Kim Ji-won

Kim Ji-won (; born October 19, 1992) is a South Korean actress. She gained recognition through her roles in television series ''The Heirs'' (2013) and ''Descendants of the Sun'' (2016), before taking on leading roles in ''Fight for My Way'' (2017), '' Arthdal Chronicles'' (2019), ''My Liberation Notes'' (2022), and '' Queen of Tears'' (2024) contributing to her prominence as a hallyu figure.

Early life and education

Kim Ji-won was born on October 19, 1992, in Geumcheon District, Seoul, South Korea. She has an older sister who is two years her senior. During her first year of junior high school, she lived in Chicago, Illinois, United States, for six months to a year, staying with her maternal relatives. After returning from the United States, she took the General Education Development (GED) exam before entering high school. In an interview, Kim stated that she is Protestant and spent most of her Christmases at church, where she played the piano during services.

In 2007, Kim was scouted on the street and signed with the entertainment agency Lion Media, where she trained for three years in singing, dancing, and acting. She was initially set to debut as a singer under the stage name "JessicaK." During her training, she worked as a background vocalist and keyboardist for singer Younha and appeared in Younha's 2008 music video for " Gossip Boy." However, she ultimately chose to pursue a career in acting. After making her debut in 2010, she continued her education by enrolling in the Department of Theater and Film at Dongguk University in 2011.

Career

2010–2012: Beginnings

Kim's first acting role after her debut was in the romance omnibus film ''Romantic Heaven''. She gained recognition as an actress after starring in the 2011 sitcom '' High Kick: Revenge of the Short Legged''. She later appeared in the musical drama ''What's Up''. Kim then starred in the high school drama ''To the Beautiful You'', and portrayed a kidnapped student in the horror film '' Horror Stories''.

2013–2016: Rising popularity and breakthrough

In 2013, Kim starred in the KBS Drama Special ''Waiting for Love''. She also appeared in the film '' Horror Stories 2'', the sequel to ''Horror Stories'', portraying a student obsessed with black magic.
That same year, Kim co-starred in the teen drama ''The Heirs'', portraying a chic and haughty heiress. Written by Kim Eun-sook, the drama garnered over one billion views on Youku, significantly increasing Kim's recognition. For her performance in the series, she won the New Star Award at the SBS Drama Awards.

In 2014, Kim starred in the crime thriller '' Gap-dong'' as a high school student and webtoon artist. That same year, she played a supporting role in the KBS Drama Special ''The Reason I'm Getting Married''. In December 2014, Kim signed an exclusive contract with King Kong Entertainment.

In 2015, Kim starred alongside So Ji-sub in the romance web series '' One Sunny Day''. Later that year, she made a cameo appearance in the tvN drama '' Hidden Identity'' as the girlfriend of Kim Bum's character.

In 2016, Kim co-starred in another project written by Kim Eun-sook, KBS2's military romance drama ''Descendants of the Sun'', portraying an army surgeon. The drama became a pan-Asian hit, with ratings peaking at 38.8%. It won the Grand Prize – Television at the Baeksang Arts Awards and was named the Most Popular Show of the Year by the Korea Broadcast Advertising Corporation. Its success further increased Kim's recognition outside Korea. That same year, she hosted the KBS Drama Awards alongside Park Bo-gum and Jun Hyun-moo, where she won the Excellence Award. Kim also won the Best Supporting Actress award at the APAN Star Awards.

2017–present: Leading roles

In 2017, Kim was cast in her first leading role in KBS2's romantic comedy drama ''Fight for My Way'', portraying Choi Ae-ra, a department store information desk employee who dreams of becoming an announcer, alongside Park Seo-joon. The series was praised for its realistic portrayal of struggling youth, friendship, and love, and concluded with ratings of 13.8%, solidifying Kim's status as a leading actress. She once again won the Excellence Award at the KBS Drama Awards for her performance.

In 2018, she starred in her first period role in the third installment of the ''Detective K'' film series, '' Detective K: Secret of the Living Dead''. She played a mysterious woman who loses her memory and takes part in the investigation. That same year, Kim and her ''Descendants of the Sun'' co-star Jin Goo made cameo appearances in Kim Eun-sook's historical drama ''Mr. Sunshine''.

In 2019, Kim played Tanya, the head of the Wahan tribe and the love interest of Song Joong-ki's character in the historical fantasy drama '' Arthdal Chronicles''. The drama served as a reunion project for Kim and Song, who had previously starred together in the 2016 hit drama ''Descendants of the Sun''. Despite receiving mixed reviews, criticism for its similarities to other programs, and lower-than-expected ratings, the series was renewed for a second season. However, Kim and Song did not reprise their roles in the second season.

In February 2020, Kim signed with Salt Entertainment. In December 2020, she starred in Kakao TV's web series ''Lovestruck in the City'', alongside Ji Chang-wook. To prepare for the role, which involved surfing, she overcame her childhood aquaphobia, caused by a near-drowning experience in a bathhouse.

