debated whether it was careless, she deleted the post.

Jeon Jong-seo Net Worth

Jeon Jong-seo has never disclosed her earnings, and neither of her agencies has shared any figures. Her estimated net worth is about $10 million (approximately ₹96 crore). This is an estimate, not an official figure.

Most of her income comes from leading roles in films and series. Her move into Hollywood, through United Talent Agency, adds another growing income stream.

She also earns from brand work. In late 2023, she travelled to Malaysia for an event with the skincare brand Eucerin. Her per-project fee has never been reported by any reliable outlet.

Net Worth (Approx.)	$10 million (approx. ₹96 crore)
Salary (Approx.)	Yet to be updated

Jeon Jong-seo Height, Weight and Physical Stats

Height	In centimetres: 167 cm In meters: 1.67 m In feet & inches: 5 feet 6 inches
Weight	In kg: 57 kg In lbs: 125 lbs
Body Measurements	Yet to be updated
Hair Color	Dark Brown
Eye Color	Black

Jeon Jong-seo Social Media

Instagram

@wjswhdtj94

Interesting Facts about Jeon Jong-seo

• A Keyboard Code Username: Her Instagram handle, @wjswhdtj94, looks random, but it is simply her Korean name, 전종서, typed on an English keyboard, followed by her birth year.
• Proud Dog Mom: She has long shared her life with dogs, including two named Yuki and Billie. In a 2026 home tour video with model Jang Yoon-ju, she introduced the house she shares with four dogs.
• Football Fan: Judging by her Instagram posts, she is a fan of French football star Kylian Mbappé.
• Peony at Heart: She once told Vogue Korea that she keeps peonies at home and trims their stems short so the heavy blooms can hold their heads up. The magazine later compared her to the flower, shy in bud but bold once open.
• A Rap Inside an Action Film: In the climax of Ballerina, she delivers a rap performance to express Ok-ju’s emotions, an unusual creative choice for a revenge thriller.
• The Rookie With No Plans: After Burning made her famous overnight, she was asked about her next move and cheerfully replied that she had no plans at all.
• A Miracle Casting: Looking back in 2026, she described landing Burning at her first-ever audition as nothing short of a miracle.

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