Kim Ji-won (actress)

Kim in March 2024

Born October 19, 1992 (age 31)

Geumcheon District, Seoul, South Korea[1]

Education Dongguk University (Department of Theater)

Occupation Actress

Years active 2010–present

Agent HighZium Studio

Height 164 cm (5 ft 5 in)[1]

Korean name

Hangul 김지원
 Hanja 金智媛

Revised Romanization Gim Ji-won

McCune–Reischauer Kim Chiwŏn

Website highziumstudio.com

Kim Ji-won (Korean: 김지원; born October 19, 1992) is a South Korean actress. She
gained attention 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), Lovestruck in the City (2020–2021), My
Liberation Notes (2022) and Queen of Tears (2024).
Early life and education[edit]
Kim Ji-won was born on October 19, 1992, in Geumcheon District, Seoul, South Korea,
and has an elder sister who is two years older than her. While still a teenager in 2007,
she was scouted on the street and signed with an entertainment agency, she
subsequently became a trainee for over three years while preparing for her debut.
During her first year of junior high school, she spent six months to a year studying
in Chicago, Illinois, United States, where her maternal relatives lived. After finally
entering the industry in 2010, she continued her education by enrolling at Dongguk
University's Department of Theater in 2011.[2]
Career[edit]
2008–2012: Beginnings[edit]
Kim was trained in singing, dancing, and acting but eventually chose to pursue the
latter.[3] She was a background vocalist for the singer Younha, performing as a
keyboardist and background vocalist in various performances as well as appearing in
Younha's music video "Gossip Boy" in 2008. During this time there were plans for her to
debut as a singer with the stage name "JessicaK".[4][5][unreliable source?] Prior to her official debut,
Kim made an appearance in the drama Mrs. Saigon.[4] Kim then officially entered the
industry in 2010 in a commercial for LG Cyon's Lollipop 2 featuring the group Big
Bang and thus became known as the "Lollipop Girl".[6] She later appeared in a
carbonated drink commercial in which she performed a song and dance number and
became known as the "Oran C Girl".[6][7] She was also called Little Kim Tae-hee due to
her resemblance to the actress.[8][9]
Kim's first role after her debut was the romance omnibus film Romantic Heaven,
[3]
however she first gained attention as an actress after starring in the 2011 sitcom High
Kick: Revenge of the Short Legged.[10] She then appeared in another major television
series in the musical drama What's Up.[11] Kim then starred in the high school drama To
the Beautiful You[12][13] and headlined the horror film Horror Stories, playing a kidnapped
high school student.[14] Kim also appeared in Baek Seung Heon's debut music video "Till
the Sun Rises" alongside JYJ's Kim Jae-joong.[15]
2013–2016: Rising popularity and breakthrough[edit]
In 2013, Kim starred as one of the lead roles in the KBS Drama special Waiting for
Love, about how four different youths with different views toward love start seeing each
other [16][17] as well as the film Horror Stories 2, the sequel to the previous Horror Stories
film, playing a student obsessed with black magic. The same year Kim co-starred in
teen drama The Heirs, in which she played a chic and haughty heiress.[18][19] The Kim
Eun-sook-penned drama was viewed over one billion times on Youku and its popularity
raised Kim's profile,[20] winning her the New Star Award at the SBS Drama Awards.[21]

Kim in March 2016

In 2014, Kim starred in the crime thriller Gap-dong as a high school student and a
webtoon artist.[22] The same year, she played a supporting role in the KBS Drama
special The Reason I'm Getting Married.[23] In December 2014, Kim signed an exclusive
contract with King Kong Entertainment.[24]
In 2015, Kim starred alongside So Ji-sub in the romance web series One Sunny Day in
2015.[25] The same year, Kim made a cameo appearance in TVN drama Hidden
Identity as Kim Bum's girlfriend.[26]
In 2016, Kim co-starred in another project written by Kim Eun-sook, KBS2's military
romance drama Descendants of the Sun, playing an army surgeon.[27] The drama was a
pan-Asia hit with ratings peaking at 38.8% and winning the Grand Prize in television at
the 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards as well being declared the Most Popular Show of the
year by Korea Broadcasting Advertising Corporation.[28] Its success brought Kim further
recognition outside Korea.[29][30][31] She hosted the year end KBS Drama Awards with Park
Bo-gum and Jun Hyun-moo, where she won the Excellence Award.[32][33] Kim also won the
Best Supporting Actress award at the APAN Star Awards.[34]
2017–present: Leading roles[edit]
 Kim in August 2017
In 2017, Kim was cast in her first leading role in KBS2's romance comedy drama, Fight
for My Way alongside Park Seo-joon; as a department store employee at the
information desk who dreams of becoming an announcer.[35][36] The series was noted for
its realistic portrayal of struggling youths, friendship, and love, and closed with ratings of
13.8%, solidifying Kim's status as leading actress.[37][38] Kim once again won the
Excellence Award at the KBS Drama Awards.[39]
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 the role of a mysterious
woman who loses her memory and takes part in the investigation.[40] Kim, along with
her Descendants of the Sun co-star Jin Goo made a cameo appearance in the historical
drama Mr.Sunshine by Kim Eun-sook.[41]

