Choo Ja-hyun (추자현), whose real name is Chu Eun-ju (추은주), is a South Korean actress born on January 20, 1979, in Daegu. A graduate of Dankook University’s Department of Theater and Film, she began her career as a model at age 17 before making her television debut in 1996.
After several years of playing supporting roles, she made a name for herself in 2006 with the film noir Bloody Tie, in which her portrayal of a drug addict earned her numerous awards, including the Grand Bell Award for Best New Actress as well as honors at the Korean Film Awards and the Director’s Cut Awards. She then reaffirmed her talent with Portrait of a Beauty (2008), Missing (2009) and Loveholic (2010).
Starting in 2007, Choo began to build a major career in China at the same time. His immense success in melodramas The Temptation to Go Home (2011), a Chinese adaptation of Temptation of a Wife, making her one of the most popular Korean actresses in China. Fluent in Chinese and English, she moved to Beijing and went on to play leading roles in numerous Chinese TV series.
Upon her return to Korea, she resumed starring in leading roles with Beautiful World (2019), My Unfamiliar Family (2020), Green Mothers’ Club (2022), Little Women and Narco-Saints (2022). She then went on to make an appearance in Arthdal Chronicles Season 2 (2023), before playing Moon Hwa-young in Unmasked (2025) and Yeom Hwa, one of the main characters in Head over Heels (Gyeon Woo and Fairy) (2025). Among its announced projects is also Got It (2027), in which she plays a leading role.
His filmography also includes The Great Chef 2: Kimchi Battle, The Boundary and While You Were Sleeping (2024).
On a personal note, Choo Ja-hyun has been married since 2017 to Chinese actor and singer Yu Xiaoguang, whom she met while filming a Chinese drama in 2012. The couple made their relationship official in 2015 and welcomed a son in June 2018.
