Kim was born in on July 2, 1991 in Seoul, South Korea. In 1994, at the age of three, she moved with her family to Beijing, China, where she lived for ten years and became fluent inMandarin. After watchingChen Kaige'sTogether multiple times, Kim decided to pursue a career in filmmaking, which ultimately led her to theater. She remarked, "When I stood on the stage for the first time, I was so nervous that I thought it would be so hard if I had to do this for the rest of my life. But from my second performance, I felt ecstatic, as if I had wings on my back, and I never wanted to step off the stage. I keep on acting because I want to hold on to that feeling."[2]
She made her acting debut during her college years in Jung Ji-woo's filmA Muse. Kim had no prior experience in film or television, having only participated in student productions and school plays. She met director Jung Ji-woo through mutual friends and was unaware that auditions were being held. "I ended up having an audition after chatting with the director. There wasn't even any time for me to prepare," Kim recalled.[2] Ultimately, she was selected from approximately 300 actresses who auditioned for the role.[6][7]
Director Jung said Kim grew up through the film, saying, "Her facial expressions in the last few scenes of the film are strikingly different from the ones in the beginning. I wanted to capture the moments when she realizes how precious she is to herself and to others," adding that she showed off qualities that can only be found in someone who is unaware of her own beauty and what she is capable of. He also said, "She is naturally curious and brave. She's strong in a sense that she isn't influenced easily. She doesn't do things just because everyone else does it."[7] Kim's performance as Eun-gyo, a 17-year-old high school student who becomes the object of desire for two men, garnered her numerous Best New Actress awards that year, catapulting her from obscurity into the spotlight.[6][8][9][10]
Despite many offers followingA Muse, Kim took a break from acting and went back to college to complete her degree. She returned to the screen in 2014, showcasing her versatility in thethrillerMonster where she played a developmentally disabled woman whose younger sister is murdered by a ruthless serial killer; her grief and rage drives her almost psychotic, and she plans her revenge.[11][12][13][14]
In 2018, Kim played a secondary character in the filmSunset in My Hometown directed byLee Joon-ik. For her role as a wild country girl, Kim gained 8 kg and learned a regional dialect.[31][32][33] The same year, she was cast in the period romanceTune in for Love.[34]
In 2019, Kim was cast in the fantasy dramaThe King: Eternal Monarch. The series was highly anticipated due to its great cast, renowned screenwriter, extensive publicity, and budget of over 30 billion won (US$25 million).[35][36] It set a record on broadcast of its first episode as SBS's highest-rated Friday-Saturday drama premiere, and maintained the No.1 spot on the weekly Wavve drama chart for eight consecutive weeks.[37][38] However, it was criticised for its screenplay and convoluted plot, which led to lower-than-expected domestic popularity.[39][40][41]
That same year she was cast in South Korea's first ever musical filmHero, which is based on the hit stage musical of the same name. The film is based on the life of freedom fighterAn Jung-geun and his assassination ofItō Hirobumi, the first Prime Minister of Japan and Resident-General of colonized Korea. Kim played the role of a formerkungnyŏ turnedgeisha who joins theKorean independence movement.[42][43] The movie was originally scheduled to be released in July 2020, but was delayed due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[44] It was finally released in December 2022 and grossed over $24 million at the domestic box office, making it South Korea's 6th highest-grossing film of the year.[45]
In 2020, Kim starred as lead role inKim Jee-woon's short filmUntact alongsideKim Joo-hun.[46] In 2021 and 2022, Kim starred in Korea's first live action animation, romantic comedy dramaYumi's Cells, atvN TV series based on the eponymous webtoon which ran for two seasons.[47] The drama resonated with viewers and was well-received;NME placed it on its list of 10 best Korean dramas of 2021.[48] Kim's top-billed turn in particular received widespread attention;India Today lauded her performance as "impeccable",[49] andCosmopolitan Philippines called Kim "a chameleon...[who] manages to create a great character out of her roles".[50]
In 2022, Kim starred in the TV seriesLittle Women, a loose adaptation ofLouisa May Alcott'snovel of the same name. The series follows the story of three sisters who, after an unforeseen incident, escape poverty and find themselves entangled with one of the country's richest and most influential families. Kim portrayed the eldest sister, Oh In-ju.[51] The show holds a perfect 100% rating from critics on review aggregator platformRotten Tomatoes, with critics praising Kim's performance.[52] Tanu I. Raj ofNME commended Kim's portrayal of In-ju, describing her as "taciturn and self-sacrificial," yet also expressing "a sympathetic, starry-eyed awe."[53] Nathan Sartain fromReady Set Cut remarked that Kim brings "a spirited insecurity" to her performance, which enhances her character's "bubbling curiosity."[54]
