text: Jung Ryeo-won (; born January 21, 1981) is an Australian actress and former singer based in South Korea. She began her career as a singer in the girl group Chakra, following their disbandment of the group, she transitioned to an actress where she rose to fame in the hit television series My Name Is Kim Sam-soon (2005). She is also known for her roles in Two Faces of My Girlfriend (2007), Castaway on the Moon (2009), History of a Salaryman (2012) and Wok of Love (2018).
  Early life
  The second of three children, Jung Ryeo-won was born in 1981, and emigrated to Brisbane, Australia in 1992 with her family. She encountered discrimination in grade school, which made her determined to become fluent in English. By junior high school, she had adapted to the Australian way of life. After attending MacGregor State High School, she graduated from Griffith University with a major in international business.
  Career
  2000–2004: Debut with Chakra
  While she was an exchange student at Korea University from Griffith University in the 2000s, Jung was discovered on the streets of Apgujeong by Lee Sang-min, thereby changing her life and career path. She was placed in the K-pop girl group Chakra, along with Eeni, Eun and Hwangbo; their first album was released in 2000. Jung's morale was at a low in 2002, saying she sometimes felt alienated from her fellow Koreans, and was uncomfortable with the sexy clothes she was made to wear as a singer.