Seo Yi Sook: From Court Lady Seo To Police Chief Kang

It took Lady Seo at least 50 episodes to meet justice in the popular saeguk "Empress Ki." Her lady-in-waiting character aided more than one empress in one evil scheme after another. Those evil schemes included stealing babies, burning down nunneries and trying to poison rivals. The character finally met her death at the hands of the emperor himself. The emperor, played by Ji Chang Wook, killed the court lady in a final attempt to protect the life of the woman he loved.

But Seo Yi Sook, the actress who played the unlikable Lady Seo, survived her fictional execution and is already playing another more relatable role in a new and popular k-drama. She can be seen again in "You're Surrounded," with co-stars Lee Seung Gi and Cha Seung Won. In that comedy about rookie cops, she plays Chief Kang Seok Soon, a police chief in the Gangnam Police Department. As the superior officer, she's a character who is feared by her juniors. But as much as her character commands respect, she seems decent enough. Viewers may find it a nice change to see that this actress playing a character that is not likely to be involved in any poisonous plots.

Despite the bitter facial expressions that Seo Yi Sook's character displayed throughout much of "Empress Ki," the actress' headshots make her look warm and approachable.

The 46-year-old actress debuted in 1990 and she has worked consistently in both dramas and films. But she has been especially busy lately. In the last two years, she has had several drama and film roles.

Viewers may also remember her in "The Heirs' as the mother of Hyo Shin, played by Kang Ha Neul. She was the mom who insisted he had to follow in his father's footsteps and become a lawyer.

In 2013 alone, she was in six dramas. She played Yong Goo in "King's Daughter, Soo Baek Hyang, Ha Sung In in "You're Neighbor's Wife," a deaf woman in "Two Weeks," Seol Jook in "Cruel Palace, War of Flowers" and Ma Eun Hee in "Pure Love."

She can also be seen in film theaters this month, playing Go Soo Ae in "The Fatal Encounter." The film tells the story of an assassination attempt on King Jeongjo, a Joseon-era king. The film stars Hyun Bin in his comeback role following the end of his military duty. The film begins its run in U.S. theaters on May 23.