Kim So-hyun
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Kim So-hyun (; born 4 June 1999) is an Australian-born South Korean actress. She is known for her leading roles in the youth series '' Who Are You: School 2015'' (2015), historical dramas '' The Emperor: Owner of the Mask'' (2017), ''
The Tale of Nokdu ''The Tale of Nokdu'' () is a 2019 South Korean television series starring Jang Dong-yoon, Kim So-hyun, Kang Tae-oh, and Jung Joon-ho. It is based on the webtoon by Hye Jin-yang which was published in 2014 on Naver Webtoon. It aired on KBS2 fro ...
'' (2019), ''
River Where the Moon Rises ''River Where the Moon Rises'' () is a 2021 South Korean television series starring Kim So-hyun, Na In-woo, Lee Ji-hoon and Choi Yu-hwa. Based on the 2010 novel ''Princess Pyeonggang'' by film director and screenwriter Choi Sagyu, it aired on K ...
'' (2021), and the action-comedy '' Good Boy'' (2025). Kim began her career as a child actress in 2006, initially gaining attention for playing pivotal roles in ''
Moon Embracing the Sun ''Moon Embracing the Sun'' (, also known as ''The Moon that Embraces the Sun'' or ''The Sun and the Moon'') is a 2012 South Korean television drama series, starring Han Ga-in, Kim Soo-hyun, Jung Il-woo, and Kim Min-seo. It aired on MBC from ...
'' (2012) and ''
Missing You Missing You, Missin' You, or Missing U may refer to: Film and television * ''Missing You'' (2008 film), a Singaporean film * ''Missing You'' (2016 film), a South Korean film * ''Missing U'' (film), a 2013 short animated film by Brooke Wagstaff ...
'' (2013). She took on her first leading role in teen drama ''
Ma Boy "Ma Boy" is the first single by Sistar19, a sub-unit of South Korean girl group Sistar. It was released online as a digital single on May 3, 2011, through Starship Entertainment. The song was a commercial success, peaking at number 2 on the Ga ...
'' (2012) and transitioned into adult roles in several television series. She also hosted MBC's music program ''
Music Core ''Show! Music Core'' (), or simply ''Music Core'' is a South Korean music television program broadcast by MBC. It airs live every Saturday at 15:30 (KST). The show features some of the latest and most popular artists who perform live on stage. I ...
'' and survival reality show ''
Under Nineteen Under Nineteen () was a survival show on Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation for trainees under the age of 19 years old. There were a total of 57 contestants competing to debut as a member of 1THE9. The trainees were put into groups that specialize ...
'' in 2019. Kim has been dubbed by several Korean media outlets as "
Nation's Little Sister Nation's Little Sister () or Nation's Little Brother () is an informal title in South Korean entertainment industry. It refers to "a young female r malecelebrity in her r hislate teens to early twenties... ho iscute, bright, and innocent." Peo ...
", "Queen of Child Actresses", as well as "Goddess of
Sageuk (; ) in Korean language, Korean denotes historical dramas, including traditional drama plays, Cinema of Korea, films or Korean drama, television series. In English language literature usually refers to historical films and television series (o ...
" after starring and appearing in various acclaimed historical period dramas throughout her career. She has also been called the "Nation's First Love" from her performance in the film '' Pure Love'' (2016), and has established herself as a next generation
hallyu The Korean Wave, or ''hallyu'' (; ), is a cultural phenomenon in which the global popularity of South Korean popular culture has dramatically risen since the 1990s. Worldwide interest in Korean culture has been led primarily by the spread of K- ...
star. For her performance in ''River Where the Moon Rises'', she was nominated for
Baeksang Arts Award for Best Actress – Television The Baeksang Arts Award for Best Actress – Television () is an award presented annually at the Baeksang Arts Awards ceremony organised by Ilgan Sports and JTBC Plus, affiliates of JoongAng Ilbo, usually in the second quarter of each year in Se ...
, becoming one of the youngest nominees for the award.


Early life and education

Kim So-hyun was born on 4 June 1999, in Australia, and has a younger brother. She moved to South Korea in 2003, when she was four years old. Her father died when she was nine. Kim transferred from Hoeryong Elementary School in
Gyeonggi Province Gyeonggi Province (, ) is the most populous province in South Korea. Seoul, the nation's largest city and capital, is in the heart of the area but has been separately administered as a provincial-level ''special city'' since 1946. Incheon, ...
to Towol Elementary School and graduated in February 2012. She then graduated from Yongin Munjung Middle School in 2015. She was subsequently
homeschooled Homeschooling or home schooling (American English), also known as home education or elective home education (EHE) (British English), is the education of school-aged children at home or a variety of places other than a school. Usually conducted ...
for
secondary education Secondary education is the education level following primary education and preceding tertiary education. Level 2 or ''lower secondary education'' (less commonly ''junior secondary education'') is considered the second and final phase of basic e ...
, and passed her high school graduation exams by 2017. The same year, she enrolled at
Hanyang University Hanyang University (HYU, ) is a Private university, private research university in Seoul and Ansan (ERICA campus), South Korea. ''Hanyang'' () derives from the Names of Seoul, former name of the capital Seoul used during the Joseon period. The u ...
's Department of Theatre, through
rolling admission Rolling admission is a policy used by many colleges to admit freshman, freshmen to undergraduate programs. Many law schools in the United States also have rolling admissions policies. Under rolling admission, candidates are invited to submit their ...
. Kim attended the 79th entrance ceremony held at Hanyang University in
Seongdong District Seongdong District () is one of the 25 List of districts of Seoul, districts which make up the city of Seoul, South Korea. It is situated on the north bank of the Han River (Korea), Han River. It is divided into 20 ''dong'' (neighbourhoods). The ...
,
Seoul Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...
on 28 February 2018. In 2016, according to Singapore's national newspaper ''
The Straits Times ''The Straits Times'' (also known informally by its abbreviation ''ST'') is a Singaporean daily English-language newspaper owned by the SPH Media Trust. Established on 15 July 1845, it is the most-widely circulated newspaper in the country and ...
'', Kim revealed in an email interview with the paper why she chose homeschooling instead of enrolling in high school. She said that while managing her acting career, she barely had time to study during her middle school days (which made her have to take her exams unprepared) and missed out in activities with her classmates, and this similarly occurred in her elementary school days. Kim chose homeschooling for her high school education because she did not want to give up her education and career. With this decision, Kim felt it would allow her to dedicate more time to both filming and studying.


