If you have been finding for an actress who can give life to various roles with highly engaging emotions, an actress who can capture your hearts through her exceptional acting, and an actress renowned for her highly accurate, if not perfect diction, then you are in for a treat!

Shin Hye Sun, also nicknamed Korea's "Diction Fairy," is an actress who worked hard to reach where she is right now, bagging applause no matter which role and earning respect not only from audiences but from industry critics alike. 

Hye Sun was said to be inspired by actor Won Bin's performance in the hit drama 'Autumn in my Heart,' which will eventually persuade her to enroll in Sejong University's Film Art degree program. She debuted as an actress in the year 2012 with a minor role, and from then, she began to land on much bigger roles and eventually received greater popularity and experienced her career breakthrough through her fantastic acting and hard work. No role was actually "big or small" to her, showcasing great and continuous improvement as seen through the years in her filmography.

To fans and casual viewers alike, here's a rundown of Shin Hye Sun's dramas and films that you will absolutely enjoy and love!

Dramas

"School 2013"

Shin Hye Sun debuted in 2012 in the hit drama series "School 2013," an installment of KBS' long-running School series, after successfully passing the audition to be cast in a schoolgirl role. She played a minor role, with her character named Shin Hye Sun too. This will become the catalyst of her acting career into a successful actress later on. 

"High School King of Savvy"

In 2014, she will be part of the drama "High School King of Savvy," taking on the role of Go Yoon Jo, an employee of the Comfo company and part of the retail team. Her role was the perfect definition of a girl crush, too, catching the heart of a coworker within their company.

"Oh My Ghost"

Shin Hye Sun will eventually bag a role as Kang Eun Hee of "Oh My Ghost." She plays the role of Kang Sun Woo's younger sister, who was also a former ballerina but became a victim of a terrible hit-and-run accident that left her paralyzed. She also works as a cashier in the Sun Restaurant.

"She Was Pretty"

Shin Hye Sun will be part of the 2015 drama, "She Was Pretty" as Han Seol. Han Seol is part of the magazine publishing office, 'The Most,' where she works as an assistant of the Beauty Team, who tries to win the heart of the chairman's son upon learning that they're one of her co-workers. However, she will develop a romantic relationship with someone who she had mistaken for as the chairman's son because of his kindness and charms. The drama earns her a nomination during the 2015 MBC Drama Awards as Best New Actress in a New Miniseries.

"Five Enough"

She receives greater public popularity with her role in the 2016 drama "Five Enough," with her role as Lee Yoon Tae, a shy and innocent elementary school teacher who will eventually have a relationship with Kim Sang Min (played by Sung Hoon), a model turned professional golfer. She's also Sang Tae's younger sister, Jin Joo's and Tae Min's friend, and the teacher of Sang Tae's daughter, Lee Bin, and Mi Jung's daughter, Yoon Woo Ri. She was nominated during the 30th KBS Drama Awards as Best New Actress, Best Supporting Actress, and the Best Couple Award alongside her pair, Sung Hoon, who she had great chemistry with. She also won the 2016 Rookie of the Year during the Scene Stealer Festival for the drama. 

"The Legend of the Blue Sea"

In the same year, Hye Sun stars in the fantasy romance drama "The Legend of the Blue Sea" as the fierce but excellent Cha Shi Ah. Cha Shi Ah is the university junior of Joon Jae (played by Lee Min Ho) who has feelings for him. Despite her initial feelings for Joon Jae, she will eventually accept the unrequited feelings she has for him and instead helps him to uncover Joon Jae's past life with her discovery of Dam Ryong's time capsule through her job as a researcher in conservational science. She will later develop a crush on Tae Oh instead, who will also return her feelings. Her performance earns her a nomination during the 2016 SBS Drama Awards for Excellence Award, Actress in a Fantasy Drama.

"Stranger"

She will play a key role as Young Eun Soo in the highly acclaimed crime thriller "Stranger" during its first season and a guest during the second season. She was one of Hwang Si Mok's colleagues (played by Cho Seung Woo) at the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office, who has been working hard to clear her father's name from false accusations of corruption from his former position as Minister of Justice. Her role as Eun Soo gets her nomination as Best New Actress during the 2017 Seoul Awards. 

