Jisoo

Jisoo
Kim Ji-soo (born January 3, 1995), known mononymously as Jisoo, is a South Korean singer and actress. She is a member of the South Korean girl group Blackpink, formed by YG Entertainment, in August 2016. Outside of her music career, she made her acting debut with a cameo role in the 2015 series The Producers and played her first leading role in the JTBC series Snowdrop (2021–22), for which she won the Best Actress Award at the 2022 Seoul International Drama Awards.
Jisoo made her solo music debut with the single album Me in March 2023. The album debuted at number one on the Circle Album Chart with 1.03 million copies sold in less than two days, becoming the best-selling album of all time by a female soloist in South Korea and the first to sell over a million copies. Its lead single "Flower" was a commercial success, peaking at number two on the Billboard Global 200 and the Circle Digital Chart and becoming the highest-charting song by a Korean female soloist on the Canadian Hot 100, the NZ Singles Chart and the UK Singles Chart.
Life and career
1995–2015: Early life and career beginnings
Kim Ji-soo was born on January 3, 1995 in Gunpo, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. She has an older brother and sister. As a child, she played basketball and practiced taekwondo. She dreamt of becoming a painter and writer. She was a fan of the Korean boy group TVXQ. Jisoo attended high school at the School of Performing Arts Seoul; in 11th grade, she joined a drama club at the school and earned more experience in the entertainment industry by attending auditions. Prior to debuting, Jisoo lived with her parents, siblings and grandparents. In addition to her native Korean, Jisoo has also learned to speak Chinese and Japanese.
In 2011, Jisoo joined YG Entertainment as a trainee after passing its auditions. In October 2014, she appeared in Epik High's music video for "Spoiler + Happen Ending" as a heartbroken girl. The same year, she starred in Hi Suhyun's music video for "I'm Different" as Bobby's girlfriend. In 2015, Jisoo made a cameo appearance in the KBS2 drama The Producers with labelmates Sandara Park of 2NE1 and Kang Seung-yoon of Winner.
2016–2022: Debut with Blackpink, solo endeavors and acting
Jisoo debuted as one of the four members of girl group Blackpink on August 8, 2016, alongside Jennie, Rosé and Lisa, with the release of their single album Square One.
From 2017 to 2018, Jisoo joined Inkigayo as a host alongside Got7's Jin-young and NCT's Doyoung. She first ventured into acting in 2019 with a short cameo appearance in the tvN fantasy drama Arthdal Chronicles as Song Joong-ki's love interest. In June 2020, Jisoo's style in the teasers for Blackpink's single "How You Like That" went viral on social media. Celebrities and influencers in South Korea, China, Thailand, and Vietnam replicated her "two-bow hairstyle" and makeup, which Jisoo created herself. Her "dot style", a makeup idea she originated, trended on social media platforms such as Instagram to promote the challenge among overseas fans.
Jisoo took part as writer on the lead single "Lovesick Girls" of Blackpink's first studio album The Album (2020). In 2021, she had her first leading role in the JTBC's television series Snowdrop, starring alongside Jung Hae-in. She played a college freshman, Eun Yeong-ro, who is held hostage by her love interest. The show ranked number one on Disney+ in four out of the five countries it was made available in, including South Korea. In September 2022, Jisoo was awarded Outstanding Korean Actress at the Seoul International Drama Awards for her role in Snowdrop. Jisoo contributed songwriting credits once again to "Yeah Yeah Yeah", the fourth track from Blackpink's second studio album, Born Pink (2022).
2023–present: Solo debut with Me and film debut
On January 2, 2023, YG Entertainment announced that Jisoo would debut as a solo artist within the year and was in the process of recording music for her album. On February 21, her label revealed that filming for her music video was underway in a top-secret location overseas, with the highest production budget they have ever invested into a Blackpink music video. Jisoo's single album Me was released on March 31, 2023, containing the lead single "Flower" and B-side track "All Eyes on Me".