Career


2006–2011: Beginnings as a child actress

Kim debuted as a
child actress The term child actor or child actress is generally applied to a child acting on stage, television, or in movies. An adult who began their acting career as a child may also be called a child actor, or a "former child actor". Closely associated te ...
in 2006, playing a supporting role in the ''
Drama City Drama City () is an anthology television series that was broadcast by Korea Broadcasting System (KBS) via KBS2TV from 1984 to 2008. 1984's "Drama Game" lost its popularity several times since 1997, and the title, broadcast time was moved to ...
'' special "Ten Minute Minor". Then, she diligently increased her appearances from ''
A Happy Woman ''A Happy Woman'' (; also known as ''Blissful Woman'') is a 2007 South Korean television series starring Yoon Jung-hee, Kim Suk-hoon and Jung Gyu-woon. It aired on KBS2 from January 6 to July 21, 2007, on Saturdays and Sundays at 19:55 for 58 e ...
'' (2007), '' Que Sera Sera'' (2007), ''Hometown of Legends'' (2008), ''My Name Is Pity'' (2008), ''Wife and Woman'' (2009) and ''
Ja Myung Go ''Ja Myung Go'' (; also known as ''Princess Ja-myung'') is a 2009 South Korean television series starring Jung Ryeo-won, Park Min-young and Jung Kyung-ho. It aired on SBS from 9 March to 21 July 2009 on Mondays and Tuesdays at 21:55 ( KST) f ...
'' (2009). She signed a management contract with
SidusHQ iHQ Inc., doing business as SidusHQ () is one of the leading talent management agencies in South Korea. It was founded in January 2001 by Teddy Hoon-tak Jung. The company is involved in talent management (artist content), and TV drama/music prod ...
in 2010. That year, she would go on to be cast in ''
Becoming a Billionaire ''Becoming a Billionaire'' (; lit. "Birth of the Rich") is a 2010 South Korean television series starring Ji Hyun-woo, Lee Bo-young, Lee Si-young and Namkoong Min. It aired on KBS2 from March 1 to May 4, 2010, on Mondays and Tuesdays at 21:55 for ...
'' and ''
Bread, Love and Dreams ''Bread, Love and Dreams'' () is a 1953 Italian romantic comedy film directed by Luigi Comencini. At the 4th Berlin International Film Festival it won the Silver Bear award. In 2008, the film was included on the Italian Ministry of Cultural Her ...
''. Kim was confirmed to make her big-screen debut in ''
Man of Vendetta ''Man of Vendetta'' () is a 2010 South Korean action thriller film about a pastor whose life changes after the abduction of his daughter. Um Ki-joon was nominated for Best New Actor in Film at the 47th Baeksang Arts Awards in 2011. Plot Joo Youn ...
'' (2010) as Joo Hye-rin, a daughter of a well-respected pastor who gets kidnapped. Kim was cast through a competition of 500:1. She continued to portray the child counterparts of the female protagonists in television series such as ''
The Thorn Birds ''The Thorn Birds'' is a 1977 novel by Australian author Colleen McCullough. Set primarily on Drogheda—a fictional sheep station in the Australian Outback named after Drogheda, Ireland—the story focuses on the Cleary family and spans 1915 ...
'' (2011), ''
The Duo ''The Duo'' () is a 2011 South Korean historical drama series, starring Chun Jung-myung, Lee Sang-yoon, Han Ji-hye and Seo Hyun-jin. It aired on MBC from February 7 to May 24, 2011, on Mondays and Tuesdays at 21:55 for 32 episodes. Filmed at ...
'' (2011) and '' Sin of a Family'' (2011). She then starred in a family comedy film, ''Spy Papa'', about parents and children's relationship during inter-Korean relations in 1974.


2012–2014: Rising popularity and teenage roles

In 2012, Kim appeared in six works in the first half of the year: a romantic
fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures. The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...
television series A television show, TV program (), or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, and cable, or distributed digitally on streaming plat ...
, ''
Padam Padam Padam Padam may refer to: * " Padam, padam...", a 1951 song by Édith Piaf * "Padam Padam" (song), a 2023 single by Kylie Minogue * ''Padam Padam'' (TV series), a 2011 South Korean television series {{Disambiguation ...
''; a historical comedy film, ''
I Am the King ''I Am the King'' (, also known as ''I Am a King'') is a 2012 South Korean historical comedy film, starring Ju Ji-hoon, Park Yeong-gyu, Baek Yoon-sik, Byun Hee-bong, Kim Soo-ro and Lee Hanee. Inspired by Mark Twain's 1881 novel ''The Prince ...
''; a fantasy-period drama ''
Moon Embracing the Sun ''Moon Embracing the Sun'' (, also known as ''The Moon that Embraces the Sun'' or ''The Sun and the Moon'') is a 2012 South Korean television drama series, starring Han Ga-in, Kim Soo-hyun, Jung Il-woo, and Kim Min-seo. It aired on MBC from ...
'', in which she gained recognition as the younger version of the second female lead, Kim received commend from the audience and the director of how well she portrayed the
antagonist An antagonist is a character in a story who is presented as the main enemy or rival of the protagonist and is often depicted as a villain.Rooftop Prince ''Rooftop Prince'' () is a 2012 South Korean fantasy romantic comedy television drama, starring Park Yoo-chun, Han Ji-min, Jeong Yu-mi, Lee Tae-sung, Lee Tae-ri, Jung Suk-won, and Choi Woo-shik. It is about a Joseon crown prince who, after ...
'' in the role as an evil sister; '' Love Again'' and a high school student whose roommate is a female idol star in ''
Ma Boy "Ma Boy" is the first single by Sistar19, a sub-unit of South Korean girl group Sistar. It was released online as a digital single on May 3, 2011, through Starship Entertainment. The song was a commercial success, peaking at number 2 on the Ga ...
''. Kim reunited with co-stars from ''Rooftop Prince'' (
Park Yoo-chun Park Yoo-chun (born June 4, 1986), formerly known as Micky Yoochun and better known by the mononym Yoochun, is a Korean-American singer-songwriter and actor. He is a former member of the South Korean boy bands JYJ and TVXQ. He has starred in d ...
) and ''Moon Embracing the Sun'' (
Yeo Jin-goo Yeo Jin-goo (, born August 13, 1997) is a South Korean actor. Yeo began his career as a child actor, debuting in the film ''Sad Movie'' (2005). Nicknamed "Nation's Little Sister, Nation's Little Brother", he went on to play the younger characte ...
) respectively, in a melodrama ''
Missing You Missing You, Missin' You, or Missing U may refer to: Film and television * ''Missing You'' (2008 film), a Singaporean film * ''Missing You'' (2016 film), a South Korean film * ''Missing U'' (film), a 2013 short animated film by Brooke Wagstaff ...
''. Being dubbed the "Queen of Child Actors" () by the Korean press, she was one of the most praised child actors of her generation. She played the role of Lee Soo-yeon, bullied by her schoolmates and called "the daughter of the murderer", who gets kidnapped and sexually assaulted while trying to save her friend. Kim and Yeo shared the highest one-minute viewer rating scene of 10.4% in the drama. She received her first acting award as "Best Child Actress" at the 1st K-Drama Star Awards for ''Ma Boy'' and ''Missing You''. In 2013, Kim made a surprise appearance on '' Iris II: New Generation'' as the childhood counterpart of the female protagonist and starred in ''
The Secret of Birth ''The Secret of Birth'' () is a 2013 South Korean television series that aired on SBS from April 27 to June 23, 2013, on Saturdays and Sundays at 22:00 for 18 episodes. It stars Sung Yu-ri as a genius amnesiac who pieces together her own life in ...
'' as a girl with a genius-level brain. Then, she played the younger version of
Lee Bo-young Lee Bo-young (; born January 12, 1979) is a South Korean actress, model and beauty pageant titleholder. She is best known for starring in the Korean drama, television dramas ''Seoyoung, My Daughter'' (2012–2013), ''I Can Hear Your Voice'' (2 ...
's character in the popular Korean drama ''
I Can Hear Your Voice ''I Can Hear Your Voice'' () is a 2013 South Korean television series starring Lee Bo-young, Lee Jong-suk, Yoon Sang-hyun, and Lee Da-hee. It aired on SBS from June 5 to August 1, 2013, on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:55 for 18 episodes. ...
''. On 20 June, Kim co-host MBC's music program ''
Music Core ''Show! Music Core'' (), or simply ''Music Core'' is a South Korean music television program broadcast by MBC. It airs live every Saturday at 15:30 (KST). The show features some of the latest and most popular artists who perform live on stage. I ...
'' along with
Minho Minho or Miño may refer to: People * Miño (surname) * Choi Min-ho, South Korean singer and actor known mononymously as Minho Places * Minho (river) or Miño, in Portugal and Spain Jamaica * Rio Minho, a river Portugal * Minho Province ...
of
SHINee Shinee ( ; ; ; stylized as SHINee) is a South Korean boy band formed by SM Entertainment in 2008. The group consists of four members: Onew, Key (entertainer), Key, Choi Min-ho, Minho, and Taemin. Originally a five-piece band, Jonghyun died on ...
and
Noh Hong-chul Noh Hong-chul (; born 31 March 1979) is a South Korean entertainer and entrepreneur. He is the co-host of the variety show ''Talents for Sale''. He previously appeared on the television programs '' Infinite Challenge'' and '' I Live Alone''. He ...
. The three received much attention because of the combination of singers, actors, and broadcasters even though they initially showed a bit of immature progress, but amplified expectations of how they expressed their charms despite having different careers. She then was cast in ''
The Suspicious Housekeeper ''The Suspicious Housekeeper'' () is a 2013 South Korean television series starring Choi Ji-woo, Lee Sung-jae, Wang Ji-hye and Kim So-hyun. It aired on SBS TV from 23 September to 26 November 2013 on Mondays and Tuesdays at 21:55 for 20 episo ...
'', a Korean
remake A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same s ...
of the Japanese
drama Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...
,
Kaseifu no Mita is a 2011 Japanese television drama series. The plot centers on a family that hires Akari Mita (played by actress Nanako Matsushima) as a housekeeper to upkeep their recently deceased mother's house, which has been thrown into disarray. Mita ...
. In the same year, Kim was reported along with
Kim Yoo-jung Kim Yoo-jung (; born September 22, 1999) is a South Korean actress known for her leading roles in the historical romance drama ''Love in the Moonlight'' (2016), historical fantasy ''Lovers of the Red Sky'' (2021), teen romance film ''20th Cen ...
and Yeo Jin-goo as the top three child actors who earn above-average salaries for child actors. It was reported that Kim received 4-6 million won per episode. In 2014, Kim was cast as a child actor beside
Oh Yeon-soo Oh Yeon-soo (; born October 27, 1971) is a South Korean actress. Career Oh Yeon-soo made her debut in 1989 among a batch of actors who passed an open audition by broadcaster MBC, and she soon became popular for her innocent image. But since ...
in the MBC drama, ''Triangle''. Kim challenged her first
dual role A dual role (also known as a double role) refers to one actor playing two roles in a single production. Dual roles (or a larger number of roles for an actor) may be deliberately written into a script, or may instead be a choice made during produc ...
and first genre through OCN's new drama ''
Reset Reset may refer to: Film and television * Reset (2015 film), ''Reset'' (2015 film), a 2015 French documentary film * Reset (2017 film), ''Reset'' (2017 film), a 2017 Chinese film * Reset (2024 film), ''Reset'' (2024 film), a 2024 Sri Lankan sh ...
''. Later, she was cast in
KBS2 KBS 2TV is a South Korean free-to-air Free-to-air (FTA) services are television (TV) and radio services broadcast in unencrypted form, allowing any person with the appropriate receiving equipment to receive the signal and view or listen ...
special drama, ''We All Cry Differently'', which won the 2013 KBS Screenplay Contest.