Kim in September 2019

In 2019, Kim played the role of Tanya, who is the head of the Wahan tribe and Song
Joong-ki's love interest in the historical fantasy drama Arthdal Chronicles.[42][43] The drama
served as a reunion project for Song and Kim, who both starred in the 2016 hit
drama Descendants of the Sun.[44] Although the series received mixed reviews, criticism
for its similarities to other programs,[45][46] and lower-than-expected ratings,[47][48] it was
renewed for a second season.[49] Kim and Song, however, did not reprise their roles for
the second season.[50][51]
In February 2020, Kim signed with Salt Entertainment.[52][53] Later that year, she starred in
the web series Lovestruck in the City opposite Ji Chang-wook which premiered
on Kakao TV in December 2020.[54]
In April 2022, she starred in the television series My Liberation Notes, where she played
an introverted employee struggling to escape from her mundane life.[55] During its run,
the series received modest but steadily-increasing ratings[56] and drew attention for its
writing and relatable scenarios.[57][58] Kim earned a Baeksang nomination for her
performance in the series.[59]
In June 2022, Kim's contract with Salt Entertainment ended, and she decided not to
renew.[60] On September 29, 2022, Kim signed with HighZium Studio (formerly History
D&C).[61]
On December 5, 2022, Studio Dragon and Culture Depot confirmed Kim's participation
in the tvN drama Queen of Tears originally slated for the second half of 2023 then, later
moved to the first half of 2024. She portrayed Hong Hae-in, the Queens Group's
chaebol heiress.[62]
Filmography[edit]
Film[edit]

Year Title Role Notes Ref.

2011 Romantic Heaven Choi Mi-mi [3]

2012 Horror Stories Kim Ji-won Segment: "Beginning" [14]

Segment: "The
2013 Horror Stories 2 Sa Tan-hee [63]

Escape"

Detective K: Secret of the Living Wol-young / Crown

2018 [40]

Dead Princess

Television series[edit]
Year Title Role Notes Ref.

2008 Mrs. Saigon Hye-ryeon [64]

High Kick: Revenge of the Short

Kim Ji-won [10]

Legged
2011

What's Up Park Tae-yi [11]

2012 To the Beautiful You Seol Han-na [13]

Waiting for Love Choi Sae-rom One-act drama [17]

2013
The Heirs Rachel Yoo [18]

The Reason I'm Getting Married Kim Ji-young Drama special [65]

2014
Gap-dong Ma Ji-wool [66]

2015 Hidden Identity Min Tae-hee Cameo (Eps. 1–2, 9–10) [67]

2016 Descendants of the Sun Yoon Myung-joo [27]

2017 Fight for My Way Choi Ae-ra [35]

2018 Mr. Sunshine Hui-jin Cameo (Ep. 1) [41]

2019 Arthdal Chronicles Tan-ya Season 1 [42][68]

2022 My Liberation Notes Yeom Mi-jeong [69]

Year Title Role Notes Ref.

2024 Queen of Tears Hong Hae-in [62]

Web series[edit]

Year Title Role Ref.

2014 One Sunny Day The Girl (Kim Ji-ho) [25]

2020– Lovestruck in the Lee Eun-oh / Yoon Seon- [70]

2021 City a

Hosting[edit]

Year Title Notes Ref.

2016 30th KBS Drama Awards With Jun Hyun-moo and Park Bo-gum [71]

Music video appearances[edit]

Year Title Artist Ref.

2008 "Gossip Boy" Younha [72]

2010 "Lollipop Pt. 2" BigBang [citation needed]

2012 "Until the Sun Rises" Baek Seung-heon [73]

Discography[edit]
Singles[edit]

Title Year Album Ref.

"Pick a Star from the Sky" 2010 OranC Commercial [74]

"Over the Rainbow" 2011 High Kick: Revenge of the Short Legged OST

"Might Gonna" 2012 What's Up OST (Japan Edition)

with Jo Jung-suk & Yang Jiwon

Awards and nominations[edit]

Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the
nomination

Award ceremony Year Category Nominee / Work Result Ref.

Descendants of the
2016 Best Supporting Actress Won [34]

Sun

Excellence Award,
APAN Star Awards My Liberation Notes Nominated [75]

Actress in a Miniseries

2022
Kim Ji-won (with Son
Best Couple Award Suk-ku) Nominated [76]

My Liberation Notes

Best Celebrity Award, Descendants of the

Asia Artist Awards 2016 Won [77]

Actress Sun

Baeksang Arts Awards 2023 Best Actress – Television My Liberation Notes Nominated [59]

Elle Style Awards (Korea) 2016 Young Icon Award Kim Ji-won Won [78]

Global Film & Television Best Global Teleplay

2023 My Liberation Notes Nominated [79]

Huading Awards Leading Actress

Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the
nomination

Award ceremony Year Category Nominee / Work Result Ref.

Excellence Award,
Won
Actress in a Miniseries
Descendants of the
Sun
Best New Actress Won
2016 [33]

Kim Ji-won (with Jin

Goo)
Best Couple Award Descendants of the Won
Sun

KBS Drama Awards

Top Excellence Award,
Nominated
Actress

Excellence Award, Fight for My Way

Won
Actress in a Miniseries
2017 [39]

Netizen Award – Female Won

Won
Kim Ji-
Best Couple Award won (with Park Seo-
joon)
KBS World Global Fan Fight for My Way
2017 Won [80]

Awards

Excellence Award,
Korea Drama Awards 2019 Arthdal Chronicles Nominated [81]

Actress

SBS Drama Awards 2013 New Star Award The Heirs Won [21]