Honestly, most actors spend years grinding through bit parts before anyone remembers their name. Not Jeon Jong Seo. She basically walked off the street and into one of the most critically acclaimed Korean films of the last decade. Since that explosive debut in Burning, she’s built a filmography that feels less like a career and more like a series of high-stakes dares.
If you’re looking through the list of jeon jong seo movies and tv shows, you’ll notice a pattern. She doesn't really do "safe." There are no boring office romances or cookie-cutter melodramas here. Instead, you get telekinetic runaways, phone-calling serial killers, and badass queens. She has this weird, magnetic energy—sort of a mix of "I might cry" and "I might set your house on fire"—that makes it impossible to look away.
The Big Break: Burning and the Mystery of Hae-mi
In 2018, director Lee Chang-dong (a literal legend in world cinema) held auditions for a girl who could hold her own against Yoo Ah-in and Steven Yeun. He chose a total unknown. Jeon Jong Seo had never acted professionally before.
Burning is a slow-burn masterpiece. It’s based on a Haruki Murakami story, but it feels much heavier, like a humid dream you can't wake up from. Jeon plays Hae-mi, a girl who disappears into thin air, leaving behind a cat that might not exist and a void that drives the protagonist insane.
Her performance was so raw that she was invited to Cannes immediately. Not bad for a first job. Most people remember the "Great Hunger" dance scene—where she’s half-nude, high, and dancing against a sunset—as one of the most haunting moments in modern film. It set the tone for everything that followed: she was going to be the actress who went where others wouldn't.
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Why The Call Changed Everything
If Burning made her a critic's darling, The Call (2020) made her a household name for anyone with a Netflix subscription. This is the movie I always tell people to watch if they want to see what she's actually capable of.
She plays Oh Young-sook, a woman living in the year 1999 who starts receiving phone calls from a girl (Park Shin-hye) living in the same house in 2019. It starts off sort of sweet—they're helping each other out across time—until Young-sook flips a switch.
Watching her transition from a lonely, abused girl into a full-blown sociopath is terrifying. She won the Best Actress trophy at the Baeksang Arts Awards for this, which is basically the Korean Oscars. It’s rare for a "villain" role in a horror-thriller to sweep major awards, but she was just that good. She brings this physical, jagged energy to the screen that makes you feel genuinely unsafe.
Expanding the Portfolio: From Tokyo to Queen Woo
After scaring the life out of everyone, she started jumping between genres like crazy. You've probably seen her in:
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- Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area: She took on the iconic role of Tokyo. People had thoughts about the remake, but her version of Tokyo was way more grounded and stoic than the Spanish original. She played it like a North Korean defector who’s lost everything, giving the heist a much grittier feel.
- Nothing Serious: This was a total curveball. It’s a raunchy, modern rom-com about two people meeting on a dating app. It proved she could actually be funny and relatable without needing a weapon in her hand.
- Bargain: This one is wild. It’s a miniseries shot to look like one continuous take. It starts with a guy trying to buy "services" from her character, and then an earthquake hits, the building collapses, and everyone starts selling each other's organs. It’s chaotic, stressful, and she is the smartest person in the room the whole time.
- Ballerina: She reunited with the director of The Call (who also happens to be her real-life partner, Lee Chung-hyun) for this revenge flick. She plays a former bodyguard hunting down the people who hurt her best friend. It’s basically John Wick but with more neon and grief.
The Historical Shift
Most recently, she headlined Queen Woo in 2024. This was her first "sageuk" (historical drama), and she didn't play a damsel. She played the first woman in history to become queen twice. The show is basically a 24-hour race against time as she tries to secure the throne after the King dies. It’s bloody, political, and shows she can handle the gravity of a period piece just as well as a modern thriller.
What’s New: Project Y and Beyond
As of early 2026, the hype is all about Project Y. This is a crime noir film where she stars alongside Han So-hee. If you know anything about Korean TV, you know that putting these two in a movie together is like a "dream team" scenario. They play two friends of the same age who decide to steal 8 billion won worth of gold bars and vanish.
It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival late last year and just hit Korean theaters in January 2026. The chemistry between them is being described as "explosive," which isn't surprising given they're both known for being unconventional and bold.
Essential Jeon Jong Seo Watchlist
If you're just starting out, don't just watch whatever is trending. Follow this order to see the range:
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- The Call (For the thrills/scares)
- Burning (For the "art" side of her)
- Nothing Serious (To see her "normal" side)
- Bargain (For the pure adrenaline)
- Project Y (The latest and greatest)
The "Rachel Jun" Factor
One thing a lot of people miss is that she actually grew up in Canada. She goes by Rachel Jun internationally and is totally fluent in English. She even made her Hollywood debut in Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon (2021) alongside Kate Hudson. She played a girl with supernatural powers wandering through New Orleans.
It’s a weird, indie vibe that suits her perfectly. It shows she isn't just looking to be a "K-drama star"—she’s a global actor who cares more about the director's vision than the size of the paycheck.
Honestly, Jeon Jong Seo is the antidote to "boring" television. She chooses scripts that are uncomfortable, roles that are physically demanding, and characters that aren't always likable. In an industry that often prioritizes being pretty and "proper," she’s a breath of fresh air because she’s willing to look messy and act crazy.
If you want to keep up with her, your best bet is following the announcements from her agency, Andmarq, or keeping an eye on Netflix’s upcoming Korean slate. She seems to have a permanent residence on their "Top 10" list anyway.
Next Steps for You:
If you’ve already seen her big hits, go hunt down the short film Bargain (the original 2015 version) or watch her interviews. She’s surprisingly shy and quiet in real life, which makes her screen presence even more impressive. You can find most of these jeon jong seo movies and tv shows on Netflix or Paramount+, depending on your region. Check out Project Y if you have a chance—it’s the definitive performance of her current "noir" era.