2015–2016: Transition to leading roles and hosting

In 2015, Kim made a special appearance as the sister of the male lead in ''
A Girl Who Sees Smells ''A Girl Who Sees Smells'' () is a 2015 South Korean television series adapted from the KTOON webtoon of the same title by Seo Soo-kyung a/k/a Man Chwi. Starring Park Yoo-chun, Shin Se-kyung, Namgoong Min and Yoon Jin-seo, it aired on SBS on ...
'', played by Park Yoo-chun, whom she reunited with for the third time after ''Rooftop Prince'' and ''Missing You''. On 18 April, Kim stepped down from her ''Music Core'' host posts after two years. Kim starred in
KBS The Korean Broadcasting System (KBS; ) is the national broadcaster of South Korea. Founded in 1927, it is one of the leading South Korean television and radio broadcasters under the government of South Korea. The KBS operates seven radio net ...
's school series '' Who Are You: School 2015'', playing dual roles as twins Lee Eun-bi and Go Eun-byul. She was awarded "Star of the Year" at the eighth
Korea Drama Awards The Korea Drama Awards () is an awards ceremony for excellence in television in South Korea. It was established in 2007, and is held annually in October in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province as the official main event of the annual Korea Drama F ...
for her performance. On 21 November, Kim held her first overseas promotion schedule at Sunshine City,
Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...
. At the end of the year, Kim became the host of the
2015 KBS Drama Awards The 2015 KBS Drama Awards (), presented by Korean Broadcasting System (KBS), took place on December 31, 2015 in Yeouido, Seoul. It was hosted by Jun Hyun-moo, Park Bo-gum and Kim So-hyun. Winners and nominees ''(Winners denoted in bold)'' Pre ...
with
Jun Hyun-moo Jun Hyun-moo (born November 7, 1977) is a South Korean host and television personality. Before becoming a host, he was a KBS news anchor and radio announcer. Education Jeon graduated from Yonsei University Yonsei University () is a Privat ...
and
Park Bo-gum Park Bo-gum (; born June 16, 1993) is a South Korean actor, singer, and musician. A prominent Korean Wave figure, Park is the youngest artist to be named Gallup Korea's Actor of the Year, Gallup Korea's Television Actor of the Year and the firs ...
. In 2016, she returned to the big screen in a romance film '' Pure Love'' opposite
Do Kyung-soo Doh Kyung-soo (; born January 12, 1993), known by his stage name D.O. (), is a South Korean singer and actor. He is a member of the South Korean boy band Exo. He debuted as a soloist on July 26, 2021, with his first extended play (EP) ''Empathy ...
, playing the heroine of the film who has a beautiful voice but suffers from a leg injury. Kim then starred in a mystery-school web drama ''Nightmare Teacher'' alongside Lee Min-hyuk, playing a class president who discovers mysterious secrets of the school. The drama was filmed and featured nine students at Hosan University. The same year, Kim starred in Park Hye-ryun's three-episode drama special ''
Page Turner A page-turner is a person who turns sheet music pages for a musician, often a pianist, usually during a performance. While some music is set so that the pages end at places where the musician can spare one hand to turn them, this is not always ...
'' opposite actors
Ji Soo Kim Ji-soo (; born 30 March 1993), professionally known as Ji Soo, is a South Korean actor currently based in the Philippines. Early life and education In elementary school, Ji Soo was a judo athlete and competed at national level before givi ...
and
Shin Jae-ha Shin Jae-ha (; born April 2, 1993) is a South Korean actor. Personal life Military service Shin enlisted in the conscription in South Korea, mandatory military service on November 24, 2020. He was discharged on May 23, 2022, without returning ...
. She played the role of a "piano genius" who lost her sight after an accident. The number of video previews released in the web and mobile achieved 600,000 views which was considered "an unusual number" as a
one-act play A one-act play is a play that has only one act, as distinct from plays that occur over several acts. One-act plays may consist of one or more scenes. The 20-40 minute play has emerged as a popular subgenre of the one-act play, especially in writi ...
. She was dubbed as the "Korean Wave Fairy" by the Taiwanese media. On 4 June, Kim hosted the 2016 Dream Concert with
Leeteuk Park Jeong-su (; born July 1, 1983), known professionally as Leeteuk (; ), is a South Korean singer, songwriter, presenter, radio personality, and actor. He debuted as the leader of the boy band Super Junior in November 2005 and since then ha ...
and
Hong Jong-hyun Hong Jong-hyun (born February 2, 1990) is a South Korean actor and model. Career Hong began his entertainment career in 2007 as a professional model. He made his acting debut in 2008, and has appeared in the romantic comedy ''Oh! My Lady'' (201 ...
. She made her next acting move in the horror-comedy ''
Hey Ghost, Let's Fight ''Bring It On, Ghost'' () is a South Korean television series starring Ok Taec-yeon, Kim So-hyun and Kwon Yul. It is adapted from webtoon of the same name which was serialised on Naver from 2007 to 2010. The series aired on cable network tv ...
'' with
Ok Taec-yeon Ok Taec-yeon (; born December 27, 1988), known mononymously as Taecyeon, is a South Korean rapper, singer, songwriter, actor, and entrepreneur. He is the rapper of the South Korean boy band 2PM. In 2010, Ok debuted as an actor in the Korean ...
, and played as the 13-year-old
Princess Deokhye Princess Deokhye of Korea (; Japanese: 徳恵姫, ''Tokue-hime''; 25 May 191221 April 1989) was the last princess of the Korean royal family. She was born on 25 May 1912, at Changdeok Palace, in Seoul, as the youngest daughter of Emperor Go ...
in the film '' The Last Princess'', for which Park A-reum of ''
K-pop Herald Herald Corporation (formally Herald Media; ) is a South Korean media, education, and lifestyle company that provides a variety of contents and ecofriendly initiatives through its publications and subsidiaries. Founded in 1953, it is headquartered ...
'' praised Kim for her in-depth emotional acting in the scene before her farewell to her mother (which Park called heartbreaking), as well as the high sync rate with
Son Ye-jin Son Eon-jin (; born January 11, 1982), better known by her stage name, Son Ye-jin (), is a South Korean actress who rose to fame in 2003 in ''The Classic (2003 film), The Classic'' and ''Summer Scent'', which were followed by the commercially ...
. Also, Jung An-ji of ''Sports Chosun'' praised her for the historical accuracy of portraying the princess: citing she acted "perfectly" with the life of a girl during the Korean Empire. She had a recurring guest role in the hit fantasy drama '' Guardian: The Lonely and Great God''. Kim showed an overwhelming presence and increased
audience immersion Audience immersion is a storytelling technique which attempts to make the audience feel as though they are a part of the story or performance, a state which may be referred to as "Transportation theory (psychology), transportation" into the narrativ ...
in the early stage of the show, making a big impact as a cameo.


