Jeon Mi-do

Jeon Mi-do (; born August 4, 1982) is a South Korean actress and singer. She debuted as ensemble cast in musical Mr. Mouse in 2006. She later made a name for herself by appearing in famous works such as the musical Finding Kim Jong-wook, Doctor Zhivago, and Maybe Happy Ending. In 2015, she won the Best Actress Award at the 9th The Musical Awards, and in 2017 and 2018, she once again bagged the Best Actress Award back-to-back at the 1st and 2nd Korean Musical Awards, respectively.

She transitioned to the small screen with her first television role in the series Mother (2018), and gained wider recognition for her prominent role as Dr. Chae Song-hwa in Hospital Playlist (2020–2021). She subsequently starred in the series Thirty-Nine (2022) alongside actresses Son Ye-jin and Kim Ji-hyun.

Early life Jeon Mi-do, born on August 4, 1982, in Busan, is the only daughter among three siblings. After her father's death, she and her two brothers were raised by their mother. Jeon aspired to be a theater actress from the third grade, inspired by a church play she attended. During her elementary years, she participated in a group reading of a play called The One-Legged Goose from a Korean language textbook, practicing with a friend. She memorized her lines easily and performed confidently, which led her to recognize her interest in acting.

"I first saw the musical Grease starring Yoo Jun-sang, in Busan when I was in high school. It was a shocking experience. I was convinced and thought, 'That's what I'm going to do.'" — Jeon on her dream of becoming musical actress Later, Jeon expressed her intention to enroll in the Department of Theater and Film, which surprised her mother. However, Jeon's persistence led to her mother's eventual approval. She began her studies later than her peers but felt motivated by her aspirations and successfully enrolled in the Theater and Film Department at Myongji University in Seoul.

After relocating to Seoul, Jeon's college friends were unaware of her Busan origins because she worked diligently to adopt the Seoul accent, which she deemed essential for her acting career. While she successfully adjusted her accent, mastering the local dialect presented challenges, occasionally causing others to view her as aloof. Through her involvement in stage performances, she refined her speech and personality, participating in approximately 12 productions before graduating. In 2007, she made her theater debut in the play Liar, followed by the musical White Proposal in 2008, where she portrayed the role of a high school girl.

In 2008, Jeon and Park Hae-soo starred together in the Korean adaptation of the musical Spring Awakening, titled Puberty. Jeon chose to participate in this musical as it allowed her to showcase her acting range. Her performance was well-received, as she portrayed five different roles, including a high school girl, a teacher, a nurse, a cafe madam, and a stepmother. For her work in this production, she was nominated for the Best New Actress Award.

To diversify her roles following Agnes of God, Jeon auditioned for the romantic comedy musical Finding Kim Jong-wook in 2009 and secured the female lead in the musical's fourth season.

In October 2009, Jeon took on a significant supporting role in the musical Hero, directed by Yoon Ho-jin. The musical is based on the final year of An Jung-geun's life, detailing his plans for the assassination of Itō Hirobumi in Harbin and his subsequent execution. Jeon portrayed Ling-ling, a fictional 16-year-old Chinese girl who conceals her feelings for Ahn Jung-geun. Ling-ling is fatally shot by a Japanese soldier while protecting Ahn and dies in his arms. In the play Hoya, directed by Seo Jae-hyung, Jeon played Lady Eo, a noblewoman who becomes involved with the king while harboring feelings for another man.

In April 2011, she acted alongside Seo Sang-won, Kim Young-pil, and Kim Joo-wan in the play The Author by British playwright Tim Crouch.

Jeon is a member of Theater Company Man Theater, led by CEO Woo Hyeon-joo. In 2011, Man Theater produced Anton Chekov's play The Seagull, directed by Oh Gyeong-taek, marking a reunion for Jeon and Park Hae-soo after their collaboration in Puberty in 2008.

