Adette Johanna Song-Weiman (born June 3, 1982), known professionally as Song Jieun in South Korea and Adette Weiman in the United States, is an American-born South Korean actress and model. She is best known for her role as "The Girl" in My Sassy Girl (2001), one of the highest grossing South Korean comedies of all time. She is also known for television series like "Full House" (2004) and "Sense8" (2015), and for her recent film work in Big Hero 6 (2014) and Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015). She is the first Korean actress to represent the face of Gucci for Asia. Weiman was at the helm of the "hallyu" (Korean wave) movement in 2001, making her one of the most recognizable and highest-paid Asia-Pacific actresses in spite of limited global success.
In 2005, she was ranked as the most in-demand commercial film and endorsement star in South Korea. By 2011, Weiman was also recognized as the wealthiest female celebrity in real estate investments in South Korea, coming second overall for celebrities behind former boyfriend, singer Rain.
Weiman was discovered at a metro stop in Seoul when she was 14 years old. Given the business card of a fashion editor, Weiman took the meeting and convinced her family to let her move to Seoul and began to pursue a modeling career.
In her earlier work, Weiman was hired specifically for her Eurasian features and hazel eyes. She largely did commercial and editorial work before gaining a cult following after a Samsung television commercial made her popular in 1999. Shortly after she began receiving offers for film and television work.
South Korean Film and Television
She found early success with My Sassy Girl (2001) and quickly became a household name in both Korea and throughout Asia. The film opened endless doors of endorsement deals and advertisements. The film was so successful that nearly every Asian country has a remake. The United States bought the rights to remake My Sassy Girl in 2008 with Elisha Cuthbert and Jesse Bradford as the leads.
Weiman followed her success with My Sassy Girl with the much-watched television drama series "All In" (2003) against Lee Byung Hun, and then cemented her super star status with the hit romantic comedy series Full House (2004) with Rain. Critically acclaimed and box office successes like A Moment to Remember (2004) and Welcome to Dongmakgol (2005) helped prove Weiman to be a near-guarantee hit in the box office or in television dramas.
International Film and Television
Weiman began to take roles in international blockbusters like Mission Impossible III (2006) and Live Free or Die Hard (2007). She started to transition her career into a more global one before ultimately leaving the Korean industry in 2010.
In the first few years, Weiman saw limited success in the US market, before being introduced to the Wachowski siblings who consequently cast her in their next three projects: Cloud Atlas (2012), Jupiter Ascending (2015), and "Sense8" (2015). In addition, she won minor roles in Divergent (2014) and Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015). She also voiced Go Go Tomago in Big Hero 6 (2014), which would later win an Academy Award for best animated film that year.
She is currently on Netflix's science fiction drama, "Sense8," as Sun Bak.
Early into her acting career, Weiman downplayed her German heritage and avoided speaking about her father for several years due to pressure from management. She was encouraged to present herself as a full Korean actress; Weiman was one of the first mixed race actresses in Korean entertainment. She has since then expressed her dislike of being forced to pass and spoken openly about her ethnicities.
She was in a highly publicized relationship with singer Rain, becoming public in 2007 after he was caught leaving her apartment early in the morning. The pair were rumored to have begun their relationship as far back as 2004, when they filmed the popular television drama, "Full House" (2004), having played a couple on screen. In late 2009, it was reported that the two had ended their relationship due to Weiman's interest in moving back to the United States.
When Weiman officially announced her desires to pursue a more international career in 2010, fans were very unhappy with her decision. Many felt that Weiman was turning her back on a country that had made her famous. At this time, the tone in media coverage began to sway from favorable to critical. Though she continues to work in South Korea largely in endorsements and commercial films, she has significantly cut back the amount of film or television work.
filmography
(2015) "descendants of the sun" (filming)
... kang mo-yeon (as song jieun)
(2015 - present) "sense8"
... sun bak
(2015) avengers: age of ultron
... dr. helen cho
(2015) insurgent
... tori wu
(2015) jupiter ascending
... razo
(2014) big hero 6
... go go (voice)
(2014) divergent
... tori wu
(2012) the thieves
... yenicall (as song jieun)
(2012) cloud atlas
... tilda / megan's mom / mexican woman / sonmi-451 / sonmi-351 / sonmi prostitute
(2011) suckerpunch
... amber
(2010) operation: endgame
... high priestess
(2009) dragonball evolution
... chi chi (as jieun song)
(2009) blood: the last vampire
... saya otonashi (as jieun song)
(2009) tidal wave
... kang yeon-hee (as song jieun)
(2008) a man who was superman
... song soo-jung (as song jieun)
(2007) hwang jin yi
... hwang jin yi (as song jieun)
(2007) live free or die hard
... mai linh (as jieun song)
(2006) mission impossible iii
... zhen lei (as jieun song)
(2006) family ties
... chae-hyun (as song jieun)
(2005) welcome to dongmakgol
... yeo-il (as song ji eun)
(2005) "super rookie"
... lee mi-ok (as song ji eun)
(2005) april snow
... seo-young (as song jieun)
(2004) a moment to remember
... su-jin (as song jieun)
(2004) "full house"
... han ji-eun (as song jieun)
(2003) the uninvited
... yeon (as song jieun)
(2003) "all in"
... min su-yeon (as song jieun)
(2002) lover's concerto
... shim soo-in/gyung-hee (as song jieun)
(2001) my sassy girl
... the girl (as song jieun)
(1999) white valentine
... jung-min (as song jieun)
In 2005, she was ranked as the most in-demand commercial film and endorsement star in South Korea. By 2011, Weiman was also recognized as the wealthiest female celebrity in real estate investments in South Korea, coming second overall for celebrities behind former boyfriend, singer Rain.