2017–2020: Adult roles and career fluctuations

In 2017, Kim participated in Korean dubbing for the character Mitsuha Miyamizu in the
anime is a Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, , in Japan and in Ja ...
drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...
''
Your Name is a 2016 Japanese animated romantic fantasy film written and directed by Makoto Shinkai, produced by CoMix Wave Films, and distributed by Toho. Inspired by the frequency of natural disasters in Japan, the film depicts the story of high scho ...
''. She switched back to live-action and co-led the historical and political drama '' The Emperor: Owner of the Mask'' with
Yoo Seung-ho Yoo Seung-ho (; ; born August 17, 1993) is a South Korean actor. Known for his roles spanned between films and television series, he has received a #Awards and nominations, selection of accolades, including two MBC Drama Awards, two SBS Drama A ...
, which premiered on 10 May. This marked her first adult historical drama after five years since ''Moon Embracing the Sun''. Despite its high ratings, the time of the drama's original run coincided with her slump period — Kim expressed how she made efforts to understand her character as a heroine. She felt lost and started losing confidence in herself as an actress. As everybody was praising her acting and visual, she felt embarrassed because she could not come to a full understanding of who her character was. Kim suffered with "growing pains" and "transition period" after seven months of filming '' The Emperor: Owner of the Mask''. She felt emptiness in her schedule and felt uncomfortable even though she was resting. She made a special appearance in drama '' While You Were Sleeping'' to show her support for scriptwriter Park Hae-ryun, who she worked with on KBS's ''Page Turner''. In August 2017, she ended her contract with
SidusHQ iHQ Inc., doing business as SidusHQ () is one of the leading talent management agencies in South Korea. It was founded in January 2001 by Teddy Hoon-tak Jung. The company is involved in talent management (artist content), and TV drama/music prod ...
after seven years. In December, Kim launched her one-person agency, E&T Story Entertainment, in partnership with
LOEN Entertainment Kakao M Corp. (; formerly Seoul Records, YBM Seoul Records and LOEN Entertainment) was a South Korean entertainment company established by Min Yeong-bin in 1978. It was one of the largest co-publisher companies in South Korea. The company opera ...
. The agency is currently led by Park Chan-woo, Kim's manager in her SidusHQ days. In 2018, Kim was cast in the romance drama '' Radio Romance'', which began airing on 29 January. She played a radio scriptwriter who isn't exactly talented in writing. On 24 January, a photo was shared on SNS saying that Kim was shooting underwater. The photo shows a woman wearing a hanbok in the water on 21 January. On this day, the lowest temperature was recorded below minus 16 degrees. During the press conference for the premiere of ''Radio Romance'' held on 25 January, the PD addressed online criticism regarding the outdoor water filming, despite the weather warnings. He issued an apology stating that "Kim So Hyun's outdoor water filming wrapped up on Sunday
1 January January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in the Gregorian Calendar; 364 days remain until the end of the year (365 in leap years). This day is also known as New Year's Day since the day marks the beginning of the year. __TOC__ Events ...
We debated on it a lot since she would be getting in the water. We ensured safety equipment nearby and a camping car on set and finished filming in the shortest amount of time possible. Due to time constraints, an action stunt double filmed additional outdoor water scenes yesterday
4 January Events Pre-1600 *46 BC – Julius Caesar fights Titus Labienus in the Battle of Ruspina. * 871 – Battle of Reading: Æthelred of Wessex and his brother Alfred are defeated by a Danish invasion army. 1601–1900 *1642 – En ...
It was filmed by an action actor, not Kim So-hyun, wearing a winter suit and shot in a similar situation. The number of shots was done with one take and protection was taken right away. We apologize for causing concerns with this matter. The filming set is our lives. Naturally, safety is important." At the press conference, Kim's hand was visually seen red. On the same day, she co-hosted the 27th
Seoul Music Awards The Seoul Music Awards (; SMA) is a major South Korean music awards show presented by the newspaper Seoul Shinmun, ''Sports Seoul''. The award winners are selected based on a combination of criteria, including music sales, popular votes, and exp ...
with
Kim Hee-chul Kim Hee-chul (; born July 10, 1983), better known mononymously as Heechul, is a South Korean singer, songwriter, presenter, and actor. He is a member of the South Korean boy band Super Junior and has further participated in its subgroup Su ...
and Shin Dong-yup. After 10 years of debut, Kim hosted her own travel reality show ''Because'' ''This is My First Twenty - Kim So-hyun's YOLO Solo California'', where she challenged herself and discovered her true identity in a foreign country. On October, she was named as one of the first tenth generation hosts to host a survival reality show ''
Under Nineteen Under Nineteen () was a survival show on Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation for trainees under the age of 19 years old. There were a total of 57 contestants competing to debut as a member of 1THE9. The trainees were put into groups that specialize ...
'' on MBC. Kim received positive feedback from viewers of the premiere for her strengths as a host, as noted by ''Korea Economic TV'' — audience engagement, her "steady" voice, charisma, as well as her styling, which the publication deemed "colorful". By early-2019, Kim, Kim Hee-chul and Shin Dong-yup were selected for two consecutive years as the hosts for the Seoul Music Awards, hosting the 28th ceremony. Kim played the lead role in
Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
's original production ''
Love Alarm ''Love Alarm'' () is a South Korean romance drama series based on Chon Kye-young's Daum webtoon. Starring Kim So-hyun, Jung Ga-ram, and Song Kang, it follows a high school girl in a world greatly influenced by a mobile app capable of notifyin ...
'', based on the popular
webtoon Webtoons () are a type of episodic digital comics that originated in South Korea usually meant to be read on smartphones A smartphone is a mobile phone with advanced computing capabilities. It typically has a touchscreen interface, allo ...
of the same name. Kim explained her character is experiencing the emotion of love for the first time, and it reminded of herself. She decided to tap into those feelings as she wanted to portray a living and breathing character with Jo-jo. Kim Yoo-jin of ''Exsports News'' said that Kim showed a high sync rate and a "rich and stable" acting performance in the series. ''
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine founded by B. C. Forbes in 1917. It has been owned by the Hong Kong–based investment group Integrated Whale Media Investments since 2014. Its chairman and editor-in-chief is Steve Forbes. The co ...
'' Joan MacDonald said that Kim fit well with the character Jojo. Further, the Netflix series was ranked the platform's 8th most loved work in South Korea in 2019. The same year, she was cast alongside
Jang Dong-yoon Jang Dong-yoon (; born July 12, 1992) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his Leading actor, leading roles in the popular television series ''School 2017'' (2017), ''The Tale of Nokdu'' (2019), ''Search (South Korean TV series), Searc ...
in a
romantic comedy Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a sub-genre of comedy and Romance novel, romance fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount all obstacles. Ro ...
drama set in the
Joseon Joseon ( ; ; also romanized as ''Chosun''), officially Great Joseon (), was a dynastic kingdom of Korea that existed for 505 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom w ...
period, ''
The Tale of Nokdu ''The Tale of Nokdu'' () is a 2019 South Korean television series starring Jang Dong-yoon, Kim So-hyun, Kang Tae-oh, and Jung Joon-ho. It is based on the webtoon by Hye Jin-yang which was published in 2014 on Naver Webtoon. It aired on KBS2 fro ...
'' as a clumsy and hot-tempered
Kisaeng ''Kisaeng'' (), also called ''ginyeo'' (), were enslaved women from outcast or enslaved families who were trained to be courtesans, providing artistic entertainment and conversation to men of upper class. First emerging in Goryeo dynasty. were ...
trainee.
Chon Kye-young Chon Kye-young (born December 10, 1970) is a South Korean manhwa author. One of Korea's most popular graphic novelists since her debut in 1996, her major works include ''Unplugged Boy'' (1997), ''Audition'' (1998), ''Girl in Heels'' (2007–2010 ...
and Hye Jin-yang, the author of both webtoons named Kim as their first choice in casting the leading woman. Shin Ji-won of ''
Hankyung Han Geng (born February 9, 1984) is a Chinese Mandopop singer and actor. He started his career in 2001, when he was chosen by S.M. Entertainment to become a member of South Korean boy band Super Junior, which debuted in 2005. He later became ...
'' said that Kim So-hyun's character was able to mesmerize the viewers because Kim blended well with her character. Jang Dong-yoon stated, "I was convinced that there would be no better actress to play Dong Joo other than So-hyun, I was very grateful to have met my best partner in her." The pair were donned the nickname "
Manhwa Manhwa () is the general Korean term for comics and print cartoons. Outside Korea, the term usually refers to Korean comics. Modern Manhwa has extended its reach to many other countries. These comics have branched outside of Korea by acce ...
tearing" chemistry by the viewers for capturing everything from laughter to excitement and adding their colours to the original characters. Her role as Dong Joo earned her the Excellence Award at the year end
KBS Drama Awards The KBS Drama Awards () is an awards ceremony presented by the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) for outstanding achievements in Korean dramas aired on its network. It is held annually on 31 December. The highest honor of the ceremony is the "Gr ...
. The series was the 10th most talked primetime Korean dramas aired in 2019. On 1 October, an official statement from
Kakao M Kakao M Corp. (; formerly Seoul Records, YBM Seoul Records and LOEN Entertainment) was a South Korean entertainment company established by Min Yeong-bin in 1978. It was one of the largest co-publisher companies in South Korea. The company opera ...
revealed that Kim received 815 shares (about 100 million won) of it to resolve issue rights to strengthen solidarity with affiliates and entertainers. Kim is one of many Kakao M-affiliated artists who received stocks from the company, which, according to reports, is preparing to rejoin
Korea Exchange Korea Exchange (KRX, ) is the sole securities exchange operator in South Korea. It is headquartered in Busan, and has an office for cash markets and market oversight in Seoul. History The Korea Exchange was created through the integration of K ...
through a re-IPO. On 29 October, Netflix confirmed that Kim would reprise her role as Kim Jo-jo in the second season of the drama series ''Love Alarm''. In 2020, Kim's travel reality show ''Because This Is My First Twenty'' surpassed 6 million views as of May 2020 on
YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
, Naver TV and
Facebook Facebook is a social media and social networking service owned by the American technology conglomerate Meta Platforms, Meta. Created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with four other Harvard College students and roommates, Eduardo Saverin, Andre ...
. On 15 January 2021, E&T Story Entertainment released an official statement stating that Kim would be leaving the agency. On 18 January, Kim signed an exclusive contract with the Culture Depot.