In April 2022, she starred in the television series ''My Liberation Notes'', portraying an introverted employee struggling to escape her monotonous life. During its run, the series received modest but steadily increasing ratings and gained attention for its writing and relatable scenarios. Kim was nominated for Best Actress – Television at the Baeksang Arts Awards for her performance in the series.

In June 2022, Kim's contract with Salt Entertainment ended, and she decided not to renew it. On September 29, 2022, she signed with HighZium Studio.

In 2024, Kim starred in the tvN drama '' Queen of Tears'' as Hong Hae-in, a chaebol heiress. The series was a success both domestically and internationally. It broke the record for the highest-rated tvN series, achieving a nationwide viewership rating of 24.850% for its finale and remained in Netflix's Global Top 10 Non-English TV series rankings for 15 consecutive weeks from its initial release. The series was named one of the Visionary Works for CJ ENM's 30th Anniversary, recognized for its impact and innovation in Korean popular culture.

Public image

Kim received attention for her clear and precise pronunciation after starring in ''The Heirs'', with some media outlets referring to her as a "Diction Fairy." Her aegyo scene in ''Fight for My Way'' gained significant attention on social media and inspired a dubbing challenge. Known for maintaining a private personal life, Kim stated in an interview with ''Cosmopolitan Korea'', "I separate my work and personal life. I want viewers to focus solely on the character."

Following her role in '' Queen of Tears'', Kim has been referred to by various media outlets as the " Queen of Romantic Comedy" due to her critically acclaimed performance, praised for its depth and nuanced portrayal. Jeong Deok-hyeon, a popular culture critic, described Kim as an actress who is "beautiful, elegant, without rivals, and is admired." In April 2024, it was reported that Kim was the only actor to appear in works written by the "Four Great Queens" of Korean drama: Kim Eun-sook, Lim Sang-choon, Park Hae-young, and Park Ji-eun.

Other ventures

Ambassadorship

On February 8, 2025, Kim was selected as the ambassador for Orange Run 2025, a charity marathon festival held in collaboration with the Korea Welfare Service and Hanwha General Insurance to celebrate International Women's Day.

Endorsements

In 2010, Kim Ji-won was announced as an endorser for the bakery brand Tous Les Jours and the skincare brand Clean & Clear. From 2014 to 2017, she served as the brand muse for Dr.G, a skincare brand owned by L'Oréal. In 2015, she was announced as an endorser for the British sportswear brand Lonsdale in the Chinese market. Since 2016, she has been dubbed the " CF Queen," endorsing numerous brands both in South Korea and internationally. In July 2016, she was announced as the endorser for KT Corporation's Giga IoT Health service, starring in South Korea's first TV commercial using 360-degree VR technology. From 2017 to 2021, she served as the global brand muse for the skincare brand Mediheal. Other brands she has been announced as an endorser for include Samsung C&T, Starfield Hanam, Shinhan Card, J.Estina, Kia Motors, HiteJinro, KGC, CKD Pharm, and Hanwha Insurance.

Following the broadcast of ''Queen of Tears'', Kim signed several new endorsements. In April 2024, she was announced as an endorser for Lotte Chilsung's soju brand, Cheoeumchurum. In July 2024, she was named a global ambassador for LG Household & Health Care's luxury cosmetic brand, The Whoo. In September 2024, she was named a brand ambassador for luxury brand Bulgari, becoming their first Korean house ambassador. In October 2024, she was announced as the brand muse for the jewelry brand Stonehenge. In November 2024, she was named the first Korean brand ambassador for the Italian luxury outerwear brand Duvetica.

Philanthropy

In February 2014, Kim participated in the "Pink Wings" campaign, a social contribution project organized by '' Vogue Girl'', with proceeds donated to support low-income families. In November 2016, she participated in the "We Action" child protection campaign, which was organized by the Korean Committee for UNICEF. In February 2020, she donated to World Share, an international relief and development NGO, to support medical staff and patients at Keimyung University Dongsan Hospital in Daegu during the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2020, she participated as a voice talent donor in MBC Radio's "Citizen Support Project", providing narration to support those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In June 2022, Kim volunteered to appear in ''Big Issue'', a magazine supporting the housing vulnerable. She stated, "I learned that it was a magazine that helped the housing vulnerable become independent" and expressed her desire to participate after meeting one of its vendors. In October 2024, she joined '' W Koreas "Love Your W" campaign to raise awareness about breast cancer. In March 2025, she donated to the Hope Bridge National Disaster Relief Association to support wildfire victims in the Ulsan, Gyeongbuk, and Gyeongnam regions.

Filmography

Film

Television series

Web series

Hosting

Music video appearances

Discography

Singles

Awards and nominations

Listicles

Notes

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kim, Ji-won
Living people
South Korean film actresses
South Korean female models
South Korean television actresses
South Korean web series actresses
Actresses from Seoul
People from Geumcheon District
1992 births