Jeon Mi-do
Jeon Mi-do is a South Korean actress and singer. She debuted as ensemble cast in musical Mr. Mouse in 2006. She later made a name for herself by appearing in famous works such as the musical Finding Kim Jong-wook, Doctor Zhivago, and Maybe Happy Ending. In 2015, she won the Best Actress Award at the 9th The Musical Awards, and in 2017 and 2018, she once again bagged the Best Actress Award back-to-back at the 1st and 2nd Korean Musical Awards, respectively.
She transitioned to the small screen with her first television role in the series Mother, and gained wider recognition for her prominent role as Dr. Chae Song-hwa in Hospital Playlist. She subsequently starred in the series Thirty-Nine alongside actresses Son Ye-jin and Kim Ji-hyun.
Early life
Jeon Mi-do, born on August 4, 1982, in Busan, is the only daughter among three siblings. After her father's death, she and her two brothers were raised by their mother. Jeon aspired to be a theater actress from the third grade, inspired by a church play she attended. During her elementary years, she participated in a group reading of a play called The One-Legged Goose from a Korean language textbook, practicing with a friend. She memorized her lines easily and performed confidently, which led her to recognize her interest in acting.Initially focused on her studies, Jeon dropped out of school in her second year of middle school but returned a year later, continuing her education alongside her younger siblings. While attending Busan Dongho Information Girls' High School, she watched her first musical, Grease, which reinforced her desire to pursue a career in theater.
During her teenage years, Jeon found it challenging to communicate with her family and sought friendships where she could express herself openly. She turned to singing and often visited karaoke. In her third year of high school, a friend invited her to join a female band called "Dali," which performed at various boys' high school festivals. Her mother expressed concern about Jeon's focus on music rather than academics. Later, Jeon expressed her intention to enroll in the Department of Theater and Film, which surprised her mother. However, Jeon's persistence led to her mother's eventual approval. She began her studies later than her peers but felt motivated by her aspirations and successfully enrolled in the Theater and Film Department at Myongji University in Seoul.
After relocating to Seoul, Jeon's college friends were unaware of her Busan origins because she worked diligently to adopt the Seoul accent, which she deemed essential for her acting career. While she successfully adjusted her accent, mastering the local dialect presented challenges, occasionally causing others to view her as aloof. Through her involvement in stage performances, she refined her speech and personality, participating in approximately 12 productions before graduating.
Career
2006–2009: Early Career and Stage Debut
After graduating from Myongji University, Jeon Mi-do made her debut in 2006 as Yang Yang-yi in the musical Mr. Mouse. In 2007, she made her theater debut in the play Liar, followed by the musical White Proposal in 2008, where she portrayed the role of a high school girl.In 2008, Jeon and Park Hae-soo starred together in the Korean adaptation of the musical Spring Awakening, titled Puberty. Jeon chose to participate in this musical as it allowed her to showcase her acting range. Her performance was well-received, as she portrayed five different roles, including a high school girl, a teacher, a nurse, a cafe madam, and a stepmother. For her work in this production, she was nominated for the Best New Actress Award.
Later in 2008, Jeon was double-cast with Park Hye-jung in the play Agnes of God, performed at the Daehakro Installation Theater Jeongmiso from December 6 to January 10, 2009. For her performance as Agnes, Jeon received the Best New Actress Award at the 2008 Korean Theater Awards.
To diversify her roles following Agnes of God, Jeon auditioned for the romantic comedy musical Finding Kim Jong-wook in 2009 and secured the female lead in the musical's fourth season. This production attracted attention as both Oh Na-ra, the original female protagonist, and Jeon were cast in leading roles.
In October 2009, Jeon took on a significant supporting role in the musical Hero, directed by Yoon Ho-jin. The musical is based on the final year of An Jung-geun's life, detailing his plans for the assassination of Itō Hirobumi in Harbin and his subsequent execution. Jeon portrayed Ling-ling, a fictional 16-year-old Chinese girl who conceals her feelings for Ahn Jung-geun. Ling-ling is fatally shot by a Japanese soldier while protecting Ahn and dies in his arms. In the play Hoya, directed by Seo Jae-hyung, Jeon played Lady Eo, a noblewoman who becomes involved with the king while harboring feelings for another man.
In May 2010, Splendid Holiday, a musical based on the 2007 film May 18, premiered in Gwangju and was performed at the National Theater's Haeoreum Theater on June 12 and 13. Jeon portrayed Shin-ae, a young nurse residing in Gwangju, receiving attention for her performance.
Jeon played Ja-sook in musical The Case of the Crown Prince's Disappearance, created by director Seo Jae-hyung and writer Han Ah-reum, which originated from a play.
In April 2011, she acted alongside Seo Sang-won, Kim Young-pil, and Kim Joo-wan in the play The Author by British playwright Tim Crouch.
Jeon is a member of Theater Company Man Theater, led by CEO Woo Hyeon-joo. In 2011, Man Theater produced Anton Chekov's play The Seagull, directed by Oh Gyeong-taek, marking a reunion for Jeon and Park Hae-soo after their collaboration in Puberty in 2008.