2021–present: ''River Where the Moon Rises'' and ''Good Boy''

In February 2021, Kim starred as the alter-ego protagonists in the historical drama ''
River Where the Moon Rises ''River Where the Moon Rises'' () is a 2021 South Korean television series starring Kim So-hyun, Na In-woo, Lee Ji-hoon and Choi Yu-hwa. Based on the 2010 novel ''Princess Pyeonggang'' by film director and screenwriter Choi Sagyu, it aired on K ...
'' which premiered on 15 February. She plays as a female general, who was born as a princess but raised as a general, and chases for her goal to straighten the ruined status of her country,
Goguryeo Goguryeo (37 BC – 668 AD) (; ; Old Korean: Guryeo) also later known as Goryeo (; ; Middle Korean: 고ᇢ롕〮, ''kwòwlyéy''), was a Korean kingdom which was located on the northern and central parts of the Korea, Korean Peninsula an ...
. She gained praises for her solid performance and sword skills, and her portrayal of three different characters; Assassin Yeom Ga-jin, Princess Pyeonggang and the queen of Goguryeo Queen Yeon, for which she was nominated for a
Baeksang Arts Awards The Baeksang Arts Awards (), also known as the Paeksang Arts Awards, are awards for excellence in film, television and theatre in South Korea. The awards were introduced in 1965 by Chang Key-young, the founder of the newspaper ''Hankook Ilbo'', ...
in Best Actress - Television, becoming one of the category's youngest nominees. At the end of the year, Kim became the host of the
2021 KBS Drama Awards The 2021 KBS Drama Awards (), presented by Korean Broadcasting System (KBS), was held on December 31, 2021, at KBS Hall in Yeouido, Seoul. It was hosted by Lee Do-hyun, Kim So-hyun and Sung Si-kyung. Grand Prize (''Daesang'') was awarded to Ji ...
with
Sung Si-kyung Sung Si-kyung (; born April 17, 1979) is a South Korean singer, entertainer and television host. He debuted in 2001 and has released eight studio albums in Korean and two studio albums in Japanese. He has also hosted and appeared on numerous So ...
and
Lee Do-hyun Lim Dong-hyun (; born April 11, 1995), known professionally as Lee Do-hyun (), is a South Korean actor. He first gained recognition for his supporting role in ''Hotel del Luna'' (2019), and went on to star in the television series '' 18 Again'' ...
This is a return to hosting in 6 years since 2015. In 2022, Kim signed with Ieum Hashtag. In July 2023, she returned to the small screen with the tvN romantic comedy series ''
My Lovely Liar ''My Lovely Liar'' () is a 2023 South Korean television series directed by Nam Sung-woo, starring Kim So-hyun and Hwang Min-hyun. It aired on tvN from July 31 to September 19, 2023, every Monday and Tuesday at 20:50 ( KST) for 16 episode. It is ...
'', in which her performance and chemistry with
Hwang Min-hyun Hwang Min-hyun (; born August 9, 1995), known mononymously as Minhyun, is a South Korean singer, songwriter, and actor. He began his career, debuting as a member of the South Korean boy band NU'EST in March 2012. In 2017, he participated in secon ...
was described by Joan McDonald of ''Forbes'' as "appealing". She also starred in the webtoon-based romantic comedy-drama '' Is It Fate?'' by
Song Hyun-wook Song Hyun-wook () is a South Korean Television director. His debut TV drama was ''The Splendor of Youth'' in 2008. Presently, he is one of the co-chief executive officers of the production company Slingshot Studios. He is best known for his di ...
, where she played a woman who meets her first love again after ten years. In 2025, she starred with
Park Bo-gum Park Bo-gum (; born June 16, 1993) is a South Korean actor, singer, and musician. A prominent Korean Wave figure, Park is the youngest artist to be named Gallup Korea's Actor of the Year, Gallup Korea's Television Actor of the Year and the firs ...
in the action-comedy drama '' Good Boy'' directed by
Shim Na-yeon Shim Na-yeon (; born 1987), also credited as Sim Na-yeon, is a South Korean Television director, director known for directing the Korean drama, television series Beyond Evil (TV series), ''Beyond Evil'' (2021), ''The Good Bad Mother'' (2023), a ...
.


