Cheon Soo-yeon (born Cheon Seong-im on August 15, 1981), professionally known by her stage name Song Ji-hyo, is a South Korean actress and model. Song was a cover model for Kiki Magazine before she made her acting debut in the feature film Wishing Stairs (2003), the third installment in the Whispering Corridors film series. She made her television debut in the romantic comedy Princess Hours (2006) and the historical Jumong (2006). Song then received wider recognition for her roles in the film A Frozen Flower (2008), New World (2013), and the TV series Emergency Couple (2014).
Besides acting, Song is one of the regular casts of the South Korean variety show Running Man since 2010, which brought her international recognition.
Song Ji-hyo was born as Cheon Seong-im on August 15, 1981, in Pohang, North Gyeongsang. Her mother was a South Korean national swimmer representative. She has a younger sister and a younger brother, Cheon Seong-moon, an actor. Song dreamed of becoming an actress during her high school years after watching Park Shin-yang in the 1998 South Korean film, Promise. She graduated with a degree in tax accounting from Kyungmoon University (now Kookje College). Before entering the acting industry, Song was cast while working a part-time job at a cafe.