Song Hye-kyo is a legend of the Korean screen, here’s why

Read on to find out more about the younger Jung’s debut, career milestones and upcoming projects.

Her life before F(x)

Born and raised in San Francisco, California, Krystal and older sister Jessica were both scouted by SM Entertainment while on a family holiday in South Korea in 2000. Their parents thought Krystal was still too young to train – she was only five! – so only Jessica signed up with the agency at first. Krystal eventually followed in 2006.

But even before signing as a trainee Krystal appeared in TV commercials and music videos, such as boy band and agency-mate Shinhwa’s Wedding March.

Krystal trained under SM Entertainment for three years before debuting as the lead vocalist of F(x) in 2009.

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Reaching the top

F(x) fared well at the height of the Korean wave, with Krystal gaining fans worldwide. Although the band encountered issues at the start – mainly related to member Amber getting injured and needing to go on hiatus for a year – the electropop girl group still went on to become one of the first K-pop acts to make it big and even perform overseas.

Like her bandmates, Krystal actively pursued individual projects outside F(x), from advertising deals with luxury brands and cosmetics to beginning an acting career in 2010 – winning the best actress gong four years later at the 2014 Baeksang Arts Awards for her leading role in My Lovely Girl.

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The road ahead

Krystal finally left SM Entertainment this year in favour of H& Entertainment, and is definitely continuing to direct more energy towards the small screen. Following her noteworthy appearances in TV series The Heirs, The Bride of Habaek, Prison Playbook and Player, she is set to make more headlines in Search, where she takes on the role of special officer Son Ye-rim. “I thought it was new and exciting to see a female soldier character who serves in active duty on the field and leads a special task force,” she told 1st Look magazine.

Krystal is also starring in an upcoming film More Than Family, playing a pregnant college student on a mission to find her own birth father, all while trying to juggle her responsibilities at school with her new family, premiering at the Busan International Film Festival later this month.

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