Kim Hee-sun (Korean: 김희선; born June 11, 1977) is a South Korean actress. She rose to fame in the 1990s with leading roles in television series such asMen of the Bath House (1995),Propose (1997),Wedding Dress (1997),Forever Yours (1998),Mister Q (1998),Sunflower (1998), andTomato (1999). Kim also starred in the martial arts filmsBichunmoo (2000) andThe Myth (2005), historical medical seriesFaith (2012), teen seriesAngry Mom (2015), melodramaThe Lady in Dignity (2017), and fantasy seriesTomorrow (2022).
Kim Hee-sun won the Fair Face Beauty Contest in 1992 while in middle school and beganmodeling in teen magazines. In 1993, Kim, then a high school sophomore, appeared in a commercial forLotte Samkang's crab chips, which led to her acting debut inDinosaur Teacher;[4] and anMC gig for music showLive TV Music 20 that same year.[5][6]
She enjoyed peak popularity in the mid-to-late 1990s, starring in one hitKorean drama after another.[7] These includeMen of the Bath House (1995) written byKim Soo-hyun,[8]Propose (1997),[9][10]Wedding Dress (1997) withLee Seung-yeon,[11]Forever Yours (1998) withRyu Si-won,[12]Mister Q (1998) withKim Min-jong andSong Yun-ah,[13]Sunflower (1998) withAhn Jae-wook,[14] andTomato (1999) withKim Suk-hoon.[15] Kim won the top prize at the 1998SBS Drama Awards forMister Q, making her at the time the youngest-ever Grand Prize (Daesang) winner, at age 21.[16] During this period, she also appeared in numerous advertisements and rose to fame both at home and abroad as one of Korea's most beautiful and trend-setting actresses.[17][18][19]
Unlike her success in television, the silver screen proved to be a bigger challenge for Kim's career.[20] She made her film debut in 1997'sRepechage oppositeJang Dong-gun,[21] and the film's director Lee Kwang-hoon subsequently put her in his next film,Ghost in Love (1999).[22] In her most high-profile role to date, Kim played the daughter of a Mongolian general in the big-budget martial arts fantasyBichunmoo, shot in China and released in summer 2000.[23] Although criticized for her acting in the film,[24] it gave her more domestic and international exposure than any of her other films. Along with her popular TV dramas, it cemented her position as aKorean Wave star in mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and throughout Southeast Asia.[25][26]
In late 2001, Kim took on a completely different kind of role, cutting her hair short and starring as an animator inWanee & Junah.[27] Although her acting in this film drew a favorable response from critics, the film itself was a commercial flop.[28] Her career took a downturn in 2003, when the environmentally-themed melodramaA Man Who Went to Mars, also known asA Letter From Mars, costarringShin Ha-kyun became an utter bomb at the box office.[29][30] She returned to television, howeverMy Fair Lady (2003) which was adapted from theJapanese television dramaYamato Nadeshiko,[31] andSad Love Story (2005) where she played a blind singer, both received low ratings.[32][33][34]
Due to her popularity among Chinese viewers, Kim was then cast oppositeJackie Chan inThe Myth, for which she learned to speakMandarin.[35][36] Back in Korea, her career slump continued withSmile Again in 2006.[37]
Kim married in 2007, and she left the entertainment scene to devote her time to being a wife and mother. During this five-year hiatus from acting, apart from appearing in magazines,[38] Kim published a book in 2009 on childcare and how to lose post-pregnancy weight, titledKim Hee-sun's Happy Mom Project.[39][40][41][42]
