Kim Ji-won

Early life and education

Kim was born on October 19, 1992, in Geumcheon District, Seoul, South Korea. She is the youngest of two children and has an older sister who is two years her senior. During her first year of junior high school, she spent nearly a year in Chicago, Illinois, United States, living with maternal relatives. After returning to South Korea, she took the General Educational Development (GED) exam before entering high school. In an interview, Kim stated that she is Christian and often spent Christmas at church, where she participated in musical accompaniment during services.

In 2007, Kim was scouted on the street and signed with Lion Media, where she trained for three years in singing, dancing, and acting. She was initially scheduled to debut as a singer under the stage name "JessicaK", but ultimately chose to pursue acting. Following her acting debut in 2010, she enrolled in the Department of Theater and Film at Dongguk University in 2011.

Career

2010–2012: Beginnings

Kim made her acting debut in the romance omnibus film Romantic Heaven. She gained broader attention after appearing 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 series To the Beautiful You, and portrayed a kidnapped student in the horror anthology film Horror Stories.

2013–2016: Rising popularity and breakthrough

In 2013, Kim appeared in the KBS Drama Special Waiting for Love. She also starred in Horror Stories 2, portraying a student involved in black magic. That year, she played an heiress in the teen drama The Heirs, written by Kim Eun-sook. The series achieved over one billion views on Youku, contributing to increased recognition for her role. Kim received the New Star Award at the 2013 SBS Drama Awards for her performance.

In 2014, Kim portrayed a high school student and webtoon artist in the crime thriller Gap-dong. She also appeared in a supporting role in the KBS Drama Special The Reason I'm Getting Married. In December 2014, she 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 reunited with writer Kim Eun-sook in the KBS2 military romance drama Descendants of the Sun, playing an army surgeon. She won the Excellence Award at the 2016 KBS Drama Awards and the Best Supporting Actress award at the 5th APAN Star Awards for her performance. The series recorded peak viewership ratings of 38.8% and won the Grand Prize – Television at the 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards. Its international popularity increased Kim's overseas visibility. That year, she co-hosted the 2016 KBS Drama Awards with Park Bo-gum and Jun Hyun-moo.

2017–present: Leading roles

In 2017, Kim starred 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 aspiring to become an announcer, alongside Park Seo-joon. The series was noted for its portrayal of young adults facing career challenges and concluded with ratings of 13.8%. Kim won the Excellence Award at the 2017 KBS Drama Awards for her performance.

In 2018, Kim appeared in the period comedy-mystery film Detective K: Secret of the Living Dead, playing a woman with memory loss involved in an investigation. That same year, Kim and her Descendants of the Sun co-star Jin Goo made cameo appearances in the historical drama Mr. Sunshine.

In 2019, Kim starred in the historical fantasy drama Arthdal Chronicles as Tanya, spiritual leader of the Wahan tribe and the counterpart to Song Joong-ki's character. The drama served as a reunion with Song, following their appearance in the 2016 series Descendants of the Sun. In December 2019, Kim's contract with King Kong Entertainment expired, and she chose not to renew it.

In February 2020, Kim signed with Salt Entertainment. Later that year, she starred in Kakao TV's web series Lovestruck in the City alongside Ji Chang-wook. To prepare for the role, she underwent surfing training and discussed overcoming childhood aquaphobia in interviews.

In April 2022, Kim starred in the television series My Liberation Notes, portraying an introverted employee struggling to escape her monotonous life. She was nominated for Best Actress – Television at the 59th Baeksang Arts Awards for her performance in the series. In June 2022, Kim's contract with Salt Entertainment expired, and she chose 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 became the highest-rated tvN drama with a nationwide viewership of 24.9% for its finale. It also remained in Netflix's Global Top 10 Non-English TV series rankings for 15 consecutive weeks. Kim received the Prime Minister's Commendation at the Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards, and ranked third in Gallup Korea's Television Actor of the Year survey.

Public image

Following her appearance in To the Beautiful You, some media outlets referred to Kim as the "Nation's Little Sister", citing her character Seol Han-na's public reception. After The Heirs, she received attention for her clear diction, earning the nickname "Diction Fairy" in Korean media. Her aegyo scene in Fight for My Way gained attention on social media and inspired a dubbing challenge.

In an interview with Cosmopolitan Korea, Kim stated that she prefers to keep her personal life private, saying, "I separate my work and personal life. I want viewers to focus solely on the character". She is also known for her interest in reading and has participated in the "National Reading Campaign: Reading Korea" by recommending several books.

Following her role in Queen of Tears, some media outlets referred to Kim as "Queen of Romantic Comedy" based on assessments of her performance. Some Korean media also referred to Kim using the title "Queen of Hallyu." Cultural critic Jeong Deok-hyeon described her as "beautiful and elegant," adding that she has maintained strong appeal as an actress.

In April 2024, some media outlets reported that Kim is the only actor to have appeared in works written by all four prominent Korean drama screenwriters, collectively referred to by Korean media as the "Four Great Queens": Kim Eun-sook, Lim Sang-choon, Park Hae-young, and Park Ji-eun.

In 2024, Kim ranked second in Gallup Korea's Favorite Television Actor and third in its Television Actor of the Year ranking. That year, she ranked third on Cine21s list of "Actresses with Impressive Performances" and Yahoo Taiwan's "Top 10 Entertainment Figures of the Year". In 2025, she ranked third in Gallup Korea's Television Actor of the Year ranking and placed 23rd on Forbes Korea's Power Celebrity 40 list.

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 made her debut as an endorser for LG Electronics' mobile phone brand Cyon Lollipop 2 alongside Bigbang. From 2014 to 2017, she served as the brand muse for L'Oréal's skincare brand Dr.G. In 2015, she was announced as an endorser for the British sportswear brand Lonsdale in the Chinese market.

Following her appearance in Descendants of the Sun, Kim was referred to by media outlets as the "CF Queen" after securing endorsement deals with more than ten brands.

In 2017, Kim was announced as an endorser for Kia Corporation's Kia Ray car. From 2017 to 2021, she served as the global brand muse for the skincare brand Mediheal. In 2018, she endorsed Hite Jinro's Japanese premium beer brand Kirin Ichiban Shibori. In 2019, she endorsed Nongshim's Shin Ramyun and Korea Ginseng Corporation's Cheong Kwan Jang Good Base.

In 2024, during the airing of the drama Queen of Tears, Kim was announced as an endorser for Hanwha General Insurance and Lotte Chilsung's soju brand, Cheoeumcheoreom. In the same year, she was named a global ambassador for LG Household & Health Care's luxury cosmetic brand, The Whoo. She was also named as a brand ambassador for LVMH's luxury brand Bulgari, becoming its first Korean house ambassador for jewelry, watches, and perfume. Later that year, she was announced as the brand muse for the jewelry brand Stonehenge and named a 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 Korea'''s "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

Accolades

Awards and nominations

State and cultural honors

Listicles

Notes

References

References

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