2010–2016: Breakthrough roles and musical success In 2012, Jeon Mi-do achieved a significant milestone in her career by securing the lead role in a licensed musical for the first time. She made her stage debut as Lara Antipova in the South Korean premiere of the musical Doctor Zhivago, a role she shared with Kim Ji-woo. In the first half of 2012, Jeon played the female lead in the original musical Bungee Jumping, which was based on the film of the same name starring Lee Byung-hun and Lee Eun-ju. In this production, Jeon alternated the role of the bold and lovely Tae-hee with Choi Yu-ha. It was later invited to the 'Stanislavsky Birth 150th Anniversary Festival' in early February 2013 at the Stanislavsky Theater in Moscow, though Jeon did not participate in that event.

"It really wasn't an easy task. Expressing Shakespeare's numerous lines was not an easy task. The amount was very large, but compared to that, the practice period was not enough. There were problems with Chinese director Tian Chin-xin's schedule, and the script came out a bit late. It was difficult because I was in a situation where I had to rush to create emotions even though many words hadn't even entered my mind yet. — Jeon on working on Romeo and Juliet

After the performance of Romeo and Juliet, Jeon took a week-long break before beginning rehearsals for the musical The Mirror Princess' Pyeonggang Story in January 2013. She was scheduled to start performing in February, playing the role of Yeon-yi, the maid of honor to the female protagonist, Princess Pyeonggang.

In July 2013, Jeon portrayed Yeon-woo in the original musical adaptation of the drama The Moon Embracing the Sun. The musical had its preview performance at Poeun Art Hall in Yongin on June 8, 2013, receiving a standing ovation from the 1,000 audience members present. It was performed at the CJ Towol Theater at the Seoul Arts Center from July 6 to 31, with additional regional performances planned in Daegu and Busan in August, and in Tokyo, Japan, in December.

In the musical Werther, based on the novel The Sorrows of Young Werther by Goethe, Jeon played the role of Charlotte. The production was staged at the CJ Towol Theater in the Seoul Arts Center until January 12, 2014.

Jeon's next role was Mephistopheles in the play Mephisto, directed by Seo Jae-hyung. This adaptation of Goethe's Faust, featured Jeon embodying a character that combined both male and female qualities as well as human and animal traits. The production was staged at the CJ Towol Theater from April 4 to 19, 2014.

In May 2014, Jeon performed alongside Kim Tae-geun in the play Some Girls, produced by Man Theater, which ran at the Dongsoong Arts Center Small Theater until July 20. Later in the end of 2014, she took on the role of 'Girl' in the musical Once. To prepare, she dedicated herself to learning the piano, studying the Czech language, and understanding the character's traits. While involved in Man of La Mancha, Jeon also joined the cast of Maybe Happy Ending, a musical created by Hue Park and Will Aronson. The project, initially pitched to the Wooran Cultural Foundation in February 2014, was further developed under the direction of Kim Dong-yeon. Jeon participated based on her trust in the creators, stemming from their previous collaboration on Bungee Jumping. The musical had a try-out at Project Box Seeya in September 2015 and quickly sold out. Written in both Korean and English, it was showcased in a workshop in New York in 2016 and the English version received the 2017 Richard Rodgers Award. At the end of 2015, Jeon reprised her role as Charlotte in the encore of Werther, performed at the CJ Towol Theater until January 10, 2016.

In April 2016, Jeon returned to Man Theater, portraying Yeon Baek-hee in the play Heuk Heuk Heuk Hee Hee Hee. Baek-hee is an astronaut who, after fulfilling her dream, falls ill with an incurable heart disease and undergoes a transformation in her outlook on life through her encounter with Jin Heuk-cheol, a comedian who faces criticism and abandonment.

In June 2016, Jeon was cast as Mrs. Lovett in the musical Sweeney Todd. Initially, many assumed she would play the character Joanna, leading to confusion when she announced her role as Mrs. Lovett. Despite initial doubts, Jeon embraced the challenge,

Following the final performance of Sweeney Todd, Jeon began rehearsing for the play BEA, originally written and directed by British playwright Mick Gordon in 2010. Directed by, Kim, Kwang-bo and produced by Man Theater, it explores the theme of euthanasia. For her performance in BEA, Jeon won the Best Theater Actress award at the 2016 Stage Talk Audience's Choice Awards (SACA).

