Biography
Actress Moon Geun-young, also known as “Nation’s Little Sister,” is a South Korean actress. When she was ten years old, she began her modelling career. She achieved fame and stardom through “Autumn in my Heart” and “A Tale of Two Sisters.” Geun-young became a major star after the box office hits “My Little Bride” and “Innocent Steps.” For the 2008 television series “Painter of the Wind,” Moon took home the SBS Drama Award and won the Grand Prize at the age of 21.
Early Life
Moon Geun-young was born on July 10, 1996, in South Korea, and her parents moved back to Korea when she was 10 years old. Her family consists of her parents and her younger sister. She began performing when she was young. In the third grade of elementary school, she gave her first school performance on stage. This planted the seed for her passion for acting.

At first, her parents were against Geun-young going to acting school. She enrolled in a Geuangu acting school after Kin Dae Jung was declared the winner of the 1997 presidential election. The institute sent her profile to the institute in Seoul. She was then chosen for a few television dramas. With the KBS Children, Geun-young made her official TV drama debut in 1999 titled “Potato.”
Career
Moon Geun-young starred in multiple commercials and modelled for different magazines before making her debut. Her modelling career began when she was just twelve years old. Her first film appearance was in the documentary drama ‘On the Road,’ which was released in 1999. Moon received fame and popularity through her popular pan-Asian drama ‘Autumn in My Heart’. Geun-young won the best actress award at the 2000 KBS Drama Awards. In 2001 and 2002, she got widespread recognition for her roles in the historical drama ‘Empress Myeongseong’ and ‘A Tale of Two Sisters’.’ A Tale of Two Sisters’ was ranked among the highest-grossing Korean horror films and was screened in American theatres.
‘My Little Bride’, the second most watched Korean movie of 2004, had Geun-young as its lead actress. She was dubbed “Nation’s Little Sister” by the press following the film’s release and the impact it had on the audience. ‘Innocent Steps’ and ‘My Little Bride’ made her a star at the box office. The 2005 Good Model Award from the Korea Advertisers Association was shared by Moon Geun-young and the actor Cho Seung-woo. She featured in ‘Love Me Not’ a big-screen adaptation of the 2006 Japanese TV drama ‘I Don’t Need Love, Summer’. Moon, along with veteran actor Ahn Sung-ki, hosted the 2006 Busan International Film Festival.

Geun-young portrayed the main character in the television series ‘Painter of the Wind’ in 2008. The character Shin Yun-Bok was inspired by a real-life historical figure who lived during the Joseon Dynasty. The Best TV Actress award at the 54th Baeksang Arts Awards, the Daesang at the 2008 SBS Drama Awards, and the Best Actress at the 2008 Grimae Awards were all given to Moon for her acting. In 2010, SHE acted in the contemporary fairy tale ‘Cinderella’s Sister’ and in the romantic comedy ‘Mary Stayed Out All Night’.
Geun-young made appearances in ‘Cheongdam-dong Alice’ and the film ‘Goddess of Fire’. ‘Goddess of Fire’ is her second historical drama and was released in 2003. After the break, she made her comeback to the big screen in the role of Lady Hyegyeong, Crown Prince Sado’s wife, in ‘The Throne’. She also acted in ‘The Village: Achiara’s Secret’, ‘Romeo and Juliet’, ‘Glass Garden’, ‘Catch the Ghost’. Geun-young and the Cré Company agreed to a contract in 2022.
Personal Life
Moon Geun-young attended the Gukje High School, in Gwangju. She enrolled at Seoul’s Sungkyunkwan University in 2006. She is the granddaughter of educator and political prisoner Ryu Nak-jin. In 2003, Geun-young dated “Goddess of Fire” co-star Kim Bum for seven months. Moon suffered from depression for a while after their breakup. Acute compartment syndrome, which is frequently brought on by trauma like a car accident or broken bone, was identified as the ailment that afflicted Geun-young.
Net Worth and Lifestyle
According to various sources, Moon Geun-young’s net worth is estimated to be $6 million as of 2022. Although her career provides the majority of her income, she was forced to stop her activities in 2017 due to a health issue.

