Jung Ae-ri made her acting debut after she was chosen at the KBS talent audition in 1978. In 1980, she moved to another network, MBC. Jung rose to stardom in the 1985 drama Love and Truth, for which she won the Daesang (“Grand Prize”) at the MBC Drama Awards and Best TV Actress at the Baeksang Arts Awards. After she got married in 1985, Jung immigrated to the United States and temporarily retired from acting. She returned to Korea in 1988 and resumed her career. Jung has since had a prolific career and remains active on television.

In 1997, Jung received much acclaim for a local stage production of A Streetcar Named Desire, including the Best Actress award at the Seoul Theater Festival. Shw was again praised for 2010’s The Most Beautiful Goodbye in the World (also known as The Most Beautiful Farewell), a stage remake of Noh Hee-kyung’s 1996 TV series. One review called her performance “stirring” and “incendiary,” and that “it transcends the trite plot and elevates it above its television predecessor. Her portrayal is one that resonates long after the curtains are drawn.”