Kim Go-eun

2012: A Muse and critical acclaim

She made her acting debut during her college years in Jung Ji-woo's film A Muse. Kim had no prior experience in film or television, having only participated in student productions and school plays. She met director Jung Ji-woo through mutual friends and was unaware that auditions were being held. "I ended up having an audition after chatting with the director. There wasn't even any time for me to prepare," Kim recalled.^[2] Ultimately, she was selected from among approximately 300 actresses who auditioned for the role.^[6][7]

Director Jung said Kim grew up over the course of making the film, saying, "Her facial expressions in the last few scenes of the film are strikingly different from the ones in the beginning. I wanted to capture the moments when she realizes how precious she is to herself and to others," adding that she showed off qualities that can only be found in someone who is unaware of her own beauty and what she is capable of. He also said, "She is naturally curious and brave. She's strong in a sense that she isn't influenced easily. She doesn't do things just because everyone else does it."^[7] Kim's performance as Eun-gyo, a 17-year-old high school student who becomes the object of desire for two men, garnered her numerous Best New Actress awards that year, catapulting her from obscurity into the spotlight.^{[6][8][9][10]}

2013–2015: Hiatus and return to film

Despite many offers following A Muse, Kim took a break from acting and went back to college to complete her degree. She returned to the screen in 2014, showcasing her versatility in the thriller Monster where she played a developmentally disabled woman whose younger sister is murdered by a ruthless serial killer; her grief and rage drives her almost psychotic, and she plans her revenge.^{[11][12][13][14]}

In 2015, she and Kim Hye-soo were cast in Coin Locker Girl, a female-driven thriller based on the 1980 Japanese novel Coin Locker Babies. She was invited to the 2015 Festival de Cannes with the director and cast for this film, her first time there.^[15][16] Kim next starred in martial arts period drama Memories of the Sword, in which she acted opposite her longtime role model, actress Jeon Do-yeon.^[17][18][19] This was followed by courtroom film The Advocate: A Missing Body, where she played an aggressive prosecutor;^[20] and family film Canola, about a reunion between a girl and her grandmother alongside veteran actress Youn Yuh-jung.^[21][22]

2016–2023: Television debut and prominence

In 2016, Kim made her television debut in the hit cable series Cheese in the Trap, based on the webtoon of the same title.^[23][24][25] She also contributed vocals to the track "Attraction" by Tearliner for the drama's soundtrack.^[26] Kim won the Baeksang Arts Award for Best New Actress (Television) for her performance.^[27] Later in 2016, she co-starred in Kim Eun-sook's megahit fantasy drama Guardian: The Lonely and Great God alongside Gong Yoo.^[28] The drama was a pan-Asian hit and a critical darling while also becoming a cultural phenomenon in South Korea.^[29] It was also the first Korean cable drama to surpass 20% in ratings, and as of June 2021, it is the fifth-highest rated Korean drama in cable television history.^{[30][citation needed]}

In 2018, Kim played a secondary character in the film Sunset in My Hometown directed by Lee Joon-ik. For her role as a wild country girl, Kim gained 8 kg and learned a regional dialect.^[31][32][33] The same year, she was cast in the period romance Tune in for Love.^[34]

In 2019, Kim was cast in the fantasy drama The King: Eternal Monarch. The series was highly anticipated due to its great cast, renowned screenwriter, extensive publicity, and budget of over 30 billion won (US$25 million).^[35][36] It set a record on broadcast of its first episode as SBS's highest-rated Friday-Saturday drama premiere, and maintained the No.1 spot on the weekly Wavve drama chart for eight consecutive weeks.^[37][38] However, it was criticised for its screenplay and convoluted plot, which led to lower-than-expected domestic popularity.^[39][40][41]

That same year she was cast in South Korea's first ever musical film Hero, which is based on the hit stage musical of the same name. The film is based on the life of freedom fighter An Jung-geun and his assassination of Itō Hirobumi, the first Prime Minister of Japan and Resident-General of colonized Korea. Kim played the role of a former kungnyŏ turned geisha who joins the Korean independence movement.^[42][43] The movie was originally scheduled to be released in July 2020, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.^[44] It was finally released in December 2022 and grossed over $24 million at the domestic box office, making it South Korea's 6th highest-grossing film of the year.^[45]

In 2020, Kim starred in the lead role in Kim Jee-woon's short film Untact alongside Kim Joo-hun.^[46] In 2021 and 2022, Kim starred in Korea's first combined live-action/animated romantic comedy drama Yumi's Cells, a tvN TV series based on the eponymous webtoon which ran for two seasons.^[47] The drama resonated with viewers and was well-received; NME placed it on its list of 10 best Korean dramas of 2021.^[48] Kim's top-billed turn in particular received widespread attention; India Today lauded her performance as "impeccable",^[49] and Cosmopolitan Philippines called Kim "a chameleon...[who] manages to create a great character out of her roles".^[50]