2010–2016: Breakthrough Roles and Musical Success
In 2012, Jeon Mi-do achieved a significant milestone in her career by securing the lead role in a licensed musical for the first time. She made her stage debut as Lara Antipova in the South Korean premiere of the musical Doctor Zhivago, a role she shared with Kim Ji-woo. In the first half of 2012, Jeon played the female lead in the original musical Bungee Jumping, which was based on the film of the same name starring Lee Byung-hun and Lee Eun-ju. In this production, Jeon alternated the role of the bold and lovely Tae-hee with Choi Yu-ha.In October, Jeon returned to the theater with Man Theater, taking on the role of Anya, the daughter of Ranevskaya, in Anton Chekhov's play The Cherry Orchard, directed by Oh Gyeong-taek. The play ran from October 12 to 28, 2012, at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts M Theater. It was later invited to the 'Stanislavsky Birth 150th Anniversary Festival' in early February 2013 at the Stanislavsky Theater in Moscow, though Jeon did not participate in that event.
Jeon's final project in 2012 was her portrayal of Juliet in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. This production was a collaboration between the National Theater Company and the China National Theater Company, commemorating the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations between South Korea and China. Directed by Tian Chin-xin, the only female director of the China National Theater Company, the play was performed at the National Theater Haorum Theater from December 18 to 29, 2012. Tian adapted the setting of Verona to China during the height of the Cultural Revolution.
After the performance of Romeo and Juliet, Jeon took a week-long break before beginning rehearsals for the musical The Mirror Princess' Pyeonggang Story in January 2013. She was scheduled to start performing in February, playing the role of Yeon-yi, the maid of honor to the female protagonist, Princess Pyeonggang.
Initially, Jeon believed there was a clear distinction between stage plays and musicals; however, this distinction began to fade over time. In 2013, she reflected on her experience in 14 Chekhovs, a collection of Anton Chekhov's one-act plays, noting a long monologue by Park Jeong-ja that had a rhythm similar to singing. Jeon realized that stage plays could have a musical flow, while musicals often emphasized dialogue. She explained, "Since then, when delivering lines in stage plays, I have incorporated intensity and tension, making it more dynamic. When singing in musicals, I approached it more like speaking, which made it feel much more natural."
In July 2013, Jeon portrayed Yeon-woo in the original musical adaptation of the drama The Moon Embracing the Sun. The musical had its preview performance at Poeun Art Hall in Yongin on June 8, 2013, receiving a standing ovation from the 1,000 audience members present. It was performed at the CJ Towol Theater at the Seoul Arts Center from July 6 to 31, with additional regional performances planned in Daegu and Busan in August, and in Tokyo, Japan, in December.
In the musical Werther, based on the novel The Sorrows of Young Werther by Goethe, Jeon played the role of Charlotte. The production was staged at the CJ Towol Theater in the Seoul Arts Center until January 12, 2014.
Jeon's next role was Mephistopheles in the play Mephisto, directed by Seo Jae-hyung. This adaptation of Goethe's Faust, featured Jeon embodying a character that combined both male and female qualities as well as human and animal traits. The production was staged at the CJ Towol Theater from April 4 to 19, 2014.
In May 2014, Jeon performed alongside Kim Tae-geun in the play Some Girls, produced by Man Theater, which ran at the Dongsoong Arts Center Small Theater until July 20. Later in the end of 2014, she took on the role of 'Girl' in the musical Once. To prepare, she dedicated herself to learning the piano, studying the Czech language, and understanding the character's traits.
In 2015, Jeon secured her dream role as Aldonza in the musical Man of La Mancha, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in South Korea. This was a role she had expressed interest in during interviews for several years. The performance took place at the D Cube Art Center from July 30 to November 11. While involved in Man of La Mancha, Jeon also joined the cast of Maybe Happy Ending, a musical created by Hue Park and Will Aronson. The project, initially pitched to the Wooran Cultural Foundation in February 2014, was further developed under the direction of Kim Dong-yeon. Jeon participated based on her trust in the creators, stemming from their previous collaboration on Bungee Jumping. The musical had a try-out at Project Box Seeya in September 2015 and quickly sold out. Written in both Korean and English, it was showcased in a workshop in New York in 2016 and the English version received the 2017 Richard Rodgers Award. At the end of 2015, Jeon reprised her role as Charlotte in the encore of Werther, performed at the CJ Towol Theater until January 10, 2016.
In April 2016, Jeon returned to Man Theater, portraying Yeon Baek-hee in the play Heuk Heuk Heuk Hee Hee Hee. Baek-hee is an astronaut who, after fulfilling her dream, falls ill with an incurable heart disease and undergoes a transformation in her outlook on life through her encounter with Jin Heuk-cheol, a comedian who faces criticism and abandonment.
In June 2016, Jeon was cast as Mrs. Lovett in the musical Sweeney Todd. Initially, many assumed she would play the character Joanna, leading to confusion when she announced her role as Mrs. Lovett. Despite initial doubts, Jeon embraced the challenge, and her performance earned her a nomination for Best Musical Actress at the 2016 Stage Talk Audience's Choice Awards, and the Best Actress Award at the 1st Korean Musical Awards in 2017, based on votes from both the audience and experts.
Following the final performance of Sweeney Todd, Jeon began rehearsing for the play BEA, originally written and directed by British playwright Mick Gordon in 2010. Directed by Kim Kwang-bo and produced by Man Theater, it explores the theme of euthanasia. For her performance in BEA, Jeon won the Best Theater Actress award at the 2016 Stage Talk Audience's Choice Awards.