As Miss Daegu, Son Tae-young placed second runner-up  at the Miss Korea pageant in 2000. She was the country’s representative at the 2000 Miss International pageant, where she won 1st runner-up and Miss Photogenic.

Son later turned to acting, appearing in the films Sad Movie (2005), the critically acclaimed The Railroad (2007), and Crazy Waiting (2008). Son is more prolific in television, with starring and supporting roles in dramas such as One Million Roses (2003), Two Wives (2009), You’re the Best, Lee Soon-shin, and Into the Flames (2014).

In 2014, Son played the leading role of a wife with a cheating husband in the Chinese romantic comedy film Love War, opposite Hu Bing and Winston Chao.

Known for her sense of style, Son has also hosted several beauty and fashion programs. Among them are Son Tae-young’s Life Magazine (2008), Actress House – Season 2 (2011), and Son Tae-young’s W Show! (2013).