Moon made her acting debut in 2007 in Mackerel Run, alongside fellow newcomer Lee Min-ho; they were among 60 actors who auditioned for the teen sitcom. Moon and Lee also appeared in the 2008 comedy film Our School's E.T..[4][5]
Her breakthrough came in 2008 period drama Painter of the Wind. In the adaptation of Lee Jung-myung's historical fiction novel, she played a beautiful gisaeng who falls for Shin Yun-bok (played by Moon Geun-young), a female painter passing herself off as a man.[6] Their onscreen chemistry and the homoerotic subtext of their characters' relationship was received positively, and the couple subsequently received the most votes in the Best Couple poll at the 2008 SBS Drama Awards. It was the first time in Korean drama history that two actresses won the Best Couple Award, despite the sexual conservatism of Korean network television.[7]
Moon's further raised her profile with Brilliant Legacy, in which she played a privileged girl who alternately antagonizes and pities her stepsister.[8]Brilliant Legacy became one of the top-rated Korean dramas of 2009, with a peak viewership rating of 47.1%.[9] The success of the drama boosted Moon's popularity as an actress.[10] Another supporting role followed in My Fair Lady, where she played an upbeat shoe designer who lives next door to her crush, a butler.[11][12]
In October 2010, she signed with talent agency Barunson Entertainment (later renamed MSTeam). Afterwards, Moon landed her first leading role in It's Okay, Daddy's Girl, playing an immature daughter who transforms into a mature professional woman after a family tragedy.[13]
Moon returned to the small screen in the Joseon-era drama The Princess' Man, about a fictional forbidden romance between the daughter of Grand Prince Suyang and the son of Kim Jongseo (played by Park Si-hoo), whose fathers were real-life political enemies.[17][18]The Princess' Man was well-received critically and commercially, and though initially criticized for her acting, Moon won viewers over as the series went on, eventually winning a Top Excellence Award at the year-end KBS Drama Awards.[19][20] She also received a Best Dressed nod from the Korea Lifestyle Awards for giving a boost to the hanbok fashion industry via her two period projects, and was named Honorary Prosecutor by the Supreme Prosecutors' Office.[21]
2012–present: Acclaim
In 2012, Moon starred in the Lee Kyung-hee-penned melodrama The Innocent Man opposite Song Joong-ki. She drew praise for her performance as a cold, cynical woman groomed to take over her father's conglomerate, who later reverts to helpless innocence after losing her memory. Ratings for The Innocent Man topped its timeslot during its run and led to Moon winning a Top Excellence Award at the KBS Drama Awards for the second year in a row.[22][23][24]
Moon returned to the big screen in a 2015 romantic comedy directed by Park Jin-pyo, which reunited her with previous Brilliant Legacy costar Lee Seung-gi.[31] In Love Forecast, she played a weather forecaster whose pretty face belies the glib-talking, hard-drinking personality underneath.[32][33][34] The film passed the break-even point with 1.89 million viewers 3 weeks after being released and Moon won the Producer's Choice Award at Bucheon International Film Festival.[35] She then starred opposite Yoo Yeon-seok in Mood of the Day, in which they play two strangers who meet on the KTX and spend 24 hours together in the unfamiliar city of Busan.[36]
Moon then took on the leading female role in MBC's thriller Goodbye Mr. Black in 2016, her first television series in three years.[37][38] The same year, Moon left her former agency MS Team Entertainment and signed with Namoo Actors.[39]
In 2017, Moon was cast in the Korean adaption of the American crime drama Criminal Minds.[40][41] The same year, Moon was cast in the period film Feng Shui, the third installment of the "divining art trilogy" by Han Jae-rim.[42]
In 2021, Moon will be joining the cast of the comedy film No Kids alongside Kwon Sang-woo.[46] Later in November 2021, Moon signed with YNK Entertainment after the expiration of her contract with the original agency.[47] In December 2021, Moon participated in Korea's first audio drama Floor with Lee Je-hoon and Jeong Jun-ha.[48]
In 2023, Moon made her return to the small screen with the SBS drama Payback, her return to terrestrial television in seven years since 2016.[49] Later in the year in April Moon made a special appearance in the SBS drama Taxi Driver 2.[50]
^Kim, Jin-seok (September 29, 2016). 문채원, 나무엑터스와 전속 계약 '이준기와 한솥밥'[공식]. Daily Sports (in Korean). Archived from the original on February 16, 2017. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
^ abJeon Hyung-hwa (May 24, 2021). "[단독]권상우·문채원, 로맨틱 코미디영화 '노키즈' 호흡" [[Exclusive] Kwon Sang-woo, Moon Chae-won, romantic comedy movie 'No Kids' breathing]. Star News (in Korean). Archived from the original on May 24, 2021. Retrieved May 24, 2021 – via Naver.
^Han Byung-jeong (November 24, 2021). "문채원, 김현주·신혜선 소속사에서 새 출발" [Moon Chae-won, Kim Hyeon-joo and Shin Hye-sun's agency make a new start] (in Korean). Hankook Ilbo. Archived from the original on November 24, 2021. Retrieved November 24, 2021 – via Naver.
^ abKim Na-ra (December 10, 2021). "이제훈X문채원 '층', 27일 바이브 공개 '국내 최초 오디오 무비' [공식]" [Lee Je-hoon X Moon Chae-won 'Floor', Vibe released on the 27th 'Korea's first audio movie' [Official]] (in Korean). My Daily. Archived from the original on December 10, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2021 – via Naver.
^Hwang Hye-jin (September 7, 2022). "이선균X문채원 '법쩐' 출연 확정, 내년 상반기 편성[공식]" [Lee Sun-kyun X Moon Chae-won confirmed to appear in 'Law Money', organized in the first half of next year [Official]] (in Korean). Newsen. Archived from the original on September 7, 2022. Retrieved September 7, 2022 – via Naver.
^Kim Chae-yeon (April 16, 2023). "마의 20% 넘었다..'모범택시2' 자체 최고 시청률로 종영, 시즌3 나올까?" [It exceeded 20% of Ma.. 'Exemplary Taxi 2' ended with its own highest ratings, will Season 3 come out?] (in Korean). Osen. Archived from the original on April 16, 2023. Retrieved April 16, 2023 – via Naver.
^Park Ah-reum (March 30, 2023). "모범택시2' 남궁민→김소연→문채원 특별출연 릴레이 "방송으로 확인" [Exemplary Taxi 2' Namgung-min→Kim So-yeon→Moon Chae-won special appearance relay "confirmed through broadcast] (in Korean). Newsen. Archived from the original on March 30, 2023. Retrieved March 30, 2023 – via Naver.
^Cheon Seol-hwa (December 20, 2023). "KCA한국소비자평가, '제28회 소비자의 날 KCA 문화연예 시상식' 성료" [KCA Korea Consumer Rating, '28th Consumer Day KCA Culture and Entertainment Awards Ceremony' successfully completed]. StarDaily News (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 25, 2023. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
^"[더서울어워즈]인기투표 불꽃점화! 가장 사랑받은 스타는" [[The Seoul Awards] Popularity vote ignites! The most loved star]. Sports Seoul (in Korean). October 1, 2018. Archived from the original on December 26, 2023. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
^'명예검사' 이민호-문채원, 법복마저 우월한 '선남선녀' 포스 ['Honorary prosecutors' Lee Min-ho and Moon Chae-won, a 'good man and good woman' force that is superior even in court uniforms] (in Korean). Donga. January 14, 2012. Archived from the original on December 25, 2023. Retrieved December 26, 2023 – via Naver.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Moon Chae-won.