Other activities


Philanthropy

In 2014, Kim joined in the HAPPY Together Briquette Donation Campaign to donate 1 million briquette for the elderly, disabled families, and low-income families for heating during cold season. In 2017, Kim and
Ji Chang-wook Ji Chang-wook (; born 5 July 1987) is a South Korean actor and singer. He rose to fame for playing the lead role of Dong-hae in daily drama series '' Smile Again'' (2010–2011), and has had notable lead roles in television series such as '' W ...
donated their dubbing fees for
Your Name is a 2016 Japanese animated romantic fantasy film written and directed by Makoto Shinkai, produced by CoMix Wave Films, and distributed by Toho. Inspired by the frequency of natural disasters in Japan, the film depicts the story of high scho ...
to the Korea Barrier-Free Film Commission. On 21 April 2018, Kim participated in S.E.S 10th Green Heart Bazaar held by the first generation
K-pop K-pop (; an abbreviation of "Korean popular music") is a form of popular music originating in South Korea. It emerged in the 1990s as a form of youth subculture, with Korean musicians taking influence from Western Electronic dance music, danc ...
girl group A girl group is a music act featuring two or more women in music, female singers who generally vocal harmony, harmonize together. The term "girl group" is also used in a narrower sense in the United States to denote the wave of American female p ...
, S.E.S. Kim and many other celebrities gave generous good deeds by selling items at the bazaar. The proceeds that were collected are donated to the Green Umbrella Children's Foundation and
KARA Kara or KARA may refer to: Geography Localities * Kara, Chad, a sub-prefecture * Kára, Hungary, a village * Kara, Uttar Pradesh, India, a township * Kara, Iran, a village in Lorestan Province * Kara, Republic of Dagestan, a rural locality in ...
. On 5 April 2019, Kim donated ₩10 million to help support the victims of Sokcho Fire. This is the result of the fans giving support towards Kim's idea who wanted to achieve and sharing on her 4 June birthday. Her fans also donated 61 blood donation certificates to the hospital along with the fund to help patients who were living with difficulties. On 13 December, she donated 100 kg of rice to the social welfare corporation network for underprivileged and undernourished children in the future. On 25 February 2020, Kim donated ₩10 million through Hope Bridge Association of the National Disaster Relief to prevent the spreading of the
COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea The COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea is part of the COVID-19 pandemic, worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 () caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (). The first case in South Korea was announced on 20 Januar ...
. According to the organisation, the donation was to help the vulnerable people and purchasing health and hand sanitisers to prevent the spread of the disease. On 5 August, Kim donated ₩20 million to help flood victims who suffered from the heavy rain. In October, Kim participated in the "MANNA Charity Bazaar" to support the treatment costs of children suffering from rare diseases. A representative official said, "People who have been consistently sponsoring and volunteering have been together under the name of Manna."


