Go was born in Jinju, South Korea. At a young age, she constantly moved around Korea because her father was a soldier. When she was in junior high, she was recommended by a friend to audition for the talent agency SM Entertainment. In 2003, she became the winner of the SM Entertainment Teen Model Contest.[3]
Career
2003–2012: Beginnings and rising popularity
Go was chosen to play the female lead, Lee Ok-rim, in the 2003 KBS teen drama Sharp. Her role as an ambitious and confident middle school girl catapulted her to instant stardom.[4] She reprised her role in the sequel Sharp 2.[5]
Go's first film was the big-budget Japanese movie Genghis Khan: To the Ends of the Earth and Sea, which was released in Japan in March 2007. She played Khulan, the mistress of Genghis Khan, after being picked from more than 40,000 auditions. Go was then cast in another Japanese film, Dance Subaru due to her fluency in the language.[5]
In 2012, Go made her domestic film debut in sports film Pacemaker, where she gained 5 kg weight to portray a pole vaulter representing South Korea.[11] She then displayed her singing skills in the 2012 multicultural film Papa, with Park Yong-woo.[12] Go drew attention for her singing and dancing abilities, fluent English and acting performance in the film.[13]
2013–present: Career resurgence
Go's popularity further rose through the nostalgic campus drama Reply 1994 (2013). In order to portray Sung Na-jung, she cut her hair short, and gained 18 lbs.[14] While many doubted her casting when it was first announced, Go's acting later nabbed praise both critically and with viewers.[3][15] For her performance, Go received Best Actress nominations in the Baeksang Art Awards and APAN Star Awards. She next starred as the sole female rookie detective in the 2014 police drama You're All Surrounded, alongside Lee Seung-gi and Cha Seung-won.[16][17]
In 2015, Go returned to the big screen alongside Yoo Seung-ho in joseon-era romance film, The Magician, where she plays a princess who finds love with a circus magician.[18] This was followed by a leading role in Phantom Detective, a neo-noir action flick starring Lee Je-hoon as the titular Hong Gil-dong.[19]
In 2018, Go starred in the legal drama Ms. Hammurabi alongside Kim Myung-soo, playing a passionate rookie judge.[26] The series was well-received for its honest depiction of adversities in modern-day Korean society; and Go was complimented for her acting.[27]
In 2019, Go starred in the historical action drama Haechi, playing a detective who is well versed in both martial arts and foreign languages.[28]
In 2020, Go starred in the music romance drama Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol as a pianist who hits rock bottom following her family's downfall alongside
Lee Jae-wook.[29]
^Jung Seo-hee (January 9, 2023). 고아라, 김범·송승헌·유연석과 한솥밥...킹콩 by 스타쉽 합류[공식] [Go Ara, Kim Beom, Song Seung-heon, Yoo Yeon-seok and one pot rice... King Kong by Starship Join [Official]]. Spotv News (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 9, 2023. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
^Jeon, Hyung-hwa (November 19, 2021). [단독]김선호·강태주·김강우·고아라, '슬픈열대' 확정..12월10일 크랭크인 [종합] [[Exclusive] Kim Seon-ho, Kang Tae-joo, Kim Kang-woo, Go Ara, 'Sad Tropical' confirmed.. December 10 crank-in [Comprehensive]] (in Korean). Star News. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 19, 2021 – via Naver.
^Lee Yeju (April 17, 2023). 김선호, 영화 '귀공자'로 6월 스크린 데뷔[공식] [Kim Seon-ho, screen debut in June with the movie 'The Childe' [Official]] (in Korean). Sports Kyunghyang. Archived from the original on April 21, 2023. Retrieved April 17, 2023 – via Naver.
^Yoo Ji-hye (September 12, 2023). [단독] 고아성, 부상으로 '춘화연애담' 하차...고아라 주연 [[Exclusive] Go Ah-seong leaves 'Chunhwa Love Story' due to injury... Go Ara starring] (in Korean). Sports Donga. Archived from the original on September 19, 2023. Retrieved September 12, 2023 – via Naver.
^"2020 AAA". Asia Artist Awards (in Korean). October 14, 2020. Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
^Nam, Yoo-jung; Lee, Woo-young (August 27, 2023). 누가 받아도 될 정도로 훌륭한 후보들, 그중 최고는 누구? [Great candidates to anyone can accept, who is the best of them?]. Busan Ilbo (in Korean). Archived from the original on August 27, 2023. Retrieved August 27, 2023 – via Naver.
^Do, Hye-rae (August 13, 2021). 한국방송대상 첫 인기상 온라인 투표...오는 22일까지 [Online voting for the first popularity award at the Korea Broadcasting Awards... Until the 22nd]. newsfreezone (in Korean). Archived from the original on August 15, 2021. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
^Ham, Na-yan (January 1, 2020). [2019 SBS 연기대상] 이하늬 최우수상 "상 받으려고 한 적 없지만... [[2019 SBS Drama Awards] Lee Ha-nui Grand Prize "I never tried to win the award, but...] (in Korean). Sports Donga. Archived from the original on December 14, 2022. Retrieved December 14, 2022 – via Naver.