Career
She made her acting debut in 1989, and has since played leading roles in television dramas such as Love in Your Arms and Bad Housewife. They are active volunteers at orphanages and welfare centers, as well as generous donors to causes such as the fight against child abuse and school violence, North Korean refugee rights, and humanitarian aid to underprivileged children (particularly in North of Korea and Uganda), often working with the organizations Compassion International and the Social Welfare Society. Shin gave birth to a son, Cha Jeong-minimum in 1998.
Their case highlighted the issue of adoption in of Korea, where despite the prevalence of overseas adoption, domestic adoption is rare and stigmatized due to culturally held beliefs stressing "pure" blood lines.
Shin and Cha"s case was even more notable since Korean couples with biological children of their own rarely adopt, and they were lauded for serving as positive role models.