Alice Ko Biography: Books, Husband, Awards, Brother, Movies, Ethnicity, Instagram, Parents

Alice Ko (柯佳嬿 / Ko Chia-yen) is an award-winning Taiwanese actress and author known for her versatile acting and nuanced emotional performances.

Best recognized for her leading roles in Office Girls (2011), Marry Me, or Not? (2015), and Someday or One Day (2019–2020), she has become one of Taiwan’s most respected and bankable television actresses.

Profile

• Full name: Ko Chia-yen (柯佳嬿)
• Nickname: Alice Ko / Alice Ke
• Date of birth: January 10, 1985
• Age: 40 years old
• Gender: Female
• Place of birth: Shilin District, Taipei City, Taiwan
• State of origin: Taipei (Taiwan)
• Nationality: Taiwanese
• Profession: Actress, Author
• Height: 165 cm (5 ft 5 in)
• Weight: 50 kg (approx.)
• Eye color: Dark brown
• Hair color: Black (naturally; occasionally dyed dark brown for roles)
• Parents: Father – Ko Chin-chung (electrical engineer); Mother – Wang Mei-fen (homemaker, later small business owner)
• Siblings: One younger brother (Ko Yu-cheng, software developer)
• Spouse: Hsieh Kun-da (actor-singer; married December 3, 2017)
• Children: None
• Relationship status: Married
• Religion: Buddhism (practising)
• Ethnicity: Han Chinese
• Net worth: USD $2.8 million

Early Life and Education

Ko Chia-yen, now at the age of 40, was born on January 10, 1985, in Shilin District, Taipei, Taiwan, into a middle-class family. Her parents are Ko Chin-chung and Wang Mei-fen. She also has one younger brother named Ko Yu-cheng. She attended Private Taipei Municipal Senior High School before enrolling at Shih Chien University, where she majored in English.

Before entering the entertainment industry, Ko worked briefly as a kindergarten teacher, a job that reflected her early love of children and education. Her calm, articulate nature and natural charisma later translated seamlessly into her acting career.

Personal Life

Alice Ko began dating actor-singer Hsieh Kun-da (謝坤達) in 2012 after co-starring with him in the TV drama Gung Hay Fat Choy. The couple married on December 3, 2017, in an intimate ceremony attended by close friends and family.

Although the couple has no children as of 2025, they have publicly discussed balancing marriage and careers in Taiwan’s entertainment industry. Ko has openly refuted rumors about her being “anti-motherhood,” explaining in interviews that she prefers to “live naturally and without societal pressure.”

Career

Alice Ko’s acting debut came in 2006 with the indie film Do Over, where her understated performance caught critics’ attention. She followed this with roles in Miao Miao (2008) and Monga (2010), which introduced her to broader audiences.

Her big break came in 2011 with the TV series Office Girls, where she played Shen Hsin-Ren, a hardworking department store employee navigating corporate and romantic challenges. The role established her as a relatable screen presence and propelled her to stardom.

She reached new heights in 2015 with Marry Me, or Not?, a hit romantic comedy in which she portrayed the ambitious Vivienne Tsai. The performance earned her the Best Leading Actress in a Television Series award at the 51st Golden Bell Awards (2016).

Ko achieved further acclaim for her dual roles in Someday or One Day (2019–2020), a complex romantic sci-fi series blending time travel and identity shifts. The performance garnered her a second Golden Bell Award for Best Leading Actress (2020) and international praise from Netflix audiences.

Other notable credits include:

• La Grande Chaumière Violette (2016) – historical drama showcasing her artistic depth.
• Rainless Love in a Godless Land (2021) – fantasy-romance series.
• Copycat Killer (2023, Netflix) – psychological crime thriller that expanded her global fan base.
• I Am Married… But! (2025) – her latest drama, marking a return to character-driven romance.

Beyond acting, Ko is also an essayist and author, publishing books that explore personal reflection and emotional wellness.

Awards and Nominations

• 51st Golden Bell Awards (2016) – Best Leading Actress (Marry Me, or Not?)
• 55th Golden Bell Awards (2020) – Best Leading Actress (Someday or One Day)
• 21st Asian Television Awards (2016) – Nominee, Best Actress (La Grande Chaumière Violette)
• 22nd Asian Television Awards (2017) – Nominee, Best Actress (Welcome to Happy Days)
• 2023 Taipei Film & TV Festival – Outstanding Artist Award (Career Achievement)

Net Worth

Alice Ko’s net worth is approximately USD $2.8 million. Her income sources include: lead acting roles in television and film, brand endorsements, royalties from her published books and essay collections etc.

Social Media

• Instagram: @alicekochiayen
• YouTube: Alice Ko Official Channel
• TikTok: @alicekoofficial

Filmography

Film:

• Do Over (2006)
• God Man Dog (2007)
• Miao Miao (2008)
• Monga (2010)
• Night Market Hero (2011)
• Bear It (2012)
• Judgment Day (2013)
• Lion Dancing (2014)
• Partners in Crime (2014)
• Where the Wind Settles (2015)
• Zinnia Flower (2015)
• Welcome to the Happy Days (2016)
• The Bold, the Corrupt, and the Beautiful (2017)
• Let’s Cheat Together (2018)
• Your Love Song (2020)
• Someday or One Day: The Movie (2022)
• Reclaim (2022)

Television Series:

• Police et Vous (2008)
• My Queen (2009)
• Play Ball (Game Winning Hit) (2009)
• Office Girls (2011)
• Gung Hay Fat Choy (2012)
• Dragon Gate (2013)
• Say I Love You (2014)
• Marry Me, or Not? (2015)
• La Grande Chaumière Violette (2016)
• Attention, Love! (2017)
• Déjà Vu (2019)
• Someday or One Day (2019–2020)
• Rainless Love in a Godless Land (2021)
• Mom, Don’t Do That! (2022)
• Copycat Killer (2023)
• We Go Fast on Trust (2023)
• I Am Married… But! (2025)

Books

• Walk into Alice (2012) – Personal essays on identity, love, and daily reflection.
• Hello, Goodbye (2017) – A best-selling collection of essays on emotional growth and creative life.