# Kim So-yeon

Kim So-yeon (Korean: 김소연; born November 2, 1980) is a South Korean actress. She is best known for starring in a number of well-known television dramas, notably All About Eve (2000), Iris (2009), Prosecutor Princess (2010), Happy Home (2016), and The Penthouse: War in Life (2020–2021).

## Career

When she was 14, Kim So-yeon entered the Miss Binggrae beauty pageant without her parents' approval. She had no makeup, so she used a marker pen as her eyeliner and ended up winning the top prize, thus launching her entertainment career. She debuted with a role in the SBS Drama Dinosaur Teacher, and continued to star in popular TV shows such as Reporting for Duty (1996) and Soonpoong Clinic (1998). She also hosted the music program Inkigayo and appeared in numerous commercials, becoming the first Korean teen star to earn more than ₩100 million from commercial modeling. Because of her preternaturally mature looks and poise, she was often cast in older roles notably as a manipulative, villainous, anchorwoman in All About Eve, which drew a peak viewership rating of 45.2% when it aired in 2000.
However, being typecast as prim, cold-hearted characters had a negative effect on Kim's career, and her fame went downhill in the mid-2000s. Her attempt to crossover to China via Hong Kong director Tsui Hark's wuxia film Seven Swords (in which she played a Joseon noblewoman-turned-slave) and the Chinese dramas Just Like a Beautiful Flying Butterfly and Anhui Merchants also proved unsuccessful. Kim took a break for three years, questioning whether she wanted to continue being an actress. She returned to television in 2008 with Gourmet (adapted from Huh Young-man's titular manhwa).
A year later, Kim's career saw a resurgence with the 2009 high-budget series Iris. She cut her trademark long hair and worked hard on her action scenes in order to look convincing in her role as a North Korean spy, drawing praise for her portrayal of a tough woman conflicted about her loyalty to her country and her love for a South Korean agent. Kim later reprised the role in the re-edited cut Iris: The Movie, the series' spin-off Athena: Goddess of War (2010) and sequel Iris II (2013).
Kim was cast in the leading role in romantic comedy Prosecutor Princess in 2010 and showcased her versatility by playing a Legally Blonde-inspired newbie district attorney who's initially more interested in shopping and dating, yet surprises her colleagues with her intelligence and learns to strive for justice. Kim said that the cheerful, unpredictable character was similar to her own real-life personality. Later in the year, she played a rigid doctor in sports drama Dr. Champ.
In 2012, Kim appeared on the big screen as a royal barista embroiled in a plot to assassinate Emperor Gojong in Gabi, adapted from the historical fiction novel by Kim Takhwan. She spent months studying the Russian language and coffee brewing even before shooting began. Gabi was Kim's first Korean feature film in 15 years, since Change in 1997. This was followed by another period drama The Great Seer, where she played a healer in Goryeo.
Kim reunited with Prosecutor Princess screenwriter So Hyun-kyung in Two Weeks (2013), in the role of a prosecutor who teams up with a fugitive to bring down a corrupt politician and her gangster henchman. In 2014, she played a fashion merchandiser who falls for her much younger childhood friend in I Need Romance 3. Kim then appeared in the "Female Soldier Special" of military boot camp reality show Real Men.
In 2015, she starred in her second cable series Beating Again, about a businessman who falls for his secretary after he gets a heart transplant. Kim also joined the fourth season of We Got Married, pairing up with Kwak Si-yang.
In 2016, Kim starred MBC's weekend drama Happy Home, playing a mother who has lost her son in an accident.
In March 2018, Kim left her previous agency Namoo Actors and signed an exclusive contract with J Wide Company on April 3, 2018. She was then cast in SBS weekend drama Secret Mother.
In March 2019, Kim returned to small screen with the KBS weekend drama Mother of Mine.
In 2020, she starred in the SBS TV series The Penthouse: War in Life, playing the role of a wicked but famous soprano and musical school director. Kim compared the role to her famous villain role in All About Eve 20 years earlier, commenting "The goal for this drama is that when people think of a female villain, they think of Cheon Seo-jin, just like how Heo Young-mi was remembered." The series drew a peak viewership rating of 28.8% nationwide, and was renewed for 2 more seasons, where Kim reprised her role. Additionally, Kim won the Award for Best Actress – Television at the 57th Baeksang Arts Awards and the Grand Prize (Daesang) at 2021 SBS Drama Awards.
In 2023, Kim made a special appearance in the SBS drama Taxi Driver 2 playing the role of the organization's first deluxe taxi driver. She was cast as the female lead for the tvN drama Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938 alongside actor Lee Dong-wook. She made a special appearance as "Ryu Hong-joo" for the SBS drama The Escape of the Seven.
In 2024, Kim was cast for the JTBC drama A Virtuous Business, as a housewife who sells adult products.

