Crush of the Day: Gong Hyo Jin

Not every actress can pull off girl next door sexy with such aplomb. But Gong Hyo Jin does it time and time again in real life and on screen. Not only is she talented, but she has such an easy going way about her. Even her outfit above – floral dress paired with the kickass shoes – just radiates her inner beauty mixed with some good ole’ sass. She has always been one of my favorite actresses ever since she played the feisty Mi Rae in Ruler of Your Own World. But she recently upped the ante as the lovable Gu Ae Jung in Greatest Love. I liked her in Pasta but she just hit all the right notes for me and sang her way into my heart as a national treasure. There were quite a few of her projects on my “to watch” list so I’ve been devouring them faster than you can say ‘ding dong’.

Favor: Ruler of Your Own World

This is one of my all time favorites and Gong Hyo Jin is a total scene stealer in it. Her Mi Rae is a total bitch but has so much heart. She loves her man with gusto and fierce loyalty but knows when to let go. She is the definition of a woman who lives life to the full. Gong Hyo Jin plays her with such commitment and perfection.

Fondness: Snowman

The drama also starred Jo Jae Hyun and Oh Yeon Soo but Gong Hyo Jin stood out as the teenager turned policewoman in love with her brother-in-law. She just has this natural knack for pulling the viewer in and leading them down an emotional journey. Even though I didn’t understand her actions, I totally felt her in the drama.

(On a side note, this is the drama where I fell in love with Kim Rae Won‘s hotness. I believe there was some drooling involved…)

Fancy: Greatest Love

The heroine saves the naughty, haughty star. I think the script could have infused more depth into Ae Jung because Gong Hyo Jin could have given us so much more but she took her character and made me love her, admire her, and cry for her.

Fervor: Biscuit Teacher and Star Candy

I’m only halfway through this 2005 drama but Gong Hyo Jin is such a delight. I find the premise to be a bit unbelievable that she’s Gong Yoo‘s teacher but the two of them are oh so deliciously cute together.

Fealty: Crush and Blush

Who knew Gong Hyo Jin could look so ugly? After playing standup characters, she takes on a challenge to portray the fully deplorable Mi Sook. She stalks a married man for years, degrades her coworker, exploits a young girl for her own gain, and all without an ounce of remorse. I LOVE IT! And I’m glad to see that Gong Hyo Jin can go dark and completely nutso. (BTW – Seo Woo totally deserves a mention. She was fabulous as a loser middle school student and I can see why she basically swept the new actress awards for this role.)

Thankfully, I have a whole slew of Gong Hyo Jin projects left to watch: Sang Doo, Thank You, M, Sisters on the Road… I think it’ll keep me busy for the rest of the year.

Now for some eye candy. She says she wants to be known as a pretty face for a change but I crush on her even more because there is a mound full of talent behind this beauty.