Philanthropy
Geun-young gave nearly 100 million won to Morning Reading, a charity that encourages and promotes reading among the people. The donations were made covertly through her mother, but in 2007, Moon’s contribution was made public by the Morning Reading. In 2006, Geun-young gave about 300 million won to a school for underprivileged kids in Haenam County, South Jeolla Province. She also helped to build a new building that included a dining area, computer room, shower room, and library.She paid the entire 200 million won construction cost.
Geun-young has given the Korean Community Chest more than 850 million won over the past eight to ten years. Her contributions helped fund the construction of kids’ libraries and the medical expenses of kids with cancer or leukaemia. In a 2008 survey by the Korean Green Foundation, 100 individuals who “lit up the world” included Moon Geun-young because of her significant charitable contributions.
By constructing a Korean library for young Korean expatriates in Australia, she expanded the scope of her charitable endeavours. Geun-young has been giving books since 2006. She collaborated with the Lindfield Korean School in Sydney to donate 100 million won to the building of a Hangeul library. She donated the Haenam Children’s Center in 2009 so that the NGO organisation Good People could use it as a study space for underprivileged students.
Awards
- KBS Drama Awards (2000)
Best Young Actress – (drama) Autumn in My Heart (2000) - 41st Grand Bell Awards (2004)
Best New Actress – (film) My Little Bride (2004)
Popularity Award – (film) My Little Bride (2004) - 12th Chunsa Film Art Awards (2004)
Best New Actress -(film) My Little Bride (2004) - 25th Blue Dragon Film Awards (2004)
Popular Star Award (2004) - 5th Korea World Youth Film Festival (2005)
Favourite Actress (2005) - 42nd Grand Bell Awards (2005)
Popularity Award -(film) Innocent Steps - 29th Golden Cinematography Awards (2006)
Best Actress -(film) Innocent Steps (2006) - 6th Korea World Youth Film Festival (2006)
Favourite Actress (2006) - 7th Korea World Youth Film Festival (2007)
Favourite Actress (2007) - 21st Grimae Awards (2008)
Best Actress (2008) - SBS Drama Awards (2008)
Grand Prize (Daesang) (2008) - SBS Drama Awards (2008)
Best Couple Award with Moon Chae-won – (drama) Painter of the Wind - SBS Drama Awards (2008)
Top 10 Stars (2008) – (drama) Painter of the Wind - 4th Seoul International Drama Awards (2009)
Popularity Award (2009) - 45th Baeksang Arts Awards (2009)
Best Actress (TV) - 6th Golden Ticket Awards (2010)
Best Actress in a Play – Closer (2010) - Yahoo! Asia Buzz Awards (2010)
Female Buzz Star Award – (series) Mary Stayed Out All Night (2010) - KBS Drama Awards (2010)
Top Excellence Award, Actress (2010) – Cinderella’s Sister, Mary Stayed Out All Night (2010) - Popularity Award (2010) – Cinderella’s Sister, Mary Stayed Out All Night
Best Couple Award with Jang Keun-suk (2010) - 6th Seoul International Drama Awards (2011)
Outstanding Korean Actress – Mary Stayed Out All Night - 47th Baeksang Arts Awards (2011)
Most Popular Actress (TV) – Cinderella’s Sister (2011) - SBS Drama Awards (2015)
Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries – The Village: Achiara’s Secret (2015)
Top 10 Stars – – The Village: Achiara’s Secret (2015) - Women in Film Korea Festival (2022)
Kang Soo-yeon Award – Abyss, The Stage, Be In My Dream (2022)Moon Geun-young at Marie Claire Asia Star Awards, 2017. Credit: Pinterest
Interesting Facts About Moon Geun-young
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Moon Geun-young’s younger sister is 5 years younger than her.
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Geun-young suffered from compartment syndrome.
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Geun-young loves music, knitting and painting.
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Geun-young had a close bond with her grandmother.
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Geun-young was in a relationship with Kim-bum.
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Moon Geun-young earned the title ‘Nation’s Young Sister’.
FAQs
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When is Moon Geun-young’s birthday?
May 6 is when Geun-young celebrates her birthday. -
What is Moon Geun-young doing at present?
Presently, Geun-young joined the newly launched entertainment company called Cré Company. -
What is Moon Geun-young’s Instagram ID?
‘Moon Geun-young’ is her Instagram ID with 9.2 million followers. -
How old is Moon Geun-young?
As of 2023, Geun-young is 36 years old.