## Personal life

Kim married actor Lee Sang-woo in June 2017. Their romantic relationship started in 2016. The pair met on the set of MBC's weekend drama Happy Home.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1997 | Change | Ko Eun-bi | |
| 2005 | Seven Swords | Luzhu/Green Pearl | |
| 2007 | The Pictures | Photographer | Short film |
| 2010 | Iris: The Movie | Kim Seon-hwa | |
| 2012 | Gabi | Tanya | |
| 2015 | Love Forecast | Kang Joon-soo's ex-girlfriend 1 | Cameo |
| 2022 | It's Alright | | TVING Shorts Film |

### Television series

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1994 | Dinosaur Teacher | | |
| 1994 | Daughters of a Rich Family | Hye-ri (Kwon Il-ryung's daughter) | |
| 1995 | Drama Game: "Min-woo vs. Min-woo" | | |
| 1995 | Drama Game: "Their Summer" | | |
| 1996 | You Can't Stop Mom | Eldest daughter | |
| 1996 | Drama Game: "Come Back Home" | Park Mi-kyung | |
| 1996 | City Men and Women | Yoo Won-hee | |
| 1996 | 1.5 | | |
| 1996 | Reporting for Duty | Woo Ji-soo | |
| 1996 | Open Your Heart | Jung Yoo-kyung | |
| 1996 | Seven Spoons | Hye-joo | |
| 1997 | Because of Love | | |
| 1997 | KBS Drama Special: "Christmas in May" | | |
| 1997 | Yesterday | Lee Seung-hye | |
| 1997 | Friday Night Theater: "On Her First Night" | | |
| 1998 | Soonpoong Clinic | Oh So-yeon | |
| 1998 | I Love You, I Love You | Lee Soon-young | |
| 1998 | Winners | Kim Seo-joo | |
| 1999 | Sunday Best: "Pickpocket by Name" | Kim Ji-hyun | |
| 1999 | We Saw a Little Lost Bird | Seo Ga-hee | |
| 1999 | Ad Madness | Lee Ye-rin | |
| 2000 | All About Eve | Heo Young-mi | |
| 2000 | Mom and Sister | Noh Seung-ri / Jang Yoo-kyung | |
| 2002 | Sunlight Upon Me | Kim Yeon-woo | |
| 2002 | Trio | Choi Seo-young | |
| 2004 | Human Market | Hong Si-yeon | |
| 2004 | Just Like a Beautiful Flying Butterfly | Jin Zhi Xiu | |
| 2005 | Autumn Shower | Lee Kyu-eun | |
| 2007 | Anhui Merchants | Hu Yu Ling | |
| 2008 | Gourmet | Yoon Joo-hee | |
| 2009 | Iris | Kim Seon-hwa | |
| 2010 | Prosecutor Princess | Ma Hye-ri | |
| 2010 | Dr. Champ | Kim Yeon-woo | |
| 2010 | Athena: Goddess of War | Kim Seon-hwa | Cameo (Episode 17 & 19) |
| 2012 | The Great Seer | Hae-in | |
| 2013 | Iris II: New Generation | Kim Seon-hwa | Cameo (Episode 20) |
| 2013 | Two Weeks | Park Jae-kyung | |
| 2014 | I Need Romance 3 | Shin Joo-yeon | |
| 2015 | Beating Again | Kim Soon-jung | |
| 2016 | One More Happy Ending | Divorced woman | Cameo (Episode 1) |
| 2016 | Happy Home | Bong Hae-ryung | |
| 2017 | Children of the 20th Century | Director Kim | Cameo |
| 2018 | Secret Mother | Kim Lisa | |
| 2019 | Mother of Mine | Kang Mi-ri | |
| 2020–2021 | The Penthouse: War in Life | Cheon Seo-jin | Season 1–3 |
| 2023 | Taxi Driver 2 | the first deluxe taxi driver | Cameo (Episode 16) |
| 2023 | Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938 | Ryu Hong-Joo | |
| 2023 | The Escape of the Seven | Ryu Hong-Joo | Cameo |
| 2024 | A Virtuous Business | Han Jung-sook | |

### Web series

| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
| 2015 | High-End Crush | Entertainment news anchor | Cameo | |

### Television shows

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1997 | Inkigayo (Popular Music) Best 50 | Host | |
| 1998–2000 | Inkigayo (Popular Music) | Host | |
| 2009 | KBS Drama Awards | Host | |
| 2014 | Real Men: Female Soldier Special - Season 1 | Cast member | |
| 2015 | We Got Married - Season 4 | Cast member | |
| 2016 | King of Mask Singer | Contestant | As "Nice to Meet You Squirrel" (Episode 77) |

### Music videos appearances

| Year | Title | Artist |
| 1996 | "Why Is the Sky" | Lee Ji-hoon |
| 1997 | "Beautiful Goodbye" | Jung Jae-wook |
| 1998 | "Endless Sorrow" | Sa Joon |
| 2008 | "Classic" | KCM |
| 2008 | "Diary of a Day" | KCM |
| 2008 | "Fluttering" | KCM |

## Theater

| Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
| 2009 | Hamlet | Ophelia | |

