# Kim Ji-won

Kim Ji-won (Korean: 김지원; 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), Lovestruck in the City (2020–2021), My Liberation Notes (2022), and Queen of Tears (2024), notably working with several prominent writers dubbed as the "Four Great Kings" in the field, 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. 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, she was scouted on the street and signed with an entertainment agency, where she trained for three years. After debuting in 2010, she continued her education and enrolled in Dongguk University's Department of Theater in 2011.

## Career
### 2008–2012: Beginnings

Kim Ji-won was trained in singing, dancing, and acting but ultimately chose to pursue acting. She worked as a background vocalist and keyboardist for singer Younha and appeared in Younha's 2008 music video for "Gossip Boy." During this time, she was set to debut as a singer under the stage name "JessicaK." She officially entered the industry in 2010 through a commercial for LG Cyon's Lollipop 2, which featured the group Big Bang and earned her the nickname "Lollipop Girl." Kim later appeared in a commercial for a carbonated drink, where she performed a song and dance number, earning her the nickname "Oran C Girl." Due to her resemblance to actress Kim Tae-hee, she was also referred to as "Little Kim Tae-hee."
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. She also appeared in Baek Seung Heon's debut music video, "Till the Sun Rises," alongside JYJ's Kim Jae-joong.

### 2013–2016: Rising popularity and breakthrough

In 2013, Kim starred as one of the lead roles in the KBS Drama Special Waiting for Love, which follows four young individuals with differing views on love as they begin dating. 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-Asia hit, with ratings peaking at 38.8%. It won the Grand Prize in television at the 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards and was named the Most Popular Show of the Year by the Korea Broadcasting 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 Kings" of Korean drama: Kim Eun-sook, Lim Sang-choon, Park Hae-young, and Park Ji-eun. In 2024, she ranked third in Yahoo Taiwan's Top 10 Entertainment Figures and placed third in Gallup Korea's Television Actor of the Year.

## 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 [ko], 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 became the first Korean brand ambassador for the Italian luxury outerwear brand Duvetica [ja].

### Philanthropy

In November 2016, Kim participated in the "We Action" child protection campaign, which was organized by the Korean Committee for UNICEF. In February 2020, she donated ₩20 million 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 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.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2011 | Romantic Heaven | Choi Mi-mi | |
| 2012 | Horror Stories | Kim Ji-won | Segment: "Beginning" |
| 2013 | Horror Stories 2 | Sa Tan-hee | Segment: "The Escape" |
| 2018 | Detective K: Secret of the Living Dead | Wol-young / Crown Princess | |

### Television series

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2011 | High Kick: Revenge of the Short Legged | Kim Ji-won | |
| 2011 | What's Up | Park Tae-yi | |
| 2012 | To the Beautiful You | Seol Han-na | |
| 2013 | Waiting for Love | Choi Sae-rom | KBS Drama Special |
| 2013 | The Heirs | Rachel Yoo | |
| 2014 | The Reason I'm Getting Married | Kim Ji-young | KBS Drama Special |
| 2014 | Gap-dong | Ma Ji-wool | |
| 2015 | Hidden Identity | Min Tae-hee | Cameo (Episodes 1–2, 9–10) |
| 2016 | Descendants of the Sun | Yoon Myung-joo | |
| 2017 | Fight for My Way | Choi Ae-ra | |
| 2018 | Mr. Sunshine | Hui-jin | Cameo (Episode 1) |
| 2019 | Arthdal Chronicles | Tan-ya | Season 1 |
| 2022 | My Liberation Notes | Yeom Mi-jeong | |
| 2024 | Queen of Tears | Hong Hae-in | |

### Web series

| Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
| 2014 | One Sunny Day | The Girl (Kim Ji-ho) | |
| 2020–2021 | Lovestruck in the City | Lee Eun-oh / Yoon Seon-a | |

### Hosting

| Year | Title | Notes | Ref. |
| 2016 | 30th KBS Drama Awards | With Jun Hyun-moo and Park Bo-gum | |