2017–present: Transition to television and rising popularity At the end of 2016, Jeon Mi-do reprised her role as Claire in the premiere performance of the musical Maybe Happy Ending, which was selected for the Seeya Stage. Produced by the Daemyung Cultural Factory, the musical premiered at Lifeway Hall in DCF Daemyung Cultural Factory's second building from December 20, 2016, to March 5, 2017, running for 51 performances. The premiere was directed by Kim Dong-yeon, who had also directed the tryout performance the previous September. An encore performance was held at the same venue from October 23 to November 12, 2017, and it sold out all seats before opening, continuing the popularity of the premiere. For her performance as Claire, Jeon received critical acclaim, winning two popularity awards: the Women Popularity Award at the 2017 Yegreen Musical Awards and the Best Musical Actress Award at the 2017 Stage Talk Audience's Choice Awards. She also won the Best Actress Award at the 2018 Korea Musical Awards. She won the 2018 Stage Talk Audience's Choice Awards (SACA) for Best Theater Actor, further solidifying her reputation as a respected performer. directed by Shin Won-ho. During the audition, she initially thought she was trying out for a patient role, but the director considered her for the lead role of Chae Song-hwa, an associate professor of neurosurgery. In 2021, she won the Best New Actress award at the APAN Star Awards and was nominated for the Popular Star Award (Actress) at the same awards.

In 2020, Jeon reprised her role as Claire in the encore of Maybe Happy Ending, joined by actresses Kang Hye-in and Han Jae-ah. She also reprised her role as Chae Song-hwa and began filming for season 2 of Hospital Playlist in late January 2021, which aired from June 17 to September 16, 2021.

In April 2021, it was reported that Jeon was in talks to appear in JTBC's TV series Thirty-Nine, a remake of the Chinese drama Nothing But Thirty, focusing on the lives and friendships of three friends nearing the age of forty. Jeon confirmed her participation in August, portraying Jeong Chan-young, a 39-year-old drama coach. The series premiered on JTBC on February 16, 2022.

Jeon decided to reprise her role as Mrs. Lovett in the 2022 encore of the musical Sweeney Todd after initially hesitating due to scheduling conflicts. With the postponement of overlapping schedules, she was able to focus fully on the production. Kim Ji-hyun, a close friend, also played a significant role in her decision. Both Jeon and Kim Ji-hyun were part of a triple cast in 2022, along with a new actress, Rina.

In December 2023, Jeon and Ji Sung were confirmed to star in the series Connection, marking her first lead role in a terrestrial channel drama since her acting debut in 2006. Jeon portrayed Oh Yun-jin, a social affairs reporter known for her assertiveness. Connection was premiered on SBS TV during the first half of 2024.

On March 30, 2024, Jeon was invited to the Busan Sea Festival by the Lotte Giants for a special first pitch event.On July 16, she was appointed as one of the nine ambassadors for the 2024 Dream Theater Company. In August, Jeon appeared alongside her Hospital Playlist co-stars in a Netflix show titled A-List to Playlist, featuring Jo Jung-seok. On October 4 and 5, she participated as a narrator for the 10th anniversary memorial documentary of Shin Hae-chul titled Our Brother, Shin Hae-chul. On October 22, she appeared in the music video for the title track "그래도 돼" from Cho Yong-pil's 20th album, 20. On December 29, she appeared in Season 3 of KBS1's documentary Love Across the Sea, visiting a poverty-stricken region in Africa.