Me debuted at number one on the Circle Album Chart with 1.03 million copies sold in the first week of release. It broke the record for the best-selling album by a K-pop female soloist and became the first to sell a million copies in history. The lead single "Flower" was a commercial success in South Korea, peaking at number two on the Circle Digital Chart and remaining in the top ten for 12 weeks. Internationally, the song debuted at number two on the Billboard Global 200 and earned the third-largest streaming start for an artist’s debut track in the chart's history. It also became the highest-peaking song by a Korean female soloist on the Canadian Hot 100, the NZ Singles Chart and the UK Singles Chart. Jisoo promoted "Flower" by performing it on SBS's Inkigayo and went on to achieve nine music show wins on South Korean cable music programs, including Triple Crowns on Inkigayo and Show Champion. She performed the song during Blackpink's headlining concerts at Coachella in April and BST Hyde Park in July.
On August 31, it was announced that Jisoo had been cast as the lead role alongside Park Jeong-min in Coupang Play's new television series Influenza, a drama about a zombie outbreak written by Han Jin-won, the writer of Parasite, and Ji Ho-jin and directed by Yoon Seong-hyun. Jisoo's agency YG Entertainment released a statement that she is considering appearing in the series and it is one of the works that have been proposed and are being reviewed by the actress. On September 19, it was reported that Jisoo will make a special appearance portraying a Korean traditional fairy in the movie Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman. Recently, Jisoo also has accepted to join big screen debut in the live-action webtoon Omniscient Reader alongside actor Lee Min-ho, in which she's a fan of the original work. The full-scale filming will begin in December.
Impact
Jisoo was ranked as the 10th most popular K-pop idol in 2018 and 17th in 2019 in annual surveys conducted by Gallup Korea. In 2019, she was ranked as the sixth most popular female K-pop idol in a survey of soldiers doing mandatory military service in South Korea. During the same year, Jisoo was the only one of two Korean singers added on the BoF 500 list, a "definitive professional index" of people shaping the $2.4 trillion fashion industry. As of February 2021, she is the third most followed K-pop idol on Instagram, along with band member Rosé.
Jisoo was included in the ranking for the top ten celebrities and influencers leading the world of cosmetics for the first five months of 2020. Women's Wear Daily, a fashion industry trade journal, revealed that Jisoo led the ranking in average engagement per post, followed by Rihanna and Kylie Jenner. She placed 7th in the overall ranking despite having the fewest posts at just 12 in total. Jisoo was the only East Asian on the list.
Jisoo ranked first in the girl group's personal brand reputation list created by Korea Enterprise Research Institute, which analyzed data from brands and online consumers habits to measure those with significant impact on brand consumption and interest. Director of the Korean Language Research Institute Seong-sun Lim noted the Korean wave in the global community was rapidly destroying the conventional Western cultural dominance, naming Jisoo and Jungkook as standards for world beauty over actors Olivia Hussey and James Dean.
In 2020, Dior's increase in sales during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea was also attributed to a marketing campaign with Korean pop singers, including Jisoo. She appeared in promotions for Dior's new Bobby bag alongside other prominent influencers such as Chiara Ferragni and Kat Graham. At the brand's Spring/Summer 2021 collection showcase, Jisoo garnered attention as a Korean representative. Her attendance at the showcase earned Dior its highest rated post, with average 33% MIV, since its Fall 2020 show. In March 2021, creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri revealed that Dior's Autumn/Winter 2021 collection was inspired by Jisoo. It was also revealed that one of ten shades of Dior Addict Lip Glow lip balm, #025 Seoul Scarlet, was inspired by Korean women such as Jisoo.
Her attendance at the Dior Spring/Summer 2022 collection show generated buzz both inside and outside of the Jardin des Tuileries venue. Jisoo became the public figure that generated the most media impact value throughout Paris Fashion Week, with four photos on her personal Instagram valued at $1.84 million. Furthermore, she was the top celebrity for Dior's MIV, making up $15.7 million of the total $39.1 million generated with just two posts. In March, she generated the highest media impact value for a social media post during Dior's Autumn/Winter 2022 fashion show at Paris Fashion Week, with one photo valued at $1.74 million.
In March 2021, the KartRider Rush+ app's ranking increased to 11th place after the announcement of design cooperation with Jisoo. The collaboration she participated in also received a positive response from users.
Philanthropy
On January 3, 2023, her 28th birthday, Jisoo created her personal YouTube channel named 'Happy Jisoo 103%'. She expressed that the proceeds from her newly-established channel will be donated to charity.