Early Life
Weiman was born in Fort Lee, New Jersey, to Korean barbecue restaurant owners Jürgen Weiman and Sunmi Song. Both parents immigrated to the United States in the early 1970s from Germany and South Korea respectively, making Weiman a first-generation biracial American. She has two brothers and a sister: Conrad Song-Weiman, Milo Song-Weiman, and Claudia O'Reilly. O'Reilly is notable cardiologist working in New York City.
Career
Modeling
Weiman was discovered at a metro stop in Seoul when she was 14 years old. Given the business card of a fashion editor, Weiman took the meeting and convinced her family to let her move to Seoul and began to pursue a modeling career.
In her earlier work, Weiman was hired specifically for her Eurasian features and hazel eyes. She largely did commercial and editorial work before gaining a cult following after a Samsung television commercial made her popular in 1999. Shortly after she began receiving offers for film and television work.
South Korean Film and Television
She found early success with My Sassy Girl (2001) and quickly became a household name in both Korea and throughout Asia. The film opened endless doors of endorsement deals and advertisements. The film was so successful that nearly every Asian country has a remake. The United States bought the rights to remake My Sassy Girl in 2008 with Elisha Cuthbert and Jesse Bradford as the leads.
Weiman followed her success with My Sassy Girl with the much-watched television drama series "All In" (2003) against Lee Byung Hun, and then cemented her super star status with the hit romantic comedy series Full House (2004) with Rain. Critically acclaimed and box office successes like A Moment to Remember (2004) and Welcome to Dongmakgol (2005) helped prove Weiman to be a near-guarantee hit in the box office or in television dramas.
International Film and Television
Weiman began to take roles in international blockbusters like Mission Impossible III (2006) and Live Free or Die Hard (2007). She started to transition her career into a more global one before ultimately leaving the Korean industry in 2010.
In the first few years, Weiman saw limited success in the US market, before being introduced to the Wachowski siblings who consequently cast her in their next three projects: Cloud Atlas (2012), Jupiter Ascending (2015), and "Sense8" (2015). In addition, she won minor roles in Divergent (2014) and Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015). She also voiced Go Go Tomago in Big Hero 6 (2014), which would later win an Academy Award for best animated film that year.
She is currently on Netflix's science fiction drama, "Sense8," as Sun Bak.
Personal Life
Weiman holds dual citizenship in the United States and South Korea. Because of her upbringing, she is a polyglot, speaking English, German, and Korean fluently. In her spare time, Weiman trains in boxing and tae kwon do. She is also an avid fan of freediving and outdoor activities.
Early into her acting career, Weiman downplayed her German heritage and avoided speaking about her father for several years due to pressure from management. She was encouraged to present herself as a full Korean actress; Weiman was one of the first mixed race actresses in Korean entertainment. She has since then expressed her dislike of being forced to pass and spoken openly about her ethnicities.
She was in a highly publicized relationship with singer Rain, becoming public in 2007 after he was caught leaving her apartment early in the morning. The pair were rumored to have begun their relationship as far back as 2004, when they filmed the popular television drama, "Full House" (2004), having played a couple on screen. In late 2009, it was reported that the two had ended their relationship due to Weiman's interest in moving back to the United States.
Controversies
There is much speculation that Weiman underwent plastic surgery in the early 2000s in an attempt to make herself look more full Korean. Weiman has become a symbol of beauty for many Korean women because of her blend of European and Korean beauty standards, while remaining distinctly Korean.
When Weiman officially announced her desires to pursue a more international career in 2010, fans were very unhappy with her decision. Many felt that Weiman was turning her back on a country that had made her famous. At this time, the tone in media coverage began to sway from favorable to critical. Though she continues to work in South Korea largely in endorsements and commercial films, she has significantly cut back the amount of film or television work.
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