From January 17 to March 16, 2025, Jeon reprised her role as Charlotte for the 25th anniversary edition of the musical Werther. On March 24, she was announced to join the cast of the film The King's Warden. The film marked her first starring role in a commercial film. On April 10, her agency, Medialab Siso, announced that they had signed an exclusive contract with her. On May 11, 2025, Jeon made a cameo appearance in Resident Playbook, reprising her role as Chae Song-hwa from Hospital Playlist.

In October 2025, Jeon returned to the role of Claire in the 10th anniversary production of the musical Maybe Happy Ending, marking her first appearance in the role in about five years. Her scheduled performances ran until November 23, while the production itself continued at Doosan Art Center's Yonkang Hall until January 2026. The 10th anniversary production later held a national tour from February to June 2026, visiting 16 cities and selling out all 78 tour performances; Jeon was among the actors who appeared as Claire during the season.

On March 6, 2026, following its February 4 release, The King's Warden surpassed 10 million admissions on its 31st day, with Korean media describing Jeon as a "10-million actor". The film later exceeded 16.8 million admissions, making it the second most-viewed film in South Korean box-office history and the highest-grossing film released in South Korea at the time. Although media noted her relatively limited screen time and dialogue in the film, Jeon's performance earned her a nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the 62nd Baeksang Arts Awards, and received double nominations for both Best Actress and Best New Actress at the 24th Director's Cut Awards. She also sang "Friend" , a soundtrack single for the film.

In June 2026, Willa released the audiobook Pilsa, Eoreuni Doeneun Sigan (Korean: ), narrated by Jeon as part of a talent donation project with the Jinsun Foundation for visually impaired readers. In August, she is scheduled to return to the stage in Man Theater's production of Anton Chekhov's The Seagull, reprising the role of Nina from August 9 to 31. The production marks her first play since Oslo in 2018 and her return to the role of Nina after 15 years.

Personal life In April 2013, Jeon married her non-celebrity boyfriend, whom she had met in July 2012 through a blind date. Just two months after their initial meeting, they decided to get married.

Filmography Film Year Title Role 2019 Metamorphosis Girl's mother

Television series Year Title Role Notes 2018 Mother Won-hee's mother Cameo 2022 Thirty-Nine Jeong Chan-young 2025 Resident Playbook Chae Song-hwa Special Appearance (Ep 10) 2027 There is a Winning Chance TBA Special appearance

Television shows Year Title Role Notes 2021 Wise Mountain Village Life Cast member With the cast of Hospital Playlist 2024 Our Brother, Shin Hae-chul Narrator MBC special documentary 2026 Human Documentary: Wish Narrator MBC Documentary Episode 4

Web shows Year Title Role Notes 2020 Mido and Falasol Live Concert Performer With the cast of Hospital Playlist 2021 Hospital Playlist Goes Camping Cast member With the cast of Hospital Playlist

Music video appearances Year Song title Artist Role 2024 "It'll Be Okay" Cho Yong-pil Cast member

Stage Theater + Theater performances Year Title Role Venue Date English Korean 2007 Liar 2 라이어 2탄 Vicky Daehak-ro Live Theatre January 5 – March 11 2010 Hoya 호야 (好夜) Lee Gwi-in Namsan Arts Centre January 23–31 2011 The Author 디 오써 Mi-do Doosan Art Centre Space111 April 26 – May 28 The Seagull 갈매기 Nina Mary Hall, Sogang University November 25 – December 11 2012 The Cherry Orchard 벚꽃동산 Anya Sejong Center for the Performing Arts M Theater October 12–28 2013 14-person Chekhov 14인 체홉 Project Box SEEYA June 18 – July 7 The 3rd Daehakro Comedy Festival - 14-person Chekhov 제3회 대학로 코미디페스티벌 - 14인 체홉 Daehak-ro Arts Theatre Small Theatre August 17–22 2014 SAC CUBE 2014 - Mephisto SAC CUBE 2014 - 메피스토 Mephisto Seoul Arts Center's CJ Towol Theater April 4–19 2016 Hehehe Hahaha 흑흑흑 희희희 Yeon Baek-hee Daehakro Arts Theater Small Theater April 8–4 Bea 비 BEA Bea Project box vision November 11–30 2018 Oslo 오슬로 Mona Juul Myeongdong Arts Theatre October 12 – November 4