2024 to present: Box office success and critical acclaim
In 2024, Kim reached another career milestone with a leading role inJang Jae-hyun's occult-thriller filmExhuma. She plays a youngshaman Hwa-rim, starring veteran actorsChoi Min-sik andYoo Hae-jin, as well as rising actorLee Do-hyun. The film premiered at the74th Berlin International Film Festival on February 16, 2024, in the Forum section. It was released theatrically on February 22 and received positive reviews from critics. The film quickly dominated the South Korean box office, reaching 5 million admissions in a record-breaking 10 days. By May 8, 2024, its success continued, grossing $95 million and exceeding 11 million admissions, making it both the highest-grossing film of 2024 and the sixth-highest-grossing domestic film in South Korean history.[55][56][57] Kim also earned a spot in the "Ten Million Club," a term for actors whose films have sold over 10 million tickets.[58]
Kim's performance of a "daesal gut," a shamanistic ritual involving animal sacrifice, garnered significant attention. The authenticity was so compelling that the film's shamanic advisors, Go Chun-ja and Lee Da-young, claimed a real spirit was summoned during one of her scenes.[59] Her powerful portrayal was widely praised by critics and fans alike.The Korea Herald lauded her "memorable acting," stating she "captivat[ed] the audience with her terror-inducing songs, oracles and prayers."[60] For this role, Kim won Best Actress at the60th Baeksang Arts Awards and45th Blue Dragon Film Awards.[61]
In October 2024, Kim had another film released. She starred as Jae-hee inLove in the Big City, the film adaptation ofSang Young Park's bestsellingnovel of the same name. DirectorE.oni [ko] planned to adapt the film few years ago, but faced difficulties due to production and budget issues, as well as casting a male actor to play a gay character. Kim waited two and a half years for the film to be greenlit.[58] The film focus on the first part of the novel, which follows the friendship between a "free-spirited" young woman and a closeted gay man as they live together and endure ups and downs in their love lives in modern-day Seoul.[62][63] Her performance received critical acclaim.Woman Donga praised her portrayal of Jae-hee as a "standout" and noted she transformed the character, who initially seemed "out of place," into a "multifaceted" figure.[58] She earned Best Actress nominations at theBaeksang Arts Awards, andDirector's Cut Awards, and won inBuil Film Awards.[64]
Regarding her decision to limit her appearance in advertisements, she said, "I never thought about my image or potential endorsement deals when choosing the next film project. What worries me is what impact my appearance in commercials would have on my roles."[67]In 2019, Kim was named aChanel Ambassador for South Korea, and was later selected to be one of the seven faces of Chanel's "J12 Turns 20" campaign in 2020.[68] In August 2019, at a press conference held at the Korea Press Center, Kim was appointed as an honorary ambassador for Korea's Ministry of the Environment's Resource Circulation.[69]
In April 2019, Kim donated ₩20 million (approx. US$17,460) to the victims of the Gangwon Province Wildfire.[citation needed] In late February 2020, the Korean NGO Good Neighbors revealed that she had made a donation of ₩100 million (approx. US$82,640) to provide 40,000 masks for low-income families in South Korea during theCOVID-19 pandemic.[70] In honor of Korean National Children's day, Kim donated ₩50 million won (approx. $44,000) to the Children's Hospital of the Seoul National University Hospital on May 5, 2021.[71]
On March 5, 2022, Kim donated ₩50 million through the Hope Bridge Korea Disaster Relief Association to help villagers affected by the Uljin wildfire.[72] On August 11, 2022, she donated ₩50 million through the Hope Bridge Korea Disaster Relief Association to help those affected by the2022 South Korean floods .[73] To celebrated her 10th anniversary as an actress, Kim donated ₩100 million to Seoul National University Children's Hospital in October 2022.[74]
On February 9, 2023, Kim donated ₩30 million through an NGO specializing in children's rights worldwide to relief efforts to the2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake.[75]
In March 2025, Kim donated ₩50 million through the Hope Bridge National Disaster Relief Association to help with recovery efforts fromwildfires that have occurred in the Ulsan, Gyeongbuk, and Gyeongnam regions.[76]
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