"My Golden Life"

Shin Hye Sun received the breakthrough of her career with her first lead role in a drama series through "My Golden Life," which was a major hit in South Korea and surpassed 40% viewership ratings. She plays the role of Seo Ji An, who is employed by the Haeseong Group's marketing department on a two-year probationary contract. She was the first "girl crush" before her father went bankrupt ten years ago, and everyone respects her drive for excellence and upbeat demeanor. But now, as things changed, she no longer has any other aspirations besides working for the Haeseong Group full-time. She reaches her lowest point when a friend with money and connections shatters her dream. Then, by some miracle, she is given the opportunity to turn her life around as Choi Eun-seok, the daughter of the Haeseong Group. She instead decides to grab the chance and live a life of luxury and accept the silver spoon waiting for her, but she faces unforeseen difficulties. Her amazing performance resulted in a nomination as Best Actress for Television in the prestigious Baeksang Arts Awards and won the awards such as the Excellence Award, Actress in a Serial Drama during the 2017 KBS Drama Awards and the Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Serial Drama during the 2018 APAN Star Awards.

"Still 17"

She bags another lead role for a weekday drama, "Still 17", where she plays the role of Woo Seo Ri. Woo Seo Ri is a budding violinist whose aspirations were crushed by a mishap. When she was 17 years old, she was involved in a bus accident, and it took her 13 years to come out of a coma. Despite being 30 years old, she still feels her age. She has been searching for her aunt and uncle, who have not visited her and even sold the home where Seo Ri formerly resided with them. She subsequently falls in love with Woo Jin, not knowing anything about their past. With her great portrayal, she wins the Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Monday-Tuesday Drama, during the 2018 SBS Drama Awards. 

"The Hymn of Death"

Shin Hye Sun starred alongside Lee Jong Suk in the 2018 South Korean television miniseries, "The Hymn of Death." The series was based on real-life events back in Joseon, and Hye Sun played the role of Yun Sim Deok, Korea's first professional soprano singer. The series stole the hearts of various viewers with the fantastic portrayal of both actors and because of the tragic romance between Sim Deok and Woo Jin. She received a nomination for this role as Best Actress from the 2019 Seoul International Drama Awards.

"Angel's Last Mission: Love"

In 2019, Hye Sun starred in the KBS2 fantasy romance drama "Angel's Last Mission: Love," where she portrayed the role of Lee Yeon Seo. With her family's Fantasia Ballet Company, Lee Yeon Seo is an incredibly skilled and successful ballerina who can say whatever she wants. However, while performing on stage, she is tragically injured and is blind. She is resentful and hostile to everyone, including her dependable butler and secretary, as well as to her sly family. She becomes involved with Dan; an upbeat, carefree angel tasked with the seemingly impossible task of finding Yeon Seo's true love but who ultimately falls for her himself. With her critically acclaimed performance, she also won the Top Excellence Award, Actress during the 2019 KBS Drama Awards. 

"Mr. Queen"

Her acting once more is put into the spotlight as she portrays the highly conflicting but entertaining dual role of Kim So Yong, who is eventually Queen Cheorin with the spirit of modern-day Blue House chef Jang Bong Hwan. With an accident that led them to this, the Queen tries to navigate life in the Joseon Dynasty without any memory or knowledge, discovering she's to be married to King Cheoljong. She will have to learn how to be able to go back to the current time and, at the same time, survive the struggles and death threats she faces inside the palace, with no one to trust and with everyone keeping a secret. The series is the seventh highest-rated drama in Korean cable television history, with the last episode reaching a nationwide rating of 17.371% and garnering more than 4 million in viewership. With her undeniable excellent performance, she receives the Best Actress for Television nomination during the prestigious 57th Baeksang Arts Awards.

Films

"Innocence"

"Innocence" becomes her first ever lead role in a movie, portraying Ahn Jung In, a lawyer who resolves to defend her mother after she is falsely accused of killing someone during her husband's funeral. The film received positive reviews from critics, who praised the performances of the cast, particularly Hye Sun, who portrayed different emotions altogether, also characterized by her great eye acting. With her portrayal, she received various critical responses and nominations, such as Best New Actress for Film during the  41st Blue Dragon Film Awards and the 57th Baeksang Arts Awards.

"Collectors"

She starred recently in "Collectors," a heist film that tells the caper story of a grave robbery taking place in the heart of Seoul. She takes on the role of Yoon Se Hee, a curator who works with expertise in antiques, which will eventually offer an appealing but daring heist idea to Kang Dong Goo (portrayed by Lee Je Hoon), a genius robber with a unique touch and intuition. "Collectors" was invited to Fantasia International Film Festival to screen the film. As for domestic box office reception, it remained the no.1 film at the Korean box office for three consecutive weeks from November 8 to November 22, 2020.

Here are only some of Hye Sun's notable roles throughout her acting career, which is evidence of her hard work and dedication. Which among her roles is your favorite, and which drama or film of hers would you recommend to a new fan or to a new viewer? Keep on supporting Hye Sun as her career goes on, with her upcoming drama series and films!