Endorsements

Kim is an active celebrity endorser for several brands and products. Her first endorsements were fabric softener Downy and junior apparel brand, Apple Pink. She became the face of
Nintendo 3DS The is a foldable dual-screen handheld game console produced by Nintendo. Announced in March 2010 as the successor to the Nintendo DS, the console was released originally on February 26, 2011 and went through various revisions in its lifetime, ...
real-time Real-time, realtime, or real time may refer to: Computing * Real-time computing, hardware and software systems subject to a specified time constraint * Real-time clock, a computer clock that keeps track of the current time * Real-time Control Syst ...
pet simulation A pet simulator game is a game about raising and caring for a virtual pet. Handheld electronic game * Digital Monster (''Digimon'') * Giga Pet * Pokémon Pikachu * Tamagotchi * Pingu & Pinga Best Friends (Japanese: PINGU&PINGA ちいさな ...
video game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...
, ''
Nintendogs + Cats (stylized in all lowercase) is a 2005 real-time pet simulation video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld video game console. It was released in Japan, and was later released in: North America, Australia, New Z ...
'' with Kim Yoo-jung, Yuhan-Kimberly's "Teen's Nature" brand, Union Bay with
Park Seo-joon Park Yong-kyu (; born December 16, 1988), better known by the stage name Park Seo-joon (), is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his starring roles in the television series ''Fight for My Way'' (2017), ''What's Wrong with Secretary Kim'' ...
and Lee Hyun-woo, and
Nongshim Nongshim Co., Ltd. () is a South Korean multinational food and beverage company headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. Nongshim was founded in 1965 under the name Lotte Food Industrial Company. The name was changed to Nongshim in 1978. The curren ...
's
Shin Ramyun Shin Ramyun () is a brand of instant noodle (including cup ramyeon) that has been produced by the South Korean food company Nongshim since October 1, 1986. It is now exported to over 100 countries, and is the best-selling instant noodle brand i ...
with Yoon Doo-joon. In 2015, Kim has become one of the most in-demand endorsers after her hit drama ''Who Are You: School 2015''. She was chosen to become the face of a women's clothing brand, Soup because of her "girl's liveliness and a romantic lady's vibe". Kim was selected as the 25th "Pocari Girl" for
Pocari Sweat is a Japanese sports drink, manufactured by Otsuka Pharmaceutical. It was launched in 1980, and is sold across Asia and the Middle East; it is also available in Australia, Mexico and the United States. Pocari Sweat is a mild-tasting, non-carbo ...
due to her "pure innocence and cheerful image". A photograph went viral on social media after Kim retweeted and left a comment, "Graduation (Graduation Photo) ㅋㅋㅋ" of a Uijeongbu High School male-student who recreates Kim's signature drinking pose, wearing short shorts and almost lying on the floor for his graduation photo. In response, Dong-A Otsuka gifted the student several Pocari Sweats,
Oronamin C , produced by Otsuka Chemical Holdings Co., Ltd., (distributed and sold by Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co.) is a carbonated beverage available in Japan. It is commonly called Oronamin C or Oronamin. Its name is similar to the Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. ...
and named him the "Pocari Man". In 2015–16, she was featured in
Domino's Pizza Domino's Pizza, Inc., commonly referred to as Domino's, is an American multinational pizza restaurant chain founded in 1960 and led by CEO Russell Weiner. The corporation is Delaware General Corporation Law, Delaware-domiciled and headquartered ...
's advertisement with
Kim Woo-bin Kim Hyun-joong (; born July 16, 1989), better known by the stage name Kim Woo-bin (), is a South Korean actor and model. He began his career as a runway model and made his acting debut in the television drama '' White Christmas''. He subsequentl ...
. Two of Kim So-hyun's costume in Domino's Pizza advertisement went on for an online-auction and the donating proceeds to the Green Umbrella Children's Foundation. She also appeared in commercials for the
Post Post, POST, or posting may refer to: Postal services * Mail, the postal system, especially in Commonwealth of Nations countries **An Post, the Irish national postal service **Canada Post, Canadian postal service **Deutsche Post, German postal s ...
cereal Honey Oh's, and Korea's school uniform Elite. Kim became the longest Elite endorsement model from 2014 until 2016. She has worked alongside
Winner Winner(s) or The Winner(s) may refer to: * Champion, the victor in a game or contest *The successful social class in winner and loser culture Film * ''The Winner'' (1926 film), an American silent film starring Billy Sullivan * ''The Winner'' ...
,
Shin Ae-ra Shin Ae-ra (; born March 7, 1969) is a South Korean actress who made her acting debut in 1989. She has since played leading roles in television dramas such as ''Love in Your Arms'' and '' Bad Housewife''. In 1995, Shin married actor Cha In-pyo ...
, and
BtoB B2B, B to B, or B-to-B may refer to: Sports * B2B, a controversial and short lived class in the 1979 Sidecar World Championship * Bay to Breakers, an annual footrace in San Francisco, California on the third Sunday of May * Budapest-Bamako, now t ...
. By 16 April 2016, Kim was selected for two consecutive years to become the 2016 Pocari Sweat model to commemorate the brand's 30th anniversary. It is the first time in 15 years since Son Ye-jin in 2001. The same year,
G-Market Gmarket is an e-commerce website based in South Korea. The company was founded in 2000 as a subsidiary of Interpark, and was acquired by eBay in 2009, who subsequently sold it to Shinsegae at 3.4 trillion Korean Won. History and Incidents The p ...
announced Kim as their model for the launch of Korea's first integrated brand lift package through cable channels and online. In 2015–17, Kim was appointed as the face for young girls' makeup brand Peripera. In three days, Peripera "Ink Airy Velvet" has sold 30,000 quantities. Kim's image was the main contributor that leads a successful product to sell 700,000 quantities in two months, sold out "Ink Airy Velvet No. 2" and "Ink Color Cara" winning in the Glow Peak Beauty Awards mascara category. In August 2019, Korean media reported Soup to become Korea's first young casual brand to record ₩100 billion sales in Korea after commissioning Kim as their promotional model for their 2019 Fall/Winter collection. Kim continued endorsing various products that ranged from food to clothing and cosmetics such as, Norwegian fashion shoes brand Skono, chicken brand Pelicana Chicken,
Samsung Securities Samsung Securities Co., Ltd. () is a South Korean financial services company headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, and a subsidiary of Samsung Group. It is one of the largest securities companies in Korea. History On 19 October 1982, Hanil I ...
, naturalism-oriented cosmetics Hanyul, colour contact lenses
Bausch & Lomb Bausch & Lomb (since 2010 stylized as Bausch + Lomb) is an American-Canadian eye health products company based in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada. It is one of the world's largest suppliers of contact lenses, lens care products, pharmaceuticals, intra ...
's Lacelle, and Soup as a representative and model since 2015. In April 2020,
Samsung Electronics Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (SEC; stylized as SΛMSUNG; ) is a South Korean multinational major appliance and consumer electronics corporation founded on 13 January 1969 and headquartered in Yeongtong District, Suwon, South Korea. It is curr ...
introduced Bixby Celebrity Voice, an AI voice assistant with Kim as their speakers. Kim's "Celeb Alarm" gained popularity in South Korea and overseas, and topped the Popular Download Ranking in the
Galaxy Store The Galaxy Store () is an app store offering apps, games and exclusive themes and other customizations for mobile devices manufactured by Samsung Electronics. The service is primarily supplied pre-installed on Samsung Galaxy smartphones and tabl ...
. In August 2022, she was selected as the global ambassador for skin care brand JM Solution.


Ambassadorship

In January 2018, the
Pyeongchang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games The PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games (POCOG) is an organisation that oversees the planning and development of the 2018 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. POCOG's headquarters is located in the host ...
(POCOG) chose Kim and
Yoo Seong-min Yoo Seong-min (; born 7 January 1958), also known as Yoo Seung-min, is a South Korean economist and politician. Yoo is a former member of the National Assembly (South Korea), National Assembly and was the Bareun Party's presidential nominee in ...
as the National Representative of Honorary Smile to represent Korea's smile and kindness.


Artistry

Kim has cited
Son Ye-jin Son Eon-jin (; born January 11, 1982), better known by her stage name, Son Ye-jin (), is a South Korean actress who rose to fame in 2003 in ''The Classic (2003 film), The Classic'' and ''Summer Scent'', which were followed by the commercially ...
and Canadian actress
Rachel McAdams Rachel Anne McAdams (born November 17, 1978) is a Canadian actress. After graduating from York University in 2001 with a BFA in theatre, she worked in Canadian television and film productions, such as the drama film '' Perfect Pie'' (2002), ...
as her main influences because of their sophisticated and graceful look. She has also cited
Moon Geun-young Moon Geun-young (; born May 6, 1987) is a South Korean actress. Affectionately called the "Nation's Little Sister", Moon began modeling at the age of 10, then made her acting debut in 1999 as a child actress. She first rose to stardom through h ...
as someone who inspired her to digest various roles after watching Moon's acting in ''
Painter of the Wind ''Painter of the Wind'' () is a 2008 South Korean historical television series starring Park Shin-yang and Moon Geun-young. Based on the bestselling historical fiction novel by Lee Jung-myung that took artistic license with the premise that per ...
''. In 2019, Kim expressed that she has no role models. She commented, "I don't even know myself. I think it's time to get to know myself more than the role model. If I find myself, I can find my role model then." Kim's work has influenced numerous child actresses, including Kim Ji-young, Lee Ja-in, Hwang Yeon-ji, Busters' Jisoo, Jeon Yu-lim, and Park Da-yeon. In an interview in 2013, she revealed she had never been formally trained for acting. While filming for ''Pure Love'', she lived in Goheung. Kim said that, when there was no filming, she went around the city alone and listened to the stories of the residents. She explained she looked around every corner of the village setting for how she could be part of it. To prepare for a role, Kim listens to music that matches the emotions of her role before shooting a scene. For the role of a blind person in ''Page Turner'', she changed everything from the tone and way of speaking to the eye contact when reciting her dialogues. She had stated that when she received a script, she set plenty of time to understand fully and know the character like a real person and try her best to express the character genuinely. Kim prefers having many projects because she feels more comfortable and happy continuing acting rather than resting. In particular, the charm of Kim's tone shines in the drama from a plump romantic comedy to a complex, subtle feeling of conflict between the family's revenge and the love she felt for the first time in her life. A broadcast official said, "The deeper the emotions in the play, the more shining of Kim's inner space will be".


