Cover Jeon Yeo-been stars as Lee Da-eum in her latest K-drama ‘Our Movie’. (Photo: SBS)
Jeon Yeo-been stars as Lee Da-eum in her latest K-drama ‘Our Movie’. (Photo: SBS)
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Catch up on the unforgettable performances that made Jeon Yeo-been a K-drama fan favourite
Jeon Yeo-been had been acting steadily in K-dramas and films before her breakout role as Hong Cha-young in Vincenzo, a performance that left a lasting impression and wowed audiences with her ability to switch between genres, from comedy to crime thriller to romance. Since then, she has gained a loyal following, with fans celebrating both the breadth of her work and her remarkable versatility.
From quirky and playful in Vincenzo to dark and vengeful in Night in Paradise, and her dual roles in A Time Called You, Jeon Yeo-been has proven herself to be a gifted actress, one who can take on a wide range of characters and captivate audiences across genres.
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‘Our Movie’ (2025)
In the Disney+ K-drama, Jeon Yeo-been plays Lee Da-eum, a terminally ill patient and aspiring actress who crosses paths with Lee Je-ha (Namkoong Min), a director looking to cast the lead role in his remake of White Love, the popular and controversial film his late father directed. At first, Je-ha relies on her to provide invaluable insight for the film, but when she auditions for the lead role, he soon finds her raw talent and passion hard to ignore. As they collaborate, the emotionally guarded Je-ha finds himself slowly drawn to Da-eum’s warmth, resilience and optimism.
Layered with poignant parallels between art and life, Our Movie is a bittersweet exploration of love and grief. Fair warning: Korean melodramas rarely pull their punches, so come prepared for the inevitable heartbreak.
See also: Romantic K-drama male leads who were created by female screenwriters
‘Dark Nuns’ (2025)
In this spin-off of the popular Korean supernatural horror movie The Priests, Song Hye-kyo and Jeon Yeo-been are two nuns fighting to save the soul of Choi Hee-joon (Moon Woo-jin), a young man possessed by a powerful and malevolent spirit.
In the film, Jeon Yeo-been’s Sister Mikaela starts out a sceptic and, like Father Paul (Lee Jin-uk), believes there’s a psychological explanation to Hee-joon’s condition. But Sister Yunia’s (Song Hye-kyo) unwavering faith, coupled with Sister Mikaela’s own childhood experiences of the supernatural, gradually convinces her of the demonic presence and compels her to join the desperate fight to save Hee-joon.
Don’t miss: 6 iconic Song Hye-Kyo K-dramas you need to watch
‘A Time Called You’ (2023)
In this time-slip, body-swap South Korean remake of the beloved Taiwanese drama Some Day or One Day, Jeon Yeo-been showcases her versatility by playing two distinct roles: the painfully shy and withdrawn Kwon Min-ju, and the confident, outgoing Han Jun-hee.
Audiences were blown away by how she brought each character to life through subtle shifts in physicality, voice, demeanour and facial expressions, and how effortlessly she switched between the two. Her genuine chemistry with co-star Ahn Hyo-seop brought the relationship of their characters—the heart of the story—into sharp focus and grounded the more fantastical elements of the drama in something audiences could relate to.
‘Night in Paradise’ (2021)
Further showcasing her versatility, Jeon Yeo-been followed up her turn as the cheeky lawyer Hong Cha-young from Vincenzo with her role as the world-weary and terminally ill Jae-yeon in the neo-noir crime film Night in Paradise.
In the movie, Jae-yeon, resigned to her fate, is melancholic and apathetic. But when she meets Park Tae-gu (Uhm Tae-goo), a gang member on the run from people looking to kill him, she recognises a kindred spirit. The two bond and, in each other, find a brief reprieve from their despair. When Tae-gu’s life of crime finally catches up with him, and he is brutally murdered, Jae-yeon takes it upon herself to exact a chilling revenge, finding her ultimate purpose in this final act of retribution.
‘Vincenzo’ (2021)
By the time Vincenzo came out, Jeon Yeo-been had already starred in several K-dramas and movies, but it was her role as the quirky lawyer Hong Cha-young opposite Song Joong-ki’s Vincenzo that made her a household name. A certified global hit, it introduced her to a wider audience.
The role required her to pivot between physical comedy, romance and crime thriller—a challenge she embraced with enthusiasm and confidence. Throwing herself completely into the role, she impressed fans with her commitment. Meanwhile, her natural onscreen chemistry with Song Joong-ki fuelled a slow-burn romance that had viewers completely hooked.
‘Be Melodramatic’ (2019)
In this slice-of-life K-drama about three friends navigating friendships, careers and romantic entanglements in their 30s, Jeon Yeo-been plays Lee Eun-jung, a successful documentary director trying to come to terms with the sudden death of her boyfriend. Barely coping with the loss, she continues to interact with him as if he were still alive. It’s only with time and the unconditional support of her friends that Eun-jung slowly begins to navigate her grief and find a way to live with her loss.
Jeon delivers a quietly powerful performance that captures the emotional weight of someone whose grief is buried so deep beneath the surface, it’s hardly perceptible. Her portrayal of Eun-jung’s emotional breakthrough is handled with grace and nuance, making it both cathartic and heartbreaking.
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