The most binge-worthy movies and TV shows starring actress Shin Se Kyung

Historical romances to spy thrillers — here’s a look at a few popular movies and TV shows starring the multitalented Shin Se Kyung.

From an ambitious royal historian in the Joseon Era to a spy who grows close to her target — one of South Korea’s most multi-talented actresses has been there, played that. Her filmography has the most exciting set of titles — each speaking to her mettle as an artist. Here’s a look at a few popular movies and TV shows starring Shin Se Kyung.

In 1998 eight-year-old Shin Se Kyung starred on the poster and cover of an album titled Take Five. What followed were a series of projects — appearances in children’s shows, hosting gigs, and minor roles in films and dramas. Cut to a few years later and she’s got a string of successful titles to her name — spanning a range of genres from historical fantasy to romantic comedy. Soon enough, she’d cemented her place in the entertainment industry and become one of the most recognisable faces in South Korea.

In an interview with Korea Times, she reflected on her process. “I learned that I should not choose characters thoughtlessly according to my preference. It entails a big responsibility and when I star in a piece, I am being part of it,” she said before adding, “I have to consider my responsibility and think twice about my ability.” Most recently, this carefully thought-out process has translated to the role of vengeful spy Kang Hee-soo who disguises herself as a baduk player in the period drama Captivating The King. In a nod to her growing popularity, here’s a look at Shin Se Kyung’s most career-defining movies and TV shows.

Best movies and TV shows starring actress Shin Se Kyung

High Kick Through The Roof

Directed by: Kim Byung Wook

Cast: Lee Soon-jae, Kim Ja-ok, Jeong Bo-seok, Oh Hyun-kyung, Choi Daniel, Hwang Jung-eum, Shin Se-kyung, Yoon Shi-yoon

Episodes: 126

Release date: 2 September 2009

Synopsis: Sisters Shin Se Kyung (played by Shin Se Kyung) and Shin Shin Ae (played by Seo Shin-ae) move from a remote village to Seoul — after an unfortunate family situation lands them in trouble with loan sharks. Once in the big city, they work as a house help in the home of Lee Soon Jae (played by Lee Soon-jae) — the owner of a small food company. What follows is love, loss, comedy, and everything in between — complete with the sisters’ wide-eyed adjustment to a faster, more swanky world.

About the show: The TV show quickly raked in the views — making Shin Se Kyung a household name. In fact, for her stellar performance, she earned a Best New Actress in a Sitcom/Comedy award at the 2009 MBC Entertainment Awards. As her popularity soared, commercial deals came knocking at her doorstep — so much so that she reportedly earned a reputation of being one of the most sought after brand endorsers at the time.

Hindsight

Directed by: Lee Hyun-seung

Cast: Song Kang-ho, Shin Se-kyung

Release date: 31 August 2011

Synopsis: After quite the eventful career in organised crime, retired gangster Doo Heon (played by Song Kang Ho) wishes to lead a quiet life. He hopes to run a restaurant and meets Se Bin (played by Shin Se Kyung) at a cooking class. Unbeknownst to him, the latter has been sent to spy on him, later being ordered to kill him. However, during this time the two grow closer.

About the movie: This film marked one of Shin Se Kyung’s first high-profile projects and she contributed several songs to the soundtrack as well. For her performance, she earned nominations in the Best New Actress categories at the 2011 Grand Bell Awards and Blue Dragon Film Awards.

The Bride Of Habaek

Directed by: Kim Byung-soo

Cast: Nam Joo-hyuk, Shin Se-kyung, Lim Ju-hwan, Krystal Jung, Gong Myung

Episodes: 16

Release date: 3 July 2017

Synopsis: God of the Land of Water Lord Ha-baek (played by Nam Joo-Hyuk) needs to visit earth in order to reclaim the throne of the divine realm. Once there, he turns to So-ah (played by Shin Se Kyung) — a neuropsychiatrist from a middle-class family, who is fated to serve him for generations.

About the show: The show was a massive success. For her performance, Shin Se Kyung was nominated for several awards. This includes the Best Kiss and Best Couple categories at the 2017 Soompi Awards with her co-star Nam Joo-hyuk. In an interview with Korea Times, she revealed that the character was her favourite. “My recent role as Yoon So-ah in The Bride of Habaek stays clear in my memory…playing Yoon was like breaking the rules of playing a typical woman in a romance comedy or melodrama genre,” she said.

Black Knight: The Man Who Guards Me

Directed by: Han Sang-woo

Cast: Kim Rae-won, Shin Se-kyung, Seo Ji-hye, Chang Mi-hee

Episodes: 20

Release date: 6 December 2017

Synopsis: Businessman Moon Soo-ho (played by Kim Rae-won) is diligent, successful, and romantic. After the death of his parents, he was raised by a guardian and grew up alongside the latter’s daughter Jung Hae-ra (played by Shin Se-kyung), who now works as a travel agent. Soo-ho is irrevocably in love with Hae-ra and is willing to go to any lengths for her.

About the show: For her performance in this hit title, Shin Se Kyung earned nominations in the Excellence Award, Actress category at the 2011 Korea Drama Awards as well as the Top Excellence Award, Actress and Excellence Award, Actress in a Mid-length Drama categories at the 2011 KBS Drama Awards. Elaborating on why she chose to work on the project, she told Korea Times, “My character in the new TV series is unique, somewhat different from my previous roles and I am happy to work with actor Kim Rae-won and director Han Sang-woo.”

Rookie Historian Goo Hae-Ryung

Directed by: Kang Il-soo, Han Hyun-hee

Cast: Shin Se-kyung, Cha Eun-woo

Episodes: 20

Release date: 17 July 2019

Synopsis: Aspiring royal historian Goo Hae-ryung (played by Shin Se-kyung) feels strongly about social equality. Prince Dowon (played by Cha Eun-woo), meanwhile goes by Yi Rim, secretly works as a romance novelist, and is not interested in political matters. However, sparks fly when the two meet.

About the show: The drama was a wild success, placing Shin Se Kyung in global headlines. For her performance, she earned a Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Wednesday-Thursday Drama at the 2019 MBC Drama Awards.

Arthdal Chronicles: The Sword of Aramun

Directed by: Kim Kwang-shik

Cast: Lee Joon-gi, Jang Dong-gun, Shin Sae-kyeong, Kim Ok-bin

Release date: 9 September 2023

Episodes: 12

Synopsis: Eight years into Ta Gon (played by Jang Dong-gun) becoming the king of Arthdal — the threat of a war looms. On the other side? Eun Seom (played by Lee Jong-gi) the head of the East and Ago Union. Also in the picture? High priestess Tan-ya (played by Shin Se Kyung).

About the show: One of the most popular shows in 2023, this one raked up views by the millions and topped numerous charts. With her performance, the actresses’ popularity only grew.

Happy watching!

All images: Courtesy Netflix

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

– How tall is Shin Se Kyung?

According to several sources online, Shin Se Kyung is about 166 cm tall.