Bae Jong Ok plays a sleeper agent and Kim Jaejoong's mom in the new spy drama aptly named "Spy." It was a casting coup as the actors look enough alike to be a real-life mother and son. You may have seen Bae jong Ok in other dramas such as "Worlds Within," starring Hyun Bin and Song Hye Kyo or "That Winter The Wind Blows" with Jo In Sung and Song Hye Kyo.
Here are some more facts you may not know about this versatile actress.
1. She has taught theater and film studies at Chung Ang University since 2003. Although she is not the only entertainer who teaches at a university level, according to the Korea Times, she was Korea's first actress to earn a doctorate. She earned a doctorate in mass communication in 2009.
2. She's humble and has a good sense of humor. Despite having appeared in dozens of dramas and winning Baeksang and Blue Dragon awards for some of drama roles, she seemed genuinely pleased to win her first Rookie Award for her appearance on the reality show "Roommates." She won the Rookie Awatd along with Got7's Jackson at the SBS Entertainment Awards
"It's my first time winning a Rookie Award," she said. "In order to deliver the message that life is more beautiful when I'm with 'Roomates,' I'll try harder."
On that program she shared a room with Girls Generation's Sunny.
3. She has a sense of humor. She took the role of a loan shark with Alzheimer's disease in "Wonderful Mama" because she wanted to do what she considered a funny role. In the drama her character had three grown children and she tried to do what she could for them while her memory was still intact.
"I was always asked to do the sad or serious roles," she said at a press conference for "Wonderful Mama." "But I wanted to do this funny role.
4. She's bold and not easily embarrassed. At the age of 48 she did a shower scene in "Wonderful Mama." She got a henna tattoo of a dragon for that scene. The dragon extended across her back and down her arm. The temporary tattoo took three hours to apply.
5. She's helpful to younger actors. When Yoona came to visit her fellow Girls Generation singer on the set of "Rooomates," she expressed her gratitude toward Bae Jong Ok. They worked together on "Park Jung Geum." Yoona had a cameo in that drama.
"You really taught me a lot at the time," she said. "Thank you."