Endorsements and fashion
Before her debut with Blackpink, Jisoo featured in advertisements for Samsonite, Smart Uniform, LG Electronics, and Nikon. In September 2018, Jisoo and band-mate Rosé became endorsement models for Japanese cosmetics brand Kiss Me. In February 2021, Korean clothing brand It Michaa selected Jisoo as muse for their Spring 2021 collection. She was also appointed for 2021 summer campaign on It Michaa's line, For a Day Michaa. In August 2021, Jisoo was selected as the spokesperson for Korean short brand CELEBe. In March 2022, Jisoo became the brand ambassador for Nexon's game MapleStory, making her the second ambassador after Olympic archer Kim Je-deok.
Dior
In December 2019, Jisoo became a local ambassador for Dior's cosmetics brand, Dior Beauty. The next summer, Jisoo was recruited to be Dior's muse and modelled for Dior's Fall/Winter 2020 collection. In September 2020, Jisoo covered the 155th edition 2020 of Dazed Korea, where she discussed her work with Dior. In December 2020, Jisoo was photographed with the Lady Dior and D'Lite bags in Dior's Cruise 2020–2021 Collection.
In January 2021, Dior Beauty's "Dior Forever Skin Glow Cushion", endorsed by Jisoo, was released exclusively in Korea. She also promoted the brand's Spring/Summer Collection, wearing Dior's Caro bag. The next March, Jisoo cemented her long-term partnership with Dior when they announced her as their new global ambassador, alongside Natalie Portman and Cara Delevingne. In May 2021, Jisoo embarked on her first collaboration project with the brand, fronting the Dior Fall '21 and Dior Vespa campaigns as Elle magazine's June cover star, which hit shelves in four countries—Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore and India. Jisoo modeled Dior's newly launched lip balm, Dior Addict Lip Glow, for the Dior Beauty series.
In June 2021, Jisoo attended the Dior Resort 2022 show at Greece's Panathenaic Stadium, wearing all-white linen dress by creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri. In September 2021, Jisoo attended Dior's Womenswear Spring/Summer 2022 show, held during the 2021 Paris Fashion Week at Jardin des Tuileries. She sat in the front row, next to the chairman and CEO of Dior, Pietro Beccari. Ahead of the show, her journey to Paris was documented on Dior's social media accounts, showcasing moments ranging from her visit to the house's ateliers and the inspiration behind the Spring/Summer 2022 collection and to the archives of Lady Dior, named after Princess Diana.
In February 2022, Jisoo became the face of Dior's Addict lipstick collection along with fellow ambassadors Anya Taylor-Joy and Sharon Alexie. In honor of her 28th birthday, Dior released a new shade of lipgloss, "031 Strawberry".
Cartier
In September 2020, Jisoo was appointed as the main model of Cartier's Pasha de Cartier. On May 25, 2022, Cartier announced Jisoo as their brand ambassador joining the Panthère de Cartier community which includes Annabelle Wallis, Ella Balinska, Chang Chen, Mariacarla Boscono and Yasmine Sabri.
Collaborations
In February 2021, Line Friends announced Jisoo as their exclusive partner to design a character in mobile game KartRider Rush+, which would be released on March 19, 2021. She personally sketched items and idea of the character herself. Her items included Chichi, a rabbit inspired by Jisoo's nickname "Turtle Rabbit Kim" among fans, and Dalgom, also the name of her pet. Both Chichi and Dalgom were developed into stickers on the platform Line Messenger.
Discography
Single albums
Singles
Other charted songs
Songwriting credits
All song credits are adapted from the Korea Music Copyright Association's database, unless otherwise noted.
Videography
Music videos
Filmography
Film
Television series
Hosting
Music video appearances
Awards and nominations
Notes
References
External links
1995 births
Living people
People from Gunpo
Singers from Gyeonggi Province
21st-century South Korean actresses
21st-century South Korean women singers
Blackpink members
K-pop singers
South Korean female idols
South Korean female models
South Korean women pop singers
South Korean dance musicians
South Korean mezzo-sopranos
South Korean television actresses
South Korean television presenters
South Korean women television presenters
YG Entertainment artists
Dance-pop musicians
Japanese-language singers of South Korea
School of Performing Arts Seoul alumni