Jang Jin-Young

Featured in Unfolded Magazine Issue 04

Words: Paul Quinn from Hangul Celluloid

Jang Jin-Young was born on June 14th 1974 in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, South Korea. She studied fashion design at Sangmyung Women's University and initially became known to the general public as a model, leading to her representing Chungcheongnam-Do province in the 1993 Miss Korea beauty pageant. By 1997, she had moved into acting, appearing in several TV series (see ‘Filmography’ below) until she finally broke into mainstream cinema with a supporting role in Ghost in Love (1998), followed by a part in Kim Ji-woon’s The Foul King in 2000 and Siren, also in 2000. 

From the very outset of her acting career, Jang Jin-young received regular critical acclaim for her strong supporting performances which certainly played a part in her being offered her first starring role in the astonishing 2001 film Sorum (see review below), and, in one fell swoop, her astonishing performance showed just how incredibly talented she truly was. From that point on, her acting career really took off and saw her star in Over The Rainbow (2002), Scent of Love (2003) and Singles (also 2003), but although her role in the aforementioned tear-jerker Scent of Love (the story of a woman dying from stomach cancer) was, at the time, just another step on her path to becoming one of the most popular Korean actresses, a heart-breaking poignancy would be added to it in her later life: Following incredible 

performances in Blue Swallow (2005) - see review opposite; Between Love and Hate (2006); and television drama Lobbyist (2007), Jang Jin-young was diagnosed with stomach cancer on September 22nd 2008, when stomach pains caused her to have a medical check-up. She retired from acting immediately and began a combination of Western and traditional treatments, appearing on MBC television later that year saying that her health was gradually improving. 

However, almost exactly one year later, her condition had significantly worsened to the extent that she was admitted to hospital. On September 1st 2009, she finally lost her battle against the disease and, sadly, passed away. She was just 35 years old. 

An extremely talented actress and utterly beautiful lady (both in looks and heart), she was taken far too soon.

Jang Jin-young Filmography: Lobbyist (2007 - KDrama), Between Love and Hate (2006 - Film), Blue Swallow (2005 - Film), Singles (2003 - Film), Scent of Love (2003 - Film), Over The Rainbow (2002 - Film), Sorum (2001 - Film), Siren (2000 - Film), The Foul King (2000 - Film), Ghost in Love 1998 - Film), Should Have a Good Heart (1998 - KDrama), Shy Lover (1998 - KDrama), Soonpoong Clinic (1998 - Kdrama), The Angel Within (1997 - KDrama), Three Guys and Three Girls (1996 – KDrama)

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