In the media

Kim was given various nicknames throughout her career, such as "
Nation's Little Sister Nation's Little Sister () or Nation's Little Brother () is an informal title in South Korean entertainment industry. It refers to "a young female r malecelebrity in her r hislate teens to early twenties... ho iscute, bright, and innocent." Peo ...
", "Queen of Child Actresses" and "Korean Wave Fairy". Kim earned the nickname, "Little
Son Ye-jin Son Eon-jin (; born January 11, 1982), better known by her stage name, Son Ye-jin (), is a South Korean actress who rose to fame in 2003 in ''The Classic (2003 film), The Classic'' and ''Summer Scent'', which were followed by the commercially ...
", due to the resemblance of Ye-jin's early works, '' Lover's Concerto'' and ''
The Classic A classic is something that is a perfect example of a particular style, something of lasting worth or with a timeless quality. Classic or The Classic may also refer to: Common uses * Classics, study of culture of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome ...
''. Besides, the two actors, also resemble the coexistence of clean, pure and mature images with subtle expressions and perfect eyes acting. She was also dubbed as "3金 Troika" () alongside
Kim Yoo-jung Kim Yoo-jung (; born September 22, 1999) is a South Korean actress known for her leading roles in the historical romance drama ''Love in the Moonlight'' (2016), historical fantasy ''Lovers of the Red Sky'' (2021), teen romance film ''20th Cen ...
and
Kim Sae-ron Kim Sae-ron (; July 31, 2000 – February 16, 2025) was a South Korean actress. Kim began her career in 2001 as a child model and transitioned to acting in 2009 with the film '' A Brand New Life'' (2009). She gained recognition through '' The ...
due to impressive performances since childhood and a veteran actor with more than 10 years of acting career. Previously, the nickname was given to
Kim Tae-hee Kim Tae-hee (; born 29 March 1980) is a South Korean actress. Considered one of South Korea's most beautiful actresses, she is best known for her roles in television series such as ''Stairway to Heaven'' (2003–2004), '' Love Story in Harvard ...
,
Song Hye-kyo Song Hye-kyo (; born November 22, 1981) is a South Korean actress. She gained international popularity through her leading roles in the television dramas '' Autumn in My Heart'' (2000), '' All In'' (2003), ''Full House'' (2004), '' That Winter, ...
, and
Jun Ji-hyun Wang Ji-hyun (; born 30 October 1981), known professionally as Jun Ji-hyun (), is a South Korean actress and model. She rose to fame with her role in the romantic comedy film ''My Sassy Girl'' (2001), which became a tremendous sensation across ...
in the early 2000s. Kim was named "Teardrop Goddess" for her deep sensitivity and dense tears in ''The Emperor: Owner of the Mask''. Following the release of hit dramas ''Love Alarm'' and ''The Tale of Nokdu'', the press gave Kim "Come-out-of-manhwa girl" due to the perfect sync rate with the original characters and emotional performance. After starring in several historical period dramas, she received the title "Goddess of Historical Drama" and "Sageuk Goddess" because of her quick character exploration skills, varied expressions through eye contact and emotional acting. In 2016, Kim was recognized by Korean medias as the next generation of "Nation's First Love" after she had successfully portrayed the first love character in '' Pure Love'' movie. ''Who Are You: School 2015'' co-star
Yook Sung-jae Yook Sung-jae (; born ), also known mononymously as Sungjae, is a South Korean singer, songwriter, actor, model, host and entertainer. He is a member of the boy group BtoB and its sub-group, BtoB Blue. Aside from his group's activities, Yook h ...
shared, "Despite her young age, imSo-hyun leads the entire drama. When seeing her with a smile on her face during working in spite of the exhaustion due to lack of sleep, I feel and learn a lot."
Chun Jung-myung Chun Jung-myung (, born November 29, 1980) is a South Korean actor. Chun made his break into the entertainment industry in the KBS teen drama ''School 2'' (1999). He is best known for his leading roles in TV dramas such as '' Fashion 70's'' (200 ...
gave her his recognition, "She is polite and always looks strong. So Hyun possesses such an outstanding charm that I believe she might become the greatest actor of this era." Actor
Nam Joo-hyuk Nam Joo-hyuk (; born February 22, 1994) is a South Korean model and actor. He began his career as a model, and appeared in several music videos before making his screen debut in 2014 with '' The Idle Mermaid''. Nam rose to prominence with his ...
also praised, "Like an adult and trustworthy. She is a positive person that never shows any hints of negativity even when facing hardship. I have a lot to learn from her." As an experienced former child actress, Kim So-hyun has acted with many actors who are older than her. Many of her co-stars described her as an "older sister" to them. Such as, Yoo Seung-ho, who is six years older than her, confessed he couldn't stop speaking to her like she was older: "She seems like an older sister. She's extremely mature." L said, "So-hyun is very mature. Though she's seven years younger than me, she sometimes feels like an older sister", and the same goes to Yoon Do-joon. Actress Jo Soo-hyan, stated that "Kim So-hyun is amazing. When we were filming, her schedule was very hectic. At first, I would play around with her after we were done filming, but she looked more and more tired as the days went on, and I couldn't do that anymore." She continued, "But when the camera starts rolling, she puts on a smile and acts really well. As I saw her doing that, I just thought, she's amazing." Despite the freezing temperatures during filming ''The Emperor: Owner of the Mask'', Kim gave affection for the child actor that was working with her, be on set at a very early time and showed no signs of tiredness while on set. A staff member said, "Kim So-hyun is cheerful and kind both on and off-camera, making her the best energizer. Kim So-hyun's bright smile helps everyone on set have a good time while filming."
Jung Ga-ram Jung Ga-ram (; born February 23, 1993) is a South Korean actor. He rose to prominence for his roles in the films ''4th Place'' (2016) and ''The Poet and the Boy'' (2017). He is also known for his roles in television series such as '' Standby'' ...
describes her as "very serious and a really great actress".
Song Kang Song Kang (; born April 23, 1994) is a South Korean actor. He is known for starring in the dramas ''Love Alarm'' (2019–2021)'', Sweet Home (TV series), Sweet Home'' (2020–2024), ''Nevertheless (TV series), Nevertheless'' (2021), ''Forecasti ...
talked about working with Kim, saying that she gave a lot of advice about many heart-fluttering points. As a senior actor he saw on TV, he was worried that it would inconvenience her. Still, she contacted him whenever there were difficult scenes and congratulated him at the end of the day. Lee Na-jung, her director in ''
Love Alarm ''Love Alarm'' () is a South Korean romance drama series based on Chon Kye-young's Daum webtoon. Starring Kim So-hyun, Jung Ga-ram, and Song Kang, it follows a high school girl in a world greatly influenced by a mobile app capable of notifyin ...
'', said, "the acting skills were as important as the synchronisation rate. Jo-jo was a difficult role and needed great acting skills." She continued, "I saw Jo-jo's eyes in Kim So-hyun's eyes." According to director Kim Dong-hwi of ''The Tale of Nokdu'', "Kim So-hyun is a rainbow-like actress. She is pretty, cute and cool, and has colourful charms from laughter to tears. I am always admiring her detailed and sincere acting while filming". Kim consistently promotes her television work on
Instagram Instagram is an American photo sharing, photo and Short-form content, short-form video sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to upload media that can be edited with Social media camera filter, filters, be ...
. She was awarded the '2018 Most Grown Instagram Account' with 7.1 million followers. At the age of 21, Kim became the youngest South Korean actress to have more than 10 million followers on social media, alongside actor
Lee Min-ho Lee Min-ho (, born June 22, 1987) is a South Korean actor and singer. He gained widespread fame with his role as Gu Jun-pyo in the Korean drama, television series ''Boys Over Flowers (2009 TV series), Boys Over Flowers'' (2009), which also earn ...
.


Filmography


Discography


Soundtrack appearances


Awards and nominations


Listicles


References


External links

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Stand By
The official fan club of Kim So-hyun {{DEFAULTSORT:Kim, So-hyun 1999 births Living people Australian emigrants to South Korea South Korean television actresses South Korean television presenters South Korean women television presenters South Korean voice actresses South Korean film actresses South Korean child actresses South Korean web series actresses 21st-century South Korean actresses