Jung Ji-so Movies and TV Shows: Why Her Career Is More Than Just Parasite

Jung Ji-so Movies and TV Shows: Why Her Career Is More Than Just Parasite

You probably know her as the rich girl who fell for the tutor in Bong Joon-ho’s masterpiece, but honestly, that's just the tip of the iceberg. Jung Ji-so (born Hyun Seung-min) has a way of disappearing into her characters that makes you forget you've seen her anywhere else. From a figure-skating child star to a vengeful student and a supernatural shaman, her range is actually pretty wild.

If you’re tracking Jung Ji-so movies and tv shows in 2026, you've likely noticed she isn't sticking to one lane. She’s currently juggling high-stakes action and some of the most anticipated rom-coms of the year.

The Breakout: How She Became a Global Name

It’s impossible to talk about her without mentioning Parasite. As Park Da-hye, she played the perfect foil to the chaos happening beneath her family's floorboards. It wasn't a massive role in terms of screentime, but she nailed that "sheltered teenager" vibe so well that she walked away with a Screen Actors Guild Award along with the rest of the cast.

Before the Oscars and the glitz, she was a child actress. She actually started out as a competitive figure skater before making her debut in the 2012 drama May Queen. You can still catch glimpses of that athletic discipline in how she handles physical roles today.

The Gritty Transition to "The Glory" and Beyond

A lot of child actors struggle to transition into adult roles. Jung Ji-so basically skipped the "awkward phase" by taking on some of the darkest material on television.

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  • The Glory (2022-2023): She played the younger version of Moon Dong-eun (Song Hye-kyo). The scenes where she’s being bullied are genuinely hard to watch. She captured that raw, suffocating helplessness that set the entire tone for the series.
  • The Cursed (2020): This was a major turning point. She shaved her hair and played a teenager who can cast deadly curses. It was creepy, intense, and showed she wasn't interested in just playing "the pretty lead."
  • Imitation (2021): On the flip side, she played a K-pop idol in this series. It showed her musical side—something she later proved was very real when she joined the project group WSG Wannabe on Hangout with Yoo.

What to Watch Right Now: Jung Ji-so Movies and TV Shows

As of early 2026, the buzz around her is reaching a fever pitch. If you're looking for her latest work, there are three big projects that define her current era.

Holy Night: Demon Hunters (2025/2026)

This is an action-horror flick where she stars alongside Ma Dong-seok (Don Lee). She plays Eun-seo, a character who is essentially possessed. It’s a high-octane movie that leans into her ability to play characters with a "dual" nature.

22 Ways to Break Up Happily (2026)

This is the one everyone is talking about on social media. It’s an MBC rom-com that follows a couple over ten years of their life. It basically documents every single time they broke up and got back together. It’s a big departure from her darker roles and feels very grounded and relatable.

Midnight Sun (2026)

She plays Mi-sol, a girl with a rare condition that makes sunlight fatal to her. She falls for a fruit seller she meets at night. It’s heart-wrenching stuff. If you liked her in Curtain Call (where she won the KBS Best New Actress award in 2022), you’ll probably love this one.

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Finding the Gems: Her Full Filmography

If you’re a completionist, you’ve got to dig into her earlier TV appearances. She was in Empress Ki (2013) as the young version of the lead, and she even popped up as an "Angel" in Hellbound.

Year Title Role Type
2012 May Queen Child Role
2013 Empress Ki Child Role
2015 The Tiger Supporting
2019 Parasite Major Supporting
2020 The Cursed Lead
2021 Doom at Your Service Supporting (Deity)
2022 The Glory Young Lead
2024 Who Is She Lead
2026 22 Ways to Break Up Happily Lead

Honestly, her role in Doom at Your Service is one of the most underrated. She plays a literal god (So Nyeo-sin) in the body of a frail girl. The way she switches between appearing weak and showing immense, ancient wisdom is just... yeah, she’s that good.

Why She’s Different From Other "Rising Stars"

Most actors her age try to build a "brand." They pick roles that make them look a certain way. Jung Ji-so doesn't seem to care about that. She’ll do a variety show like Amazing Saturday one week and then play a possessed demon hunter the next.

She also has a genuine singing voice. Most people don't realize she beat out a ton of professionals to make it into WSG Wannabe. That versatility is why directors like Bong Joon-ho and Kim Eun-sook (writer of The Glory) keep an eye on her.

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The Verdict on Her Career Path

If you're just starting to dive into Jung Ji-so movies and tv shows, start with The Cursed if you like thrills, or 22 Ways to Break Up Happily if you want something light. She’s officially moved past the "Parasite girl" label and is now one of the most reliable leads in the Hallyu wave.

Keep an eye on her upcoming MBC projects throughout 2026. Her ability to switch between indie-style films and massive commercial dramas is pretty rare. If you haven't seen her 2025 film Who Is She (the Miss Granny adaptation), find a way to stream it—her comedic timing is actually a lot better than people expected.

To get the most out of her filmography, watch The Glory and Imitation back-to-back. The contrast between her performance as a traumatized victim and a bubbly, aspiring idol is the best evidence of why she's currently a top-tier talent in the industry.