Musical + Musical performances 2009–2011 Finding Mr. Destiny 김종욱 찾기 Woman JTN Art Hall 1 March 2009–May 2011 2009 Hero 영웅 Ling-ling LG Art Center October 26 – December 31 2010 Splendid Holiday 화려한 휴가 Shin-ae National Theater Haeoreum Theater June 12–13 Crown Prince's Disappearance 왕세자 실종사건 Ja-sook Doosan Art Center Space111 October 11 – November 7 2010–2011 Hero 영웅 Ling-ling National Theatre Haeoreum Theatre December 4 – January 15 2011 Daejeon Arts Centre Art Hall January 21–22 Ansan Arts Center Sunrise Theater January 29–30 Changwon Seongsan Art Hall Grand Theater February 26–27 David H. Koch Theater August 23 – September 4 2012 Doctor Zhivago 닥터 지바고 Lara Charlotte Theater January 27 – June 3 Bungee Jump 번지점프를 하다 Tae-hee Blue Square IMarket Hall July 14 – September 2 2012–2013 The Mirror Princess Pyeonggang Story 거울공주 평강이야기 Yeon-yi Sh Art Hall December 11 – March 31 2013 Moon Embracing the Sun 해를 품은 달 Yeon-woo Yongin Poeun Art Hall June 8–23 Bungee Jump 번지점프를 하다 Tae-hee Doosan Art Center 09.27–11.17 2013–2014 Werther 베르테르 Charlotte Seoul Arts Center, Towol Theater December 3 – January 12 2014–2015 Once 원스 Girl Seoul Arts Center CJ Towol Theater December 3 – March 29 2015 10th Anniversary of Man of La Mancha 맨 오브 라만차 Aldonza D Cube Art Center July 30 – November 1 Maybe Happy Ending 어쩌면 해피엔딩 Claire SeeYa Project Box September 21–22 2016 Gyemyung Art Centre January 15–17 Busan Cultural Centre Grand Theatre January 29–31 Daejeon Arts Centre Art Hall February 12–13 2016–2017 Maybe Happy Ending 어쩌면 해피엔딩 Claire Daemyeong Cultural Factory December 20 – March 5 2017 Maybe Happy Ending 어쩌면 해피엔딩 Claire Daemyeong Cultural Factory Oct 23 – Nov 12 Il Tenore 일 테노레 Seo Jin-yeon Wooran Cultural Foundation December 3 2019 Paris Bakery 빠리빵집 Miyeon Wooran Cultural Foundation January 12–14 2020 Maybe Happy Ending 어쩌면 해피엔딩 Claire Yes 24 Stage 1 June 30 – Sep 13 2025 25th Anniversary of Werther 베르테르 Charlotte DCube Link Art Center Jan 17 – Mar 16 10th Anniversary of Maybe Happy Ending 어쩌면 해피엔딩 Claire Doosan Art Center Yeongang Hall October 30 – November 23 2026 10th Anniversary National Tour of Maybe Happy Ending 어쩌면 해피엔딩 Claire 16-city national tour Feb 1 – Jun 14

Discography Singles

Year Title Artist(s) Notes 2020 "Violet Fragrance" Jeon Mi-do Digital single 2021 "Stay" John Park and Jeon Mi-do Collaboration digital single