In 2022, Kim starred in the TV series Little Women, a loose adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's novel of the same name. The series follows the story of three sisters who, after an unforeseen incident, escape poverty and find themselves entangled with one of the country's richest and most influential families. Kim portrayed the eldest sister, Oh In-ju.^[51] The show holds a perfect 100% rating from critics on review aggregator platform Rotten Tomatoes, with critics praising Kim's performance.^[52] Tanu I. Raj of NME commended Kim's portrayal of In-ju, describing her as "taciturn and self-sacrificial," yet also expressing "a sympathetic, starry-eyed awe."^[53] Nathan Sartain from Ready Set Cut remarked that Kim brings "a spirited insecurity" to her performance, which enhances her character's "bubbling curiosity."^[54]

2024 to present: Box office success and critical acclaim

In 2024, Kim reached another career milestone with a leading role in Jang Jae-hyun's occult-thriller film Exhuma. She plays a young shaman Hwa-rim, starring veteran actors Choi Min-sik and Yoo Hae-jin, as well as rising actor Lee Do-hyun. The film premiered at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival on February 16, 2024, in the Forum section. It was released theatrically on February 22 and received positive reviews from critics. The film quickly dominated the South Korean box office, reaching 5 million admissions in a record-breaking 10 days. By May 8, 2024, its success continued, grossing $95 million and exceeding 11 million admissions, making it both the highest-grossing film of 2024 and the sixth-highest-grossing domestic film in South Korean history.^[55][56][57] Kim also earned a spot in the "Ten Million Club," a term for actors whose films have sold over 10 million tickets.^[58]

Kim's performance of a "daesal gut," a shamanistic ritual involving animal sacrifice, garnered significant attention. The authenticity was so compelling that the film's shamanic advisors, Go Chun-ja and Lee Da-young, claimed a real spirit was summoned during one of her scenes.^[59] Her powerful portrayal was widely praised by critics and fans alike. The Korea Herald lauded her "memorable acting," stating she "captivat[ed] the audience with her terror-inducing songs, oracles and prayers."^[60] For this role, Kim won Best Actress at the 60th Baeksang Arts Awards and 45th Blue Dragon Film Awards.^[61]

In October 2024, Kim had another film released. She starred as Jae-hee in Love in the Big City, the film adaptation of Sang Young Park's bestselling novel of the same name. Director E.oni [ko] planned to adapt the film few years ago, but faced difficulties due to production and budget issues, as well as casting a male actor to play a gay character. Kim waited two and a half years for the film to be greenlit.^[58] The film focus on the first part of the novel, which follows the friendship between a "free-spirited" young woman and a closeted gay man as they live together and endure ups and downs in their love lives in modern-day Seoul.^[62][63] Her performance received critical acclaim. Woman Donga praised her portrayal of Jae-hee as a "standout" and noted she transformed the character, who initially seemed "out of place," into a "multifaceted" figure.^[58] She earned Best Actress nominations at the Baeksang Arts Awards, and Director's Cut Awards, and won in Buil Film Awards.^[64]

In 2025, Kim Go-eun starred in two Netflix original series in different genres. The first is her reunion with Park Ji-hyun in a romance coming-of-age streaming series You and Everything Else. Kim portrayed Ryu Eun-jung and her complex friendship between her and Cheon Sang-yeon (Park Ji-hyun) from their teenage years to their forties.^[65] Written by Song Hye-jin, directed by Jo Yeong-min, it released on Netflix on September 12, 2025.^[66] Her second project, The Price of Confession, released on December 5, features Kim as Mo-eun, a mysterious prisoner known as "the witch". She forms an alliance with Ahn Yoon-soo (played by Jeon Do-yeon), an art teacher who is wrongly accused of murder, offering to confess to the crime in exchange for a favor.^[67]

Ambassadorship and endorsement

Regarding her decision to limit advertisement appearances, Kim noted that she never prioritized her image or potential endorsements when selecting film projects. "What worries me," she explained, "is what impact my appearance in commercials would have on my roles."^[68] Despite this selective approach, in 2019, Kim was named a Chanel Ambassador for South Korea, and was later selected to be one of the seven faces of Chanel's "J12 Turns 20" campaign in 2020.^[69] In August 2019, at a press conference held at the Korea Press Center, Kim was appointed as an honorary ambassador for Korea's Ministry of the Environment's Resource Circulation.^[70]

Philanthropy

Kim's philanthropic activities that prioritize disaster relief were frequently channeled through the Hope Bridge Korea Disaster Relief Association.^[a] In March 2022, she donated ₩50 million for the Uljin forest fire relief.^[72] She another contributed ₩50 million on August 11, 2022, to assist those affected by South Korean floods.^[73] In March 2025, she donated ₩50 million to support regions affected by South Korea wildfires in Ulsan, Gyeongbuk, and Gyeongnam.^[74] Her international outreach includes a ₩30 million donation via Good Neighbors for the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake.^[75]

In addition to disaster relief, Kim has focused on public health and pediatric care. In February 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she donated ₩100 million through Good Neighbors to provide 40,000 masks for low-income families. Her dedication to children's health is seen by constant support for the Seoul National University Children's Hospital. This includes a ₩50 million donation in honor of Korean National Children's Day on May 5, 2021,^[76] and a ₩100 million contribution in October 2022 to commemorate her 10th anniversary as an actress.^[77]

Film

Television series

Television shows

Awards and nominations

Listicles