## Ambassadorship

* Government Lottery Ambassador (2021–2023)

## 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 | 2013 | Excellence Award, Actress | Two Weeks | Won |
| APAN Star Awards | 2016 | Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Serial Drama | Happy Home | Won |
| APAN Star Awards | 2022 | Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Serial Drama | The Penthouse: War in Life 2 and 3 | Nominated |
| Asia Model Awards | 2011 | Asia Special Award | Kim Soo-yeon | Won |
| Baeksang Arts Awards | 2010 | Best Actress – Television | Iris | Nominated |
| Baeksang Arts Awards | 2021 | Best Actress – Television | The Penthouse: War in Life | Won |
| Blue Dragon Film Awards | 1998 | Best New Actress | Change | Nominated |
| Brand of the Year Awards | 2023 | Female Actress of the Year (Drama) | Kim So-yeon | Won |
| Broadcast Advertising Festival | 2022 | CF Star Award | Kim So-yeon | Won |
| Busan International Film Festival | 2013 | Female Fashionista Award | Kim So-yeon | Won |
| Grimae Awards | 2021 | Best Actress | The Penthouse: War in Life | Won |
| Herald-Donga TV Lifestyle Awards | 2013 | Best Style Award | Kim So-yeon | Won |
| KBS Drama Awards | 1995 | Best Young Actress | Daughters of a Rich Family Drama Game Minwoo vs. Minwoo What Summer of Two Girls | Won |
| KBS Drama Awards | 2009 | Popularity Award, Actress | Iris | Won |
| KBS Drama Awards | 2009 | Excellence Award, Actress in a Mid-length Drama | Iris | Nominated |
| KBS Drama Awards | 2019 | Excellence Award, Actress in a Serial Drama | Mother of Mine | Won |
| Korean Broadcasting Awards | 2021 | Popularity Award | The Penthouse: War in Life 1,2 | Nominated |
| Korea Drama Awards | 2016 | Grand Prize (Daesang) | Happy Home | Won |
| Korea Drama Awards | 2016 | Star of the Year | Happy Home | Won |
| Korean Culture and Entertainment Awards | 2012 | Best Actress (Film) | Gabi | Won |
| MBC Drama Awards | 2000 | Viewer's Favorite Character (Actress) | All About Eve | Won |
| MBC Drama Awards | 2013 | Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries | Two Weeks | Nominated |
| MBC Drama Awards | 2016 | Grand Prize (Daesang) | Happy Home | Nominated |
| MBC Drama Awards | 2016 | Top Excellence Award, Actress in Serial Drama | Happy Home | Won |
| MBC Drama Awards | 2016 | Best Couple Award | Kim So-yeon (with Lee Sang-woo) Happy Home | Nominated |
| MBC Entertainment Awards | 2015 | Top Excellence Award for Variety Show | We Got Married | Won |
| Miss Binggrae Pageant | 1994 | Miss Binggrae June | Kim So-yeon | Won |
| SBS Drama Awards | 1994 | Best Young Actress | Dinosaur Teacher | Won |
| SBS Drama Awards | 1998 | Popularity Award, Actress | Soonpoong Clinic Winners I Love You, I Love You | Won |
| SBS Drama Awards | 2008 | Best Supporting Actress in a Special Planning Drama | Gourmet | Won |
| SBS Drama Awards | 2010 | Top 10 Stars | Prosecutor Princess, Dr. Champ | Won |
| SBS Drama Awards | 2010 | Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Special Planning Drama | Dr. Champ | Nominated |
| SBS Drama Awards | 2010 | Excellence Award, Actress in a Drama Special | Prosecutor Princess | Nominated |
| SBS Drama Awards | 2012 | Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Drama Special | The Great Seer | Nominated |
| SBS Drama Awards | 2018 | Excellence Award, Actress in a Daily/Weekend Drama | Secret Mother | Won |
| SBS Drama Awards | 2020 | Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Mid-Length Drama | The Penthouse: War in Life | Won |
| SBS Drama Awards | 2020 | Grand Prize (Daesang) | The Penthouse: War in Life | Nominated |
| SBS Drama Awards | 2021 | Grand Prize (Daesang) | The Penthouse: War in Life 2 and 3 | Won |
| SBS Drama Awards | 2021 | Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries Genre/Fantasy Drama | The Penthouse: War in Life 2 and 3 | Nominated |
| SBS Drama Awards | 2021 | Best Couple Award | Kim So-yeon (with Um Ki-joon) The Penthouse: War in Life 2 and 3 | Nominated |
| Seoul International Drama Awards | 2021 | Outstanding Korean Actress | The Penthouse: War in Life | Nominated |
| Seoul International Drama Awards | 2021 | Best Actress | The Penthouse: War in Life | Nominated |

### Listicles

Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement :
| Publisher | Year | Listicle | Placement | Ref. |
| Forbes | 2021 | Korea Power Celebrity 40 | 24th | |
| Forbes | 2022 | Korea Power Celebrity 40 | 23rd | |