Go Ah-sung was four years old when she appeared in her first commercial, and she joined the 2002 stage musicalPeter Pan when she was ten. At thirteen, Go began her acting career in the KBS children's program Oolla Boolla Blue-jjang (2004).[3]
Having worked together in the MBComnibus drama Beating Heart (2005),[4] actress Bae Doona recommended Go to director Bong Joon-ho when he was casting for his much-anticipated monster film. After an extensive audition process, Go made her film debut in 2006 with a starring role in The Host.[5] Bong praised her work, saying that she "showed really mature acting for her age, and that's one of her defining charms as an actress."[6] Go was also applauded by film critics, with Stephen Hunter of The Washington Post complimenting her "exquisite performance,"[7] and Megan Ratner of the Bright Lights Film Journal noting her "unforced naturalness, reminiscent not only of Ana Torrent but of Zazie's Catherine Demongeot."[8] Go received several acting nominations, and won Best New Actress at the 2006 Blue Dragon Film Awards.[9]
Go starred in her first leading role in Duet (2012), an indie romance about an aspiring Korean singer on a tour of England and the British guy she meets who shares her interests in music, photography and travel.[16][17]
Go signed with an American agency, Untitled Entertainment in 2014.[26] She returned to television in 2015 with Heard It Through the Grapevine, a black comedy about the chaos an unplanned teenage pregnancy causes in a wealthy, powerful family.[27] Go then headlined the mystery thriller Office, which made its world premiere in the Midnight Screenings section at Cannes; she won Best Actress at Fancine for her role as an intern who becomes a person of interest in a murder investigation.[28][29][30][31][32]
In 2016, she featured in an episode of the Japanese television series, Midnight Diner.[33] She then starred in war drama A Melody to Remember.[34] The film won the audience award at the 18th Far East Film Festival.[35]
In 2017, Go challenges her first romantic comedy in the MBC's drama Radiant Office, as a twentysomething woman who, after a suicide attempt and possible terminally-ill diagnosis, thinks she has nothing to lose and tackles her job and life with new perspectives.[36]
Go led the 2020 critically-acclaimed and box office success dramedy film Samjin Company English Class, the winner of Best Film at the 57th Baeksang Arts Awards. She acted as an employee who mastered daily office works but accidentally discovered the company's water pollution leakage.[39]
In 2022, Go returned to TV series with the role of a tax investigator in the MBC and Wavve's financial thriller Tracer.[40]
Other activities
Go enjoys traveling alone and taking pictures. She became interested in photography through friend and frequent costar Bae Doona.[41] Go's photographs were exhibited at the 5th annual Seoul Open Art Fair in 2010, alongside artwork by Ha Jung-woo and photos by Uhm Tae-woong.[42]
Another of her interests is music. She did her own singing for the film Duet, and has performed live on stage at Mudaeruk in Hongdae.[43]
^Ahn Yoon-ji (December 24, 2021). "트레이서' 고아성, 5년만 MBC 드라마 복귀..독보적 존재감 예고" ['Tracer' Go Ah-seong returns to MBC drama after 5 years...] (in Korean). Star News. Archived from the original on December 24, 2021. Retrieved December 24, 2021 – via Naver.
^Jo Ji-young (August 2, 2022). "[공식] 고아성, '괴이' 감독 신작 '한국이 싫어서' 출연 확정..7월 말 크랭크인" [[Official] Go Ah-seong confirmed to appear in 'Because I Hate Korea', directed by 'Georgeous'... Crankin at the end of July] (in Korean). Sports Chosun. Archived from the original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved August 2, 2022 – via Naver.
^Ahn Yoon-ji (August 19, 2021). "크라임 퍼즐' 윤계상X고아성, 장르적 쾌감 극대화..10월 공개[공식]" [Crime Puzzle' Kye-Sang Yoon X Ah-Sung Go, Maximizing Genre Pleasure.. Released in October [Official]]. Star News (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
^Lee Kyung-ho (October 20, 2021). "고아성, 임시완X손현주 '트레이서' 출연 확정 [공식]" [Go Ah-seong, Im Si-wan X Son Hyeon-joo Confirmed to Appear in 'Tracer' [Official]] (in Korean). Star News. Archived from the original on October 20, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2021 – via Naver.
^Hwang So-young (October 6, 2022). "[단독] 고아성·라치카, 넷플릭스 '이두나!' 특별출연" [[Exclusive] Go Ah-seong, Lachika, Netflix 'Iduna!' special appearance]. JTBC (in Korean). Archived from the original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved October 6, 2022 – via Naver.
^Cho, Yeon-gyeong (April 5, 2019). "55회 백상예술대상 영화부문 최종 후보 공개". Is Plus (in Korean). Naver. Archived from the original on November 11, 2020. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
^Kim, Jin-seok; Jo, Yeon-kyung (April 12, 2021). "57회 백상예술대상, TV·영화·연극 부문 최종 후보 공개". isplus.joins (in Korean). Archived from the original on April 12, 2021. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
^Jo Young-mi (August 29, 2021). "모가디슈' ·'자산어보' 13개 부문 중 8개 부문 후보에 올라" [Mogadishu' and 'Jasaneobo' were nominated for 8 out of 13 categories]. Busan Ilbo (in Korean). Archived from the original on August 29, 2021. Retrieved August 29, 2021 – via Naver.
^Choi, Hee-jae (December 30, 2022). "김영대·박주현·이혜리, 미니시리즈 부문 우수연기상 수상 [MBC 연기대상]" [Kim Young-dae, Park Joo-hyun, and Lee Hye-ri won the Excellence Award in the mini-series category [MBC Drama Awards]] (in Korean). X-ports News. Retrieved March 5, 2023 – via Naver.