Jung So Min Special: From Alchemy of Souls to Love Rest, 8 movies and K-dramas that showcases her versatility

The South Korean actress is known for her roles in dramas like ‘The Smile Has Left Your Eyes’, ‘Because This Is My First Life’, among others.

By Nandini Iyengar -

March 16, 2024 - 9:00 AM IST

Jung So Min is one of the most celebrated actors from South Korea. She is known for picking unconventional roles and performing them with an unparalleled finesse. The actor has been active since 2010, first gaining popularity with the drama Playful Kiss. Since then, she has appeared in dramas and movies like Because This is my First Life, Soul Mechanic, Homme Fatale among others. The years 2022 and 2023 were quite pivotal for Jung So Min as the actor gained newfound fame with Alchemy of Souls and Love Reset. As Jung So Min turns a year older on March 16, let’s take a look at some of the memorable roles by the actress over the years.

Jung So Min Special: From Alchemy of Souls to Love Rest, 8 movies and K-dramas that showcases her versatility

1. ALCHEMY OF SOULS
Alchemy of Souls is set in a fictional country named Daeho. The show ran for two seasons in 2022 and it explored a new side to magic and fantasy genres in K-drama. Jung So Min appears as Mu Deok, a worker at Jang Uk’s (played by Lee Jae Wook) house. Her body inhabits the soul of Naksu, an elite assassin and thus begins a tale of her helping Jang Uk in his attempt to change his destiny.

2. SOUL MECHANIC
Jung So Min stars in Soul Mechanic as Han Woo Joo, a talented actress who suffers from anger management issues and repeated mental breakdowns. She seeks counsel from Lee Si Joon (played by Shin Ha Kyun), a compassionate and eccentric psychiatrist who often follows unorthodox ways to treat his patients. Soul Mechanic is one of those dramas that touched upon mental health issues during the times when they were not so openly spoken about in dramas. While some viewers tout certain aspects of the drama to be unrealistic, others claim the drama to be healing.

3. THE SMILE HASH LEFT YOUR EYES
The Smile Has Left Your Eyes was one of the most loved melodramas of 2018. Seo In Guk stars as Mu Young, a man with a troubled history and Jung So Min stars as Jin Kang, a kind hearted designer. Jin Kang warms up to Mu Young but her detective brother Jin Gook wishes to reveal Mu Young’s true colors and keep Jin Kang away from him. There is a lot of mental and emotional unraveling amongst the characters that goes on which makes the drama appealing to those who seek a soul-stirring experience from a K-drama.

4. BECAUSE THIS IS MY FIRST LIFE
Undoubtedly one of the underrated dramas of 2017, Because This Is My First Life is one of those slice of life dramas that touch upon the intricacies of romance and marriage in the modern world. Jung So Min plays Yoon Ji Ho, a struggling writer in her 30s without a house to her name. She becomes housemates with Nam Se Hee (played by Lee Min Ki). Nam Se Hee is an oddball character but soon he finds himself warming up to Ji Ho.

5. LOVE RESET
Love Reset was one of the most highly anticipated rom coms of 2023. Starring Kang Ha Neul and Jung So Min in the lead, the movie traces the story of a couple on the verge of divorce who lose their memories after an accident. They fall in love newly after losing all recollection of their marriage.

6. HOMME FATALE
Homme Fatale is a fun historical fiction movie about the first male gisaeng in Joseon era. Lee Jun Ho takes the lead in this movie as Heo Seok, whereas Jung So Min joins him as Hae Won, a modern-thinking woman. The movie traces Heo Seok’s journey as a gisaeng and the challenges he faces along the way.

7. DADDY YOU, DAUGHTER ME
Imagine Freaky Friday, but with a modern day Korean spin to it. That gives you Daddy You, Daughter Me. This movie tells the story of a father-daughter duo who do not get along well. Jung So Min plays Do Yeon, who wants to go on a date and Yoon Je Moon stars as her father Sang Tae. Sang Tae works hard but has never received a promotion. As Do Yeon’s date and Sang Tae’s promotion draws close, their bodies are swapped leading to hilarious results.

8. ALICE: BOY FROM WONDERLAND
Fans of horror are in for a treat with Alice: Boy in Wonderland. Jung So Min stars as Hye Joong, a young woman whose nightmares slowly start happening in real life. Those events threaten to endanger her life and hence she seeks respite from them. She finds herself at “Wonderland”, a private resort where she meets a mysterious yet charming man named Hwan (played by Hong Jung Hyun). She has 15 days to unravel the mystery before everyone around her dies. Get ready to be confused and entrapped within the mind-boggling visuals of this film!

BONUS: Jung So Min is slated to appear next in Mom’s Friend’s Son aka Golden Boy alongside Jung Hae In. The drama follows the story of Bae Seok Ryu, who has been a top achiever all her life but has to quit her high paying corporate job after an incident. Choi Seung Hyo is a promising young architect and also Bae Seok Ryu’s childhood friend. They were encouraged by their respective mothers to become partners at a bathhouse. This romantic comedy is said to release sometime in August 2024.

Also Read: Lee Jae Wook, Jung So Min, NU’EST’s Minhyun, Shin Seung Ho and more confirmed for new K-drama drama by Hotel Del Luna’s Hong Sisters