### Music video appearances

| Year | Title | Artist |
| 2008 | "Gossip Boy" | Younha |
| 2010 | "Lollipop Pt. 2" | BigBang |
| 2012 | "Until the Sun Rises" | Baek Seung-heon |

## Discography
### Singles

| Title | Year | Album | Ref. |
| "Pick a Star from the Sky" | 2010 | OranC Commercial | |
| "Over the Rainbow" | 2011 | High Kick: Revenge of the Short Legged OST | |

## Awards and nominations

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 |
| APAN Star Awards | 2016 | Best Supporting Actress | Descendants of the Sun | Won |
| APAN Star Awards | 2022 | Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries | My Liberation Notes | Nominated |
| APAN Star Awards | 2024 | Popularity Award, Actress | Queen of Tears | Nominated |
| APAN Star Awards | 2024 | Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries | Queen of Tears | Nominated |
| Asia Artist Awards | 2016 | Best Celebrity Award, Actress | Descendants of the Sun | Won |
| Asia Artist Awards | 2024 | Popularity Award, Actress | Queen of Tears | Nominated |
| Asia Star Entertainer Awards | 2025 | Best Actress | Queen of Tears | Pending |
| Baeksang Arts Awards | 2023 | Best Actress – Television | My Liberation Notes | Nominated |
| Baeksang Arts Awards | 2023 | Most Popular Actress | Kim Ji-won | Nominated |
| Brand of the Year Awards | 2024 | Actress of the Year (Drama) | Queen of Tears | Won |
| Brand of the Year Awards | 2024 | Actress of the Year (Vietnam) | Queen of Tears | Won |
| Elle Style Awards Korea | 2016 | Young Icon Award | Kim Ji-won | Won |
| Financial News New Trend Awards | 2024 | New Trend Icon Award (Public's Choice) – Film/Drama Category | Queen of Tears | Won |
| Fundex Awards | 2024 | Best Actress – TV Drama | Queen of Tears | Won |
| Global Film & Television Huading Awards | 2023 | Best Global Teleplay Leading Actress | My Liberation Notes | Nominated |
| KBS Drama Awards | 2016 | Best Couple Award | Kim Ji-won (with Jin Goo) Descendants of the Sun | Won |
| KBS Drama Awards | 2016 | Best New Actress | Descendants of the Sun | Won |
| KBS Drama Awards | 2016 | Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries | Descendants of the Sun | Won |
| KBS Drama Awards | 2017 | Best Couple Award | Kim Ji-won (with Park Seo-joon) Fight for My Way | Won |
| KBS Drama Awards | 2017 | Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries | Fight for My Way | Won |
| KBS Drama Awards | 2017 | Popularity Award, Actress | Fight for My Way | Won |
| KBS World Global Fan Awards | 2017 | Best Couple Award | Kim Ji-won (with Park Seo-joon) Fight for My Way | Won |
| Korea Drama Awards | 2019 | Excellence Award, Actress | Arthdal Chronicles | Nominated |
| Korea Drama Awards | 2024 | Best Couple Award | Kim Ji-won (with Kim Soo-hyun) Queen of Tears | Won |
| Korea Drama Awards | 2024 | Popularity Award, Actress | Queen of Tears | Won |
| Korea Drama Awards | 2024 | Top Excellence Award, Actress | Queen of Tears | Nominated |
| Korea First Brand Awards | 2025 | Best Actress (Vietnam) | Queen of Tears | Won |
| Korea First Brand Awards | 2025 | Best Female Advertising Model | Kim Ji-won | Nominated |
| SBS Drama Awards | 2013 | New Star Award | The Heirs | Won |
| Seoul International Drama Awards | 2018 | Outstanding Korean Actress | Fight for My Way | Nominated |
| Seoul International Drama Awards | 2024 | Popularity Award, Actress | Queen of Tears | Nominated |

### Listicles

Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement :
| Publisher | Year | Listicle | Placement | Ref. |
| Cine21 | 2025 | Actress with Impressive Performance in 2024 | 3rd | |
| Gallup Korea | 2024 | Gallup Korea's Television Actor of the Year | 3rd | |