Cast recording Year Song title Album Notes 2012 "Have You Ever Heard" Bungee Jump cast recording "Act 1 Finale" with Kang Pil-seok and Lee Jae-kyun "That's My Everything" with Kang Pil-seok and Yoon So-ho 2015 "The Legend of Magnet Mountain" Werther cast recording with Song Na-young "We Are" with Cho Seung-woo "One Thousand Years" "My Sweet Love" with Cho Seung-woo and Moon Jong-won "If You Can't Take a Step" with Moon Jong-won "Like a Sting of Lightning" with Cho Seung-woo "God" "Not Too Much" with Cho Seung-woo "My Sinister Heart" 2017 "I'm Going to See You" Maybe Happy Ending cast recording with Kim Jae-bum "Fireflies and Jeju Island" with Jung Moon-sung "Goodbye, My Room" with Jung Wook-jin "We Walked the Streets in the Rain With Umbrellas" with Kim Jae-bum "My Favorite Love Story" "More Than You Think" "What People Have Learned" "Love Is" with Jung Wook-jin "Sorry, I Couldn't Keep My Promise" "Nevertheless" with Kim Jae-bum "I'm Afraid I'll Leave the Flowerpot in the Window Too Long" "You Can Just Remember That" with Jung Moon-sung "Thank You For Knocking on My Door" "With Love, Maybe" with Jung Wook-jin "Nevertheless (Single ver.)" 2018 "When the Music Played" Doctor Zhivago cast recording "Now" with Park Eun-tae "On the Edge of Time"

Soundtrack appearances Title Year Peak chart positions Album KOR KORHot USWorld Television "I Knew I Love" 2020 1 2 — Hospital Playlist OST "Oh! What a Shiny Night (Drama. Ver)" 37 24 — "Canon (Drama. Ver)" 194 — — "Me to You, You to Me" 6 5 20 "Butterfly" 2021 32 — — "Someday" 85 — — "The Wind Blows" 2024 — — — Connection OST Part 2 "아마추어 (Amateur)" 2025 — — — Resident Playbook OST Part 4 "언젠가 눈부시게 빛날 테니 " 2025 — — — Resident Playbook OST Part 8 Movie "Friend" 2026 — — — The King's Warden OST "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.

Audiobooks Year Title Role Notes 2026 Pilsa, Eoreuni Doeneun Sigan Narrator Talent-donation audiobook released by Willa Popular Star Award, Actress Asia Artist Awards 2020 Best Acting Award Asia Contents Awards Newcomer Actress Asia Model Awards Rising Star Award Jeon Mi-do Baeksang Arts Awards 2020 Best New Actress – Television Hospital Playlist 2026 Best Supporting Actress – Film The King's Warden Brand Customer Loyalty Awards 2026 Actress (Film) Jeon Mi-do Brand of the Year Awards 2020 Best New Actress Hospital Playlist Buil Film Awards 2026 Best Supporting Actress The King's Warden Director's Cut Awards Best Actress (Film) Best New Actress (Film) Golden Ticket Awards 2023 Best Actress in a Musical Sweeney Todd Korea First Brand Award 2022 Best Actress Jeon Mi-do Korea Musical Awards 2012 Doctor Zhivago Korea Musical Awards 2017 Sweeney Todd 2018 Maybe Happy Ending 2019 Doctor Zhivago Korean Drama Awards 2008 Rookie of the Year Award Agnes of God Melon Music Awards 2020 Best OST "I Knew I Love" The Musical Awards 2015 Best Actress Once SBS Drama Awards 2025 Best Acting Award in the Miniseries Genre/Action category Connection Seoul Music Awards 2020 Best OST "I Knew I Love" Stage Talk Audience's Choice Awards (SACA) 2016 Best Actress Theater Rain BEA Best Actress Musical Sweeney Todd 2017 Maybe Happy Ending 2018 Best Actress Theater Oslo Yegreen Musical Awards 2017 Women Popularity Award Maybe Happy Ending They are awarded to those who have contributed to the arts and South Korea's pop culture. 2022 Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Commendation Newsis K-Expo Cultural Awards 2021 Seoul City Council President's Award

Listicles + Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement Publisher Year Listicle Placement Baeksang Arts Awards and Korea Musical Association 2026 Powerhouse 60 in Musical – Actors Forbes Korea 2022 Korea Power Celebrity Stage Talk 2014 Best Stage of the Year — Category Theater Actress