In 2013, Kim became one of the hosts of the revamped second season of variety talk showStrong Heart, titledHwasin – Controller of the Heart.[48] AfterHwasin was cancelled, she was cast in theLee Kyung-hee-penned weekend family dramaWonderful Days (2014).[49][50] This was followed byAngry Mom in 2015, where Kim's portrayal of the titular character who returns to high school when she learns that her teenage daughter is being bullied was highly praised by critics.[51][52] Kim then began filming for Chinese fantasy television dramaIce Fantasy, which started airing in July 2016.[53]
In 2017, Kim starred in the television series,The Lady in Dignity alongsideKim Sun-ah.[54] The series achieved a rating of 12.6% for its finale, becoming JTBC's highest rated drama at the time. Kim's performance was well received by critics and audience.[55][56]
In 2018, Kim starred in tvN's mystery dramaRoom No. 9.[57] The same year she confirmed her return to the big screen with independent filmPaper Flower.[58] In 2020, Kim starred in the science fiction romance dramaAlice which was broadcast onSBS in 2020 and released worldwide onNetflix in 2021.[59]
Kim wed businessman Park Ju-young in a lavish ceremony at the Seoul Sheraton Grande Walkerhill Hotel on October 19, 2007.[6][61][62] She gave birth to daughter Park Yeon-ah on January 21, 2009.[63][64][65]
On March 9, 2022, Kim donated₩100 million to theKorean Red Cross to help the victims of the massive forest fire that started in Uljin County, North Gyeongsang Province, and spread to Samcheok, Gangwon Province.[66] On April 25, 2022, Kim donated ₩100 million to Asan Medical Center to pay for the treatments of low-income patients.[67]
^According to Park Bok-sun (Kim Hee-sun's mother), she confirmed thatCheonho-dong is Hee-sun's birthplace and Hee-sun herself confirmed it years later in an interview promotingWonderful Days thatDaegu is actually her parents' hometown and not hers.
^Honors are given at the Taxpayers' Day ceremony.[117]
^abYoon Hyo-jeong (July 2, 2021)."김희선, 저승사자 된다…웹툰 원작 '내일' 주인공 확정" [Kim Hee-sun becomes a grim reaper... The main character of the webtoon original 'Tomorrow' confirmed].News 1 (in Korean).Naver.Archived from the original on January 20, 2022. RetrievedJuly 2, 2021.
^Oh Yoon-joo (March 9, 2022)."김희선, 산불 피해 구호 위해 1억 원 기부 [공식]" [Kim Hee-sun, donated 100 million won to relief from wildfire damage [Official]] (in Korean). My Daily.Archived from the original on March 9, 2022. RetrievedMarch 9, 2022 – viaNaver.
^Lee Mi-na (April 25, 2022)."김희선, 서울아산병원에 1억 기부 "이웃의 아픔 함께" [공식]" [Kim Hee-sun, donated 100 million won to Asan Medical Center in Seoul "Together with the pain of our neighbors" [Official]] (in Korean).The Korea Economic Daily.Archived from the original on April 25, 2022. RetrievedApril 25, 2022 – viaNaver.
^Jeong Han-byeol (July 5, 2023)."유해진, '달짝지근해'로 로코 첫 도전…8월 개봉" [Yoo Hae-jin, first challenge in Loco with 'Sweet Sea'... open in August] (in Korean).Hankook Ilbo.Archived from the original on July 5, 2023. RetrievedJuly 5, 2023 – viaNaver.
^Lee Myeong-ju (August 30, 2023)."김희선, '신화2' 우정출연...성룡과 18년 만에 재회" [Kim Hee-seon, 'Shinhwa 2' friendship appearance...reunited with Jackie Chan after 18 years] (in Korean). Dispatch.Archived from the original on August 30, 2023. RetrievedAugust 30, 2023 – viaNaver.
^Jeong Hee-yeon (May 6, 2021)."김희선 측 "'내일' 긍정검토…'블랙의 신부' 제안만" [공식입장]" [Kim Hee-sun's side "Positive review of 'Tomorrow'... Only the proposal of ‘The Black Bride’” [Official Position]].sports.donga (in Korean).Archived from the original on August 17, 2023. RetrievedMay 6, 2020.
^Ahn Yun-ji (April 13, 2023)."김희선·이혜영→김남희, '가스라이팅' 출연..압도적 라인업[공식]" [Kim Hee-sun · Lee Hye-young → Kim Nam-hee, appeared in 'Gaslighting'.. Overwhelming lineup [Official]] (in Korean). Star News.Archived from the original on April 16, 2023. RetrievedApril 13, 2023 – viaNaver.
