Jo Min-su (Korean: 조민수; born January 29, 1965) is a South Korean actress. She is best known for her role in the Kim Ki-duk film Pietà.

Career

Jo Min-su graduated from a vocational high school, Gyungbok Girls' Commercial High School, and first entered the entertainment business by doing a television commercial for ₩120 thousand (about US$100). She debuted in 1986 via the KBS TV Cultural Center, then appeared first on the big screen in Chung: Blue Sketch. But her public profile grew more through her television roles than movies, culminating in a Best Actress trophy in the 1989 KBS Drama Awards. Among her other notable TV series were Sandglass, Daemang (also known as Great Ambition), and Piano. After her marriage in 2005, she took a break from her acting career, but returned four years later with a memorable performance in Will It Snow for Christmas?.

But 2012 would prove to be the now-veteran actress's breakthrough year. Though she initially had reservations about doing a film by controversial auteur Kim Ki-duk, Jo became thankful to Kim for giving her the chance "to work with new material from what I was used to in the past. There aren't too many roles that women my age can do. They all seem the same. But this role was different." Her performance in Pietà brought her rave reviews and praise at the Venice Film Festival, as well as from domestic critics and audiences, notably a Best Actress trophy at the Grand Bell Awards. She was also awarded the prestigious Okgwan Order of Cultural Merit.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1986Chung: Blue SketchYu-mi
Son of GodJeon Bo-bae
1990I'm Gonna Do Something ShockingJang-mi
1995Man?Mi-ah
2005Boy Goes to HeavenNe-mo's motherCameo
2012PietàJang Mi-sun
2013The StoneLee Tae-samCameo
2014Venus TalkLee Hae-young
2018The Witch: Part 1. The SubversionDoctor Baek
2022The Witch : Part 2. The Other OneGeneral Baek
2023Love ResetBo-bae

Television series

YearTitleRoleNetwork
1986TV Literature: "Fire"KBS1
TV Literature: "Tale of a Mad Painter"Blind girlKBS1
I'm Leaving for EwhaKBS2
Rich ArtifactsKBS1
1987TV Literature: "Stairway of Green"KBS1
Door of DesireTan-sil, Chung Ju-yung's wifeKBS2
Where Does the Stream Go Flowing?KBS
1988Sun Rising Over the HillKBS2
PunggaekPark Da-somKBS2
1989Wang Rung's FamilyWoman from SeoulKBS2
Mount JiriPartisan Soon-yiKBS1
Merry Go RoundKBS1
Moonlight FamilyYoung-sookKBS2
1990PacheonmuYeon-shilKBS2
1990–1998Love on a Jujube TreeMyo-soonKBS1
1991MBC Best Theater: "A Midsummer Night's Dream - Desert Island Blues"Baek Hye-youngMBC
1992TV Literary Theater: "Doll Making"Min Young-jooKBS1
The Woman Who Won 100 TimesJae-heeKBS2
Wind Blowing in the WoodsYoo Mi-sunKBS2
1993Mountain WindChoi Yoon-hwaMBC
LoversHye-inKBS2
MarriageNa Seo-youngSBS
1995SandglassSun-youngSBS
Asphalt ManBae Jong-okSBS
1996Until We Can LoveKBS2
MBC Best Theater: "Seranade for Yeo-woon"Jung-hooMBC
1997MBC Best Theater: "Changing Partners"Ae-riMBC
Love and FarewellKang Min-jooMBC
1999House Above the WavesSo-ranSBS
Happy TogetherSeo Chan-jooSBS
2000The Aspen TreeSBS
FireworksHeo Min-kyungSBS
2001PianoShin Hye-rimSBS
2002My Name is PrincessChoi Hwa-youngMBC
Great AmbitionDan-aeSBS
Ice FlowerShin Young-jooSBS
2004ProposalHan Kyung-heeSBS
2009Will It Snow for Christmas?Cha Chun-heeMBC
2011My Daughter the FlowerJang Soon-aeSBS
2013Goddess of MarriageSong Ji-sunSBS
2020The CursedJin KyungOCN

Hosting

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
2019–presentDiaspora Film FestivalHostwith Kim Hwan (2019–present) and Seon Jung-ah (2022)

Music video

YearSong titleArtist
1998"To Heaven"Jo Sung-mo
2000"Y"Koyote
2015"The Light"The Ark

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominated workResult
1987KBS Drama AwardsExcellence Award, ActressWon
1989KBS Drama AwardsTop Excellence Award, ActressMount JiriWon
199026th Baeksang Arts AwardsMost Popular Actress (TV)Won
2012Korea Film Actor's AssociationAchievement AwardPietàWon
Ministry of Culture, Sports and TourismOkgwan Order of Cultural MeritWon
6th Asia Pacific Screen AwardsBest ActressNominated
Jury Grand PrizeWon
33rd Blue Dragon Film AwardsBest Leading ActressNominated
32nd Korean Association of Film Critics AwardsBest ActressWon
49th Grand Bell AwardsWon
Cine 21 AwardsWon
20134th KOFRA Film AwardsWon
23rd Fantasporto Director's WeekWon
22nd Buil Film AwardsNominated
7th Asian Film AwardsBest ActressNominated
People's Choice AwardsWon
49th Baeksang Arts AwardsBest Actress (Film)Nominated
201827th Buil Film AwardsBest Supporting ActressThe Witch: Part 1. The SubversionNominated
2nd China Korea International Film FestivalWon
201924th Chunsa Film Art AwardsNominated
55th Baeksang Arts AwardsBest Supporting Actress (Film)Nominated
20218th Wildflower Film AwardsBest ActressJazzy MisfitsNominated

External links