^Son Jin-ah (July 21, 2021)."넷플릭스 시리즈 '블랙의 신부' 제작 확정…김희선→차지연 캐스팅(공식)" [Netflix series 'The Black Bride' confirmed... Kim Hee-sun → Cha Ji-yeon Casting (Official)].MK Sports (in Korean).Naver.Archived from the original on July 21, 2021. RetrievedJuly 21, 2021.
^Kim, Seok-tae (November 16, 2014)."2014 APAN Star Awards, 조인성 대상".Gukje News (in Korean).Archived from the original on November 27, 2018. RetrievedDecember 23, 2021.
^Kim Ji-hye (December 5, 2023)."엄태화VS김지운VS안태진, 제28회 춘사국제영화제 감독상 3파전" [Uhm Tae-hwa VS Kim Ji-woon VS Ahn Tae-jin, Best Director Award 3rd round at the 28th Chunsa International Film Festival].SBS Entertainment News (in Korean).Naver.Archived from the original on December 11, 2023. RetrievedDecember 11, 2023.
^Choi, Hee-jae (December 30, 2022)."임윤아, 최우수연기상 미니시리즈 부문 수상 "부담감도 있었지만…" [MBC 연기대상]" [Im Yoon-ah, Best Acting Award for Mini-series category "There was a sense of pressure..." [MBC Drama Awards]] (in Korean). X-ports News.Archived from the original on March 5, 2023. RetrievedMarch 5, 2023 – viaNaver.
^Kim Hyun-jung (January 5, 2025)."이하늬, 최우수상 "출산 후 첫 작품 큰 도전, 母들과 상 나누고파" [2024 MBC 연기대상]" [Lee Ha-nui, Best Actress Award "First work after giving birth, a big challenge, I want to share the award with mothers" [2024 MBC Drama Awards]].Xports News (in Korean).Archived from the original on January 21, 2025. RetrievedJanuary 21, 2025.여자 최우수연기상 후보로는 '원더풀월드' 김남주, '우리, 집' 김희선, 이혜영, '밤에 피는 꽃' 이하늬가 이름을 올렸다. [The nominees for the Best Actress Award are Kim Nam-joo from 'Wonderful World', Kim Hee-sun and Lee Hye-young from 'Our Home', and Lee Ha-nui from 'Flowers that Bloom at Night'.]
^Kim Hye-young (December 27, 2024)."'MBC 연기대상' 한석규→유연석 총출동! 영예의 대상 주인공은?" ['MBC Drama Awards' Han Seok-kyu → Yoo Yeon-seok all out! Who will be the winner of the honorable grand prize?].MBC Entertainment (in Korean). Naver.Archived from the original on January 2, 2025. RetrievedDecember 27, 2024.
^Heo Ji-hyung (December 18, 2024)."이제훈♥이동휘→유연석♥채수빈, 'MBC 연기대상' 베스트커플 후보" [Lee Je Hoon ♥ Lee Dong Hwi → Yoo Yeon Seok ♥ Chae Soo Bin, 'MBC Drama Awards' Best Couple Nominees].Star News (in Korean). Naver.Archived from the original on December 26, 2024. RetrievedDecember 19, 2024.
^Jeong, Hee-yeon (January 1, 2021)."이민호-박은빈, '2020 SBS 연기대상' 미니시리즈 판타지/로맨스 최우수연기상" [Lee Min-ho and Park Eun-bin, '2020 SBS Drama Awards' Miniseries Fantasy/Romance Best Actor Award] (in Korean). Sports Donga.Archived from the original on September 11, 2022. RetrievedSeptember 11, 2022 – viaNaver.
^Yang, Mi-sun (March 23, 2018).한국 연예계의 세대교체 [Generational change in Korean entertainment industry].JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean).Archived from the original on March 27, 2018. RetrievedMay 21, 2021 – via Joins.
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